Rajya Sabha member Mani Shankar Aiyar on Saturday underlined the importance of India having a sustained dialogue with Pakistan to resolve issues pending for decades.
Delivering the Foundation Day lecture at Mount Carmel College here, Aiyar said an average Pakistani citizen had no more a personal quarrel with Indians than people here had with them. “They have a lot of affection for Indians and the Indian culture. The most beautiful Shiva temple I have been to is near Clifton beach in Karachi,” he said.
Narrating numerous anecdotes based on his tenure as an Indian diplomat in Pakistan, he said, “The youth in that country and in India alike do not belong to the wasted generation. They have a similar upbringing compared to youngsters here. They are modern people.”
Dynamic civic society
He pointed out that while every one regarded Pakistan as the epicentre of terrorism, the country had become the single largest target of domestic terrorism. There have been more Pakistani soldiers killed in war against terrorism than Indians. In spite of the challenges in the country, there is a dynamic civic society in Pakistan which takes on terrorism. There is a hatred towards terrorists inside Pakistan by common citizens who categorise the troublemakers as ‘fundos’.
“Commoners in Pakistan have taken on terrorism. Why is it that we do not recognise the courage of these people? These are ordinary people… fighting for their life, liberty, culture and education. We should cooperate with them instead of conflicting with them,” he said.
He said so long as India was hostile to Pakistan, secularism would be incomplete. “I find it ridiculous that every time there is a glitch, we say we will not talk to Pakistan. The governments should grow up. We all must grow up. If you do not talk to Pakistan, you will never find a solution. It will be an albatross hanging around the neck.”
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the event, Aiyar said the recent episode of journalist Tarun Tejpal accused of molesting his colleague was “awful.”
“It is awful that a distinguished journalist should have allowed himself to indulge in such a criminal act, as whatever he did or attempted to do constitutes violation of criminal law. He will have to be proceeded against,” he said.