BJP Asks Centre to Build Pressure on Pak to Hand Over Dawood

[tekisui]

NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of the Mumbai terror attack, BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party-Opposition party) today said the government should ask Pakistan to hand over Dawood Ibrahim if the
neighbouring country is really serious in cooperating with India in the fight against terror.

"It is time that India talks tough with Pakistan and asks it to hand over Dawood Ibrahim if it is sincere about cooperating in the fight against terror," party spokesman Ravishankar Prasad said.

"Our country should take proper coercive and diplomatic steps to make Pakistan realise that we have not taken very kindly to the use of its territory for launching terror attacks," he said.

Prasad added that Ibrahim is "a fugitive wanted in India and his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts has been established".

"It is also time that the country learns lessons from the attack and give a clear and tough signal that it will not negotiate on the security of the nation for votebank politics," Prasad said, adding that it is also time to rise above politics and be united.

"The attack on Mumbai was the biggest terror attack. The country is relieved that our brave forces have taken control of the situation. The party congratulates the police, army and NSG personnel for their brave action and salutes their sacrifices. The country would always be indebted and grateful to these brave men," he said.

"We need to draw the right lesson from this big slip and take the matter seriously. BJP promises to stand by the government in all its steps to counter terrorism," he said.

The main opposition party also called on the government to act swiftly to nab the culprits. "The Pakistan linkages have been established. It is time to act and not let anyone try to destroy the proofs and linkages related to the Mumbai attack," the senior BJP leader said.

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