Govt. maintaining 'unjustified and mysterious silence' on issue of NSA: Congress

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Friday said that there has been an unjustified and mysterious silence on the part of BJP-led NDA Government over the issue of NSA-level talks with Pakistan, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to explain the issue clearly to the people.

"The inconsistencies and the flip-flop approach of the government in engaging with Pakistan has caused India repeated embarrassments in the past," Sharma told ANI.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not told the people or the Parliament what was the understanding reached and the basis justified taking forward the dialogue, particularly at the level of the National Security Advisor," he added.

He insisted that the mess that the whole country is staring is government's own making and the Prime Minister has a duty to explain the issue.

"There has been unjustified and mysterious silence on the part of the Indian Government."

Earlier today, the Ministry of External Affairs sent a strong message to Pakistan, insisting that there are only two stakeholders in the talks between India and Pakistan and added that New Delhi is committed to discuss the issues peacefully and bilaterally.

"India remains committed to discussing issues with Pakistan peacefully and bilaterally. Unilateral impositions of new conditions and distortions of the agreed agenda cannot be the basis for going forward," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swaroop told the media.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz for the talks in the national capital on Sunday.