Daily Times: NEW DELHI – Indian journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik, whose meeting with Hafiz Saeed in Lahore has kicked up a row in the Indian parliament, defended himself by saying he only wanted to analyse the Jamaatud Dawa chief’s mind to perceive his motivation about India.
“The objective was very simple. I am a journalist and I really wanted to know him,” the 69-year-old journalist told the CNN-IBN channel. “I wanted to know what kind of a man he (Hafiz Saeed) is and why he committed ‘heinous crimes’ against India. I wanted to analyse his mind,” he said.
In an interview with the Dawn News channel, Vaidik pressed for more power to all parts of Kashmir, adding that if Kashmiris in Pakistan and India were ready, then the region could be made an independent country. After his return to India, the Indian journalist did a partial U-turn, saying he favoured more independence for Kashmir but not secession.
Vaidik also said he has been meeting all sorts of people as a journalist, including those who dislike India. “In Sri Lanka, I used to meet even worst India-haters. I listen to everybody’s argument and I try to cut down their argument and persuade them,” Vaidik said. He said his controversial meetings were aimed at mobilizing peace in South Asia by way of persuading people.