The Rediff Special /Chitra Subramaniam
New Delhi looked foolish, pathetic and ridiculous as Iran
flexed its regional muscle, but Kashmir had been saved
As the debate raged prior to the big day, it became clear that
India's face was more important than Kashmir's future. Anybody
who dared attack the situation in Kashmir was labelled an agent
of the West. Thus Amnesty International was lying as were Indian
civil rights groups like PUCL which, in India's view, was full
of frustrated lawyers.
India's attitude towards the governments
of the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Russia was equally subtle -- it
went from begging for their support to telling them they would
not get contracts in India if they backed Pakistan. The US said
it would stay out of the debate if India capped its missile programme.
New Delhi readily accepted.
But in Geneva, when the world said Sopore, India said Bosnia;
when responsible NGOs said Chote Bazar killings, India said Bosnia;
and when serious Indian NGOs called for a debate, New Delhi called
them CIA agents in league with the KGB and Amnesty International.
When Asia Watch, a US-based NGO, which has been unsparing in its
criticism of the militants, documented abuses by Indian security
forces, the government called them trouble-makers working for
Pakistan's ISI. The Indian message was clear-go to hell, we don't
care about you but we will fight for our right to beg before you.
On the day of the vote, the UNHRC was packed and tense. But a
small clutch of Indian diplomats was smiling mysteriously. Just
the previous evening it seemed as if all was lost and some Indian
newspapers even carried reports saying Pakistan would win the
vote by a margin of one.
Now, as the hour drew close, India seemed inexplicably calm.
As soon as order was called, Iran, to the surprise of the entire
UNHRC, moved in to say it was mediating between the two countries
and Pakistan had decided to withdraw the resolution. Indian diplomats,
mobile phones in hand, were seen running out of the room to talk
to New Delhi and the arms dealer was allowed to listen to their
conversations. It was never clear to anyone what, if any, his
role was.
But it was clear to everyone that Shia Iran was settling
a score with Sunni Pakistan and asserting its influence in the
region. New Delhi looked foolish, pathetic and ridiculous as Iran
flexed its regional muscle. But back in India, stories of the
Indian victory in Geneva was the stuff of front-page reports and
lead stories on television and radio.
That evening, the arms dealer held a victory dinner attended by
the entire Indian delegation which justified it all by saying
that Kashmir had been saved.
As the Loin bade farewell to the Indian diplomats the next day
at the Geneva airport, he promised to come back the following
year. "Long live Kashmir -- long live India," he told
the ambassador as the two shook hands.
Back in India, he won an absolute majority in the first state
assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the outbreak of
the separatist rebellion. He cried as his National Confusion party
demanded greater autonomy for the state and a new golf course.
Kashmir had been saved.
Illustrations: Dominic Xavier
Excerpted from India Is For Sale, by Chitra Subramaniam, UBS, 1997, Rs 250, with the publisher's permission. Readers who wish to buy a copy of the book may direct their inquiries to Mr H S Sethi, UBS, Apeejay Chambers, Wallace Street, Fort, Bombay 400 001.
Tell us what you think of this extract
|
