|
|
|
|
|
| HOME | NEWS | DEAR REDIFF | |||
|
COMMENTARY
|
|
|
E-mail from readers the world over
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 16:46:36 -0700 I was amused and annoyed at the idea that of all persons you have chosen to put out the views of Praful Bidwai! This man who was a regular columnist of the The Times of India and was thrown out by the management for his venomous anti-BJP stance. Hurling ridicule on Hindu saints and scriptures thereby hurting the feelings of countless votaries of Hinduism. Even his name has become anathema in the intellectual circles of Mumbai. In fact, the part of Mumbai where I live The Time of India circulation registered a perceptible decline due to his strident anti-Hindu articles. I wonder how you placed him on the pedestal of an opinion-shaper! I, and many like me will cease in protest to subscribe to your news bulletin if this man is allowed to air his views in your bulletin. For the BBC to project him as a critic of the nuclear test, as it did today, is understandable as it is looking out always for the enemies within the Indian polity to discredit India which has traditionally been its favourite past time. But it should not be so for Rediff which has built up its reputation for objective reporting. Misra
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 12:43:14 -0500 (CDT) I agree with Praful Bidwai. This test was appalling, unnecessary and a setback to possibilities of long term peace in the subcontinent. I disagree with the majority of Indians who are thumping their chests with pride. We don't need nuclear weapons. I cannot think of a more singularly inept code message than "The Buddha is smiling" (Pokhran 1974 message to Mrs Gandhi after the country's first nuclear test). I cannot claim to know what the Buddha thought then or now, but I can suspect that he must have grimaced a good deal. Much worse is the day on which these tests were conducted: Buddha Poornima. Enlightenment? My god! harsh ultraviolet and X-ray emissions are hardly the kind of light we need. Someone up in the central secretariat must have had a perverse sense of humor to associate Buddha's name with this terrible experiment. Let's not sign the NPT or CTBT. But, for god's sake, let's pursue peace and disarmament. We are a huge country. Anything we do in this direction is bound to impact the world. If we commit to disarming and avoiding nuclearisation, we will make the world sit up and follow our example. The problem is that India never follows any policy with sufficient force. If India had divorced itself unambiguously from nuclearisation, and championed disarmament just as Pandit Nehru had done (he proposed the CTBT in 1953), we would have greater moral authority and taken our rightful place in the world stage. The West may have sniggered and dragged its feet on this issue, but sooner or later with the support of countries such as Australia, we could have made a difference. Now, I am afraid we have become moral lepers.
Rama Ratnam
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 10:34:30 -0700 I wonder if Rediff needs to carry views of Praful Bidwai. How can he fail to see the China-Pak-North Korea nexus? How can he fail to see the ever so impulsive nature of Pakistan's behaviour? How can he assert to himself the right of acting as a spokesperson of Sri Lanka and Nepal while the countries themselves have shown commendable restraint in refraining from commenting on the tests so far? Thank God, Bidwai has at least seen the marginal implications of sanctions by the US. The fact that we have always been neglected in terms of aid despite our exemplary responsible behaviour (and the corollary that further sanctions can cause only incremental hardships) should never be lost sight of ... I rate the views of Bidwai as perverted, ill-placed, and perhaps not the best use of Rediff web site disk space. Biswajit Khandai
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 12:24:19 -0500 (CDT) I am struck by Brajesh Mishra's (PP to PM) remark that the nuclear environment around India is "very dangerous." Of course, it is dangerous! If politicians keep shouting all the time that the environment is very dangerous, it is going to become so. Certainly, this nuclear test has contributed to making it "more dangerous." I presume, that after Pakistan tests its own device, the BJP government will shake its collective head and say "most dangerous" and carry out more tests. What is the purpose of this appalling test? Why is there this deplorable lack of foresight on the direction our nation is to take? Why are Indians all over the world jubilant about this monstrous experiment? Have we gone mad? I am wearing a black arm band today. It is the only way I can protest this mindless descent into weaponisation and nuclearisation of the subcontinent. Rama Ratnam
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 10:58:29 -0500 It is sad that some intellectuals will let their personal bias get better of their own superior judgement and overall national interests. It is one thing to criticise the BJP for its domestic policies, but to oppose this move to declare its N-club status is wrong. With the USA looking the other way when Pakistan and China colluded to nuclearise and militarise the region what other options did India have other than complaining to a deaf international (??USA) community, or come out of the N-club closet. Now that it is done we should work towards a regional NO First use pact. Subhash
Date sent: Wed, 13 May 1998 00:06:57 +0800 Simply great!
Anurag
Date sent: Wed, 13 May 1998 00:50:56 +0800 I am totally disappointed with the nuclear tests conducted by India. The government has really lost sense of its priorities. What we need today is development in trade commerce, and of course public health and education. Instead of focusing on these the government is trying to prove that it can maintain its winning streak against Pakistan. In today's world no one can win a war completely. The mighty US also could not do it against a determined Iraq. So what's the point? Without a strong economy no nation can be powerful, whatever may be the strength of the army. We don't have to look into history book for this, look at what happened to the former Soviet Union. We have a fragile economy (although very sound in theory) and now we await sanctions instead of investments. MR PRIME MINISTER, WE EXPECT MORE RATIONAL ACTION FROM YOU. Joydeep Das
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:51:16 -0700 The nuclear explosion is no big deal. It is countries like Pakistan which indulge in stealing technology that need to be the concern of proliferation experts. India did what it had to -- to convey the message to China that it is not a sitting duck. Kamal
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 10:26:58 -0700 From what I am reading, Sri Lanka appears to be the only country which is viewing it pragmatically. Good way to maintain relations with India.
Venkat
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:46:39 -0600 Why are countries like US, Japan, Sweden, Australia talking about economic sanctions on India?? Did they do anything wrong?? Absolutely not!! Vajpayeeji took a bold decision to explode a thermonuclear bomb at Pokhran. We never signed the CTBT, there was no restriction on us. China after signing the CTBT helped Pakistan in building Ghauri. Why not sanctions on China?? China is nuclear capable and they are not firm on any foreign policy. They can declare war on India, then who will help us? We can't afford to lose one more war to China as happened in 1961. Everyone including Nehru was surprised by China's attack in 1961. They may repeat that anytime. Now we can at least face China, if we have any war. China may not dare to have a war with nuclear capable India, even though they have an upper hand. Pakistan's defence is technically much stronger than Indian defence. They purchased a lot from the West and China, and they claim they built some indigenously. Pakistan's defence is much different from what it was in 1971. So India did a correct thing by exploding a nuclear bomb and joining the "elite" five nuclear capable countries. Vajpayeeji at last took a bold decision. Mr PM take a bold decision against Jaya also. Srinivasa Reddy Manda
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 10:04:31 -0500 Nothing militaristic about what the Indian government has done. Nothing wrong even if they have done it to safeguard their own government, which doesn't seem to be the case anyway because all parties, ruling and Opposition alike have applauded this nuclear test. Mr Praful is obviously biased and is looking at only one side of the coin. What he wants to ignore is that although India will face sanctions from the international community, it will also gain respect for its nuclear programme. The so-called superpowers will not take a second look at the advanced technology we have. As a matter of fact, China showed inclination towards peaceful ties with India only after successful tests conducted in 1974. An enthusiastic Rediff reader
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 10:57:50 -0400 India had "serious security concerns," arising out of Pakistan's recent test-firing of its medium-range Ghauri missile, and its continued cooperation in nuclear and missile fields with China. India has a serious security threat, that too at the level of nuclear warfare, which were made possible by the nonexistence of NPT protocols, by one of the signatories namely China. It is no secret that the Ghauri missile is the turncoat of Chinese version through North Korea. As everyone knows the USA is also responsible for the proliferation of nuclear technology to the Middle East (Israel's programmes). Though India was not one of the signatories of NPT, it was and is a true follower of NPT. It had the capability to go nuclear since 1974. For 24 years it was restraining itself as a true follower to the norm of the NPT dogma. But now after the Ghauri missile we took the issue to the European bodies and USA (main ally for Pakistan). One of the American foreign policy maker, when pressed for his opinions about Ghauri and its origin, responded by commenting that "take your dirty laundry list to the countries concerned." The governing body's response for nuclear proliferation's deterrence was a mere recognition as a dirty laundry list was totally irresponsible. Under these conditions, India cannot rely on world bodies and their forum for its safety and security concerns. It is a bold decision to show the world that India has the capability to protect its integrity by exploding not one but three bombs on the same day. The world should now come to real terms, when Indian concerns have to be addressed, and cannot ignore Indian interests any more. My congratulations to the Indian government, scientists and engineers for successfully demonstrating this much required show of courage to this world.
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 18:54:30 +0400 Your article was excellent. It gave an insight of how Indian scientists were instrumental in ultimately exploding the nuclear device. We are very proud of the achievements of the Indian scientists. Avinash Totade
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 07:53:54 -0700 While Rao's government was contemplating exploding a nuclear bomb in Pokhran, he was stopped by US intervention -- while he seemed to be doing other things equally destructive without any intervention, like the "UREA SCAM." Gujral has some liking for Pakistan as his birth place, I can understand his sentiments. We should not let Pakistan have the bigger gun or else we will be forced to live under the Taliban, who make the Iranian mullahs look like Buddha. The world is chaotic and those who survive are people of power and strength. The USA never angers China only because China has the arsenal to take Taiwan, South Korea and the entire Far East alone. In a real war, I don't think that the USA will intervene after the defeat they had at the hands of the Vietnamese. Go nuclear India, let the weak come and negotiate for peace.
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 20:00:02 +0530 Too little said by too few. Unfortunately 50 years after Independence, we remain so insecure that we need swadeshi and nuclear bombs to preserve our dignity... Thank god though for Praful Bidwai. He seems to be the only ray of thought and introspection on this black day for India. Shomik
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:20:51 -0500 Abdul Qadeer Khan, don't we know where you stole your lamb from? Go ahead and cook it, eat it, and have constipation! Srinivas Murthy
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:46:36 -0400 Dr Qadeer Khan describes himself as a cook-in-waiting. India, on the other hand believes in being a chef! Dr Khan must understand the difference between a chef and a cook (a chef creates, a cook copies and repeats the process).
Jayant Mehta
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:38:27 -0400 It doesn't matter whether he is unhappy or happy for the country. A country or a government can't provide happiness to each individual. It is a great thing that The Great India has done this. Indrasen
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 13:32:54 EDT As an Indian, I believe whatever my country does is correct and it is for the good of my country. I give my 200 % support to what India has done in the testing of Nuclear weapons. If a country like the US with a large nuclear arsenal is not dismantling its weapons and wants Indians to stop anything related to nuclear weapons, it is not possible. What does the world expect from India if its neighbours possess nuclear weapons? Nobody controls India since it has not signed CTBT/NPT. India has not made any promise that it is not going to develop nuclear missiles. The US has no right to point a finger at India since they have more than 20 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons. Pugazhendhi
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:1:42 -0400 Why bother signing CTBT to avoid US sanctions? The impact of US sanctions is considered MINIMAL, isn't it ? It would be like trading a STICK for a CARROT!! Kalyan
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 21:47:44 +1000 It's sad to see that so many of your readers are in favour of atomic tests. This foolish egotistical pride will only damage India in the long term, and not sanctions -- because your great country cannot afford to waste resources on atomic weapons and from there to enter into an arms race with your neighbours. There's so many better things that you could be teaching the rest of the world.
Steve Hunter
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 16:16:25 +0530 In your above-mentioned story there are 2 glaring problems/errors : 1. I think the headline is misleading. India has conducted 3 nuclear tests, not exploded a hydrogen bomb. 2. Pokhran has been shown in the extreme eastern end of Rajasthan whereas it is in the extreme western end of the state. Dinesh Khanna
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 13:04:56 +0530 Irrespective of what the US or Pakistan say, I feel our present government has vindicated our stand. If they can do it, we can do it better. I am personally very happy. Gone are the days of Indians living in the shadows of the nuclear threat. At this point of time, I am reminded of what our late PM Mrs Gandhi said at the Non Aligned conference in Delhi. I clearly remember her opening words: "The hood of the cobra is spread. Human kind watches in frozen fear, hoping against hope that it will not strike. Never before has the earth faced so much death and danger... " Let us all commit ourselves to building a GREAT INDIAN nation.
Vivek Narain
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 13:27:54 +0530 Yahoo! Are we developing a spine? Rajesh
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 13:27:54 +0530 Why is it shameful? Why is asserting India's sovereignty shameful? It's the right thing to do, to gain our rightful position in the world. It's the only way you are going to take care of your national interests. We should move into the next millennium as a strong nation, one that is respected and listened to by the developed nations. This is a move in the right direction. Valli
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 12:49:14 +0530 The article is comprehensive, however a page each on India's relations with Pakistan and China and the past wars with them would provide a more complete picture. Prince
Date sent: Mon, 11 May 1998 23:41:47 -0700 It is interesting to read Mr Praful Bidwai's article and his concerns over misuse of resources and international opinions. A few thoughts... About Resource Utilisation: I am not sure which resources Mr Bidwai is pointing towards, but hopefully, he means money. So, by his argument, all expenditure on defence is almost useless and the people of India are being cheated of their money on a foolish activity like defence. Mr Bidwai, how about setting up your residence on the India-Pakistan border? Would you still feel appalled at defence expenditure? Also, a nation can stay financially sound only if it is militarily sound and a recent example of a financially sound but militarily weak country facing troubles is Kuwait. Mr Bidwai, would you like Pakistani-Chinese soldiers to knock on your doors? About International opinion: The world has always been driven by two forces, money and power. This world does not run on conscience and is far from utopia of peaceful coexistence. The international community might shed some crocodile tears over India's "appalling" decision, but the Indian market is too lucrative for any business community to be isolated. The USA has behaved time and again with excellent business sense with China, irrespective of China's various objectionable actions, why? Not because China is concerned about the USA or international community but because China offers huge market potential for the capitalistic world. Mr Bidwai, I would strongly suggest you to take a third person look at how the world powers interact before expressing undue and uncalled for concerns about international opinions. Also, time will tell whether the decision is right or wrong and believe me, the future generations of India will always thank us for this bold step towards a powerful India. I would appreciate a response from you, Mr Bidwai.
Prasad V Saraph
Date sent: Mon, 11 May 1998 19:42:13 -0400 YEAH, YEAH, MR DIXIT!! WAY TO GO!!!
Date sent: Tue, 12 May 1998 16:02:13 +0900 India cannot be isolated because the entire world is at the mercy of Indian community for all their requirements. Are we not self sufficient in 95 percent of the requirements. YES WE ARE. Let us not be viewed as a dependent country. Why take the extreme action of recalling all the Indians abroad and if all the Indians return to our country, where is Microsoft, where is Sun, where is computer programming and who is going to look after NASA? No we are not dependent, we are independent. Three cheers to Vajpayeeji and his team. Let him proclaim Emergency in India and track India economically forward, free from the cheap politics of the counterparts.
|
||
|
HOME |
NEWS |
BUSINESS |
CRICKET |
MOVIES |
CHAT
INFOTECH | TRAVEL | LIFE/STYLE | FREEDOM | FEEDBACK |
||