Pak resolution: Stamp of approval on Parl attack, says BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday condemned Pakistan parliament's resolution on hanging of Afzal Guru and demanded that diplomatic relations with Islamabad should be scaled down along with suspension of confidence building measures

"Pakistan has crossed all limits by passing a resolution in its parliament on hanging of Afzal Guru. Pakistan has no right to interfere in the internal issues of India and the government of India should register its strong protest with Pakistan as well as in international community," BJP president Rajnath Singh said in Jaipur.

He also said that the government should take initiative to pass a resolution in the Parliament to condemn the move of Pakistan government.

"PM should initiate in the matter and call back our high commissioner from Pakistan. Diplomatic relations should be scaled down and confidence building measures should be suspended. The government should also pass a resolution against the move of Pakistan," he said.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley asked the government to reconsider its engagements with Pakistan in light of Thursday's resolution.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and other Opposition parties demanded a resolution condemning Pakistan's interference in India's internal affairs.

"Besides interfering in India's internal affairs, the resolution is an official statement by the entire polity of Pakistan endorsing the terrorist attacks," Jaitley said raising the issue when the House met for the day.

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New Delhi, he said, always suspected the hand of Pakistan in the Parliament attack. "The resolution seems to have confirmed our fears," he said.

Jaitely said the resolution was "an official stamp of approval on one of the worst terrorist attacks."

"The government of India will have to seriously consider how to deal with Pakistan," he said, adding, "As long as this resolution remains, we should seriously forget normalising ties."

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been talking about walking an extra mile in normalising ties with Pakistan but after Thursday's resolution, he should "forget walking even an extra inch."

"Yesterday's (Thursday) resolution seems to have confirmed our fears" that the attacks were planned and executed by Pakistan, he said adding, "Normalisation of relationship would not be possible."

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Jaitley said the beheading of Indian soldiers, blasts in Hyderabad and attack on the Central Reserve Police Force camp in Srinagar have finally culminated in the resolution that showed "the intent of Pakistan."

Attacking the United Progressive Alliance government's foreign policy, he cited "failures" in Male.

"If India can be kicked around, then there is something seriously wrong with our foreign policy," he said, demanding a discussion on the foreign policy.

Several Opposition members associated themselves with Jaitley by raising hands.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said Pakistani Parliament resolution is condemnable and told the members that the government was ready for a discussion on the foreign policy.

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