Don't give us sermons on democracy: Minister to Pakistan

After the Pakistan Foreign Office said India should stop "dragging" Islamabad into its electoral debate, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday retorted saying it should not give lessons to India on democracy as it is well known to the entire world how the neighbouring country acts against terrorism.

"It is well known to the world how Pakistan acts towards terrorism and how few agencies there promote terrorism in India and in Jammu and Kashmir," Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

The Law Minister said the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi win elections with the blessings of the people. "Pakistan should stop giving us lessons. We are proud of our democracy," he said.

"Who will win the elections will be decided by the people," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader asserted.

Hitting out at Congress leader Anand Sharma, the Union Minister said, "One thing is very strange that Anand Sharma has given a statement yesterday (Sunday) that no such meeting (between Congress leaders and the Pakistan envoy) has taken place.

"But in today's newspaper there were entire details of who from the Pakistan side and from Congress side attended the meeting," he said.

He also said that it was "very strange" that such a meeting is happening when the Gujarat Assembly elections are going on.

Prasad's remark came hours after Pakistan Foreign Ministry said that India should stop dragging it into its electoral debate and win on their own strength.

On Sunday, while addressing a rally in Sanand Prime Minister Modi had asked about the "secret meeting" of top Pakistani officials at the residence of now-suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar in New Delhi. - IANS