Unwilling to waste an opportunity to reiterate its anti-Pakistan stand, Shiv Sena not only condemned the fresh terror attack in Punjab on Saturday but also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pakistan. The Sena demanded retaliation against the neighbouring country in a similar manner and asked the government to snap all ties with Pakistan.
Terming the terror attack as a setback to the peace process initiated by the PM, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, “Whenever there is an attack on the country, there is no need to explain who’s behind it. We can blindly name Pakistan responsible for that. This attack has come after the Prime Minister’s latest visit to Pakistan. We do not want to politicise the issue but it seems India wants to have peace and Pakistan is sending New Year’s gift through terrorists.”
Sena, which has always maintained an aggressive stand on Pakistan, has been vehemently opposing any dialogue with the neighbouring country.
“It has remained our stand that peace talks and terrorism cannot happen simultaneously. It is not sufficient to say that we will retaliate. One has to actually do it. We respect the Union home minister. But he has to tell the retaliation will take place against Pakistan,” Mr Raut said referring to Union home minister Rajnath Singh’s comments in the aftermath of the Punjab incident that there would be a befitting reply for terror attacks.
Pointing out that the attack has come a day after India granted citizenship to former Pakistani singer Adnan Sami, another Sena MP Arvind Sawant asked to stop all dialogue with the neighbour. “There is no point in having any conversation with Pakistan. One has to adopt different methods to fight back with them. Why do we have to give citizenship to Pakistani singers like Adnan Sami Is the neighbour treating our artists with the same respect ” Mr Sawant asked.
