Friday 22 January 2016

Opposition should stand behind Narendra Modi instead of attacking his Pakistan policy



During and after Pathankot terrorist attack, opposition and critics started blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his unconventional diplomacy towards Pakistan. Questions are also being raised over his December 25th surprise visit to Lahore, indirectly blaming it for what happened in Pathankot attack. It is being said that terror attack is reaction to that stealth diplomacy.
Many are are asking where is the 56 inch chest which has so far not issued any public statement accusing Pakistan directly or indirectly. Some even stooped too low. One TMC MP went to the of stating that Prime Minister has links with terrorists.

Gone are those days when political parties remain united whenever there is any issue with a foreign government. These days petty politics is so rampant, that political parties spearheaded by the Congress are never ashamed of indulging in narrow blame game politics even on the issues of national security. Everyone is now demanding PM Modi to call off the proposed foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan to be held this month only. Some are of the opinion that Narendra Modi has become soft towards Pakistan while chasing Nobel peace prize.

Point is, whether Modi's Pakistan policy is wrong? Whether he's too soft towards Pakistan? Is his mode of diplomacy failing?
No one can deny is that Modi's foreign policy is the best one in the history of Indian diplomacy. He successfully presented India as a powerful country which can't be ignored by any other nation. In fact there are many countries that have started looking towards India for a leadership. This is the achievement of Modi government in past 18 months.

As an intelligent leader, Modi knew that Pakistan can't be dealt with conventional diplomacy that was being practiced since 1947. That's why he innovated out of box diplomacy specifically for Pakistan, which can be called hot-cold diplomacy. India being the larger country, as an elder brother it sometimes reached out to Pakistan unexpectedly.

His invitation to Pakistan Prime Minister for his oath taking ceremony or his surprise visit to Lahore proved his intentions that he is ready to grant genuine concessions to Pakistan as an elder brother. But at the same time cancelling talks due to Pakistan's insistence on meeting with Hurriyat leaders also proves how rigidIndiacan be. Such hot-cold diplomacy gives message to not only Pakistan, but also intimates the global polity how India can be flexible in improving ties with Pakistan yet rigid over some genuine concerns.

As a result global leaders are rallying with India where as exerting pressure on Pakistan to fall in line. In case relations with Pakistan are snapped, global polity will find Pakistan as the erring country and not India. Nowadays even bilateral relations have global ramification. If Pakistan has to be cornered globally due to his proxy war with India, then India has to prove globally that it's a responsible country with honest intent for peaceful cohabitation with its neighbor.

The other political parties need to understand this. Opposition for the sake of opposition only exposes their pettiness. It's very appropriate that PM remained silent on Pathankot terror attack. Some proofs of Pakistani militants' involvement when discovered were immediately sent to Pakistan government pending final dossier after the investigation. In the meantime even the USA experts have endorsed ISI hands in this attack. PM Modi stayed calm. A pressure has been built upon Pakistan. As a result Pak PM Nawaj Sharif was compelled to talk to Indian Prime Minister and extended assurance that he will take strong action following the leads made available to him by the Indian government.

Indian Prime Minister still remained silent. This is a mature and elder brother-like statesmanship. You promised for action, I am waiting to see how you are acting before I am going public. Had he come out immediately and declared snapping ties with Pakistan, it would have made him very popular at this emotional juncture. But that would have been very damaging in global diplomacy as India could have been criticized for immature hurried reaction.



'Stop all bilateral talks till Pakistan takes action against Pakistani terrorist outfits' is the demand by opposition. What they think? Is Modi desperate for talks with Pakistan despite the attack? Read the situation well including the press release of PMO, which states that Pakistani PM promised to take action against terrorist outfits. Isn't it an indirect condition for the bilateral dialogue between foreign secretary levels? Prime Minister didn't say that the talks will not happen, at the same time he didn't confirm also. In diplomacy sometimes silence says thousand words. This silence further will pressurize Pakistan to take some action.


Frankly India is at war with Pakistan since eighties when Pakistan began proxy war. But wars don't prevent talks. As long as diplomatic offices are available in both the countries the scope of talk is always there. Even when there is no diplomatic relation, talks still can be held through third party mediator. Point is, how you give direction to such talks. The event till date proves that Narendra Modi is on right track with respect to his Pakistan policy. He appears to be the only man at the moment who can resolve issues with Pakistan in his own un-orthodox style.


The opposition needs to rise above petty politics and stand behind the prime minister as it's an issue that's related with national interest. There should be no politics on national interest especially issues with hostile Pakistan.

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