India must amend its China policy

- Anil Narendra

India's relations with China have always been sweet and sour. It was India, who preached Buddhism to the Chinese. With the Communist Party coming to power in China in 1949, relations between both the countries were established. India was the only non-communist country that recognized the Chinese Communist Government and it also helped China in getting recognition by the UNO. An eight-year agreement was signed between India and China in 1954, under which India surrendered its additional regional rights over Tibet to China, on the basis of which both the countries affirmed Panchsheela principles. Relations between both started deteriorating in 1957. The Tibetan religious leader, Dalai Lama had to flee Tibet and take refuge in India on 31st March 1959 in view of Chinese repression, which also became one of the reasons for 1962 Indo-China war. Tension between India and China due to Dalai Lama and his followers mounted and it still continues. Meanwhile, China has now adopted a more rigid and aggressive stand on the issue of Dalai Lama and his followers. Recently, I was in Kolkata, in connection with a programme, in which Dalai Lama was invited. The Governor, AK Narayanan and the Chief Minister, Mamata Bannerjee were also to participate in the programme. China wrote a formal letter to the West Bengal Government demanding that Governor and Chief Minister stay away from the programme. This demand of China was not agreed upon. The Governor attended the programme, but the Chief Minister could not participate in view of the illness of her mother, however, her representative, MP Derek O'Brian attended the programme. India decided to lodge a protest in this matter and to ask China, why it wrote such a letter to the West Bengal Government. Earlier, also China had demanded to cancel the Buddhist scholar meet being held in New Delhi, which was to be addressed by the Dalai Lama. When the request was turned down, China decided not to participate in the proposed meeting on border disputes. China does not desist from interfering it India's internal affairs and its attitude towards India, of late, has turned more aggressive. For example, what the state government of a country should do or not do, must not be the concern for any foreign government. In fact, China has started regarding itself a super power like US and wants that all its obstinate demands must be agreed to. Government of India, too, appears to give in to China to some extent. That is why, the J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah said that India must clarify its China policy. Addressing a gathering in Mumbai on Saturday, Omar said that India must deal with China firmly, because it claims parts of the country as disputed areas and it has also questioned the sovereignty of India over a number of its territories. A few hours earlier, his father Farooq Abdullah said in Delhi that India must accept the fact that the PoK cannot be taken back neither from Pakistan nor from China. His son, Omar asked, if you consider PoK as an integral part of India, then why didn't you cross the LoC during the Kargil war? If you respect the LoC during war, it means that you have lost hope of getting it back. Omar pleaded with New Delhi to give up its always forgiving posture in it its relations with Pakistan and China. He seriously wished that India exhibit more firmness while dealing with China. It appears that China never hesitates in declaring Kashmir as a disputed area, while we are expected to follow 'One China' policy and not to raise questions on the status of China over Tibet and Taiwan. Why it is so that we follow 'One China' policy, whereas China is ignoring the policy of United India. We had been moralistic and fearful in our relations with China, though it is not required. I feel that time has now come when we should deal with China with firmness. If China can question our sovereignty, then we also have every right to raise our fingers over its sovereignty (which includes Tibet also).