Modi in Lahore, mixed reaction back home

NEW DELHI, Dec 25: The sudden visit of Prime Minister rendra Modi’s visit to Pakistan, generated mixed response in the political circles of Delhi. As the left parties welcomed the prime minister’s visit, the Congress and others slammed it saying serious information like this should not have been revealed through Twitter.

“It is unfortute that we get to know about prime minister’s visit through a tweet... India and Pakistan relations are not so good as yet that he stops over there on his way back from another country,” Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told IANS.

“The parliament session got over just a few days back, why was the parliament and the country left in dark. Why didn’t the prime minister take the country and parliament in confidence,” he questioned.

Congress leader Manish Tewari called it an ‘adventure’ by the Indian prime minister.

“This adventure of prime minister will have serious impact on tiol security, there were no changes in relationship (with Pakistan) by NSA talks, or Heart of Asia conference. Eventually prime minister needs to answer what has changed in ground situation,” Tewari said.

Welcoming Modi’s decision to meet his Pakistani counterpart waz Sharif, the CPI said it would pave the way for strengthening the dialogue process with Islamabad.

“We welcome this move. This is Modi’s first visit to Pakistan and we welcome this decision of the PM. This is an unnounced and a surprise visit and such visits should happen more often,” Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja said.

“A number of times the talks were called off. The tiol Security Adviser-level talks in India were also cancelled but it later happened in Bangkok. It was followed by Exterl Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Pakistan. Now, the PM is also doing the same,” the leftist leader added.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also welcomed the move, but called for consistency. He also took a dig at the State government.

“Now waiting for the statement from J&K govt claiming that (chief minister) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the one who forced PM Modi to visit Lahore today. The re-engagement with Pakistan is a good step & a very welcome development. However, more than grand gestures we need consistency,” Abdullah tweeted.

“Indo-Pak relations have been plagued by knee-jerk reactions & a lack of consistency. Looking towards two PMs to correct this this time,” (sic), he further tweeted.

However, Jata Dal-United’s K.C. Tyagi said, “Modi is meeting waz Sharif in Lahore; on the other hand our soldiers are getting killed in the border. How can the two things go hand in hand?”

The Aam Aadmi Party on the other hand, questioned Prime Minister rendra Modi’s sudden visit to Lahore, asking what prompted the step when the BJP consistently opposed talks with Pakistan.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh said, “It’s BJP/Modi who ha(ve) been opposing talks with Pakistan during the time of (former prime minister) Manmohan Singh under the pretext of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. What has changed now?

“We have always been saying (that) engagement with Pakistan is needed but BJP was opposing. Now they should explain - why so much friendship?” he said in tweets.

He asked whether Pakistan-backed terrorism had stopped as Pakistani Prime Minister waz Sharif had now become a likeable figure to Modi.

Modi flew into Lahore on Friday and met Sharif while returning home from Kabul. He also wished Sharif on his birthday. Friday also marks the 139th birth anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinh.

Meanwhile, BJP ally Shiv Se on Friday said if Prime Minister rendra Modi succeeds in bringing back fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, it would support his brief halt in Pakistan.

“Tomorrow is Dawood Ibrahim’s birthday... if the PM can succeed in bringing him back to India, then we shall welcome and support his meeting with Pakistan prime minister today,” Se MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said here.

He reiterated the party’s known stance that “there should be no dialogue with Pakistan till it stops targeting India with terror acts”.

He rued the BJP does not consult or seek consent of the Se on important intertiol issues. (IANS)