New Delhi, May 13: People-to-people contact is key to breaking the deadlock with Pakistan and there should always be a window for dialogue, top RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Tuesday.
Hosabale said Pakistan’s military and political leadership have lost India’s confidence and it is time for civil society to lead the way.
“The security and self-respect of a country have to be protected and the government of the day should take care of it. But at the same time, we need not close the doors. We should always be ready to engage them in a dialogue,” he said.
The RSS general secretary termed people-to-people contact the key in breaking the deadlock between the two countries and said that it “should be tried more and more now”.
While the government has been silent on track-two diplomacy, several intellectuals, including opposition leaders, have long advocated civil society engagement.
“This is the one hope I think, because I believe strongly that ultimately the civil society relations (will work). Because we have a cultural relation and we have been one nation,” Hosabale said.
“So, that has to be emphasised,” he said.
He was asked how India should deal with Pakistan and its continued sponsorship of terrorism.
“See everything has been tried (diplomatically) and Pakistan keeps making pinpricks,” he said, citing attacks such as 26/11, Pulwama and Pahalgam.
Trade and commerce, issuance of visas should not stop because “there should be a window (open) always for a dialogue”, he said.
That’s why diplomatic relations have been maintained, Hosabale added.
He said academicians, sportspersons, scientists and community leaders should come forward there, as their political leadership and military leadership have developed some aversion to India. ( PTI )
