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Govt, party one over joint statement: Rahul

July 30, 2009 15:39 IST
All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday came out in support of the government on the Indo-Pak joint statement stating that the "government and party are absolutely one."

He dismissed suggestions of any difference between the party and the government over the statement and sought to put the blame on media for creating such an impression.

His comments assume importance as opposition members in parliamentary debate alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not backed by his own party on the issue.

"Government and party are absolutely one. You media have created such an impression," Gandhi told mediapersons outside Parliament when asked about differences between the party and the government over the joint statement signed by Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani on July 16 in Egypt.

Gandhi's remarks came hours after the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting in which party president Sonia Gandhi, in a carefully-worded statement, made it clear that there was no question of resumption of dialogue with Pakistan till it acts against those mounting terror attacks against India.

"No one should be in any doubt on our party's position vis-a-vis Pakistan. It remains unchanged. We supported the resumption of the dialogue process with Pakistan only after it has demonstrated its seriousness to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice and prevent its territory from being used to launch terror attacks on any part of our territory," Sonia said.

She at the same time appreciated the statement of the Prime Minister on the issue in Lok Sabha on Wednesday and described it "firm and unequivocal."

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