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  India   Rajnath Singh lauds Modi as harbinger of innovation

Rajnath Singh lauds Modi as harbinger of innovation

AGE CORRESPONDENT WITH AGENCY INPUTS
Published : Dec 27, 2015, 6:25 am IST
Updated : Dec 27, 2015, 6:25 am IST

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise Lahore visit, BJP veteran L.K.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise Lahore visit, BJP veteran L.K. Advani Saturday said Mr Modi and other leaders in government should work to carry forward Atal Behari Vajpayee’s initiative for improving Indo-Pak ties and get rid of problem of terrorism, as Union home minister Rajnath Singh hailed Mr Modi as “harbinger of innovative diplomacy”.

Speaking at a function in Lucknow, Mr Singh said, “Modi is the harbinger of innovative diplomacy.”

He said that this was in line with Mr Vajpayee’s thinking.

Mr Vajpayee had travelled to Lahore in a bus from India in 1999 and started a peace initiative with Pakistan in 2004.

The home minister said that after Mr Vajpayee, it was Mr Modi who has raised the dignity of India before the world.

“If there is someone who has made the country proud and raised its dignity in front of the world after Atal Behari Vajpayee, it is Narendra Modi,” he said.

Mr Singh said that it was mainly due to PM Modi’s continuing efforts that the influence and image of the country has vastly improved.

He said, referring to US President Barack Obama’s visit in 2010, that “India is not emerging, but India has emerged”.

When asked about the graft allegations against Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, Mr Singh said that they were all baseless and his integrity could not be doubted.

L.K. Advani also skirted a query on the issue of suspension of party MP Kirti Azad who had made allegations of corruption against Delhi and District Cricket Association in which Mr Jaitley has come under attack. “The efforts initiated by Vajpayeeji need to be taken forward,” Mr Advani said on a question of surprise visit of Modi to Lahore Friday.

“Modiji and others in government should steadfastly improve relationship with Pakistan and get rid of terrorism, which has been an issue between both the countries,” Mr Advani said.

Mr Modi on Friday during his return from Kabul had a surprise stopover at Lahore and went to the home of Nawaz Shairf. This was the first visit of Indian Prime Minister to Pakistan after 2004.

Mr Advani, who had met other BJP veteran leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha on Thursday to discuss suspension of Mr Azad, did not respond to the question on the issue.It was the veterans’ second meeting.

Following their first meeting on the Diwali eve, they had launched a stinging attack on BJP leadership over the Bihar election drubbing.

This time, however, they issued no statement. Mr Advani was here to attend a Sindhi community function at Sindu Bhavan.

Location: India, Gujarat, Gandhidham