Government on Tuesday (August 6) said the killing of five Indian soldiers on the Line of Control was carried out by "terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Armyuniform", triggering strong reactions from political parties which said it amounted to giving "escape route" to Pakistan. Members cutting across party lines expressed anger inParliament over this morning's incident, prompting Defence Minister A K Antony to assert that India will take "necessary steps" to uphold the sanctity of the LoC and give a response which will be based on "signals" and "actions" by Pakistan. Most of the political parties, including BJP, Left, SP, JD(U), Shiv Sena and BSP in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha demanded a "befitting reply" to Pakistan over the provocative act in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

There were also demands that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should not meet his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York next month on the sidelines of UN General Assembly as is planned. Making suo motu statement in both the Houses, Antony said the attack was carried out on the Indian side of the LoC. An Indian army patrol, comprising one Non-Commissioned Officer and five other ranks, was "ambushed on our side" of the LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, he said. "The ambush was carried out by approximately 20 heavily-armed terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan army uniform," he said. "In the ensuing firefight, five Indian soldiers were martyred and one soldier was injured," he said.

In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Spokesperson and MP, Rajya Sabha, Congress and Dr Chandan Mitra, Editor-in-Chief, The Pioneer & MP, Rajya Sabha, BJP -- discuss whether, the temptation to create a slice of history so compelling that New Delhi is disregarding the reality of Pakistan's aggression and role in promoting Pakistan terrorism?