Hurriyat U-turn: Hawkish BJP turns a dove on Pakistan

In a sharp and shocking U-turn, the Centre has acknowledged the Jammu and Kashmir Hurriyat leaders' talks with Pakistan. The new stand is a path-breaker in India-Pakistan relations. Besides, it is as shocking as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unscheduled visit to Lahore to attend the wedding ceremony of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif's granddaughter and wish him on his birthday on December 25 last year.

The latest stand

On April 28, minister of state for external affairs VK Singh said in Rajya Sabha, "(The) government is aware of reports regarding presence of ‘leaders’ of the Hurriyat and other Kashmiri separatist ‘leaders’ at the Pakistan High Commission on Pakistan’s national day. Since the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the Union of India and these so called Kashmiri ‘leaders’ are Indian citizens, there is no bar on their meetings with representatives of any country in India."

The minister was replying in writing to Rajya Sabha MP Paul Manoj Pandian's questions. While recognising the talks between the separatists and Pakistani authorities, he, however, rejected any third-party interference in the India-Pakistan dialogue.

Continuity with change

"However, India has consistently maintained that there is no role for a third party in the bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan as per the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. India’s displeasure at Pakistan’s attempts to interfere in India’s internal affairs has been repeatedly conveyed to Pakistan," Singh said.

BJP's hawkish position as an opposition party

When in Opposition, the BJP would accuse then prime minister Manmohan Singh of being weak when dealing with Pakistan. As Gujarat chief minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi had promised tough response to Pakistan for the terror activities on Indian soil. “Today, the prime minister meets Nawaz Sharif but the country doubts whether the prime minister has the courage to discuss the issue of terrorism unleashed on us by Pakistan,” Modi had said in the national capital before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

In her famous threat to Pakistan, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who was the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha then, had talked about getting 10 heads from the neighbouring country if it did not return the head of martyred soldier Hemraj.  "If his (Hemraj's) head could not be brought back (from Pakistan), we should get at least 10 heads from their side," Swaraj had said, asking the then Congress-led UPA government to take tough action against that country.

"The question is: will we sit without any reaction and engage in a dialogue? This should not happen. At least the government should react in some way. That is why we have said that government should take some tough measures," she had said.

Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh and Hemraj were killed on January 8, 2013 by the Pakistan Army regulars after infiltrating into Indian territory in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

NDA stance since May 2014

India's stance on Hurriyat leaders and separatists holds a larger significance. Had this decision of allowing talks between Hurriyat and Pakistan been allowed two years back, it would have saved two India-Pakistan from getting cancelled. India cancelled its official talks with Pakistan in August 2014 over the question of the Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah meeting Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit in the national capital.

At that point in time, the external affairs ministry had said, “This is a red line we have drawn... We have told Pakistan, you either talk to us, or to them [Kashmiri separatists].”

The India-Pakistan talks suffered casualty for the second time a year later in August 2015. On this occasion, it was Pakistan's turn to cancel its talks with India. The national security adviser (NSA)-level talks between the two countries suffered a miscarriage as Pakistan rejected the Indian government's insistence that its NSA Sartaj Aziz would not be allowed to meet with Hurriyat Conference leaders during his visit to New Delhi.

The change

That hawkish approach of the opposition days has given way to dovish approach when in power. India seems to have realised the futility of taking strong exception to Pakistan-Hurriyat talks after cancellation of two official talks between New Delhi and Islamabad. It is certainly a climbdown for India from its earlier stated position.

In retrospect, the earlier two instances of India not according recognition to talks between the Hurriyat Conference leaders and Pakistani officials can only be described as knee-jerk reactions. The latest stance seems to be a result of the wisdom India has gained from its past experiences. India under Modi  is apparently still in the process of calibrating its stand vis-a-vis Pakistan on the basis of its experience - bitter or sweet.