Talks with Pakistan: Will cross the bridge when we reach there, says Modi

LAHORE: Visibly irked and rattled over growing criticism at home that the "surgical strikes" launched by his government in 2016 have failed to check Pakistan's support for terrorism, Indian Premier Narendra Modi has stated that it was "a big mistake to think Pakistan would mend its ways after just one war."He said he knew it was a big risk to launch surgical strikes against Pakistan, but safety of soldiers was his key priority. In a recent interview, broadcast by various Indian Television channels and excerpts of which have been carried by country's numerous leading Indian media houses like the Times of India, the Financial Express and the "NDTV" etc, Modi asserted: "Pakistan will never improve on the basis of one war. That nation will still take some time to improve. All Prime Ministers of India, across all parties have never opposed dialogue with Pakistan." India, whether under UPA [United Progressive Alliance] or NDA [National Democratic Alliance] government, has never opposed dialogue. It is our consistent policy that we are in favour of dialogue. It is the consistent policy of the country, not Modi government or Manmohan Singh government. It is our consistent policy that we are ready to talk on all issues, not this issue or that issue.Because India’s argument is strong. We only say one thing that amid the noise of bombs and guns, the dialogue cannot be heard. Cross-border terrorism must end. And we are persistently maintaining pressure on this,” Modi said. He added that India has created an environment that, what he called, terror-supporting Pakistan stands isolated in the world.On a question whether he will go to Pakistan if invited by his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan for Saarc, he said: “We will cross the bridge when we reach there.”On his government’s foreign policy with regard to China, he said India should be judged on the basis of what it did in Doklam. He asserted that nothing has happened with India since then that can be considered as deceit. “Our principled position has been that we want friendly relations with neighbours,” he added.The “NDTV” has maintained: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent army commandos across the border to conduct surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, it was with the message that they return safely “irrespective of the mission’s success. Before going public with the surgical strikes, India waited an hour to first inform Pakistan about the operation.”The “Times of India” writes: “The date of the strike was changed twice keeping in mind the safety and security of the troops. I gave clear orders that whether you get success or failure, don’t think about that but come back before sunrise. Don’t fall for the lure and prolong it (the operation).”The premier Indian newspaper added: “The Prime Minister revealed that he was keeping tab of the risky operation throughout the night and was getting live information.”I knew it was a big risk. I never care about any political risk to me. The biggest consideration for me was the safety of our soldiers,” he said.”On Ram Temple ordinance Modi made it clear that any decision on bringing an ordinance in that context could be considered only after the judicial process was over.On Congress and the Gandhi family, Modi said: “Those considered the first family, who ran the country for four generations, are out on bail, that too for financial irregularities.It is a big thing. A set of people, who are at their service, are trying to suppress such information and push other narratives. Even Congress people say that the party is a thought, a culture. When I say Congress-mukt, I want to rid the country from this culture and this sort of thinking.”Quoting the head of Indian government, his office in New Delhi has tweeted: “But, can we hear anything in the midst of bombs? Today, terror supporting Pakistan is isolated.”According to the “Financial Express,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweets covered a wide range of issues, including demands for a Ram temple in Ayodhya, Urjit Patel’s resignation as Reserve Bank of India’s Governor, demonetization scheme, mob lynching and BJP’s recent defeat in three Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.On demands from Hindutava organizations, including the RSS, for a government ordinance to allow construction of a Ram temple, the “Financial Express” quoted Modi as saying: “Let the judicial process take its own course. Don’t weigh it in political terms. Let the judicial process be over. After the judicial process is over, whatever be our responsibility as government, we are ready to make all efforts.”Rejecting opposition accusations that the current BJP-led government was not in favour of farmers the Indian Prime Minister said: “There is a small segment of farmers who take loans from banks. A majority of them take loans from money lenders. When governments make such announcements, those farmers do not become beneficiaries of waivers. The farmers who are dying are out of the purview of such schemes.”

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