Modi Govt. following 'classic knee-jerk policy' with Pak: CPI (M)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday alleged that the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre was following a classic knee-jerk policy with regard to its relationship with Pakistan and said the ruling dispensation does not have a clear-cut idea of what it wants to do.

Speaking to ANI, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury questioned the government's plan of starting the Indo-Pak dialogue.

Asserting that New Delhi has to expose Pakistan in the international arena, Yechury said the government needs to start the dialogue process for India's sake to restore normalcy in Kashmir.

"We have to shame Pakistan in international arena and we have to tell them how Pakistan is involved in all these things. But at the same time, solve your internal problems. With these diplomacies, the government is following what we can call a classic knee-jerk policy.blow hot blow cold," he said.

"Sometimes it is Modi's 56 inch's government and sometimes it is dropping into have biryani and sweets for lunch. So, what is your approach? That is the whole problem.they don't have a clear cut idea what they are wanting to do," he added.

Yechury said the question of terrorism, cross-border terrorism and Pakistan providing the shelter for such cross-border terrorist attacks on India is a problem that goes back for many decades.

"This is nothing new. Along with this problem, after particularly the attacks in Mumbai, the Modi Government announced a whole package of Indo-Pak dialogue where it talked of terrorism, Kashmir and six seven other issues," he added.

Yechury stated that after Pakistan withdrew talks under some other excuse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dropped in for greeting his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif over lunch.

"Then they said we will restart the talks. This talk again started at some level and then again it stopped.again now the same point is being raised. Now you have said that dialogue with Pakistan has to continue, otherwise there is no solution to this terrorism. That was this government's own understanding. Now, what about all that? The Foreign Secretary today is saying terrorism is nothing great news.is old news," he added.

Noting that terrorism rules the roost in the India-Pakistan bilateral talks, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar yesterday said problem is that the terrorism issue has become so central that it makes the relationship difficult to grow.

Addressing mediapersons at Foreign Correspondents Club here, Jaishankar said Pakistan's use of terrorism as policy of diplomacy has posed difficulty in creating 'connected' and 'cooperative' South Asian region.

Jaishankar's statements assume significance as he had earlier expressed willingness to hold discussions over cross-border terrorism with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.

Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Chaudhry's invitation to come for talks on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad for holding talks on cross-border terrorism rather than on Kashmir.

Chaudhry called in Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale earlier on August 15 and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir, which he termed 'the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan'.