BJP hits back at Congress, says remarks on Modi's Lahore visit unfortunate

New Delhi: BJP on Friday hit back at Congress over its suggestions that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Pakistan was "pre-arranged" at an industrialist's initiative, and said it was "unfortunate" that the country has an opposition like it which sees negative in all "positive efforts".

Welcoming Modi's visit which has taken the country by "pleasant surprise", BJP said the Prime Minister has taken a bold step and only a strong leader like Modi can do so.

"Such an allegation by Congress is absolutely incorrect and in bad taste. This is unfortunate that the country has an opposition like this today. People have hopes from Modi and he has in a short span of time brought about a paradigm shift in India's relationship with the outside world," party secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

Modi decided to go to Lahore after his Pakistani counterpart extended an invitation to him which he accepted, Sharma said.

Calling it an "out of box" initiative, Sharma said Modi had been taking such steps and cited his decision to invite the head of governments of the SAARC countries and his meeting with Sharif in Paris recently.

He recalled that BJP stalwart and the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also taken a similar exercise with his Lahore bus journey.

Modi has been of the view that there should be easy and informal relations among SAARC countries like what exist between the EU and ASEAN nations, he said, adding that this is besides the conventional diplomacy.

Sharma also cited Modi's initiative in building an alliance of Solar energy-rich countries at Paris climate change conference to buttress his point. Congress leader Anand Sharma criticising Modi's visit said, the meeting between Modi and Sharif was "pre-arranged" by a businessman.

BJP hit back at Congress over its claim that Modi's visit was pre-arranged at an industrialist's initiative, saying it was "unfortunate" that the country has an opposition like it which sees negative in all "positive efforts".

Welcoming Modi's visit which has taken the country by "pleasant surprise", BJP said he has taken a bold step which only a strong leader can do.

"Such an allegation by Congress is absolutely incorrect and in bad taste. This is unfortunate that the country has an opposition like this today. People have hopes from Modi and he has in a short span of time brought about a paradigm shift in India's relationship with the outside world," party secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

He recalled that BJP stalwart and the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also taken a similar exercise with his Lahore bus journey. The External Affairs Minister said the Prime Minister has acted like a statesman in deciding to visit Pakistan and this is how relations with neighbours should be.

"That's like a statesman. Padosi se aise hi rishte hone chahiyen (This is how it should be with neighbours)," Swaraj said on twitter to the news of Modi's visit Modi today made a surprise announcement of a stop-over in Lahore as he wrapped up his brief Afghanistan visit.

His sudden visit comes within days of both countries deciding to re-engage in "Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue". The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet next month to discuss modalities about the dialogue.

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said the two neighbours needed to inject informality in their relations, as is the case in many places of the world like the EU and ASEAN.

"PM Modi's sudden stop over at Lahore to greet Pakiatan PM Nawaz Sharif is a much needed departure from protocol-driven politics between the two countries. Like leaders of other nations in the world like the EU, ASEAN and even countries in our neighborhood leaders of India and Pakistan too needed to inject informality in their relations.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wondered as to what was the change that prompted Modi to visit Lahore when BJP opposed talks with Pakistan, and asked why this "yaarana" (friendship).

Senior AAP leader Ashutosh said it was BJP and Modi who were opposing talks with Pakistan under the pretext of terrorism. He questioned whether terrorism has completely stopped as Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif has now become a likable figure to Modi.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed welcomed Modi's surprise visit, saying it is a step in the right direction.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said New Delhi's engagement with Pakistan is a good step but called for consistency in the process instead of "grand gestures".