India’s opportunistic hailing of the feeble coup in the Soviet Union has boomeranged. The hope was that the it would a lesson to the struggling peoples within India who would now abandon their freedom struggles. India had to cut a sorry figure indeed in the wake of the coup folding up and is desperately trying to cover up its faux pas. It seems it may in this process commit another. Gorbachev has his hands full and his influence is rapidly declining. He may not be able to help India or even himself much longer.
The sudden collapse of the Soviet Union we hope spells the end of fascism worldwide especially in India. India the regional bully on a somewhat similar model of the old Soviet union stands exposed and alone. The remarks of the deputy German consul general in Bombay speak for themselves. Mr Juergens said India was “too overrated” and that its disputes with Pakistan were a nuisance. Accusing India of over-armament he said it followed a “hegemonial regional policy”. He said the Soviet Union helped India in the past 20 years to maintain this position thus keeping it from “the necessary reflections and new orientations in its policy.”
Mr Juergens must have felt very strongly for a professional diplomat to have used such strong and undiplomatic language. His courage is exemplary. Rarely have we seen a diplomat speak so truthfully and so boldly.
India cannot live with its head buried in the sand much longer. It has to acknowledge its mistakes and take immediate steps to rectify them. The ongoing Soviet experience has valuable lessons in it for Delhi to emulate. A peaceful process of handing over power to the Sikhs Kashmiris Assamese and other nationalities must begin must begin The nations demanding sovereignty must be called for talks on boundaries and other crucial matters without the loss of any more precious human lives.
It remains to be seen how long the puppet communist regime of Najibullah can sustain itself without Soviet support. India’s condition is not much better than that of Afghanistan.
The freedom struggle in Kashmir has made tremendous strides recently. The issue has never raised so much attention internationally before. The outgoing US ambassador to Pakistan Robert Oakley went so far as to say that the United States did not recognize India’s claim to Kashmir. Fully armed Kashmiri freedom fighters are seen marching in the streets of downtown Srinagar. The writing is on the wall but India refuses to see it. In Assam too more and more people are flocking to the banner of the freedom seeking ULFA.
For a nation to be truly proud progressive and vibrant there has to be freedom. Why did the mighty Soviet empire with all the resources at its command collapse like a house of cards. The only legacy the once great superpower has left is worrisome piles of nuclear weapons No one seems to want them at the moment but who will control them eventually? It is only a matter of time the former Soviet republics and other nations of the Eastern bloc will emerge as strong healthy democratic nations. All is not lost for India if it sees the virtue in the age old principle of “live and let live”. The Sikhs and Kashmiris can still be turned into helpful allies.
The farce of secularism and democracy does not cut too much ice in the free world any longer. Mr Juergen’s speech is evidence of that.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 6, 1991
