BeautifulGame Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 NEW DELHI: India may be pounding Pakistan heavily on the border in retaliation to its continued ceasefire violations, but minister of state (MoS) for home Kiren Rijiju feels New Delhi does not need to be hawkish on Pakistan and must let go of its obsession with the neighbour. Speaking at an event in the capital, Rijiju said India should retain its image of a soft state as that is its strength. He, however, qualified his statement with the caveat that it should, however, be firm in defending itself. The minister was speaking at the second RV Raju Memorial Lecture organized by National Investigation Agency (NIA). Speaking after senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, who delivered the lecture titled 'Pakistan and Neighbourhood—A Hawkish Attitude', Rijiju said, "We are a natural soft power. We don't need to be hawkish (vis-a-vis neighbourhood). We should not tinker with our international image of being a soft power." Speaking on Pakistan, Rijiju said, "I think Indians and Pakistanis should not be obsessed with each other. If we need to be a superpower, we need to let go of our Pakistan obsession." He, however, said that "our apparatus does not need to be soft" and that India should be firm in defending itself. The minister seemed to echo a growing view in the foreign policy establishment in the country that Pakistan is a mere irritant and not a strategic threat to India and that India is far more powerful, bigger and economically well-off to be obsessed with Pakistan. He also seemed to agree with Gupta who quipped that certain "idiots" on prime time news were trying to give direction to Indian response to Pakistan. Warning against giving in to media frenzy, Rijiju said, "We should not jump (in response to TV debates). TV debates are not taking India to the right place." He also said much of the obsession with Pakistan was limited to North India albeit due to historical reasons. "Northern part of India is obsessed with Pakistan and it is overriding our attitude. We don't need to bring in Pakistan in all dimensions (of governance in India)," Rijiju said. The minister also spoke against the need for any special law to tackle terrorism, even though it was the last NDA government which brought in POTA. The minister instead pushed for greater efficiency of counter-terror agencies. "People often feel the need for an extraordinary law to tackle terrorism. I feel the agency and its efficiency matter more," Rijiju said. The minister's statements come in the backdrop of India's strong response to cross-border fire from Pakistan under the Narendra Modi regime and repeated demands from NIA for a special anti-terror law. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kiren-Rijiju-Pakistan-obsession-is-a-north-Indian-thing/articleshow/45947416.cms Agree? I think he is spot on particularly about the media
coffee_rules Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 It is because North India was most affected during partition. Also East, but post-1971, it has softened.
G_B_ Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 The media is in general north centric. I am talking English media so he is right to a certain extent.
G_B_ Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 and i also feel that India are overlooking the threat posed by China which is much greater than Pakistan.
randomGuy Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 Is he referring to Arnab - "idiots" in media?:cantstop:
Sachin=GOD Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 Couldn't agree more, especially the part about Pakistan being only an irritant rather than a strategic threat.
Sachin=GOD Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 and i also feel that India are overlooking the threat posed by China which is much greater than Pakistan. Yes. Pakistan is anyway facing its own troubles with terrorists and I don't expect it to be India's primary threat. China is the country to focus all attention on - they've got the weapons, the money and the leadership to be India's biggest long term threat.
AmreekanDesi Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 south india has little to do with Pakistanis or muslims so makes sense
BeautifulGame Posted January 20, 2015 Author Posted January 20, 2015 It is because North India was most affected during partition. Also East' date=' but post-1971, it has softened.[/quote'] Agree but its 65 years .Its time pople moved on from them. This is a country that lacks Power Gas and even Petorl to 70% of its population.We should be looking to countries like China and South Korea development The only think about Pakistan that should concern us is cross-border terrorism
coffee_rules Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 Agree but its 65 years .Its time pople moved on from them. This is a country that lacks Power Gas and even Petorl to 70% of its population.We should be looking to countries like China and South Korea development The only think about Pakistan that should concern us is cross-border terrorism Have Jews moved on from the Holocaust? I don't think it is easy to forget when families have been divided and have not seen them for decades.
G_B_ Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 Have Jews moved on from the Holocaust? I don't think it is easy to forget when families have been divided and have not seen them for decades. have tamils ever moved on from the SL issue? we all have some issues close to our heart. Thats just the way it is
BeautifulGame Posted January 20, 2015 Author Posted January 20, 2015 have tamils ever moved on from the SL issue? we all have some issues close to our heart. Thats just the way it is Apart from some Politicans most people have moved on from it i would say.The fact that no Tamil nationalist politicians could win a single seat(Not even Vaiko) in any election in recent times should be proof imo
G_B_ Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 Apart from some Politicans most people have moved on from it i would say.The fact that no Tamil nationalist politicians could win a single seat(Not even Vaiko) in any election in recent times should be proof imo so why are sri lankan players banned from chennai in the IPL?
div Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 It is not just about war or terrorism,...Srini Mama and BCCI banned Pakis from IPL,But Bollywood people still give chances to Pakis.
BeautifulGame Posted January 20, 2015 Author Posted January 20, 2015 so why are sri lankan players banned from chennai in the IPL? It was a specific instance about the UN resolution that trigged the protests.Even DMK has to withdraw from the UPA govt then.Solely targeting Rajapakshe and his govt . Its like wanting to bring Hafeez saeed to justice .IPL was just target to make a popular stand .Just like Pak players in IPL after 26/11
Texan Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 have tamils ever moved on from the SL issue? we all have some issues close to our heart. Thats just the way it is Exactly. Everybody has some issue. Bengalis and Assamese don't want Bangladeshis usurping their jobs. Tamil politicians never lose an opportunity to criticize Lanka. I don't get why international relations have to also be looked through the North India v/s South India prism.
Texan Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 It was a specific instance about the UN resolution that trigged the protests.Even DMK has to withdraw from the UPA govt then.Solely targeting Rajapakshe and his govt . Its like wanting to bring Hafeez saeed to justice .IPL was just target to make a popular stand .Just like Pak players in IPL after 26/11 There is a huge difference between Hafeez Saeed and Rajapakshe. You cannot compare the two. Hafeez Saeed has committed and masterminded crimes of epic proportions committed in India against Indians. For everything wrong that Rajapakshe did, he did not commit a crime against India. This is the issue I have. Why are crimes committed against Sri Lankan Tamils equal or more grave for some Indian Tamils compared to crimes committed against fellow Indians?
jalebi_bhai Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Irritants my foot. As long as they continue to remain a security threat to the people of our nation,there is no moving on from Pakistan in the near future. Not after what happened to the Kashmiri Pandits. Not after the 2001 parliamentary attacks. No way after 26/11. For Pakistan, 1971 was more or less the point of no return. In an ideal world, we would all want peace and harmony; but peace and harmony need to be forthcoming from both sides. The Vajpayee govt. extended the olive branch in 1999, we all know what happened next. Don't get me started on the media buffoons.
suraj Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 This is why Northies > southies; they know and face reality Also bachchan > Rajni :giggle::giggle:
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