Congress questions Centre's deafening silence over Pak envoy inviting Kashmiri separatist leaders for talks

Congress leader Manish Tewari today questioned the NDA Government's deafening silence over Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's invitation to Kashmiri separatist leaders for talks before the foreign secretaries of the two countries meet in Islamabad on August 25.

"Pakistan's High Commissioner in India is feting separatists, Pakistani Army is intruding into Indian territory, the ISI and its instrumentalities are attacking our consulate in Herat, and this government is deafening in its silence. This is the same government when it was in the opposition, whose face used to turn red and blue whenever there was any provocation from Pakistan. So, why have they gone silent all of a sudden?," Tewari asked.

"And given the fact that Pakistan has ostensibly even eliminated Hafiz Sayeed's name from the 26/11 charge sheet, where is the rationale for going ahead with the proposed talks on August 25 this year given the background over the past two-months. Is the government under some international pressure with regard to Pakistan, and if it is under pressure, then they should come out and very clearly tell the nation as to why there has been a change of stance and a 180 degree U-turn on the government policy towards Pakistan," Tewari added.

High Commissioner Basit has invited Kashmiri separatist leaders for talks tomorrow. This is the first time that such a meeting is taking place after the installation of the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government.