Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has spoken out against Pakistan as unfortunate and discouraged as they are provocative and inflammable. In what can clearly be described as an error in judgment, the defense minister said that the partition of India on religious grounds was a mistake and that Pakistan wanted to break up India. He also accused Pakistan of fomenting terrorism and proxy war against India. In response to the unwarranted comments, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry issued a lengthy statement condemning the Indian Defense Minister’s remarks and linked them to the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states by “inciting hyper nationalism”.

Politicians belonging to the BJP have always used Pakistan-bashing to peddle their political agenda and the feeling they have generated over the years is such that their inflammatory propaganda ends up paying them electoral dividends. It’s a sad reflection on the state of Indian society and politics when obsessed with Pakistan indulging in fanciful – and often downright silly – allegations elicits loud reactions and becomes a rallying point for political elements. disparate. It would be difficult to find a parallel in Pakistan – and fortunately. In fact, almost all major political parties in Pakistan continue to propagate better relations with India and wish for peace through dispute resolution. This explains why denigration of India is not an electoral phenomenon in Pakistan, perhaps because it does not sell among voters. The stark contrast to Indian politicians and their constituents is therefore a reminder to all around the world who want to listen that if there is a major obstacle to peace in South Asia, it is clearly not Pakistan. As further analysis of the toxicity plaguing the Indian political scene is essential at a time when Indian society swings to the right and twists in the fever of intolerance, hatred and anti-Muslim bigotry, it is important to state with repeated insistence that statements like that of the Indian Minister of Defense can have serious consequences for the peace between the two countries. The BJP leadership should think twice before loosing the tongue with such childish irresponsibility. At the same time, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry does not need to respond to such statements and therefore pays them more attention than they deserve. It is better to ignore such rhetoric and deal with the business of state.

Posted in Dawn, le 15 December 2021