Rediff.com is acknowledged as one of the prime online news websites in India along with handfull of others. The author of this article seems to use this platform to spread viscious personal agenda against advani's opinion on a Public forum. Rediff should take steps to ensure that the news it published carries facts and less interpretation of facts to instigate hatred among a set of people against a person/ community. The remarks against Advani here seem particularly harsh and have been noted in a manner demeaning to a national website like rediff.com. I hope rediff.com refrains from using such extermely biased authors in the future. The article here sounds more like an editorial viewpoint which does not allow room for interpretation for normal reader. It creates discontent and disturbs the opinion of the reader and clouds the facts with personal interpretation.
I strongly abhor such tactics in a national forum.
B Raman is the last word in conspiracy theories - it is unsurprising that he ascribes naivete as the reason for Advani's pronouncements. Advani is a lot smarter than his long standing detractors in the Congress as well as the new ones spawned by his words. In one fell sweep Advani has made the criminal Togadia look ridiculous as well as had the previously impossible situation of the Congress accusing him of using the word secular - a heretofore congress prerogative. If Mr.Raman stopped for a moment and read the Pakistani press, he would also stop imagining a Musharaf doubling over a scotch.
I don not understand what the author meant about jinnah. Was he a mere pawn in the hands of the British or was he a politician who instigated secular tensions between the hindus and the muslims to achieve his dream Country? What ever the author meant, the muslims in Pakistan believe that Jinnah thought Hindu dominated independent India would not be good for muslims. I heard a muslim joking about the matter - We didnt expect Hindus would be spineless and that if the partition had not taken place muslims would be ruling the sucontinent by now!
Advani\'s statements prove amply well that politicians of any and all hues are all alike. They manipulate public sentiment and emotions for their own narrow and selfish ends. After inciting passions in the name of Hindutva for the last decade and a half, Advani found himself at the crossroads after losing power at the centre. This surely has disappointed him enough that he now probably thinks that there would be no comebacks. Taking a leaf out of his \"friend\'s\" (Vajpayee\'s) book he too decided to drop a verbal bombshell (he was very daring - he bombed Pakistan direct, in Pakistan, himself!)
His eagerness to please the Pakistani establishment is reflected also in his assertion that the Babri structure demolition was the saddest day of his life. His statement has certainly left all his co-rath yatris and the kar sevaks of Ayodhya vintage red in the face.
Seems to me that India\'s most famous \"refugee\" is now set to go home, capture hearts, votes and maybe a political seat in Sindh. Would we have an exchange program, with Pakistan\'s most famous \"mohajir\", Pervez Musharraf, plotting and executing a coup in India, , old Delhi to be specific?! Will we get closer to detente then?
I disagree on many of the things you said in your article. A stable, secular and peaceful Pakistan is in the best interests of India. Advani's statement should be taken in this regard. Quoting Jinnah's speech to push Pakistan towards secularism and a more moderate society which could peacefully coexist with India was probably the intentions behind his comment.
Also, your suggestion that Indian leaders should meet Sindhis, Balochs etc. is greatly flawed. India is a responsible nation and could not be compared to Pakistan. Moreover, indulging in such activities would threat India's peace by creating instability in Pakistan. An instable Pakistan has always tried to use sentiments against India as a uniting factor in its divided society. Not only that, it might promote regionalism in India which already is a big threat.
As responsible citizens of a responsible country, lets debate this issue in a responsible manner.
You mention that "...Musharraf then changed the policy and embarked on a new policy of trying to soften the BJP and its Parivar by showering attention on its leaders...". How can you conclude that Mr. Advani was not trying to do the same to Pakistani leaders...starting with Jinnnah? There was another one in Mr Advani's interview in pakistan: that was "...Yes, we trust Musharraf...".
i think this is drama set by bjp to fool the peoples of the country.they are aware that with their hinduthva agenda they cannot regain the power.then talking about jinnah everybody in the world who know about history know that jinnah wasn't a secular man.although jinnah wasnot the only one who contributed to partition.jawarharlal nehru who had a greed for becoming a priminister also contributed for partion.one thing that advani had done good inthis visit was that he had regretted what had happened to babrimasjid,although he was loking for his political gain.that's all i want to say.
All he writes is crap and he thinks he is some sort of intelligence expert.
Well the real reason for Advani praising Jinnah in pakisthan is this
1) Advani knows he is very old(vajpayee is too old for PM), and his last chance of becoming PM is the next term. And that he can't become without the support of Indian muslim votebank and other NDA constiuents. So, he needs to change his Image from Pro-Hindutva to Pro-secular Bcoz even if get majority in the next term, The NDA constiuents wont allow him to become PM, so better change his image. U know what, Indian muslims staging a dharna outside the BJP office to take back his resignation. So Advani has hit the right target.
2) you may ask may a question why he hasnt said something about jinnah or Ayodhya in India Itself, Thats where Advani is so clever, If he has said anything positive about Jinnah or Ayodhaya in India itself people will say this is all for votes so he started he image cleansing exercise from pakistan, and started this resignation drama to create publicity. so Thats nice & clever trick played by Advani.
