‘PM must clearly spell out policy for safe return of Indians’ Cong hits out at Centre for ‘Af failure’

Congress on Monday hit out at the central government over India’s response to the Afghanistan crisis. Congress communications chief Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “Prime Minister and external affairs minister need to come out and clearly spell out a policy for the safe return of our citizens, our embassy personnel and also our future relationship. Unexplained silence at this extreme juncture gives right to a reasonable apprehension that the Modi government is hiding something from the country.” He also said that Congress expects a “mature political and diplomatic” response from the government. Mr Surjewala said the Prime Minister and external affairs minister need to come out and clearly spell out our policy for safe return of our citizens, embassy personnel as also our future relationship. "Unexplained silence at this extremely critical juncture gives rise to a reasonable that Modi government is hiding something from the country. We are still in the dark over Modi government's role in Doha talks," the Congress leader said. He added that the need of the hour is that the Modi government wakes up from its slumber and tells the country how it will tackle the situation in the immediate neighborhood.

He reminded the Centre that Taliban and Haqqani Network’s connections with Pakistan’s ISI, JeM, LeT and JuD are well known. “There is an urgent need to revisit our geo-political interests in this background and its impact on Jammu and Kashmir. Sadly, the Modi government is oblivious of the same. Prime Minister and external affairs minister need to come out and clearly spell out our policy for the safe return of our citizens, embassy personnel as also our future relationship,” he said. He further added, “Congress party stands solidly behind protecting India’s interests and expects a mature political and diplomatic response from our government on the collapse of government in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover.”