Good Sense to prevail only after Modi: Aiyar

[Green Arrow]

Ex-president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and Indian peace activist Mani Shankar Aiyar exchange views at the book launch. PHOTO: AYESHA SALIM/EXPRESS

KARACHI: With Narendra Modi in power, Indian peace activist Mani Shankar Aiyar, who is also a former petroleum minister in India, has reasons to be pessimistic.

“I am looking forward to the Congress coming back and for good sense to prevail,” said Aiyar. He was speaking during the question-answer session at the launch of former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s new book ‘Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove’, on Monday.

He was, however, the only panellist who felt this way. Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf believed that peace talks will start eventually regardless of the fact that it is the Congress or the BJP in power. “We have dealt with both and, sooner or later, good sense will prevail with Modi,” he said.

Kasuri pointed out how crucial it is for India to seek peace with its neighbours, especially Pakistan, if it wishes to play the role of a global leader. “If Modi wishes to be successful, he needs to sit on the table with Pakistan,” he said.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, the head of the Observer Research Foundation in India, also chose to be optimistic. “Modi’s foreign policy has been in flip flops,” he said, hoping that it will flip in favour of peace talks eventually. Also in attendance was Indian foreign secretary Salman Haider.

Referring to the same success, Musharraf listed the four frameworks that India and Pakistan had nearly reached consensus on. Firstly, to graduate military presence in Kashmir, secondly, to ensure self-governance in the region, thirdly, to form an overseeing body for Kashmir and, lastly, to make the Line of Control irrelevant by opening out six routes for the movement of man and mankind.

“We were so close, yet far,” he said.

Kulkarni focused on the links that unite the two countries but also highlighted areas where India and Pakistan need to work. His views resonated with Musharraf who said the two sides need to be flexible.

When it comes to relations between India and Pakistan, you can either be a hawk or a dove. But trying to find space between the two were the panellists who agreed that dialogue should continue uninterrupted no matter what. “If we talk, [there is a chance] we may come to a conclusion. But if we don’t talk, I am certain that we may never reach a conclusion,” said Aiyar.

Message for Shiv Sena

In the presence of prominent diplomats and a former head of state, the man who received a standing ovation from the audience was Kulkarni, who recently made headlines after the Shiv Sena threw black oil paint on his face for inviting Kasuri to launch his book in Mumbai.

The audience requested Kulkarni to give a message to the party that claims to be the sole spokesperson for Hindu and Marathi rights. “I met Hindus at Swami Narayan temple [in Karachi] and I met Marathi-speaking people, and they all claimed to be proud Pakistanis,” he shared. “Shiv Sena needs to realise this.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2015

 

[GreenApple]

View attachment 269258
Ex-president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and Indian peace activist Mani Shankar Aiyar exchange views at the book launch. PHOTO: AYESHA SALIM/EXPRESS

KARACHI: With Narendra Modi in power, Indian peace activist Mani Shankar Aiyar, who is also a former petroleum minister in India, has reasons to be pessimistic.

“I am looking forward to the Congress coming back and for good sense to prevail,” said Aiyar. He was speaking during the question-answer session at the launch of former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s new book ‘Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove’, on Monday.

He was, however, the only panellist who felt this way. Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf believed that peace talks will start eventually regardless of the fact that it is the Congress or the BJP in power. “We have dealt with both and, sooner or later, good sense will prevail with Modi,” he said.

Kasuri pointed out how crucial it is for India to seek peace with its neighbours, especially Pakistan, if it wishes to play the role of a global leader. “If Modi wishes to be successful, he needs to sit on the table with Pakistan,” he said.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, the head of the Observer Research Foundation in India, also chose to be optimistic. “Modi’s foreign policy has been in flip flops,” he said, hoping that it will flip in favour of peace talks eventually. Also in attendance was Indian foreign secretary Salman Haider.

Referring to the same success, Musharraf listed the four frameworks that India and Pakistan had nearly reached consensus on. Firstly, to graduate military presence in Kashmir, secondly, to ensure self-governance in the region, thirdly, to form an overseeing body for Kashmir and, lastly, to make the Line of Control irrelevant by opening out six routes for the movement of man and mankind.

“We were so close, yet far,” he said.

Kulkarni focused on the links that unite the two countries but also highlighted areas where India and Pakistan need to work. His views resonated with Musharraf who said the two sides need to be flexible.

When it comes to relations between India and Pakistan, you can either be a hawk or a dove. But trying to find space between the two were the panellists who agreed that dialogue should continue uninterrupted no matter what. “If we talk, [there is a chance] we may come to a conclusion. But if we don’t talk, I am certain that we may never reach a conclusion,” said Aiyar.

Message for Shiv Sena

In the presence of prominent diplomats and a former head of state, the man who received a standing ovation from the audience was Kulkarni, who recently made headlines after the Shiv Sena threw black oil paint on his face for inviting Kasuri to launch his book in Mumbai.

The audience requested Kulkarni to give a message to the party that claims to be the sole spokesperson for Hindu and Marathi rights. “I met Hindus at Swami Narayan temple [in Karachi] and I met Marathi-speaking people, and they all claimed to be proud Pakistanis,” he shared. “Shiv Sena needs to realise this.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2015

View attachment 269258
Ex-president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and Indian peace activist Mani Shankar Aiyar exchange views at the book launch. PHOTO: AYESHA SALIM/EXPRESS

KARACHI: With Narendra Modi in power, Indian peace activist Mani Shankar Aiyar, who is also a former petroleum minister in India, has reasons to be pessimistic.

“I am looking forward to the Congress coming back and for good sense to prevail,” said Aiyar. He was speaking during the question-answer session at the launch of former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s new book ‘Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove’, on Monday.

He was, however, the only panellist who felt this way. Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf believed that peace talks will start eventually regardless of the fact that it is the Congress or the BJP in power. “We have dealt with both and, sooner or later, good sense will prevail with Modi,” he said.

Kasuri pointed out how crucial it is for India to seek peace with its neighbours, especially Pakistan, if it wishes to play the role of a global leader. “If Modi wishes to be successful, he needs to sit on the table with Pakistan,” he said.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, the head of the Observer Research Foundation in India, also chose to be optimistic. “Modi’s foreign policy has been in flip flops,” he said, hoping that it will flip in favour of peace talks eventually. Also in attendance was Indian foreign secretary Salman Haider.

Referring to the same success, Musharraf listed the four frameworks that India and Pakistan had nearly reached consensus on. Firstly, to graduate military presence in Kashmir, secondly, to ensure self-governance in the region, thirdly, to form an overseeing body for Kashmir and, lastly, to make the Line of Control irrelevant by opening out six routes for the movement of man and mankind.

“We were so close, yet far,” he said.

Kulkarni focused on the links that unite the two countries but also highlighted areas where India and Pakistan need to work. His views resonated with Musharraf who said the two sides need to be flexible.

When it comes to relations between India and Pakistan, you can either be a hawk or a dove. But trying to find space between the two were the panellists who agreed that dialogue should continue uninterrupted no matter what. “If we talk, [there is a chance] we may come to a conclusion. But if we don’t talk, I am certain that we may never reach a conclusion,” said Aiyar.

Message for Shiv Sena

In the presence of prominent diplomats and a former head of state, the man who received a standing ovation from the audience was Kulkarni, who recently made headlines after the Shiv Sena threw black oil paint on his face for inviting Kasuri to launch his book in Mumbai.

The audience requested Kulkarni to give a message to the party that claims to be the sole spokesperson for Hindu and Marathi rights. “I met Hindus at Swami Narayan temple [in Karachi] and I met Marathi-speaking people, and they all claimed to be proud Pakistanis,” he shared. “Shiv Sena needs to realise this.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2015

.This man is credited than anyone else for making Modi pm. It was all Because of his chaiwala remark that all thought of teaching congress the lrsson..which it has not learnt- or else how will rahul survice..
I thank mani for making Modi the Pm

 

[silent hawk]

Still people continue to support Modi

 

[cool_not]

I wish this Kurkarni would have met hindus who flee to India and do not want to go back.

 

[SamantK]

Still people continue to support Modi

This is the exact reason people support BJP.

 

[SarthakGanguly]

 

[FaujHistorian]

This is the exact reason people support BJP.

For good or bad, we all should realize that Modi is not a person.
He symbolizes how majority among educated Bharati elite AND even common man on the street feels about their politics.
Even if Modi goes away, good sense towards Pakistan will not prevail.

so I respectfully disagree with Mr. Aiyar

 

[mpk1988]

Look.. I disagree with quite a few decisions of the present BJP govt and maybe the PM could've been more vocal.

However, the shit that comes out of this clown's mouth is not worth old crumpled up toilet paper from a public restroom.. I would say this to his face without shame or regardless of the consequences because he is a jackass that deserves it.. An idiot and hypocrite of the highest order.

 

[SamantK]

For good or bad, we all should realize that Modi is not a person.
He symbolizes how educated Bharati elite feel about their politics.
Even if Modi goes away, good sense towards Pakistan will not prevail.

so I respectfully disagree with Mr. Aiyar

hahaha!

Sir for your age you got it completely wrong. Educated Younguns of our country brought Modi to victory not for his Anti-Pakistan stand but for other things related directly to their day to day lives.

The educated Elite Indians are more like Aiyars of the world, will keep talking nice while our Soldiers and common folks get killed by state sponsored terrorism. The elites will smile make niceties and then go home. The common fellow who in a day when finds little time to think about the country does not like Aman ka Tamasha, Cricket and Pakistanis coming to India and earning money.

That's all there is to it.

 

[saurav]

We saw how good this sense was in Mumbai-2008 when India had possibly most meek PM in history. There is no need for that good sense.

M.S.Aiyar should be credited for his own efforts in bringing Modi to power. May he keep shooting off his back like this at every crucial time. Sharing stage with Musharraf when just days before he accepted Hafiz Saeed as Pakistani Hero, is perhaps most sensible thing to do. These people dont know where the line is and help us immensely in exposing the fraud of "Tamasha" they wish to start.

 

[SarthakGanguly]

We saw how good this sense was in Mumbai-2008 when India had possibly most meek PM in history. There is no need for that good sense.

M.S.Aiyar should be credited for his own efforts in bringing Modi to power. May he keep shooting off his back like this at every crucial time. Sharing stage with Musharraf when just days before he accepted Hafiz Saeed as Pakistani Hero, is perhaps most sensible thing to do. These people dont know where the line is and help us immensely in exposing the fraud of "Tamasha" they wish to start.

Perhaps he is hoping Mush to assassinate Modi. That is ONE logical conclusion.

 

[Umair Nawaz]

LOL there is no such thing as peace b/w Pakistan n India. The only solution is to find a solution from position of strength through military successes.

There is no other way.

 

[saurav]

Perhaps he is hoping Mush to assassinate Modi. That is ONE logical conclusion.

His pal Karan Thapar has already talked about "sudden removal of Modi " some years ago.

 

[SarthakGanguly]

His pal Karan Thapar has already talked about "sudden removal of Modi " some years ago.

This will bring the clean-up to ... about now. @vsdoc

 

[Abingdonboy]

Still people continue to support Modi

Post may-2014 (his inauguration), India is the fastest growing economy in the world, India has received record levels of FDI inflow, inflation has eased, ease of doing business has improved, a $150BN infrastructure project backlog created by the previous GoI has been eaten away at (so far projects from this backlog worth $60BN have been cleared) etc etc


So yes, Modi enjoys a lot of support from the Indian people.