Lakhvi’s release disappointing: Rajnath Singh

Lucknow, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday termed the release of the top Lashkar leader and Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi is “unfortunate and disappointing”.“India wants talks with Pakistan but the present development (release of Lakhvi) is unfortunate and disappointing,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.Singh was reacting to the Lahore High Court’s judgement yesterday suspending the detention of 55-year-old Lakhvi under Maintenance of Public Order after the Pakistan government failed to present sensitive records against him in the court.A Pakistan court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of Lakhvi, who was has been accused of plotting a 2008 militant assault on India’s financial capital that killed 166 people and seriously strained ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours. In its release order, the Lahore court termed Lakhvi’s detention as illegal.This comes a month after the Punjab government ordered Lakhvi’s arrest immediately after a court ordered his release.

Pandits issue: Agreement reached with PDPAsked about alliance partners PDP-BJP in Jammu and Kashmir speaking in different voices on composite townships for settlement of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, Singh said: “An agreement has been reached with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in this regard.”On the recent killing of the five undertrials who were allegedly associated with SIMI and other radical groups in police custody in Nalgonda district in Telangana, he evaded giving a direct reply, saying only that it was a state subject.Asked about losses to farmers due to hailstorms and rains, Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already taken an initiative in this regard.”Modi has asked Central ministers to visit affected areas to ascertain losses. Our government is serious,” he said.Singh said the state government should whole-heartedly help the farmers and appealed to them to not feel dejected and commit suicide.”The Centre has hiked the compensation amount. Relief amount will be issued to states as soon as reports of losses are received by the Centre from the team sent for the purpose,” he said.