New Delhi, Mar.27 (ANI): Defending the February 26 attack on a couple of hotels in Kabul, in which seven Indians were killed, the Taliban has said that it favours neither Pakistan nor India, but would like to maintain a ‘normal’ relation with India.

In an interview with the Outlook magazine, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his outfit does not want India out of Afghanistan, but also criticised New Delhi for supporting the western forces in the war tattered country.

“If the Taliban returns to power, we would like to maintain normal relations with countries, including India. It’s possible for the Taliban and India to reconcile with each other,” Mujahid told the magazine in the interview, which can be described as self-contradictory.

“India’s role is different from those countries that sent troops to occupy Afghanistan,” he added.

The Taliban spokesman pointed out that both Kabul and New Delhi have had good relations in the past, and that it was difficult to ask India to leave Afghanistan.

“We are not saying that India should be out of Afghanistan. Nor can India be completely expelled from Afghanistan. The Taliban aren’t in any direct conflict with India. India troops aren’t part of NATO forces, they haven’t occupied Afghanistan,” Mujahid said.

Responding to a question regarding last month’s Kabul attack, which was believed to have been primarily targeted at Indians, Mujahid claimed that the Taliban had attacked the two hotels, as there was information that some agents of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) were holding a meeting there.

He, however, criticised India for backing international forces fighting against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in the country and the Karzai government.

“India backed anti-Taliban forces of the Northern Alliance (NA) and refused to do business with our government. Our complaint is India backed the NA (Northern Alliance), and is now supporting the Karzai government,” Mujahid said.

When reminded that India has undertaken several developmental works in Afghanistan worth millions of rupees, Mujahid said : “If India were so fond of the Afghan people, why did it not undertake development projects under Taliban rule?” (ANI)