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'Are our young men expendable?'
E-mail from readers the world over
Date:
Mon, 21 Jun 1999 19:08:04 -0700 - I never expected this to be so well publicised. Irrespective of who organised it or who had this thought, that Indians in the surrounding areas gathered to protest against Pakistan. There is no reason to mention about the organisations participating in this protest. This is not a show where you want some popularity for the respective organisation. There is no need to mention any organisation, firm or person's name. That's where we lose everything. Anyway, I did feel very proud and excited to be part of the protest. Raj
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Tue, 22 Jun 1999 12:09:25 +0530 It is really very well written. Makes us proud to be Indians.
Aoyon Chowdhury
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Fri, 25 Jun 1999 16:54:37 -0500 I suggest he read Indian history which is replete with examples of poor follow-throughs after gaining an initial advantage. So his point regarding not hassling the forces with demands for a speedy end to this episode is another example of the same lack of punching power which devastates the opponent, leaving no time for dilly-dallying with the finer points of "restraint" and so on.
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Fri, 25 Jun 1999 22:23:58 -0400 I do not understand. Why are we so naive? Will we ever learn from our mistakes? Years ago we believed Chinese protestations of friendship, then lost territory and thousands of lives in an operation which was more a massacre than a war. Now Pakistan, or its army-with-a-life-of-its-own, in the shadow of the Lahore Declaration grabs more land, and to add to this they insult the intelligence of our citizenry by claiming the grabbers are Kashmiri Mujahideen. Our soldiers are dying by the score, further hundreds will live lives of disability, and our politicians say we will not cross the LoC. Are we trying desperately to protect a scarce commodity, a pat on the back from Western powers for our "restraint"? It would have been better if they didn't have a tilt towards us, then we would have been free to act in our best interest. Also tell me what they might have done had enemy soldiers occupied their land, refused to leave, and they then were told to exercise restraint while their men were dying. You bet they would be crossing the LoC before the first body bag arrived home. Are our young men expendable? Let the politicians give up Kashmir if they feel the cost to defend it in diplomatic currency cannot be borne, but for God's sake, if we choose to defend it, let the Services do their job, with the least expenditure of human capital possible. We are not answerable to the West, but we are answerable to our men in uniform. They are sacrificing life, and limb, leaving scores of widows and orphaned children. Let it count for something. I for one could live with the loss of Kashmir, but I could not live with the loss of lives and limbs of these brave men, if it be for nothing. God help our brave men, those fighting, those dead and dying, and those who will undoubtedly die, if this affair cannot be finished quickly. Krishna Reddy
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Fri, 25 Jun 1999 22:27:11 PDT Pritish Nandy may be close to the mark in his diagnosis of Pakistan, but isn't he rather overrating India? India may be bigger and a potential great power, but as of now, that's mostly unrealised potential. India is hobbled by 4 million petty bureaucrats, corruption at all levels, internal divisions, a caretaker government, an opportunist Opposition (led by an Italian who can't talk to the press alone, but is expected by millions of Indians to provide effective leadership!), an under equipped and rather old-fashioned army... Need I go on? At this time, hire someone like James Carville to sell your case (and get over the hang-ups about Swadeshi and Videshi and get someone who knows the job!) and hope for an effective government. Given enough rope, the fundamentalists are bound to hang themselves anyway. Let's lay off on the war drums for a while. Best wishes from Pakistan (I mean it. Not everyone here is "dying to go to war"). Omar Ali
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Wed, 16 Jun 1999 23:10:55 -0700 I think we need to be careful and negotiate this one. The West is vary of China, with a very good reason. We need to be vary too. Building relationships with the Chinese government is critical to our success while going to the table -- a dialogue once in a while is not good enough. We need to have regular dialogue. Also we need to be vary of the West. We should be able to guide China on fighting terrorism and insurgency. I think this is an opportunity to co-op with China on defence issues and present a united front to the West but nothing is free. We should do this with getting China to represent our economic interests -- to get a piece of the pie for the 'Made in India' label to boost our exports -- make it easy for Indians to travel to China etc. Most importantly -- tread carefully -- we need some of our sharpest negotiators at the table for this one Mahesh
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Thu, 17 Jun 1999 20:42:07 -0400 I have not responded to any correspondent's articles before. But the series of articles in Rediff by Arvind Lavakare have impressed me so much that I hasten to write. The articles have analysed the several relevant aspects threadbare from the legal, constitutional and moral points of view, and are gems to be collected. I have learnt a lot of Indian history from those articles. However, will Rediff arrange for any Pakistani journalist to similarly present the other side? Thanks for the good job. Hariharan
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Fri, 25 Jun 1999 00:59:34 +0800 A nice column! But what did you mean be saying that no one in India gives a damn about what happens to the Srinagar-Leh highway! The Pakis have already captured 1/3rd of Kashmir in previous wars! And it's continuously intruding further south and east. Today the highway, tomorrow Srinagar, next week New Delhi? Of course no one in their right mind will think that Pakistan could possibly come to Delhi, but the way things are going, Srinagar is not looking impossible for them. Bharat
Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 10:30 PM I've tried understanding it but couldn't succeed. 1. Are you saying that India's nuclear tests are the cause of the Kargil problem -- a very debatable point in my view. If yes, then it should be explicitly mentioned in the article. 2. By giving references to the some people, are you saying that they represent the views of the large population of India -- again a very debatable point. 3. Why do I have a nagging feeling that all these people belong to the one community -- I address this question as much to myself as to you. 4. It is quite easy to philosophise and be a peacenik rather than actually improving things and fighting with an inhuman enemy, but then the heathen and fundamentalist Hindu India needs some philosophy and lectures of peace! Yagnavalkya
Date: Sunday, June 06, 1999 11:31 PM I wish to express my strong protest over the article 'But The Men Die' by Dilip D'Souza. If the Rediff editors are Indians, I request you to kindly avoid encouraging such articles at a time when men are dying so that Dilip D'Souza has the freedom of speech. He has never had to take a dump at -40 degrees and remember that to get up is to die. The need of the hour is to spread the message around of the sacrifices by our boys in Kargil. We have enough good people remaining in India. Makes one wonder if he appreciated that many have died, so he can open his mouth in slander without fear. The least he can do is to respect the Amar Jawans.
In Condemnation
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