All our political parties and foreign policy experts are deeply concerned about the Afghan policy of the Indian government. They are quite content that the Taliban are not harassing Indians at all and the Indian government is showing great promptness in their return. Whatever they are doing is an essential duty of the government of any country, but their duty does not end here.

Protecting Indian national interests in Afghanistan is their first religion. In this matter, the Government of India seems to be continuously erring. At the same time, the clarification presented by External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in the latest meeting is not at all satisfactory. He said that the agreement reached by the Taliban in Doha has not been followed and the Indian government has so far adopted the policy of 'wait and watch'. Don't know whether the leaders who attended that meeting pulled Jaishankar on this issue or not? They should have asked Jaishankar that who had got the deal done between the Taliban and the Afghan government? Was it done by the Indian government?

That agreement was made by America. America was to be angry at the non-implementation of the agreement, but instead you are getting angry? Is this outrage fake or not? America's highest spy officer William Burns is going to Kabul to talk to Taliban leaders and you are sitting here with your tail pressed.

You have turned out to be even more cowardly than the fledgling President Ashraf Ghani. Ghani was scared of his life but what was the threat to you from the Taliban? Has the Taliban made a single anti-India statement after the Doha accord? You are more afraid of the Taliban than the general public of Kabul. You are scared of helping even best friends of India like Hamid Karzai and Dr. Abdullah.

If this submissive policy of yours continues for a few more weeks, you will surely force the Taliban to sit in the lap of China and Pakistan. Just pay attention to what the Speaker, British MP Tom Tugandhat said at the G-7 meeting in London recently. He has said that India should also be included in this group, because the worst effect of the Afghan upheaval will be on a country like India.

How ironic it is that an experienced Foreign Service officer is our Foreign Minister and we remain silent spectators to such serious upheavals in our neighbourhood! The regret is more on the leaders of our political parties, who are not using their discretion. The policy of bureaucrats is to sit and watch, but the policy of politicians is to sit and sleep.