Is this the time to meet Nawaz Sharif? asks BJP

Terror and talks should not go together, says Yashwant Sinha

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yashwant Sinha asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday whether it was the right time to meet Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif, and whether the atmosphere was conducive to talks.

"All these years, since 2004, Pakistan has been indulging in cross-border terrorism, including the famous ones like the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. Then, recently, we have seen their behaviour on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, which is totally objectionable. So, is this the right atmosphere and the right time to talk to Pakistan at the summit level?" Sinha asked, while talking over a television channel.

"Terror and talks should not go together. This is the arrangement and the understanding that has been established between India and Pakistan, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister," Sinha said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left for the US Wednesday, and he had said that he would meet Nawaz Sharif in New York Sep 29, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Before that meeting, he will meet US President Barack Obama Sep 27 in Washington.