PTI
NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 19
India today rejected Pakistan’s contention about insufficient evidence against Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and asked it to ensure reversal of bail granted to him as Parliament expressed outrage over the development and condemned it.
As members raised the issue in Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the bail granted to Lakhvi yesterday has come as a “shock” to all those who believe in humanity worldover, particularly after every Indian shared the pain of the massacre of Pakistani children in Peshawar on Tuesday.The Lok Sabha adopted a quickly-drafted resolution condemning the bail granted to Lakhvi and asked the government to take “all steps in its power, including through its relations with foreign countries, to put pressure on Pakistan to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”
As the House stood as one on the issue sinking differences, Modi said India immediately conveyed its sentiments in the “strongest terms” to Pakistan and the future actions will take into account the agitated feelings expressed by the MPs.
Referring to the massacre in a school in Peshawar, he said, “The pain felt in India was no less than that felt in Pakistan. Every Indian had tears in eyes... But immediately after that this kind of behaviour has come as shock to all those who believe in humanity.”
He assured the House that the sentiments expressed by the members will be reflected in government’s actions on the issue.
Immediately after, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a statement, saying, “We reject this argument that there is lack of adequate evidence.”
She said by allowing bail to Lakhvi, Pakistan has made mockery of its pledge to fight terrorism “without any condition or discrimination” and asserted that Pakistan should immediately get this decision overturned.
Hectic activity, apparently over drafting of a resolution on the release of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, was witnessed in Lok Sabha today after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj joined the House to condemn it.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, having talks with his party colleagues Shashi Tharoor and K C Venugopal and Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai sitting by his side in the opposition bench, drew the attention of Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the other side.
Following this, Thambidurai went over to Naidu and also spoke to Modi on the way, as the House continued with Zero Hour. Soon after, Naidu signalled Tharoor to come over. When Tharoor went to the Treasury benches, Modi stopped him and spoke to him.
The Congress leader then sat alongside the External Affairs Minister in the front row of the Treasury benches, with senior BJP leader L K Advani and Thambidurai on one side and the Prime Minister on the other.
They were seen discussing and writing something on a piece of paper, apparently the draft of the resolution.
The entire process took less than half an hour, and when it seemed they had reached a finality, Tharoor again had a chat with the Prime Minister before returning to his seat in the Opposition benches.
Thereafter, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read out the resolution which asked the government to take “all steps in its power, including through its relations with foreign countries, to put pressure on Pakistan to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”
