Attacked by Congress, govt defends Karachi Lit Fest move

NEW DELHI: Faced with outrage over its participation in the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), the government played down its role in the event, with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) saying it had only financed the visit of four Indian authors.
As reported by TOI on Monday, the just-concluded festival officially counted ICCR as one of its co-sponsors.The other prominent ones included the Italian and German consulates in Karachi.
DG-ICCR Amarendra Khatua said the organisation “had bought plane tickets” for the Indian authors after receiving a recommendation from the Indian high commission in Islamabad, and that it had a very “limited role” in the event.
The authors and publishers whose participation was facilitated by the government included Urvashi Butalia, Preeti Shenoy and Mamang Dai.
However, with Congress attacking the Centre for what it described as its duplicity on Pakistan, the government was again at pains to explain that its Pakistan policy had not changed. “Our mission in Pakistan may have facilitated the participation of Indian authors, but in no way does it compromise India’s position on bilateral ties with Pakistan, especially on the issue of terrorism,” said an official.
Officials, however, also recalled a comment made by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj last week, that the two countries remained in touch over issues related to people-to-people contact. “The governments of India and Pakistan remain in touch through bilateral diplomatic channels, including for addressing all urgent humanitarian and other matters concerning people-to-people ties,” Swaraj had said in the Lok Sabha.
This was the first time though that ICCR got itself involved with KLF and the timing couldn’t have been more significant. Various inde-pendent bodies associated with India’s music and entertainment industries have ‘banned’ Pakistani artistes from performing here, and the government has remained silent over the issue.
Agencies quoted Ameena Saiyid, the founder of KLF, as saying that ICCR’s support to KLF was a progressive and friendly initiative. “I think such people-to-people contacts are of great importance in promoting peace and harmony between India and Pakistan,” said Saiyid.