Time for George to go
by Hari Jaisingh

While we support the proposed dialogue with Pakistan and the visit to New Delhi by its Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz for this purpose, it is crystal clear that the Vajpayee government has bungled badly on the Kargil-Dras front. First, its various intelligence wings failed in their primary task of information-gathering and monitoring of dubious activities along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kargil area that started as far back as January this year. Second, notwithstanding Defence Minister George Fernandes' claim to the contrary, the government's response to the first information reports that trickled in from various quarters was both tardy and inadequate. Third, coordinated thinking on sensitive matters of national security having a direct bearing on the morale of the people, including the jawans and officers of the Army and the IAF shedding blood for the honour of the country, has been missing.

Ironically, amidst the grim challenges, the Defence Minister speaks in a language that is totally at variance with the latest position struck by the Prime Minister on Islamabad's designs and Mr Nawaz Sharif's pre-knowledge of the preparations for the offensive. It does not make sense to suggest that Mr Sharif was kept in the dark by his own Army. It is conveniently forgotten by Mr Fernandes that the Pakistani Chief of the Army Staff, General Parvez Musharraf, was handpicked by him last year superseding two Generals. A simply-clad and otherwise likeable person, the problem with the Defence Minister is that he either does not understand Pakistan's mindset or is deliberately diverting the focus of public attention from the government's failures to the non-issue of whether the Pakistani left hand was subverting the peace process launched with bus diplomacy or the right hand. How does it matter?

We have told this nation on the ISI's sinister role behind every blast and dastardly killing. We also know that Islamabad's military establishment includes the Army, the ISI and the ruling clique of which the Prime Minister is a part. And Mr Nawaz Sharif is not the usual run-of-the-mill leader. He has cleverly manoeuvred the power strings to establish his all-round supremacy. Even the Opposition leader, Mrs Benazir Bhutto, has understood this harsh fact at a considerable cost to herself and her husband. Who is fooling whom?

If Mr Fernandes has special information on Mr Sharif's good conduct, he should give credible evidence of it. Otherwise, he should either gracefully bow out of office or be asked by Mr Vajpayee to quit. The Defence Minister has proved himself unworthy of such a sensitive position. At stake is the Prime Minister's own credibility and honour. He must act fast and decisively.

The nation has risen to face Pakistan's challenge as one man. The Prime Minister should at least ensure that the Union Cabinet conducts itself as a homogeneous unit under his leadership. For, the unity of purpose is as crucial as the unity of action. And more than anything else, the people want the government to act firmly both on and off the field on the Kargil battlefront. For this purpose, it should set its house in order. Of course, our leaders give the impression that they know all the answers. Alas, they know so little! Neither the BJP leaders nor the opposition leaders have so far shown that they know how to deal with the complexities of the situation.

The country has had enough of vote bank calculations. Too much of partisan politics has also weakened the nation's resolve to face the real issues clearly and effectively. As it is, we never learn from history, with the result that we go on repeating our mistakes. What is particularly regrettable in this context is that we have not yet fully understood the mindset of the Pakistani rulers. Even with regard to China our dealings and responses have been haphazard and lopsided.

While peace diplomacy has to be pursued vigorously and intelligently on pragmatic lines, the government's first task must be to safeguard the country's territorial integrity. We must also realise that nuclear deterrence works in peacetime and not in a warlike situation the Prime Minister has now acknowledged. Mr Vajpayee must appreciate that he is faced with an abnormal situation and that the ruling clique in Islamabad possesses deadly nuclear bombs. What if they use them in sheer desperation? What will be our response thereto? The Indian Prime Minister should warn his counterpart of the serious consequences of such a misadventure. Equally crucial is earning American goodwill and support. Foreign policy, after all, must derive its sustenance from the ground realities. Power has to flow from the country's economic and military strength. We have one of the best military machines in the world. All we need is a qualitative political leadership which is sure of itself and the targets and objectives ahead.

The question here is not whether Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee's is a caretaker government or otherwise. What is most important is whether as Prime Minister he is prepared to set the pace for the extra-special care the nation needs at this hour of grave crisis. The country is behind him. It is for him to lead it effectively.