'He is not a mature politician': Natwar Singh blasts Bilawal Bhutto over PM Modi remark

Former external affairs minister Natwar Singh on Sunday come down heavily on Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over his remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him an 'immature politician'.

"He is not a mature politician. It doesn't suit a 32-year-old boy talking like this about a 70-year-old man, who is the Prime Minister of India," Natwar Singh said.

He added that Bilawal Bhutto, though educated at a foreign university, has not learnt anything.

"In diplomacy language is more important, it should always be courteous," he added.

The former foreign minister said relations between India and Pakistan cannot be repaired if such is the manner of public statements emanating from across the border.

"How can we develop relations with Pakistan? It is not possible to build ties with Pakistan if their leaders speak like this. Pakistan is the den of terrorists. The world is aware of it. Who kills school children? But it happened in Pakistan," he added.

In reply to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remark that Pakistan hosted wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden, Bilawal Bhutto had said while Osama was killed, "the butcher of Gujarat lives, and he is the Prime Minister of India".

The remark sparked massive outrage and widespread protests across the country. BJP workers across the country burnt effigies of Bilawal to vent their outrage in the matter.

Earlier, The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also slammed the Pakistan foreign minister over his 'uncivilised outburst' at PM Modi, saying "these comments are a new low, even for Pakistan."

"Pakistan's foreign minister's frustration would be better directed towards the masterminds of terrorist enterprises in his own country, who have made terrorism a part of their state policy. Pakistan needs to change its own mindset or remain a pariah," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said.

( With inputs from ANI )