Congress remarks on PM Modi's Lahore visit unfortunate, BJP hits back

BJP on Friday hit back at Congress over its suggestions that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Pakistan was "pre-arranged" at an industrialist's initiative, and said it was "unfortunate" that the country has an opposition like it which sees negative in all "positive efforts".Welcoming Modi's visit which has taken the country by "pleasant surprise", BJP said the Prime Minister has taken a bold step and only a strong leader like Modi can do so."Such an allegation by Congress is absolutely incorrect and in bad taste. This is unfortunate that the country has an opposition like this today. People have hopes from Modi and he has in a short span of time brought about a paradigm shift in India's relationship with the outside world," party secretary Shrikant Sharma said.Modi decided to go to Lahore after his Pakistani counterpart extended an invitation to him which he accepted, Sharma said. Calling it an "out of box" initiative, Sharma said Modi had been taking such steps and cited his decision to invite the head of governments of the SAARC countries and his meeting with Sharif in Paris recently.He recalled that BJP stalwart and the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also taken a similar exercise with his Lahore bus journey. Modi has been of the view that there should be easy and informal relations among SAARC countries like what exist between the EU and ASEAN nations, he said, adding that this is besides the conventional diplomacy.Sharma also cited Modi's initiative in building an alliance of Solar energy-rich countries at Paris climate change conference to buttress his point. Congress leader Anand Sharma criticising Modi's visit said, the meeting between Modi and Sharif was "pre-arranged" by a businessman.