Omkar Dattatray
The popularity ,influence and acceptance of India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has not only increased ,but it has got a quantum jump as Modi’s leadership is accepted world over .Recently the court of Appeal in Qatar commuted the death sentence of eight former Indian Naval officers allegedly involved in a case of corruption and espionage .The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been actively monitoring the situation ,providing support and assistance throughout the process .”We have noted the verdict of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case ,in which the sentence has been reduced. ”a recent MEA notification read .All this has been possible because of the influence of prime minister Modi and it is the diplomatic victory of Modi and India .Such an international development would not have been possible without Modi and therefore it can be called the triumph of Modi’s diplomacy .Since death sentence of 8 former Navy officers has been commuted by a court in Qatar ,now India could explore the option of having them repatriated and serve their term in Indian prisons under a treaty signed by the two countries .As said at the outset ,in a significant development ,the Court of Appeal on Qatar on Thursday commuted the death sentence of eight former Indian Naval officers allegedly involved in a case of corruption and espionage .Qatar Court has accepted India’s appeal to study the death penalty handed down to eight -ex Indian Navel officers it had arrested last year .The MEA had expressed shock over the verdict and had assured that the government was exploiting all legal options and the result of India’s efforts in this regard has now succeeded as the Qatar Court has commuted the death sentence of eight Navy officers and this is no ordinary development .This judgment of Qatar Court is victory of diplomatic efforts of Modi government. The appellate court’s verdict was not just seen a huge relief to the eight former Navy personnel but also a great diplomatic win for India.BJP said, that the commutation of death sentence of eight former Indian Navy personnel by a court in Qatar is a victory of prime minister Modi’s foreign policy and diplomatic efforts under it .This development has once again made it clear that the entire world recognizes the strength of India’s foreign policy under the leadership of Modi. The BJP’s reaction came after the appellate court in Qatar commuted the death sentence of eight Navy personnel arrested in an alleged case of espionage in August 2022.Chugh said ,”Eight former Indian Navy personnel getting relief from the death sentence in Qatar is a victory of the diplomatic efforts of country’s celebrated Prime minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy .The appellate court’s verdict was not just as a huge relief to the eight former Indian Naval personnel but also a big diplomatic win for India as it comes weeks after Prime minister Modi’s meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al -Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai .After the meeting on December 1,Modi said they discussed the well being of the Indian community in Qatar .It is in fact due to Modi governments foreign policy and the sustained and consistent efforts of the NDA government that the court in Qatar has reduced the death sentence of eight Indians and it can be called the diplomatic win of the India under Modi’s global leadership and is in fact the diplomatic victory of Modi government .Now the Modi government can explore the extradition of the Indian Navel personnel to India and they will then serve there term in Indian jails .The fact that the eight arrested Navy personnel who had been jailed in Qatar and have been awarded death penalty are now given a big relief as the appellate Court in Qatar has commuted the death sentence and this is really a big development .The fact that the court verdict of commutation of the death sentence has come only weeks after Indian Prime minister and his Qatar counterpart has a meeting on the sidelines of COP 28.Thus it is crystal clear that the influence and recognition of Indian Prime minister Modi is very strong and the world recognizes him as a global leader and it is because of Modis ,influence that the court in Qatar has commuted the death sentence of eight former navy personnel .Thus it seems that there is great influence of Modi in international politics and so has Modi’s foreign policy exerted its influence and the net result of the handling of the situation by India’s ministry of external affairs is that the court in Qatar has commuted the death sentence of eight ex navy personnel .It is a rare decision and judgment given by the Qatar court and it is because of the pressure of Modi’s foreign policy and his growing influence and clout which has resulted in commutation of the death sentence of eight former Indian Navy personnel .Therefore it boils down to the fact that the judgment of commutation by the court in Qatar is the diplomatic victory of India under Modi government.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
