HVK Archives: Editors in fear of the Big Brother?
Editors in fear of the Big Brother? - The Free Press Journal
M V Kamath
()
May 23, 1998
Title: Editors in fear of the Big Brother?
Author: M V Kamath
Publication: The Free Press Journal
Date: May 23, 1998
The word to describe some of the editorials in our national press
is just this: supercilious. Many of our newspapers just cannot
stand up and fight without looking over the shoulder to see
whether Big Brother is watching. Fear of what the United States
might do seems to dictate editorial writers. And they have to
sound apologetic, perhaps to anticipate the charge from white,
developed countries, that India is wasting its resources when
what the Indian people want is resolution of their poverty.
Thus The Times of India (May 12) in a pathetic show of following
the expected American line wrote: "It is a tragic irony of the
nuclear age that the first definitive act of the new government
should have been these tests which once again underline the
universal threat of the mushroom cloud.
When so many social and economic issues are crying out for
desperate attention, it seems a tragic waste that countries such
as India per force invest so much time, money and political
resolve on perfecting techniques of mass destruction."
Clinton would have approved. Thus, having faithfully followed an
anticipated American line, the paper half-heartedly concluded by
saying that "however, it must be pointed out that India, like
most of the world, is a defensive victim rather than an
aggressive agent." After this exhibition of shaking knees - and
probably finding itself alone in this regard, The Times of India
mustered a little courage to write on 14 May that "no country has
the right to dictate to another what policies it can and cannot
follow". And perhaps, a little bit ashamed of what it had written
a couple of days earlier, it went on to say that "it is upto
Indians alone to decide whether what the government has done will
help improve life for the ordinary citizen or not". The Economic
Times, also belonging to the Bennett Coleman Group, showed the
same hesitancy in approving the government's stand, hinting that
the tests were conducted apparently to gain from "the nationalist
euphoria=94, though it took care to add that "by conducting another
set of tests, the government has signalled that it refuses to be
cowed down by threats of sanctions by foreign powers." In another
editorial the paper looking down its watering nose said that the
scientists' claim of having increased the nation's security is
"an illusion" and that "India's strategic position has not
improved and may have just deteriorated". It is clear that The
Economic Times has a great defence strategist as editorial
writer.
Yet another paper to sniffle at India is The Statesman (13 May)
which said sarcastically --- it is always mandatory for our
intellectuals to show their concern for the poor as they drink
their third whiskey and soda in their clubs that "we need no
longer worry about drinking water in villages, compulsory
education, a bearable health service, housing or infrastructure
(because) we have the bomb!" Anyway, it said that "the three
devices that shook the earth near a Rajasthan village (have) put
an end to the tedious hypocrisy that has accompanied India's
nuclear rhetoric".
The Sunday Observer observed that India "should acquire all
accoutrements of power" noting that with the refusal of five
nuclear powers to commit themselves to any time-bound nuclear
disarmament, India had only one option to become a nuclear power
to ensure its security and safeguard its self-respect or formally
accept the status of a second rate power by acceding to unequal
treaties and remain marginalised". The paper advised other
nations for a "greater appreciation" of "the finer points of
India's nuclear and security policy".
The Indian Express at first suggested that India should follow
the example set by China and France "and sign (the CTBT)
unconditionally" since there is no further need for testing
"except in computer simulations". Then when President Clinton
sounded more like a bully, the paper described him as "the
selective bully" with his "feet on the shifting sand, of
diplomatic hypocrisy". "His spontaneous reaction" the paper
said, "smacks of a failure to isolate India". As for Tokyo's
freezing of annual aid, that, said that paper "is no way of
parading the national legacy of nuclear martyrdom".
Showing the general hesitancy of Indian intellectuals, Deccan
Herald said that "the logic and rationale of the three nuclear
tests... will not he widely accepted without some reservations by
informed opinion within the country" because "what was being
meant to be achieved in strategic terms by the tests is not easy
to answer".
However, after 24 hours of further thinking, the paper came to
the conclusion that "the tests are a done thing and there cannot
be any going back on them". The Bombay morning tabloid The Daily
was happy to note that "for the first time this nation has a
prime minister who does not pussy-foot about what has to be done"
and noted that the sanctions imposed by the US re as
hypocritical as they are laughable". It is said that the US
President seems to be acting "more out of pique than anything
else" nothing that for such a nation as the US "with its hands
soaked in the blood of innocents, to protest at the manner in
which India is now making attempts to secure her borders, indeed
her very sovereignty, is so hypocritical and full of falsehoods
that it needs to be condemned by all and sundry".
The Hindustan Times described the conducting of nuclear tests "a
bold and even audacious move", considering that "India could not
have ignored the fact that it happens to be part of a hostile
environment where benign pacifism is not only unfeasible but may
sound the wrong message of weakness to countries which have not
shown any sign of wanting to live in friendship". Pointing out
that India lives "in a highly imperfect world", India "could
hardly have been expected to sit idle and hope that better sense
will prevail among those of its neighbours who have been openly
collaborating in matters of missile and other forms of lethal
technology, whose sole purpose could only have been to intimidate
India".
The paper further pointedly noted that "before this country is
subjected to any moral lectures by self-appointed guardians of
world peace it has to be remembered that even the five nuclear
powers have not ,only shown no inclination to follow the path of
disarmament but have actually legitimised their awesome arsenals
through the latest treaties". The next day the paper decided it
must have a dig at the BJP and suggested that "Vajpayee, to
maintain discipline... must have persuaded the government to take
a dramatic step which would divert attention from its problems".
The Free Press Journal, as its readers will remember is almost
the only paper to take legitimate pride in what has been done
calling it "a moment of pride".
In a hard-hitting editorial the paper said that "if India has to
get anywhere, the first requisite is to regain its self-respect
and pride", that Vajpayee "has lifted India from the ignominy of
being perpetual nincompoops" and that "even if there is nothing
much to crow about the Pokhran tests, it sends the much-awaited
message to the world: India has crossed the Rubicon". Said the
paper: "Let's rejoice".
The Asian Age said the government has won "well-deserved national
applause for its categorical message that India will always
remain master of its own fate" and that "there has never been any
conflict within the country over our attitude towards security".
"It is this unanimity which is the true strength of Indian
defence and foreign policy. The rest of the world, the paper
said, hould welcome India, not isolate it."
Mumbai's popular evening paper Mid-Day said "Admittedly
Washington has had to resort to the tokenism of imposing
sanctions in keeping with its much-bandied image of globo-cop but
New Delhi's hung-up spirit - read as devil-may-care attitude -
seems to have removed much of the sting out of the sanctions".
The Afternoon Despatch & Courier said "the Nuclear Club is
evidently reluctant to admit a new member (and) hence perhaps
their tantrums and threats in the wake of India's successful
nuclear tests". The paper said "India has done what it had to do
in order to safeguard the interests of its citizens, has not
aggressive designs and poses no threat to its neighbours". By
imposing sanctions, the paper said, the developed countries "not
only harm India, but also harm themselves".
The Hindu, commenting on the sanctions, said that while it is
true that their impact might be severe "there is no reason why it
should be crippling" and that "while the sectors having to bear
the brunt of the sanctions might feel hampered until they
evaluate an alternative strategy for tiding over a difficult
situation, there is no reason why there should be any despondency
over the moves by Washington".
The best comment on the cowardice of Indian intellectuals came in
an article by Harvey Stockwin, in The Times of India. He wrote:
"Seen from East Asia (Hong Kong), India has given a near-perfect
demonstration of how not to conduct relations with China, if
mutual respect is to be the long-term goal.
It seems that the foolish illusions of Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai are
still alive and well among Indian officials charged with
conducting Sino-Indian relations. "Do not criticise China, say
nothing critical of China, the relationship is progressing well"
- once again the old cliches are probably being trotted out, just
as they were in the years prior to the Sino-Indian tragedy of
1962".
How true, how true!
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