Katju has freedom to say a lot of things that I don’t have: Khurshid

Days after PCI chief Markandey Katju favoured reunification of India and Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has cautioned against picking up issues which may raise people’s emotions unnecessarily.

Khurshid said the Press Council of India Chairperson has freedom to say a lot of things which I do not have.

“Justice Katju has freedom to say a lot of things but I don’t have. We cannot talk about something reversing history because that can only be done if everyone speaks that way...We should not pick up something that once again raises people’s emotions unnecessarily,” he said.

“But he is a visionary and he is a person who has his own ways and it’s interesting to hear what he says,” Khurshid told PTI here yesterday on the sidelines of a function when asked to comment on Katju’s views.

Addressing a seminar here, Katju had said that the only solution to the Kashmir problem is reunification of India and Pakistan under a strong and “modern-minded” government which will not tolerate bigotry.

Khurshid said both India and Pakistan should emotionally bond to understand each other.

“Well it is a way of expressing what divides us.

Originally one people, one family. We got divided because of the events that took place. But sometimes when it happens you have to learn to live together. And in learning to live together if you blame each other you never learn to live together. So emotionally you have to bond to understand each other,” he said.

Khurshid said India wants resolution of all issues with its neighbours through talks.

“With our neighbours we have to talk. Because there is no substitute to dialogue and dialogue and it has to be placed with open heart. Sometimes it improves sometimes it gets retarded sometimes it move forward but we are working on it and let the dialogue continue,” he said.

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