By Tenzin Sangmo
New Delhi, APRIL 17 – Amid massive protest against the Beijing Olympics, the problems surrounding the torch relay have resounded throughout the world. Even as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown greeted the torch in the course of heavy pressure to boycott the Olympics and where the flame was extinguished twice by Pro-Tibet activists during the Paris leg of the relay, the torch has been mired in controversies. With China violating the message of peace and harmony that the Olympic Games stand for, Tibetans in exile have come together to protest against the brutal crackdown of Chinese authorities in Tibet following the recent March 10 uprising.
India is home to the largest number of Tibetan refugees in the world. The Indian Government’s policy towards the Tibetan struggle has been cautious and wary. Considering the fact that China is a huge trade partner and with its sensitive border issues, India is careful not to antagonize the emerging super power. This means the government is bending backwards in appeasing the demands of the Chinese authorities. The lax policy of its government towards what many Indians feel is a deceitful neighbor has angered the larger number. The Sino-Indian War or the Sino-Indian Border Conflict of 1962 is still fresh in the minds of many Indians. Post 1962, India could no longer pursue on the course of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai’ After the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 2003 visit to China, the latter formally recognized Indian sovereignty over Sikkim with the two nations moving towards resolving their border dispute. The Sino-Indian relationship was further strengthened with the re-opening of Nathula, an ancient trade route which was a part of the Silk Road hence formulating bi-lateral trade relations.
A significant breakthrough for the evolving Sino-Indo association came in early 2006 with both countries seeking industrial expansion on energy requirements and proactively securing them by investing in oilfields abroad- Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. This sees a growth in ties between the two countries, something the Indian Government will not jeopardize by criticizing the Chinese policy in Tibet.
As the Olympic torch touched down on Indian soil around 01:00 am early Thursday, security was beefed up in and around the Rajpath stretch leading to India Gate, the World War I monument of Indian soldiers. The flame, carried in a special Air China plane on its way from Islamabad to New Delhi was handed over to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi by China Olympic Committee officials in the presence of an enormous security presence. Celebrations were in order to welcome the torch which was marred by protests in the West. Protestors were also present outside the venue to voice their displeasure over the arrival of the torch demanding the boycott of the Beijing Olympics and the withdrawal of Tibet from the route of the torch relay.
The day dawned with a very high number of security personnel deployed around the route of the Olympic torch. The Capital was practically turned into a guarded castle with a look out for any disruption from pro-Tibet activists. A total of 15,000 paramilitary along with police officers have been stationed across the city to suppress any activity that may interrupt the event. Barricades crowned with barb wires have been erected on Rajpath, the chosen route for the relay today. Security at the Chinese Embassy has also been stepped up following the latest protests outside its premises. The Indian leg of the Olympic torch relay is considered to be the most threatened in view of the large Tibetan population in the country. The Government left no stone unturned in providing steep security measures and has put up a three layered security ring for the 2.3 km run on Rajpath. Dreading a repeat performance that tarnished the reputation of the torch and its significance in London and Paris, the Indian Government dispatched a team of 16 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP), 70 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), and 140 Inspectors to supervise the thousands of security officials under the direct command of Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Kashyap.
Spectators for the relay will include school children who will line up to cheer the runners on, but the stretch of 2.3 km from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate will be off limits for general public. The relay will see 70 celebrities including 47 sportspersons, running along Rajpath amid security arrangements otherwise reserved for Republic Day.
The new Sports Minister M S Gill said there will be no repeat scenes from London and Paris Olympic relay “I’m sure the government will ensure that the security cover during the torch relay is up to mark,” Gill assured.
The Olympic Holy Flame Protection Group will provide 20 Chinese Commandos to form the inner security cordon while personnel from the elite National Security Guards (NSG) will provide the second level of shield. Commandos from the elite NSG will also keep a watch on all the high rise buildings along the relay route and stand guard at rooftops even as two choppers will extend aerial cover for the event.
Meanwhile, in another part of the City, Tibetans have staged a similar relay with participation from senior politicians George Fernandes, Yashwant Sinha and internationally acclaimed writer Arundhati Roy running for the Tibetan cause.
