EDITORIAL
EVERYONE'S TOPPERS
As the old adage has it:
success has all fathers and failure has none. Everyone is
quick to claim the authorship of a success. And if they
cannot possibly be fathers, they'd be contented to have
midwifed the success. Well half a slice is any day better
than no slice at all. None knows it better than the many
coaching institutions in the town. Quick on the heels of
declaration of the KAS and the Competent Authority
results, the past week has seen all the Coaching schools
in the town claiming to have coached all the toppers. Of
course, they are only following a 'well established'
practice in the field. For no sooner does the UPSC
announce the results of an all India service than the top
finishing schools of the nation come forth with claims to
have done the trick. They have not only their roll
numbers but also hand-written letters and 'interviews'
too, saying very explicitly that the success is more an
effort of the coaching school than the candidates' own
effort or caliber. Though there have been allegations
that those letters are purchased with good amount of
cash, nobody has ever sought to look into those letters
and testimonials, how those 'spontaneous'
acknowledgements are garnered. And the prep schools go on
claiming that they can and do 'finish' the aspiring boy
and girl for the top slot.
The result time is the
sowing season for the prep schools. It is good publicity,
time to lay a net for the future catch. And, they do have
a right to that advertisement after a hard year's work.
What, however, does surprise all and sundry is that all
the top coaching centers should claim to have coached all
the toppers. The first positioner is theirs, the second
one and the third, down to the last boy and girl in the
selection list. Year after year, selection after
selection brings the claims from all to have brought the
success, exclusively with its own special, intensive
packags. Never ask how a boy attended six hours of
intensive coaching, at three or four institutions, for at
least half of the year. Never ask, when he ate, drank and
slept. Or, when he did those all-important home
assignments, which are the special features of all
coachings. It could be said that they attended a class at
each institution but that would not do. For one, the
centers don't offer piecemeal courses. For another, it
would not be normally affordable given the high fees.
Above all, it would not 'help' the 'advertisement'
because it would mean that all centers contributed to the
success, that they are all equally good. It will not help
the sales pitch at all if the school is one among three
or four. So they must claim full and exclusive role for
themselves. And they do it; all claim that they have
coached all the toppers.
Of course, they will never
tell the failures. Failure has no father, you know. No
midwife , either. Failures are quietly forgotten. Yet a
very large number of students, apart from those toppers,
attend the school. It is the legions of backbenchers who
make up the bulk of coaching classes, keep the three and
four shifts runnings, and fill the coffers of the
coaching schools. Most schools offer free-ships even
scholarships to the outstanding students, but it is the
less promising common ones who pay hefty sums to be
coached. It is the performance of these students, which
would tell the worth of these institutions. The mass of
students, their parents and the general public would like
to know about the success rate of these students. They
would like to know how many students 'in total' did the
academy coach and how many of them finally qualified.
That would be the right yardstick to measure the success
of the schools. But they will never tell that. If you
insist upon knowing, their records would be 'incomplete'
and 'they'd let you know' in time. They have 'enquiries
to make' and 'would let you know'. But about the toppers
they know everything and would tell you, without asking,
how they have fathered and delivered those success
stories. All of them!
|
Janamashtami
Special
Krishna
Avatar
By Brij
Mohan Sharma
To write
on Krishna, the Lord of the Universe,
especially for a layman like me who has
no claims either to be a litterateur or a
philosopher, seems to be a somewhat risky
job. However, when we realize that the
teaching of Bhagavan Sri Krishna are as
important for a man of letters as for a
common man, more especially in the
present day strife-torn world, it becomes
at once easy to conclude that Lord
Krishna cannot be considered to be the
preserve only of scholars and
philosophers. I have, therefore, ventured
to write a brief about Krishna Avatar,
even though it may be found lacking the
philosophical wisdom and the way of
presentation with which such subjects are
generally adorned with.
The first
and the foremost question that comes to
our minds on this occasion is asto what
prompted Krishna, the Lord of the
Universe, to take birth on earth and
that, too, in a human form. To our good
luck, the answer to this question has
been given by the Lord Himself in the
holy Bhagavad Gita, which is the most
venerated scripture not only in India but
almost in every part of the globe. It is
consdered to be the essence of all the
Vedas and Upanishads.
In verse 7
& 8 of Chapter IV of this holy
scripture, Bhagvan Krishna says :-
''Whenever
virtue (dharma) and vice (aiharma)
predominates, I incarnate as an Avatar.
In visible form I appear from age to age
to protect the virtuous and to destroy
evildoing in order to re-establish
righteousness.'
In other
words, it means whenever the majority of
human beings mis-use their God-given
freedom and allow unrighteousness in get
hold of their beings that upsets the
divine plans concerning their fellow
beings and their own destiny, it becomes
necessary for God, the Cosmic Director,
to personally appear on the stage in a
human form (as an Avatar) to overthrow
the forces of ignorance and selfishness.
By His presence among humanity, God once
again re-awaken man's inherent divine
nature and teaches him how to make proper
use of the God-conferred free will.
It may be
pertinent to mention here that God
deliberatley manifests Himself in the
form of a Human being to enable us the
mortals to come closer to Him, to enable
us divulge all our afflictions and joys
to Him and also to enable Him to impart
His teachings to us. Being born as a
Mortal, He does not break His own rule
i.e. He abides by the mortal afflictions,
sorrows, etc. This rigorous discipline on
His part is intended for our upliftment
and knowledge.
We are all
children of God and our Divine Father can
hardly afford to see his children getting
astray by becoming victims of evil
habits, mainly born out of the
treacherous game played by materialism,
hatred, selfishness and jealousy.
Dr S
Radhakrishnan, the internationally
acclaimed philosopher of India has
therefore appropriately said ''.. In
order to save the erring humanity God
does not stand aside leaving us to make
or unmake ourselves. Whenever by the
abuse of freedom unrighteousness
increases and the world get stuck in a
rut, He creates Himself to lift the world
from out of its rut and set it on new
tracks. Out of His love He is born again
and again to renew the work of creation
on a higher plane''.
In this
very context, Sri Ramakrishan Parmahansa
has also observed''.... An incarnation is
the man of authority sent by Iswara into
society. He comes to put in order all
lapses and deviations in the practice of
dharma''.
It can
safely be assumed from the aforementioned
saying of Sri Ramakrishna Parmahansa that
many a time instead of descending
personally, God sends His divine
messengers with the authority to set the
things rights. And this, no doubt, is
true to a great extent because from ages
past we have a succession of divine men,
living and functioning in this world,
radiating their spiritual light to bring
humanity on the right track.
The views
of Parmahansa Yoganandaji, one of the
leading spiritual luminaries of twentieth
century, almost coincide with the saying
of Sri Paramahansa Ramakrishna so far as
God's incarnation of earth is concerned
:-
Yoganandaji
says ''whenever ignorance, selfishness,
war and misery are prominent, supreme
manifests through masters... They may
appear on earth as minor saints or as
great masters according to their degree
of realization to serve as living
examples of virtue and to inspire
spiritual aspirants to destroy their
inward and outward evils.
''But
whenever the spectre of vice talks
unexcersied on the earth, in every such
age God incarnates as a saviour....... to
resurrent facing virtues, protect the
spiritual, help in the removal of evil
currents, and destroys the evil
propensities of the wicked.''
All this
goes to show that the degree of
unrighteousness prevailing at the time of
Krishna Avatar had reached such
unprecedented heights that there was no
option for God but to incarnate Himself
on earth. India, at that time, was
passing through such a critical period of
history when the evil had reached its
zenith and the degeneration and decedence
of religion was ruling the roost.
The story
of Krishna's miraculous birth in a
prison, His upbringing in Gokul &
Brindaban as a cowherd and the miracles
performed by Him even as a child are too
well known to need any reiteration. Sri
Krishna was hardly an adolescent when He
had to leave Brindaban to fulfil the
purpose of His incarnation. As an adult,
Sri Krishna fulfilled his kingly duties
and campaigned against the reigns of evil
rulers. From his very birth, He displayed
divine wisdom and incredible powers.
Much of
his life is, however, associated with
Pandavas and Kaurvas. The latter being so
materially dominated that they were not
prepared to give back even an inch of the
Kingdom to Pandavas who were its rightful
claimants. This dispute culminated in the
battle of Kurukshetra and Truth
ultimately triumphed over evil.
It was
during this battle that Sri Krishna
played the role of the Guru and
counsellor of Arjuna and gave the sublime
message of Yoga to the world, which has
been beautifully recorded in the holy
scripture known as Bhagavad Gita that
shows the way of righteous activity and
meditation for divine communion and
salvation. Briefly speaking, in the
teachings contained in Bhagavad Gita, God
had laid down two principal ways for the
attainment of this objective- (Sankhya
Yoga) i.e. the Yoga of knowledge and (2)
Karama Yoga, i.e. the Yoga of Action.
Of the
two, however, God recommends the Yoga of
Action for householders because of its
being easier to practice than to become a
renunciant, which seems to be a
prerequisite for the performance of
Sankhya Yoga. It has been asserted that
in Karma Yoga the performance of right
actions without desire for their fruit,
plus meditation without outer activity.
God, however, warns that these secret
teachings should never be imparted to a
man without austerity, nor to one without
devotion, nor even to him who is
unwilling to hear, nor again to him who
finds fault with the Almighty. It is only
those devotees, who with true faith and
devotion seek refuge in God alone can
obtain supreme peace and the eternal
abode.
It may be
interesting to note here that in Verse 46
of Chapter VI of Bhagavad Gita, Bhagvan
Krishna says ''The Yogi is deemed greater
than ascetics, greater even than the
followers of the path of wisdom or of the
path of action: be thou, O Arjuna, a Yogi
:''
One need
not get confused by this verse. Briefly
speaking, what God means to say here is
that even though the disciplining of the
body through rigorous austerities or
acquiring theoretical knowledge of
scriptures or performing of good actions
often produces a conviction that one has
become aware of the Truth, as a matter of
fact he does not know it at all. In this
verse what Krishna means to say is that
unless and until a devotee without divine
realization. This is why for a Yogi
meditation and concentration for the
attainment of ecstasy is very important.
When a devotee, free from all bodily and
wordly consciousness is united with the
blessed Cosmic Spirit, it is only then
that he is worthy to be called a true
Yogi. By achieving this State of union
with God, he achieves a higher spiritual
plane than a tapasavi, karmi or a jnani.
How many
of us sincerely and honestly follow the
teachings imparted to us by our Avatars
and prophets is a question which is not
easy to answer for us. We should,
however, have no hesitation to admit that
the humanity, in general, has again
fallen into the morass of vice which is
getting unexercisable with every passing
day, and we must all pray earnestly for
the descension of an Avatar or a Prophet
on earth, who could, in the words of
Parmahansa Yogananda ''resurrect the
fading virtues, protect the spiritual,
help in the removal of evil currents, and
destroy the evil propensities of the
wicked''.
|
 |
Crush
militancy or quit!
TALES OF TRAVESTY
By: Dr.
Jitendra Singh
It is now
assuming nonsensical proportions. After
every few days there is a selective
massacre of over a score of Hindus or
Sikhs. It makes news for a day or two. A
Union Home Ministry team pays a flying
visit to the site of tragedy. The Union
Home Minister reiterates that the
Government has formulated a strategy to
combat such cold-blooded killings. The
mainstream political parties are quick to
denounce cross-border terrorism sponsored
by Pakistan while the Hurriyat leadership
and some self-styled intellectuals
describe it as a handiwork of security
forces. A bandh is observed for a day and
then everything is conveniently forgotten
till there is another massacre and
another repetetion of the same sequence.
The
Government of India's continued dithering
and half-hearted resolve to crush
militancy in Jammu and Kashmir has on the
one hand emboldened the ruthless
confidence of sponsored militants and on
the other hand it has given the
over-ground separatist politicians of the
Hurriyat brand the alibi to claim that it
is not cross-border militancy but armed
"freedom struggle" which has
been sustained for more than a decade by
the support of the local population.
Infact, each precious day lost by the
Vajpayee Government in deciding its next
move weakens its position not only on the
security front but also on the diplomatic
front.
The
question now is: how should the Vajpayee
Government go about in dealing with the
violent imbroglio in Kashmir? It needs to
be clearly realised that unless the
Indian forces are able to inflict a
decisive defeat on Pakistan sponsored
proxy war, New Delhi's diplomacy will
continue to suffer the humiliation of
confronting Islamabad from a position of
weakness. KPS Gill is right in stating
that terrorism in Kashmir has to be
fought out on the soil of Kashmir. Gill
did so in Punjab and showed the way ---
of course with unquestioning support from
Chief Minister Beant Singh. Those who
cite "philosophical" reasons to
argue that Kashmir's case is different
from that of Punjab are infact precisely
the people who have developed a vested
interest in Kashmir militancy and who do
not wish peace to return in the State.
It is no
mere coincidence that the two most
vociferous schools of opinion seeking to
project Kashmir as different from Punjab
emanate either from the Hurriyat
Conference or from the Hurriyat friendly
group of intellectuals ---- both thriving
on financial patronage and hospitality
extended by the Pakistan's ISI. But, to
use the words of the founder BSF Director
General KFS Rustomji, the real question
is not what they are doing but what we
are doing? Why is the mainstream
political leadership of the country shy
to declare unequivocally that Jammu and
Kashmir is no different from Punjab as
long as these are both integral States of
the Indian Union as much as any other
State of the Union.
The common
man is not prepared to wait any more. His
patience with the powers -that-be is
running out. "Either rise to the
ocasion or quit!" --- that is now
the final call. The common man will take
it no more! Never under-estimate Umapathy's
capacity to dethrone and bring to
ground the leaders who betray him!
Remember poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz's word of
caution "Khaak-e-Raah Bhi Hum,
Qair-e-Toofan Bhi!"
|
|
America
put on Notice
By K T Lawrence
It is not good
news to President George W Bush Junior. If so
what? It heralds a new phase in the global scene.
For the first time since the collapse of
communist empire, the high road for the long
journey to send the unipolar world is insight.
President Vladimir
Putin and Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin have
moved closer to each other. Compulsion of
circumstances, it could be . But the fact of the
matter is there is a convegence of views between
the two leaders to protect their common turf.
This is amply reflected in the 20-year treaty of
friendship initiated in Moscow at the end of
Chinese President's visit to Russia.
''The treaty will
bring friendship from generation to generation'',
Jiang Zemin said at the signing cermony. Putin
described the accord as a milestone in the
development of Russia-China relations. Both did
not hide their reservations against the White
House hegemony. In a matter of fact manner, both
leaders said that their concern was 'for a just
and rational new international order' to reflect
a multi-polar world led by the United Nations.
Only recently,
Putin and Jiang worked together to set up a new
security forum to ward off Islamists' threats to
the Central Asian Republics. That was the first
solid signal to indicate that Russia and China
have cozied up to each other and are prepared to
chart out acted and signed the first post-Soviet
friendship treaty strengthens this impression.
For the Pentagon, this is cause enough to up its
antennae.
Russian economy is
not in pink of health. So, President Putin has
every reason to tread cautiously and not to annoy
Washington. The road ahead is not a thoroughfare
to him. The ride is naturally not going to be a
smooth, comfortable one either. America under
President Bush is not reciprocating his
sentiments. It is in fact doing its best to annoy
him. This is something he has to learn to live
with, with a wry smile in the short run.
The harsh reality
of the present day world, notwithstanding the
pious hopes, is reflected in the preamble to the
Russia-China treaty. It makes clear at the very
outset that the two countries have no immediate
plans to form a military alliance. Article 7
unambiguously states that the military
cooperation, arms trade and military technology
transfers proposed under the treaty are not aimed
against third countries.
Washington should
feel relieved. But it is not. There is reason for
its consternation. For quite some time, the
American administration has been trying to enlist
the willing cooperation of Moscow in its drive to
contain Beijing. The Russians never openly
responded to these entreaties.
Nevertheless, they
did not leave any doubt in their American
interlucutors as to where their sympathies and,
infact, their interests are. Yet, there was no
slightest hint of rapprochement between Moscow
and Beijing so early in the Bush Jr Presidency.
Whatever hopes the
White House might have had of drawing Moscow into
an anti-China axis now stand bried deeply in
snow. The friendship treaty clearly mentions that
Russia and China will not enter into any
alliances that can threaten each other's
territorial integrity. It means that Beijing can
count on Moscow's support in case of any problem
with the US over 'its renegade province'.
Suddenly, without
any advance warning, cold war era appears to
stage a come back.
The egg-heads in
Pentagon have contributed to further this process
by their leaks to the Washington based media of a
Russia and China gang up shortly after Russian
military exercises this February. The exercise
was a preparation to attack the US bases in the
Fast East in support of China, alleged one leak.
Another allegation that got prominent display
confidently asserted that the Russians were
practising nuclear intervention against the
American troops in Taiwan, 'a land, where future
is not written and is still being written.'
The absurdity of
these allegations may not be unknown to their
authors. Whatever be his compulsions, and his
grand vision, President Vladimir Putin cannot
afford to go full hog at the US, not immediately
anyhow. He is in a consolidation phase. He has to
breath life into the Russian economy. He has to
stop the Chechnya bleeding. His desire, his dream
is to be counted not merely because of the few
nuclear warheads in his armoury but because of
his clout on the global scene.
The problem with
the Bush administration is it is the home to the
hawks, most of them hawk 'Gurus', who perceive
threats where none exists and who are always on
the look out for newer defence shields 'for the
purpose of deterring and for the purpose of
prevailing'. To follow a hardline and to champion
a hard-line comes naturally to them.
Defence Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld concedes rather grudgingly that
there are limits to what the United States of
America could do to influence (in China) or have
an impact at all. By extension, the same logic
applies to American policy towards Putin Russia.
Washington is unwilling to be realistic and hopes
to push its way through the Russian defences. And
hence, the continued rhetoric coming from the US
that with the end of Cold War, the Cold War
treaties like the ABM treaty are no longer
necessary.
As Moscow based
defence analyst Pavel Felgenhauer remarks,
President Bush's attempts to reverse the growing
anti-American sentiment in Russia are 'pathetic
at best or merely likely simply insincere and
designed to be rejected'. The partnership in
missile defence and other fields the Bush
administration is offering may be beneficial to
Russia but Uncle Sam has credibility problem. No
one in the Russian defence establishment is ready
to believe him.
Moreover, the
Russian defence elite doesn't want to be cheated
again. About four-five years back, the Americans
offered $100 million for a S330 B system but paid
a niggardly $ 30 million for the radar and
control equipment the Pentagon wanted to
scrutinise.
Anti-American
sentiment is not the only binding factor for
Russia-China relations. For Moscow, Beijing has
emerged as a major arms destinations alongwith
Iran and India. More than 60 percent of Russian
military exports go to China. In monetary terms,
it is equal to $2 billion and it is no small
amount for a country hit by all the ills that
surface in the transition to a free market
economy.
China is currently
negotiating the purchase of Russia's latest
anti-ship missiles, the Granit, which is deployed
on Oscar II (Kursk-type) nuclear attack
submarine. At the Severdovinsk shipyard, two
giant Oscar II subs are stranded in a half
finished stage, courtesy the collapse of Soveit
communist empire. Finishing these subs and making
them sea worthy doesn't cost much but will fetch
close to $2 billion Russia can ill-afford to
loose.
The Granit cruise
missiles are primarily designed to carry nuclear
warheads to knock out the US aircraft carriers.
These have a highly sophisticated guidance system
and on board radars. Also these are designed to
access data from the Russian spy and navigation
facilities.
China needs them
now that the Bush administration's Asian strategy
envisages deployment of more air and naval units
close to the region to deal with potential
conflict spots in North Korea and Taiwan, China
can equip Russian Granits with its own nuclear
warheads. That the move has the potential of
upsetting the Pentagon plans goes without saying
and should form the subject for a detailed
analysis some other time some other place.
What is of
interest for the Indian reader and the American
analyst alike at the moment is the Russian media
report that Russia and China are close to
striking a package deal. Under the proposal, the
Chinese will investment in the ailing Russian
armaments industry. China also may bankroll the
propping up of military satellite constellation
in exchange for data.
Another factor,
other than economy, that has seen the convergence
of views and interests between Russia and China
is the threat from Talibanised Afghanistan. There
are no politics here, pure and simple,
unadulterated self-interest.
Both countries
know from experience that the policy of
appeasement doesn't pay when the enemy is the
Islamist and when several ungoverned pockets in
their neighbourhood are an easy prey.
Far removed from
the scene, the Americans are yet to realise this
truism. Hence, the willingness to engage the
Kabul Mullahs and their main proponents south of
the Durand Line in a dialogue !
To sum up, Russia
and China are embarking on a new relationship
that is an alliance in everything but name. It is
bound to influence the shape of events in Asia
and Pacific. It may diminish the US influence and
contribute to emergence of a 'multi-polar world'.
Who knows ? Time will tell!
-Syndicate Features
|
Fake
certificates under Scanner
Academic Pulse
By Prof S K Bhalla
Some very shocking
and startling disclosures have been made in the
columns of this widely circulated esteemed Daily
on Aug., 2, 2001 regarding the unearthing of fake
certificates racket by the Crime Branch which is
operational by the complicity of some honest
employees of J&K Board of School Education
(BOSE). For undertaking this brave and sacred
exercise IG Crime and Railways who to the best of
my information is also concerned about academic
issues deserves felicitations at a time when
there is no dearth of pseudo intellectuals and
careerists in education reaching the top of
educational ladder on the crutches of favouritism
at various levels and as such wallowing in gross
indifference towards the issues affectting the
academic health of our society.
The time has
come to get rid of these termites. We were told
that raids were conducted at various locations
and forged seals and stamps of various heads of
institutions, answers books and stationery items
BOSE were seized. The Crime Branch also found
many loopholes in the completely fair and
impartial examinations conducted by the Board. To
quote IG "Examination Centres were allotted
to favoured candidates to facilitate mass copying
..... Posting of Superintendents to facilitate
use of unfair means by favoured candidates,
change of answer books outside examination
centres has come to light". It is even
difficult for IG to say as to how many people
must have obtained jobs or admission in
educational institutions on the basis of fake
certificates. We were told that within 20 days
Crime Branch would be in a position to trace the
tentacles of this network off orged certificate
racked.
We had heard of
fake degrees scandals in other states, fake
Universities, degrees lost from the University of
Jammu and fake appointments but now the messy
state of affairs of BOSE has come to the
forefront. Rumblings of such nefarious activities
have often been heard in the past two and many a
time attempts are made to push the things under
carpet in tune with typical Indian mentality of
majority of our folk following the dictum
"let the sleeping dogs sleep."
Not every long ago
in a leading national daily disclosures were made
regarding the sale of fake B.Ed. forms of
Distance Education Wing of University of Jammu by
some heavenly agency. A lot of heat and dust was
raised thereby eroding the mercurial status of
Jammu University.
Coming back to the
core issue of this write-up it can be maintained
that the facts are a direct and clear indictment
of top brass of Board under whose nose putrefying
state of affairs has been going on while they
were lost in the world of make belief. Here it
shall have to be reminded to the readers that
this is not a sudden development - a bolt from
blue but something going on for the last few
years.
It shall be a
criminal offence at this stage to raise an
accusing finger at someone but there is
sufficient heart burning in a section of upright
college teachers that those under whom in the
past three years as reported in the print media
such nonsense has been breeding have been
adequately compensated by way of promotion/rise
in their status in worldly terms.
The Crime Branch
should take a few more steps viz examine the fake
internal assessment records of Degree Colleges if
possible and the ground position of stores and
stock of Degree Colleges too to find out what has
been going on for years together in the name of
yearly stocks and stores verification exercise
with the benefit of earned leave extended to a
few causing a loss to the State exchequer. A
complaint regarding one such scam in a Degree
College of Jammu City already stands lodged in
the State Vigilance Organisation but it shall
take a decade or two to decide the fate of the
case/s referred to with documentary evidence.
|
|
NMD:
Why India must have it?
By Maj Gen V K Madhok
(retired)
After having
supported Bush Administration's, concept of
National Missile Defence (NMD), some Indian
analysts are of the view, that rather than
support America on NMD, India's efforts should be
directed towards delegitimisation of Weapons of
Mass Destruction (WMD).
But this is really
a utopian view and recommendation and cannot be
put into practice. Because we live in a world of
action, reaction and counter-action. Inspite of
various treaties signed in the last 50 years or
so like START, SALT, NPT, FMCT, CTBT, ABM Treaty
of 1972 and MTCR, delegitimisation of WMD has
remained a pipe dream and so it will remain in
the future too. The NMD which aims at providing a
shield against missiles - initially for the US
and later for Europe may ultimately broaden its
scope to emerge as a Theatre Missile Defence
(TMD) system to include Taiwan, South Korea,
Japan and even India. In any case, India can no
longer - ignore an NMD against missile threats
from Pakistan and China. That is the reality.
As regards the
missile environment: Missiles are now the new
long range swords of the 21st century. Capable of
being launched from Sea, Land and air platforms -
by day or night, in all types of weather, they
can travel from sonic (speed of sound) to
hypersonic (ten times the speed of sound) speeds.
Thus leaving a few seconds only for the citizens
at Pune, Mumbai or Delhi or the soldiers at Natu
La, Siachen or near the Sir Creek in Gujarat to
get mentally prepared.
So far as China is
concerned, besides threatening US interests in
the Gulf by assisting countries like Iran, Iraq
and North Korea, China has drawn a ring of long
rane missiles around India - its chief
competitor.
The Americans are
making efforts to curtail Chinese initiatives,
improve their current Patriot system for
intercepting hostile missiles, develop new
technological gadgets to neutralise missile
threats apart from discouraging Saudi Arabia not
to transfer CSS2 IRBMs (2000-2500 Kms) which can
be placed at Pakistan's disposal in an emergency
according to an agreement. Further, China has
also reportedly, supplied cruise missiles to Iran
while Russia alongwith North Korea has been
helping Iran develop long range missiles - Shahab
3 and Shahab 4, which are designed on North
Korea's Rodong missile technology (2000-2500
Kms).
While Pakistan, as
per reports, has already unveiled its long range
missile Shaheen 2 (2000 Kms approximately) which
has been developed and manufactured with Chinese
assistance. If true, its range will be more than
Ghouri 1 and Ghouri 2. All have the capability to
carry nuclear, chemical and biological warheads.
Thus alongwith its
own arsenal of nearly 350 nuclear capable
missiles in Tibet, China has ensured that
majority of India's cities can be targeted from
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and Tibet. And that
US shipping also does not remain free from
missile threats in the Gulf. In fact, Ministry of
Defence report for 2000-2001 has categorically
asserted that every Indian city can be targeted
by China.
It was precisely
this concern that US Secretary of State Colin
Powell during his recent visit to Beijing, had
the sensitive issue of supply of missiles to
Iran, Iraq and Pakistan as a important issue on
his agenda during his talks with the Chinese
leaders. But the latter have assured him-at least
for the time being, that supply of cruise
missiles to Iran will be stopped and that no
further technology will be transferred for those
missiles already sold or in the future. As
regards Pakistan, they rejected any suggestion
that missiles had been sold to Islamabad.
But China is not a
member of the 30 Missile Technology Control
Regime (MCTR) established in 1985. Nor are India
and Pakistan. Although Beijing says it would
abide by the MCTR rules but it keeps options open
While the US has other fears. It is finding it
difficult to stop missile proliferation. Atleast
two dozen countries have programmes to acquire
strategic missile capability.
North Korea is in
process of developing a missile with a range of
4650 Kms (6200 Kms) with a smaller warhead) based
on Russia's Scud technology. It will be able to
target American cities as far as Chicago.
Besides, a North Korean ship carrying transfer
technology with equipment and spares for Scud and
SS-I missiles for Pakistan was apprehended at
India, a Kandla Port on Jun 25, 1999.
Accordingly, to
counter such threats the US is developing the
NMD. For one, it is improving Patriots. It is
encouraging Israel to develop the Arrow missile
system considered to be superior to Patriots.
Further, it is also trying to integrate the
Nautilus Laser system with Arrow which will be
capable of melting the guidance systems in
warheads of hostile missiles. India has no anti
missile system. Although New Delhi was reportedly
negotiating with Russia to buy its Seychelles 300
Favorit Air Defence system which is considered to
be superior to US Patriots.
In addition, the
US is spending huge sums to perfect the TMD
concepts. Near home, the missile race remains on
between India and Pakistan. Pakistan's short
range Haft 1 and 2 ready. While final trials are
on for Haft 3 - a version of M 11 missiles
supplied by China in 1990-91 with a range of 800
Kms. In addition, China has set up factories for
missile production in Pakistan.
India's indigenous
missile Prithvi (150-250 Kms) both Army and Air
Force versions are ready for commercial
production. While Dhanush-naval version of
Prithvi has yet to be tested. Besides, Nag (anti
tank), Akash and Trishul (surface to air) have to
undergo more tests alongwith Agni-the long range
missile (2000-2500), Sagrika - a sea launched
missile and a new long range surface to air
missiles. Thus, willy - nilly India and Pakistan
cannot avoid a missile race. Concurrently, while
Beijing is aiding Pakistan to checkmate India, it
is also keeping the US on its toes and in the
process is extracting as much of other technology
and commercial benefits it can from Washington.
It needs no
emphasis to reiterate that India cannot afford to
leave itself open to hostile missiles which are
capable of carrying explosive, nuclear or
chemical warheads. India needs an anti missile
shield and not philosophy. As mentioned earlier,
the DRDO had made some efforts to get in touch
with Russia. They even tried to work out an anti
missile system against M 11 Missiles after
Pokhran but like most of the projects, this too
has remained on the black board.
The bottom line is
that while the Americans are busy perfecting the
NMD and even acquiring bases to position sensors,
radars and communiction systems, we in India have
forgotten the issue and are propagating peace
initiatives with routine trhetoric to
delegitimise WMD. So far, India's feeble
political leadership has failed to come up with
an articulate missile policy. And by not doing
so, India is fast losing the edge it has of
indigenous talent and the potential it can
develop to counter Chinese and Pakistan's direct
and indirect missile threats.
|
|
|
