Before I even start this message, here is a disclaimer - I am Indian, and I love India. Yet, instead of blindly insluting Fatima and Pakistan on a rediff message board that she is never going to read, stop and think for a minute.
Based on what she has said, the common Indian and the common Pakistani are not very different. Sure, the politicians manipulate people, and they try and turn them anti Indian, but when you look at the situation on the street, the people don't actually hate India. If you don't believe me, here's a simple question - how many of you'll have interacted with a real Pakistani, and how many of you'll are basing your views on what the media has said? The media makes Pakistanis seem like they hate India and Indians, but in reality, they want peace jnust like we do. They want their military money to be spent on education and healthcare, just like we do.
Indians and Pakistanis come from the same genetic stock, and we are a very similar people. It is prejudices that continue hatred and war. For the future of our country, or even both the countries, stop and think. Think not of blind hatred, but of what can be done in the future to improve relations.
Don't look at the 60 years of hatred that have occured. Look instead at the hundreds of years of peace that preceeded them.
RE:Stop and think.
by arpan rastogi on Feb 03, 2008 10:42 PM Permalink
Hi Neerav, I m Arpan. I agree with you and would like to tell everybody that I have friends from Pakistan who are just like my Indian friends. It all depends person to person. We all are alike and respect each other, love each other and dont think about naionality/religion or cultural differences. I hope ppl understand what you said. There is no difference...
RE:Stop and think.
by Freebies Free on Feb 03, 2008 11:20 PM Permalink
How many of us Indians have really met a Pakistani? and vice-versa? My experience with a few Pakistanis outside have been really friendly - once they come to know that we are from India. There has been few incidents in Europe such as when we got into a Taxi car, the driver was a Pakistani, and upon recognizing that we are from India, he was so friendly and talked to us in Urdu (or Hindi - rather, Hindustani - how it was 60 years before), and finally did not charge money at all !!!). Of course, there is Terrorism and India bashing out of Pakistan - that is more at the political, military, media and extremist religious level. The average common man on the street would want peace and cordial relations!!!
But, that does not mean that we should forget the reality that we are now 2 separate nations, 2 nuclear powers. We must be careful and vigilant, at the same time, extend peaceful and cordial relations.
RE:Stop and think.
by Neerav Parekh on Feb 03, 2008 11:46 PM Permalink
That's exactly my point. When you are working as a taxi driver, everything you earn is important for you. To not charge money to someone when you find out they are Indian, is extremely unselfish.
Ironically, that trait is more representative of the average Pakistani, then the suicide bomber image that they media portrays. Sure, there are a few fanatical Pakistanis, but the important part is that they are not representative of the country as a whole, nor the common man.
The only way to bridge the gap between India and Pakistan is to not stereotype, not generalise, and treat Pakistanis as individuals. We need to recognise the similarities, not seek out the differences.
RE:Stop and think.
by Rajeev Kumar on Feb 03, 2008 11:55 PM Permalink
Neerav, It is really a good, responsible piece from you. I applaud your point of view. I hope it inspires others who write online to be responsible while writing something.
RE:Stop and think.
by Confused Mind on Feb 03, 2008 10:12 PM Permalink
In her last testament before her assassination, Pakistan's charismatic former premier Benazir Bhutto has praised India's middle-class-led democracy while making dire predictions about her homeland, comparing it to a "tinder box" that can catch fire quickly. "Democracy cannot be sustained in the absence of a stable and growing middle class. The growth of India into a regional and international economic power occurred - not coincidentally - as its middle class exploded into a huge economic and political force," Bhutto said in her autobiography excerpted in 'The Sunday Times' and to be released shortly.
RE:Stop and think.
by Freebies Free on Feb 04, 2008 03:50 AM Permalink
Rajesh, You forget that child marriage was so common in our country, and even now, it is followed in some places.
I am not here to fight or defend or spread hatred... but to suggest that common man in any country would want peace, friendliness and prosperity. It is politics, military, extremist religion, and media which stops us from being friends. And, you and me know that, we cannot change anything one fine day.
What happened is happened. You cannot change the past. The cultural remains of the past cannot be wiped out in an year or 10.
At least in the modern times, let the nations try to grow themselves, rather than not spending money and time and energy fighting between themselves.
