The threat of war between India and China has still not receded but the battle between unnamed home ministry sources continues relentlessly.
Caught in the crossfire: journalists.
First, The Hindu reported, quoting unnamed home ministry sources, that the government was contemplating filing a first information report against two journalists of The Times of India for a “wrong” report on two Indian soldiers being injured in firing by the Chinese in Sikkim.
Then, The Indian Express gleefully repeated the claim, again quoting unnamed home ministry sources.
Now, Press Trust of India reports, quoting unnamed home ministry sources, that “top officials” of the government has decided to “let it go”.
Questions: Has the Indian government seen the writing on the wall and climbed down? Or, was there no such attempt to file a complaint in the first place? If the FIR against the “wrong” report is not being filed, are we to conclude that the report was “right”?
Which means, were Indian soldiers injured in Chinese firing?
Which means, is the situation on “the longest disputed border in the world” far from normal?
Cartoon: courtesy E.P. Unny/ The Indian Express
Also read: Censorship in the name of the ‘national interest’?
Because your TV cannot devote a full 23 minutes
Tags: Churumuri, E.P. Unny, Sans Serif, The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Times of India
23 September 2009 at 10:21 pm
But I do wonder if such reports even if they are genuine, when reported, could create some trouble… when I saw the detailed report on the TV, I was wondering if diplomatic talks (or whatever) instead of sensationalism was the answer? Just not sure …
23 September 2009 at 11:33 pm
hahahahahahaha…..
Macho little country with third rate military is getting its panties up in a bunch over some firing and newspaper reports.
that’s what I heard the last time I put my ear in the direction of China.
What is this? “Duck Soup”?
23 September 2009 at 11:56 pm
As expected the Home Ministry has chickened out in front of the ELM…one more step towards “prostration as the official foreign policy” goal
24 September 2009 at 8:11 am
very very very ungrateful comment alok. did u even think about the ordinary people who actually man the military? about the people, who actually stand up there and use their kukhris, if need be? about people who scale glaciers without even having necessary equipment and lietrally lose limbs and digits in the process? unlike many military forces, our people have seen battle every day and actually paid a price defending the land – in true literal sense. not in the abstract sense of fighting for freedom of western forces.
i hope you not one of those natwar singh types who believe burning candles at wagah is the solution to all problems.
24 September 2009 at 9:23 am
Use Akrama Sakrama to make it right…
24 September 2009 at 4:52 pm
@ts
It is beyond doubt that it takes a lot of courage and guts to go 20000 ft above sea level to fight and die for your country, and I do not disagree.
The only problem is that it is no good if our army does more dying than fighting because it is
1. Under-funded
2. Under-manned
3. Under-equipped
4. Under-intelligenced [is that the right word for "slightly observant goatherds are better at intelligence gathering than the entire Agency"?]
We know that there are brave men up there on the heights defending us, but should India go to war with China, there will be a lot of brave men dead on the heights with little to show for. At least at the present level of preparedness ala 1962.
Wasn’t it Patton who said “You don’t win a war by dying for your country; you make the other poor bastard die for his!”?