Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday, condemned the terror attack on the Indian consulate in Herat, Afghanistan, and termed the incident tragic.
He asked Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi to be cautious while dealing with Pakistan, as its involvement in the attack could not be ruled out. "It is one more reminder that there are people in the Government of Pakistan who are unable or unwilling to exercise control over the elements on their soil who conduct terror attacks against India or Indian interests whether in India or Afghanistan," Tharoor said
He reminded the new incoming government that it is very important that the government of Prime Minister Modi take abundant caution, which the Congress-led UPA have always exercised in defending India's vital interests.
Tharoor said: "We urge Narendra Modi to bear in mind that earlier Atal Behari Vajpayee who took a bus trip to Lahore , and right after four months, the Kargil incident happened, and therefore, we should not allow history to repeat itself as some fundamental national interests remain unchanged no matter whosoever is in power."
Tharoor asked the new government not to lose sight of reality in the midst of celebrating victory in relations with Pakistan. "We understand the enthusiasm for a photo- op celebration of swearing in of Modi, but we urge while these things are going on there should be great deal of caution about slipping into any substantive talks without the deliverables which the Congress has always insisted," he added.
Tharoor said that after 26/11 attacks the Indian Government cannot compromise on certain aspects which has to be met by the Government of Pakistan in order to move ahead of exchanging any high-level visits. "We have certain irreducible minimum demands after 26/11 which are definitely serious action pursued and punishment of the perpetrators of 26/11 and their allies and supporters and the dismantling of the infrastructure of terror from which attacks are conducted on India's interest.
If that has not happened and has not happened so far, then a high profile visit of either country should not be conducted without some concrete outcome." he added. Afghanistan's Ambassador to India Shaida Mohammad Abdali on Friday said that the security operation in Herat following an attack on the Indian consulate has been completed, and confirmed the deaths of all four terrorists. In an exclusive interview to ANI, Abdali said, "I just spoke to the security commandos in Afghanistan and learnt that the operation they started in Herat, against the terrorists, has been completed, and all four terrorists have been killed. The operation was completed by our forces,;, we will see as to who will take the responsibility for this attack."
"We must compliment the forces for their courageous work. The mission and the staff are safe and sound. This attack is an attack on the great relationship between India and Afghanistan and they are trying to tamper that through such attacks," he further told ANI. "The enemies have tried to do this in the past as well but they must know that they are deadly wrong to expect this relation to be affected through this attack. In fact our relations will grow stronger," he added.
The Indian Consulate in Herat in Afghanistan was attacked this morning.
According to media reports, Afghan police officials had earlier said that three gunmen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades opened fire on the consulate early this morning from a nearby home. Police killed two of them, though two e continued to fire on security forces. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}