Condemn or just deplore? India settles for ninda

Condemn or deplore? When you have a problem with words, switch over to a convenient language. That’s what was done to resolve the deadl...

int(3)

Condemn or deplore? When you have a problem with words, switch over to a convenient language. That’s what was done to resolve the deadlock between the government (which wanted to ‘deplore’ the US-led attack on Iraq) and the Opposition (which wanted to ‘condemn’ it). Finally, the language chosen for the resolution was Hindi and word which saved the day, ninda.

However, the English version of the Hindi resolution implied that the Government had its say. Parliamentary Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj clarified that ninda stood officially translated as ‘deplore.’

‘‘There was definitely a feeling among all the parties that there should be unanimity on the issue. We told the parties that we had passed such a resolution at our national executive and showed it to them,’’ Swaraj said. The BJP resolution passed recently in Indore also uses the word ninda.

Story continues below this ad

She also said that various other points were added to the resolution at the instance of the Opposition. ‘‘For instance, the Oppostion parties wanted that all reconstruction work should be done under the aegis of the United Nations. We agreed to that.’’

It took the Speaker Manohar Joshi five meetings with Opposition leaders to bring an end to the war over semantics. Earlier, replying to the debate on the resolution, External affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said that its language of restraint was ‘‘consistent with dignity of the House, and importance of the situation.’’

It was also consistent, he said, with India’s foreign policy which was independent and based on pragmatism. Allaying apprehensions, expresed by several members that India may some day be subjected to such unilateral action, Sinha said that the world’s largest democracy and a country of a billion people could not be subdued by any power.

He said that India has always had friendly relations with both Iraq and the US, and was quick to add that despite the differences with the US on this partcular issue, he hoped their positive relationship will continue. ‘‘It’s a community of democracies,’’ Sinha said.

Story continues below this ad

Sinha later said that it’s people of Iraq who should be in control of their future and destiny. ‘‘It is not only our wish but also our effort to work in that direction,’’ he said.

The resolution deplored the US-led allied forces’ military action against sovereign Iraq and said that the action for a change in regime there was not acceptable, specially since it did not have the sanction of UN Security Council. The resultant suffering of the Iraqi people, specially women and children, was a serious humanitarian issue, and the resolution expressed deep distress and sympathy for them.

The resolution called for ‘‘an immediate end to the war’’ and ‘‘quick withdrawal of the allied forces.’’ It also demanded that the UN must ensure that sovereignty of Iraq remains intact and reconstruction done under the UN’s aegis.

On its part, India has decided to extend help of Rs 100 crore, in cash and kind, to UN to help the Iraqi people. This would include 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat.

Story continues below this ad

The resolution was unanimously accepted in the House, but not before the Speaker allowed a debate on the issue as a ‘‘special case,’’ clarifying that it would not be quoted as a precedent.