Govt, Opposition in bitter battle over Balochistan

"What national interest will be served by adding Balochistan? What national interest will be served from delinking terror with talks? What national interest will be served?" was what BJP leader Sushma Swaraj asked in Parliament on Thursday.

An angry Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee stood up angrily: "Every country is obliged to take action against terror. Mere mentioning absolutely does not mean we have any role to play in Balochistan."

Then Foreign Minister S M Krishan said: "When the two PMs met, question of Balochistan was made. We readily agreed as we had nothing to hide."

"That's a strange answer. If you had nothing to hide, why was it included? It should also have been said that India has nothing to do with Balochistan. Even within Congress there is division on this. I feel after this there is no meaning taking part in this debate," retorted Leader of the Opposition L K Advani.

Balochistan is fast becoming the point of no return for the government. Despite the ruling party's top guns including Pranab Mukherjee making a passionate defence of the Prime Minister.

Manmohan Singh had agreed to including the rebellious Pakistan province in the joint statement with the Pakistan prime minister.

Critics claim it undid years of India's foreign policy stand that the Balochistan violence is Pakistan's internal matter -- not a bilateral one.

Even some in the PM's party distanced themselves from the statement. But Sonia Gandhi put an end to all that by telling her party MPs on Thursday that "no one should be in any doubt on our party's position vis-a-vis Pakistan."

While at home Balochistan looks set to haunt the government in future there was some consolation from Washington.

When asked if Pakistan had given any evidence of India's hand in Balochistan, Obama's envoy Richard Holbrooke -- just back from Islamabad - said: "I'd be misleading if it didn't come up...short answer to you...'no'."

Whatever the misgiving a section of the Congress may have had, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi set at rest all questioning.