Congress Blasts 'Soft' BJP for Surrendering Before Pakistan

Azad used the occasion to take a jibe at Modi for making tall claims before the nation during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Congress Blasts 'Soft' BJP for Surrendering Before Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Former union minister and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday accused the ruling BJP of retracting from its earlier stand on Pakistan and alleged that the latest political development between the two Asian neighbours is a clear indication that there has been a toned down approach on part of the ruling dispensation.

Azad also used the occasion to take a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making tall claims before the nation during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

“When the BJP was contesting the (2014) Lok Sabha polls, they had said and in fact Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that vote for us as the Congress government is weak and is not able to hold talks properly with Pakistan and we will look into their eyes and talk…But the fact now is that their position has become soft towards Pakistan and China,” said Azad.

“Our Prime Minister went to Pakistan to wish Nawaz Sharif on his birthday and attend his grand-daughter’s wedding but a week later an attack took place on the Pathankot air base. We thought that our government would initiate tough action against Pakistan post the Pathankot attack, but their attitude towards Pakistan has become flimsy,” he added.

Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry today held bilateral talks in New Delhi focusing on a range of issues.

The two Foreign Secretaries are also believed to have deliberated on ways to take forward the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue (CBD) between both sides.

India has been pressing for action against terrorists responsible for the audacious attack on the premier IAF base to move ahead in the talks.

During the meeting, the Pakistan Foreign Secretary emphasized that Kashmir remains the core issue that requires a just solution, in accordance with UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people.

The Pakistan Foreign Secretary is in New Delhi on a day-long visit to attend the senior officials meeting of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process.

It was the first such formal meeting between the two top diplomats after the talks were deferred in January following the strike by Pakistani terrorists at the Pathankot Airbase.

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