Defence was a holy cow for our otherwise noisy politicians who lose no time in injecting the virus of partisanship in almost all other matters. Unfortunately, the wider consensus on leaving defence-and security-related issues uncontested seems to have broken down. This is regrettable. Despite the utmost need for transparency in governmental affairs, there are certain matters impinging on the nation’s security which are not dragged into the market place for point-scoring. Unfortunately, the Congress Party has taken the lead in questioning the official version regarding the elimination of a Pakistani boat off the Porbandar coast and, in the process, forced the Government to reveal details which otherwise it would have best kept under wraps. Also, the controversy has revealed the inter-agency resentments within the security set-up which again should have remained hidden from the public. All this because an immature Congress Party spokesman felt impelled to oppose the government whatever the issue in hand. He questioned the defence ministry claim that a suspicious boat carrying deadly human and incendiary cargo was shot down in the Arabian Sea when it unheeded orders to stop for search. The original press release added for good measure that the boat was targeted after a hot pursuit lasting an hour. The ensuing fires, which consumed the boat and the men and materials on board, were duly shown to the whole world on television. However, the persistence of Congress spokespersons to stick with their earlier objections and doubts has now caused Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to wade into the controversy. On Monday, he said on the sidelines of an event in the national capital that ‘circumstantial evidence’ pointed to a terror link and the occupants were in touch with the Pakistani maritime security agencies and the army. The important point, the minister noted, was that even if they were carrying drugs or other contraband for smuggling into India, when challenged by the coast guard they would have thrown the contraband into the sea and surrendered. Smugglers do not kill themselves easily. But because they were terrorists, they refused to stop and surrender and, instead, chose to commit suicide. This is a strong argument against the myth being spread by the Congress Party that it was an ordinary fishing boat which had strayed into the Indian waters. Parrikar also disclosed that the intercepts of communications by the intelligence agencies had zeroed in on negotiations between the controllers of the boat and the people travelling on it over payments for carrying out the diabolic mission against India. Indeed, there seems to be a strange sameness of views between the Congress Party and the official version of the Pakistani security agencies. It is a surprise that the main opposition party does not realise the trouble it courts by lending its voice to the Pak denials about the characterisation of the boat in question. Whoever is advising the Congress leadership to drill holes in the official Indian version seems to be lacking in both political wisdom and basic reasoning faculties. There are a whole host of other issues on which the party can justifiably criticise the Government, but why pick on a security sensitive matter. Pray, why?
Not Done, Saina
What have we come to? Demanding a Padma award as if it was a matter of right was never envisaged by the founders of the Republic. But these days not only do they lobby hard for these trinkets which have lost enough of their prestige, especially when every Tom, Dick and Harry with a pipeline to the authorities can get one, they also create a public shindy if denied one. The conduct of badminton ace, Saina Nehwal, in this regard is most surprising, to say the least. She has done herself no good by sounding petty, objecting to the grant of a Padma to another Olympian while complaining about denial to her. This is not a sportsperson-like behaviour. Padma awards are no one’s birthright. Though much abused in the recent decades, these were meant to be given on a priori considerations to men and women of real merit in diverse walks of life. The belated attempt by Nehwal to retract her demand does not wash; the damage is already done. Some of the sheen from her achievement has already been lost.
