Frozen in time

Insecure relationship

A few days before his death, J N Dixit and External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh had a heated exchange and Singh was heard remarking that MEA files would not be sent to the National Security Adviser NSA in future. Arguments between the two were not uncommon and usually Dixit and Singh resolved their differences amicably after giving time for tempers to cool. But because of the overlapping jurisdiction, the relationship between the NSA and the Foreign Minister is generally tense. Remember Brajesh Mishra and Jaswant Singh? Which is why few expect the working arrangement between the new NSA M K Narayanan and Natwar Singh to be smooth.

Already Narayanan has riled MEA officials by getting P K H Tharakan, an outsider from Narayanan8217;s home state, appointed as RAW chief. Narayanan is also pushing for a major change in RAW8217;s work ethic.

Treading on Patil8217;s toes

More than Natwar Singh, Narayanan may end up treading on the toes of Home Minister Shivraj Patil. While Narayanan may be content to rely on inputs from seasoned diplomats like S K Lamba in India8217;s negotiations with countries like Pakistan and China, he has very definite views on India8217;s internal security issues and how to deal with terrorist outfits like the PWG and the LTTE. The NSA was at loggerheads with Patil over the truce with certain terrorist outfits and on the manner in which the Manipur agitation was handled last year. Narayanan harbours a longstanding suspicion of DMK leader M Karunanidhi for his LTTE links and, as IB director during Chandra Shekhar8217;s tenure as Prime Minister, was largely responsible for getting the DMK government dismissed in 1991.

The uninspiring Patil8217;s unquestioning loyalty to the Congress8217;s first family was the reason he was made home minister. But he cannot hold a candle to Narayanan in terms of services rendered. Narayanan has provided political inputs to three generations of the Gandhis.

Pawar player

The meeting between Jayalalithaa and Sharad Pawar at 35 Poes Garden last week has set tongue wagging. It is the second time in a month and while the ostensible reason for the get-together was discussions on the tsunami relief, speculation in Chennai has it that Jaya also expressed apprehensions over the disproportionate assets case against her which is to be tried in a Bangalore court. The two politicians have been friends for over 20 years, and DMK chief M Karunanidhi is not pleased about it. Particularly since Pawar did not bother to call on him, though it is he and not Jaya who is the UPA ally.

The Congress high command is wary enough of Pawar to keep constant tabs on his movements. Two months back the IB reported to the government that Pawar, along with his lieutenant Praful Patel, attended a farm house party thrown by a leading editor at which Atal Behari Vajpayee, Chandrashekhar and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat were also present. The Congress is still trying to figure out whether the editor was simply trying to demonstrate his clout to his enemies in the BJP or there was more than meets the eye in the get-together.

J 1 and J 2, no J Lo

With two Jayas in the Samajwadi Party SP, both of whom are actresses and MPs, some degree of confusion is inevitable. Party general secretary Amar Singh differentiates between Jaya Bhaduri and Jayapradha by addressing them as Jaya One and Jaya Two. In fact, he sometimes simply calls them J 1 and J 2, taking a cue from Jennifer Lopez8217;s nickname, which she is now so keen to dump.

Sound Advice

The low-lying air field on Car Nicobar island was completely destroyed by the tsunami waves. Back in 1974, the then Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen J F R Jacob had in fact recommended that an air field be constructed at the southern most Great Nicobar island in order to ensure proper surveillance over the Straits of Malaca. The army had felt the need for an additional air field ever since 1971 when the American Seventh Fleet passed through the Great Channel without the knowledge of the Indian authorities.

The air strip on Car Nicobar was built by the Japanese during World War II. They were not concerned about strategic positioning as they already controlled Singapore and simply built an air strip on the flattest ground available. General Jacob8217;s proposal for constructing a full-fledged air field on the Great Nicobar island the small naval strip on Cambell Bay cannot be expanded because of the terrain was put on hold by the defence ministry citing financial constraints. In retrospect, if the government had acted more speedily on the army8217;s long pending proposal, some of the damage wreaked by the tsunami on the islands8217; military installations might have been averted.