NDA’s main alliance partner Shiv Sena on Tuesday joined the Opposition Congress and AAP in attacking the Centre for allowing Pakistani investigators to visit the Patahankot IAF base to probe the terror strike. Congress and AAP workers also waved black flags and placards outside IAF base protesting against the visit and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut while terming the Government’s decision as “wrong” said rather an Indian team needs to be sent to Pakistan to probe those behind terror strikes.
Raut also reminded the Centre that not India, but Pakistan is an accused in the Pathankot strike. “On top of that, we have provided high security to the Pakistani team. Who are they scared ofIJ The entire matter is laughable,” said the Rajya Sabha member.
He sought to know if the Centre will manage to get permission from Pakistan to get an Indian team to investigate there. “Our team needs to be sent there to investigate the role of Hafiz Saeed and Azhar Masood in terror strikes in our country. But will we get permissionIJ We need to remember we are not culprits but Pakistan is,” he said.
The Congress accused the Government of compromising the country’s sovereignty and setting a “wrong” precedent.
“It is known all over that the Pakistan’s ISI is behind the terror attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, and still we are serving biryani to the JIT which also includes an ISI representative,” AICC spokesman Pl Punia said.
Reacting to BJP’s defence that JIT visit will strengthen ties, former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said only time will tell whether the visit will benefit India or not. He, however, said, “the way Pakistani team came for probing Pathankot attack and was allowed, Indian team should be allowed to (investigate) Mumbai and other such attacks (in Pakistan)”.
Striking a tone different from other Opposition parties, Omar’s father and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah backed the Government over the visit, saying it was a “very good step” and that it was time for the two neighbouring countries to give up animosity and push friendship.