I respectfully disagree that Pakistan is hell: Ramya

Actress and former MP Ramya on Tuesday stood by her counter to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's remark on Pakistan, saying everybody is entitled to his views -which is what democracy is about. 'You cannot force your ideology on anyone. I respectfully disagree that Pakistan is hell. People there are just like us. Just because borders separate us, we shouldn't hate them,' Ramya said.

Ramya's response to Parrikar's August 16 statement that going to Pakistan is 'like going to hell' has triggered a social-media backlash and attracted criticism by BJP activists and right-wingers. An NGO has filed a sedition complaint against Ramya before a Madikeri court for 'praising Pakistan'. The hearing is on August 27.

The Congress has thrown its weight behind Ramya.'She has said nothing anti-national, and spoken only from her experience. This is nothing but a political ploy by the BJP to attack the Congress,' KPCC working president

Dinesh Gundu Rao

said. In New Delhi, the Cong ress spokesman said if seeking good relations between India and Pakistan constitutes sedition, then Modi should be the first person to be booked, followed by

LK Advani

and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The BJP is livid with the former MP's statement. State BJP general secretary CT Ravi said Ramya's statement was not in good taste at this juncture. Food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister

UT Khader

also backed Ramya. Speaking to reporters in

Mangaluru

, he said: 'Let those who speak against Ramya introspect.Let them clarify their stand on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan. Modi had gone to Pakistan without prior discussion.He attended a private function too. UP minister Azam Khan made an allegation that Modi met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Lahore.Those who criticize Ramya have questioned neither Modi nor Azam Khan.'

Khader recalled BJP lead er LK Advani's visit to Pakistan in 2005, a year after the NDA was voted out of office. 'Advani not only visited Karachi, but also praised Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. Minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj, too, has visited Pakistan. However, no cases have been filed in this connection. All of us are patriotic. No one has been given the contract of patriotism. Let them clarify their stand on Godse before criticizing Ramya,' Khader said. 'Ramya's statement has definitely hurt the sentiments of most Indians. Every statement has an ideal circumstance.... In this case, the circumstance of making such a statement was less than ideal,' CT Ravi said.

State president HD Kumaraswamy JD(S) said Ramya and her statements are a non-issue being stoked by the Congress and BJP to attack the other. 'Instead of fighting over statements, let the two national parties resolve the Kashmir issue and spare us such frivolous de bates,' he remarked.

Mocking the allegation that Ramya's comments were seditious in nature,

AICC

spokesman Randeep Surjewala said in Delhi that Modi made an impromptu visit for a private party at the Pakistani Premier's residence, Advani praised Jinnah in Pakistan while Vajpayee, as Prime Minister, made a bus trip across the border, all in the hope of good relations between the two countries. Surjewala said people on both sides of the border favour good relations, but the Pakistani army and the ISI are obstacles in the way of this 'laudable objective'.

Another Congress spokesman, RPN Singh, said if Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar believes Pakistan is hell, why did he let Modi go there. 'Does Parrikar want the PM to go to hell?' he asked. Singh said politicizing the comments of an artist who visited Pakistan is condemnable.

Seeking good ties with Pak not sedition
The Congress said if seeking good relations between India and Pakistan constituted sedition, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be the first person to be booked followed by LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Mocking the allegation that former Mandya MP and actor Ramya's comments were seditious in nature, Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said Modi made an impromptu visit for a private party at the Pakistani premier's residence, Advani had praised Jinnah in Pakistan while Vajpayee as prime minister made a bus trip across the border, all in the hope of good relations between the two countries.

Surjewala said people on both sides of the border favoured good relations but the Pakistani army and ISI were obstacles in the way of this 'laudable objective'.