The Congress on Tuesday stepped up its attack over Centre’s handling of ties with Pakistan in the wake of the Pathankot terror attack accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of reversing the foreign policy from “outcomes to optics”.
Former Minister of State of External Affairs Anand Sharma sought an explanation from the PM on the kind of assurances he received from his counterpart Nawaz Sharif that prompted him for a “surprise trip” to lahore on December 25. Sharma asked the PM to take the Opposition into confidence on engaging the neighbouring country.
Dismissing PM’s visit as a “dramatic gesture”, Sharma, said, “The UPA Government and its then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh preferred outcomes over optics. Now this has been reversed by optics coming first. Optics have taken place in lahore”.
“The Prime Minister should now tell what are the outcomesIJ While we support dialogue, we want to make it clear that our security and integrity are non-negotiable,” Sharma said at the AICC briefing.
Sharma sought to contrast the functioning of Modi Government vis a vis India’s relations with Pakistan with that of the previous UPA Government.
“The comprehensive bilateral dialogue with Pakistan suspended after Mumbai terror strike could not be restored because India had laid some conditions. We wanted 26/11 conspirators to be charged and tried. We wanted speedy trial of the Mumbai terror accused. The wish of the then UPA’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan was not fulfilled because Pakistan did not honour its promises. What assurances were received by PM Modi which prompted his visit to lahoreIJ”
While acknowledging that this is the time when the nation has to stand together, Sharma insisted, “We have the right to ask questions”. “After cancellation of NSA level talks in August, what was the understanding reached between NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistan counterpart in BangkokIJ What were the reasons for PM to make his surprise trip to lahoreIJ What assurances were given to merit this dramatic gestureIJ
Asserting that Congress is a mature political party unlike the then Opposition which “politicised” the 26/11 attacks, Sharma that he has no intention of doing the same. “But there are certain questions to which we, the people of India, would want the Prime Minister to respond since only he and his NSA are privy to what was discussed and why they agreed to talk,” the Congress spokesperson said.