Vaidik-Saeed meet causes ripples in India: Pakistani daily

Islamabad, July 16: Indian journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik's meeting with

terrorist

has caused ripples in India, a Pakistani newspaper said Wednesday.

The meeting has "caused ripples in India" because of Vaidik's close association with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Daily Times said in an editorial.

"Opposition parties swamped BJP with questions about how an Indian journalist could meet a man considered responsible for the Mumbai attack in 2008", the daily said.

The meeting took place between Vaidik and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafeez Saeed July 2 in Lahore.

Vaidik had visited Pakistan with a group of journalists and politicians invited by a peace and research institute.

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that the meeting had nothing to do with the government.

Congress has asked the government to give details about the meeting as it is a matter of national interest.

"Hafiz Saeed was shocked at the reaction of the Indian politicians to the meeting, which according to him revealed the true face of India, veiled behind a so-called secular demeanour," the editorial said.

"Saeed tweeted, `Utterly shameful', about India's reaction," it added.

The editorial went on to say that Vaidik has "defended his meeting with Saeed by calling it a personal matter and said that his only motive to meet Saeed was to analyse his mind and to understand what makes him commit such heinous crimes against India".

"Saeed has also said that his party would not protest if (Indian Prime Minister) Narendra Modi comes to Pakistan," it said.

IANS