In this photograph taken on April 9, 2014, Chief Minister of the western Indian state of Gujarat and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi (C) is showered with flower petals during his roadshow in Vadodara, some 110 kms from Ahmedabad, prior to filing his nomination papers for the forthcoming elections. PHOTO: AFP
What kind of relationship would India have with Pakistan if Narendra Modi assumes office come May? Would he be a threat to its western neighbour? Will his presence at the helm revive fresh fears in the region?
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not assuage any fears as it released its manifesto few days ago. The 52-page document included a possible revision of India’s No First Strike policy, an old doctrine that states that India would not be the first one to use atomic weapons in any armed conflict.
Modi is a controversial Hindu right-wing hardliner who cares little for minorities, particularly Muslims.
As victims suffered and perished the Gujarat Chief Minister’s political graph soared with each election. After effectively neutering Gujarati Muslims as a voting bloc, whatever and wherever he is today is due to what happened twelve years ago.
Modi was also a flag-bearer in the early 1990s when a Hindu mob in Ayodhya, led by BJP stalwarts like LK Advani, demolished a 16th century mosque commissioned by the Mughal emperor Babar.
Liberal and pluralistic India nurtures a deep-seated concern about such a politician. Pakistan also cannot remain immune.
The very fact that the Modi-inspired manifesto talks of a revision of India’s nuclear doctrine implies a natural escalation of tension with Pakistan. It also implies an escalation of divisive rhetoric and war-mongering under the guise of economic integrity and engagement. It was the Hindu right-wing government under Atal Behari Vajpayee that decided to test its nuclear weapons in 1998, an ominous beginning to South Asia’s nuclear age.
Despite some major obstacles, both sides have made efforts to normalize the long-suffering relationship over the past decade. The focus has shifted from military buildup to trade. Pakistan seeks to expand its economic engagement with India, which New Delhi also realizes is important. India also understands that it cannot prosper without taking its neighbour along.
Modi’s presence threatens to upset this path; it dampens the developing spirit of camaraderie between the two nations.
The leader’s recent attacks on Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the upstart Aam Aadmi party, as a Pakistani agent is indicative of his hostility not just for Pakistan, but for those in India who are even slightly perceived to be pro-Pakistan.
This rhetoric is reflective of a medieval mindset; it is aimed at shaming Pakistan and those who wish to engage with it.
The BJP manifesto also talks about revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status as an autonomous state. Any attempt to tamper with Kashmir will have an immediate counter-reaction in Pakistan, which views the territory as its own. If this happens Delhi’s relationship with Islamabad will naturally atrophy.
Such attempts will have a destabilizing effect on Pakistan. Any attempt to question the status quo in Kashmir and reverse the nuclear doctrine will have a strong reaction. It will give a new life and energy to the forces which have thrived on animosity between the two South Asian neighbours.
The combination of reactionary policies in the Hindu right-wing’s manifesto with the anti-Muslim image of Modi is putting South Asia on a very dangerous path.
He is a challenge to the conscience of South Asia.
Sanjay Kumar is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is currently covering elections in Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2014.
COMMENTS (87)
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@hmm: not at all we are more than certain Modi will benefit our people for sure.
It is good that the author is covering elections In afganistan. He should then move to Syria, etc for he has absolutely no clue about the Indian political scene.
@Blunt: seems u forgetten bangdaldesh?
@Dr. Abid Shah Mashwani: Not every country is Pakistan who tends to please their western masters at the cost of it's own citizens. If Indians and India decide whats best for them, it is their business and not of anyone else. Our strategic calculations is not based on making any other country happy, neither it is based to create hostility. You people made clear choice that despite all evidence you would not act against likes of Hafiz Saeed. This is our move to make sure people like Hafiz Saeed will never ever dare to repeat Mumbai massacre.
@Conservative:
"I am really concerned about Indian muslims.."
Good. Assuming your concern for Indian Muslims is honest and sincere, ask Pakistan to open its door for any and all Indian Muslims who feel oppressed. Wasn't Pakistan created for all Indian Muslims?
Firstly, kudos to ET for publishing comments from both sides!.
As to Modi, I think his "threat" is being overestimated by Pakistan. In this day and age, there is no real possibility of a nuclear war. If anything, Modi's leadership will be more decisive and will in fact help unite the various fractions in Pakistan to do something for their own country. I hope common sense prevails and instead of getting into a weapons buying spree, Pakistani politicians focus on economic development.
For India, Modi is a good sign. There will be a noticeable improvement in people's lives. There will be improvement in infrastructure (something India desperately needs to be able to compete globally), healthcare and education. Also, we won't see big-scale corruption. Coming to Modi's secular credentials, he has been the biggest VICTIM of Gujrat riots. For the last 12 years, Congress with all its ill gotten money has left no stone upturned to implicate Modi but all courts have exonerated him, including the highest court of India. The simple fact is: Modi was not responsible at all for Godhra and in the 12 years since there has been 0 riots in Gujrat - a state where there used to be 100s of riots every year before Modi came to power.
He will put an end to caste-based politics in India, which is only a good thing for Muslims as they have only been treated as vote banks by "secular" parties.
@Conservative: By the way if the kind of hype you have against modi is true, you are going to see millions of Indian muslims in your border post elections. Hopefully your country is gearing up for that.
ET selectively publish one aspect of story? why so?
Here's a very good rebuttal for this article and the reason most of India will vote for Modi !
https://medium.com/news-and-politics/fc6aadb1e5fb
ET: Please post
I have Muslim friends since I was in Kindergarten and they would eat at my place and I at theirs. During the 1993 Mumbai riots, our Muslim family friends stayed in our house. I have Pakistani friends. I love Urdu poetry and taught myself to read Urdu. I am learning Persian and will eventually learn Arabic as well. I wish for peace & prosperity for India and Pakistan. Therefore, if I could, I would vote for Narendra Modi.
Why are there so many articles on India on ET...Pak should worry about their own problems and not interfere in India's internal affairs....
@Gurion: says who
@Shssshhhhhhh: Says a citizen of a country which lost half of it's terrirtory and people in 1971.
There is a particularly unpleasant clip on a BJP-channel called india.tv news which has Modi ranting about Pakistan - effectively saying how he would have started a war after the Mumbai terror attacks of 26/11. His talk became more and more extreme to get more and more applause from an obviously ultra-nationalist right-wing audience. Extremely dangerous stuff. This is the rhetoric of a demagogue, not a leader.
This is what democracy throws. One of the many down sides of democracy is that mediocrity or extremists can gain power by the shear mass of numbers. Every idiot has the same say as every Einstein. But, this is evolution of society at a price.
Hatred sown while asking for separate Pakistan is still hurting India. The deep divide and mistrust between two communities have been exploited by opportunist politicians since then. The politicians belong to two both communities. Muslims are exploited by their own brethren who are well off and who have political & financial power along with pseudo secularist Hindus in the name of fear from RSS, BJP, Hindutva and now Moditiva. They've been deprived off from modern education, employment and equality in opportunity. While world is marching towards modernity, poor muslims are still made to live in ghettowed and look & think like medieval poeple.
@Sara Khan: Truer words never spoken.
Narendra Modi will be bad for Pakistan – and India
Good enough for me.
Based on the title, he will be bad for Pakistan first. So when he is through with Pakistan, that may be my cue to vote him out if he is that bad.
too much fiction being spilled by people from the other side of the border.
@Libra What do Pakistanis do to their minorities?
@Sara Khan: Thank you for your sensible comments.
@Libra: Is that why you lost 4 wars against India? Is it also the reason why half of your country was partitioned in 1971 with India's help? Keep dreaming in the land of pure, while we move ahead with Modi as our PM!
. @mubeen: In the current election Pakistan is irrelevant. It is the governance, development, employment, , inflation and corruption which are important and are the main issues.
And the neighbor too.
@Sara Khan:
Your intention must be good but I think your standpoint is debatable..Why shouldn't Pakistani readers comment in their own newspapers? BTW: You seem to have spent lot of time in Hyderabad-India & learnt Deccani Urdu from South. Only an Indian/Hyderabadi would merrily alternate Qaaf & Khaa and say "Kajoor" for Khajoor; Qabar' for Khabar; "Khasam" for Qasam;and so on! (No offense meant)
Pakistan must be prepared since 1947 that India will be ruled by Hindu nationalist. Do they have delayed Worry !
@libra your comment is a big joke. Since your so called great couldn't even trace OBL or planes under its very nose. No control over your own areas, what talk about others?Everyday is festivities with bombing and killing yet they can't trace the culprits and instead shake hands with them. No thanks we don't want number one category in failures like yours and nor wish to reach that level.
@Sanjay Kumar you have highlighted some interesting facts but based on my interaction with many people of Indian origin in USA (almost all of them are highly educated), I can tell you as Hamas in Palestine, and Morsi in Egypt represent the voice and mindset of the masses, Modi does represent the mindset of Indian masses towards Muslim especially Pakistan.
Yes it may not be good for Pakistan or those Indians who may want to have good relations with neighbors, but they appears in minority, so let the man rule with the support of majority. If you look back at last 10+ years, Pakistan and India relations are not of the two neighbors, rather remained hostile without an open war mainly because 1) both posses nuclear weapons so some deterence, 2) most importantly it is not in the interest of NATO and USA, and India is on the path of economic revival so can't afford to go against the wishes of G8.
So Modi presence in PM office should not make anything any worst rather it may give good lesson to India as well as Pakistani leaders who are trying to tango with India that both sides needs to understand ground realities and find common grounds within the reality of two nations theory.
WOAH !!! An article written typically to satiate the religious fantasies of pakistani folks. Everyone is ranting that Modi will crush democracy, will create a Hindu rashtra n all.. People should think that he has been CM of state and after 2002 no such thing has happened.
My fellow Pakistanis:
Please stop interfering in other country's politics, let the Indian people decide who they want to be their next prime minister and what is best for their country.
Pakistan's current problems are the result of its consistent interference in other's affairs and Pakistan's willingness to be influenced by other countries (such as USA, UK, EU & Saudi) in return for aid, petroleum and now dates (kajoor).
@Iqbal:
Isn’t that what is taking place in Pakistan for decades now. You cannot create night by tightly shutting your eyes.
@hmm As i said before you are somalia and I’ve also seen enough of keyboard warriors like you on the net, but reality differs on the ground.Self calling yourself not a somalia is not going to change world opinion .
Succintly put, Mr. Modi will be great for India and bad for Pakistan.
@hmm No time for false bravado. This our biggest weakness. We may not be Somali but we seem to getting that way everyday. We are our worst enemies. I don't think Modi has the guts to attack us but if he attacks us it will because the terrorist situation which we created ourselves. Neither is Iran or Afghanistan are on friendly terms with us for the same reason. Nukes will protect us from India but nukes will not save us from destroying ourselves.
@Questor:
This is very strange. Whereas in Pakistan we have a habit of owning our wrongs. It seems you are fixated with some angelic existence of India. Tamil Tigers in Sri lanka, Mugti-bhanii in Bangladesh and Taliban+Baluchistan liberation army in Pakistan have been supported by India.
India is 10 times the size of Pakistan and yet it has this uncanny ability of playing the victim. If you are reeling from one attack. Then i assure you that we are "reeling" from 10 years of war.
Like Europe, Asia can also step out of petty wars and territorial disputes. But, its not going to start with intense whining. Man up, accept your faults also. And then talk about peace.
As an Indian, I dont like Modi. The radical Modi-fication of the electorate and its propensity to resort to abuse against the dissenting voice that has been labelled ‘pseudo-seculars’, ‘libtards’, ‘anti-nationals’ and ‘sickulars’ speaks volumes about the society that Modi promises. Mindless violence, radical intolerance and bigotism. Accommodating opposing ideas is considered submission, as is allowing the existence of films, art or books that question your belief system… To these people, any Gandhian talk of non-violence sounds wimpish. It is a sad commentary of our political condition that we characterise brashness and aggressiveness as strength and fail to characterise Modi’s inability to tolerate a murmur of dissent as a monumental flaw (one of many). A strong leader is not one who silences and suppresses a contrarian voice; but who forges consensus by allowing the free exchange of ideas. The argumentative Indian is being replaced by the offended Indian, the tolerant Indian by the intolerant mob, the reflective citizen by the hurt communal mobiliser, the courageous Indian by the cowardly thug who needs the state to protect it against every argument, the pious Indian by the ultimate blasphemer who thinks he needs to protect the gods rather than the gods being there to protect him. ……It is these same groups that beat up couples on Valentine’s Day, attack women in nightclubs, and impose dress codes on women for no good reason, except that a woman’s knees or armpits somehow offend them. The problem, from my perspective, is that the capturing of the corridors of power by a right-wing party strengthens groups in society with a narrow vision of modernity, a deep dislike of intellectual freedom, a commitment to sanitise Hindu history, and to persist in an unabashed encroachment on the rights of others. The propagandist’s purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human. I hope India becomes Modi-Free soon.
@conservative pls be concerned about your own minorities which crying for help. Leave indians to their own fate.
@hmmm Neva claimed to be super power now, growing towards a prosperous economic nation. Joke around as much you want times moving so is indians future and development.
@shah the same alleged coward nation you attacked and lost wars three times too.. Yep I can see who's coward. Come out of your ignorance look at trade and economical relations between india and neighbours and compare yours you'll know your value vis via us.
I really hope that modi wins the election. Just like George bush junior, Indians will learn the hard way who is good for them.
Massacre and blood shedding is not acceptable in a civilized society.Hatred breeds hatred .all peace loving people of South Asia should think in the right direction and work for peace and harmony in this region We are human beingsfist than any thing else We have to fight against illiteracy poverty.and ignorance.We should work together for peace prosperity and happiness of this region Let us discourage those people who want animosity and hatred between different people They are short sighted and will cause havoc to the whole region. . . .
Wishful thinking? There is nothing to support authors contention and plenty of anecdotal evidence which indicates India has made significant progress without the aid of Pakistan.
@Truther, Modi is reported involved in backing/supporting/planning the massacre of 3000 Indians (Muslims albeit) in Gujrat 2002 ..all of these are lies, truther! may be you should think about changing for moniker to lair. Modi had just became chief minister of gujrat, defeating the congress supported state government before the 2002 riots. Only thing Modi is gulity of was to not take swift action to control the riots, i.e. admisrative negligence. But when muslims torched the train carrying hindu pilgrims, burning women and children alive, things do tend to get out hand.
@S Sarkar: It's impossible for "Indian voters" to select the PM. Maximum possible is to vote in an MP. It's the Party that selects the Leader that becomes the PM. Modi is happy as Guj-CM. His job was to make BJP win, that's all.Therefore, next PM of India will be Sushma Swaraj.
He will be bad for himself then, for his poltical career too. He must be oriented before he steps in PM house. God bless Hindustani peopel.
It is irony and bad luck for Indians that their PM would be a person who is involved in massacre of minorities of his own country. What harm he can do to Pakistan? Pakistan is nuclear power and its armed forces are known as best in the world. Pakistan's intelligence services are rated as top most in whole world. India shall take years to be at par with Pakistan with these attributes.
@Truther:
Even Jinnah called for Direct Action(against whom? The powerless Hindus) and more 5000 died in Muslim majority state of Bengal.
Jinnah goes on to become the Governor General. Suhrawardy, the CM of the then Bengal, goes on to become Pakistan's PM.
At least we'll not put Modi's face on our currency.
@hmm .. Secondly, Pakistan is no Somalia.... True that. That means Somalia is no pakistan, you made the Somalians proud.
Osama was reported involved in backing/supporting/planning the massacre of 3000 Americans in 2001 New York and was termed as Muslim terrorist and condemned to death. Modi is reported involved in backing/supporting/planning the massacre of 3000 Indians (Muslims albeit) in Gujrat 2002 and was termed as Hindu nationalist and is destined to be the prime minister of hindustan
I am really concerned about Indian muslims..
@S Sarkar: aww did they told you like this??
@Vectra: stop fooling yourself, things will end up badly for India if it dares to use any sort of power against Pakistan. Like i said, Pakistan is no Somalia otherwise it would've been overpowered by now, if you guys claim India to be a superpower, which i think is a joke. I've seen enough of keyboard warriors like you on the net, but reality differs on the ground. Modi experiment will end up bad, this is what i predict, good luck :)
@Shssshhhhhhh:
It's heartening to see how much Pakistanis are concerned about India's welfare!
Pakistan would love to see someone lead India from front and keep either good or bad relationship with Pakistan instead of stabbing from back.. People change when they are in power... in india politicians just play pakistan/muslim card during elections.. after that we are all "bahi bahi" lol
Only Indian voters select their Prime Minister and not the others. Thanks
@Blunt: Pakistan is and never been an easy prey to swallow.
I agree with you. Only USA, China and KSA can 'swing' your mind.
@BruteForce: india will not retaliate, even conventionally. Don't worry dude. India is always there to return the 'favor' many fold in Baluchistan, Karachi and FATA.
@drfaizanpervaiz: So now ET did post your comment!Was it worth anything for any one. Has it ever occurred to you that some e post gets lost in transit?
Rex Minor
@Vectra: what sense you people think you are better?? what do you think what status you got in your neighbour countries?? for me you are the most cowered nation in the world, and you are the people jumping most of the time
For INDIA he will be Extremely GOOD For Pakistan??????? Time will prove that he is man of his words
India needs a strong leader and Modi is the best bet today. Hope Modi gets an absolute majority and provide strong governance. Apart from improving economy, I hope he scraps Article 370. He should not waste time on silly issues with Pakistan as Pakistan will take care of itself much to the benefit of India. NE states in India should be given a special status to boost its economy and GDP. He should focus on strengthening relations with China and Russia for improved trade relations while maintaining a balanced tie with the US and Europe. A rail road link between India and Sri Lanka could further boost trade relationship and bury the past issues.
He will be good for both India and Pakistan .A stable govt is good for every one .
Doesn't matter if Modi changes the no first strike policy.The only thing Pakistan has is an atomic bomb and if it has to be used it will be used with little thought about the consequences.At the end two countries full of rubble would be all that would be left.Clearly India is much more powerful than Pakistan when it comes to conventional war which is why the Atomic Bomb is pretty much all that can be used by Pakistan and it will be used if Modi sb asks for it.
@ET: when any one post attack on india by pakistani militants you post it! but when someone speaks about indian involvement in attacks in Pakistan why dont ET post that comment?? ET kindly post my comment!!
Majority pop Seculars don't have option. Aaps mercurial and only has base in delhi. Nobody in right sense would vote for congress. Only bjp is left. Naturally majority will vote for it. First for it is anti congress vote and second for economical development. The paranoia you are trying to spread is not possible. In coalition govt you need majority for any changes. If he shifts far too right he may never be able to pass such legislation. Thereby there's always going to be checks and balance. He can never go far too right or left in his policies the secular parties will stall such approach in parliament.
Who cares about modi or xyz.. Politics in both pak-ind region is same.. When they are in opposition they raise and talk about all issue, but in power they jus try to secure their seat..
Dont really think modi will do something diffferent as far as pak is concerned than congress..
Being a Pakistani, though I can't vote, but I wish best of luck to Aam Admi Party, because it's common man party and has strict stance against corruption, which has been like a cancer in this part of world, and has left institution dysfunctional and removed the confidence of public form government machinery.
well, to have Modi as the next PM, I think this is the best scenario for Pakistan as it will bring all radicals, secular, military, political elements in the country on the same page which has't been the case for many decades. Definitely in near future, the intensity will go high especially on borders but eventually it will melt down and 'take my words' , Modi will be visiting Pakistan and invitie Nawaz Sharif to visit so more chances for dialogues. The rational is simple: BJP has no fear of being labelled as Pro Pakistan so they will have the liberty to take bold steps
with modi we will be ridden of the senseless talk of friendship with india
India is always bad. No matter who is the ruler
I think India is on self destructive mission, I wish Modi becomes India's PM..
Modi could have strong views but you need the support of conservative India to resolve the issues between Pakistan. With a conservative PM in Pakistan it is probably the best time to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Change is always needed....if congress had not made the india poor and engulfed in poverty and corruption, the indians would've given the votes back to congress.I am sure indians are going to vote bjp but if bjp fails than it will definitely be a big question mark over india's future.
My vote goes to Modi for the simple reason that India has exhausted all other options. I am still seething over Mumbai. I am expecting that Modi will put more energy into bringing the perpetrators to justice. If he is unable to do that, he'll be history. Besides, his economic management of the state of Gujarat is nothing short of stunning.
@Vectra: Your personal view about what "large majority of people" think is worthy of respect.
I will be voting for Mr. Narender Modi and the BJP. Time to vote out political parties that pander to communalism by pandering to minority vote banks under the guise of secularism like the Congress. Time to show article writers like the author of this piece that many Indian's do not give a damn about what they have to say.
Some mistakes : nuclear policy is for China not for Pakistan and all nuclear policies are useless as it is a bomb which should not be used. Indian muslims, no party cares for them so why blame bjp, because they have already given 2-3 countries and they themselves don't want progress, they want sharia law and a Islamic state in india. And I don't blame indian muslims for it as it is nowadays a global phenomenon. Modi can't do much with Pakistan except asking for opening borders so that the pakistani hindus Sikh parsis can come anytime as they please. Your concerns on the Kashmir are right but I think he will not touch that too deep.
As a Pakistani I'm not really worried at all if he ever becomes a PM, so goes for most of us. Its India who should be worried about him, if he overhauls major policies, domestic & international, then it might cost them in the end. Secondly, Pakistan is no Somalia that it could ever be overpowered by India, the whole region will end up in ruins & that is not what India would like to see. It is just unfortunate that India escalated the nuclear threat back in 1998, lets see what happens with this BJP regime. I sincerely hope Indians vote sensibly & not vote some fanatic as a PM.
Let him do what he deems appropriate. Pakistan is and never been an easy prey to swallow.
We should not care about Modi's sentiments for Pakistan. His venom would be easily nutralised if our political, military, judicial and media leadership could come on the same page for the sake of nation building and protection of Pakistan from both internal and external threats.
I don't know about Pakistan but I am sure that he will be better choice for India at this moment. Congress needs SHOCK, AAP won't be able to run the government, Third Front will make mockery of India. So, yeah Modi is the best at this moment, If I see from the Indian perspective. :)
No First Strike policy has ensured that Pakistan has gotten a guarantee that even if it sends 10 Pakistanis to Mumbai to wantonly kill, india will not retaliate, even conventionally.
Remove this policy and just increase the temperature for a while to test its non-utility.
China is successful in Xinjiang because it allowed all Chinese to settle in Xinjiang. This changed the demographics of once overwhelmingly Muslim state.
If China can do it and Pakistan is ok with it, why not India adopt the same policies?
Only if we convince all Pandits to buy properties in J&K, that would be sufficient to end the J&K problem forever.
Pakistan will answer in the only way it knows : Supporting Islamic Militants. But, thats not new, is it.