UPA should talk straight with Kasuri, says BJP

New Delhi, Feb 20: Assailing the Government for going 'soft against terrorism,' the BJP today asked the Manmohan Singh Government to say 'straight' to Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri that no fruitful talks could be held between the two countries unless Pakistan stopped abetting cross border terrorism.

Addressing newspersons at the BJP's daily briefing, Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said there was need to tell Pakistan that it had to demolish all terrorists bases on its soil to stop abetment to terrorism in India.

He criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for giving a "clean chit" to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on his efforts to deal with the problem.

But terrorists camps on the other side of Border were still operating which had been confirmed by India's defence and intelligence network. Even Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Defence Minister A K Antony had gone on record to say that several important installations were on the terrorist hit list, he said.

The BJP Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha said the 9/11 incident had totally changed the US stance towards terrorism. But India which was facing increased terrorist activities, the latest being the bomb blasts in Samjhauta Express, near Panipat, was still having a very soft approach towards the extremists, he said.

Mr Kasuri is visiting India, leading a high level delegation for co-chairing the revived India-Pakistan Joint Commission meeting and holding talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to carry forward the composite dialogue as part of peace process.

UNI