Weak Government of Strong Nation
The spineless character of Congress-led UPA government, both domestically and internationally, has cost dear to the nation. The recent three incidents – Chinese incursion in Ladakh, barbaric killing of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in Lahore jail and beheading of our soldier Hem Raj – have proved big blot on our diplomacy. In the case of Sarabjit, who while languishing in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail for 23 years due to mistaken identity succumbed to his fatal injuries on May 2, the UPA government brazenly failed to exert diplomatic or international pressure on Pakistan to at least respect the Geneva Convention, which defines how to look after the foreign prisoners. These incidents also put a question mark on our growing potential as an emerging global power.
None had expected such cowardice on Indian part. Fact is that whenever the Congress came to power at the Centre, nation paid dearly due to its excessive softness towards terrorists and mischievous neighbours. The courage displayed by our soldiers during 1965, 1971, 1999 (during Kargil war) and the honour thus bestowed on Bharat, has all been nullified by this meek regime. The country’s self-respect sank so low that even an insignificant country like Maldives can too dare to intimidate us. Our dealings with Bangladesh are already under question, as we have failed to ensure safety of the Hindus there.
Instead of showing a strong political will in dealing with these situations, the UPA government continues to allow persecution of its innocent civilians as well as soldiers. When it was waiting for a profitable outcome from third Flag Meeting on April 30, the PLA troops converted the kuchcha track into pucca road on our territory that they occupied on April 15. How disgraceful for us that our government underplayed the crisis by calling it a local issue. It is despite the fact that since 2010, when the new bilateral boundary coordination mechanism signed between India and China, according to reports, the PLA troops intruded Indian Territory 228 times in 2010, 213 times in 2011, 234 times in 2012 and 31 times from January to February this year. What kind of disaster we are waiting for? If we fail to act now, loss of large strategic tract in Ladakh is sure.
When it comes to national pride, the nation still remembers the regimes of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Atal Behari Vajpayee. The NDA government conducted Pokhran in May 1998, displaying the courage of Indian nation as an emerging super power. That kind of vigour is needed today for dealing with China, Pakistan and all the foes. If not, we are bound to pay a heavy price again and again.
While Pakistan could not save the life of Sarabjit Singh in high security jail, we spent over 16 crore rupees on the security of a Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was nabbed during Mumbai terrorist attack. The cost of a special cell built in Arthur Road jail for him was Rs 5.24 core. His security and legal expenses altogether added up to 430 million rupees. About 150 million rupees were spent on a special ward in Mumbai’s JJ Hospital where he was admitted for treatment during illness. The amount spent on other Pakistani nationals in jails too is in many crores.
Not only this, we provided spicy biryani to the Pakistani terrorists. But in return Pakistan gave third degree torture to Indian prisoners lodged in various Pakistani jails. Still, there are over a thousand ‘Sarabjits’ (prisoners of war, fishermen, etc.) who are languishing there even after expiry of their jail terms. Brutal attacks on Indian prisoners there are a routine. Before Sarabjit, another Indian prisoner Chamel Singh was brutally killed in the same Kot Lakhpat jail on January 15 this year. But India did not wake up and continued to wait for the disaster that we see in killing of Sarabjit. Pakistan must be given a strong message at this moment.
