BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday clarified that his comment that there is 'no need for a war with Pakistan' did not mean a complete no, but rather that it is not the solution to India's security lapses.
Pakistani media have played up Siddaramaiah's "no need for war" comments over the Pahalgam terror attack, to highlight that voices are emerging within India against war.
Siddaramaiah asserted that it was the duty of the Central government to provide security to tourists at Pahalgam and that it was a failure on the part of the intelligence that allowed this incident to occur.
26 persons were killed in the terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Only if inevitable should there be war. There cannot be a solution from war. I did not say no to demands for war," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Responding to a query about Pakistani media circulating his statement, he said, "What I said is that war is not a solution. Security should have been provided there, as many tourists go to Kashmir. Providing security is whose responsibility? It is the Central government's responsibility."
He added, "26 people were killed (in Pahalgam), 40 soldiers were killed (in Pulwama attack). So there is a failure of intelligence from the Government of India. I have said that the Government of India did not provide proper security. There should be war if it is inevitable, not that it should not be done at all. But, immediately, there is no need for war, this is what I have said."
Siddaramaiah on Saturday had said there is no need for a war with Pakistan, but the central government should strengthen the security system.
"There is no need for war, stringent measures should be taken. The security system needs to be tightened. We are not in favour of war. There should be peace, people should have security, and the central government should take security measures," he said.