Modi 'harbinger of innovative diplomacy': Rajnath

Welcoming the surprise meeting between the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers in Lahore, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today hailed Narendra Modi as the "harbinger of innovative diplomacy" as he drew parallels between him and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A day after Modi's visit to the neighbouring country, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than a decade, Singh further said that the move was in line with Vajpayee's vision for India-Pakistan ties.
"Modi is the harbinger of innovative diplomacy," he said at a function here to mark the birth anniversary of Vajpayee, who had during his tenure as prime minister travelled in 1999 to Lahore from New Delhi on the inaugural run of a bus route.

Singh said that it was mainly due to Modi's efforts that the influence and image of the country improved globally.
"In independent India, after Vajpayeeji, if there is someone who has made the country proud and raised its dignity in front of the world, it is Narendra Modi," said Singh.
The Home Minister maintained that the "visit was in line with the vision of Vajapyee on India-Pakistan relations".

He also mentioned the visit of US President Barack Obama to India in 2010 and said that "India is not emerging, but India has emerged".
Talking about Vajpayee, Singh said that the former prime minister's contribution, too, has been of importance in independent India's resurgence.

Meanwhile, asked about graft allegations against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Singh said they were all baseless and his integrity could not be doubted.
Modi, while returning from his visit to Russia and Afghanistan, made a surprise stopover in Lahore last evening.
"Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi," he had tweeted.
Modi and Sharif had met briefly on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Change Summit recently. The Paris interaction was the first between the two leaders after July, when they had met in the Russian city of Ufa and agreed that the National Security Advisers of the two countries should engage.

The two leaders also attended the UN General Assembly session in September, but did not meet even though they stayed in the same hotel.
Referring to the updating of the National Register of
Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Singh said the process is underway and the state government should complete it soon.
Singh said the Centre will make no compromise on the issue of insurgency as he claimed that violence has considerably come down in the state.
"If any people or group have any grievances, problems or issues, we are ready to talk to them... We are ready to embrace them and talk. But if there is violence, there will be no compromise," he said.

The Home Minister claimed people have supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "bold step" to demonetise high-value currency notes and his fight against black money and corruption.
"The Prime Minister's bold step of demonetisation has been welcomed by the people of the country and we are grateful for that," he said.
The Prime Minister's fight against black money and corruption was "beyond any doubt" and the people of the country have expressed their gratitude by supporting him despite facing initial difficulties, the home minister said.
"People did face initial difficulties after demonetisation was announced, but no one has questioned the intention of the Prime Minister.

"People had to wait for hours in queues outside ATMs, but when told they were facing difficulties, many replied, 'When our jawans our dying on the borders to protect our country against enemies, then why can't we stand in queues for a few hours.' This is the spirit of our people," he said.
Modi on November 8 had announced to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, and said new notes of denominations Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 will be issued in their place, leading to a rush among people to exchange their notes at banks and withdraw new notes from ATMs.