PM Modi, Saudi Crown Prince condemned Pulwama attack "in the strongest terms" in their joint statement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi "forgot" to write the name of Pakistan in the joint statement following his talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Congress said today, accusing the PM of settling for soft-pedaling on the Pulwama terror attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.
In the joint statement, the two leaders condemned the Pulwama terror attack "in the strongest terms" and said "all countries" must renounce the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. The statement did not refer to the role of either Pakistan or Jaish in the attack last week.
"Modiji on February 18 said 'the time for talks with Pakistan is over, and now action will be taken'," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted this morning.
"Modiji on February 20 saying - India and Pakistan will talk as Modiji has been trying for since May 2014," he added, referring to a paragraph in the document that talked about the Indian and the Saudi sides agreeing on the "need for creation of conditions necessary for resumption of comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan".
Mr Surjewala wrote: "The prime minister forgot to write the name of terror nourisher Pakistan in the joint statement. Wah Modi-ji".
According to the joint statement, issued hours after the meeting between PM Modi and the Saudi Crown Prince, the visiting leader "appreciated consistent efforts made by Prime Minister Modi since May 2014 including Prime Minister's personal initiatives to have friendly relations with Pakistan."
The talks between the Prime Minister and the Saudi Crown Prince came days after the February 14 attack claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), whose chief Masood Azhar is roaming free in Pakistan.