Advantage over Pakistan lost due to PM Narendra Modi's 'flip-flop': Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today alleged that "flip-flop" policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped Pakistan reposition itself to "pivot" position from being a "pariah" in the global system and destroyed India's strategic and diplomatic "advantages" over the neighbour.

At the same time, the party said it was ready to offer support to the ruling dispensation as a responsible opposition to effect a course correction in the Pakistan policy.

"In the last two years, Pakistan has been able to reposition itself from being a pariah in the global system to now again being seen as a pivot for regional stability. The 4- nation talks on Afghanistan, the sale of F-16s are signs of how we have allowed the Pakistanis to reemerge within the global order," party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

Keeping up the attack over Pakistan's unilateral suspension of the peace process, he insisted that government's "flip-flop" policy has allowed Islamabad to set the agenda in the dialogue process.

"In his quest for an image make over as that of a world statesman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dismantled the entire matrix of our strategic and diplomatic advantages over Pakistan," he claimed.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, he said, "Narendra Modi has been run out by Pakistan in his dangerous quest for a non-existent run."

"As a responsible opposition party and as Indians, we believe this moment allows us an opportunity to recalibrate, pause and reflect and course correct, and we would like to engage and offer support to the ruling dispensation if they deem it necessary," he said.

He said that what is all the more tragic is the fact that efforts of previous Congress governments in isolating Pakistan internationally as an "epicenter of terror" have been undone because of "unthought of and poorly deliberated" moves by Modi in engagement with Pakistan.

At the outset, he said Pakistan's unilateral suspension of talks with India yesterday is a "clear betrayal" of peace process and its commitment to resolve all bilateral issues through peaceful negotiation.

"Constructive engagement has always been the foundation of our relationship with our neighbours, including Pakistan. Sadly, this foundation is now shaky."

He claimed that Modi government's Pakistan policy has confused its most ardent admirers and baffled security experts and diplomats alike.

He lamented that the Prime Minister, ignoring all pleas, invited Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team to Pathankot to investigate the terror attack that originated from the Pakistani soil.