BJP terms Obama’s maiden speech in India as ‘disappointing’

NEW DELHI - Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday termed the visiting United States President Barack Obama’s maiden speech in Mumbai as a ‘disappointment’, after it didn’t mention Pakistan being responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks.

The main Opposition party in the Parliament held the view that President Obama failed to strike a chord with people of India, as his first speech did not refer to terror emanating from Pakistan.

Addressing a news conference in the national capital, BJP’s spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said: “In his first statement itself on terror the US President has missed an opportunity to strike a chord with thousand million people and plus.”

“Knowing fully well that Pakistan and Pakistani soil and Pakistani machinery is used and has been used for perpetrating terror in India. He simply, by not acknowledging it, has disappointed the country,” he stated.

He said Obama’s speech contradicted the statement made by Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on the purpose of the visit.

“Rao (Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao) says this visit is mainly to consolidate the relationship between the two countries. Obama says the focus is how to open Indian market so that US business can prosper and that we can sale more goods and create more jobs in the US. Seems, he is carrying a business wish list,” said Rudy.

The BJP’s core group is slated to discuss the talking points between Obama and Sushma Swaraj, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. (ANI)