From Our Correspondent
Intellectuals, scholars and leaders of various political parties, assembled at a book release function in New Delhi, welcomed the recent Lahore bus trip of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and described it as a major milestone in restoring peace and harmony between India and Pakistan. The function was organised by Prabhat Prakashan at New Delhi to release the book Vibhajan Aswikar (Partition not accepted). The book, edited by BJP MP Dr Mahesh Chandra Sharma, was released by veteran Islamic scholar, Maulana Wahiddudin Khan.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Wahiddudin Khan said that opposition to Partition shows the unacceptability of the mutual hatred between the peoples of the two countries. Referring to the recent peace efforts between India and Pakistan he emphasised the need to bridge the gap between other countries of the world too.

On the occasion, Bahujan Samaj Party leader and MP Shri Arif Mohammed Khan said that Shri Vajpayee's recent visit to Pakistan had improved relations between the two countries beyond expectations. Describing it as a historic and brave effort on the part of Shri Vajpayee, Shri Khan said that it had not only arrested increasing hatred between the two nations but had also put both the nations on the right track. "I have no hesitation to admit that this trip has changed my attitude to the BJP. Now I think the BJP is no more a communal party", he said.

Veteran RSS leader and founder of Deendayal Research Institution (DRI) Shri Nanaji Deshmukh said that majority had now rejected Partition. He accused the political leaders of both the countries for playing with the sentiments of people. "Not only India and Pakistan, this attitude of politicians have divided each and every village of the country too. Even the religious leaders do not want to serve religion and have become toys in the hands of political leaders", he added.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil said that two neighbouring countries can come together only by way of mutual co-operation and trust. He appealed to India and Pakistan to come closer. Senior BJP leader and MP Shri K.R. Malkani stressed the need to exchange more literature specially books and newspapers between the two countries. "There is a cultural unity among the people of India and Pakistan. People of both countries like the films, music and songs of both countries and want to visit in each others' countries. This feeling has already broken all the boundaries between India and Pakistan," he said expressing the hope that Partition would certainly end one day.