Parties bicker over Modi's Pakistan visit

The Congress on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "unscheduled" visit to Pakistan and alleged it was not for promoting India's national interest or to take forward the roadmap to engage with it on tackling terror but to promote private business interests.

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma also attacked the prime minister's engagement with Pakistan as "frivolous, unpredictable and full of abrupt U-turns" and asked what assurances he got on bringing back or punishing perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, especially Zakiu Rehman Lakhvi, and on dismantling terror syndicates in Pakistan acting against India."

Questioning the intent behind his visit, the Congress rejected claims of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that the prime minister's move was 'statesman-like' and said it was "pre-arranged" by a businessman.

"We are very clear that the prime minister is there to promote only private business interests and not India's national interest which should be supreme.

"Diplomacy is serious, it must have gravitas and predictability. It cannot be frivolous, otherwise it will implode on Shri Narendra Modi's face," he told media persons.

Rejecting Swaraj's claim that the visit was spontaneous, Sharma said "the External Affairs minister claims, very foolishly so, that it's statesman-like. We completely reject her claim. We have definitive information that this was pre-arranged."

He said the prime minister has not gone there to take forward the roadmap to engage with Pakistan or build an understanding that would eliminate immediate threats of terror or punishing those behind the Mumbai 26/11 attacks.

"This unannounced visit cannot be termed 'statesman-like'. Diplomacy must have seriousness and gravitas," he said. The Congress leader questioned how many prime ministers or heads of states make such detours to wish birthdays, asking if any Indian prime minister has landed in another country in this manner in the last 67 years.

Sharma alleged it is now in public domain that Modi used "vested private business interest" for a secret meeting with Nawaz Sharif in Kathmandu, which he alleged was organised at the behest of a businessman, claiming that he has now used the same channel for fixing this meeting in Lahore.

"The same industrialist who has business partnership with the ruling establishment in Pakistan was there for the last two days. This is out in the open," he said, asking the prime minister to reveal the name of the businessman himself.

"How come the govt can say this is spontaneous & a continuation? The prime minister of India carries the flag of the country and therefore there has to be seriousness in his actions. He is not travelling for tourism purposes," he said.

Sharma also slammed Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party for adopting a "hawkish

approach" during the United Progressive Alliance government and termed any meeting by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with his Pakistani counterpart as "anti-national".

"It is a ridiculous position that the External Affairs minister is claiming what is spontaneous and others are saying it is pre-discussed. It is unprecedented." Sharma said.

He said his party would not accept any reply on these issues from the External Affairs minister and asked the prime minister to make a statement on this on his return.

The senior Congress leader also questioned Swaraj's claims made in August that only terrorism and no comprehensive dialogue will be discussed with Pakistan and that there was no question of talks in a third country.

"What happened on December 7 in Bangkok, after the meeting in Paris? What was discussed was never disclosed to the country or the Parliament. Is Bangkok, Thailand not third country?" he asked.

Questioning the government for restarting the dialogue after abruptly calling off Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan after an invite was sent to Hurriyat Conferene last year, Sharma accused Modi of keeping the country in the dark on his engagements with Pakistan.

"Therefore, this visit raises fundamental questions," he said, accusing Modi of being there to promote private business interests and not national interests. Sharma asked the Prime Minister what assurances he has received from Pakistan during his visit and whether the establishment there has unequivocally endorsed India's position of dismantling terror infrastructure there and in punishing and trial of perpetrators of Mumbai attacks, especially of Lakhvi.

Meanwhile, hailing Modi's surprise decision to stop over at Lahore as a "path-breaking" departure from the "protocol-driven" politics between India and Pakistan, the Bharatiya Janata Party said there could not be a better day than the birth day of Atal Bihari Vajpayee for this.

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said the two neighbours needed to inject informality in their relations, as is the case in many places of the world like the EU and ASEAN.

"PM Modi's sudden stop over at Lahore to greet Pakiatan PM Nawaz Sharif is a much needed departure from protocol-driven politics between the two countries. Like leaders of other nations in the world like the EU, ASEAN and even countries in our neighborhood leaders of India and Pakistan too needed to inject informality in their relations.

"What better day than the birthday of Atalji for this path-breaking departure!," Madhav, who plays an important role in shaping the party's views on external affairs, tweeted.

BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said Modi had sent out a message about closer regional cooperation when he had taken the oath of office and his visit should be welcomed.

"We had the Ufa statement which was focused on our primary concern that is terrorism. There were hiccups after that. Then we had the Bangkok talk. Our Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Pakistan.

"If the two countrioes can try to have a positive approach and work out a relationship that brings peace not only between them but to the entire region and therefore to the world, then that is something that should be welcomed," he said.