Thanks.
On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 5:41 AM, ram puniyani <[email protected]> wrote: > *Love Thy Neighbor: * > > *Nawaz Sharif’s Visit to India* > > > > *Ram Puniyani* > > > > India Pakistan relations have always been mired with in various > controversies, which have been preventing the friendly relations with our > neighbor, who in ‘popular perception’ is seen as an *enemy*. It is due to > this that while all the members of SAARC countries have been invited, the > one to draw maximum popular attention has been the coming of Nawaz Sharif, > the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In a deft move India’s the then Prime > Minister designate sent an invite to all the heads of SAARC countries for > his swearing in ceremony, (16 May 2014)which was held with great pomp and > show. > > > > Nawaz Sharif faced lots of obstacles in accepting this invitation. His > family, his daughter included, tweeted and called for acceptance of the > invite, she argued as to why India and Pakistan are living in a hostile > situation like North and South Korea, why can’t they live like the > countries of European Union. She was actually echoing the sentiments of > most of the Pakistanis who want the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan > and good relations with India; she articulated the aspirations of > Pakistan’s majority for whom peace with India is synonymous with the path > of good democracy and development. In my own visit to Pakistan a couple of > years ago I was overwhelmed with expression of longings of Pakistanis for > friendship with India. This also gets reflected in their warm gestures in > welcoming you, and showering the best of hospitality on you. The major > obstacles in Pakistan to the peace with India come from the strong army and > the Mullah alliance. This time also as the Modi invite was in the pipe line > the terrorist attack took place on Indian Consulate in Afghanistan, in > Herat. The Hafiz Sayeeds of Pakistan raised their eyebrows and dished out > the usual threats. One also recalls that the horrific terrorist attack on > Mumbai on 26/11 2008 took place when the process of peace between India and > Pakistan was to pick up. The correlation between the steps of Indo-Pak > peace process and attacks of terror, in which the hand of terrorist groups, > who have their support from the some army quarters is unmistakable. > > > > One also recalls during previous NDA regime when Atal Bihari Vajpayee > wanted to initiate the peace with Pakistan and took the friendship bus to > Lahore, the then Pakistan army did not welcome it and expressed its > reaction by occupying Kargil. Pervez Musharraf was the army Chief at that > time. This Kargil occupation by Pakistan army had to be fought by Indian > army supported by Clintons’ reprimand to Pakistan to withdraw from Kargil. > During my trip I also happened to meet the civic activists who are > committed to friendship with India. These activists along with their > counter parts in India have been promoting forums like Pak India People’s > Forum. They are also promoting peace and are campaigning amongst other > issues, for the release of innocent fishermen who get arrested here and > there. Currently Nawaz Sharifs’ releasing of the fishermen before his visit > to India is a positive gesture towards better relations with India and in > turn peaceful South Asia. One also had a chance meeting with those working > for and identifying with the work of ‘Aman Ki Asha’, (Hope for Peace) a > joint platform of the major Indian daily along with a Pakistan daily. > > > > Here in India the major rhetoric against Pakistan is indulged in mainly by > BJP, when it is not in power. BJP has a contradictory attitude vis a vis > Pakistan. When not in power BJP has been using Pakistan bashing to polarize > the Indian society along religious lines. When in power, it offers an olive > branch and releases pigeons of peace. One recalls that our current Prime > Minister had brought in polarization in Gujarat after the Godhra tragedy > and Gujarat carnage by primarily attacking Pakistan and its President > Pervez Musharraf. In the Assembly elections of 2002 the hoardings were > having Modi on one side a Musharraf on the other side, as if Modi was > fighting elections against Pervez Musharrf. Even during the election > campaign of 2014, Modi did resort to menacing gestures towards Pakistan. > His party colleague Giriraj Singh was very abusive to Pakistan. Here the > ‘social-communal common sense’ is so constructed as if Indian Muslim is > loyal to Pakistan, the Indo-Pak cricket matches are seen more as India > Pakistan war rather than a sport which should act as a bridge between the > countries in a sportsman’s spirit. Irrespective of the fact that it was > Madhu Gupta who was caught spying for Pakistan, the major feeling is to > suspect every Muslim as a potential Pakistan spy. Our legendary film star, > Peshawar born, Dilip Kumar (Yusuf Khan) was humiliated times and over again > for his accepting the Pakistan’s highest civilian Award Nishan-e-Pakistan. > Rumors against Dilip Kumar were circulating on regular basis. Every > skirmish on the border is used to denigrate Pakistan and at the same time > criticizing Congress for its ‘soft’ approach to the issues. The anti > Pakistan rhetoric is one of the major tools in the hands of BJP, when it is > not in power. > > > > Its ally Shiv Sena goes one step forward. It has regularly created ruckus > on every occasion of Pakistan India interaction. It dug up the pitch on the > cricket ground to prevent the match, programs of Pakistan artists are > disrupted and even now when Nawaz Sharif decided to come, Shiv sena > threatened to boycott the oath taking ceremony. Fortunately wiser counsels > prevailed and Shiv Sena chief decided to participate in oath taking same. > > > > Unfortunately today in whole of South Asia the religious minorities are > going through a rough weather, Christians and Hindus in Pakistan, Hindus > and Muslims in India, Hindus and Buddhists in Bangla desh are facing > constant violence and intimidations of other types. The violation of the > rights of minorities needs to be halted through mutual talks and > cooperation. The atrocities on minorities in one country cannot be undone > by doing atrocities on the other ones in other country. Every innocent > person irrespective of her faith has a full right to follow one’s faith. > This can be a major agenda to be taken up by SAARC countries in the times > to come. Peace and reconciliation amongst communities has to be brought in, > this is the pre-requisite for growth and development. > > > > As far as Pakistan is concerned, more the democracy becomes strong there; > the hold of army may weaken and peace process will become stronger. > Strength of stranglehold of army in Pakistan is inversely proportional to > health of democracy and friendship with India. While in India the > democratic ground is stronger, a positive attitude to the democratic > Government of Pakistan will empower it vis a vis the feudal-army-mullah > forces there, in turn strengthening the peace and making us focus more on > basic needs of the people related to health, nutrition, education, > employment rather than increasing the defense budget. It will help us to > focus more on bread and butter rather than on guns and ammunition. > > > > -- > > Response only to [email protected] > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Regards, Mumtaz *Alam* Contact: +91- 9958270537 +91 - 9911936764 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/syedmumtazalam Twitter: *https://twitter.com/MumtazAlam1978 <https://twitter.com/MumtazAlam1978>* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
