Can’t we too break the wall?

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I am sure there are a lot of very complicated, deep rooted issues that need to be thought of while even considering such a possibility, but somehow, very instinctively, I get the feeling that given the choice to vote on issue like this, there will be more `Yes` than `No` to this suggestion from both sides of the border.

akumar@fcbulka.com

Pakistan wasn`t split a part like Germany. The reason behind Pakistan was to make a country following the rules and laws of Islam. Aside from the fact that whether or not Pakistan is following these rules it is a country made for muslims on the name of Religion. Where nobody can destroy Masjids by calling them a ``janam Bhomi`` (birth place) of their Raam. Where Kashmiris can look up to and find a safe place. Where muslims are allow to eat cow and to be safe. Where they know that they have a right to pray and they don`t need to live in an area of muslim majority. Most important of all where they can learn and read Urdu in public schools. Where nobody claims to be secular and then destroy the holy places. Where we don`t have any Wajpai or Rawan. Where nobody can tell us to go back to Arabia because Mohammad Bin Qasim came from there. Where we won`t be treated like achhots (untouchables).

Mohammad Ali Jinnah was among the geniuses and he tried to kept the whole thing together. Before him the mogul emperors tried it but it didn`t work and brother yousuf if you need further explaination please read the 14 points by Quaid-e-Azam. But Pakistan is not a bunch of provinces but it is a lot of muslims trying to make a better muslim community and country. As Shah Faisal once said ``Pakistan is the fort of Islam`` and Alhamdullilah we have proved it not only by Ghauri but also by our atomic power.

``PAKISTAN ZINDABAD``

For more on this, check out my up-coming novel at

http://www.mauritius.com/mumtaz/theoffer.html

Off course we can unite! if we understand that in

reality our nation-states are not Hinduism, Islam or Sikhism but Punjab, gujrat, Sindh, Pakhtunistan, Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Maratha, etc.

We need to recognize that Punjabi, Gujrati, Sindhi, Pashto, Kashmiri, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, etc are mother tongues of each of the nation of subcontinent and not URDU OR HINDI!!

We need to understand that if India and Pakistan is to come together then it must be solely the basis of Punjabi people of India and Pakistan, Kashmiri people of India and Pakistan as they will be united.

I say let`s make a subcontinent a real nation-state by dividing it into true nations of Punjab, Sindh, Gujrat, Maratha, Tamil, Telugu, Pakhtunistan, Baluch, and a loose central government which only takes care of foreign affairs, communications, currency and other itty bitty stuff.!!

A religion is a personal thing and not public!! It is irony that most of subcontinent people only display their emotion about their religion either while rioting, or on Internet in verbal wars. The most important part of all religions is freeddom to respect other person`s views.

But.. then most of you people are brown Sahibs whose parents were responsible for partition and it is definite that you will vehemently oppose any idea that go against your demented forefathers!!

Thanks and Best Regards,

Sandeep Singh Bajwa

sbajwa@fyi.net

Krishnakumar,

Don`t you feel embarassed, repeating this hate spreading rhetoric? Blaming an entire countries ills on a minority group of people? That was the tactic of Adolf Hitler!

I can only hope that your comments were some kind of warped ironic statement on the propaganda delivered by the governments of Pakistan and India to their people.

Lets have intelligent debate.

I too once had the dream that India and Pakistan

should unite. This was really dreamt by Khan

Abdul Ghafoor khan. He shared his dream with

our late priemer Shri Rajiv Gandhi when the Frontier Gandhi had come down to India to receive the Bharath Ratna that was conferred by our Indian Govt. But now i dont like the concept at all.

Yes, it is true that both India and pak are spending lots of money on arms and fission and fusion bombs. But had not they separated is there no need for India to produce bombs and spend such huge amount in weapons ? Certainly a big NO, to protect ourself from China india would have no other recourse . So i dismiss the question that by uniting we could have cut down much on defenser expenditure.

If all the Muslims in india had gone either to Pak or Bangladesh India would have been an

economic superpower long before. They are the

stumbling block in our progress. They dont heed to any advice on family planning saying family planning is against their religious sentiments producing pakistan each year through their.......

India would have been a haven of

great peace and prosperity had india got rid of its nemesis once for all. it is because of these people there are lots of communal problems in india and the Indian Govt has to spend its time ,energy and money quelling those things.

Its better that half of the thorn is gone as pakistan and bangladesh . Its better if the other half also leaves India leaving us to grow and prosper.

Dear Yousof;

It is a well written article and may be given serious thoughts. In my view, your dream coming true is not possible due to the following reasons:

(I am not a historian, so forgive me about details etc....these are just my analysis);

(1) east/west german anology is not suitable in case of Pak/India because Germany was divided as a result of war and before the war it was a one nation with same culture, religion etc. However, a totally different situation led to crreation of Pak/India; people themselves chose Pak/India, though, there were people against the divide.

(2) Islamic culture is altogether different than Hindu culture and at this time, i strongly think, that neither Muslims nor Hindus in subcontinent are tolerant towards each other. this was not the case for east/west germany.

(3) You may also find the answer to your dream not coming true by answering the following question; Why can`t all arab countries in arabian/gulf region merge into a big Islamic country or form one country given that all of them share same religion, same culture, same traditions etc?

Much that I would have seconded Mr,Yousaf but for harsh realities that bound me not to.These facts are hard to fathom or circumvent.The reality that muslims of the sub-continent had purposedly kept in the backyard of the integrated Hindustan and thus back-wards.What is the state of minorities in todays India...?Why Harrigions are protesting on the stepmotherly treatment meted out to them. The BJP`s actions speak loud ans clear about their intensions towards minorities.Why are Sikhs being discriminated upon..?Can muslims forget the Babri Masjid saga ?Muslims are not confind to a particular geographical region and therefore it would lead to anarchy and another muslim movement for separate homeland to exercise their personal law.Unless religion is bannished from the earth the integration of Indopak would remain a dream.There are,however, other political options which if adopted could bring about a qualitative change in the prevelant perspective. Confidence building measures would have to taken before initiating a meaningful dialogue between all concernd.Kashmir is ofcourse is the core issue which needs immidiate resolution to pacify the burning muslim emotion.Hindu nationalist adventurism would have to be checked effectively before the smaller entities are made to belive the sincerity of the idea.There could be possible a lose confederaton in the sub-continent,if and only if all major issues are resolved and the tivial ones taken care of effectively.Once that happens,defence rather common defence would be a fancied idea.This would not only allow a bigger of natonal budgets allocated to social sectors and poverty alleviatin etc.But there are alot of Ifs involoved in the entire process.

No Yousuf, we MUST never unite - not with the

Pakistanis at least. How can you think of joining

a bunch of barbarians in a commonwealth of semi-

independent states when these people cannot toler-

ate another strain of Islam - for the protection

of whose followers their country was set up? How

do you think these barbarians would respect the

cultures and languages of the other states when

they could not tolerate Bengalies who were

Muslims? How can you think of living with neurotics who cannot think of any of their numer-

ous problems related to daily life but only the

so-called core issue? Never! Never shall we

think of uniting with these people who have

revelled in the bleeding of our country and have

set it upon themselves to shred it human being

by human being

Re: chicago-se

I agree with you. I found poeple suffering from delusions that riots in India are `imagined`. trying to distrot fact does not make things go away. Let us not behave like bunnies-close our eyes and the big bad wolf is not there any more!

Re: Born to Be

You can see problems among Hindus,

Muslims and Sikhs (due to their politicians

and religious leaders), it does not give us

a reason to overlook Shia-Sunni riots and riots which keep happening in Karachi, Lahore, Punjab

to with Muhajdins (refugees from 1947 partition)

No one is pure. We also have same kinds of leaders

Few people are born to condemn others.

No one can help them.

But others can let the better thoughts prevail.

Re: Majhid

Muslims have co-existed with Hindus since the first Arab conquest in A.D. 712. In many places on either side of the border these two faiths still co-exist alongside each other.

Dear Yousof,

Your ideas are neither utopian nor infeasible. The

most intresting part is that we do not even have

a physical wall.

The only walls we have to cross are the ones in our minds. Walls which are stifling imagination

and creativity in both countries.

Walls under whose protection, leaders on both sides are easily able to mislead the poor and

the hungry.

I believe only economic progress on both sides

can help chip away these walls of ignorance.

Sanjay

RE: Amit

Finally, A voice of reason, albeit from the other side of the border!

Why cant we all accept our differences and go about our ways in our own SEPARATE countries. Why do we have to constantly get constipated over the idea of a united subcontinent?

Pakistanis and indians have over the past FIFTY years developed radically differing lifestyles and the mere fact that Pakis and Indians both still do `bahngra` at their weddings is not sufficent grounds for the suggestion. It is no longer a question of just religion in itself. (there is very little Islam being practised in Pakistan). It is now a matter of TWO SEPARATE nations with DIFFERENCES. DO you really believe that the luxury loving average pakistani could ever find the lifestyle of an average Indian appealing? (Pakistan is a poor country-govt wise only)

I do hope the Kashmir issue is resolved soon. Its about time!

I am an Indian, and a muslim, and share a meal with my hindu friends and coleagues everyday. I think this interaction/replies column has been dominated too much by Indians/Pakistanis who live abroad (in US, Canada and Europe) and have no touch whatsoever with the reality in the subcontinent. I think Yousuf`s article - though its only a dream - is very well written, and should be thought over in realistic terms.