The Hindu Business Line : India says Pakistan Minister's remarks `in bad taste'

THE Government on Friday said the remarks made by the visiting Pakistani Information Minister, Mr Shiekh Rashid Ahmed, were "in bad taste and not in keeping with the spirit of SAARC."

The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad, said, "It is unfortunate that he used his presence (at the SAARC Information Ministers' Conference here) to make negative comments about bilateral relations, India and some of our distinguished leaders. These were clearly in bad taste and not in keeping with the spirit of SAARC."

Mr Prasad also added that the comments about the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, were ``in bad taste too. They represent some of the finest conduct in the public life of a democracy. I will not stoop to that level''. At the same time, he expressed confidence that the process initiated by the Prime Minister would continue since it had the support of the people of both countries.

The I&B Minister said, ``I have been pained at the reports of the comments made by my distinguished colleague... we had welcomed him in India with open arms to take the SAARC process forward and also to create opportunities for wider and freer interaction of and through the media.''

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