The media has been agog with excitement - and rightly so - over yoga guru, Ramdev's close aide, Pratap Vaidik's meeting with Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 Bombay blasts. The government has distanced itself from the meeting and has gone a step further by seeking a report on it from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Parliament, as expected, has been in a shambles over the issue.
As an Indian citizen, certain basic doubts have crept into my mind and as 'Arnab Goswami of Times Now' says, I need answers. The first few are to the new journalist, Vaidik:-
(a) Don't you consider Hafiz Saeed as your enemy for the nasty things that he has done, he's been
exhorting his fellow terrorists to do against your country? If the answer is affirmative, how
could you think of having tea with him?
(b) Was your trip paid for by you?
(c) What's your locus standi for working out a deal with the terrorist that would presumably be
welcomed in your country? None of us - the citizens of this country - know you and so, take
you as our representative.
The government has to answer these questions convincingly:-
(a) How did this gentleman get his diplomatic clearance without his itinerary being known?
(b) Do we've an agenda of talking to a wanted criminal and convert him to a pious being through
Track 2 diplomacy? And even if we're to consider such an atrocious thing to be possible,
how does he pay for his sins?
(c) Do we have a coherent policy to deal with Pakistan other than plain rhetoric?
Tailpiece.
And having asked my queries to the man himself and the government, why do I've this doubt that the media has given the issue more importance than its due because of the fact that the Prime Minister had not included many of you into his entourage? I mean, is it a reaction out of pique?
As an Indian citizen, certain basic doubts have crept into my mind and as 'Arnab Goswami of Times Now' says, I need answers. The first few are to the new journalist, Vaidik:-
(a) Don't you consider Hafiz Saeed as your enemy for the nasty things that he has done, he's been
exhorting his fellow terrorists to do against your country? If the answer is affirmative, how
could you think of having tea with him?
(b) Was your trip paid for by you?
(c) What's your locus standi for working out a deal with the terrorist that would presumably be
welcomed in your country? None of us - the citizens of this country - know you and so, take
you as our representative.
The government has to answer these questions convincingly:-
(a) How did this gentleman get his diplomatic clearance without his itinerary being known?
(b) Do we've an agenda of talking to a wanted criminal and convert him to a pious being through
Track 2 diplomacy? And even if we're to consider such an atrocious thing to be possible,
how does he pay for his sins?
(c) Do we have a coherent policy to deal with Pakistan other than plain rhetoric?
Tailpiece.
And having asked my queries to the man himself and the government, why do I've this doubt that the media has given the issue more importance than its due because of the fact that the Prime Minister had not included many of you into his entourage? I mean, is it a reaction out of pique?
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