Look you can't deny that the feeling of hatred exists well over the term called hatred and i may add on both sides. And yes i may dare add that if a poll is conducted, most Indians majority will talk about breaking Pakistan, because honestly speaking they are not aware of the implication of such a move, they just want to punish evil Pakistan and its evil populace. Malay the other day was saying something similar that the feeling towards breaking Pakistan has increased among Indians on all levels in recent years. I am sure he wasn't just saying it for the sake of saying it and that is exactly why when the US tells us India is not a threat, we laugh at the yanks thinking who are they trying to fool here, us or themselves.
I do not deny that hatred exists on both sides. But we go wrong when we say that this hatred runs through the fabric of a country, India or Pakistan.
My perspective: Nations are run by elites who shape the national ideology. Of course this ideology requires some level of consensus among the people else, like Soviet Russia, the nation will break down at some stage.
However, elites shape ideology in both Pakistan and India. Regardless of who these elites are (military, political class, businesses, media etc), they form not more than (at the most) 10% of our populations.
A fight between India and Pakistan may involve our entire nations but it is essentially a fight between the elites.
You and I are both part of this elite structure. Our motivations are roughly the same - to retain our elite status first and foremost. This is natural human behaviour.
The remainder of the population doesn't give much of a damn. It just wants to be left in peace. For example, people see the Taliban taking over FATA, Buner, SWAT, the rise of a very dangerous religious fundamentalism etc. I see that. But I also see the greater majority of people there suffering, and where they can, getting the ell out of there, voting with their feet.
This, and my experiences in India (and I have done hardcore NGO work for four years so I'm not speaking theoretically of what the common people feel), lead me to believe that the remainder of our populations doesn't really give a good goddamn about those "evil" Muslims/ Hindus/ Pakistanis/ Indians.
They. just.want. to. get. on. with. their. lives. in. peace.
Of course the elites can mobilize this larger mass of people and their worst passions. But it isn't consistent nor is it permanent.
Our mutual elites fight each other because of the divergent ideologies that have shaped their world views. Then they (we) involve our fellow citizens to believe what we believe.
I have also seen - at somewhat close range without becoming an active participant - Indian politics and its players at the highest level. Based on that knowledge, I have lost all the 'traditional respect' that we are supposed to give to our leaders. I like to take the 'long cool look' at my history and my nation, your history and your nation. I now also look at Nehru and Jinnah and the others dispassionately.
What we read in our histories, what we believe, how we feel towards each other is shaped by the elite culture and institutionalized memory of battles won, betrayals, victories, defeats. And as elites - you and I - we perpetuate this.
This is one of the many reasons that I do not believe that the 'majority of Indians' would like to see Pakistan breaking up. Let me nuance that last. The 'majority of Indians' wouldn't care one way or another because they have their lives to lead.
I even refuse to believe that the majority of Indian elites would like to see Pakistan break up, but that's another discussion.
India and Pakistan, we're hostiles, fine, although I look forward to the day we wont. However, let's not get one part of this wrong - our mutual peoples are not hostiles, some of our elites definitely . To believe the former would require you to believe that and entire nation or religion even is hostile. Which would be racism/ jingoism at its worst, apart from being logically indefensible thinking.