'Shocking' that BJP is dragging 26/11 into UP Polls for brownie points: Congress

New Delhi [India] Mar. 7 (ANI): Lashing out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Amit Shah for stating that the revelation made by Pakistan's former national security advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani on the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack was a result of the Centre's diplomacy, the Congress on Tuesday said that taking credit for such a development especially during the time of elections is purely shocking. "The interesting part is that the BJP president claims that this is a great diplomatic advantage. The reality is that this utterance came in 2009 and Mahmud Ali Durrani, former national security advisor, was sacked for the same statement when he said Kasab was a Pakistani," Congress leader Tom Vadkkan told ANI. He further said that it is shocking that the BJP is now standing up and taking credit during the election time saying this is a diplomatic initiative. "For diplomacy, home affairs and then military, what all help does the BJP wants for winning the elections? They did not perform. It is a non-performing government," Vadakkan said. He asserted that every issue connected with Pakistan and with the Army is being taken as an advantage by the BJP. "They don't seem to have performed anywhere else. They talk about patriotism and hate; these are the only issues that they propagate," he said. He further added saying that the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for votes in the lanes of Varanasi shows their worry. "Have you ever seen any Prime Minister of this country begging for votes? He did that to cover up, because he feels he has done nothing and that is the reality," Vadakkan added. Asserting that the revelation made by Durrani on Mumbai 26/11 terror attack is a victory of the Indian Government's diplomacy, Amit Shah on Monday said the BJP government at the Centre has always strongly raised this issue in various international forums. "From the very beginning, the Indian Government has maintained this stand. Now, when the former national security advisor of Pakistan is saying the same, it is good for us. This is a victory of the Indian Government's diplomacy. I believe what he said is true," Shah told ANI News Editor Smita Prakash in an exclusive conversation, while on his way to Somnath. "Whatever he said is absolutely true. We need to take action against Hafiz Saeed and the plan of the 26/11 attack was made on the soil of Pakistan. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has always categorically raised this issue in various international forums," he added. While, justifying the Prime Minister's prominent role in campaigning, Shah said being the topmost leader it was the duty of the former to lead the party from the front. Earlier, Durrani had revealed that Mumbai terror attack was carried out by a terror outfit based in Pakistan and added that it was a classic trans-border terrorist event. Durrani also said that Jamaat-ud-Dawachief Hafiz Saeed had no utility and Pakistan should act against him. Mahmud Ali Durrani, a retired army general, was the National Security Advisor to the Pakistani government when 10 Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Mumbai after hijacking a boat and killed at least 164 people and wounding 308 across the city. (ANI)