Congress disapproves of Mani Shankar Aiyar appearing on Pak TV show

Congress today disapproved of party leader Mani Shakar Aiyar appearing on a Pakistan TV talk show in which Hafiz Muhammed Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, participated through a phone link.

"I don't know the (details)...I certainly think propriety would require that such situation should be avoided...unless trapped in a situation," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

He said it was clear that Aiyer was not supporting Hafiz directly or indirectly. "Even the perception of interaction with somebody accused of such heinous crimes like 26/11.... is not acceptable".

Singhvi's comments came a day after Aiyer appeared on the TV show in which the host suddenly introduced Hafiz, chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, via phone link while Aiyar was in the studio in Islamabad with another panellist.

In the show, Hafiz appeared to lose his cool when Aiyar questioned his contention that Indians did not accept Pakistan and said he should be arrested and brought before a terrorism court.