Indo-Pakistan debate at Kovalam Literary Fest

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Pakistani writer Mohammed Hanif rudely exploded the longheld feelgood myth that Indians and Pakistanis are long lost brothers.

"I have been hearing this mantra for quite long but we are different people. We might have shared a common history but we have interpreted it differently,'' the author of 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' said in the irritated drawl of man who had been woken up from sleep.

The writer's body language alone was enough to suggest what he thought of 'IndoPak Relations: The Way Forward', the topic put up for debate at the end of the Kovalam Literary Festival. He sat on the dais as though he might easily slide down from the chair, frequently passed his hands through his adamantly curled hair and whenever he was asked whether he had anything to say he mostly began with an absentminded 'no'.

At one point, in a sarcastic reference to the topic of the debate, he said he did not know how things were going to move forward. Another time he suggested the debate reflected India's arrogance.

"Only you can conduct such a debate on India and Pakistan without referring to Kashmir.'' Hanif looked irredeemably suspicious.

Intriguing

Author and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor was visibly offended, though he tried hard, and very nearly succeeded, in fixing a smile throughout the debate. Tharoor said Hanif's attitude was intriguing. It was indicative of Pakistan's denial of shared historical roots and cultural underpinnings. "It is time to get away from the sense of denial,'' Tharoor said.

There were times when a shocking intensity of emotion shot through Hanif's generally nonchalant manner. When Tharoor commented that Pakistan should stop exporting terror to India, Hanif strained and stiffened his features.

"Over one fifth of Pakistan is drowned. A mosque blows up every day. Do you think Pakistanis are sitting there and thinking of ways to bring India down. We do have some nuts. But they are not the problem at the moment,'' Hanif said.

Shashi Tharoor, who too seemed to be provoked into sarcasm, ridiculed Pakistan's refusal to directly accept flood assistance from India. "Our aid was hugely generous considering the churlishness of the recipient,'' he said.

Hanif looked amused when he heard of Pakistan spurning Indian money. "Come on, are you accusing our politicians of not accepting money,'' he said, an obvious dig at the rampant corruption in Pakistan.

Later, while commenting about the military in both India and Pakistan, Hanif said: "Both these militaries kill their own children. You claim to be a big democracy but you have not been able to stop them. We are ruled by the military and we simply can't stop them,'' he said. "I do hope Pakistan becomes a fullfledged functioning democracy in my time, or at least in my son's time,'' he added.

BBC's Amit Baruah, who moderated the debate, put forth a formal question. How does Pakistanis perceive the Indian military, he asked. Hanif was unforgiving. "They have no perception of Indian military. They haven't got the time nor the mental space to think about India,'' he said. Then, with a dismissive wave of his hand, he said: "Get used to the indifference.''