In strict conformity to the recognized practice, the Prime Minister made a strong defence of his Government’s policies and achievements when he rose to speak in the Rajya Sabha to thank the President for his enlightened address.
The opposition and the Government both agree that there is need to provide all incentives for the growth of our economy and industrial health which would generate employment opportunities for our youth. One may say that on this point there is convergence between the opposition and the ruling party. There has been economic recession after the country had achieved growth rate of 8.1 per cent when the UPA Government came to power for the first time. If the Prime Minister wants to take the credit for that, he has justification. But he has very honestly conceded that the growth upshot could not be maintained. It would be unfair to bring the onus of economic recession to the doorsteps of the UPA II government. Hindsight will show that the phenomenon of economic recession had overtaken most of the countries of the world including the western countries. It happened because there have been global reasons for that. But it has to be accepted that even despite the global recession, our country has been able to absorb the shocks and hold on to what best could be done in the situation. The Prime Minister has quoted statistics in support of his contention.
Lately our country’s economy has begun to show signs of change. This raises the hope that our economy will take new turn and show satisfactory results of much improvement. The Prime Minister has assured the house that he is convinced the economic policy of the Government will be driven by catering to national interests.
Touching on the foreign policy of his Government, the Prime Minister was emphatic that it was governed by national interests and there was no question of making any compromise. Making a special reference to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister made it clear that his Government would not do anything that goes against the interests of the nation. It will be recalled that there have been many speculations and surmises in different political circles in the country in regard to the settlement of Kashmir issue. Wild speculations are made perhaps owing to some vested interests floating baseless rumours of behind the curtain talks to resolve the issue by making large scale concessions to Pakistan. Prime Minister’s statement in the Rajya Sabha has blasted these rumours and surmises. Not only that, the PM has carried the debate on Kashmir and relations with Pakistan to a higher pitch by saying that unless and until Pakistan controlled the terror machine operating in that country, it would not be possible of normalizing relations with that country. The Prime Minister cannot be faulted if he argues that his government tried whatever it could to improve relations with Pakistan with a view to strengthen confidence building measures. We can cite few examples; visa regime, trade relations, LoC trade, people to people interaction and limited official level talks. These are a reality but Pakistan is not responding as it should. Rather it has been unmindful of the negative effect of some of its acts on bilateral relations. Continued Pakistani firing along the LoC with the objective of infiltrating terrorists into our side of the border, displacement of civilian population along the border and firing on civilian population as well as our border posts not only along LoC but at times on international border are all symptoms that Pakistan is not seriously interested in improving relations with us. This statement has come at a time when Pakistani Prime Minister is scheduled to pay a private visit to the holy shrine today at Ajmer and the Foreign Minister will be receiving and also hosting lunch in his honour.
But the message of the Prime Minster is clear that talks with Pakistan cannot move forward unless Pakistan dismantles terror structure in that country. In recent weeks the terrorist groups in Pakistan including those that are banned by the US and also by Pakistan have been openly indulging in rabid anti-India propaganda and whipping up unjustifiable passion among their activists. They cannot be accepted as non-state actors when their numbers run in millions. Pakistani Government has done nothing to curb their rabid anti-India stance. The Prime Minister has referred to this phenomenon. After the shameful act of intruding into our territory clandestinely and attacking our soldiers and beheading one of them, there has been great resentment among the people who demand that official talks with Pakistan should be closed down unless there is firm commitment from Pakistan that it is pulling down the terror structure on its land. We cannot allow Pakistan hunt with the hound and run with the rabbit.
In reference to our foreign policy, the Prime Minister has reiterated India’s traditional policy of maintaining good relations with her neighbours. But while we are peace loving nation, yet the people do want much more clear and transparent policy vis-à-vis Nepal and Sri Lanka. Just hoping that multiparty democratic dispensation promised in Nepal does not satisfy us. Likewise the soft appeals to the Government of Sri Lanka are not going to make any impact. India needs to make our neighbours understand that her larger interests in global strategy and her role in the regional strategy have to be given space. It means that destabilization of neighbouring countries through ideological or psychological influence could not be conducive to the interests of India. Such assertion ought to have come from the Prime Minister.
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