Stop ‘invoking’ Pakistan, attack it: Sena tells BJP

Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) The Shiv Sena on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should display guts and attack Pakistan if it was indeed found "interfering" in the ongoing Gujarat elections.

The Sena also urged Modi "to arrest all the people" who attended a dinner at the home of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar where the Pakistan High Commissioner, former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders were present and book them for treason.

"The PM has levelled a serious allegation that Pakistan is interfering in Gujarat polls. We are very concerned if this is true.

"Until now, Pakistan was meddling only in Jammu and Kashmir and China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh," said editorials in the party mouthpieces Saamana and Dopahar Ka Saamana.

The editorials asked the Bharatiya Janata Party whether Pakistan was indeed helping to install Congress MP Ahmed Patel as the next Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The BJP ally said it was strange that Modi chose to make such a serious allegation at an election rally in Gujarat instead of taking action against Pakistan.

"Besides, despite having a strong intelligence set-up, the PM said he learnt about the meeting from media reports. This is an equally serious issue. Instead of tossing it at an election meeting, he should order the Indian Army to enter Pakistan and intervene."

The party said Modi's campaign talk exposed the BJP's intellectual bankruptcy because at each election either Pakistan or absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim was dragged.

"For how long will you continue raking up Pakistan's name at every occasion? The country expects you to act. So do it. Otherwise, mere allegations are hurled even by Yashwant Sinha and Nana Patole," the Sena said.