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From: mvramakrishn@watdaisy.UUCP (Rama)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.india
Subject: Re: Rajiv and the Media
Message-ID: <7487@watdaisy.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 16-Nov-85 14:24:49 EST
Article-I.D.: watdaisy.7487
Posted: Sat Nov 16 14:24:49 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Nov-85 21:09:34 EST
References: <1238@hpda.UUCP> <2605@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 57

> 
> Dilip, like you I am not gung ho for Rajiv; but then a lot of us on 
> this net are not; one ofthe reasons why we tend to praise Rajiv is that
> we are all hoping for a better India. 
    .........
> To consider the U.S.S.R. issue, there are two reasons why he is
> likely to continue the old stance.  Russian foreign policy towards
> India has been much more pragmatic than that of the U.S.
> The Russians, in my opinion, realised that they could not find
> a surrogate in India, soon went about doing their best to woo
> India, and have attempted to convey the impression that India and
> the Soviet Union are two friends, with equal stature.  They have
> their words with action in the sense that they have backed India
> on almost every ocassion in international bodies.  This doesn't
>  ........

	I agree with almost all the contents of the above posting.
I wish to add that Mrs.G was forced to tilt towards Russia during the crisis
of refugees from Bangla Desh (The then East Pakistan).  
	War with Pakistan was emminent at that time with Mukthi Vahini
fighting against W.Pak forces and over 10 Million refugees in india.
(over 100 countries who were against India in UN had populations less
than the number of refugees, all being fed by India). Mrs. G travelled to 
various countries including USSR and USA ; there was no suggested solution.
Then India signed 20 year co-operation pact with USSR. When the war started
the president of USSR "warned all other powers to keep away from indo-pak
conflict" - basically shielding India from China, a friend of Pakistan.
	Ultimately The W.Pak forces surrendered to Eastern command of India
at around 4:00 p.m. and at 6:05 p.m. or so Mrs. G announced in the Parliament
that "Dacca is the free capital of a free nation"; essentially India 
established a free democratic country freeing it from oppressive military rule.
And the role of USA in this? Nixon sent 7th fleet to Bay of Bengal to threaten
India - in Mrs. G's words "Gun boat diplomacy".
	Going back to 1962 - Chinese aggression. At that time India regarded USA
as a great friend (I remember a holiday was declared when Kennedy was
assassinated ). What help did India get when thousands of its soldiers were
being wiped out?
	Ofcourse nobody can forget the Food aid USA gave (PL-480 etc) during
the most difficult food crisis in sixties).

	So the conclusion is that, there are a lot of practical and strategic
reasons for tilting towards Russia and its not that Mrs. G liked Communists
or some such simple explanation.

	Finally I have a question in my mind for a long time, which I remember
every time I hear a US leader like Reagan say "We stand for freedom, human
rights, justice, equality, democracy etc."

	WHAT HELP DID USA GIVE TO INDIA DURING ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF
	INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE? DID THEY SEND ARMS, AMMUNITIONS
	ETC, LIKE IT SENDS FOR AFGHANS, SOUTH AMERICANS ETC?
	DID IT PUT SOME PRESSURE ON BRITAIN?

	I don't know the answers.

...............
Ramakrishna M.V., University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont.