India needs to take stand on Tibet
Er. Prabhat Kishore
China’s brazen claim on Indian territories from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh and time and again pre-planned objections on visits of Indian dignitaries is not new. China’s propaganda machinery does this just to keep the matter alive.
Recently, China has made objection to Vice President’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh and repeated its previous parrot-type crying comment treating the State as part of South Tibet. Although, the world never expects from countries like China and Pakistan to respect territories of neighboring countries.
But more surprising is the policy of Indian Government. If China has not recognized the existing and integral parts of the Indian territories and openly claiming it; why India has recognized the illegally invaded Tibet regions ? If China is incorporating Indian territories in their official maps, why India is lagging behind by not including Tibetan territories in their map as an independent nation or an associate State?
Tibet was an independent nation having rich cultural and political relationship with India. Tibetans are descendants of Rupati, the Kaurav military general in Mahabharat era. As Tibet itself is not the part of China; then how it claims the Indian territories, which exist across Tibet?
India has diplomatic mission in Lhasa, which was downgraded into a consulate general in 1952 and finally closed after 1962 war. Tibet’s independence from Chinese paunch is in the interest of Indian border security, territorial peace and saving of huge military expenses. Before year 1950, Indian forces were deputed in Tibet to guard the trade routes. In 1950, newly established Chinese Communist regime invaded Tibet to make it permanent part of China, which allowed it militarize the strategically important boundaries with Bharat.
It is a historical fact that one month before his death, Sardar Patel, in his letter from hospital bed on 7th November 1950, has cautioned Nehru and nation regarding Chinese intervention in Tibet and security of Indo-Tibet borders. His prophetic letter quotes “The Tibetan put faith in us; they chose to be guided by us and we have been unable to get them out of the meshes of Chinese diplomacy and Chinese malevolence. In the north and north-east, Communist China has definite ambitions and aims, which do not seem friendly, disposed towards us. Hence we have to build military policy regarding Chinese threat to India.”
But after his death, Nehru and his Comrades refused to see the writing on the walls for more than one decade until in 1962 Chinese invaders, famous as People’s Liberation Army (PLA), booted the sleepy India.
In 1950s, India was a strong advocate for entry of newly emerged Peoples Republic of China (PRC) led by Mao in United Nations and on Permanent Seat of Security Council, which was at that time occupied by Republic of China (Taiwan) led by Chiang Kai Shek. The United States and other western countries were instrumental in denying the UN seat to Mao’s PRC.
Blinded by dark ideological lenses, the then Indian government refused to see the real face of Mao’s Communist China. At one hand PLA troops were busy in rampaging Tibet, on the other the Congress Government was supplying thousands of tonnes of rice to Lhasa on Chinese government request, which were utilized by the invading troops.
Initially to set the foot of China in Tibet, the political leaderships of Congress and Communist were responsible. It is said that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. India’s recognition of Chinese sovereignty over Tibet was the biggest security blunder. A sizable section of Indian Communists was so mad to march on China’s ideology that after Chinese betrayal attack on India in 1962, they even not condemned their spiritual country and later on formed pro-Chinese new political outfit CPI (Marxist) in 1964.
Today’s generation is unaware of the fact that there is an Indian territory “Minesar” near Kailash Parvat and surrounded by Tibetan territories, which has been part of Ladakh. After accession of Tibet, this area has also been grabbed by China; but neither Central government nor any political and social organisation even raised the issue on international forum. It is the duty of Indian Government to incorporate this historic territory in the official map.
China is a land grabbing country and has not invaded only India’s 38000 sq KM territories, but has either encroached or claimed parts of 18 neighbouring nations. Hence, there should be full-proof security preparation at every inch of border and Indian political and social leaders should remain in constant touch with its natives.
Nothing is going to be happen with fruitless unending talks and China and Pakistan are not going to return back the invaded Indian territories in hospitality like a cup of tea. An effective policy for all Actual International Border regions is the need of the hour, which should include some essential military training to the natives as well as settling down of retired army men.
To counter Chinese day-to-day wrongdoings for Indian territories, India should adopt the tit-for-tat strategy and derecognize Tibet as Chinese part and treat it as buffer State with name “Chinese Occupied Tibet (COT)” on the tune of “Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)”.
Accordingly, the official Indian map should be modified aligning forgotten “Minesar” too. For sovereignty of the country, India has to move forward with Patel’s Offensive strategy in place of prevailing Nehru’s Defensive approach.
(The author is a technocrat and an academician)
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