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NewDelhi : A fresh political storm has erupted over India’s diplomatic approach towards Pakistan, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi questioning the Centre’s decision to invite Pakistan to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Highlighting what she describes as a contradiction in the government’s policy, Chaturvedi has asked how India can maintain a tough stand against terrorism while simultaneously inviting Pakistan to participate in an international summit.
She accused the government of adopting a dual approach, questioning whether its diplomatic decisions align with its stated commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.
The SCO Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 20 to 22, bringing the Pakistan invitation into the political spotlight. Chaturvedi reportedly questioned the rationale behind the invitation, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated assertions that terrorism would not be tolerated.
She also raised concerns over the government’s tough rhetoric on measures such as suspending water supplies to Pakistan, asking how such positions could be reconciled with extending an invitation to the neighbouring country for an international gathering.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also referred to Prime Minister Modi’s surprise visit to Pakistan in December 2015, when he met then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and attended a family wedding. Chaturvedi linked that diplomatic outreach to the subsequent deterioration in security relations, arguing that repeated engagement with Pakistan raises questions about the consistency of India’s approach to terrorism. She further pointed to discussions surrounding cricket and other forms of engagement, questioning how these initiatives fit with the government’s hardline position.
However, international affairs experts have pointed out that Pakistan is a member of the SCO, and inviting member countries to participate in the organisation’s summit is part of the multilateral diplomatic process. The invitation, therefore, also reflects India’s role in hosting a gathering involving the organisation’s member states. The issue has now sparked a wider political debate over the balance between counterterrorism, national security and international diplomacy, with the opposition demanding clarity from the Centre on its approach towards Pakistan.
