Samikhsya Bureau
When socialist leader George Fernandes was the defence minister in Atal Behari Vajpayee government, he created a flutter in political and diplomatic circles when he said that China was a much bigger enemy of India than Pakistan.
At that time, Fernandes drew flak from many quarters for being “irresponsible” and not politically correct. But in the aftermath of Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir, it seems his apprehensions were right.
China repeatedly tried to block the statement of UN Security Council that condemned the attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama.
The statement said that the council “condemns in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in over 40 Indian paramilitary forces dead and dozens wounded on February 14, 2019, for which Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility”.
China was trying to block the statement because it named JeM. China also wanted a reference to Jammu and Kashmir as “Indian administered Kashmir” in the statement. It is quite well known that China has always supported and funded JeM head Masood Azhar.
The Indian political establishment has always found it easier to target Pakistan because that gives it political dividend at home, especially during elections. But the rulers of India have always been reluctant to directly target China, which is arguably a much bigger military force.
It is also China that has always lent support to Pakistan due to its own geo-political interests. An “all weather friend” of Pakistan, China has all along used its veto power to sabotage India’s move at UN to include Ahzar in a list of top global terrorists.
But in the last four years, China has been successful in casting its shadow over all other neighbouring countries of India including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even Nepal, which is considered to be a natural ally of India. Recently, China got hold of a strategic port in Sri Lanka, which is a direct threat to India.
China’s growing influence around the Indian sub-continent in itself is a major diplomatic failure of India.
Pakistan is a country, which is on a self-destructive mode. India should better think about China and devise effective policies to deflect the imminent danger posed by China.
