Shhhh! The Game is On!

When the emotions run high, truce is so fragile and pains are so intense, you must possess no heart at all to jeopardize the whole thing, however diminutive that progress might be.

What does External Affairs Minister, Mr. Natwar Singh exactly want to achieve by issuing provocative statements that India will pursue talks with Pakistan on the basis of the Simla Agreement. Was Bajpayee Government not following the spirit of Simla Agreement? Had they admitted anywhere that they would tolerate third party intervention in Kashmir (backbone of Simla Agreement)?

Had Congressmen not done enough prostrating before Soniaji when the whole nation was witnessing the drama live? Did Mr. Natwar Singh not know that India had/s given enough respect and power to Nehru Gandhi Family and now the least the Congressmen can do is not to make the foreign policy of India the hostage of Nehruvian era. Nobody can turn the clock back. Is this simple fact not obvious to Mr. Minister? Need his every act demonstrates his loyalty to Nehru Gandhi family?

We have got the reply from Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf. He said that “if the minister in his references meant that we will go by the Simla Agreement, then I don’t agree with him,” Mr Singh again reiterated that India will pursue talks with Pakistan on the basis of the Simla Agreement. At least we should grant quality of consistency to Mr. Singh.

The euphoria evident in Pakistan till recently about the peace initiative does not mean anything to our minister. Whatever miniscule progress is made between the two nations can be thrown away by such repeated irresponsible statements. When care had been taken to coach Indian Cricket Team by diplomats about what they could say publicly, so that ongoing peace process must not be endangered. All this prompted Vice Caption Rahul Dravid to say “We are not diplomats, we are players.” The minister can not let go of the temptation to lay bare his loyalty to Soniaji. I think the real political players are in action now.