Sardar Patel’s letter to Nehru on Tibet

There are different views on the Indian policy towards China and the Tibet issue. I will write more on that some other day. I have reproduced here the letter written by then Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on November 7, 1950 on Tibet issue.

The letter throws light on the thought process of the Indian government vis-a-vis Tibet and China in the initial years after the independence.

Photos of MDMK leader Vaiko with Prabhakaran

The Sri Lankan Army has found photos and videos of MDMK leader Vaiko in the company of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran. Vaiko is a known LTTE sympathiser and has been arrested a couple of times by the Tamil Nadu government for his open support to the feared terrorist organisation.

According to media reports, Vaiko made clandestine visits to the LTTE controlled territory in Sri Lanka during the 1980s. The MDMK chief also spent a month in LTTE territory in 1989. The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was fighting the Tamil Tigers during the same time in Lanka’s northeast, a media report said.

Sharif’s US visit during Kargil conflict

On July 2, 1999 Sharif called President Clinton and requested him to intervene. The President also consulted with then Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee who clearly stated that India will not negotiate “under the threat of aggression” and that withdrawal of Pakistani forces was essential.

Sharif again called President Clinton on July 3 and told him that he was ready to come to Washington. The President warned him that without agreeing to withdraw Pakistani forces behind the LoC, the visit will not yield any results. Sharif told him that he was coming to the US on July 4.

Pak finally admits role in Mumbai attacks

An intelligence report by India’s Intelligence Bureau in December 2006 states that ISI, in cooperation with Pakistan Navy, is imparting navigational training to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists.

The report further states that the training is for 12 to 18 months and is divided into three phases. The first phase deals with learning swimming. The second phase of the training involved tasks like handling large boats, laying of mines in coastal zones, and planting of explosives under dams, bridges, and ships among others.

Remembering the legendary Kao

When Mrs Indira Gandhi again became Prime Minister in 1980, she recalled Kao from his retirement and appointed him as her senior advisor on internal and external developments. She used to consult him on political and intelligence matters. His professional guidance was of general nature.

In one major development, when Mrs Gandhi wanted to go USA she was not getting her choice of appointment date with the US President through External Affairs Ministry channels. Kao through his friend George Bush Senior – who was then US Ambassador in China – arranged her meeting with the US President.

Did a CIA mole compromise India’s 1971 war plans?

The declassification of vital CIA and US State Department documents relating to South Asia reveals that the American spy agency (CIA) had a vital source in Mrs Gandhi’s cabinet.

CIA’s ‘reliable source’ leaked India’s war objectives to the US, thereby compromising India’s plan to teach Pakistan a lasting lesson.

State machinery succeeded in deflecting public anger from political class to TV media

Let the Government not forget that in Mumbai-like situation where the terrorists are in their aggressive best and the Government might in its fiercest form, the media presence cannot be blocked in any healthy democracy.

And there were no operational details that we were privy to. We had disseminated only that which was in public gaze and was most obvious.