Daily Times

On the eve of Pakistan Resolution Day, the top leadership of Pakistan and India exchanged greetings of goodwill. Noticeably, all isn’t well despite the positive gesture since the clouds of war are still hovering over.

There’s utter confusion in South Block given how Indian security officials were trying to harass invitees to Pakistan Day event held at Pakistan High Commission, New Delhi. The officials were trying to emotionally blackmail the guests at the mission’s gates when it is clearly against diplomatic and moral norms. No one has the right to stop someone from entering a place when invited.

Another aspect is that the Indians decided not to send any senior official to the event in light of Hurriyat leadership’s attendance. On the contrary, it’s part of political theatrics since Hurriyat was always invited and Indian ministers and senior officials had no issues attending previously.

Election season in India has placed the BJP in a tight position since last month’s events have brought down Indian narrative thanks to its strategic miscalculations and a jingoistic media based in Noida and Mumbai, which became a laughing stock in the international community.

Pakistan may have chosen to respond with peaceful overtures but it’s still wary of New Delhi’s future course of action. Hence, it opted to remain in a state of high alert till elections in India officially commence from 11thApril onwards.

On the other hand, a special Indian court’s decision to acquit all four accused people for their role in Samjhauta Express train bombing in February 2007 is nothing less than a travesty of justice, as stated by the Foreign Office. Swami Aseemanand was clearly involved as per reports presented by the India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA).

With the blessings of RSS, right-wing Hindu groups were given free hand to carry out terrorist activities against Muslims.

What does it all signify for Indian leadership? Perhaps, playing to the galleries and trying to garner right-wing votes since the economy is in shambles, prestige broken and corruption scandals erupting randomly.

Anti-Pakistan sentiments seem to be the only way for the BJP to win the elections. Bollywood is being misused in this regard with films like Uri, The Accidental Prime Minister and a biopic on Narendra Modi being released just in time for the elections.

If peace is to sustain in South Asia, the BJP must introspect its haphazard regional and domestic policies which are resulting in nothing but embarrassment for India abroad. *

Published in Daily Times, March 24^th 2019.