Mend your ways: BJP to Pak after attack on Modi

New Delhi: BJP today slammed Pakistan for attacking Narendra Modi and asked it to “mend” its ways, saying the “manner” in which they have been functioning with India “will not work”.The opposition party, which is projected to be ahead in the possibility of forming the next government, said Pakistan should not interfere in India's internal affairs after its Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's strong comments against Modi over Dawood Ibrahim issue. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said Modi had never talked about attacking Pakistan and was instead questioning Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's attitude of making public the governments efforts to bring back Dawood Ibrahim.The Pakistani Minister had claimed that Modi, if elected as India's Prime Minister, would “destabilise” regional peace.“We will tell Islamabad to mend their ways, the manner in which they have been functioning and trying to work with India will not work,” Lekhi said.She said the Pakistani Minister had chosen to react to a statement of Modi which was critical of Indian Home Minister. India did not interfere in electoral politics or internal affairs of other countries and expected the same from them, she said.“What I do not understand is, this person, Choudhary Nisar Ali Khan, who is the Interior Minister, is he admitting the presence of Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan?“When a person of the opposition party and the incumbent Prime Minister is making some remarks about the internal working of the country, how is Pakistan affected with that,” Lekhi told a press conference here.Khan said those who are giving statements that Pakistan is sheltering Dawood and launching operation on Pakistan soil “should realise that neither Pakistan is a weak country to be afraid of such threats, nor Pakistani nation can be impressed with such irresponsible statements.”Lekhi said India practises non-interference in affairs of others “except when somebody beheads our soldier and sends the decapitated body, then I would question.” The BJP spokesperson said the country also would question if somebody intrudes into India to interfere.Responding to questions about Shinde's statement that India was taking help of America's FBI to bring back Dawood from Pakistan, Modi had said, “Can such things be achieved through media. Are these things to be revealed through newspapers. Did Americans talk to (Osama) bin Laden? Did America hold a press conference on its plans about tracking down bin Laden?“What has the government done? They don't have mininum maturity. I am ashamed that the Home Minister made such statements.”Lekhi said the words attributed to Modi by the Pakistani minister were incorrect.“Further in the statement he (Pakistan minister) has also said that Narendra Modihas said that if he wins the elections he would bring fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim to India to be tried for 1993 blasts in Mumbai. Did you read or did you hear what Mr Modi has said? From where does all this come from? Who is briefing Mr Chaudhary,” Lekhi said. She said whether the fugitive underworld don is brought back to India or not, is beyond the realm of Pakistan unless it accepts his presence in that country or is involved in the 1993 Mumbai blasts.“What have they got to do with the blasts of 1993? I think Pakistan needs to issue statements so far as their involvement in blasts is concerned. Is there any involvement which Pakistan is worried about? Is Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan? I think Pakistan should know what they are talking about,” Lekhi said.She maintained that Modi had only raised questions over statements made by Shinde.“Whether fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim is brought to India or not, it is beyond the realm of Pakistan. What have they got o do with the blasts in 1993. Pakistan needs to issue tatement far as their involvement in the blasts is concerned.Is there any involvement of Pakistan in that? Is Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan,” Lekhi asked.She said no country should have the “audacity” to interfere in our internal affairs.The BJP spokesperson criticised Shinde as well as Finance inister P Chidambaram who has said that India could not send ommandos to bring back Dawood.“Did Modi say that I am going to attack Pakistan? Did Modi say that Dawood Ibrahim is living (there)? It was Mr Shinde who said all this,” she added.“Where is it coming (from)? Your own Home Minister said that we were talking to FBI to hand over Dawood Ibrahim to India. Utter irresponsibility is shown by the former Home Minister (Chidambaram),” she said.To attack Pakistan, she highlighted Shia-Sunni riots in that country and questioned how many muslims were killed in Pakistan. “What kind of human rights violations are taking place in Pakistan. We do not wish to speak on these subjects as they internal matters of Pakistan,” she said. “We expect them not to speak on our internal matters, especially when it is a country like Pakistan which sends beheaded soldiers to India and expects India not to react.“You have been involved in terrorism activities. You are destabilising the region. You sought to destabilise India under your covert activities by ISI and blaming India for all your activities and that too when elections are happening in the country. Who gives you the right to make these statements about India and Indian democratic set-up,” Lekhi said.Lekhi's colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad said, the BJP “strongly condemns the uncalled for and unwarranted” comment of the Pakistan internal Minister.“This is a textbook case of gross interference in the internal democratic affairs of India. The people of India are completely free to elect any party in power and elect any leader as the Prime Minister of India and they are going to elect Narendra Modi as Prime Minister,” he said.Prasad said he expected the External Affairs Ministry to summon the Pakistani High Commissioner and lodge a strong protest over this uncalled for interference.