Your cover story on tnws (Small But Scary, June 10) was very timely and relevant. In the prevailing hair-trigger situation, serious weaponisation of our nuclear capability—covering the full range of operational contingencies—must not only be done but seen to be done, if deterrence is to be achieved.
Air Marshal Vir Narain, on e-mail
Your cover story gives the impression as though the army top brass has been baffled by intelligence reports about Pakistan’s possession of tnws. Anyone connected with the army knows that it has always factored in tnws in all their war games from the late ’80s onwards (since Op Brass Tacks) and evolved drills and procedures to counter it. There are tactical manoeuvres like wide dispersal of troops and tanks, not presenting a worthwhile target, not breaking contact with the enemy and leaning on and encircling the adversary’s towns and cities quickly, so that if he chooses to use a tnw, he suffers more casualties. Moreover, almost all the tanks and infantry combat vehicles have in-built nbc protection mechanism.
Hitesh Singh, New Delhi
Your story raises serious questions about the credibility of Indian nuclear deterrence and of the Indian defence establishment as a whole. When India tested nuclear weapons for the second time, it claimed it tested a fission device, a thermonuclear device and a subkiloton device on the first day and two subkiloton devices on the second day. tnws are nothing but subkiloton devices. If the Indian nuclear establishment now says it doesn’t have tnws, then it’s hard to believe the country has succeeded in testing a low-yield thermonuclear weapon as well. (Which would be the first of its kind if it actually worked, as thermonuclear weapons are harder to miniaturise than fission devices).
L. Leo, on e-mail
I am not so sure when Maj Gen (retd) Afsir Karim says that India does not have tnws. The reason behind my doubt is based on the definition of a tnw, whose explosive power ranges from less than 1 kt to 5 kt. The data Janes.com has on the nuclear tests conducted by India shows that we have tested three subkiloton devices (0.2 kt, 0.3 kt and 0.5 kt). Are they not tactical nukes? In fact, if I remember correctly, some Indian military analysts and officers had bragged at the time that the devices tested on the second day were tactical nukes and could be launched using artillery.
Rangarajan Narayanan, Blacksburg, US
Once again, with Rumsfeld and Armitage visiting, our so-called ‘nationalist’ government is bending over backwards to please the Americans. The aim of the entire exercise of moving troops to the border seemed to be to win their approval. And once again, PM Vajpayee has proved that Indian politicians are merely men of straw who lack not only the courage and will to protect the country but also the foresight needed to prevent such atrocious gaffes.
Roy Skaria, on e-mail
It’s clear that Indian politicians are a scared and spineless bunch. What more do Pakistani terrorists need to do for India to retaliate? If it’s scared of Pakistan or its nuclear capability, then at least it should answer terrorism with terrorism. Perhaps the Mohajirs, Baluchistanis, Sindhis and other rebel or disaffected groups there could be pressed into service.
Ravi K. , Santa Clara, US
In the conflict between India and Pakistan, we have been hearing a lot about Pakistan’s support to Kashmiri militants. Militarily weak separatist movements do once in a while need outside help to throw off the subjugators. How else do you make yourself free when the party enslaving you does not let you have the power to fight? Didn’t the US seek France’s help to get rid of the British? The core of the problem is not cross-border terrorism—as India would have us believe—but India’s suppression of the Kashmiris that has resulted in widespread discontent. Is the world willing to address the underlying problem of this conflict? Am I ever going back to an independent Republic of Kashmir?
Hina Wyne, San Jose, California
Be it tnws or even the big nuclear bomb itself, India should not deviate from its purpose of eliminating terrorism. Pakistan should never be allowed to think that it will be spared retaliation under international pressure should it make a nuclear strike.
Om Prakash, on e-mail
What’s wrong with the US to have supported Musharraf’s lame and meaningless statements? Did they actually believe him when he said he wouldn’t initiate war against India? What is cross-border terrorism if not initiating war? The wily general pretends to be helping the US hunt out Al Qaeda members when it’s clear as daylight that Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden would not still be at large without Pakistan’s support. Nor has Musharraf followed up on his lofty promises to rein in cross-border infiltration with any visible action. Why is the US blind to the capers of this illegally legalised president, who has clearly been the culprit behind the escalated tensions?
S.H.S. Mani, Chennai
Three’s company. India’s problem is it wants to win the war without fighting it. America’s problem is it needs both India and Pakistan. Pakistan’s problem is it wants to be a partner in the war against terror and indulge in cross-border terror at the same time.
R.S. Mukherjee, Bhubaneshwar
I don’t think Pakistan would ever be foolhardy enough to exercise the nuclear option. If it did, it would have been signing its own death warrant, giving India the clear licence to decimate Pakistan. Let not our military options ever be bogged down on that score.
K.V. Raghuram, Wayanad
The recent nuclear face-off between India and Pakistan exposed our poor ability to put across our point of view to the world community and media at large. And this is where the suave Musharraf scores brilliantly. His half-truths are based on the secure knowledge that India will be unable to respond and rebut, quickly and effectively, thus making us look like the guilty party by sheer default. What we need perhaps is the creation of a professionally-run media cell, appointed by the government and with direct access to the various ministries.
Ranjiv Ramchandani, Mumbai
The threat of nuclear confrontation between India and Pakistan brings to mind two old pieces of advice on what to do when an atomic bomb is approaching. The first comes from the former Soviet Union: put a sheet over one’s head and walk towards the nearest cemetery, but slowly so as to not cause panic. The second comes from the US and is even more concise: put your head between your legs and kiss your posterior goodbye! Please avoid war like the horrible plague that it is.
Dr Zeljko Cipris, Stockton, california
Vajpayee may have forgotten that introspection is the hallmark of a poet and Musharraf may not realise that donning a uniform does not justify uninhibited aggression but the people of South Asia deserve a second chance. This they will get only if their leaders realise the value of diplomacy and mediation and a peaceful end to the simmering dispute of Kashmir.
Sunil Kumar, on e-mail
The same Musharraf who in a televised message to the nation was ready to nuke India at the drop of a pin has now mellowed his stand and said that Pakistan does not want to enter in a conventional war with India. The Pakistani high command has been saying that it has stopped all infiltration activities, which is nothing but an inadvertent admission of the fact that it was aware of, and controlling, such activities. Jack Straw’s strongly-worded press statement was an indication of the West’s rising suspicion about the Pakistani stance. But regardless of whether the West is with us or not, we should take concrete measures to ensure our security.
Sushmit Ghosh, on e-mail
Thank God for the tnws. Perhaps they’ll keep the dogs of war firmly chained inside their kennels.
Khushbakht Khan, Atlanta, US
It is a matter of colossal shame that India and Pakistan are irresponsible to the extent of even creating a nuclear war rhetoric. Along with the acquiring of nuclear weapons comes the responsibility of keeping a tight rein on their use. The US and Russia have understood this responsibility and do not flaunt their nuclear prowess as we do. Let nuclear warmongers bear in mind that a war does not determine what is right, but only what is left.
Sairam Sanath Kumar, Thrissur
A take on Baa Baa Black Sheep:
President, President,
Have you any nukes?
Yes sir, Yes sir,
Three bags full.
One, as a deterrent,
One just for show
And one for my neighbour,
To give him a blow.
Abhishek Kaul, on e-mail
Prem Shankar Jha is right when he says Kashmir is no longer a bilateral issue (Beyond the War Threat, June 10). The weekly visits by US, UK and EU officials to the region prove the same. But I disagree with his advice that India approach the UN. If the experience of West Asia is anything to go by, the Americans will make the UN toe its line. It’s unlikely the latter will act against Pakistan as long as it helps the US fight Al Qaeda. The mess in Kashmir is of our own making and we have to do better to hold on to it.
J.M. Manchanda, on e-mail
Painful though Nehru’s taking Kashmir to the UN was, it has worked well in the long run, stating our hands-off position to the world. We are only deluding ourselves if we think the dynamics have changed and the UN will act equitably in this matter. The icc, Chemical Weapons Convention, Kyoto, Venezuela et al continue to show us. Plainly, India needs to be a lot more aggressive. It has more than a legitimate case, whereas a country like Israel simply has none on Palestine.
V. Raghuram, San Mateo, California
Apropos Vinod Mehta’s opinion piece, Let Us Defy Uncle Sam (June 3). Fidel Castro once said that no country should consider itself independent unless it’s independent of the usa. Marines won’t land on Raisina Hill, but what about the American establishment’s infinite capacity for dirty tricks? Perhaps it’s time you did an article on the cia’s record of toppling popular governments in the Third World.
Barun Basu, on e-mail
Emperor Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan, away from Delhi, to save his kingdom from the Marathas. To this end, he even allowed his territory in Afghanistan to be lost. Of course, the saffron brigade considers the Mughals foreigners, regardless of their obvious attachment to India. Now contrast Aurangzeb with Bhishma K. Agnihotri (Green vs Saffron, June 3), who has saffron loyalties, is funded by the Indian taxpayer, but is reluctant to give up his green card. We live in strange times.
Naira Ahmadullah, Mumbai
Laloo’s antics should have made it to the Outlook cover (Goodbye, Ta, Ta, Safari, June 10). For me, a nuclear holocaust is not quite as horrifying as the distinct possibility that next year, when Laloo finds another suitable groom for his third daughter, we, the residents of Patna, will be asked to part with our cars for the duration. This is exactly what will happen since the car dealers, having grown wiser after their present experience, will down their shutters the next time someone in Laloo’s family is to be married. I, a witness of the state-sponsored anarchy during Rohini Acharya’s marriage, would prefer dying in a war than live in a ‘peaceful democracy’ where a Laloo-Rabri combine keeps hurting my sensibilities beyond repair.
Sankalp Pratap, Patna
In Live Life Kingsize (June 10), you have done well to highlight the excellent performance of the Contai branch of the lic. In a report commissioned 15 years ago by the nibm on the country’s savings profile, the eastern region came out on top. No wonder, lic’s eastern zone, comprising Assam and the northeastern states, Bengal, Bihar and Orissa are leading producers of life insurance business. Shows the heights to which a dedicated marketing team can climb in rural areas.
S. Subramanyan, on e-mail
I pity the unfortunate girls who are being robbed of their childhood and an education owing to the ignorance of their parents (Bearers of Odd Burdens, June 10). Being underage, their marriage amounts to legalised rape. It is the responsibility of the state to protect children, even from their parents, regardless of the prevailing customs if these mores are harmful.
Mary Mulvaney, Perth, Australia
Jayachandran’s Mirror Image (May 20) shows A.B. Vajpayee "In Search of the lost Secular Mask". That Vajpayee is a Hindutva hardliner in the guise of a moderate is too simple an explanation for his Hindutva spurts. The truth is: Vajpayee is a man more concerned about power than ideology and it is for power that he tries to keep all sorts of ideologues happy. Some may call it pragmatism, but to me it’s opportunism.
Shivam Vij, Lucknow
M.S. Gill may have been one of our best cecs but as a book reviewer, he is a major flop. His ‘review’ of Sachin’s biography (Batman Forever, June 3) dwelt on his own cricketing days, his childhood heroes and of course on Sachin but said nothing about the book per se. A proper review of the book would have pointed out the dozens of factual and grammatical errors littering the book. Imagine a so-called biography which gets the date of birth of the subject wrong! Really, Mr Gill, did you bother to read the book before writing your review?
Pravin Panday, Mumbai
The beautification and restoration efforts on the ancient temples in Tamil Nadu betray our ineptitude and callous attitude towards the upkeep of these magnificent monuments (Frozen Music, Techno Remix, June 10). A few months ago, I had a chance to visit Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli, sites of exquisite Pallava temples. It was apparent that some of the temples had been mauled by local artisans in the name of renovation. One temple in Tiruchirapalli was found to be painted in garish colours from top to bottom, masking the original sculptural features. While painting the temple exterior, the painter has also added his own embellishments to the original patterns. While there is no let-up in the breast-beating about Indian culture, let us at least do something meaningful like the proper maintenance of our ancient monuments, using professional help, not locally available masons and painters.
C.P. Rajendran, Thiruvananthapuram
As a fan of Spiderman comics, I was perturbed by your review of the movie (Glitterati, June 3). It was less of an evaluation of the film’s merits and more of an expression of unreasonable anti-American sentiment. Didn’t Gadar have more lavish patriotism than the one scene involving an American flag this movie has towards the end? It’s silly to bombard a movie made for young audiences with such politically-slanted accusations.
Kalindi,on e-mail
Thanks for the highly informative report on the water crisis (Midsummer Nightmare, June 3). I am from Dehradun, which as everyone knows is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas. The mountains being a "rich" source of rivers, one would have thought we’d be spared problems like water scarcity. However, various unsustainable development activities have resulted in the disruption of the flow of most of the rivers supplying water to the cities. Ruthless limestone quarrying activity has led to the removal of the aquifer-supplying water to the streams. The groundwater table has gone down by 3 metres since the ’60s. Continuing road construction activities on the Badrinath highway are damaging the water quality of many such streams. In fact, the complete drying of many such streams is clearly evident here. The debris and scree formed is also falling in the Ganga and affecting its quality. Further, extensive deforestation has made the land highly erodable and so most of the rainwater flows over it as runoff without percolating. This is why the groundwater is not being replenished naturally. Development planners therefore need to seriously think over the matter of the water crisis gripping our country. Options like rain-water harvesting and desalination of sea water should be considered urgently.
Geetima Mamgain, Dehradun
Apropos Free Kicks from the Flat Screen (June 10). The reason for TV sales in India will hereafter be solely dependent on World Cup fixtures, both of cricket and football.
Srivatsan Bala, Houston, Texas
