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Mani Shankar Aiyar calls for renewed India-Pakistan dialogue (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: Former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar criticised the BJP-led Central government for not engaging in talks with Pakistan. He said that it has the "courage" to carry out surgical strikes but not to sit across the table and resolve outstanding issues.
Speaking at the 5th Halla Bolle Conclave, Aiyar suggested that India and Pakistan could hold talks at the Attari-Wagah border. He argued that continuing to debate past issues should not be the basis of foreign policy.
"We seem to have the courage to go into surgical strikes with them. Why don't we have the courage to sit across the table with them? Why can't we talk to them? Why can't we make friends with them?" he asked.
"Is there any other country in the world with whom we are more comfortable than with Pakistan? Is there any country in the world with whom Pakistan is more able to, you know, chat than with us?" he asked.
Referring to earlier attempts at dialogue with Pakistan, Aiyar asked, "Why don't we show the courage to go there, and let them come here?"
He proposed an alternative if both sides were unwilling to cross the border for talks.
"And if you don't have that courage, then my suggestion is that we meet at Wagah-Attari. Place a table right on our border line so that the Pakistani delegation doesn't leave Pakistan to talk to us, and we don't leave India to talk to them. And keep this dialogue going," he said.
Aiyar said sustained dialogue could help both sides determine which issues were capable of resolution and which would have to be set aside for the time being.
"Wherever a resolution emerges, let us take action on that. And whatever hasn't been resolved, just postpone it, saying that for now it seems we cannot agree on this, but we will continue our dialogue. And whenever the atmosphere changes, then we will take up these remaining issues as well," he added.
He, however, maintained that repeatedly arguing over historical disputes did not amount to conducting foreign policy.
"I think the only way we can arrive at any kind of constructive conclusion is by talking to them, however long it takes. And that is what the Americans did with the Russians. They never broke the diplomatic relationship; they never broke the dialogue. Sensible countries talk to each other; stupid countries don't talk to each other," he said.
Asked about India's political situation, Aiyar said, 'It is very easy to fix what is wrong with the Indian political environment."
"And to do that, you only have to follow the advice given by (PDP president) Mehbooba Mufti to Kashmiris, where she said that until all Kashmiris get together with a single voice, Delhi will not be influenced by individual Kashmiri leaders coming to Delhi," he said.
The former Union minister said the same principle could be applied to national politics, arguing that the non-Hindutva political parties would need to come together.
"It can come together because we already have the INDIA bloc. And if the INDIA bloc comes together, we showed in the 2024 election that had we consolidated that bloc, we would have easily got the extra eight seats that are required to bring about a majority. And do you think Nitish would have joined him? Do you think Chandrababu would have joined him? No," he said.
Aiyar said a united Opposition could have led to a different political scenario in Delhi and could have influenced issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
"We would have been in Delhi, and Kashmir would have got back its statehood. Kashmir might even have received back Article 370 and 35A, perhaps in a slightly different shape. But if you want to make progress, those who disagree have to get together. And if we get together, then we can make new initiatives on Pakistan," he added.
He also emphasised the importance of dialogue as part of the Indian political tradition.
"We need to talk to Srinagar, Srinagar needs to talk to Jammu, the street's voice needs to be brought into the discussion between the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan," he said.
