Since the commonwealth heads of government are meeting within weeks of the US invasion of Grenada and within days of the unilateral declaration of independence by the so-called Turkish Cypriot assembly in respect of the Turkey-occupied part of Cyprus, it would have been odd if they had not expressed concern … Read More
In view of the division among members of the Commonwealth on the Grenada issue, it is doubtful if the New Delhi summit will be able to criticize the US invasion in clear enough terms. But this need not be regarded as a disaster for the Commonwealth or the world. The … Read More
Seldom before has a Commonwealth summit been held against a more sombre background. It may be a mere coincidence that the Reagan administration should have invaded Grenada or the so-called Turkish Cypriot assembly should have made a unilateral declaration of independence just as the Commonwealth heads of government were preparing … Read More
On the face of it, the issue is simple. The Jammu police have seized 612 barrels with Spanish markings from two gun factories, 500 of them from one belonging largely to Swami Dhirendra Brahmchari. The police have arrested four persons, issued a warrant for the arrest of the Swami and … Read More
It is a sheer coincidence that India should be hosting a meeting of commonwealth prime ministers in the same year that it has served as a venue for a non-aligned summit. But this coincidence speaks of this country’s ability to span different worlds. Indeed, in view of its role in … Read More
General Ershad’s plan to move Bangladesh to some form of civilian rule has run into trouble. While he has proposed presidential election in May next in advance of that to Parliament later in the year, opposition parties have demanded that the poll to the legislature should be held first so … Read More
For once the Soviet authorities may be telling the truth about President Andropov’s health. The report that he has been shot in the arm by the late Mr. Brezhnev’s 51-year-old son is incredible. The London daily in question has ascribed it to Western intelligence sources. But that cannot by itself … Read More
The Congress (I) stands condemned in Karnataka. In view of the incontrovertible evidence produced by an associate member of the state Janata legislature party that the Congress(I) opposition leader, Mr. Veerappa Moily, paid him two lakhs of rupees in order to persuade him to defect, there cannot be the slightest … Read More
The Washington Post has quoted a Pakistani diplomat in India as having said: “There seem to be second thoughts on the Indian side about normalizing relations. Maybe they think Zia-ul-Haq is going to be forced out and there is no point in talking to him now”. The statement is inaccurate … Read More
As we once again celebrate Jawaharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary it may be appropriate to remember one of his warnings. We Indians, he often said, tend to deify our great men and women and then conveniently ignore what they stood for. He, of course, did not have himself in mind. He … Read More
