Editorial
Daily Excelsior
September 01, 1999
Title: Wild Allegations Author: Editorial Publication: Daily Excelsior Date: September 01, 1999 As the election day approaches nearer, Congress Party has started indulging in wildest possible allegations against the Vajpayee Government. This time round, the latest is that sugar imports from Pakistan involves scandalous affair in PMO's office which has resulted in siphoning of about Rs. 900 crore. PMO office has already clarified the correct position that import of sugar from Pakistan was put on O.G.L. by the predecessor Governments led by Narasimha Rao in 1994. To that extent Vajpayee-Sharif nexus is out of question. In fact, incumbent Government has enhanced import duty on sugar imports from Pakistan from zero to 27.5% to provide level playing field to the indigenous industry. For records sake it is to be remembered that sugar availability has remained easy all these months precisely because of import of sugar which kept the price line stable. Had it not been imported, sugar prices would have shot to Rs. 30 per kg like it happened in the case of edible oils. It is the duty of any Government to maintain price stability and resort to imports to correspond to demand and supply principle. Why only sugar. Even large quantity of pulses, edible oils and other scarce items have also been put on OGL to facilitate liberal imports to meet the demand. Incidentally, edible oils and pulses have been imported from many countries. Likewise, Pakistan is not the only country from which sugar is imported. There are many other countries like Brazil and Thailand from where sugar continues to pour in. Contrarily, even India is exporting sugar to European Union to meet its quota obligations earmarked for imports from India. Prime Minister Vajpayee thus rules out any sordid business as regards import of sugar from Pakistan, least of all involvement of PMO. There is another recurring allegation being levelled by Congress and CPI (M) regarding a letter written by Brig Surinder Singh sub sector Kargil Commander about increasing threat perceptions. The position is that no officer can write such type of letter to Army Chief direct. Command and Control demands that sub-sector commander first writes to Divisional Headquarters which in turn informs the Corp HQ and then it should have reached the Northern Command Headquarters which only is competent to inform CAS. Since there is total absence of this chain, it proves the falsehood of the entire propaganda. This ground of writing direct to CAS is enough to remove the Sub-Area Commander not only from the post held but from Army itself. None in the armed forces is allowed to bypass superior formations. Likewise, Vishnu Bhagwat case is once again being raked up. The million dollar question is whosever challenges superiority of the political system over armed forces has no place in our system. Defiance of order justifies his removal. Congress will be well advised to desist from wild allegations. When entire world praises India for Kargil warfare and Pakistan stands condemned both inside as also worldwide Congress must learn to appreciate good things. In retrospect, Vajpayee equated Indira Gandhi with Durga when she ordered Indian armed forces into East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). There is no harm if good things done by any Government are appreciated and temptation for baseless and wild allegations are avoided.
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