New Delhi: Attacking government over its
inability to get terror accused David Headley, BJP on Friday said
the party will settle for nothing less than his custodial
interrogation in India.
Party spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy accused the
government of "attempting to rationalise" its failure in not
not getting Headley.
Describing the US decision not to extradite Mumbai
attack accused Headley as "a battle lost", he asked the
government how it would pressurise Pakistan to hand fugitives
of 26/11 when it could not convince US on handing over the
Pakistani-American.
"BJP will have nothing less than extradition of Headley
for trial in the 26/11 attack. It is almost like a battle
lost," he said.
He said it was a failure of Indian diplomacy that a
friendly country like US could not be convinced to hand over
Headley.
"How can you pressurise Pakistan, which is a hostile
state, to hand over 20 fugitives when you cannot pressurise US
to hand over a single individual involved in 26/11 attacks,"
Rudy said.
The Rajya Sabha MP asserted that his party would be
keenly watching every move of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
during his forthcoming visit to US and see what actions he
takes for extradition of Headley.
"The Prime Minister is a brand ambassador of failed
diplomacy towards US. We had witnessed how he moved head over
heels on the nuclear deal and we will now now witness what the
Prime Minister will do" he claimed.
Rudy also criticised the US for its role on the
Headley issue. "It seems Headley has been given a virtual
amnesty. This is a matter of concern for us.....This
repudiates the US stand on terror," Rudy said.
He termed as "absurd" that Headley will be not be
extradited to India for trial but will be available for
interrogation.
"Headley has turned approver....We do not know about
the government but the bjp is seriously worried....American
action is a suspect," Rudy insisted.
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 19, 2010, 22:03