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Journalism of Courage
In Islamabad, the air is thick with mohabbat. The largest ever delegation of Indian parliamentarians (31 in all) is visiting Pakistan as part of a conference organised by the South Asia Free Media Association and although the honourable members are soft-eyed with romance, they are equally anxious to further their own political agendas and eager for a place in the Pakistani sun.
After all, Pakistan is not just Pakistan. For RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, a trip to Pakistan could be a shot at national legitimacy. For DMK MP A Krishnaswamy, it could mean a future berth as a minister. For National Conference MP Chaudhuri Talib Husain and PDP MP T S Bajwa, it means visibility as leaders of Kashmir. Bitter rivals in the Valley, yet they sit serenely side by side, because the train to Pakistan runs through the destiny of many Indian lives.
They are all here. From superstar No. 1 Laloo Prasad Yadav, to superstar No. 2 Ram Vilas Paswan, to the radical chic brigade led by Mani Shankar Aiyar and Margaret Alva, to the snappily dressed Swaraj Kaushal of the HVC, all the Left parties, TDP, DMK, Forward Block, BSP, SP, everyone except the Shiv Sena which boycotted the trip calling a trip to Pakistan, ‘‘premature.’’ ‘‘We are a janta delegation,’’ says Paswan, ‘‘the voice of the people of India.’’
Crisp white kurta-pyjamas and dhotis have come beaming across the Wagah border, in a shower of rose petals. ‘‘Padosi naraaz hai (the neighbour is angry),’’says Laloo, worriedly setting off a couple of white doves at New Delhi railway station. ‘‘Besides, there are hundreds of Bihari Muslims in Pakistan, I want to meet them all.’’
Bihar, let it be remembered, is 17-per cent Muslim and there is a heavy Bihari representation in this delegation. ‘‘I also want to meet Bihari Muslims,’’ says Paswan. ‘‘In fact, there are many people from UP, Bihar in Pakistan. They have all sent me messages.’’
The importance of this delegation, says Dinesh Trivedi of the Trinamool Congress, ‘‘is that it’s not just Track II and unofficial. They are heavyweight politicians here. They can influence the government in important ways.’’ ‘‘But the media should not make us all look like buffoons.’’
Between Laloo and Paswan, the competition is stiff. New Delhi railway station became a battleground of Bihar politics. While Laloo pulls the dove trick, Paswan passes unnoticed. Then Laloo pulls crowds in Jalandhar and conquers the TV cameras all the way from Delhi but suddenly, Paswan comes in from the cold and takes over Amritsar. A huge rally is organised at Amritsar station. ‘‘Punjab mein bahut anarchy hai,’’ he thunders.
Mani Shankar Aiyar is far too seasoned a peacenik to let his colleagues bother him. He simply stays buried in PG Wodehouse. ‘‘Laloo’s acting like he’s the head of the delegation,’’ sniffs Alva. ‘‘Peace, love all that is fine, what is needed is business contacts,’’ says SP MP Saleem Sherwani. ‘‘One country!’’ thunders Anadi Sahu BJP MP, ‘‘in 200 years, from Afghanistan to Bangladesh, we will be one country!’’
Says A Krishnaswamy of the DMK: ‘‘It’s very wrong to say that the south is not interested in Pakistan, so much of our money is being spent. How can we not be interested?’’ So eager were some of the MPs to get here that BSP MP Raashid Alvi forgot to get his visa and was turned away at Wagah and had to go home.
The welcome at Wagah is rousing and intriguingly, led by the Jamaat. Rows of youths hold up banners, shower rose petals and shout, ‘‘Islam hai aman. They invoke the name of Maulana Fazlur Rahman and raise their voices in full-throated welcome. But, just as the MPs turn away towards the press, the crowd disperses as suddenly as it collected, the youths cast off their green coats and begin to count the money being distributed to them by professional crowd managers.
