Russia has announced the award of Lenin Peace Prize to late Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Of all her contemporaries, she alone was found fully qualified for the dubious honor from the land of the Red Star. The decision is in keeping with the spirit and character of communist ideology and strategy. It is indicative of Moscow’s determination to maintain its big brother status in India. Even otherwise no amount of placating overtures by the Western World will cut much ice with Rajiv in the context of India’s heavy military dependence upon Moscow.

Mrs. Gandhi’s nearly seventeen years of rule, marked by despotic ruthlessness far worse than any fascist or totalitarian regime, could be appreciated only by Russians. The elaborate citation is a unique record, covering:

— Dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 through a bloody war,

— Imposition of emergency 197577 and smothering of democracy and judiciary,

— Forced and indiscriminate sterilization of millions to control population,

— Massacre of 6,000 Muslims in Nellie (Assam),

— Massacre of 2,000 Muslims in Bhiwandi (Maharashtra)

— Killing of hundreds of young men in false police encounters,

— Killing of 10,000 Sikhs, June 1984, and destruction of their holy shrines including the holiest Akal Takht through a wanton army attack,

— Dismissal of popular governments and installation of her puppet governments by using army and Para military troops,

—Enactment of draconian laws to subjugate Sikhs in Punjab,

— Preparation of a blueprint for the ‘“‘Operation Blue fish” for the extermination of Sikhs in the event of a retributive action by Sikhs.

Considering these qualifications, it seems fairly plausible to conclude that Russians would certainly have honored Hitler also with the Lenin Peace Prize if he had not attacked Russia.

Self-interest being the Cardinal principle determining Russian policies and postures, the posthumous award to Mrs. Gandhi is understandable. But if the cradle of democracy, England, or the torchbearer of liberty, America, were also to succumb to shorter gain weaknesses, then, the flickering hope for a just and democratic world order would surely recede into oblivion. It is more than pathetic that Mrs. Thatcher should blow all morality to winds to gain an uncertain arms deal from the over pampered upstart of India; that U.S. State Department in a vain bid outmatch Russian influence in India should plead not guilty of participation in briefings concerning violation of human rights.

Would it be worthwhile to sacrifice the sublime ideals at the altar of a very slippery hand — the hand which the prophetic Persian poet Fardausi thus described:

“If you were terribly lonesome and dying for want of company and a Kashmiri Brahmin were to offer his hand, better die than to suffer his treacherous company.”

Article extracted from this publication >> May 10, 1985