‘ Quality of Bofors guns are good’

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday described the quality of Swedish Bofors guns as ‘ good’ but refused to comment on remarks attributed to President Pranab Mukherjee that the controversy surrounding its acquisition was a ‘ media trial’

to do covert operation. I did not talk about it. The person who asked me talked about covert operation. Not me.”

During a media event last week, Parrikar, in reply to a question, had said, “We have to neutralise terrorists through terrorists only. Why can’t we do it? We should do it”.

The remarks generated sharp reaction from Pakistan which said it confirms apprehensions about India’s involvement in terrorism. “This statement only confirms Pakistan’s apprehensions about India’s involvement in terrorism in Pakistan. It must be the first time that a minister of an elected government openly advocates use of terrorism in another country on the pretext of preventing terrorism from that country or its non- state actors,” Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister on foreign affairs Sartaz Aziz said.