The Hindu : What clarification?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 05, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

What clarification?

Sir, — The Government is reportedly seeking clarification from the U.S. Government. But it should not have taken India more than a split second to say a flat `no', given the unanimous resolution of Parliament and the non-aligned summit in Malaysia.

Besides, the people of Iraq are demonstrating every day and demanding an end to the occupation of their country. In the event, where is the question of `seeking clarifications' from the U.S.? The Government ought to seek a certificate from its own conscience, Parliament and the people of India.

L.C. Jain,
Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — As America celebrates its Independence Day, our politicians are debating whether to send our troops to protect American interests in an occupied territory.

It will be unwise and unfair to our Army to send them on a mission to risk their lives where no national interest is at stake. The U.S. wants to use Indian troops as a shield against Iraqi resistance, which will mean that Indian troops will face the anger of the Iraqi population.

Even the draft resolution presented by the U.S. to the United Nations Security Council wishes to legitimise U.S. occupation for a year and calls for the lifting of sanctions, so that it can sell Iraqi oil to finance the reconstruction of Iraq.

It also appears that the U.N. will not be the administrative agency with any powers in Iraq, and these powers will be vested solely with the U.S.-British authorities.

Why should we support America's mercenary purposes and send our troops to serve someone else's cause? It will be against India's interest and as you have rightly said, our soldiers are not mercenaries.

Srimathi Venkatachari,
Chennai

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