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June 10, 1998
SPECIALS
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Dilip D'Souza
How readers reacted to Dilip D'Souza's recent columnsDate sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 18:14:12 -0700
I agree with some of the points raised by Mr. D'Souza, most of all, the absurdity of connecting the N-tests with patriotism. But, by his own explanation, don't the recent explosions put us on par with China? If all it takes is one bomb to put a country on par with the P-5 countries. There! We don't need to worry about getting whipped by the only country that has defeated us. Clearly then, the reality is a bit different. Just because Pak has or will have a bomb, doesn't mean they will drop it on India (or vice versa), or that India will drop it on China... I personally feel that being nuclear-capable will give India a huge bargaining power, whether it's the implementation of NPT, CTBT or just being a voice to reckon with at the UN. Consider the case when Israel occupied territories in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, etc, when Pakistan took a part of Kashmir (POK), or when Iraq invaded Kuwait. In each of these cases, the UN was quick to denounce the occupation, but why did the UN send its forces to implement its resolution in just one case (Iraq/Kuwait)? To be heard, you've either got to be rich or powerful. Unfortunately, India has miles to go before it can claim to be "rich", but what's the harm in being powerful? At the very least, being "nuclear-capable" has a nuisance value attached to it, that such a country cannot be dismissed easily... If the person in front of you has a loaded gun and all you have is a rusted knife, you simply cannot talk of truce, or peace... Either get a gun yourself, or your opponent should trade his gun for a knife. What do you think is more likely to happen? Reading Mr D'Souza's article, one almost feels that millions of the poor and downtrodden will have to go hungry because of the resources spent on the nuclear tests. But I don't think it has changed anything. India was and will be nuclear-capable. We have just demonstrated it, that's all. If we go on listing things that could be "sacrificed" to uplift the poor, the nuclear tests probably would be somewhere near the bottom of the list. If you want to find things that are wrong with the country, believe me, you will find plenty. But that's not the point. Now, the BJP will probably extract political mileage out of this. This is to be expected, and as a matter of fact, any political party would do the same. But, it is a separate issue and has little to do with our security being diminished... or for that matter, "Ignoring the daily problems of countless Indian lives". Raj. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 11:17:29 -0700
Mr. D'Souza, I have this to say in answer to your article: It is not just the explosion that mattered to thousands of Indians when they supported it. Look at the hypocritical reaction of the so-called developed countries. Would this have changed had we not exploded the bombs? Did it not bring out the double standards these countries follow while dealing with poor countries? The explosions do not matter anymore. Now, it is time for us to build our economy in the wake of the sanctions. This is a real challenge. That is what our PM had in mind when he approved of the blasts. Can we really pull off a recovery act? We really have a golden chance here to shape our economy, in a shambles due to the apathy of previous governments, which did everything to save their skins and which brought the whole nation to a state of anarchy. If the explosions stirred patriotic feelings, it is good for the country. Now, we can concentrate on the problems we have been having, and, deal with them on our own, without stretching a begging bowl to other so-called rich countries. What will be your contribution to this? Vadiraj. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 10:24:28 +0100
I just couldn't resist penning a few lines in support of Dilip's views. It is really a shame that we indulge time, money and energy for things that are only meant to be shown. I believe in one statement: "No country is safe on this earth". So, what China did to us or what Pakistan is doing to us is all history. At present, it is not just a game in which somebody having superior power can just wipe us away. There are other countries looking at everything. So, why all these uproar over an issue which doesn't mean anything. I salute our Indian scientists for a commendable job but had they done something to help those millions of people roaming in the streets, hoping they will have food the next day, I would have been the first to congratulate them. We just have shown ourselves up as fools. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 14:32:51 -0400
This is one of the good articles on Rediff that presents an "after-the-dust-has-settled" view on the recent events. However, I have a few comments to make. First, a point about patriotism as viewed in India. I believe that the BJP ministry's views reflect that of the majority. I would be very surprised if a majority of the population, which did not figure in the poll, would have a different view on the subject. It is only in the cities that one expects opposition to nuclear tests. I believe that Mr D' Souza's is one such view. I think the reason that people hold this "other" view is because they think that all other things that ought to be done can be done if the government merely had the will. That is reflected in D' Souza's article. But I believe that is too much to expect of this government. Let me make myself clearer: In his article, Mr D' Souza says our scientists should have focussed more on anti-malarial drugs or new varieties of seed. I do not understand why the government should take interest in any of this when the scientific community of the nation is itself least bothered about such issues. It is well known that most of our scientists and engineers do "subsistence" level science which hardly cares for innovation. It is also quite clear to me that there is very little public support or private funding for good innovative science. There is, on the other hand, a fair bit of public support for government funding in defence research. Which is why we have innovative work done in nuclear research. What is needed in other areas is strong initiative by the people. The government cannot and should not be expected to make strategies of its own; it should be primarily giving good strategies a go-ahead. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 11:37:14 -0700
D'Souza is like one of those opportunistic politicians who confront the storm to gain publicity. Who said a poor country doesn't need security compatible or better than one inimical neighbour who have hundreds of anti-Indian training camps and another which has ready nukes capable of hitting Indian cities and which is helping the first. D'Souza is talking insanely if he says that proving our capability loud and clear will cause more poverty. Does he think the Cabinet is sitting in Parliament just exploding bombs? He should try to criticise the rest of the MPs there, sitting and enjoying the explosions. Fernandes is doing the job he is supposed to. For sure, there are less chances of being attacked now then ever before. Now China knows that if they drop bombs, we can cause equal or more destruction in that country too. When these superpowers were planning their nukes (Hiroshima days) do you think they didn't have severe problems to face at home? D'Souzaji, we are secure now. Now let's make sure our government has not forgotten the tasks it is supposed to do. Manoj. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 13:09:58 -0500
Well, first of all, I see your views as completely biased, like that of an old lady sitting in her house and counting her days. Do you have any self-respect? Aren't you proud of what Indians have achieved? It definitely puts us over many other nations in the technology sector. Do you know that the technology that we used in these tests is much more sophisticated than what US used in their tests? Talking about national security, we might have all the weapons in the world, but nobody knew what we are capable of. Which, in turn, means that they'll only know when it comes to war in real time. Now at least countries like Pakistan will definitely be afraid of attacking India. Talking about your opinion poll that was conducted in major cities, I think that's where you want your polls to be conducted if you want to progress. Don't think the urban population is well-educated and less influenced than the rural population who might not even know what it takes to conduct a nuclear test? If you have negative feelings about the BJP, you may keep it to yourself for later use. This is no occasion to criticise our achievement. This is a question of national pride. The way you tried to link this to patriotism is ridiculous and makes you look small, not our country. If Vajpayee had said the same words you did, we would've been in a great trouble by now. Just because someone gave you the opportunity to write, don't just throw away your words. There won't be any difference then between you and Laloo. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 13:00:28 -0500
You will always find people who have to hold a contrary view because, to them, it is one way of getting attention. D'Souza is a shining example of that tendency among people. Even if India had diverted the money from the nuclear project to the poor, as many people would still go to bed hungry. This argument of Mr D'Souza is similar to the one made by Charan Singh who said India did not need colour televisions when there wasn't drinking water in our villages. Like Charan Singh did then, D'Souza too missed the point. Alleviating poverty and safeguarding our security are two different things. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 13:57:57 -0400
While I agree that most of the Indians still lack basic amenities, there is no way, the test-firing of the nuclear bombs could have changed the equation. Vajpayee has done the right thing in announcing that we are "nuclear-capable". The author of this column must keep in mind that we cannot clean up our society or at least the challenges facing us, in just a matter of weeks. The harsh reality is that even the common man is responsible for what our country is today. According to the author, India should not be doing anything worthwhile to beef up its security just because we have enough internal problems already on hand. I do not see any point there. Arun R Kudur. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 18:50:19 PDT
Hi I disagree with Dilip D'Souza's assessment of the BJP's government decision to go nuclear. First, nobody can disagree that poverty, unemployment are real issues and have to be solved. For the past 50 years, the Indian government tried to do something, but not successfully. But our country's defence is also important. Now we are spending a lot of money on tackling Pak-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan tries to create trouble in the southern states too. If Pakistan is not given a strong message, after 5-10 years, the Indian government will be facing trouble in all states. If the problem can be solved, this money can be used for development purposes. Pakistan has assembled a nuclear weapon which can be used against India any time. So we have been living with this problem. There is nothing new in it. Our conventional army is superior to Pakistan's. But, it is not sufficient. Only when Pakistan has to fear a nuclear bomb, will it show restraint. By these tests, India has reasserted herself as an international power. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 14:53:44 -0400
Hi Dilip, If you say that we should not have nuclear weapons, then why are you so scared of the Ghauri missile? Can you scare a guy unless you are strong enough? The same argument applies when considering how Pakistan has been fooling around in Kashmir for the last five years. What else should we do? When China is becoming so powerful why do you take things easy? I feel what BJP has done is right. P R Sundareshwar. Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 15:01:10 -0400
D'Souza obviously does not know anything about the deterrence factor and is getting paranoid about Pakistan attacking Bombay. I doubt if D'Souza has any knowledge of the history of India. Over the years, India has been invaded by foreigners and plundered its people. Plunderers like Mohammad Ghauri, Mahmud Ghazni, Ahmad Shah Durrani, Halaku, Genghis Khan, the Mughals and the British took advantage of a weak India which was most often either defended by hastily-collected, untrained Maratha soldiers or a few thousand Sikhs after 1500 AD. If there is anything to be learned from our history it is that we must collect as many weapons and arms as possible and defend ourselves. Remember, "those who forget history are condemned to repeat it". India can prosper only if it can stand up to bullies!
Date sent: Tue, 19 May 1998 16:03:56 -0300
Another stupid article by Dilip D'Souza. How do you explain the attack by China in 1962? How do you explain the attack by militants on innocent Hindus since 1989? Even Russia has millions of children who are below the poverty line. But did it sacrifice its security when it came to the Cold War or relations with China? India needs a strong defence and in today's world, nuclear weapons form just that. Dilip speaks as if he is almost not an Indian. He needs to answer these questions and then write articles. India needs to provide food and shelter to its people, but not at the cost of its security. This just reflects how anti-Indian Dilip is. Date sent: Fri, 15 May 1998 20:41:31 -0400
I am really surprised by Dilip's comments. I am really surprised how he is a journalist. He should be more realistic and look around. He should look towards China, which is getting all the favours from the world for these nukes. China always had a worse human right record than India. It still gets away with everything. My dear friend, China has held a Most Favoured Nation status for a number of years only due to its nukes. A major problem India has to face is non-nationalistic people like you. It takes time to lift the status of a large number of people. I am very sorry to know your comments against India's nuclear achievements. Date sent: Fri, 15 May 1998 22:50:50 EDT
Another poorly written and obviously ill informed article from D'Snooza. Either Mr. D'Snooza does not understand how business is conducted in the world, or he is what Indira Gandhi so eloquently described as a foreign hand: a mole in the Indian media. Mr D'Snooza either does not comprehend the relationship between big businesses, defence budgets and the poor man, or he feigns he does not understand the link. If he was in charge of the country, the next five generations of the Ganne Ka Ras guy he writes about will continue to do the same business with the same equipment, salary and lifestyle as today. Why do other countries spend billions on defence, and not expend a large part of their national budgets on welfare programmes or to provide free care for the elderly or invest in health research? Why are wars fought to protect oil interests? Big businesses contribute to a significant portion of western and Japanese economies. These businesses are supported by significant defence strength and budgets. The size and power of multinationals is growing. Look at the consolidation of banks, insurance companies and telecommunications firms. The only time these organisations enter new markets is when they are certain the market is going to enrich them. That's where defence comes into the picture. I have worked a third of my life in the US. Nobody here is laughing about India's tests. A nuclear bomb is no laughing matter. The cartoons we see are not funny but cynical responses to a challenger. Actually many of them have come to realise that India is not just a poverty-stricken country of illiterates and Ganne Ka Ras Wallas; it has bright, educated people who mean business and will stand up for themselves. They respect and admire that. Most Americans believe in the right to bear arms. It is part of their constitution. If it was up to them, they would have done the tests without blinking an eye. In fact, they have done over a 1,000 tests. Law and order is what ensures individual freedom and economic growth. Why should anybody complain when a billion people develop a weapon that ensures their safety physical and financial safety? The bomb has not only helped Indians all over the world walk a little taller, it has also created the necessary backing for Indian businesses to go and compete in global markets. If one does not protect one's factors of production (people, land, machinery), others will take them, exploit them and suck them dry. I am glad the government has fulfilled its responsibility to its people and the world. It is a world power and has to start acting like one. It should be at the G-8 summit not at the G-15. D'Snooza needs to take a few economics courses, and read a lot more of what is happening in the world before he is allowed to continue to write. Commentary on issues requires knowledge, rather than an ability to type. D Snooza needs to go back to computer programming.
Date sent: Fri, 15 May 1998 22:01:26 EDT
Wonderful article. Dilip, your talent is getting wasted here in Rediff. You should start a comedy show. And Dilip, please note down the address or contact of "Ganne kaa Ras" seller. I want to send him to the UN to talk about J&K and Punjab. Clinton, Blair etc also can enjoy his sugarcane juice while listening. And don't forget to distribute "Ganne Ka Ras" to the Chinese and/or Paki army when they attack India. Might be they will enjoy it and not attack a great country which produces such a product. Do you have any idea what's happening in the world? Rediff, please send this Dilip to J&K to assess the situation there. It is very, very easy to drink, sit on a well-cushioned chair and write articles. You know you are safe because several jawans are putting their life in danger on the border? Take your Ganne Ka Ras wala along with you. I know Rediff does not have the guts to publish this mail as it is. But, I am sending it because, yes, Dilip, India faces a major threat from within, from people like you who think they know all but don't dare to take the heat themselves. Do Rediff editors also think that all these defence analysts, business houses, policy-makers and chiefs of army are morons? And this Dilip D'souza and his Ganne Ka Ras seller are scholars? Wow!
Date sent: Fri, 15 May 1998 17:09:20 -0400
I vote against the tests. They did not serve any purpose other than making a statement and saving the BJP's neck. Not only has it turned a deaf ear to the pardhis and other unfortunate groups in India, they have made the situation worse, bringing on sanctions and an arms race. Whatever our esteemed 'analysts' might say, is one less paisa in our begging bowl. Yes, we might endure it. But why should I be made to suffer for some goon's trigger-happiness. May I also say that the world still sniggers at us the same way (as they did in '74). You just have to listen to any foreign news or talk to a non-Indian to learn that. Aren't these the very people that our government is trying so hard to make its 'statement' to? I know a lot among us have been rejoicing like kids on Diwali night. But once the smoke settles, all that will be left is burnt money. Money that could have fed, housed, clothed thousands, have educated hundreds. And if people (like another columnist on Rediff) think that by exploding a couple of nuclear devices, the Pakis are going to treat us with more respect or even stop meddling in Kashmir, they really must be high on nuclear dope. Pakistan could never hope to go in for a conventional war in the present circumstances, with or without nuclear weapons, but they sure will continue the proxy one, with or without nuclear weapons. And can India ever hope to use nuclear weapons? Not unless we are willing to say goodbye to ourselves. So the nuke statement will remain what it is, an expensive fur coat on a starving body, tainted with the blood of our poor, hungry and needy brethren. Rajesh |
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