PM offers to brief Oppn on LoC crisis

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Monday, and offered to send National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon to brief the leaders of the opposition in the two Houses on the situation at the Line of Control after Pakistan troops killed two Indian soldiers a few days ago.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Monday, and offered to send National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon to brief the leaders of the opposition in the two Houses on the situation at the Line of Control after Pakistan troops killed two Indian soldiers a few days ago.

The meeting of the NSA with Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley is expected on Tuesday.

"I had called up the NSA on the first day and asked him to convey to the PM that what happened at LOC was unacceptable, and that we'll be with the government if it comes up with a tough response. There was initially no response but the PM called up today and said the NSA had conveyed my views to him and that he (the PM) wishes the NSA briefs us on the matter. I said okay," Swaraj told HT over phone.

Cong backs Sena against Pak players
The Congress on Monday justified the Shiv Sena's protest against Pakistani hockey players, saying it reflected anger among the people and political parties over the beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani troops.

"Nobody should take law in their hands. But there is anger in the country. People and parties are angry. Shiv Sena is expressing anger in its own way. I cannot say the anger is not justified. But one should not lose sanity in anger," party spokesman Rashid Alvi said.

This is for the first time that the Congress has justified the Shiv Sena's protest.