By Col (Retd) VS Sodhi
Chandigarh, June 3: The other day we read the shocking news of an IAS officer from Arunachal cadre was refused visa to China as Arunachal Pradesh is a disputed area. There can be no worst example of failure of MEA in general and Indian foreign policy in particular.
Turning back the pages of history, some 54 Indian POW’s in Pakistan are still languishing in Pakistani jails. The boundary question with China remains unresolved. There is LTTE problem, Nepal problem and Bangladesh army dared to kill Indian soldiers and that too not once but many times. Every time MEA has failed in sending a tough message.
Let us confine ourselves to our immediate neighbours as they affect our nation more. Take the case of Pakistan. Will she be ever friendly to India? No body knows it better than Indian soldiers who have seen them in action during wars. The case of brutal killing of Sqn Ldr Ahuja during Kargil war when his aircraft crashed in POK area may be fresh in the minds of people. After the Bangladesh war ended, we were in the process of sending the POWs to Indian jails and their officers and soldiers were confined to cantonments.
The issue of Indian POWs in Pakistani jails will become a history as the years pass by. The next of kin of the Indian POWs have sleepless nights with their hearts weeping. I have seen 93,000 Pakistani POWs had a most comfortable stay in Indian jails. The Pakistani POWs were released without a deal of exchange of Indian POWs still languishing in Pakistani jails and many of these have lost there mental balance as per the civilian prisoners released from Pakistan prisons from time to time. Our personnel long ago would have been back. The pain of premature death of a near and dear one can only be felt by the family who suffers. One thing is very clear that Indian politician has no value for the person who has sacrificed his life for the nation. They announce few chips to the family in a function and forget thereafter. The jawans of the armed and para military forces remains out most of the time in disturbed areas. The communal disturbances, the bomb blasts, the caste wars are some to mention.The pay and perks of soldiers are low while the duties are tough and full of risk. The job of police does not carry any respect, thanks to the politician as they exploit them to the hilt and abandon them when their purpose is solved. There are no working hours for them, very few houses and facilities. In army, the officers take care of their troops while in police there is no such thing. The officer cadre in police has no special bond with their men.
See the relations between China and USA. Taiwan has still not come to the fold of China. However, China counters every move of USA forcefully when there is a conflict of interests. India still has a Tibet card. Had Indian leadership recognized Tibet, China would have been miles away from us and in fact China is so sensitive to Tibet issue and India must keep its options open to play the Tibet card in boundary dispute. Aren’t we a strong country after 60 years of independence? From where the strength comes? Barrels of gun have gone bigger and stronger, the economy is strong, self sufficiency is strong, people power is there, but diplomacy is weak. The Nehru dynasty has taken the credit for disintegrating Pakistan. The blunder of not recognising also goes to Nehru. Accept it gracefully. We asked the best possibilities to counter weak diplomacy to a group who said “Outsource it”
