DOST KHAN
Agreed, the marginalised Congress is struggling to put its act together by cornering Narendra Modi-led NDA government on any and every front but this war of politics can be fought on the turf, other than that borders the national security. By raising a finger of suspicion over the circumstances leading to chasing of the terror boat, embarked from Pak coast to deliver some important cargo in the Indian state of Gujarat, the Congress has handed over a lever into the hands of rogue Islamabad, which it will hammer certainly at the international level optimally.
A Congress spokesman has asked the government to explain which terrorist organisation owned the suspicious boat. “Government should come clean on it. There is no evidence. How can you say that a terrorist attack was prevented? How did they (government) come to the conclusion that it was a terrorist boat? It is very strange. Nothing has been explained. Which terrorist organisation was behind it?” Does the spokesperson question the intelligence inputs, which by all accounts, are supposed to be apolitical? By questioning the Centre, the Congress has actually suspected the country’s security grid engaged in war against terrorism. Even if the government had erred in its judgment, the Congress should have sorted it out at different levels, instead of going public.
Such an embarrassment for the nation, especially at a time when all efforts are being made to galvanise the world against terror monster that is raising ugly head in the form of ISIS and other outfits like Talibans and Lashkar, could have been avoided, had the Congress reverted back to glorious traditions set by the nation by rising above politics when it came to national security.
The compatriots still recall with pride how BJP stalwart Atal Behari Vajpayee had eulogised and hailed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as ‘Durga’ soon after the liberation of Bangladesh by taking nearly a lakh of Pakistani brute soldiers as prisoners of war. The leader of the opposition had gone beyond party politics to galvanise support for the Prime Minister for her courageous act of making the chronic enemy lick dust on its own soil of then East Pakistan and now Bangladesh. This is how nations grow. No country behaves irresponsibly when it comes to national security and fighting terrorism, which is emerging as biggest challengte to the civilized world.
The Congress spokesperson should have recalled how Prime Minister Manmohan Singh found support from unexpected quarters in Parliament when he showed signs of assertion in the wake of beheading of Lance Naik Hem Raj by terror army of Pakistan about two years ago. That was the time when Defence Minister and the External Affairs Minister had created a real mess by holding the brief for Pakistan. They had almost given a clean chit to Pakistan army by holding terrorists responsible for beheading of the soldiers. Salman Khursheed had gone to the extent of saying, “We’re not going to be pressurised by wild calls (from Indian Opposition) for revenge and reaction. We will do what is in the best interest of the country and peace, keeping in mind that there is a lot at stake”. When the two ministers were talking about stakes and peace, Manmohan Singh had announced several tough measures by pushing back Pakistani hockey players to their country and putting on hold the operationalisation of Visa on Arrival (VOA) facility for senior citizens of Pakistan. The BJP was first to welcome and endorse the action taken by India after Manmohan Singh took a tough stand. That should be the national spirit.
There are times when the political parties should rise above petty politics and unite to face the challenge posed by enemy, particularly when the enemy is Pakistan, which has made it a national policy to give India thousand cuts. A country which has not remained in peace with itself cannot live in harmony with her neighbours. Sooner the fence sitters realise this, better it is.
