Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
India

India's Muslims welcome Modi's gesture to Pakistan

Darpan News Desk Darpan, 24 May, 2014 06:18 PM
    India’s Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s gesture of inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony has raised hopes of a long-lasting peace between the arch rivals among Muslims of this country.
     
    In direct contrast to his election pitch - where he spoke of a toughened stand against Pakistan - Narendra Modi, by this single gesture, has given a delightfully unexpected turn to the diplomatic course in the region. As much as the gesture stunned the leadership across the border, it has aroused hope among the people in India and Indian Muslims, especially, are construing it as a portend of a happy turn of events.
     
    Muslims in India, the nation's largest minority, comprise 14 percent of its 1.2 billion people, and are the world's third largest Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan. 
     
    “It’s a very good step by Mr. Modi. Although we can’t expect all the festering wounds to heal overnight, but yes let me concede a very positive start has been made. We now hope that the issues between the two would also be solved in the near future,” Maulana Jalaluddin Umari, president, Jamat-e-Islami Hind, told IANS. 
     
    Equally upbeat is SQR Ilyas, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. “It’s a very happy start to a new innings. The step is likely to improve relations. It reminds us of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s era when much headway was made in diplomacy with Pakistan,” said Ilyas.
     
    “Poor relations with Pakistan are in no one’s interest. Both countries end up spending more than they normally should on defence, ruin bilateral trade and ultimately the common man suffers,” Ilyas told IANS..
     
     
    The invitation has allayed fears, at least for the moment, that relations with Pakistan may deteriorate under the Modi regime. 
     
    “Only communication can bridge the gap. The invite is a very good step, whatever the fear mongers may try to portray it as. Now, Pakistan should address India’s concerns and a healthy relationship should develop that promotes regional peace,” proffered Kamal Farooqi, a prominent Muslim voice and former chairman, Delhi Minorities Commission.
     
    The incumbent chairman of the Delhi Minorities Commission, Safdar H Khan, too sees the development as a welcome change. 
     
    “Both countries would benefit if good relations are maintained. In terms of trade, India can export machinery and edibles like tea to Pakistan that our neighbour is currently buying from other countries at a very high cost,” Khan told IANS. 
     
    However, amid the euphoria, some people are still sceptical about the durability of the dialogue process. 
     
    “We can only hope that our relations with Pakistan would improve. But in the past we have seen that Pakistan does not stand by its resolve for too long. So let’s not be too enthusiastic this time around,” said Mahmood Madani of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind. 
     
    “But yes, the gesture of extending an invite to the Pakistan prime minister should be appreciated,” he said. 

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Government intended to punish Sikhs, reveals Cobrapost

    Government intended to punish Sikhs, reveals Cobrapost
    The Delhi Police succumbed to anti-Sikh sentiments in 1984, thus abetting rioting and arson, a sting operation by news portal Cobrapost revealed Tuesday. The expose triggered a political row.

    Government intended to punish Sikhs, reveals Cobrapost

    Watch Cobrapost Expose: Delhi Police was ordered to go slow on 1984 Rioters

    Watch Cobrapost Expose: Delhi Police was ordered to go slow on 1984 Rioters
    Cobrapost which carried out the sting operation on Babri demolition a few days ago has now come up with another expose that claims Congress government in 1984 didn't allow the Delhi police to act against those involved in the anti-Sikh riots.

    Watch Cobrapost Expose: Delhi Police was ordered to go slow on 1984 Rioters

    Election Special: Harvesting season worries grip Punjab leaders

    Election Special: Harvesting season worries grip Punjab leaders
    As the election fever builds up in Punjab for the April 30 Lok Sabha polls, so is the concern among politicians about the polling date coming right in the middle of the peak wheat-crop harvesting season.

    Election Special: Harvesting season worries grip Punjab leaders

    India/Pakistan travelogues by Indians/Pakistanis: This Near And Yet So Far

    India/Pakistan travelogues by Indians/Pakistanis: This Near And Yet So Far
    An incident that made me feel bad about the existence of a border between India and Pakistan...There was a 60-year-old man who touched Indian soil and started crying the moment he crossed the border today. Reason - he was not given a visa for the past 28 years to meet his son in Kolkata and today he got that... Are government policies more important than human emotions?

    India/Pakistan travelogues by Indians/Pakistanis: This Near And Yet So Far

    Soliloquy: 'English As She Is Spoke'

    Soliloquy: 'English As She Is Spoke'
    Sample this: Supervisor to foreman: "Where's Ramesh?" Supervisor: "Sir, he hasn't come today because he's tully". Translation: "Sir, he had too much to drink last night and is still drunk." Find that hard to digest? Well, there's a website called tullyho.com that deals with all there is to about drinks. Do check it out.

    Soliloquy: 'English As She Is Spoke'

    Will Nehru-Gandhi dynasty reboot or fade out?

    Will Nehru-Gandhi dynasty reboot or fade out?
    Narendra Modi is not far off the mark when he says that the May 16 results will be the Congress's worst. Drawing room and tea-stall chatter nowadays centres on whether the 128-year-old no longer a Grand Old Party will be able to reach the 100-seat mark in the 545-member Lok Sabha in which two MPs are nominated.

    Will Nehru-Gandhi dynasty reboot or fade out?