'Pak should check cross-border terrorism'

KANPUR: BJP president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked the UPA government to clearly tell Pakistan that there would be no further bilateral talks unless Islamabad checks cross-border terrorism.

"The hand of Pakistan and ISI in terrorism has been proved in the Mumbai train blasts," Singh, who arrived here for electioneering in civic polls, told reporters.

The BJP chief said "India should take initiative to call the Pakistani envoy and clearly state that there would be no further talks between the two country unless Pakistan checks terrorism."

He said ISI's hand in terrorism was not only limited to Jammu and Kashmir but was also with Maoists movement of Nepal.

"India will have to take strong steps against Pakistan and ISI," he said.

Singh said infiltration from across the border was also a matter of serious concern which would affect the country's demographic structure.

Criticising the joint statement issued in Havana after the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, the BJP leader said it had "damaged the country's prestige."

"The way prime minister meet Musharraf was not good," he said.

The BJP chief said his party was not against Muslims but was against appeasement of any particular community and favoured equal opportunities for all.

He also expressed concern over any religion-based census in a reference to the headcount reportedly proposed in the armed forces.