INDIA AND PAKISTAN CAN NEVER BE FRIENDS

 FOR THE MOTION: Maroof Raza and Shiv Kunal Verma.
 AGAINST THE MOTION: Pavan Varma and Shashi Tharoor.
 Chair: Vir Sanghvi

I was spellbound after attending this particular debate for many reasons. First of all the topic was so interesting (PUNCH LINE OF THE DEBATE) and secondly it was the oratory skills and command of language of the panel members especially Shashi Tharoor and Maroof Raza. I only wish if i can speak like them. Every word spoken has a capability to mesmerize the crowd. I was totally glued into the debate as such a kind of a debate can ignite a fire of memories of the recent past.

Well when it comes to taking a stand i am and will be For the motion that India and Pakistan can never be friends for the reasons i know. However this debate gave me a insight for what people have to say. I want to highlight few points made by panel members in order to validate my stand.

Points made For the Motion:

1. Geopolitics sealed the gap of India and Pakistan being friends. Cold blooded dispute over geography left millions dead. Divide and rule took its stand. For the British it was game set.

2. Following the geopolitics divide Emotional Quotient came into play that left many wounds raw till date.

3. Things changed and emphasis from geopolitics and emotional quotient translated to Real Politics. In short Pakistan was after blood.

4. 1971 East Pakistan partition politics followed by series war of war is Pakistans politics/stand against India

5. Factors that favor Pakistan anti-India stand
Opposing ideology, India's multicultural society.
Horrors of partition played by Pakistan.
Pakistan's national narrative is Anti-Indian. Any one not agreeing to it by definition is clinically myopic as he cant read the writing on the wall.
Obsession with Kashmir. Pakistan has a strong Islamic foundation and ideology. Zia ul Haq, Pakistani Military General made it clear about Pakistan's strong Islamic ideology. If Pakistan does not match up to its Islamic roots Pakistan would end up as second class India. Hence a strong case needs to be taken up against India.

Zia ul Haq - Pakistan will eat grass but build the bomb to be a nuclear power. 
I must appreciate his and the countrys willingness to stretch and achieve their dreams. 

Points made Against the Motion:

1. Choose your friends but you cannot change your neighbors.

2. History is an evolving medium. Diplomacy cannot have a permanent influence. No one can rule out the possibility in future that friendship is not possible. If they say it is not possible because of India's geopolitics, Europe will prove it otherwise. Countries change, people change and voices change. They find a change in themselves.

3. Possibility of India and Pakistan friendship cannot be completely ruled out because of changing waves in geopolitics. What if both are at threat for another Colonial rule.

4. India can always be friends with the Pakistani people as there is a lot in common among both than any other sworn enemies on earth. India and Pakistan ties in all avenues and areas can and will flourish as both share the common thread (DNA).

5. Though India can be a very good friend to Pakistani people friendship with ISI backed Pakistan is not possible because of a strong anti-India stand. Pakistani army controls the GDP of the country and has no strategic interest of peace  based on their military expenditure. Kashmir is a symptom of Pakistans need of hostility against India to promote its Islamic Agenda.

My take
Well i agree to many of the points that are For the motion and few with against the motion. I will for today proceed with For the motion.

1. For Pakistan they take the Kashmir (Masla) very seriously. Kashmir Masla is Pakistans GARAM MASALA. Many Pakistanis may go from Naram to Garam when they talk about Kashmir. Garmi is what all want which is the need in Pakistani diet just as Kashmir. Ghosh without Masala is not of any use.

2. Pakistan has a hard core Islamic ideology that roots for Kashmir only because of Kashmirs Muslim majority. Kashmir has a Muslim majority only after many Kashmiri Pandits were driven out. Otherwise this would not have been the case.

3. Pakistan as far as i know claims it right on Kashmir only because of its Muslim Majority.

4. I may lack real actual knowledge on Pakistans obsession for Kashmir. As far as any Indian is concerned we share a common indoctrination that we have been brought up with.

5. The whole Kashmir fiasco has religion embedded in it. If they ask Kashmir solely on the basis of their religious beliefs then coming up with a good fight is the only way to go.

6. Coming up with a good fight is the need as the next claim can be Rest of India for having more Muslims than Pakistan. Just because you have Muslims in majority living in any given state  it cannot be called Pakistan is what they should know. They were not able to convert Bangladesh to East Pakistan so will be the case with Kashmir if they relentlessly pursue it. It is just a matter of when if they stick and play with the Religion Card and not learn from prior mistakes. If they can get their way through this Pakistanis will be the next Arab Sheikhs sitting on vast amounts of oil conquering all of the Middle East with their hard core ideology.

7. Todays news paper headlines again discussed Pakistans usual rhetoric against India. Headlines  for today was unusual as they resorted to something different  than their usual method of kill. Pakistani army beheading an Indian soldier. If this continues i would agree to disagree to see peace anywhere on the discussion table. Hence my stand too will be for the motion till they come up with a solution to end differences.