Jaipur Lit Fest should not be politicised, says Ashok Gehlot

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today said that the issue of Pakistani authors’ visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival should not be “politicised”. “Whatever (the ceasefire violations on the LoC) the Pakistani Army did was condemnable. It was condemned by India and the citizens (of the country). But the visit of Pakistani authors to the literary festival should not be politicised,” Gehlot told reporters at Diggi Palace after the inauguration of the five-day event. [caption id=“attachment_600974” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at the Jaipur Literature Festival. AFP[/caption] “There are examples of when authors and sportspersons played a positive role in diluting tensions between two countries,” Gehlot added. Allaying fears over the demands raised in various quarters, including by BJP, that Pakistani authors be barred from attending the event, Gehlot said that the government was providing adequate security for the festival. PTI