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| Edited By: |Source: DNA |Updated: Nov 30, 2018, 07:05 AM IST
Kartarpur was a low-hanging fruit for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. He wanted to “show” the world that he was interested in restoring ties with India.
However, in reality, he had successfully politicised a religious matter. His statement that “Sidhu, you should contest elections here [in Pakistan]. People love you so much; you will surely win”, in response to the criticism the cricketer-turned politician faced in India, was an inglorious attempt at magnifying the differences within India’s political establishment.
But what was truly deplorable was clubbing Kashmir with Kartarpur. People who are taken in by Khan’s magnanimity and message of peace have forgotten his antecedents. Khan has been propped up by the Pakistani army, which is waging a proxy war with India.
In fact, India and Pakistan are in conflict on multiple fronts. There is exchange of fire along the LoC in Kashmir alongside Pak-sponsored terrorism. The neighbour is also instigating stone-pelters and home-grown terrorists to vitiate the atmosphere in the Valley.
Pakistan is also responsible for the widespread drug crisis in Punjab. The state is also witnessing a revival of the Khalistani movement because of active encouragement from across the border. It is in the interest of the Pakistani deep state to keep enmity with India alive.
Ironically, Sidhu, continues to be under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, much to India’s embarrassment. As if hugging the Pakistani army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa was not enough, Sidhu had even shared the frame with a pro-Khalistani activist. It can’t be for altruistic reasons that the Pakistani army has been very enthusiastic about Kartarpur corridor. It could be one of the ways to export terrorism into India. Also, one shouldn’t rule out the possibility of Sikh youths entering Pakistan to visit shrines being radicalised by agent provocateurs. New Delhi has to be constantly on guard while dealing with a wily neighbour.
