Page 48 - 15OCT2018E

BILATERAL RELATIONS
OPINION
SPOTLIGHT
VIPIN PUBBY
Former resident editor
of The Indian Express,
Vipin Pubby is a senior C ting into controversies. To
journalist based in
Chandigarh. He can
be contacted at
vipinpubby@gmail.
com. The views
expressed are personal
Navjot Sidhu can’t
be faulted for his
sitting next to the
‘president’ of the
Pakistan Occupied
Kashmir, Masood
Khan, whom
probably he
didn’t know by
name or face
48-49 Opinion Vipin Pubby.indd 2 9/28/2018
Pak army chief’s hug dims spent several years of his life and where tions to his hugging the ‘enemy’ rather any advantage. We have already seen
he took his last breath, is a demand very than welcoming the proposal. It was
how the Akalis, and their coalition
Kartarpur corridor hopes? close to their hearts. Thousands go the indeed ironic that the party did not partner the BJP, has reacted on the
welcome the move despite the fact that issue. Instead of setting aside political
to international border from where
one can see the Gurdwara on a clear it emotionally concerned its prime con- differences over this particular, the
By hugging him, Sidhu hadn’t absolved Gen Bajwa or the Pakistan day. Many say silent prayers for a visit stituency - that of the Sikhs. The Akalis coalition partners are not willing to let
Sidhu take the credit. Similarly there
to the Gurdwara even as they try to take even claimed that Sidhu was “pulled
Army for the atrocities against Indian soldiers. In fact, he would have a closer look with the help of binocu- up” by external affairs minister Sushma are political and other forces in Paki-
lars. With the hasty division of land
Swaraj although Sidhu claimed that no
stan who would raise objections to
caused a diplomatic gaffe if he had turned his back to the army officer
between India and Pakistan along the such thing had happened. the proposal.
Ravi river, the Gurdwara was placed
The moot question is whether this
In fact the proposal has already
ricketer-turned-politician him given the sensibilities on the issue in Pakistan being on the right bank proposal is feasible and whether it suffered a serious setback due to the
Navjot Singh Sidhu, also in India. He could have been seated with of Ravi. Pakistan has been allowing a would be allowed to fructify. As far deteriorating relationship between
known for his quick repar- Imran’s other cricketing friends or with small number of devotees each year as practical aspect is concerned, it is the two countries. Initially India had
tee and a judge at comedy foreign dignitaries. So Sidhu can’t be to visit the Gurdwara but the numbers possible to create a safe corridor is both agreed to a meeting between the
shows, has a knack of get- faulted for his sitting next to a person allowed are minuscule. India and Pakistan are sincere about it. foreign ministers of the two countries
whom probably he didn’t know. The corridor would involve well- However that is a big ‘if’. on the sidelines of a UN meet. Then
his credit, he has been hitting headlines It is the other aspect of the contro- guarded way from the international There are already allegations that India suddenly announced that it was
in all his various avatars either by design versy, his hugging the Pakistan Army border between the two countries it was only a carrot that the Pakistan withdrawing from the meeting in view
or otherwise. chief Gen Qamar Bajwa following his through which pilgrims could visit the army chief had dangled and that Paki- of the attacks by Pakistan forces across
His latest action which kicked up a disclosure of opening a corridor to Gur- Gurdwara and return by the evening stan would rather keep the pot boiling. the border and mutilation of bodies of
controversy recently and led to far reach- dwara Kartarpur Sahib locates close to without passports and without having It would throw the onus on India and some of the soldiers killed by Pakistan
ing consequences was perhaps some- the international border, that hit a major to obtain visa. would actually attempt to create divi- backed terrorists.
thing even beyond his own imagination. controversy. Sidhu himself declared later Normally such a proposal would sive feelings among the society. It must Pakistan prime minister reacted
Although almost everyone known to that the hug was a spontaneous reaction have been heartily welcomed by be noted that while Prime Minister strongly to the cancellation of the
him was expecting him to make waves to the proposal and as a Sikh he could not Shromani Akali Dal which claims Imran Khan has made no reference to meeting and tweeted that he was
during his visit to Pakistan to attend the hold back his emotions. to represent the Sikhs. In this case, the issue in his subsequent statements, “disappointed at the arrogant and
swearing-in ceremony of his cricketing While much was made about the hug because their political rival Navjot his Interior minister has said that it was negative response from India to my
days’ friend Imran Khan as prime minis- by a section of Indian media and political Singh was involved, they raised objec- now for India to respond to the offer. call for resumption of dialogue”. That
ter of Pakistan, the ripple effect of his visit parties like the Shiromani Akali Dal, it There are forces within Pakistan was understandable but he added,
would be felt in the subcontinent for a didn’t deserve that kind of hostile re- • Embracing row The hug with Pakistan and India which would not like such a “However, all my life I have come across
long time to come. sponse. Sidhu had obviously neither ab- army chief was spontaneous, says Sidhu gesture to materialise without deriving small men occupying big offices who
There were two aspects of his short solved Gen Bajwa or the Pakistan Army do not have the vision to see the
visit to Pakistan which attracted media for the atrocities against Indian soldiers larger picture”.
and government attention. He had taken nor had he committed a sin. In fact he It was a very harsh comment
all permissions, including from the would have caused a diplomatic gaffe if and was certainly in bad taste.
government of India and his immediate he had turned his back when Gen Bajwa The comment has ensured that
boss, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Ama- was hugging him. He would have been the diplomatic doors have been
rinder Singh, to visit the neighbouring accused of insulting the chief of army of firmly closed by him at least till the
country. As an elected legislator he was the country which was hosting him. No next general elections. This would
bound to do so. The other two invitees, doubt he later pointed to similar hugs by entail that the issue of corridor for
Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, decided prime minster Narendra Modi when he Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib has
also gone to the back burner.
landed unscheduled in Pakistan last year
not to be present at their friend’s most
important day. or that of former prime minister Atal That’s unfortunate and one
The first aspect was that he was
made to sit next to the ‘president’ of the Behari Vajpayee with the then Pakistan does hope that the tempers would
cool down before the 550th birth
prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Masood While these were minor issues, the anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev
Khan. Here he deserves the benefit of question is whether Pakistan was sincere next year and the two countries
agree to open a corridor to the
doubt because like most Indian leaders
about accepting a long standing demand
he wouldn’t have been familiar with his of the Sikhs for a corridor to the Kar- revered Gurdwara Kartarpur
name or face. Secondly, as a guest he tarpur Gurdwara located about three Sahib. It would be only then that
kilometres inside Pakistan territory.
had to sit where was was escorted and
Navjot Sidhu’s claim would see
couldn’t have chosen a seat. The Paki- is in general the opening of a corridor to light of the day.
For the Sikhs in particular and Punjab-
stanis should have been, however, more
circumspect in reserving that seat for the holy shrine, where Guru Nanak Dev LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
TEHELKA / 15 OCTOBER 2018 48 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 15 OCTOBER 2018 49 WWW.TEHELKA.COM
5:37:13 PM 48-49 Opinion Vipin Pubby.indd 3 9/28/2018 5:37:20 PM