BJP wants dialogue with Pak called off: Sinha

New Delhi: UPA ministers are “speaking in different voices” on ties with Pakistan after the Mumbai terrorist attacks and seem to have lost their “grip,” senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has alleged.

“There is lack of cohesion in thinking (among ministers),” said Sinha, who was the External Affairs Minister in the BJP-led NDA Government. The ministers should "come to a clear conclusion.”

Sinha said if the BJP were in power it would have opted to "call off the composite dialogue" with Pakistan rather than putting a "pause" as has been done by the UPA government.

"Not judging between strength and weakness, somewhere the grip seems to have loosened over the last few days. Our Government seems to be speaking in different voices," Sinha told Karan Thapar in an interview on CNN-IBN’ show Devil’s Advocate.

"We heard the External Affairs Minister (Pranab Mukherjee) say one thing; Defence minister (A K Antony) say another thing on the same day (on dealing with Pakistan). I think it will be better if there was unity and cohesion within the spokespersons of the Government."

The BJP believes the Government was wrong in restricting itself in fixing responsibility for the attacks on Mumbai merely on the “elements of Pakistan”. If BJP were in power it would have held the Inter-Services Intelligence and the Government of Pakistan responsible.

“Pakistan has taken some steps (but) clearly Pakistan is not doing enough. I think what Pakistan has done is most inadequate if not eyewash". The BJP believed the Government should have approached other countries, besides the US and the UK, too build pressure on Pakistan

“It is alright to rope in US and UK but I would prefer the Government to send out emissaries to all important capitals of the world. Why should we ignore Paris, Berlin and many other capitals," Sinha said.

India should send political emissaries to important world capitals with "incontrovertible evidence of the involvement of Pakistan and even taken them on board on our side."

Commenting on US President-elect Barack Obama's reported intention to mediate on Kashmir issue, Sinha said any such initiative would not be acceptable to India.

"We should discourage and strongly discourage any attempt by anyone including President-elect (Barack) Obama to dabble into the issue of Jammu and Kashmir," Sinha said.

When asked if BJP's views would remain the same if it comes to power after the general elections, he said, "I am making it crystal clear today that no mediation by any envoy is acceptable to India."