(Modi took a bold step and invited SAARC leaders for his swearing in
ceremony as PM. Nawaz Sharif, who met Modi found the talks more fruitful than
expected. Was there more than what meets the eye in their talk?)
The Bold Invitation by Mr Modi
Modi won a landslide victory in the recently concluded elections
in India. While that was a surprise, his invitations to all the SAARC heads of
governments to grace his swearing in ceremony was a bigger surprise for one and
all. Almost as an export, the surprise even landed in Pakistan.
With the ball being unexpectedly thrown into their court by an
uneasy neighbour, who was assumed not to follow 'love thy neighbour', unsure
Pakistan was certainly in disarray. Although, complete suddenness and 'go we
lose not go we lose' situation made the political decision hard, not having a
single power centre made it harder. Though external cause was blamed, a delayed
yes from the army possibly delayed PM Sharif's yes. In addition, Pakistani
brains airing venom against Modi in its TV, didn't make things easy.
The Opposition at Home
It wasn't "all is well" on the Indian side either.
Although, inviting Sri Lanka's genocide accused President Rajapaksa
did raise resentment in the south, sticking to the Hindi heartland
like what the canvassing politicians did, media focused on the ever so headline
grabbing juicy Indo Pak relations. And Indian thinkers didn't miss the
opportunity to think loudly.
Although I am not sure, whether they were unhappy with Modi for
doing what they usually did ('soft' on Pakistan) or for him hurting them before
but changing to their ways now, true to being in opposition, the Congress
members criticised Modi's current stance. Citing 'bombing and talk can't go
together' and almost airing 'running government and elections aren't the same'
even some BJP members were terse. But then, the inactive Congress had actually
gone a step further; it had stopped talking to Pakistan.
Why The Invite?
Despite barrage of opposing noises, even from his own party
members, why did Modi invite his neighbours knowing fully well that Pakistan
and Shri Lanka had not been good to its citizens?
Though grossly misunderstood and said to be a change from his
earlier stance, the invite was not a change. When Nehru was
rejoicing his mantra of 'Hindi Chini bhai bhai (Indians and Chinese are
brothers)', the good guys from the north attacked India just to tell India, who
the boss of Asia was. It's good to talk says British Telecom and women concur;
but strange are the ways in which country's talk!
Today however, with the mantra of 'You cannot change the
neighbours like friends', Modi was almost tracing the Hindu God Krishna's
peace initiatives before the Mahabharata war.
He called the SAARC leaders to deliver just two messages:
1. Whatever has happened in the past has happened. I have come now; nothing untoward has to happen from now onwards. If it happens, it will be dealt with.
2. All of our peoples need peace and progress, and as a group - read SAARC- we can exploit the resources and the common market to make a huge progress together.
The Pakistani Response
Irrespective of the above, not having made to the airways soon
enough, the ever so important (that made the risk taken a success or a failure)
Sharif's answer was waited with a bated breath.
Suddenly, almost like an answer to 'Will you marry me', a 'Yes I will' - given with a brave face by the Pakistani PM - gave smiles to the Indians. And when the caught fishermen were released as a bonus, their waiting families even went ecstatic.
And the men and woman encircling India from all sides and even
governing their lot, converged. After creating history, they spread themselves
again. Media , in turn, upgraded its nosy genes. But then, the 'bad Modi
shifted to a 'successful Modi'. Indians had believed in him; as if it was an
infection, now South Asians awaited their turn to believe. Suddenly, South
Asian history looked different.
The Modi Sharif Meet And Nawaz Sharif's Need
But then, what really happened?
Although the Indian spokesperson was tight-lipped on what exactly
went on in the meeting between the interesting two, post meeting news from
Pakistan as, 'it went beyond expectation', revealed more. Addition of Nawaj
Sharif's history adds even more.
With the melting of Sharif's mum's heart, when she saw a picture
of Modi's mum offering blessing to her son, it did, right at the start, insert
a heart to heart talk in the meeting. Though the meeting wasn't like, what
Imran Khan alleged - 'Treated him like a school boy'- with Modi showing him the
planned enormous economic benefit for both peoples, and asserting 'bomb and
talk can't go together', the use of a 'carrot and stick' is probably not
untrue. But then, the 'we both won majority' and more importantly the 'Talks
went beyond expectation' need a light from history for a better understanding.
Having seen several army dictatorships, unlike India, Pakistan not
only has more than one power centre, it has an intense power struggle between them. However, almost as a
paradox, hostility towards India that unites the country as a bare necessity,
also unites those centres to form an elite bunch. While politicians gain votes
out of the external enemy India, its army gathers the lion's share of the
budget claiming a defensive necessity - so long as the hostility is kept alive. In
fact, while the Daughter of the East, Benazir Bhutto, supported the Kashmiri
Jihadist, outsmarting the army politicians have also incited war against India.
Though, Sharif's role in the tragic Kargil
war following Bajpai's joyous visit is an enigma; even if he had a
role, 'a changed man' - normally reserved for Modi - validates Modi's 'You are
a man of peace'. This is because, Sheriff
has asserted the futility of the f16s and emphasised the need to enhance the
livelihood of his countrymen. He also has survived a death penalty brought in
by the army. Unlike the historic tug of war with the army, this tug is on the
hostility towards India itself. Though good for the Pakistani elite, with it
restricting the cherished common sub-continental market, and with reasons,
making army take lion's share of the
state budgets that could otherwise have been used for all, hostility isn't good
for the ordinary. With army being the only respected institution, this fight
between the democrats and the army makes Sharif feel helpless. Seeking help,
thus, becomes natural.
A New Alliance
Thus, following an initial hesitation, when he suddenly met
another democrat - a strong leader who had won a landslide victory and had
progressive plans for the subcontinent - almost reminding 'workers of the world
unite' he grabbed the 'democrats of the world unite'. Having a slanted eye on
his army and lending a voice to the later he said, 'I also won a majority'.
In addition, however, when the two mummy's boys came together
under the spell of maternal instinct and tradition, almost an Indian style
arranged marriage made in haven seems to have taken place. And if history were
to be brought in for reminiscence, it would almost seem to show the coming
together of long lost culture
sharing friends, who would question 'Why on earth did we separate?'
As if influenced by globalisation, developmental plans that
transcended cast creed and ethnicity in the election 2014 would now trace the
misadventure of its Pak banned Bollywood. To be precise, it would now transcend
the Indo-Pak national border.
As if to match the Taliban's gloom with the earlier misadventure,
this ganging up of democrats hasn't made the Pak army happy. The delayed
'Sharif wasn't happy' alluded to that fact. Though, numerically it is still
two, the Indo Pak hostility that saw cross border terrorism, as a changed power
dynamics in South Asia, now seems to show a clash between a united group of
cross boarder democrats and the lone Pak army.
Modi: From Derision to Praise
And when all things were said and done and apprehension and blame
gave way to praise Modi's grin showed all 32. His tailor alone, however, would
be privy to the rise of his chest size above 56. And when the imported sari
arrived from the West, even his mum could not stop a smile. Almost like
infection, the smile spread everywhere. While praising itself for playing good
opposition in the saga PPP got praise, praising Modi for the episode Congress
stalwart Shashi Tharoor even got a beating from the
recalcitrant Aiyar.
Either way, the sub-continent is not going to be the same.
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