1:55 pm
Jack
The Shiv Sena on Thursday vehemently opposed anti-corruption crusader
Anna Hazare's proposed visit to Pakistan, saying that he should refrain
from going there till such time Islamabad continued to sponsor
terrorist activities in India.A day after Hazare accepted an invitation extended to him by a visiting Pakistani delegation of human rights activists and civil society members to visit the neighbouring country, the Shiv Sena said that the anti-corruption crusader should have taken cognisance of the sentiments of people before even considering such an invitation.
While talking to the Pakistani delegation, including former judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan Nasir Aslam Zahid and founder of Pakistan India Forum for Peace and Democracy Karamat Ali, Hazare had said on Wednesday: “I will go to Pakistan. In fact, I will go anywhere for the sake of peace and poor people”.
Prefacing his statement accepting the delegation's invitation to visit Pakistan, Hazare had said: “I believe in the religion of humanity, and humanity should begin with your neighbour. Like Indians, Pakistanis too are suffering due to widespread corruption in their country.
In a statement issued in the afternoon, Sena's spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “Anna's social work and his crusade against corruption are laudable. In fact, the Shiv Sena has supported Hazare's agitation on Jan Lokpal Bill. Before accepting Pakistan's invitation formally, Hazare should consider the mood of the nation vis-à-vis Islamabad”
“We would like him to discuss the issue with the aggrieved families of those innocent people killed in the blasts of Mumbai and Delhi, before accepting Pakistan's invitation,” Raut said. He brought to Hazare’s attention Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s consistent stand against New Delhi having any cricketing, social and political ties with Islamabad in view of Pakistan's continued involvement in terrorist activities in India.
“Anna should have told the visiting delegation to go back to Pakistan and create awareness among the people about the Pak-sponsored terrorism in India. The entire world may have praised the anti-corruption movement in India, but Anna cannot ignore sentiments of the people in his own country vis-a vis Pakistan,” Raut said.
