UPA foreign policy promotes national interest or business one?

UPA foreign policy promotes

national interest or business one?

What is the driving force behind our foreign policy – the national interest or the business interests of individuals or companies?

If today's (January 20) Indian Express report is to be believed, it looks the interests of individual companies motivate our foreign policy and not the interests of the nation.

A front page Express story headlined "Upset India snubs Maldives, refuses to host foreign minister" makes a startling revelation of the way our foreign policy under the present dispensation is being framed and pursued. In the opening remarks the story states: "Sending a strong signal to Maldives that India is not willing to engage with its current leadership after the GMR controversy, the government has turned down an official request from the Maldivian foreign minister to visit India to set up a visit by the Maldivian president."

What a contrast!

Our dealings with Pakistan stand in stark contrast.

In its story headlined "Peace process with Pakistan back on track 'considerably', Khurshid says" the Times of India today states: "Asserting that it will not be influenced by "jingoistic conversations" in sections of the media, the government said on Sunday peace process with Pakistan was back on track "considerably" but made it clear that "atmospherics" have to be right to move forward. Speaking at a CNN IBN's Devil's Advocate programme, the External affairs minister Salman Khurshid, while underlying that it is sensible not to hasten and rush into things, also denied that the government has been boxed into a corner over the ceasefire violations at the line of control and the beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani troops.

This clearly implies that tempers of the present government do not boil up at the dastardly killing and severing of the head of one of our brave soldiers at the Line of Control (LoC) and repeated violations of ceasefire and blatant intrusion into our territory by a belligerent and unrepentant Pakistan, but feels so much terrified and angered at the treatment meted out by the Maldivian government to GMR that it curtly tells Maldives that "India is not willing to engage with its (Maldivian) current leadership after the GMR controversy".

The daring and cowardly 26/11 attack by Pakistan sponsored terrorists that killed about 200 people, injuring and maiming another a few hundred. Yet, the UPA government could not gather the courage to cancel the secretary-level meeting with Pakistan. Numerous terrorist crimes have taken place in the country killing a few hundred with the connivance, financial support, logistic help, and training to terrorists, yet our Prime Minister repeats with great force: "The peace process will go on".

Even after the cruel killing of our two brave soldiers, the UPA government was not willing to terminate the India-Pakistan cricket matches. Under great pressure of public opinion it had 'reluctantly' to send Pak hockey players back. Pak women cricketers are still in the country.

No words are needed to explain where do the UPA government's priorities in its determination of national interest lie.

One may just say: It is g…..r…..e…..a….t!

One may just say: It is g…..r…..e…..a….t!