This was my first visit to the other side of Radcliffe Line, and the bonhomie matrix was still to solidify. In fact, the visit of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was among the first tentative steps. But as Amarinder walked across the Wagah and into history, becoming the first East Punjab Chief Minister to cross the border for a visit to Lahore, I realized the groundswell of goodwill forming up. This despatch was from a cyber café in Lahore, filed on a wintry night of February. The cyber café manager remained open only for me, and didn’t charge a penny. “Sade kol hi aaya karo, Sardar Sahib” was his only entreaty.
Kargil is History, now I Want to
Meet all the Gills
Punjab-to-Punjab mission rides high on goodwill waves
S P Singh
HOW many times in the course of a day can someone have tea or meals with total strangers in a country which seemed most inimical only days earlier? If you are an Indian and had walked the streets of Lahore -- crowded to the last inch on the eve of Eid -- everyone wants to host you, and no one takes a no. That's about the entire story, but read on if you want the details.
Amid a swell of goodwill and hope of a convivial congenial tomorrow, the visit of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the proceedings at the World Punjabi Conference have set a tone perhaps far removed from realistic view of things -- people stop any turbaned Sardar out in the street and want to know the date on which borders will open!
If Amarinder wanted to send signals that people on the Eastern side of International border wanted close ties with their brethern westwards, he couldn't have done more. The Eid-Valentine season here has ‘Love the Punjabis on both sides of border’ as the key theme, and the last three days have said as much in many ways.
Today, Amarinder invited Pakistani Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi to Chandigarh, the invitation coming within hours of a similar invitation extended to Governor of Pakistan Punjab, Speaker of the Assembly here and invitation to a delegation of legislators of West Punjab.
In keeping with the flavour-of-the-week theme of ‘let's both do it’, Amarinder and Elahi announced joint Punjab games. Wrestling, kabaddi, volleyball, swimming, athletics, hockey, weightlifting and a whole lot of other disciplines were chosen as battlegrounds for both Punjabs’ teams to take upon each other.
“We have come on a Punjab-to-Punjab mission of love and prosperity,” Amarinder told Pakistani media skirting all queries about Kashmir, peace moves and any divisive issues by saying that it was for federal governments on both sides to look after those subjects. Elahi, who sat by the CM's side, stressed that instead of the sentimental talk about erasing the borders, the focus should be on respecting these and improving ties as two sovereign nations should.
But Elahi's pragmatism notwithstanding, sentimental talk and emotions riding on goodwill factor remained the central factor marking the last three days. The World Punjabi Conference, which concluded today, passed a Lahore Declaration declaring every intention to continue the process of making efforts for promoting the Punjabi language.
On its sidelines went on so much that the WPC became an incidental thing, much to the chagrin of organisers. Many delegates skipped the WPC proceedings to visit their ancestral places in Pakistan, many went in groups to samadh in Lahore of Sain Mian Mir, who laid the foundation stone of Golden Temple. Many others went to Samadh of Bulle Shah in Kasur. Many went to Nankana Sahib. And every delegation was the focus of Pakistani media as reporters wanted the most syrupy quote and the TV channels most sugary soundbyte – “Kargil is past history, now I want to meet all the Gills,” a Pakistani friend with surname of Gill (First name withheld on request) told this correspondent.
Amarinder visited Gurdwara Dehra Sahib, Lahore and Gurdwara Nankana Sahib besides the Samadh of Maharaja Ranjit Singh this morning. As he drove to the samadh of Sain Mian Meer, accompanying minister Avtar Henry, DIG Parag Jain and CRRID chairman Rashpal Malhotra all wore traditional white cap worn by Muslims.
At a cultural evening held at Al-Hamra Cultural Centre in the heart of new Lahore, a galaxy of Pakistani singers said many a prayer for friendship.
Amarinder advocated opening of land route to the advantage of common man, told the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry to look at areas where two Punjabs can work together. He said his counterpart Elahi also reciprocated these gestures in a positive manner.
``In fact (Amarinder's) visit has been lucky for us as he has brought rains with him to help our wheat grow,'' Elahi said. Obviously, Gods were also being roped in to push the agenda. Amarinder crossed back into Indian Punjab this afternoon, the World Punjabi Conference delegates will do so tomorrow. “But Lahore hopes that the emotional equity that the events left behind profits with some backing from Islamabad and Delhi,” said a senior Pakistan official. On the eve of Eid, one can only say Amen!
(February 2, 2004)