Guarded response from BJP, Congress

The arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar by Pakistan on Wednesday evoked a guarded response from both the BJP and the Congress.

While, the Shiv Sena described Masood’s arrest as the “usual game” of arresting and then letting them off later, the BJP termed it as a “positive step” which was “good” for peace-loving and development-oriented people of India and Pakistan. On the other hand, the Congress gave partial kudos to Pakistan but sought concrete action through his prosecution and conviction.

“If the media reports of the arrest is correct, then it is a positive step which is a good thing for the peace-loving and development-oriented people of the two countries,” BJP national secretary and its media cell in-charge Shrikant Sharma said.

Adding that Prime Minister Marendra Modi had conveyed the “nation’s anger” to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, who had assured him of action.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “Partial kudos to Pakistan for detaining Azhar; proof of pudding is in whether there is arrest, sustained and genuine prosecution and conviction.”

He also said, “Pakistan leadership, especially Nawaz Sharif, deserves benefit of doubt for a few weeks and if he walks the talk consistently in future he would go down as a statesman. If Pakistan initiative proves sincere, genuine and long term and I am still skeptical that Pakistan has not diminished but enhanced itself by bowing to India.”

Significantly, the NDA ally Shiv Sena was not much impressed with the action and called it just “usual” for Pakistan to take such actions for the sake of it following terror incidents in India.