The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, speaking in Mumbai at the Indian Express discussion programme-Adda-on December 4, was frank and forthright in his advice to his national ally, the ruling Congress party, to show " more spine when dealing with China". Under Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership
as our first Prime Minister after independence, we were the first to champion China's cause at the UN and the world at large. Even ignoring India's own interests to become a permanent member of the Security Council. But, unfortunately, within a few years of Communist China's emergence as an independent entity under Mao Tse-tung, its policy of double-speak and duplicity towards India began. But, as usual, we were too goody-goody and stupid to see its real motives. India-China Bhai Bhai slogan adopted by us never became bilateral; it was one-sided. Despite Sardar Patel's warning to Prime Minister Nehru, in a letter, shortly before his death, to be vigilant about China and not take its words at their face value, we did not prepare ourselves for any eventuality at the hands of an aggressive neighbour with expansionist designs. We paid a heavy price and suffered a humiliating defeat when Mao's hordes invaded the North-East(Arunachal Pradesh-then called NEFA), in the early winter of 1962.
Although some lessons were learnt, but essentially we seem to be frightened of our big neighbour. It keeps pushing us, humiliating us with occasional pin-pricks about territorial claims on Arunachal Pradesh and other areas and dictating to us on the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees in India. Recently, when the World Buddhist Conference took place in Delhi, even a junior diplomat-a vice consul in Kolkata, had the audacity to tell the government that the State Governor or the Chief Minister must not attend a function to honour the Dalai Lama. Fortunately, he was ignored. But the basic fact of our softness and reluctance to tick off China remains that has resulted in our hostile neighbour taking us for granted. They regard J&K as disputed in order to support their friend of all seasons-Pakistan.
Hence, in this backdrop of pusillanimity and timidity vis-a-vis China, we needed a young man in authority like the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah to tell his senior ally at the Centre, the ruling Congress, to display "more spine when dealing with China". He rightly added that if we are expected to follow a one-China policy and not question Taiwan's and Tibet's status, shouldn't China reciprocate and follow "one India policy for India" and not calling "Kashmir disputed"? In other words, he urged the policy of tit for tat, to tell China that we cannot take her aggressive and provocative statements and posture lying down.
as our first Prime Minister after independence, we were the first to champion China's cause at the UN and the world at large. Even ignoring India's own interests to become a permanent member of the Security Council. But, unfortunately, within a few years of Communist China's emergence as an independent entity under Mao Tse-tung, its policy of double-speak and duplicity towards India began. But, as usual, we were too goody-goody and stupid to see its real motives. India-China Bhai Bhai slogan adopted by us never became bilateral; it was one-sided. Despite Sardar Patel's warning to Prime Minister Nehru, in a letter, shortly before his death, to be vigilant about China and not take its words at their face value, we did not prepare ourselves for any eventuality at the hands of an aggressive neighbour with expansionist designs. We paid a heavy price and suffered a humiliating defeat when Mao's hordes invaded the North-East(Arunachal Pradesh-then called NEFA), in the early winter of 1962.
Although some lessons were learnt, but essentially we seem to be frightened of our big neighbour. It keeps pushing us, humiliating us with occasional pin-pricks about territorial claims on Arunachal Pradesh and other areas and dictating to us on the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees in India. Recently, when the World Buddhist Conference took place in Delhi, even a junior diplomat-a vice consul in Kolkata, had the audacity to tell the government that the State Governor or the Chief Minister must not attend a function to honour the Dalai Lama. Fortunately, he was ignored. But the basic fact of our softness and reluctance to tick off China remains that has resulted in our hostile neighbour taking us for granted. They regard J&K as disputed in order to support their friend of all seasons-Pakistan.
Hence, in this backdrop of pusillanimity and timidity vis-a-vis China, we needed a young man in authority like the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah to tell his senior ally at the Centre, the ruling Congress, to display "more spine when dealing with China". He rightly added that if we are expected to follow a one-China policy and not question Taiwan's and Tibet's status, shouldn't China reciprocate and follow "one India policy for India" and not calling "Kashmir disputed"? In other words, he urged the policy of tit for tat, to tell China that we cannot take her aggressive and provocative statements and posture lying down.
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