Kolkata, Jan 31: Trust between India and Pakistan could only come from a cultural exchange between them and not from the political establishment, British Indian author Hari Kunzru said."There needs to be a very serious dialogue between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. But trust between them is not going to come from the political level. It`s going to come from the cultural level. People to people contact is very important," he said.
"Both countries are not going to trust each other until and unless there is cultural interaction between them," he told reporters here yesterday on the sidelines of the `Young
Publishing Entrepreneur Award Ceremony` organised by the British Council.
Stating that since his father was a Kashmiri Pandit, he has always been fascinated by the thought of a peaceful Kashmir and Hindu-Muslim unity. "I hope that Hindu-Muslim
unity becomes a reality one day."
Speaking about prejudices and racism, about which he has been very vocal, he said, "Prejudices exist everywhere. Indian people are racist in many ways. I also had a Chinese
girlfriend, but I could never introduce her to my family. It`s because of the racist society we live in."
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, January 31, 2009, 17:55
