SAARC 2016: 5 things we learned from Rajnath's visit to Pakistan

Rajnath Singh, our Home Minister, just returned from a trip to Pakistan which had all the bonhomie of a Lannister family gathering and the warmth of SRK’s onscreen kisses. There were protests by known terrorists on the streets, a strong speech by Rajnath that no one heard but everyone read, while Sharif and his ministers continued to be cheerleaders for terrorists. Here are some things we learned from Rajnath’s trip to Pakistan for the SAARC 2016 conference:  

Terrorists can openly lead protests in Pakistan

Syed Salahuddin (C), leader of the United Jihad Council and Hizbul Mujhaideen leads a protest rally. ​(Reuters) 

It’s really hard to take Pakistan’s desire to fight terror seriously, when terrorists can lead marches against a neighbouring nation’s leader. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahudeen, one of the most wanted terrorists on NIA’s list and the chief of the United Jihad Council (that’s a real thing) took to the streets in Islamabad to protest Rajnath’s presence. Meanwhile, Hafiz Saeed the mastermind of 26/11, had 'warned' PM Nawaz Sharif about protests if Rajnath came to Pakistan. 

Since that fateful day in 2011, when US Navy Seals gunned down 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, barely any serious government believes that Pakistan is serious about fighting terrorism and the protest-led by terrorists should leave no one in any doubt.  

Pakistan will continue to beat their delusional drum about Kashmir and terrorism

A warm bonhomie which seemed to be growing between Messrs Modi and Sharif is all but dead in the water now that Pakistan has thrown their weight behind slain terrorist Burhan Wani. Time and again, Nawaz Sharif and other top politicians kept on hailing Wani and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan took it a notch up by claiming that the force used by Indian security forces in Kashmir was ‘terrorism’.

He was quoted saying: "The violence being committed against the innocent people" of Kashmir is "open terrorism". We have always wished to work in close cooperation with all our neighbours and we believe all pending issues can be addressed through dialogue.”

He also said: “No country should try and hide behind the word terrorism and divert attention from demands of freedom. We should not just point fingers at each other and then go our ways, we should sit and talk out issues. Pakistan is always ready for talks, we never closed our doors." 

There is a certain irony about Pakistan speaking about state terror, given the heavy-handed methods they used when putting down those demanding freedom in Balochistan.

As for Kashmir, there’s no denying that the forces of law and order might get out of hand at times, and there’s no human justification for the use of pellet gun.

But the fact that out of the 3,100 injured post Burhan Wani’s killing, 1500 were security personnel suggests that the forces aren’t as malevolent as they are made out to be. In fact, the numbers would be far worse if the forces of law and order acted with the brutality that they are often accused of doing.

But before we get worked, we’d do well to remember that this is a country where lawmakers are demanding a ban on Doraemon so perhaps we shouldn’t take what they say too seriously.

‘Ninda Mama’ Rajnath delivers his strongest condemnation to Pakistan

Rajnath Singh with the Indian delegation in Pakistan (PTI)

It’s strange what goes viral these days. Ahead of Rajnath Singh’s visit, a popular Twitter account called ROFL Gandhi created a hash tag called #NindaMama which became a viral sensation. The hash tag had its origin in Rajnath’s strongly condemning terrorists attacks in Hindi where he used the phrase Kadi Ninda (strong condemnation), so often that it became a joke on Twitter.

However, jokes aside, Rajnath Singh delivered a strong rebuke to Pakistan, asking them to steer clear of Kashmir and Wani. Slamming Pakistan for glorifying terrorism, he pointed out that ‘one country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for another one’. 

While some will point out that the difference between a ‘patriot and a terrorist’ is who’s in power, the modern usage of the term terrorist leaves little chance for that line to be blurred. We can agree that a terrorist is one that attacks innocent civilians, men and women who can’t defend themselves, and there’s no way one can confuse a freedom fighter (Washington, Che, Bhagat Singh, etc. take your pick) with a Kasab who attacked innocents on the streets of Mumbai.

Calling for zero tolerance against terrorism, Rajnath’s Singh speech was a strong statement of intent in Pakistan and despite the speech not being broadcast live, there’s no doubt that the message will resonate across the world. Ninda Mama FTW.

A big media fiasco for Pakistan 

There was a huge PR problem for Pakistan from a media perspective as reports emerged that authorities didn’t allow Indian media persons, including those of PTI or Doordarshan inside the venue. On Thursday, a government source told PTI that reports of the blackout were misleading. The source said: “With reference to the Home Ministers meeting in Islamabad earlier today, media reports of a 'blackout' of our Home Minister's statement are misleading. It is the standard SAARC practice that the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media while the rest of the proceedings are in camera, which allows for a full and frank discussion of issues," a government source said.

On Friday, HM Rajnath Singh said in Rajya Sabha: “Since I was giving speech, I did not see if it was live telecast or not. But this is true that Doordarshan, ANI and PTI reporters were not given permission to enter inside (the venue)", he said as members condemned it by chanting "shame, shame". Reports had said that members of the Indian media, which went from New Delhi to report the conference, were not allowed to enter the venue and kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, leading to a verbal duel between a senior Indian official and a Pakistani official.

Protocol or not, Pakistan goofed up big time by treating the media like this, particularly at a time when the advent of social media means that barely anything can be censored as Rajnath’s speech on terrorism and his blunt criticism found its way to various media outlets across the world when the Indian government released the speech.

There’s really no clear path ahead

The truth is this visit just reminds us how bad the relationship has gotten between India and Pakistan. Perhaps, Nawaz Sharif and other prominent Pakistani politicians have no other option but to speak up against alleged ‘Indian atrocities’ to continue to appeal to their voter base but by championing a known terrorist like Wani, the Black Day coronation for his death and subsequent speeches promising ‘Kashmir will one day be part of Pakistan’ has left both nations at a place where there’s no going back to the thaw that appeared in the relationship between India and Pakistan when Modi visited Sharif. Pakistan’s desire to meddle in Kashmir, to champion clear enemies of the Indian state means that we really have no way forward but to treat the entire state of Pakistan as an entity we should be suspicious about.

In 2006, former PM Manmohan Singh had lamented: "We can choose our friends but not our neighbours. 'Baatcheet karne ke liye kisiko koi aitraz nahin hona chahiye.' (There should be no problem in talking with someone). However, if Pakistan does not take effective steps to 'control' terrorist activities, peace process cannot simply progress". Ten years later, his successor PM Modi finds himself in the same impasse and nothing seems to have changed about the state of Pakistan.