By IANS,
New Delhi : The BJP Friday termed Pakistan’s National Assembly’s resolution on the hanging of Afzal Guru “a brazen act of interference” in India’s internal affairs and demanded scaling down of diplomatic ties with the neighbouring country.
In a statement, BJP president Rajnath Singh said Pakistan had crossed all boundaries in its diplomatic dealings with India.
“The BJP firmly believes that almost all terrorist activities in India are sponsored by Pakistan and by adopting a resolution on Afzal Guru in the National Assembly, Pakistan has given its stamp of approval on its association with terrorist groups,” Rajnath Singh said.
He said the party strongly condemns Pakistan’s National Assembly’s resolution on the hanging of Afzal Guru, who was sentenced to death in the 2001 parliament attack case.
Attacking the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Singh said it had no action plan or firm conviction to fight against terrorism and had expended its energy targetting the BJP.
“The BJP has given its full support to the government if it takes strong steps to counter terrorist activities from Pakistan, but the government has disappointed us and the people of this country. The UPA government has expended and its energy targetting the BJP and giving little attention to safeguard the country from terrorism,” Singh said.
Referring to the beheading of an Indian soldier near the Line of Control, blasts in Hyderabad and the recent attack on a CRPF camp in Srinagar, Singh said the incidents had “exposed the UPA government’s inability to deal with cross-border terrorism”.
“The BJP demands that India’s diplomatic relations with Pakistan should be immediately scaled down in the wake of fidayeen attacks in Srinagar. Unless Pakistan abides by its commitment given to us in January 2004 that no terrorist activities against India would be carried out from its soil, the centre should suspend the ongoing Confidence Building Measures (CBMs),” Singh said.
The BJP president said India should also recall its high commissioner in Islamabad if Pakistan does not stop its support to terrorists.
“The UPA government’s policy of mollycoddling Pakistan has emboldened terrorists and other anti-India forces. The terrorists have galvanised their groups and this situation could get worse in 2014 after the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan,” he said.
Singh said the UPA government should focus on strengthening India’s military power.
“Durable peace can be maintained only from a position of strength not from a position of weakness,” he said.
BJP leader Arun Jaitley also spoke strongly against the resolution of Pakistan national assembly in the Rajya Sabha.
He said the resolution was an “official stamp of approval” on the attack that almost triggered a war between India and Pakistan and no friendly ties or dialogues were possible with Pakistan.
“Not only is this an interference in the internal affairs of India but this is an approval of the worst terror attack on India,” Jaitley said.