Appeasement, deceit or betrayal?

Muslims will feel the heat during Modi’s years in power

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi caught his Pakistani counterpart off guard when he invited Nawaz Sharif to India to attend his swearing-in ceremony. In fact, he had a calculated game plan, now it has emerged.

In Islamabad, when Mr Sharif announced accepting the invitation from India, some extended cheers while many frowned upon his move. No one, however, had dreamed of a lack of homework by Mr Sharif on the historic trip. Now, the perception is on the rife that he has surrendered or has compromised on the key issues of Kashmir, Sir Creek, Siachen, and water disputes when he was in India.‎

As icing on the cake, the very next day, Modi’s government launched a new move to amend the constitution of India, moving to give Occupied Kashmir status as a permanent part of India – a move which may ignite a new diplomatic row between Pakistan, India and even the United Nations as Held Kashmir is still an unresolved case at the UN.

This visit has left many across the country shocked and outraged for the fact that the prime minister avoided meeting with the leadership of Indian occupied Kashmir – a tradition which was kept intact by all his predecessors, civilian or military.

While all this happened, the ill-prepared diplomatic team of Mr Sharif not only failed to foresee the Indian game plan, but also did not prepare appropriate talking points for the premier who, after being hounded by Prime Minister Modi during the exclusive meeting, disappointed his countrymen by making his case in front of the Indian media.

Those who were cheering at Nawaz’s Delhi yatra are struggling to find words to defend him. There is condemnation and praise alike making the rounds in the Pakistani media, politicians’ gossips and foreign relations experts’ circles.

Though some of my colleagues call Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit a total sellout on the Kashmir issue, I would try to remain objective rather than jumping to conclusions. The Kashmir sell-off fact was actually revealed by Barkha Dutt, an Indian journalist, who tweeted, “First India Pakistan meeting that I’ve reported on where no meeting with Kashmiri separatists by Pakistan PM & no over emphasis on Kashmir”.

This visit has left many across the country shocked and outraged for the fact that the prime minister avoided meeting with the leadership of Indian occupied Kashmir – a tradition which was kept intact by all his predecessors, civilian or military

This fact has sent shockwaves across the country about the ill-planned visit of the premier by authorities concerned. But this is not something new for analysts and media in Pakistan. It was none other than the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who had removed Kashmir billboards from Lahore in a bid to appease the then visiting Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee in 1998. Same was the case with former PPP premier Benazir Bhutto who had chosen to remove Kashmir council board to appease the then visiting Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi in 1988-89.

During their “confidential meeting”, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi apparently delivered a diplomatic snub to his Pakistani counterpart by turning down Sharif’s “innocent” invitation to visit Pakistan soon. The Indian wish-list to pave the way for Modi’s visit includes demands to do more to stop cross-border “infiltration”, dismantling the alleged terror infrastructure in Pakistan, holding trials of Mumbai attackers, etc.

The fact which is giving many sleepless nights is that why Nawaz Sharif was expecting something good from his Indian counterpart who has blood of thousands of Muslims on his hands. Everybody in both the countries knew that Modi was anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim, so why expect something good from him?

The question is why was there a lack of preparation by Pakistan’s foreign policy gurus as the prime minister had taken enough time to decide on the visit — giving ample time to the foreign office and his advisors to prepare.

We knew that the Indian elections were based on media campaign against Islam/Muslims in general and Pakistan in particular, enabling the hardliner to earn his landslide. Whereas the Indian Hindus celebrated Modi’s victory, the Muslim community in India felt alienated, frightened and perturbed as most of them believed that they had been effectively disenfranchised.

Muslims were aware of Narendra Modi’s agenda to reduce their community in India to second class citizens, and now feel nervous and gloomy. Muslim anxiety in India is multiplying due the fact that during repeated election campaigns Hindu majority has been mobilised on ‘hate Muslim’ slogans.

Hence, the Modi regime is likely to target and persecute Muslims. Whereas Muslim agony in India is justified, the incessant and unjust propaganda against Pakistan is beyond anybody’s cognition. It simply speaks of deep seated Hindu animosity against Pakistan and Pakistani public.

Indian propaganda against Pakistan goes on without any pause as Indian media propagates against Pakistan, its armed forces and intelligence agencies ceaselessly, under all circumstances and during all seasons.

Indian Express on 9th May 2014 published an article titled ‘Pak Official Named in FIR on Zakir’ alleging that Tamil Nadu police arrested an agent of the ISI sent to India to collect details of the Indian establishment that Pakistan wanted to target.

The Kashmir sell-off fact was actually revealed by Barkha Dutt, an Indian journalist, who tweeted, “First India Pakistan meeting that I’ve reported on where no meeting with Kashmiri separatists by Pakistan PM & no over emphasis on Kashmir”

In this regard Amir Zubair Siddiqui, Counselor (Visa) at Pakistan High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka, has also been included as second accused in the case, alleging that Pakistani backed extremists were being trained in Sri Lanka.

The article further suggested that the arrest of a Pakistani spy in India and visa counselor in Sri Lanka could trigger a diplomatic wrangle between India and Pakistan. Indian propagandists failed in upping the ante, however, due to Sri Lankan military’s timely response, rejecting baseless accusations of Tamil Nadu BJP leader L Ganesan against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It did, however, uncover the real face of Indian propaganda and its designs.

Modi’s victory in the Indian elections is a source of concern not only for the Muslim community but also for regional neighbours, especially Pakistan. His election campaign was based on negative emotional appeal in which he used Pakistan as the enemy while tipping-off Muslims to go to Pakistan. Exploiting emotions negatively will have serious repercussions.

The Indian media already predominantly toes Hindutva policy and conducts propaganda against Pakistan. This is why Hindus hate Muslims in India and elsewhere. Indian allegations through print media have been refuted by an official denial by Sri Lankan armed forces, clearly rejecting Indian contentions that Pakistani backed extremists were being trained in Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Modi and his Hindu followers must understand that in the socio-political arena public motivation based on exploitation of negative emotions may offer temporal gains but in the longer run such gimmicks prove fatal and disastrous.

Destruction and desecration of Babari Mosque in India led to burning of mandirs and destruction of Hindu property in Pakistan. Similarly, hating Muslims in India will have repercussions for Hindus in the Middle East and elsewhere. If Modi’s government started harassing, hounding and cleansing Muslims in India, the heat will be felt by Hindus living in the Middle East, among other places.

The Indian establishment must end its ‎maltreatment and socio-political marginalisation of Muslims. Some forward looking members of the Hindu community are already disturbed as Muslim anxiety is surging through media projections and expert opinions about possible governing style of Modi. Insular minded Modi and Hindu extremists of BJP stand fully charged to govern India with an iron fist, especially when questions of Muslim community and other minorities is to be addressed.

It has been the elusive dream of Modi and BJP to forcibly convert all non-Hindu Indians to Hinduism. Their power motives are guided by their religious beliefs. Hence tough times are ahead for Muslims in India.

Analysts believe that Modi’s base-mentality and narrow mindedness would entrap him into street quarrels and slanted politics blended with social prejudice and political bias. Hence, communal hate and religious abhorrence will surge in India. Muslims are likely to be the main target of Modi torment and BJP persecution.

This will certainly result in a chain reaction (loaded with public emotions) against Hindu community living in the Middle East and other Muslim countries. Internally India will face the worst turmoil.

Muslim countries will not be able to control public reaction against Hindus if Muslims are persecuted in India. Sacrilege of Babari Mosque in India and uncontrolled public reaction against Hindus in Pakistan are cases in point.