Ramya remarks sensible, justifiable

At a time when one presumed that the ‘intolerance debate’ in the country had mercifully subsided, it appears to have reared its ugly head once again with heated arguments over Kannada actress and former Congress MP Ramya’s statement in support of the people of Pakistan. Reacting to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s jibe that “going to Pakistan is same as going to hell,” Ramya, who had recently visited Islamabad in connection with the Saarc Youth Parliamentarians’ Conference strongly countered it, saying, “what I found (in Pakistan) was not hell, but a country that is home to people just like us, who happen, sadly, to be ruled by a regime that does not inspire confidence.” 

Firstly, Parrikar being a Union minister should not have made such an intemperate and immature remark against a neighbouring country, especially when India’s relations with it has hit a nadir and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to resume dialogue, alternating his strategy between aggression and hope. In December last year, Modi himself made a dramatic visit to Pakistan, engaged his counterpart Nawaz Sharif in resolving some of the contentious issues between the two nations. But violence in Kashmir has again vitiated the atmosphere and statements like that of Parrikar needlessly add fuel to the fire. In this context, stepping up people-to-people contact is extremely vital and which is what Ramya, a new generation politician, was advocating with her utterly sensible remark about the people of Pakistan. The outrageous reactions of the BJP and other right wing activists in holding demonstrations against Ramya, burning and stomping on her posters and even throwing eggs at her, are completely unacceptable and deserve to be condemned. This has unfortunately taken a legal turn too, with a case of sedition being filed against Ramya before a Madikeri court. The Congress spokesman has rightly pointed out that if seeking good relations with Pakistan constitutes sedition, then Modi, L K Advani and A B Vajpayee should also be booked under the same provision.

It is important to note that while praising the people of Pakistan, Ra-mya stuck to India’s official position that our problem is with its rulers. It is not only Ramya, but most Indians, including writers, artistes and journalists, who have had occasions to visit Pakistan have felt the spontaneous friendship and warm hospitality of its people. When decades of frozen relationships, which have resulted in mutual suspicion and hatred, give way to better understanding at the grassroots, political dialogue could also gain momentum. It’s time political parties and the media showed more maturity and sensitivity in such matters.