Three is company

Sir ? Ramachandra Guha?s article about the opposition by Southern American politicians to US aid to India in 1962 to meet the China threat was an eye-opener (?Naturally allied?, March 4). The American South in the Sixties, though still a Democratic Party stronghold, was already turning hardline. It is pertinent that the early neocons, of whom we read so much these days, were Southern liberals who turned conservative and defected to the Republican Party. It is indeed ironic, as Guha notes, that India?s proto-saurian communists are opposing this new attempt at Indo-US rapprochement, just as anti-Indian Americans did in the Sixties. A further irony is that it is George W. Bush, a president held in thrall by neo-conservatism, should be trying for this new Indo-US entente. Guha should now tell us about the activities of Indian communists (and certain Oxbridge-educated worthies in the Congress) during the China War. That should make for another revelation.

Yours faithfully,
Sarbojit Sen, Calcutta

Sir ? Chandrashekhar Dasgupta would have done well to suggest what India?s modus vivendi should be with regard to China after George W. Bush?s visit. There is only one thing that India has to do: formally cede Aksai Chin to China. In fact, China?s erstwhile foreign minister and currently an adviser on policy matters, Tang Jiaxuan, had suggested such a step much earlier. He had also qualified it by stating that Bara Hoti in the central sector and Sumdurong Chu in the eastern sector were just ?pressure points? on India; China was not really interested in them barring the Tri Junction area in the North-east and these two sectoral disputes would automatically get reconciled once Aksai Chin was settled. As always, his advice fell on deaf ears in South Block presumably because of our inane parliamentary resolution of 1994. The biggest advantage for India if it cedes Aksai Chin would be that India could request China for an outlet from its existing oil pipeline from Central Asia, going through Sinkiang to the mainland. Subsequently, this outlet could be connected to an oil storage complex in Leh for further distribution across the country. The much-touted Iran-Pakistan-India oil pipeline is nothing but a pie in the sky ? more so after India rubbed Tehran the wrong way with the IAEA fiasco.

Yours faithfully,
J.K. Dutt, Calcutta

Sir ? In ?What?s in it for the US??(March 8), K.P. Nayar has made apparent insights about the interests of the United States of America in the nuclear deal with India. The US seems to have understood the fact that India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and ignoring it would not be in the long-term interest of the US. Rather, India had better be taken along in the US quest for establishing democracy in the world. Analysts have observed that the fear of a rising China has played a major role in influencing the American decision. Already talks are on in the international community about the US and India beginning to see each other as possible allies. This is, however, not to say that India has no need of the US. In fact, India cannot afford to withdraw itself from the nuclear race ? primarily because of domestic energy concerns ? and this is where US is a valuable friend.

Yours faithfully,
Amit V. Sengupta, Calcutta

Mending the wall

Sir ? If ?Buddha squirms at writing on the wall? (March 2), it is only because the chief minister of West Bengal is a sensitive citizen, who is repelled by the ghastly sight of Calcutta walls before the elections. Even veterans like Jyoti Basu have called the culture of poll graffiti ?uncivilized?. But some like Anil Biswas are yet to read the writing on the wall and honour the Defacement of Property Act. Over the decades, the large-scale defacing of the city walls with written and painted electoral campaign has attainted the status of an industry. Hundreds of small-time artists and party-workers wait for election time to make some extra income. The chief minister could easily think of ways to promote and export this flourishing art-form beyond Bengal.

Yours faithfully,
Surajit Das, Calcutta

Sir ? The chief minister of West Bengal can only be said to be sincere if he orders legal action against his party workers who defaced walls in Jadavpur with his name and election symbol. If the comrades cannot be identified and the police fail to get enough evidence to nail individuals behind the act, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee can take the blame and surrender in a court, to prove that his embarrassment goes beyond statements to the press. The least he can do is to engage people and the bear the cost to erase all the wall writings in his support. Bhattacharjee has earned quite a name for himself by readily admitting the mistakes of his government and party, be it the harassment of IT workers on Bangla bandh day or the misbehaviour of party workers during the airport strike. But is it enough to feel embarrassed?

Yours faithfully,
A. Roy Mukherjee, Calcutta