The cancellation of Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan has got support from all quarters. While the BJP welcomed the move, the Congress said that the NDA Government must ensure that its peaceful posture should not be taken as a weakness by the neighbouring country.
“Unfortunately, the out-of-way bonhomie extended to the Pakistan leadership, despite killing of our soldiers on border besides attempts at infiltration and ceasefire violations, appears to have been taken as weakness which the NDA Government must address seriously and urgently. The BJP-led Government has learnt it the hard way that there are no short-cuts to diplomatic processes particularly those having a long history,” said Amarinder Singh, Congress Deputy leader in the lok Sabha.
He added that while it was a diplomatic indiscretion on the part of Pakistan, the Government of India too appeared not to have done its homework properly before deciding to go ahead with such high-level talks. The Congress had accused the Government of double standards and said the decision to hold talks with Pakistan was not in sync with BJP’s policy — when it was in the Opposition — of “talks and terror cannot go hand in hand”. The Samajwadi Party termed the move as a step in right direction. “To call off talks was a right decision. In fact, we have been demanding that the Indian Government must shut off the Pakistani High Commission which is indulging in anti-India activities but inviting and consulting separatists in its building,” said SP’s senior leader Naresh Aggarwal.
He added that Pakistan’s attitude was dangerous for India as on one side its PM comes and talks to PM Narendra Modi while its Army violates ceasefire agreement and indulges in violence. “There is no point talking to Nawaz Sharif. In Pakistan it is the ISI and the Pakistan Army that has all powers. India needs to take a tough stand on Pakistan in the given circumstances,” Aggarwal said.
The BJP said that though India wants good relations with its neighbours it cannot allow them to meddle in its internal affairs. BJP Secretary Shrikant Sharma said Pakistan is not sending right signal by meeting separatist leaders in India while adding that the step has led to the Government taking the bold step of cancelling the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two nations.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the initiative of inviting Sharif at his swearing-in and wanted good ties with them, but Pakistan has not kept its promise of not interfering in India’s internal matters,” said Sharma.