BJP ally Shiv Sena opposes talks with Pakistan

New Delhi, Jul 22: Slamming the 'sari and shawl' diplomacy with Pakistan, ruling NDA constituent

today said government should have no talks with the country and give it a "befitting" reply after the killing of a jawan in shelling at the Line of Control.

"What is this sari and shawl diplomacy? There should be no talks with Pakistan and this has been our stand yesterday and even today when we are in the government," Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters here. "Should we continue to keep counting our dead soliders? If they have killed our one soldier, we should kill (their) ten (soldiers) and this would be a befitting reply to Pakistan," he said.

Raut's remarks were a jibe at the gesture of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to send a white sari for the mother of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi who had gifted a shawl for Sharif's mother, when the Pakistani leader visited India to attend Modi's swearing in ceremony. Shiv Sena has steadfastly opposed any talks between India and Pakistan.

Asked how would the party take up the issue now that it is in power, Raut, who is also the editor of party mouthpiece 'Samanna', said, "It is we who raised this issue in the House today and now that we are in the government we will also take it up with the government." He, however, did not elaborate. An Indian Army jawan was killed after Pakistanis fired along LoC in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district, in yet another violation of ceasefire.

PTI