Pak: BJP chief on wrong foot

BJP chief Rajnath Singh8217;s statement on Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri has landed him in a spot. He had said yesterday that New Delhi should review its diplomatic ties with Islamabad unless Kasuri withdrew his clemency plea in favour of Afzal. 8220;Pakistan should be given a week or 10 days to respond and if the response is not satisfactory, then India should snap diplomatic ties with that country,8221; Rajnath had said.

But, Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Afrasiab said on Wednesday that Kasuri never made any such statement and Islamabad is surprised by Rajnath8217;s strong retaliation to the non-statement.

Sources said Rajnath happened to watch one of the television channels, which was running the said 8220;statement8221; a little before the dharna.

Significantly, Rajnath8217;s stand on Pakistan has often surprised party colleagues, particularly those who have handled the country8217;s diplomacy for six years. The only quarter from where the BJP chief finds support is the RSS. The Sangh executive committee had recently adopted a resolution maintaining that the 8220;time has come for us to stop supplying evidence and start acting swiftly and strongly to teach a lesson to Pakistan.8221;