Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have said the Centre’s decision to boycott the Pakistan Day functions was due to the LokSabha polls.
India boycotted a reception at the Pakistan High Commissionto mark that country’s national day as several separatists leaders from Kashmirwere invited to the event, the External Affairs Ministry said Friday. TheMinistry said no Indian representative will attend similar events in Islamabadas well.
“On one hand, PM sends greetings to Pak for its nationalday. On another, many invitees to celebrations held at Pak High Comm wereharassed outside by cops. This dichotomy & inconsistency is a well thoughtout strategy dictated entirely by electoral prospects & domestic politics,”PDP president Mufti tweeted.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said while theBJP-led government at the Centre had no problems in sending a representative toPakistan Day event from 2015 to 2018, this year the decision to boycott wastaken as the elections loom.
“The ModiGovt/BJP had no problem sending a Minister in 2015,’16, ’17 & ’18 yet suddenly in 2019 as an election looms a decision istaken to boycott & then we put officers to dissuade other invitees. Tothink we used to blame Pakistan for having an India centric campaign!” he saidin a series of tweets.
Abdullah said if Prime Minister NarendraModi had not senthis greetings to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan, there would have been noconfusion about Delhi’s relations with Islamabad.
The prime minister has sent a letter to his Pakistanicounterpart, greeting people of the neighbouring country on the eve of itsNational Day and highlighting the importance of a terror-free South Asia,official sources said Friday.
Abdullah latched on to the greetings to attack Modi.
“If only the spooks & other interested players stoppingpeople from attending the Pak National Day event had also stopped PM Modi fromsending his greeting to PM Khan we wouldn’t look so damn confused about ourrelations with Pakistan,” he said.
“But then if he’s only following custom it is also custom tosend a minister & it is NOT custom to plant spooks & pliant journaliststo bully invited guests to not attend. Can’t pick & choose which customs welike & which we don’t,” he added.
Over the years, India’s representation at the annual event has been at the level of a Union minister.