26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed mocks India, calls Indians narrow-minded

NEW DELHI: 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed on Monday mocked India and called Indians narrow-minded over his meeting with a journalist considered close to yoga guru Ramdev.

"We meet everyone with an open heart, whoever wants to meet; regardless of nation, belief or religion," Saeed tweeted. "Sadly, So called 'Secular' India is unable to bear an informal meeting of her journalist, Mr Vaidik; another eg of Indian narrow mindedness," he said.

"Row in Indian parliament over a journalists meeting with us shows the extremism, narrow mindedness of their politicians. Utterly Shameful," Saeed said on micro-blogging site Twitter. "We discussed how all 26/11 evidences provided by India have been rejected & asked Mr Vaidik, why India does not respect Pakistani courts?" he said.

"Dr Vaidik asked if we would protest Modi's visit to Pakistan, on which I replied, "We don't participate in such 'politics & protests", he added.

The reported meeting of a freelance journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik with Saeed generated heat in Parliament with Rajya Sabha witnessing two adjournments during Question Hour.

Though the government clarified in the Upper House that it had nothing to do with this meeting, Congress members in both Houses sought a detailed statement from the government on the "purpose and motive behind the meeting with India's most wanted terrorist".

Congress members created uproar in Rajya Sabha forcing two adjournments during Question Hour, as they and their counterparts in Lok Sabha, as well as those from their allies, sought to know whether the journalist had sought government's permission before meeting Saeed and who facilitated it.

They demanded a statement by either the External Affairs Minister or Home Minister saying this was "a serious matter concerning national security". They also alleged that the journalist was a key member of outfits close to BJP.

In Rajya Sabha, Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said for India, Saeed was a terrorist and indeed involved in terrorism against India.

Government has nothing to do with "directly, indirectly or even remotely" with any journalist meeting Saeed, he said, adding "government has not sanctioned permission to anyone for meeting him (Saeed)."
(With inputs from PTI).