Message between the lines shows U.S. Displeasure on certain Indian Moves
By SYYED MANSOOR AGHA
US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have simultaneously issued advisories asking their citizens to exercise caution while travelling to India during this festive season. This has irked Indian tourism industry and the Government of India has approached these countries to withdraw the advisories. The festive session started with Dussehra will end in the last week of January. As the Indian authorities said, “The language in advisory is rather disproportionate and contrary to the current trends of tourism to India.”
Ostensibly it looks as the advisory is based on the possibility of terror attacks during this period though there is no specific input to fear. Between the lines a shrewd message indicating U.S. displeasure against Indian stand on certain issues may also be read. Remarkable similarity in the substance and the language of these warnings is alarming. When Mr. S.M. Krishna, Union Minister of External Affairs raised the issue with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd, he admitted: “We do not have any information of any specific threat to share with India.” Pleading that such advisories are “routine” advice and that they “follow other countries in advisories and in fact the same language is seen.” It may be substantiated that Australia and other countries followed U.S. who took the lead. One can see this as a concerted effort in the leadership of ‘big brother.’
Same was the response of Canada and New Zealand when contacted. Mr. Krishna in Melbourne, on the sideline of Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM), had separate meetings with his Kiwi counterpart Murray McCully, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and Mr. Kevin Rudd of Australia. All three have assured that they want to flourish their relations with India and also to look into the matter.
Detailed advisories depicted the picture of the country as an unruly State infested with crime, terror and violent demonstrations. It seems as the authors have taken a leaf from the propaganda material of Saffron Brigade and their disciples in intelligence agencies. Ironically, Indian authorities have been issuing such warnings regularly, with ulterior motives, during last many years. Media had been taking lead in fanning fear in the people on the basis of inputs from un-identified “intelligence sources”.
Mr. Mark Toner, spokesman of US State Department has stressed on “the continued possibility of terrorist attacks throughout India during the holiday season, which includes Hindu, Islamic, and other religious and secular holidays between October and January.” He further said, “Recent Indian government advisories and local media reports increased indications that there are terrorist attacks possibly in planning.”
The spokesman did not indicate which “recent” Indian government advisories alerted the US? Fortunately this festive season there had been no overt or covert warning from Indian agencies and festivals of Dussehra and Diwali were celebrated with customary enthusiasm all over the country. Threats of disruptions from across the border have also died down and there is every hope that past will not be repeated again. Atmosphere in the subcontinent has changed a lot. Recent incidence of Indian helicopter straying away in PoK is the indicator of changing priorities. (Pakistani authorities returned the crew and machine within hours.) However stray incidences may not be ruled out in such a big country and therefore we find no takers of the picture of India, U.S. State Department tried to sell out and his close friends followed.
U.S. DISPLEASURE FOR WHAT?
On Sep 24, Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressed 66th session of U.N. General Assembly. His remarks did not go well in U.S. and Israel’s circles. Dr Singh strongly favoured creation of Palestine State while obliquely criticised U.S. and its allies’ armed adventures in the Middle East.
In his address Dr. Singh said, “Economic, social and political events in different parts of the world have coalesced together and their adverse impact is now being felt across countries and continents.” Taking a dig on protectionist policies of big economies, he said, “The world economy is in trouble. The shoots of recovery which were visible after the economic and financial crisis of 2008 have yet to blossom. In many respects the crisis has deepened even further.”
He also criticised The Britton Woods Institutions (The World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund) and pointed out, “Declining global demand and availability of capital, increasing barriers to free trade and mounting debt pose a threat to the international monetary and financial system. Questions are being asked about the efficacy of the Britton Woods institutions.”
Sharing the pain of certain Muslim countries, he said, “There has been unprecedented social and political upheaval in West Asia, the Gulf and North Africa. People of these regions are demanding the right to shape their own future.” His following remarks hit Imperialistic designs of the U.S.: “The international community has a role to play in assisting in the processes of transition and institution building, but the idea that prescriptions have to be imposed from outside is fraught with grave danger,” and that, “actions taken under the authority of the United Nations must respect the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of individual states.”
To balance his comment, he said, “Correspondingly, governments are duty bound to their citizens to create conditions that enable them to freely determine their pathways to development. This is the essence of democracy and fundamental human freedoms.”
PALESTINE ISSUE
His most thumping remark was on Palestine issue. U.S. is blocking the way of recognition of Palestine State for last sixty years and had warned its intention to veto the Palestine Authority’s bid for recognition in U.N. Security Counsel. Dr. Manmohan Singh’s open support of Palestine against declared policy of USA has surprised many. Without mincing words, the P.M. said, “The Palestinian question still remains unresolved and a source of great instability and violence. India is steadfast in its support for the Palestinian people’s struggle for a sovereign, independent, viable and united state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognizable borders side by side and at peace with Israel. We look forward to welcoming Palestine as an equal member of the United Nations.”
This was followed by Mr. E. Ahmed, State Minister of External Affairs in U.N. Security Council. Participating in the discussion on Palestine issue, he reiterated India’s support to the Palestinian statehood request and said, “Call of the international community for democracy and respect of fundamental rights will “sound hollow if the present impasse continues and Palestinians are denied their aspirations.” He further said, “We cannot make Palestine’s membership to the United Nations conditional upon a peace agreement for that will be legally untenable, even while we support resumption of direct talks to resolve the outstanding issues.”
Mr. Ahmed reminded that India was the first non-Arab country to recognise the State of Palestine in 1988. He said the issue of Palestine took a “decisive turn” in the history of the Middle East conflict after President Mahmoud Abbas filed the application with the UN Secretary General last month. “India looks forward to welcoming Palestine as an equal member of the United Nations. India recognises the democratic aspirations of all people, including in the Middle East,” Ahmed said.”
PM MEETS AHMADINEJAD
On the sidelines of UN General Assembly, P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh’s meeting with Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also seen as a bitter pill for U.S. against the backdrop of American officials walking out during the address of Iranian President. Dr. Singh has also accepted President Ahmadinejad’s invitation to visit Iran. Both leaders decided the Joint Economic Commission between the two sides will be meeting soon to be co-chaired by the Foreign Minister of Iran. They also reviewed the situation in Afghanistan and discussed developments in West Asia and North Africa. They also agreed to review the Non-Aligned Movement which will be chaired next by Tehran.
Diplomatic, political and economic proximity of India with Iran is against U.S. diplomacy that wants to alienate the Islamic Republic and again builds pressure against the oil rich Gulf State. However India is repositioning herself for the scenario emerging after departure of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. It may be hoped that the efforts to cow down India will not succeed in the 21st century.
[The writer is Gen. Sec, Forum for Civil Rights. email: syyedagha@hotmail.com]