New Delhi: Against the backdrop of the Pulwama terror attack, India and Saudi Arabia Wednesday said there was a need to exert ‘‘all possible pressure’’ on countries which extend support to terror activities as they agreed for biennial summit meetings and formation of the Strategic Partnership Council.
However, at the joint interaction with the media after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, there was no reference to Pakistan by either leader. The Prince had just made a two-day visit to Pakistan that ended Tuesday.
Slamming Prime Minister for receiving the Crown Prince at the airport, the Congress Wednesday asked whether according a grand welcome to “those who praised Pakistan’s ‘‘anti-terror efforts’’ was his way of remembering the martyrs of the Pulwama attack.
In a special gesture, the prime minister received the Saudi crown prince at Palam airport Tuesday night. The visit comes five days after a suicide bomber belonging to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed group killed 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Breaking protocol, grand welcome to those who pledged $20 billion to Pakistan and praised Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts. Is it ur way of remembering martyrs of Pulwama?” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.
Randeep was referring to the crown prince’s visit to Pakistan, during which the two countries signed investment pacts worth $20 billion.
Surjewala also tagged photographs of Modi hugging the crown prince and sharing a laugh at the Palam airport.
He urged Modi to “show courage” and ask Saudi Arabia to undo its joint statement with Pakistan, in which they called for avoiding “politicization” of the UN listing regime at a time when India was stepping up efforts to brand JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist.
Saudi Crown Prince’s welcome denounced
