A file photo of Muhammad Hanif.
According to the report, the work of seven Pakistani authors including Jamil Ahmad and Mohammed Hanif are shortlisted for the 2013 Prize for South Asian Literature.
Ahmad and Hanif had attended the JLF last year but because of the recent cross-border conflict, the BJP has decided to oppose the presence of these writers.
"We will not allow them to enter the festival venue. There is no question of welcoming the Pakistani authors here at a time when their country has disrupted peace at the border,'' said BJP Yuva Morcha state president Rishi Bansal.
Party leaders also added that they were considering to hold a protest march in this regard.
However, the TOI report quoted a JLF organiser as saying: "All sessions would be held as per schedule in the presence of all guest authors.''
COMMENTS (66)
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1731325890-0/trump-(24)1731325890-0-270x192.webp "trump threatens 100 tariffs on brics nations over us dollar concerns")
@Cynical My point was for your people to practice what they preach. The world will treat you the way you treat the world
@Gratgy
How many times has a Jew delegation been welcomed in Pakistan?
Is that even relevant? Unless you want India to be a mirror image of Pakistan!
USA -: If you attack us we will attack you - Israel -: if you attack us we will demolish you - India -: if you attack us we will not play cricket with you Pakistan to USA : You attacked us and killed 24 soldiers ! We will ask for an apology from you please !
@Pakhtoon
USA -: If you attack us we will attack you - Israel -: if you attack us we will demolish you - India -: if you attack us we will not play cricket with you.. Pakistan to USA : If you attack us and kill our soldiers, we will close our borders only to open it sometime later for for a better monetary deal If your spies attack and kill our civilians, we will again ask for money and let the killer spy go scot free back to USA If you attack and violate our borders to kill a terrorist, we ll whine and complain and publish a report And of course even if you attack us, we will cheer for your hollywood movies.
How about that eh ?
@Rakib:
You miss the point of my post. Let me state that more clearly. Pakistanis don't represent the interest of Indian Muslims. Indian Muslims can take care of themselves. Pakistanis should also stop shedding crocodile tears for other Muslims such as the Rohingyas. Chechens, Palestinians etc and quit the pan-Islamic agenda.
By the same token, I would also state that Indians don't represent the interest of Pakistani Hindus and Sikhs. I have always said that Indian should, instead of complaining about their ill-treatment and discrimination, readily give asylum and citizenship to any and all Pakistani Sikhs and Hindus who feel they are discriminated. So, I am very consistent here.
@Observer:
Since you are so concerned about the status of Indian Muslims, why don’t you start an advocacy group to get Pak government to open the door to Indian Muslims? After all, Pakistan was created for all of India’s pre-partition Muslim.
Why enter a conversation at all if it is only to end all conversations, I wonder!? Indians know with absolute certainty who should be emigrants from the country even if they are ambivalent about who qualifies to be an immigrant. It's a carry over from the caste system where who to keep out was mastered & who to invite in was seldom thought of. No surprise that the most intelligent response that an Indian (mostly Hindu) can ever come up with, accompanied by a smug sense of finality, to a Pak Muslim questioning about status of Indian Muslims is to make a very generous offer: why-not-take-'em-all-to-Pakistan!! Or, respond in like manner to a disgruntled Indian Muslim. So simple!
@Shameema: Wow, and how many Muslims in India have opted or even applied to emigrate to the land of pure in last 50 years?
@Shameema:
"The BJP doesn’t need to win an Election…it is already dictating the Foreign Policy of India and its internal Anti- Muslim policy. It wants to keep Muslims in India as a backward minority, economically and intellectually stagnant. When Indian Muslims see successful Pakistanis, they immediately have a role-model, somebody to look up to."
Since you are so concerned about the status of Indian Muslims, why don't you start an advocacy group to get Pak government to open the door to Indian Muslims? After all, Pakistan was created for all of India's pre-partition Muslim. This way, Indian Muslims, who according to you are kept backward, will readily migrate to Pakistan, thereby proving your point.
By the way, before opening the door to Indian Muslims, why not first start with granting citizenship to the half a million Behari Pakistanis languishing in pitiful camps in Bangladesh? After all they are your fellow Muslims who were Patriotic Pakistani citizen.
@Adnan: This is the only window open to you at he moment. Pak artists come to India because it gives them a launching pad, money and fame. Beggars cannot be choosers. Boycott India, that is a laugh.
@Nabeel Khan: Entire world does.
@Shameema
The reason the BJP are against Pakistanis visiting India is because these artists, writers, sportsmen and musicians provide a role-model for their youth —especially the Indian Muslim youth
There no world- class writers or poets in Hindi. All the best scripwriters and lyricists are Muslim.The success of the Indian Film Industry is due to the intellectual output of Muslims.
Carefully ready both your posts, You are contradicting yourself lady and bordering on incoherence lol!
@SHB: "@gp65 .: With all the due respect, the root cause of problem between India and Pakistan is issue of Kashmir. India can bring in lot of lame excuses, some of which you mentioned,, the problem of bad relationship will not be solved till plebiscite is held in Kashmir. Thanks for reading my comment"
First step for the plebiscite as stated in the UN resolution is that Pakistan armed forces should ensure that the part of Kashmir it administers is vacated. This also means that the part you figted away to China needs to be vacated. This is because plebiscite is supposed to happen in whole Kashmir not just Indian part.
Please let Pakistani army accomplish that and then discuss plebiscite.
@Shameema: then why don't u ask them back...
@gp65 .: With all the due respect, the root cause of problem between India and Pakistan is issue of Kashmir. India can bring in lot of lame excuses, some of which you mentioned,, the problem of bad relationship will not be solved till plebiscite is held in Kashmir. Thanks for reading my comment
@Shameema: "There no world- class writers or poets in Hindi. All the best scripwriters and lyricists are Muslim. The success of the Indian Film Industry is due to the intellectual output of Muslims."
Indian Muslims are also Indians. So we Indians do not grudge them their success. If you say that the entire intellectual output of Bollywood is credited to Muslims alone, you clearly understand very little about Bollywood. In any case it conflicts with the immediately preceding statement you made that Muslims were driven out of India and subsequent one that Indian Muslim boys have no Muslim role models.
Also India has the same number of Muslims as Pakistan. If Muslims are the only people responding for Bollywood success, why is there no parallel industry in Pakistan?
@Shameema: "The reason Manto came to Pakistan was because Muslims were being sacked from their jobs and told to leave India in no uncertain terms."
You have your facts wrong. 85% of Muslims in present day India did not migrate to Pakistan. Dilip Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Ismat Chugtai, Kaifi Azmi stayed. BAde Ghulam Ali actually went to Pakistan and came back to India. The killings were happening (on both sides of Punjab) whereas Manto was in Mumbai. HEre is the story of his relationship with Ashok Kumar and at the end he explains why he chose to move to Pakistan over professional disagreement. No one had sacked him. http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/arts-letters/ashok-kumar-the-evergreen-hero His last line also makes it clear what happened when he did go to Pakistan.
"The reason the BJP are against Pakistanis visiting India is because these artists, writers, sportsmen and musicians provide a role-model for their youth — especially the Indian Muslim youth who have been marginalised by Hindutva and Apartheid policies followed by the BJP."
Do you even read what you write? Ali Zafar is a bigger star than Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir and the greatest of them all Dilip Kumar? Does Atif Aslam compose better music than A R Rehman or sing better than Mohammed Rafi? Is Veena better known than Katrina Kaif or for that matter Nargis, Waheeda Rehman, Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, Shabana Azmi? Indian Muslims have plenty of role models and not just in the entertainment world where they are certainly well represented - from present CJ of India to one of the top business tycoons of India to 2 former cricket captains and many present day cricketers to 3 former Presidents of the country to a former Navy Chief to present foreign minister and Vice President of the country. No imported role models are needed. The singers are welcome as singers to improve their own earning prospects - they need not burden themselves with the need to play role models for Indian Muslims.
@SHB: "@Thomas: Thanks for your comment. India committed itself to the plebiscite in Kashmir when it agreed to the ceasefire. So it is compulsory and no more voluntary."
First step of the plebiscite is that Pakistan should remove army from its side of KAshmir. The first step never happened. LAter on Pakistan gifted part of its part of Kashmir to China. Also Pakistan changed demography on both sides of Kashmir - on its side by bringing people from other provinces and settling them there and on India's side by driving out Hindus through jihadi terror. So plebiscite is impossible since all prerequisistes are impossible due to Pakistani inaction.
In any event after 1972 when Shimla agreement was signed, the UN resolution has no relevance.
Finally this article had nothing to do with KAshmir. Unclear why you dragged it into the discussion..
@Shameema:
It wants to keep Muslims in India as a backward minority, economically and intellectually stagnant.
No people can ever be pushed "forward" against their will.and no body that has the will can be pulled back in to remaining "backward". Do please get yourself a copy of Musaddas-e-Hali. It is a famous epic poem written in 1879 by Maulana Altaf Husain Hali of Panipat. It was written 30 years before Iqbal's "Shikwa". It may be tedious reading but worth the time. Hali was a contemporary of Ghalib, a mentee of Sir Syed & a man keen on education for all.. 133 years ago when he wrote there was no BJP. No Congress or League or Hindu was in power. And yet Muslims were backward. In the book look for the section Hinduon ki Muazziz Quomein (Honourable Quom of Hindus).There are six stanzas in that section. They show how & why Hindus progressed ahead. Read & then juxtapose it with six verses under Hamari Maujuda Haalat (Our Present State). You will know why & how things went awry. Even today it's more or less so in some parts. Hali died in 1914. His Family continued to be in India, his heirs made great contributions to nation. His great-granddaughter Syeda Saiyidain Hameed is a renowned author, VC of a University & till 2012 was Member of India's Planning Commission. Hali's vision has proved that with education & hard work Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Christian is next to none in the world.
@Thomas: Thanks for your comment. India committed itself to the plebiscite in Kashmir when it agreed to the ceasefire. So it is compulsory and no more voluntary. I agree with you there is no need for Pakistani writer or any one else to go to India. Thanks for reading it.
@Shameema "The BJP doesn’t need to win an Election…it is already dictating the Foreign Policy of India and its internal Anti- Muslim policy. It wants to keep Muslims in India as a backward minority, economically and intellectually stagnant" --- BJP can't do anything . It is upto Muslims of the country like any where in world . If Muslim parents send their kids to Madrasa in stead of nursery , then who can help them ? BJP ? If Muslim ladies wear veil in MNCs , no MNCs will hire them . If a long bearded man sits in president meeting in company , no one is going to like them. Don't forget that BJP had installed a very beloved muslim president in the country , I haven't seen such a good president in my life. So Please don't think about other country and question yourself how much you have progressed in your homogenous society ?
@SHB: Why Paki writers have to go to India?. They are neither needed or wanted there. And I would ask Pakistan to obey the requirement of the plebesite as requested by U.N. to get out of Kashmir all together and allow sufficient time for the religious proportions that existed in 1947 to be restored, and get back the part of Kashmir from China. Untill then stop crapping about Kashmir. Pakistanis keep crapping about it because they can't win it by war and terror. So keep praying. U.N. declaration artice is voluntary, so noone can force it on either nations, please go read it.
@ Gp65: wrong. The reason Manto came to Pakistan was because Muslims were being sacked from their jobs and told to leave India in no uncertain terms. There no world- class writers or poets in Hindi. All the best scripwriters and lyricists are Muslim. The success of the Indian Film Industry is due to the intellectual output of Muslims.
The reason the BJP are against Pakistanis visiting India is because these artists, writers, sportsmen and musicians provide a role-model for their youth -- especially the Indian Muslim youth who have been marginalised by Hindutva and Apartheid policies followed by the BJP.
The BJP doesn't need to win an Election...it is already dictating the Foreign Policy of India and its internal Anti- Muslim policy. It wants to keep Muslims in India as a backward minority, economically and intellectually stagnant. When Indian Muslims see successful Pakistanis, they immediately have a role-model, somebody to look up to. That is why Pakistani sportsmen, aritsts, misicians and writers are being discouraged to visit India.
@Anoop Hallimala: @gp65 .: I had responded to gp65, along with proper Link, but the post did not see light. Briefly, I had quoted the Rajasthan State BJP's spokesman of the Minority Cell Munnawar Khan (as you know BJP showcases a few Muslim spokesmen too) saying in Jan 2012 that his State unit of BJP will not let Salman enter Jaipur. Elsewhere at the same time, not to be out done, yet another "Hindutva Muslim" Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had demanded that Rushdie should be treated exactly like Taslima Nasreen, that is, he should be gagged from speaking. He cleverly worded it to blame only Congress but he didn't want to displease other NDA constituents that were against Rushdie. I can provide Links but ET moderator may or may not allow certain Indian sites.
@Naeem Siddiqui: "Why these respectable Pakistani writers and artist are bringing Manto and Faiz to the land of Chamak Challo, Shela Ki Jawani and Munni Badnam hui? you can’t sell perfume to these filth eaters, they dont find any utility of this."
Sweeping generalisation. If the only Indian music /lyrics you are familiar with are Shila ki jawani and munni badnaam hui, that is a reflection on you really.
By the way Manto regretted his decision to come to PAkistan and certainly during his lifetime was not appreciated in Pakistan.
@Rakib:
You account of last year's lit fest is totally wrong!!
It was the Congress Govt in Rajasthan, which forced the organisers to un-invite Rushdie. BJP supported Rushdie, why shouldn't they!
Rushdie did not attend that lit fest as the organisers requested him not to.
Why these respectable Pakistani writers and artist are bringing Manto and Faiz to the land of Chamak Challo, Shela Ki Jawani and Munni Badnam hui?
you can't sell perfume to these filth eaters, they dont find any utility of this.
@kHaN: the funny thing is mr patel, india did kill 3 soliders and so funny you put pti in same group as other parties. PTI is a nationalist party, its not a terrorist party like BJP. When PTI comes to power india will no longer be able to take advantage of pakistan. despite us being in war for past 5 years and entire world media boosting india, indias has more poverty than pakistan and more debt lol your coutnry is so poor and not going anywhere
@Rakib: where come religion here muslim fundamentalist opposes rushdi because according to them rushdi insult their religion (he also write many wrong thing about hinduism but so called hindutva bjp party not opposing it).but bjp opposing pakistani writers because pakistani soldiers beheaded indian soldiers they are not opposing because pakistani writers are muslims .please don't mix apple and orange juice .
@Rakib: I agree with you that neither this instance by BJP or the instance last year where a Muslim pressure group blocked Rushdie are desirable.
You are factually incorrect when you say that last year it was BJP that tried to block Rushdie. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/9818430/Muslims-threaten-to-target-Jaipur-Literature-Festival-over-Sir-Salman-Rushdie.html Rushdie had in fact blamed COngress not BJP for the fiasco. The following statement from the url I attached clarifies that. "The author, who is expected to visit India this week for the film premier of his Booker-winning novel 'Midnight's Children', later accused the Indian government of cowardice in giving in to extremist threats but also claimed Congress leaders had circulated a false threat to maximise the party's Muslim vote during last year's Uttar Pradesh state elections".
The Pakistani writers should not be stopped from attending the literary meet. These writers are intellectuals and visionary people and generally don't subscribe to the belligerent anti-India views of the Pakistani Deep State. Neither do they monetarily profit from India.
While I hold the above view on the visit of the Pak writers, I think it is correct for India to bar Pak cricketers from playing in India. I say this because, the cricketers will be making big money from participating in cricket matches in India. This cannot be allowed until such a time when Pakistan gives up its aggressive anti-India views and its practice of using terrorists in a proxy war. This is sort of like an economic sanction on Pakistanis. It is well-known that most of the members of Pak cricket team are hard-core Islamists who support terror proxies. Pinching them in their pocketbook will certainly make them think twice about the continuation of Pakistan's old anti-India choice.
Please make BJP happy by not going to India. I would also request to BJP to tell Indian govt to hold Plebiscite in Kashmir as promised in 1948 at UNO. Thanks in advance.
Wonder what happened to all this self-righteous indignation when Salman Rushdie was targeted at Jaipur literary festival?
How many times has a Jew delegation been welcomed in Pakistan?
Pakistani writers are great writers... Pakistan is a great country despite the problems and all Indians will welcome Pakistani writers... these "warnings" are all nonsense... at most 10 or 20 people gather to protest... ignore them...
3 things: 1. I disagree with this BJP decision. Intimidation as a way to control speech is not okay. 2. Those comparing this with terrorism need to know the difference between permitting denying participation to foreigners in a literary event and killing people. 3. Last year a separate pressure group had provided similar threats about not allowing Salman Rushdie. In that case the government had capitulated and prevented Rushdie from appearing at last year's festival. That set up a dangerous precedent which is followed this year. 4. I was not okay with blocking Rushdie then and I am not okay with blocking Pakistani authors now from a government perspective. Yes if the festival organizers choose to themselves cancel participation that is a totally different thing but it cannot be something that any political party should try to implement using intimidation. 5. Those who talk about secularism have no idea what they are talking about. Secualrism applies to country's own citizens not foreigners.
They are mentally Terrorist.
A Hindu hardliner is the best friend that a Muslim hardliner can ever have. One year ago, almost to the day, for the very same festival Salman Rushdie was an invitee. Law Minister India back then was a Muslim-Salman Khurshid-of Congress. He had no objection to Rushdie's visit because Law could not stop him. Also, probably none of the Pakistani invitees would have boycotted the festival really on Rushdie's account. However, it was the same Hindutva BJP, on grounds of "hurt sentiments of Muslims", which strongly opposed the very entry of Salman Rushdie even in the city of Jaipur & rather supported Darul Uloom, Deoband, Vice-Chancellor Abul Qasim Nomani. Were there bouquets showered on BJP by Pakistani media & by readers of ET in January 2012? If not, how can today's brick throwers have an iota of credibility? (p.s. In my personal view BJP was wrong then as it is wrong now but that is not the point I am trying to make here.)
Good ... they should not be sent otherwise ... to gain cheap popularity in India they would definitely utter anti Pakistan rhetoric !!! why don't they go to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Zambia for that matter !!!!
@FP Yes, But the question arises now is why gvt of India didnt ban BJP if they have any evidance? Today, congress distances itself from Shinde's remark. Wait and watch Shinde will be sacked soon for his irrisponsible remark.
This is the second time, I think in the previous year they have threatened Salman Rushdee too. That’s why he had to call off his program of India. Indian governments should take decisive steps to prevent such insurgency. Writers, artist, singers and players has nothing to with LoC conflict, they are called the “peace builder”. Works for humanity and make relation among people.
The worlds greatest liberal democracy in action !!! Those talking about beheading should read this article:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/viewssectionpage/karanthapar/The-lines-of-control/Article1-995289.aspx
link text
USA -: If you attack us we will attack you - Israel -: if you attack us we will demolish you - India -: if you attack us we will not play cricket with you..
Politicians should shut up.Art and politics are totoally different things.
Denying access to Pakistani writers or intelligentsia will certainly not help in promoting Indo-Pak amity and trust. History needs to be rewritten in the context of India and Pakistan wherein antipathy and distrust towards one another has been the yardstick of patriotism. This negative aspect of patriotism needs to be changed and the people of Pakistan and India alone can do it. There has been a sixty five years of history replete with distrust, antipathy and malice, a history of three fratricidal wars between these Asian cousins who have a lot to share and a lot in common with regard to culture, customs, traditions and above all a common history along with heritage. Jaipur Literature Festival is infact a platform for the laureates of India and Pakistan to come together and get closer. "Let a hundred flowers bloom and let there be a thousand schools of thought." as said by Comrade Mao Tse Dong from The People's Republic of China. The Jaipur Literature Festival will be the venue where these hundreds of flowers of knowledge shall bloom and thus shall spread the fragrance of the a thousand schools of thought. The Republic of India and The Islamic Republic of Pakistan are moving forward and the thaw has set in pushing aside the winter of distrust, malice and antipathy to be replaced by the spring of amity, trust and cogency which alone can bring in the summer of peace, coexistence and togetherness among the two neighbours. This perhaps can be the kindling point towards the creation of Asia as a Confederation. However the people of India and Pakistan will have to be the pioneers if they desire to see peace, amity and trust to become a reality.
Wow no Indian trolls here....
This shows the true 'secular' mindset of shining India :D
Terrorist Organization???? Are pakistanis out of their minds...BJP is an opposition part and have right to oppose the policies of the govt. BJP is not killing pakistanis either in India or in pakistan. It does not want any pakistani to step on Indian soil. And I am not a BJP supporter but like them even I don't want pakistanis to step on Indian soil and even we don't want this pseudo aman ka tamasha campaign. World does not call pakistan a terrorist state due to its opposing views but for its habit of pampering and producing terrorists and sending them to world over to kill people.
Real face of the largest demo-crazy on the planet.
Suppose that Indian troops cross the LoC and behead one of our soldiers and take his head with them to India.Then few days later Indian Hindus want to come to Karachi to participate in a literature festival. Would we allow these Hindus to come? What will be JI, JUF, Jamatul Dawa and PTI's reaction to this?
Shame India Shame!
Terrorist organizations of India like BJP are promoting instability in the sub-continent. At least the ice seems to be breaking now and Indians like Indian home minister are realizing that by promoting terrorism they are hurting India the most.
India media both print and electronic is firing hatred, and our media is promoting ‘Iman Ki Asha’. Why are writers even going to India? We should be boycotting India. On one hand, India is banning our players our literates and on the other hand just to fill our pockets we are promoting their movies, TV serials. We talk about national interest but it gets subdued in front of personal interest.
BJP needs to differentiate between good and bad pakistanis just like good and bad in india.. IF one paints all pakistanis with the same brush you are at loss and not them...Even though I hate congress ,with misplaced nationalism like this BJP is making me nervous for my planned vote!
Small minds are capable of only small thoughts............I doubt the majority of Indians would think like this.
no matter how much we try, these Indian freaks will do their utmost to jeopardize our efforts in building a relationship with them, trust me, their media has brainwashed them completely so that the ppl of India may think what their army wants them to, its high time they opened their eyes and really got to know the truth.
Sooo...its not just the Shiv Sena, BJP also suffers from Pakistan-Phobia !!
Indian terrorism, this proved that majority of Indian are terrorist mind they not believe on peace
i hope they will start blabbering on secularism and biggest democracy thing :P
As you saw so shall you reap anyways if they really want to do that then its just petty politics as done all over world .
Shabaash BJP-- This should be an eye-opener for all the SAFMA people and other Aman-ki-Asha wishers who are dreaming of making friendship with India!!!
where on earth UN is ?? India's second largest political party is reflecting nothing but a terrorist organisation !!!!!!!!
Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde called BJP a terrorist party day before yesterday.
Silly people - too much time on their hands.
Religion and hate make humans do bizarre things.