Gadkari laments Centre's "soft" approach towards Pak

Bhartiya Janta Party president Nitin Gadkari on Monday lamented the Centre for "being soft" on an inhuman incident of beheading of two Indian soldiers by the Pakistani army. Centre owes a public explanation on what stopped it from issuing strong message to the defiant neighbouring authorities, he said.

Bhartiya Janta Party president p Nitin Gadkari on Monday lamented the Center for "being soft" on an inhuman incident of beheading of two Indian soldiers by the Pakistani army.

Speaking at a function to mark the 252nd nniversary of Third Battle of Panipat, near here Gadkari said that while the Pakistan government was bent upon covering up its misdeeds, the Indian political leadership, at helm of affairs in Centre, had refrained from making strong reaction to the gruesome incident.

"It is tragic and unfortunate that the Congress-led Central government had failed in issuing a strong message to the Pakistan government. It (Centre) is silent even as the Pak foreign minister had denied beheading of our brave soldier," he said.

Gadkari, who reached more than six hours behind the schedule at the function, said that Centre owes a public explanation on what stopped it from issuing strong message to the defiant neighbouring authorities.

"I reached late as I visited the martyr's aggrieved family at his native village near Vrindavan. Though the entire nation is proud of its brave soldiers protecting borders, our government is soft even on ghastly incident like these," he said.

Gadkari said that nation must not forget the contributions of brave persons like Shivaji.

"This (the Panipat battle war memorial at Uggrakheri, Panipat) is an indication of past of brave ancestors who fought against all odds to protect the nation. We must learn to respect the life and deaths of soldiers," said the BJP president at the crowded gathering.