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Cong leaders divided over Balochistan stand
NEW DELHI: The ghost of Sharm el-Sheikh continues to haunt the Congress. The inclusion of Balochistan word in a joint statement issued by former PM Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani had not only drawn criticism from the BJP but also caused much unease in the Congress.
The two leaders had met on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on 16 July 2009.
The discomfort is visible even now and the issue has divided the party down the middle. The main Opposition party is in a spot over supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Balochistan reference in his Independence Day speech. On the first day itself, senior leaders and spokespersons Salman Khurshid, Kapil Sibal and Manish Tewari attacked the Prime Minister for raking up the issue.
However, by evening, the party’s chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala, issued a statement, saying India should raise the issue of Pakistani army committing human rights violations in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir both at bilateral and multilateral forums.
While Tewari’s diatribe against Modi continues, Khurshid too has stood by his remarks. “By bringing in Balochistan, you are ruining our case on PoK. It will give Pakistan additional handle to interfere in our internal affairs. We don’t speak about atrocities in other countries,” Khurshid had said.
At the press briefing on Tuesday, Jairam Ramesh was repeatedly asked about the party’s stand on Balochistan. He refused to make any value addition or for that matter did not even repeat what Surjewala had said a day before. Instead, he insisting to have a look at Surjewala’s statement and maintained that is the party’s stand on the issue.
Finally, when his attention was drawn to the BJP’s claim that the Congress is divided on the issue, Ramesh shot back, “This is a diversionary tactic and with elections coming up in Uttar Pradesh an attempt will be made every day to whip up jingoistic sentiments”.
On Wednesday, senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad too skirted Balochistan and instead focused on the current unrest in Kashmir.
“The Prime Minister’s politics centres around votes even if his home is burning. My request is make an appeal to your people in Kashmir rather than here and there.”