NEW DELHI: India Sunday decided to withdraw refueling facility for the U.S. military transport planes.
Chandra Shekhar announced this decision was prompted by a threat by the Congress—I Chief Rajiv Gandhi providing vital support to his minority government to withdraw support on the issue
Chandra Shekhar told reporters at Sitamarhi in Bihar that no refueling of U.S. aircraft was being done in India at present and that the decision had been taken following the views expressed by various political parties.
If the people do not want it (refueling) and if the Congress-I is satisfied with the withdrawal of the facility we shall withdraw it he said.
India had allowed refueling of the U.S. air force transport planes following a request from the American embassy in Delhi. Aircraft flying between the Philippines and the Gulf were being refueled in Bombay Agra and Madras.
The government had initially justified the refueling saying these were C-141 transport planes were not combat aircraft but the issue turned into a major political controversy. All the major political parties demanded withdrawal of the facility.
Official sources however maintained that there was nothing wrong about giving refueling facilities. This was not for the first time that such a facility had been extended to a foreign country they said
Rajiv Gandhi alleged that the United States had asked for refueling of its planes in a bid to show the Arab countries and the world that India supported the western powers in the Gulf war.
He said India under no circumstances should yield to one power which wants to run the world on its own terms. India should tell the world that it is non-aligned and it will remain non-aligned in future.
He alleged that liberation of Kuwait was not the only concern of the U.S. and that country had several other interests in the region.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 22, 1991
