After the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts, the national mood was simmering. People were enraged and wanted decisive action by the Government… perhaps strikes inside Pakistan to bomb the terrorist camps proliferating there. Sensing the national mood, the Government of India decided to put the peace talks with Pakistan on hold. The reasoning offered was that unless Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf abides by his promises to end cross-border terrorism, talks were futile.

“India will ask Pakistan to fully adhere to President Pervez Musharraf’s announcement in 2004 that his country would extend all support to end cross-border terrorism as the terror strikes in Mumbai not only shook the country but invited sharp reactions from the world community,” Ahamed said.

And yet, less than 20 days later, India opted to resume the dialogue with Pakistan. One wonders what change in Pakistani attitude in the intervening fornight prompted the resumption of dialogue! On the contrary, Pakistan only strindently denied any involvement in the 7/11 blast and also brazenly asked for proofs of the existence of terrorist camps within Pakistan. The reason for resumtion of peace talks was the same old worn-out line that the MEA is so fond of!

”We are engaged in a peace process which is important to both countries and it is very important that in order to allow this process to move forward there must be a commitment to abandon cross-border terrorism in whatever form it occurs,” he said.

So why did the Indian government choose to resume the dialogue?! Armchair peaceniks will claim that sane heads within the government prevailed. Congress will put forth the argument that the Congress party is committed to peace. But of course, those are silly reasons. There are no more saner heads in this government than the preceeding one! And if at all, the Congress party is committed (and addicted) to power, not peace.

Surely the NDA government gave a marvellous example of a tough response when it ordered Operation Parakram after Vajpayee’s ‘aar paar ki ladai‘ claims in the aftermath of the Pakistan-sponsored Parliament attack in 2001. After all, Operation Parakram was the biggest and longest deployment of Indian military might on the border.

Hardly!

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