Wanted: Unification of India and Pakistan

Asia News Network/The Statesman ^ | 2005-03-12

[nickcarraway]

Despite on-field rivalry, the game of cricket is proving to be a great unifier. Almost a religion in both India and Pakistan, the fans of the game have had the opportunity to cross the border and mingle with each other in recent times. That has resulted in a certain bonhomie and fellow feeling among the people of the two nations, who have traditionally seen each other as enemies. In Mohali for the first of the three Tests between India and Pakistan, the visitors from across the border are not only talking about peace and amity, but are also expressing wishes about a possible unification of the two countries. And for most of them, India is looking like a haven in all spheres of life — political, social and economic.

A resident of Lahore, Mr Khaakzadah M Anwar Kamal came to India just out of curiosity. “The match is just an excuse to get the visa. I have dreamt of visiting India since 1996,” he said. And he has been astounded by the freedom of movement that women enjoy and he freedom of expression and worship that he has witnessed here. He claimed that in Pakistan Christians are the most unappreciated minority.

“Only after General Pervez Musharraf condemned violence against them that they are holding their heads high.” “I wish the border between the two countries disappears and we can all be one family. I want to go back and tell my people that India is not the land of kafirs but a land of grace and courtesy.”

Mohammed Asif said though he initially came only for the cricket matches, after reaching India he has realised that a lot can happen between the two countries. “The Berlin Wall can come down. South and North Korea can get together. Then why can’t Pakistan and India unite?” The slogan “Cricket to ek bahana hai, hamein dillon ko milana hai” (Cricket is only an excuse. We are here to unite hearts) has captured the minds of people of both the countries here.

For some Pakistanis, India’s economic condition is a great attraction. Mr Adul Karim and his wife Salma, wants to own a house in Chandigarh. ”You know, the domestic rate of electricity in Pakistan is Rs 7 per unit, whereas in India it is mush less. You have to shell out around Rs 4 lakh to own a Maruti car in Pakistan, but here you can get it for around Rs 2.2 lakh.” Even magazines and newspapers are much more expensive. Fond as they are of Bollywood, people of Pakistan have to shell out nearly Rs 100 for a film magazine that costs around Rs 30 in India.

[Cronos]

Yugoslavia is a pipe dream of Marshall Tito.

Get real -- Jugoslavia existed BEFORE Tito.

[econ_grad]

I didnt mean independent in the Biblical sense. There was no nation called Yugoslavia. The Croats, Bosnians, Serbs, etc. all had their little enclaves within separate political entities. Serbia, for example, had its own prince who took orders from someone else, but governed internally independently. Balkanization became a dirty word not because it involved splitting up nations, but the partitions took place across ethnic lines which started the fighting. Look at the Czechs and the Slavs. No dispute there, and both sides are happy living separately. India and Pakistan live happily, except for Kashmir - the only property of any value that wasn't divided.

[econ_grad]

You are obviously drinking the state-sponsored kool-aid. Read Richard West's Rise and Fall of Yugoslavia if it hasn't already been banned in India. Tito was a Croat whose claim to fame was unifying Yugoslavia by playing one group against another.

[Cronos]

Look at the Czechs and the Slavs.

Czechs ARE slavs.

[Cronos]

Look at the Czechs and the Slavs.

I guess you mean Czechs and Slovaks -- however, the analogy is incorrect -- Cechs and Slovaks are racially/ethnically both Slavs, are both Christian (mostly Catholic) and speak similar languages (a Czech can understand a Slovak and vice-versa and both can understand Polish). However, they were historically divided -- from the 1700s onwards, the Slovaks came under control of the Hungarians while the Czechs were under the control of the Austrian Germans.

[Cronos]

Fact: Yugoslavia was formed after World War ONE -- when the Southern Slavs were united under a common King.

[Gengis Khan]

If you dont want to see India get dismembered then you are on my side dude. Read my post again.

I am no paki.

Its econ_grad who is asking for the dismembering of India and I am voicing my opinion against it.

[CarrotAndStick]

Hey econ-grad, I have a suggestion-why not declare yourself an independent republic? If nations do good when broken up, why sir, may I ask, are the countries of Latin America, South America and Africa in the doldrums?

Looks like someone needs to graduate again.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I was in India during the "Wills World Cup" about 1995 and the people went ape when they beat the Pakis.

In Pakistan they wanted to haul their team up on charges that they disgraced their country.

Many were calling for the team to be shot.

Being an ugly American, I had to point out that In the USA we bounce the ball to small children, when they get 8 or 9 we throw them the ball to hit.

The joke went over like a lead balloon.

[sukhoi-30mki]

The Wills World Cup was in 1996.

[Gengis Khan]

You missed my whole point.

 

On the contrary I think I read through your point quite clearly. You wish to thrust your judgement on a whole nation and its  people and you think you best understand whats good and whats not based on your perception of events that you have witnessed in India and else where and conclusion you choose to draw to suit the logic behind your perception.

 

Of course a billion Indians believe in a unified Yugoslavia. What else can I expect from a billion hungry mouths waiting in line to pick up their ration. If they felt otherwise, the central subsidies will evaporate instantly. Marshall Tito and Nehru were good friends. Tito must have taught his friend well how to keep different groups toe the govt line.

Who cares about Yugoslavia and Tito? What have I got to do with them? (and Nehru is long dead and I have nothing to do with him either) I was only talking about India.

 

Firstly buddy I am a Bengali but I am no "Bengali Babu". I live in Pune now and I am more of a cosmopolitan Bombay guy. I have my relatives still living in Calcutta, Silliguri, Guawhati, Agartala and Jamalpur(Bihar).

 

To me you sound like a Naxalite, talking about freedom, class struggle and ruling class oppression. Carving up India wont solve your problem. Have a look at Nepal. That country is free. Their maoist problem is unlike anywhere in India. Being seperate from India didn't solve their problem. While India gave greater emphasis to land reforms and local self-governance (panchayati raj), none our neighbours have anything close to that and this is what makes us more democratic than most countries. India is not a soviet communist system where all power exists with the center and the population is reeling under the government repression as you make it sound with your anti-India propaganda.

 

but I have made it my mission in life to spread freedom wherever I see oppression.

Firstly you dont have a very clear idea about what exactly is freedom and how one should/can go about achieveing it.

You can probably take your mission to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and scores of other islamic countries. I would even include Iraq to the list. Those guys really need some freedom from oppression.

 

Come to think of it most good things in India in the modern era has taken place because of influence of outsiders. You need to go to your closest temple and perform a pooja to thank Warren Hastings, who did more social reform in India since Adi Sankaracharya.

 

I dont agree with you. It was social reformers within the fold of Hinduism who brought about social changes albeit under western influence. I dont need to do any  pooja to thank Warren Hastings coz he was not the one responsible for the social changes, or else how is it that muslim society never changes, even when they were also under British rule.

You may have travelled the world but your vision is flawed. The solution suggested by you has no connection with reality and has greater potential to do harm than good.

 

 Too late my Bengali babu, every oppressed person in the world is my business. If it alters your little universe from Ballygunge to Shyambazar, then you better get used to living with me. I am coming for two months to work in Haldia outside Calcutta. Maybe I will stop by to proselytize.

 

My business is the whole India because its MY country (not yours), I have a say in deciding its future (not you). So as a missionary you better stick to religion Father, dont get be under the wrong impression that we will allow you to change our destiny. India will and shall remain a whole wether you like it or not.

[Jim Noble]

Pakistan was a terrible idea in 1948, and it hasn't gotten any better.

Give it back to India, where it belongs.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

That is the reason I said ABOUT 1995. I did not want to dig out an expired passport to look up the exact date.

[FreedomSurge]

Try incessant Muslim raiding on the rich Buddhist temples and the murder of the monks.

[ARridgerunner]

Well, as an American I would like to apologize for econ grad.

He/she sounds like another do-gooder American Missionary with a Messiah Complex: Save the Poor oppressed Indians. Teach them about the true God and morality and freedom and right living. (Never mind our own country is a cesspool and doing "good" starts at home.) The Dalits are easy enough targets for the agitators. Hence the interest in "saving" them.

It's enough to make one puke.

[econ_grad]

And chances are someone also had a dog named Yugoslavia. The nation state of Yugoslavia with the Bosnians, Croats, Kosovars, Serbs and everyone else in it was formed under Tito. He accomplished that by centralization of everything.

[econ_grad]

Walk a mile in their shoe and then complain. I have never seen bigotry like that in my life, even when I grew up in Southern Georgia before the days of the Civil Rights laws. I am not a missionary, but I have deep respect for the good work they do there.

[ARridgerunner]

I am not a missionary, but I have deep respect for the good work they do there.

You may not be a missionary, but you definitely are on a mission.

[RightWhale]

This can be done. It ought to be done if only in the interest of reducing outside agitation for deals and bargains that reduce internal stability and increase the chances of war from outside interests. It could be based on the Federal model.

[asoka]

econ_savior ji,

i am buddhist dalit myself and i dont desire breakup of india.fullstop.got it?

dalits jave been mistreated in past but now things have completely changed.why do compare miserable states liek bihar(ruled by a yadav low caste) or commie bengal to india.come to delhi or bangalore and you will see the greateness of modern india.i cant describe the joy i feel when new shiny buildings are raised .this is new india.deal with it.forget our snake charmer days...lol:)

ps:when english came to india we had the 24 percent of the world trade.when they left in 1947 we indians had the life expectancy of 32 year and our share of economic trade was 1 percent.we had to literally built from the bottom.of inequalitie still persist in some hell hole bihar but hings are better by large.

jai hind.