'Will Eat Biryani, But Won't Talk on India-Pak': Congress Politicises Jaishankar's Pakistan Visit

New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is gearing up for his visit to Pakistan on October 15 and 16. Ahead of his Pakistan visit, Jaishankar has also revealed the purpose behind the visit. A day later, Congress has made an attempt to politicise Jaishankar's India-Pak visit.

‘Will Eat Biryani, But Won’t Talk on India-Pak'

A day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar set the record straight and revealed the agenda behind his upcoming Pakistan visit, Congress has tried to politicise this visit. Congress leader Rashid Alvi has called this visit ‘misleading’ and has also tried to tarnish the Centre's image over Jaishankar's trip to Pakistan .

In a statement on Jaishankar's Pakistan visit, Rashid Alvi has said, “If he is saying that he will not have 'India Pakistan ' talks, then there is no use of his visit to Pakistan. This is being done to mislead the people of India, that Jaishankar will go there to discuss issues.”

Calling it misleading, Alvi further said, “He will be welcomed by Pakistani people, he will eat their biryani, but will not speak on India- Pakistan ? How is this possible? This is to mislead people on bilateral talks between India- Pakistan .”

BJP Hits Back at Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Over His Call for Pakistan Talks

A political storm has brewed over Jaishankar's Pakistan visit. After Congress , Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has also called for Pakistan talks ahead of S Jaishankar's visit to the neighbouring country.

Responding to Farooq, BJP has said that the centre will take care of its foreign policy and that he shouldn't worry about the same.

S Jaishankar's Pakistan Visit: Date, Agenda and Other Details

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that he will travel to Pakistan to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on October 15 ans 16, and no talks on ‘India- Pakistan ’ issue will be held.

It will be for the first time in nearly nine years that India's external affairs minister will travel to Pakistan even as the ties between the two neighbours remained frosty over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan .

EAM Dr S Jaishankar said, “It (visit) will be for a multilateral event. I'm not going there to discuss India- Pakistan relations. I'm going there to be a good member of the SCO. But, you know, since I'm a courteous and civil person, I will behave myself accordingly.” "If one our neighbours is serving terrorism then there cannot be normal talks with such countries. But India has done more regional trade than any country, this is because we have emphasized 'neighborhood first", S Jaishankar added.