Mangaluru (The Hindu): Reiterating its disapproval of the NDA government’s diplomatic attempts to engage with Pakistan despite continuing terror attacks, the Shiv Sena on Saturday asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh when will India give a “befitting reply” to Pakistan.

Stating that the terror attack at the air force base in Pathankot on Saturday morning was a “gift” India received after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut asked what India achieved from Mr Modi’s unscheduled visit to Lahore. Mr Modi had surprised diplomatic and political circles by visiting Nawaz Sharif’s house to wish him on his birthday.

“On one hand, our Prime Minister visits Lahore to build friendly relations with Pakistan, while today’s terror attack establishes that Islamabad has no interest in having friendly relations with India. What did Mr Modi achieve by visiting Lahore in such a hurried manner to meet Nawaz Sharif?,” Mr Raut asked. The Shiv Sena opposed India’s attempts to normalise relations with Pakistan if cross-border terror continued.

“Whenever there is an attack on India, there is no need to say who is behind it. We can say with eyes closed that attackers are from Pakistan. The incident has happened after our Prime Minister’s visit to Lahore. We do not want to politicise it but the Pathankot attack is nothing but a gift that has been given to us by Pakistan in return for the Lahore visit,” Mr Raut said.

Reiterating Sena’s stance on the issue, Mr Raut said, “We don’t want to play politics but it is a fact that bilateral peace talks and terror attacks are taking place simultaneously. This won’t do and this has been Sena’s stance from the beginning”.

Calling for a military response from India, Mr Raut said the Pathankot attack indicated a serious threat to the security of the country.

Talent pool

Meanwhile in an editorial in the party mouthpiece on Saturday, the Shiv Sena backed BJP vice president Vinay Sahastrabuddhe’s remark that the BJP had a “smaller talent pool” than the Congress, and suggested that this could well be an expression of RSS’ opinion about the Modi government.

“Sahasrabuddhe said there is a dearth of talent within the BJP compared to the Congress. He is a veteran of the Sangh Parivar. He doesn’t indulge in theatrics, but still he spoke the truth. Is this the inner voice of the Sangh Parivar?,” the editorial said.

“Sky is the limit for Narendra Modi’s talent as the Prime Minister. But, India is a large country and to govern it, Modi will need a hundred capable hands. What works piecemeal is not durable. That’s probably what Sahasrabuddhe wants to say,” it said.