India and Pakistan must revive dialogue to resolve the on-going conflict between the two countries, said Nirmala Deshpande, Chairperson of Gandhian integrated Forum Trust, on Saturday.    

"Terrorism is not merely a law and order problem. It is a socio-economic and political       2 problem. To root out terrorism, you have to go deep and find out the cause", she said at a news conference here. "As Mahadma Gandhi said, eye for an eye will make the whole world blind" 'she pointed out.  

No doubt, terrorism must be rooted out. But it should not be ii done through war or violence. . It could be rooted out only through dialogue and there was no other way. 

"Military option may lead to a nuclear war where there will be no defeat or victory,' but only death and destruction", Deshpande said adding, "We should understand the reasons for terrorism and find a solution through non-violence.” 

To eradicate terrorism, the government should first address 'burning issues like poverty, unemployment, disparity and illiteracy and it must realise the real needs of the people, she emphasised.    

"A majority of the people in both the countries want peace and not war. They want to live and not to die," she noted.    

Turning to Kashmir issue, she said the situation in Kashmir was so pathetic as they live between two bullets, one from militants and another from the military. The government should take the opinion of the Kashmir! people into consideration while taking steps to root out terrorism and it should win the minds and hearts of the Kashmiri people, she urged.    

Though Prime Minister Vajpayee and Pakistan president Pervez Mushaaraf had taken several measures to curb terrorism, yet more needed to be done on this issue, Deshpande added.