The whole nation was glued to its television sets and social media for Prime Minister Modi’s much-awaited visit to the United Kingdom, especially his interaction with the Indian Diaspora in the Westminster Hall in London. The programme titled “Bharat Ki Baat- Sab ke Saath ” was an oratory master-class and showcased the leadership qualities of Narendra Modi and various successful schemes of the incumbent government. Narendra Modi previously visited UK on several occasion and received a grandiose welcome each time. Be it the first state visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UK or the latest one, the signs of hope and excitement are overt and apparent.
The Indian subcontinent was subjected to colonization and exploitation by the British up until the middle of the 1900’s. After independence, the erstwhile colonies charted out their own path in a post second world war geopolitical chessboard. Indian and Pakistan both gained independence, and while India adopted the principles of democracy and sovereignty, Pakistan adopted military dictatorship. It is said that in life, you reap, what you sow.
This holds true in the life of an individual as well as that of a state. Pakistan from the very beginning sowed fundamentalism and religious dogma, and established a state which had overt traits of a dictatorial one. They believed that as long as they cozy up to the side with most influence, their state sponsored acts, which violate the fundamental grounds of international relations and the norms on which the new world was created, would be absolved.
Pakistan never actually got around to setting up a state apparatus that is worthy of contemporary state craft. The corrupt politicians and the army taking over the country again and again betrayed the idea of a progressive state and made way for forces of fundamentalism. That is why it is of no wonder that their current Prime Minister Abbasi is being humiliated wherever he goes. To begin with, Abbasi took charge of the prime ministerial position after the former Prime Minister got ousted from the post in connection with money laundering charges. Abbasi was previously in the news for the humiliation he faced in the US, where he was strip searched at an airport security check point.
Now, Abbasi is visiting UK at the same time as Prime Minister Modi. And while he visits, India and UK in a joint statement named several Pakistani outfits as a threat to global stability. The groups named in the joint statement are –
Lashkar-e- Taiba
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen
Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Prime Minister Modi is greeted with full state honours and open arms because he represents a confident and self-assured India which has always maintained its distinct position in the world, and with his leadership the whole world has taken cognizance of this resurgence of confidence. That is why as Modi shakes hands and exchange ideas with the royal family in Buckingham Palace, Abbasi is greeted by a “special representative” of the British foreign ministry. Modi was received by Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary. This alone should suffice to illustrate the contrasting treatment given to both Prime Ministers.
Pakistan and Abbasi represents state sponsored terrorism and the usage of institutionalized terror campaigns by home grown militant groups to aid their state objectives. This joint statement only affirms the well-known truth about the nature of the Pakistani state. It is a credit to Narendra Modi and the Indian Foreign Service that this terrorist harboring mentality of the Pakistani state is being exposed in the international arena.