CAFE
COM:PORT
CHAT JOCKEYS
EVENTS

The Salman Khurshid Chat

Mishra: You might be amused to know that liberalisation and privatisation has changed for muslim leaders as well. We are now all controlled by the market. Pakistani are like us. With the little effort and some statesmanship we can be good friends.

Since the conversation has drifted to matters national, I want to ask you, the grandson of a President and the son of a likely candidate for the Presidency: Do you think it is right for an office of such eminence as the Presidency to be decided on the basis of caste and faith? Should not the post go to the best man in the fray? An Indian who enjoys bi-partisan support, preferably not from politics. Ditto for the vice-presidency. Why must there be tokkenism in selecting nominees for such posts?

SK MISHRA : I don't sell used cars because nobody buys them after I am throuigh with them. As for the cases, I can't afford him a classmate of mine fights mine for free. I'm being good to Salman because he'd probably tan the backside of me if he found out who I am, or was (if he does find out...) :-)

Dilip Padgaonkar: There is a growing consciousness in the USA to review its traditional positions on the sub- continent. But it is still too early to detect a definite shift in posture at the White House level. Perhaps President Clinton's visit to India will be the turning point.

Maybe he needs to see Good Morning India to know!

Mr Khurshid, don't you think that this peace process is one sided. Within last one week there have been three contradictory statements from the Pakistani side. First, OIC resolution,then came President Leghari's open support to militants, and prior to all these- Mr Nawaz Sharief's statement that he hopes that Kashmir will be liberated in his tenure as PM. Don't you think that Pakistan is taking the advantage of India's soft handedness. How long do you think India should tolerate such attitude from Pakistani leaders.

Mr Khurshid, don't you think that this peace process is one sided. Within last one week there have been three contradictory statements from the Pakistani side. First, OIC resolution,then came President Leghari's open support to militants, and prior to all these- Mr Nawaz Sharief's statement that he hopes that Kashmir will be liberated in his tenure as PM. Don't you think that Pakistan is taking the advantage of India's soft handedness. How long do you think India should tolerate such attitude from Pakistani leaders?

uh-oh

Somnath: NATO is a difficult issue for russia. But a simplistic India-Russia, US- Pakistan divide is now thing of the past. There are many variants in opinion on this issue in Europe. Let us wait and watch.

Mr Khurshid, don't you think that this peace process is one sided. Within last one week there have been three contradictory statements from the Pakistani side. First, OIC resolution,then came President Leghari's open support to militants, and prior to all these- Mr Nawaz Sharief's statement that he hopes that Kashmir will be liberated in his tenure as PM. Don't you think that Pakistan is taking the advantage of India's soft handedness. How long do you think India should tolerate such attitude from Pakistani leaders?

Ras Bihari Bose: With views like that you are my top choice for the top job. Unfortunately, I haven't got a vote this time round.

Mogvaa: I am a big fan of yours though. I have been lonmg before this Chat began.

Mr salman, Why India has never raised the question of pakistan's continued aid to the terrorists in Kashmir, on any of the International forums? Why always pakistan puts pressure on us through International Forums?

Indian: Our diplomats have packed a lot of punch against Pakistan on terrorism. WE have had major successes. But we have consciously avoided becoming diplomatic terrorists. I believe that has helped us enormously.

Why is it that we always end being on the defensive where Islamabad is concerned? Why don't we stand up and tell the Pakis to @@@@@ off?

Sumit: national leaders have difficult constituencies to handle. Taking a page out of Robert Kennedy's book on the Cuban crisis, one does not react to everything that an adversary says in international affairs. I believe, we are both steadily but slowly moving towards a meaningful dialogue between our two countries.

With such responses, I am glad the people of Farrukhabad had the sense to elect that BJP bloke than a flibbertigibbet like you to Parliament! There is no use talking to you. Good night all.

How come you guys in the Congress never got around to making a breakthrough in your time? How different were the circumstances? What are the compulsions now to improve the relationship?

Leh Rahman: Losing our young or indeed injuring them physically or psychologically in the defence of the nation is inevitable but tragic aspect of national security. But we must not forget that each one of our young men and women hurt on the border is one of our own family. the sooner we make our world and their world safe the better it will be. Meanwhile, I can only salute your brother and pray for him.

Ras Behari Bose: I will be happy to send you a one way ticket for a meeting with the distinguished MP of Farrukabad. Perhaps, you can explain to him what internet is all about. I would love to hear your response when and if you return (ON YOUR OWN TICKET). Sleep well.

We seem to be keen on developing a better relationship with Pakistan, so that the gas line from Oman can come through. Are we not being naive? How can we hope that the generals will ever allow this to go through?

EVERYONE: Thank you, it was very enjoyable, very educative, very friendly. Hope to be back on Rediff ON The Net. GOOD BYE.

Gone already? What a shame!

I liked him though.

If you were ex-MP from, say, Hamburg, would you please consider giving me a one-way ticket to, say, St. Pauli instead? Thank You.

Hello? Coffee at Machan for hard working people like me? SK Mishra do I know you?

One of our cooler politicians...by the way I believe he has an army of cats. Saw him on Maneka's show.

Maybe he'll still buy us coffee at MACHAN if we take a laptop and a modem???

Photograph: Atul Chowdhary