India-Pakistan Reconciliation
By Naveed Khan
Pleaseanton, CA
The conclusion is that both PM Manmohan Singh and FM Salman Khursheed simply cannot deliver on foreign relations with neighbors because most Indians do not simply trust them. Looking at the events of last one week vis-a-vis India-Pakistan relationship, it is clear that both PM Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Salman Khursheed are insecure.
The statements they made showed they are trying to prove their loyalty to extremist elements back home rather than engage in a process of reconciliation. India must never have a minority community member as PM, FM or Defense Minister. They simply do not have the trust of the majority. The irony is that India's relationship with two big neighbors - China and Pakistan - deteriorated after Manmohan Singh became PM and they declined even further after Salman Khursheed assumed the portfolio of foreign minister. Any reconciliation gesture made by these two leaders is viewed with mistrust, skepticism and even antagonism at home.
Manmohan Singh was severely castigated by his own Congress party for adopting a reconciliatory attitude at the 2009 Sharam-Al-Sheikh Summit with the then Pakistan PM Gilani. The Summit declaration was considered a positive start, a breakthrough; however, no progress was made because it was blocked by the Indian military, intelligence agencies and the Hindu hardliners who really call the shots when it comes to relationship with Pakistan and China. Similarly, India has concluded many agreements with Bangladesh to settle territorial disputes, on water sharing from common rivers, and they have been blocked by the regional parties and Hindu nationalists.
A good opportunity to begin the process of peace and reconciliation was wasted at the United Nations by the reckless and uncompromising attitude of both the Indian leaders. One wonders if the tough, unsubstantiated argument was meant for Pakistan or the world or to pander to Hindu extremists at home?
