Revisiting the X-Mass spirit of peace: Modi style

Benito Z. Swu When Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s home in Lahore to wish him a happy birthday, the world literally went ga-ga over this development. India and Pakistan’s relationship, for all these years and for whatever reasons, had been sustained, not by the statesmanship of the Premiers (with the exception of AB Vajpayee) of either side, but grotesquely, by the hawkish posture of the establishment of both the countries. With the coming of the BJP government in India, this overbearing stand from both the countries was, in a way, expected to intensify. Afterall, the eyeball to eyeball posture and who will blink first stance had prevented the then vocally declaring secular UPA government’s Prime Minister to not even once visit Pakistan during its decade old rule.By this one social visit to Sharif’s home in Lahore, Prime Minister Modi has, unwittingly, displayed the inherent statesmanship that is within, and that he is all for peace and humane existence and for which he would go to any extent. Opposing just for the sake of opposing and, or, for being in the opposition, is not good politics for the greater good of the people and the nation. The main opposition party in India belittled and undervalued the PM’s visit with its stance that diplomacy should be undertaken in all seriousness and with the conventional protocol of officialdom. It is not as if the conventional protocol of officialdom is like the ten commandments that the Lord God gave to Moses. Conventional wisdom demands that, those who are not doing or did not do should not be criticizing, or atleast not be disturbing those who are doing. It is to the good fortune of India that the country is, today, ruled by a leader immune to knee-jerk reactions. Inspite of provocations from within and out, Prime Minister Modi has kept his cool, and with one unexpected humane approach has earned not just the goodwill of the people of the two nations but of the international community as well. For, it cannot be wrong to say that, it is only when the moves that India and Pakistan make for each other have a human angle that they generate trust, and they can go to reduce the trust deficit between the two countries. And, yes, it is the gestures that are the foundation pillars of policies. Good gestures can remain unreciprocated, or even taken undue advantage of, as happened to the then Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s gesture of a much welcomed surprise bus journey visit to Lahore. Pakistan had, then, followed it up with Kargil, but that did not take away the statesmanship of AB Vaypayee in the eyes of the world. It only exposed Pakistan. It is to PM Modi’s good precision and timing that the visit to Lahore to wish Sharif on his birthday also coincidentally happened to be not only AB Vajpayee’s birthday, but also the birth anniversary of Jinnah. Even more significant for us Christians because, this peace gesture of goodwill happened on a Christmas day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is generally believed to be a right wing politician, and it is very right if he is so because it puts him and the people of India in good stead. Our prime Minister knows where to draw the line, and that makes him all the more unique and acceptable to all. Indeed, a true statesman. He needs to know and be reminded that North East India not just likes him, but loves him. Recently, just some two weeks back, after knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds flat, to win the featherweight title at UFC 194, Irishman Conor McGregor had this to say; “He’s powerful and he’s fast, but precision beats power and timing beats speed.” Narendra Modiji has both the precision and the timing. No wonder, the opposition is on the mat and peace reigns.