In her address to the United Nations in her capacity as India’s Prime Minister and chairperson of the non-aligned movement, Mrs. Gandhi has raised a number of pertinent issues. The world is in dire straits. The second cold war between the two superpowers has become dangerously intense. The nuclear arms … Read More
It is truly extraordinary that Mrs. Gandhi should have sent a letter to Mr. Andropov through a CPI leader, Mr. Yogendra Sharma. Indeed, if Mr. Sharma had not personally confirmed that he had carried such a letter, we would have found a report to that effect incredible. It can be … Read More
The central leadership of the Congress (I) has at long last given its Maharashtra unit an executive committee. In the process it has provided an explanation for the delay. It was an extraordinary, almost herculean effort. The size of the committee – eight vice-presidents, seven general secretaries, seven joint secretaries, … Read More
There can now be no doubt that Pakistan faces a major crisis. We may indeed be witnessing the beginning of its disintegration for the second time. Any number of Pakistani leaders have predicted this dire consequence for the “land of the pure” in case the people in Punjab do not … Read More
It is not particularly surprising that Syed Mir Qasim has finally quit the Congress (I). He had been ill-at-ease in the party for quite a long time. Indeed, he had made no secret of his feeling that Mrs. Gandhi did not seek his advice even in respect of developments in … Read More
The debate in the country on the propriety or otherwise of Mrs. Gandhi’s statement on the current struggle for restoration of democracy in Pakistan shows that widespread confusion prevails on what India’s foreign policy is and should be. This is understandable on three counts. First, we are relatively new to … Read More
The attack on an army garrison in Sind clinches one issue. The people in that province of Pakistan are no longer afraid of the army. Or to put it differently, the army has been so thoroughly discredited in their eyes that they are prepared for direct clashes with it. Otherwise … Read More
The people of Pakistan have made history. It is difficult to think of another third world country which has in recent years witnessed such a determined and sustained struggle for democracy on the part of unarmed people. Certainly nothing that has happened anywhere in south Asia since the army crackdown … Read More
President Jayewardene continues to baffle. Once again he has repeated the charge that Tamil Tigers seek and receive assistance, including arms and training, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The charge is, of course, false in substance. But right now that is not the central issue. The issue is: … Read More
General Zia-ul-Haq has paid this country a compliment it does not deserve. For, we cannot in all conscience claim the slightest credit for the present movement for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. In fact, but for a statement by the prime minister, Mrs. Gandhi, extending support to the cause … Read More
