Saeed's release: Opposition slams Govt's Pakistan policy

With Islamabad allowing Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed to walk free, Government came in for sharp attack in the Lok Sabha from almost the entire Opposition which said it had exposed India's handling of the issue of terror emanating from Pakistan.

With Islamabad allowing Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed to walk free, Government on Tuesday came in for sharp attack in the Lok Sabha from almost the entire Opposition which said it had exposed India's handling of the issue of terror emanating from Pakistan.

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NDA, Samajwadi Party and RJD came together in the House to demand a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or External Affairs Minister S M Krishna over the "serious development" which had hurt "India's self-respect" but when no assurance came, they staged a walkout.

The issue of indefinite postponement of the hearing of Saeed, chief of Jamaat-ud Dawa outfit, by Pakistan's Supreme
Court on Mondaywas raised by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav during Zero Hour and it found instant support from BJP, Shiv Sena, JD(U) and RJD.

Demanding an immediate response from the government on the development, members from these parties created an uproar leading to adjournment of the House for half an hour.

When the House re-assembled, Leader of Opposition L K Advani said government had described Saeed mastermind of
26/11, which was "like attack on India", but Pakistan had scrapped legal proceeding against him.

Advani referred to comments by Krishna to a newspaper that prosecution of Saeed is an "acid test" and talks with
Pakistan would be futile till Pakistan acts against him and dismantles terror infrastructure.