[If the BJP loses in Bihar, crackers will be burst in Pakistan. That was the refrain from Amit Shah, the BJP National President, during the poll campaign in that state. (Ref.: 'If BJP loses Bihar by mistake, crackers will be burst in Pakistan: Amit Shah' at < http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/if-bjp-loses-crackers-will-go-off-in-pakistan-amit-shah/ >.)
Now, it is the Prime Minister of the country, and no less, has alleged, as a part of the poll campaign, a high-level conspiracy involving the Congress and the Pakistan Army to install Ahmed Patel as the Gujarat Chief Minister. "Development" has, of course, just gone down the drain. But, that's a rather minor issue, given the enormity of the charge. That's in the context of a mere state poll, albeit poll in the home state of the Prime Minister. What happens if tomorrow Mani Shankar Aiyar or Manmohan Singh or Ahmed Patel or all three are arrested on charges of high treason? If not tomorrow, in the run-up to the next parliamentary poll? What if, an "Emergency" is declared on this very pretext? Does, or should, this bring the infamous Reichstag burning to mind? <<The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany.>> (Ref.: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire>. Reproduced below are three reports - (i) a report on the charge itself, at sl. no. I below, (ii) a fairly detailed account of the alleged "secret" meeting at Aiyar's house and (iii) the Congress demand to expel the Pak envoy if the charge is based on facts. Critical excerpts, from the three reports: I/III. <<Addressing a rally at Palanpur city in Banaskantha district, Modi accused Pakistan of helping the Congress and interfering in the Gujarat Assembly elections. “Now, news is that the Pakistan high commissioner, the foreign minister and Manmohan Singh met at his house just before the Gujarat polls,” said the prime minister, according to Firstpost. “This is a serious issue. I want to ask what was the reason for this secret meeting with Pakistanis. Former Pakistan Army Director General Arshad Rafique was willing to help make [Congress leader] Ahmed Patel the chief minister.”>> II/III. <<The dinner meeting was held on December 6 at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s residence in Delhi during the visit of Pakistan’s former foreign affairs minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri to India. The following day, Kasuri was present at a talk hosted by Ananta Centre, a Delhi-based think-tank, titled, ‘The Current State of India-Pakistan Relations’. According to sources, those who attended Aiyar’s dinner and the discussions that preceded it included former Army chief Deepak Kapoor, former foreign minister K Natwar Singh, and former diplomats Salman Haidar, TCA Raghavan, Sharat Sabharwal, K Shankar Bajpai and Chinmaya Gharekhan, among others. Bajpai, Raghavan and Sabharwal had served as Indian High Commissioners to Pakistan. Former PM Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari were also present at the dinner. ... The Indian Express contacted five of those who were at the dinner, including Aiyar, of whom four said it was a get-together of “those who have known Kasuri or served in Pakistan as diplomats” and that “it had nothing to do with domestic politics.” Only Kapoor spoke on record, with the others saying that they did not want to be dragged into a political slugfest during the election. Aiyar refused to comment.>> III. <<After the PM made his claims about Pakistan, AICC spokesman Manish Tewari said, "Modi is back to the same old bogey - Pakistan - to deflect. It was Mian Musharraf in 2002 despite Musharraf having been invited by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Agra in 2001; he lied about Sir Creek in 2012 and is now claiming that Pakistan is interfering in Gujarat polls. Why don't you expel the Pakistani high commissioner if the charge is true?">>] I/III. https://scroll.in/latest/860986/gujarat-election-mani-shankar-aiyar-held-secret-meetings-with-pakistan-says-modi-in-palanpur Gujarat elections: Mani Shankar Aiyar held secret meetings with Pakistan, claims Modi in Palanpur The prime minister accused Pakistan of helping the Congress and interfering in the Assembly polls. by Scroll Staff Published Yesterday · 01:43 pm Updated Yesterday · 02:28 pm. Gujarat elections: Mani Shankar Aiyar held secret meetings with Pakistan, claims Modi in Palanpur Reuters Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was recently suspended from the Congress party for his “neech” remarks, held secret meetings with the Pakistan High Commissioner. ***Addressing a rally at Palanpur city in Banaskantha district, Modi accused Pakistan of helping the Congress and interfering in the Gujarat Assembly elections.*** [Emphasis added.] ***“Now, news is that the Pakistan high commissioner, the foreign minister and Manmohan Singh met at his house just before the Gujarat polls,” said the prime minister, according to Firstpost. “This is a serious issue. I want to ask what was the reason for this secret meeting with Pakistanis. Former Pakistan Army Director General Arshad Rafique was willing to help make [Congress leader] Ahmed Patel the chief minister.”*** [Emphasis added.] Mani Shankar Aiyar, who insulted Gujarat, held secret meetings with Pakistan High Commissioner. What was the reason? Why are people who previously held high posts in military-intelligence establishment of Pakistan writing that we should help make Ahmed Patel the CM: PM pic.twitter.com/2KPmZF8BLa — BJP (@BJP4India) December 10, 2017 The entire nation is seeing the wonders of Banaskantha in agriculture, particularly in potato cultivation: PM Narendra Modi in in Banaskantha's Palanpur #GujaratElection pic.twitter.com/NrJsO2iPm6 — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2017 Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election rally in Palanpur pic.twitter.com/K39CEiGeP7 — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2017 This is the second time in two days that Modi has made such allegations. On Friday, he had alleged that after he became prime minister in 2014, Aiyar had travelled to Pakistan to get him “removed” to improve relations between the two countries. Modi said the Congress had then tried to muffle the episode, and did not take any action against Aiyar. “Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar told people when he visited Pakistan that remove Modi from the way and then see what will happen to India-Pakistan peace,” the prime minister had said at a rally in Banaskantha. “What did he mean by removing me from the way? And is having the blessings of the people my crime?” Talking about the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Modi on Sunday said it would make Banaskantha a transport hub. “This will provide opportunities to the youth of this region,” said the prime minister. Modi’s Palanpur rally comes a day after the first phase of voting was held in Gujarat. A voter turnout of 68% was recorded as 89 constituencies went to polls. The remaining 93 constituencies will vote on December 14. On Sunday, Modi will be addressing rallies in Sanand, Kalol and Vadodara while Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will tour Kheda, Aravali, Banaskantha and Gandhinagar. II/III. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/at-mani-shankar-aiyars-dinner-former-army-chief-ex-diplomats-4977213/ At Mani Shankar Aiyar’s dinner: Former army chief, ex-diplomats The dinner meeting was held on December 6 at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s residence in Delhi during the visit of Pakistan’s former foreign affairs minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri to India. Written by Liz Mathew | New Delhi | Updated: December 11, 2017 7:32 am Mani Shankar Aiyar, Aiyar's house, Aiyar's dinner, dinner at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house, India news, Indian Express news Mani Shankar Aiyar (Express Photo: Amit Mehra/File) The meeting referred to by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his poll speech on Sunday to allege Pakistan’s ‘hand’ in the Gujarat election was attended by, among others, a former Indian Army chief, a former foreign secretary and diplomats who had served in the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, sources said. ***The dinner meeting was held on December 6 at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s residence in Delhi during the visit of Pakistan’s former foreign affairs minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri to India. The following day, Kasuri was present at a talk hosted by Ananta Centre, a Delhi-based think-tank, titled, ‘The Current State of India-Pakistan Relations’. According to sources, those who attended Aiyar’s dinner and the discussions that preceded it included former Army chief Deepak Kapoor, former foreign minister K Natwar Singh, and former diplomats Salman Haidar, TCA Raghavan, Sharat Sabharwal, K Shankar Bajpai and Chinmaya Gharekhan, among others. Bajpai, Raghavan and Sabharwal had served as Indian High Commissioners to Pakistan. Former PM Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari were also present at the dinner.*** [Emphasis added.] Read | Gujarat elections: Why Pakistan’s ex-director general wants Ahmed Patel as CM, asks PM Modi [Video: CM Yogi Attacks Mani Shankar Aiyar Over 'Neech' Remark, Warns Congress Of Gujarat Polls] General Kapoor confirmed he was part of the meeting at Aiyar’s residence. “Yes, I was part of the meeting and we discussed nothing more than India-Pakistan relations,” Kapoor told The Indian Express. Kapoor was the 23rd Chief of Army Staff and retired in March 2010. ***The Indian Express contacted five of those who were at the dinner, including Aiyar, of whom four said it was a get-together of “those who have known Kasuri or served in Pakistan as diplomats” and that “it had nothing to do with domestic politics.” Only Kapoor spoke on record, with the others saying that they did not want to be dragged into a political slugfest during the election. Aiyar refused to comment.*** [Emphasis added.] While addressing an election rally at Palanpur in Gujarat on Sunday, Modi alleged that Pakistan was interfering in the Gujarat Assembly polls. To drive home his point, the Prime Minister said top leaders of the Congress had met leaders from Pakistan at Aiyar’s residence. “There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house. It was attended by Pakistan’s high commissioner, Pakistan’s former foreign minister, India’s former vice-president and former prime minister Manmohan Singh,” Modi said, adding that the meeting went on for three hours. “The next day, Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi was ‘neech’. This is a serious matter… And, after that meeting, people of Gujarat, backward communities, poor people and Modi were insulted. Don’t you think such events raise doubts,” Modi asked. On Saturday, December 9, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy tweeted: “Did Pak Ambassador meet MS Aiyar and three other Congi leaders at MSA residence five days ago on Gujarat strategy? Palace coup in offing?” However, those who were at the dinner insisted that it was a completely private event, during which issues related to India-Pakistan ties were discussed. One of them said, “It was a dinner for those who dealt with Pakistan. I can certainly say it was not linked to domestic politics one way or other.” “There were around 20 people and we talked about terrorism, Hafiz Saeed and Kashmir etc,” said one of the participants. Sources said Manmohan Singh was invited for the discussions that preceded the dinner, but he agreed to simply attend the dinner. Aiyar, who has been an actively involved in track-II processes between India and Pakistan, had sent out the dinner invitation almost a month ago. Aiyar had served as consul general in Karachi and has been an advocate of talks between the two countries. Kasuri, who was foreign minister during Pervez Musharraf’s term, was key to the Musharraf-era initiatives on Kashmir, when Manmohan Singh was prime minister of India. The following day, at the event hosted by the Anant Centre, Aiyar said the challenging involved in nation-building was related to integrating the Muslim community into the rest of the country. “Can we integrate them (Muslim)? Can we do it if there is a hostile relationship with Pakistan? We are damaging our own nationhood by enabling Pakistan to continue being considered as an enemy territory for no reason other than that it is inhabited and created by Muslims,” Aiyar said. He also said Muslims in India should not be equated with Pakistan. Kasuri was part of this gathering. III. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cong-expel-envoy-if-pak-meddling-in-gujarat-polls/articleshow/62014615.cms Cong: Expel envoy if Pak meddling in Gujarat polls TNN | Updated: Dec 11, 2017, 02:26 IST NEW DELHI: Congress asked PM Narendra Modi to expel the Pakistani high commissioner after he alleged that the neighbour was interfering in the Gujarat elections, even as it accused the BJP leader of being in the habit of raising the Pakistan bogey to divert the attention of voters from real issues. ***After the PM made his claims about Pakistan, AICC spokesman Manish Tewari said, "Modi is back to the same old bogey - Pakistan - to deflect. It was Mian Musharraf in 2002 despite Musharraf having been invited by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Agra in 2001; he lied about Sir Creek in 2012 and is now claiming that Pakistan is interfering in Gujarat polls. Why don't you expel the Pakistani high commissioner if the charge is true?"*** [Emphasis added.] Tewari said it was Modi who had repeatedly engaged Pakistan despite terrorism while the UPA steered clear of the recalcitrant neighbour all through its tenure. He added BJP governments over the years had followed a poor Pakistan policy while being opportunistic in using the neighbour to polarise the electorate. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
