Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh sees surprise visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistan as “innovative diplomacy” and claimed that it was just on the line shown by former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Reacting to surprise visit of Modi to lahore in Pakistan on Friday, Rajnath Singh, said here on Saturday afternoon that it is `innovative diplomacy’ on part of prime minister and that Modi had done what first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) PM, Atal Bihari had done more than 15-years back. ``It was just on the lines of Vajpayee’s vision of Indo-Pak ties”, asserted Rajnath while talking to media persons here on Saturdayafternoon. He was here to attend seminar on `Good Governance’, organised to celebrate birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Singh’s remarks came a day after Modi’s visit to Pakistan, the first by an Indian Prime Minister after more than a decade.
Modi, while returning from his visit to Russia and Afghanistan, made a surprise stop at lahore on Friday evening. “looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in lahore today, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi,” he had tweeted. The Home Minister maintained that the “visit was in line with the vision of Vajapyee on India-Pakistan relations”.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had traveled to lahore from New Delhi on the inaugural run of a bus route in 1999. The Home Minister opined that after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it was Prime Minister Modi who has raised the dignity of India infront of the world.
“In independent India, after Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji, if there is someone who has made the country proud and raised its dignity in front of the world, it is Narendra Modi,” he said. Singh said that it was mainly due to Modi’s long stretching efforts that the influence and image of the country has vastly improved.
He also mentioned about the visit of US President Obama to India in 2010, claiming that “India is not emerging, but India has emerged”.
He added that in Independent India’s resurgence, former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s contribution has also been of prime importance. On being asked about the graft allegations against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Singh said that they were all baseless and his integrity could not be doubted.
Earlier Rajnath reached Amausi Airport at around 1pm where the local leaders led by district president, Manojar Singh, gave him a warm welcome. He later reached his residence at Kalidas Marg where after meeting the workers and leaders, he proceeded to participate in seminar on good governance.