Tweets spark controversy after Indian minister attends Pakistan Day reception

Shortly after attending a reception by the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit in New Delhi on Monday, ex-army chief and minister of state for external affairs Gen VK Singh tweeted of “disgust” and “duty” — a move described by India media as “an embarrassment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.

The Indian minister was among several guests invited by the Pakistani envoy to attend celebrations for Pakistan Day.

Among others invited were several pro-independence Kashmiri leaders including Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani as well as Yaseen Malik.

#DUTY The force that binds one morally or legally to one's obligations

— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 23, 2015

#DISGUST To sicken or fill with loathing

— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 23, 2015

Indian media reported that Singh, a former chief of the Indian army, attended the party for only a few minutes and “did not appear comfortable sitting next to Pakistani High Commissioner Basit Ali”.

The controversial tweets are being seen in Delhi as rebellion by the minister – who was asked to attend the event by the Indian government – and an embarrassment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.




When asked, Singh said he attended the event because "the government of India asked me to go there".

“The government of India had to send a Minister of State. They sent me and I went there and came back,” the Times of India quoted him as saying.

After his tweets sparked a reaction in the India media, the retired general said he was “disgusted to see (that) certain sections of the media are twisting this issue.”

#'Disgust'ed to see how certain sections of the media are twisting this issue

— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 23, 2015

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan's High Commissioner said he didn't think the Indian government had any objections to Hurriyat leaders being invited to celebrations for Pakistan’s National Day.

In response, the Indian foreign ministry said there was no place for Hurriyat leaders in talks with Pakistan.

“Let me reiterate there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in resolution of India-Pakistan issues,” said a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs in response to Basit’s statement.

The latest controversy comes amid a recent thaw in relations between Pakistan and India.

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar visited Pakistan earlier this month, resuming foreign secretary level talks after the bilateral dialogue process broke down in 2012.