Chandigarh: BJP on Thursday said there is no point
in holding talks with Pakistan before it takes credible action
against terror infrastructure existing on its soil and stops
sponsoring terrorist activities against India.
"There is no relevance of these talks (proposed foreign
minister level talks between the two countries). The Pakistan
government should first prove its credibility on the issue of
terrorism. Mutual trust and confidence can only come when
Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is stopped," BJP President Nitin
Gadkari told reporters here.
Alleging that terror outfits continue to exist and
operate from Pakistani soil, he said, "Innocent people are
getting killed in our country due to Pak-sponsored terrorism".
Describing the BJP as a votary of friendly ties between
the two countries, he said that good relations be possible
only if Pakistan government proved its credibility by
dealing sternly with terror.
Noting that terror elements in Pakistan were now creating
trouble within its own territory, he said, "Our Home Minister
had admitted at the India Today conclave (earlier on) that
dialogue with Pakistan was a mistake."
He said both India and Pakistan were facing the
challenges of poverty, hunger and unemployment and both needed
politics of development.
"But first Pakistan has to take concrete action on the
ground to end terror," he said.
Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna is to travel to
Islamabad in July this year to hold talks with his Pakistani
counterpart.
Gadkari said votebank politics should not come in the way
of firmly dealing with terrorism in the country and wondered
why Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru had not been hanged
despite the Supreme Court awarding death penalty to him.
Expressing apprehensions that Ajmal Kasab`s case would
also meet the same fate, he said if there is a need to amend
the laws to punish terrorists charged with heinous crimes like
the Mumbai terror attack convict, then they should be amended
without delay.
PTI
