Lalu Prasad Yadav: India in 'danger' as PM Narendra Modi fails to protect country

Leading Indian politician Lalu Prasad Yadav has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of failing to protect the country. His comments come days after the Pathankot terrorist attack, where terrorists from Pakistan engaged in a gun battle with security personnel at an Indian Air Force Station.

Prasad, who is the former chief minister of Bihar and leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal Party (RJD), warned that India was now in a state of "danger". Speaking to local media on 8 January, Prasad challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi over how the Pakistani terrorists were able to enter India and carry out the attack.

Prasad said: "India is a state of danger and BJP and Narendra Modi have failed in protecting India. Everyone knows that our defence is one of the best in the world and yet, they managed to enter our home where our soldiers were martyred."

Tensions are high in India following the Pathankot attack, which left seven Indian soldiers and 22 civilians dead. Pakistan-based United Jihad Council terrorist group took responsibility for the attack, saying that India should allow Kashmir to decide whether they want to belong to India or Pakistan. The northern state of India has been the centre of a dispute between the two countries since it achieved independence in 1947.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has launched an investigation into the intelligence provided by India about the attack, which came days after Modi paid a surprise visit to Pakistan. The two leaders are believed to have held a two-hour-long talk, although details of what was discussed have not been released. Ties between the two neighbours had begun to improve slightly after years of tension. However, the Pathankot attack has been seen as a blow to the recent Indo-Pak peace attempts.

Speaking about Modi's trip to Pakistan, Prasad said: "Modi used to say that Pakistan won't be able to look us in the eye and that he has a 56 inch chest, so I want to ask him that how did they enter our home? They [BJP] are asking Pakistan to take action and Pakistan is asking for proof. I can see where all this is heading to."