Madhav Desai

Its a disaster what happened in Sharm El Sheikh few months back. Like the opposition and many other in media, I too fell that India not only bowed-down but also sold-out. Recklessness, is what I am crying out about.

Tito of Yugoslavia, Naser of Egypt and Nehru of India

More than anything, Shiv Shankar Menon clearly mentioned that this joint-statement was badly drafted. Many other spin-doctors of UPA government has taken the front line position to defend the Government Fiasco of the decade.

Here’s what’s haunting me. I dont care too much about the open dialogue statement or not too much even about the Kashmir issue. What I am really concerned about is Baluchistan issue. It is going to be one big trouble for the GOI for years to come.

Not that it makes much of a difference to our policies in large, but the guilt factor will play and prove fatal for us Globally. We simply accepted that we have something to do with Baluchistan issue in Pakistan and have clearly given Pakistan and millions of Pakistani’s a reason to hate us and wage guerilla warfare on us.

Now everytime we will come to table with Pakistan on Kashmir issue (we always say that Kashmir is our internal issue), they will come back pointing Baluchistan and will clearly say to our great leaders and bureaucrats that what we are doing in Baluchistan justifies what is happening in Kashmir. More to that is that Pakistan has long condemned Gujarat Riots and have always tried to take side of Indian Muslims – again our stand has always been “Our Internal Issue” .  Now Pakistan will have a leverage and will say that the reason they are talking about Indian Muslims, and Gujarat is because India is exploiting vested interest in Pakistan.

We since the Panchseel Agreement, we have been one of the greatest examples of a Non-Allied Democracy (probably only example of Non-Allied Country), and we have been able to maintain our reputation globally even after 1971 Bangladesh War. Now its all gone.

Government is now apologising and CEC is inquiring the whole issue, but its all water over the bridge now. I just cant digest the shock. But when I look at the joint statement over and over again, I find out of 99 wrongs there is one good – i.e. India and Pakistan will have to have composite dialogues even in case there is Mumbai-like terrorist attacks in India. This is good – even though I am centre-right guy, I think not talking will only help terrorists and people spreading rumours.

So lets see what comes out of this. I dont see any good except above.