New Delhi, Jan 15: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday that those who brutally killed two Indian soldiers will be brought to book and there can be "no business as usual" with Pakistan.
"There can be no business as usual after the barbaric act," the prime minister said when journalists asked about the government's move to hold back visa on arrival for senior Pakistani citizens.
He was speaking at a get-together here hosted by army chief General Bikram Singh on the occasion of Army Day. The visa on arrival was to start Tuesday.
"Those responsible for the heinous act will be brought to book," Manmohan Singh said.
The prime minister was referring to the Jan 8 killing of two Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir, about 600 metres away from the Line of Control (LoC).
One of the soldiers was beheaded and his head taken away by the raiders. The other soldier's body was mutilated, Indian officials say.
The brutality has outraged India.
When pointed out that Pakistan was in a denial mode on the cross-LoC attack, the Prime Minister said, “we will keep trying”.
Asked about the options vis-a-vis Pakistan, he said these cannot be discussed in the open.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said India has taken a “very firm position” on the beheading issue with Pakistan as the act is “totally unacceptable and barbaric”.
Referring to yesterday's Flag Meeting between India and Pakistan on the LoC, he said, “we may not be happy with the outcome but the process is still on.”
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