Bridging Borders: The Call for People-to-People Connection

Dattatreya Hosabale, a senior RSS functionary, emphasizes the importance of people-to-people contact to improve India-Pakistan relations. Despite past diplomatic efforts and ongoing terrorism concerns, he advocates for open dialogue and cultural engagement, suggesting that civil society connections can break longstanding deadlock.

In a candid interview with PTI Videos, top RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale highlighted the absence of trust in Pakistan's military and political leaders from an Indian perspective. He proposed that fostering people-to-people connections is key to resolving tensions between the two nations.

While acknowledging past diplomatic efforts and citing incidents like 26/11 and Pulwama, Hosabale stressed the need to protect India's security and self-respect. However, he advocated keeping channels open for dialogue, including trade, commerce, and visas, to maintain diplomatic ties.

Hosabale believes that civil society can play a pivotal role by emphasizing cultural connections and encouraging academicians, sportspersons, and community leaders to engage, thereby counteracting the aversion from Pakistani political and military leaders towards India.