Advani said India's ethos has always been 'assimilative', whereas Pakistan's has been 'exclusivist'.
BJP leader LK Advani today said Pakistan can become a stable nation if it gives space to its minorities and endorsed a view that the impact of Islamism on "legislation and political life" of that country was far stronger than its thin support base there would justify.
"Islamism did not, and does not, have much popular support in Pakistan, as elections prove whenever they are held... but its impact on legislation and political life is far stronger than a thin support base would justify," Advani wrote in his latest blog quoting the book Tinderbox by journalist MJ Akbar.
Advani said India's ethos has always been "assimilative", whereas Pakistan's has been "exclusivist".
The BJP parliamentary party chairman said the day Akbar's book was released, governor of Pakistan's Punjab Salman Taseer was assassinated by security guard.
Taseer had invited the fanatics' ire because of his outspoken defence of a Christian woman Aasia Bibi currently facing the death penalty on charges of blasphemy.
"Had Taseer been in India he would not have died," the BJP leader quoted Akbar as saying in his short speech at the launch of the book in which he calls Pakistan a "jelly state".
The BJP leader claimed that the debate in Pakistan about the role of Islam in its polity began while MA Jinnah was still alive.
"The father of Pakistan was challenged by the godfather of Pakistan, Maulana Maududi, founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami, and accurately described as the architect of the Islamist movement in South Asia and the most powerful influence on its development worldwide," Advani said
He also quoted a letter written by Maratha ruler Shivaji to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb cited in the book .
"If you believe in the true Divine Book and the Word of God , you will find there Rabb-ul-Alamin, the Lord of all men, and not Rabb-ul-Muslimin, the Lord of the Muslims only.
"Islam and Hinduism are terms of contrast.
"They are (diverse pigments) used by the true Divine Painter for blending the colours and filling in the outlines....To show bigotry for any man's own creed and practices is equivalent to altering the words of the Holy Book...," Advani wrote quoting the letter.
According to Advani, it was the philosophy of the Holy Quran which prevented Jahangir and Shah Jehan from alienating Hindus.
"They too had the power of levying jiziya (tax), but they did not give place to bigotry in their hearts," the blog said.
Advani recalled that during his visit to Pakistan in 2005, a question was posed to him as to whether his origin and place of birth - Karachi - became an obstacle in his political career.
"My reply was: Not at all.
"In Indian politics, all those who migrated from Sindh, NWFP, Punjab, East Bengal to Rajasthan, UP, West Bengal and decided to become active in politics joined the Congress, Jan Sangh, Socialist Party, Communist Party and became part of the political mainstream.
"It is really for you to ponder why Muslims from UP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar who have come to Pakistan have remained muhajirs (refugees) even after over fifty years and have had to form a separate party MQM," he wrote.
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