NEW DELHI: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday condemned the Pulwama terror attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead and called upon to all political parties to rise above politics and come together on the issue of national security.
"These are times when we all must come together and strengthen our resolve to make India stronger and safer. I appeal to the political class - let us rise above politics and show that we are together when it comes to matters of national security. Nothing matters above India!" he said in a series of tweets.
Shah`s remarks came a day after Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala targeted the Modi government for its failure to counter "Pakistan-sponsored terrorism" and called it to be the "weakest government" in the history of independent India.
The BJP president said that 130 crore Indians stand in complete solidarity with the families of the courageous heroes who devoted their lives in service of the nation.
"Generations to come will remember their valour. We pray the injured get well soon. The horrific attack in Pulwama has saddened the entire nation. We strongly condemn the barbaric mentality that speeds such kind of hate and violence. The Prime Minister has assured the nation that the sacrifices of our martyrs shall not go in vain," he said.
Sending out a tough message to Pakistan, the government on Friday withdrew the 'most-favoured nation' status to Pakistan, a move which would enable India to increase customs duty on goods coming from the neighbouring country.
In a media briefing after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the most-favoured-nation (MFN) status to Pakistan stands revoked.
India granted the MFN status to Pakistan way back in in 1996, but the neighbouring country has not yet reciprocated.
The MFN status was accorded under WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
Both India and Pakistan are signatories to this; and are members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which means they have to treat each other and the other WTO member countries as favoured trading partners in terms of imposing customs duties on goods.
