NEW DELHI: Indicating a hardline on the Taliban wresting power in Afghanistan at a time when the foreign office is reaching out to the militia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said those who try to establish an empire on the basis of terror may dominate temporarily, but their existence is not permanent and they cannot suppress humanity forever.
He said the idea of vanquishing terror was as valid hundreds of years ago when invaders demolished the Somnath temple multiple times, as it is today, when the world is apprehensive of such ideologies. Modi’s remarks came during the foundation stone laying ceremony for multiple projects in Somnath. India has always criticised terror unequivocally, saying there is no such thing as good Taliban and bad Taliban. However, given the situation on the ground, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had recently indicated India is engaging the Taliban, adding: “It is time to take things forward.”
But in further evidence of Taliban’s double-speak, while one of its leaders had urged New Delhi to not to evacuate its diplomats, two Indian consulates in Afghanistan were ransacked by the Taliban on Wednesday. The closed Indian consulates in Kandahar and Herat were searched by the militia for documents. Taliban leader Sher Mohammed Abbas Stanekzai has urged India to retain its diplomats, a request that was overlooked as security assessments suggested his words could not be taken on face value.