“Aman ki Aasha”, more of an employment program for Pakistani artists

Another spree of In-Love-With-Pakistan has been successfully launched. This time it is about people putting their profile pictures with handwritten messages like this “I am and Indian. I don’t hate Pakistanis. I want peace and cultural exchange between the two nations. There are more people like me.” Since meaning of peace and cultural exchange is understood as something else by these “guardians of unity“, here is what one thinks these people should have written, reflecting more of truth.

‘I am an Indian. I support that there should be cultural exchange between India and Pakistan. I don’t have a problem with Indian performers not given VISA by Pakistan. I also don’t convey any anger or lack of trust when Pakistani artists take away un-declared hawala money or don’t pay tax or are caught at airport with undeclared cash. I also have absolutely no issues when Pakistani artists come to India and talk of peace while on return to their homeland they speak ill of the host country. I brazenly advocate calling Pakistani artists as tribute to legend who was himself against them. I do not have any problems whatsoever that the same money I paid as their concert ticket would potentially transform to support or facilitate ill-cause against India. I think that the supply of Pakistani artists to my concerts and movie songs should never stop, after all why should my music taste get suffered due to some “unknown” people dying here or there. To stop a artist, sportsman would be “curbing my freedom” which I cannot accept even if it means someone else ends up paying for it.

I have never actually protested against soldiers getting beheaded on borders, Indian women getting widows, children becoming orphan because of unprovoked firings from the neighbour, I have never protested against a state which is now well-proven by India and foreign governments alike to be the control room for several terrorist attacks on India. But I think it is very important to protest when someone had my opposite opinion and voiced their displeasure at the lauch of a book written by ministerial office bearer during Kargil war.

While all my countrymen believe that it is the call of humanity to speak up against the attacks on school in Peshawar and we rightly did so, I don’t think any such thing be expected from my Pakistani counterpart every time there is a terrorist attack, unprovoked firing or a barbaric beheading of Indians. It does not matter to me that while the PM announces help to Pakistan, their army is busy firing at our civilians and soldiers alike.

Aman ki (Nir)Asha, as we also know has worked so successfully. It has resulted in so many Pakistani artisans, intellects and sportsmen entering India and at the same time it is indifferent to the fact that the attacks on India continue. It is more of an employment program for them, look around how many Ali Zafars, Atif Aslams, Meeras and Veena Maliks we have given a livelihood and a respectable life to. What more could I have asked more? If we should not continue such an effort, don’t know what we should.

 – Anurag Nandwana (Via Mail)

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