India should try to get access to Pak 26/11 masterminds: BJP

Welcoming the death sentence to Ajmal Kasab for the Mumbai attacks, BJP today said India should make more efforts to get access to Pakistani masterminds of the terror strikes and other accused like David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana.

"Kasab had waged a war against Indian sovereignty and got due punishment. But the government has a big job ahead as there is no clarity when India will get access to other accused like David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

She asserted that India should send a strong message to Pakistan through this verdict. She demanded that the 26/11 accused living in the neighbouring country should be brought to book.

"Indian government has a long way to go. The message to Pakistan should be loud and clear that we cannot tolerate attacks on us. Pakistan has to do its job and the masterminds have to be punished," Sitharaman said.

BJP hailed the Indian criminal justice system which had delivered the Kasab verdict fast. It maintained that Kasab had a right to appeal against the verdict and due process of law should be followed.

The main opposition said the Congress-led government had not carried out the death sentence given to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru by the Supreme Court, as it has become a "victim of its own appeasement politics".