Will Manmohan Singh deliver on demilitarization after Gen. Singh?

[R-DB]

The Indian army has been very clear – from Gen VK Singh downwards – that an advantage obtained with so much sacrifice of men and material cannot simply be gifted away through so-called “demilitarisation” for no advantage at all.

However, the weak link in the Indian position is the Prime Minister himself, who seems to be scrounging around for a diplomatic victory to pull off when his reputation is otherwise in tatters.

According to a report in India Today, as early as June 2005, the PM told soldiers at the Siachen base camp: “Siachen is called the highest battlefield, where living is very difficult. Now the time has come that we make efforts that this is converted from a point of conflict to the symbol of peace.”

But the magazine also notes that Siachen is what the PM may be willing to sacrifice for personal achievement. “Demilitarisation is his CBM (confidence building measure) offer to Pakistan. Cynics suggest that he, too, has become a victim of the Nobel Peace Prize syndrome, trapped by the desire of temporary personal applause at the cost of national interests. It is his ticket to history.”

Siachen: Pak banks on PM to deliver after Gen Singh’s exit | Firstpost

 

[The HBS Guy]

Dude! Just because Pakistanis believe that MMS will offer them a good deal, doesn't mean MMS really will. That's something the Pakistanis believe. Anyways, any such major decision will not be taken by Congress alone. Congress doesn't have that mandate now especiall after the recent elections.There has to be a consensus among Indian polity, media and Army before any such move which is highly unlikely. Just recall what happened in Sharm-Al-Sheikh when MMS tried to retreat only a little bit. I hope you remember the hue and cry in India after that. If Congress indulges in any such adventurism at this point, when its popularity is at an all time low, the opposition will literally eat the Congress alive.

 

[arp2041]

don't worry friend, if he gives away an inch of Indian territory to Pakistan, CONgress can never ever dream of returning to power forget making Rahul baba PM. Also congress is much weaker now & cannot make such important decisions without taking BJP on its side (of course BJP will never come on it's side).

 

[Markus]

Any waiver on siachen to pakistan by congress is a direct invitation to BJP to form the next govt.

 

[Nitin Goyal]

Siachen: Pak banks on PM to deliver after Gen Singh’s exit

On Friday, Pakistan managed to delay the liberalised visa pact on specious grounds. Even though Home Secretary RK Singh went to Pakistan for the explicit purpose of signing the agreement, the Pakistanis managed to delay it.

According to The Indian Express, Islamabad wanted the visa agreement to be signed by Home Minister P Chidambaram even though it was explicitly agreed during talks between President Asif Ali Zardari and Manmohan Singh in April that the home secretaries would sign it.

Knowing full well that Chidambaram was not going to be part of the visa pact delegation, the Pakistanis still insisted that he should come at least for a few hours to sign the agreement, which the home minister declined. They thus held the visa agreement hostage.

Says the Express quoting Ranjan Mathai on the visa pact delay: “We also have reports that the Pakistani side referred to some delay in its procedure and the Pakistani Interior Minister’s (Rehman Malik’s) desire for political participation in signing of the visa pact.”

Earlier, the Pakistanis decided to postpone talks on Sir Creek – where agreement is at hand – from the 14 May date scheduled earlier.

Nobody in the external affairs ministry should be fooled. All these are Pakistan’s excuses to get India to move out of Siachen – something it has been desperate to achieve since India holds the high ground on that glacier.

The Indian army has been very clear – from Gen VK Singh downwards – that an advantage obtained with so much sacrifice of men and material cannot simply be gifted away through so-called “demilitarisation” for no advantage at all.

However, the weak link in the Indian position is the Prime Minister himself, who seems to be scrounging around for a diplomatic victory to pull off when his reputation is otherwise in tatters.

According to a report in India Today, as early as June 2005, the PM told soldiers at the Siachen base camp: “Siachen is called the highest battlefield, where living is very difficult. Now the time has come that we make efforts that this is converted from a point of conflict to the symbol of peace.”

But the magazine also notes that Siachen is what the PM may be willing to sacrifice for personal achievement. “Demilitarisation is his CBM (confidence building measure) offer to Pakistan. Cynics suggest that he, too, has become a victim of the Nobel Peace Prize syndrome, trapped by the desire of temporary personal applause at the cost of national interests. It is his ticket to history.”

The Sunday Guardian

India holds the advantage on the Siachen glacier. AFP
underlines the fact that while Sir Creek is close to a solution, Siachen is not since the Indian army is dead set against it. It says “Indian army chiefs starting from Gen AS Vaidya and continuing to Gen VK Singh have refused to support what they perceive will be a major concession to Pakistan, as it is India which will have to withdraw.”

The Pakistani decision to delay talks on Sir Creek and also the visa agreement could be clearly related to Gen VK Singh’s retirement by end-May, when he will be replaced by Gen Bikram Singh, who, the Sunday Guardian suspects, “is expected to lead the reversal of the army’s position in order to help Dr (Manmohan) Singh achieve his dream of leaving a ‘peace mark’ on Indo-Pak relations.”

The Pakistani reference to “political participation” is probably a veiled reference to get Manmohan Singh to hand them a lolly.

One hopes the government is not foolish enough to not see through the Pakistani ruse. Manmohan should be seeking to leave a legacy of peace based on real trust with Pakistan, not by allowing them to hoodwink us once again. As in Kargil. As on 26/11. As in the Shimla Agreement. As always.

Siachen: Pak banks on PM to deliver after Gen Singh’s exit | Firstpost

 

[The HBS Guy]

People are forgetting what MMS had to go through in India after Sharm-Al-Sheikh.

 

[Markus]

The Pakistani reference to “political participation” is probably a veiled reference to get Manmohan Singh to hand them a lolly.

sorry pakistan - you will get no lolly.

If MMS tries to give a lolly, he and his italian dolly will have to face the wrath in the upcoming polly (Oops I mean poll )

 

[arp2041]

People are forgetting what MMS had to go through in India after Sharm-Al-Sheikh.

But it was after he did it, what happens after he give away siachin is not the issue he should be stopped on the first place, after that whatever opposition comes is of no value.

 

[The HBS Guy]

But it was after he did it, what happens after he give away siachin is not the issue he should be stopped on the first place, after that whatever opposition comes is of no value.

It doesn't work that way, mate. There will be an uprising in the Indian Army itself against this. Read the article properly. Indian Army is DEAD-SET AGAINST IT.

 

[Rafi]

MMS heart beats for the soil of his birth, IMO he has nothing to worry about, Congress vote bank will remain intact, MMS will not seek another premiership - so he want's to leave something for the history books, a Noble Price a fitting end to a glorious career.

 

[pt1982]

If he would have been the traitor...you would not be writing messages with so much impunity today. His contribution to India is beyond comparison and history would remember him in those line.

There is no point debating on a flimsy report which has allowed its imagination to run riot. I see this step as a PM who understands economy, who understands the potential of a peaceful south Asia, who understands the potential of a friendly China and India...the issue should be looked in that context.

It is a joke to call him traitor.....

 

[Screambowl]

I have to be little superstitious here. I think his stars are powerful

Meanwhile. PM cannot do that. if he does so.. there will be huge agitation in the country BJP will come forward.

 

[The HBS Guy]

MMS heart beats for the soil of his birth, IMO he has nothing to worry about, Congress vote bank will remain intact, MMS will not seek another premiership - so he want's to leave something for the history books, a Noble Price a fitting end to a glorious career.

Not very bright, are you?

You do realise that such words of yours only make his supposed job of working for you more difficult, don't you?

 

[Ajaxpaul]

Ahhhh MMS, our soft spoken PM sometimes i hate him and sometimes I dont. We are indebted to him as an FM. If today me and you are chatting away happily in PDF its partly because of him.

 

[deckingraj]

Not sure why such useless threads crop up...Guys its just 2 more years and new govt. would be in...It has been 8 years since MMS is our PM...Is there anything compromised on Siachen so far?? Why open a thread on some comical news and call him a traitor?? Even his critics don't call him corrupt forget about labelled as traitor...Lets grow up people, shall we??