Apparently, Pakistan’s newly-minted Prime Minister, Imran Khan, wants a “constructive dialogue” with India and Modi for some reason thinks the word “constructive” makes all the difference. Is Imran such a “fine-fine man”, different from Nawaz Sharif, who is living his life in a cell partly because he appeared friendly with India? Well, Imran was definitely a fine-fine fast bowler but to give the openly “Jihadi-type” any ability to talk “constructively” is kind of odd. Has PM Modi gone bananas?

Till just last week, Imran Khan was a “puppet of the Pakistan Army”. Today, he is not puppet, he’s premier. What about Junior Foreign Minister Gen. VK Singh and his senior Sushma Swaraj, do they have any say, or is the EAM totally under the thumb of PMO? Did Modi tell the two to shut up? No doubt this clears all doubts on the allegation that Modi is an authoritarian, who rules his cabinet with an iron fist, that his ministers are rubber-stamps.

Who said that – Arun Shourie, Yashwant Sinha or Shatrughan Sinha? Doesn’t matter, the point is Modi has junked his stated policy not to talk to Pakistan unless the neighbour puts an end to cross-border terrorism. Four and a half years gone down the drain and just when the NDA looked like it may be staring at defeat in the 2019 general elections, Modi has dumped what in part got him elected in 2014 in the first place and has crossed over into the other camp. Is the Tukde-Tukde Gang forgiven?

And this the day after a BSF soldier is ambushed and tortured with electric bolts before his eyes are gouged out and one of his legs is cut off and then he is shot dead with a couple of bullets to the head. What the… Is this the same Modi who from the ramparts of the Red Fort said getting back Pakistan occupied Kashmir was priority above all?

Are I-Days to lie to the nation? Is there any difference between the Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV and the Prime Minister of India? And as if to greet this pusillanimity, terrorists (can we call them “Pak-sponsored” anymore?) went on a killing spree of policemen in the Valley? Like said bad behaviour is repeated and talking to the bad hombre is stupid.

Talk that “meeting” the enemy on the sidelines of UNGA doesn’t mean it qualifies for a lie less than saying ‘there is God’. Asked what will be “talked” at the UNGA-sideline meeting between the two foreign ministers, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said the talking points haven’t been decided! And we all thought it was clear for four and a half years that the only topic on the agenda with Pakistan is “cross-border terrorism.”

Suddenly we don’t know what to assail Pakistan with. Suddenly the state-sponsor of terrorism has nothing to do with terrorism. Suddenly all that matters is let’s draw up a peace pact. Suddenly it is not India-first but Pakistan-first. Suddenly it doesn’t matter how many soldiers’ heads are taken off as trophies. Suddenly there is no talk of a surgical-strike revenge? Suddenly the “Hindu nationalist party” BJP is a dove!

Is it the United States and China dictating India’s foreign policy, whether it be Maldives or Pakistan? Is this the new non-alignment, capitulate? The Modi-turnaround comes within a couple of weeks of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to New Delhi. Today, the day after, US State department spokesperson Heather Nauert gushed as she welcomed “reports of positive messages being exchanged between Prime Minister Khan and Prime Minister Modi” as if two separated lovers have finally found each other and can’t wait to get together.

But it is the foreign ministers who will meet at UNGA – Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mahmood Quershi , and Sushma, whose larger role is to facilitate visas to sick Pakistanis, shouldn’t forget, when she shakes the clammy hand of Qureshi that he was foreign minister of Pakistan when Kasab & Co paid their deadly visit to Mumbai on 26/11, 2008. India will celebrate Surgical strike Day on September 29, but before that we should hold a ‘Condemn UNGA Meet Day’ to flay the changed outlook on Pakistan. If there is one reason to boot this government out, this is it, this is it… (IPA Service)