BJP accuses UPA of committing a diplomatic blunder

Hyderabad, July  25 :-

  The Bharatiya  Janata Party  spokesperson  Prakash Javadekar on Saturday accused  the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government of committing a 'diplomatic blunder' by including 'Balochistan' in the India-Pakistan joint statement signed in Egypt last week.  He said  that India should not hold talks with Pakistan till Islamabad hands over 20 terrorists involved in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Addressing the media  here, he alleged, ''Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has committed a diplomatic blunder like former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who signed ''Panchsheel'' agreement with China in true faith, but the latter committed aggression on India in 1962.’’

India had given legitimacy to Pakistan to hold India responsible for all problems in the Balochistan province after signing the statement. He further  criticised Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon for his reported claim that the joint statement was not ''legally binding''.

``This would give an opportunity to Pakistan to question the historic Shimla agreement signed by the two countries in 1972,’’ he added.

Claiming  that the second term of the UPA Government was marked by arrogance, he cited the incidents  of  Congress MP M Jagannatham slapping a Grameen Bank officer in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Rita Bahuguna Joshi making ''highly derogatory remarks'' against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati