The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday voiced disappointment over United States President Barack Obama making no direct reference to terror emanating from Pakistan in his first speech on arrival in Mumbai, saying his words were not backed with action and intent.
"It was the first address by the US President at a place (Taj Hotel) which saw the biggest terror attack on India. It was a complete disappointment as the world and the United States had proof that the attack was planned on Pakistani soil by its intelligence agencies. He had words that were not backed with action and intent," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told mediapersons in New Delhi.
Rudy said that by skirting a direct reference to Pakistan, Obama "missed" an opportunity to strike a chord with Indians.
On Sunday, the core group of BJP will meet at the residence of party veteran L K Advani to decide on the talking points for Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who would be meeting Obama on Monday, he said.
The BJP spokesperson said there are basic contradictions in the statements made by Obama before his visit to India and the statement of foreign secretary Nirupama Rao. While Rao had said that the visit was aimed at improving overall relationship between the two countries, Obama in fact was carrying a "business wish-list" with him.
India's foreign policy vis-à-vis the US has been swaying back and forth during the United Progressive Alliance I and II, Rudy said.
"The prime minister and the Indian diplomats will have to answer a lot to the people of India as it seems that New Delhi is providing a political bailout to Obama following a poor show by the Democrats in the recently held mid-term elections in US," he concluded.
