Gandhian for resumption of Indo-Pak peace talks

Bangalore, Sep 20: Rajya Sabha member and Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande today welcomed the resumption of peace process and anti-terrorism mechanism agreed upon by India and Pakistan.

Speaking to newspersons here, she said the joint statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf in Havana recently was the best thing that could have happened between the two countries in recent times.

''We have fought four wars (including Kargil), but achieved nothing. Solutions for many dogging issues concerning the two countries will remain elusive, unless we tread the path of peace.

Let us give peace another chance. We are hoping that the two leaders will follow this line,'' she said.

Ms Deshpande, also the President of Hari Sevak Sangh, which was once led by Acharya Vinobha Bhave, said the joint mechanism to tackle terrorism was a good suggestion. ''Now we can find out who are behind the terrorist acts in our country, especially the recent Mumbai serial blasts,'' she hoped.

Stating that 'Vishwas Shakti' (strength of belief) was the biggest weapon to put an end to terrorism, she said India should take Pakistan into confidence and not always look at it with a suspicious eye.

''Kashmiri people are not happy with both Pakistani and Indian Governments. We must realise that they are not happy with us because we have committed some mistakes like alienating them from the national mainstream. Unless we solve the problems of Kashmiri people, there will not be peace in the country,'' she added.

UNI