Uneasy London

The Irish Republican Army8217;s IRA decision not merely to make truce but to renounce their armed struggle is momentous. More than 3,000 lives have been lost in the wake of the violence unleashed by the IRA. Its decision to dump the arms and pursue its aim of united Ireland through democratic means abjuring violence is indeed welcome and is a silver lining in the current dark firmament. IRA8217;s targets were mainly military and police establishments and security forces. In most cases it used to give advance warning of its impending operations so that civilian casualties could be minimised. There are sceptics who doubt the IRA8217;s motives. They should remember Gandhiji8217;s wise words that one should 8216;8216;never begin discounting his opponent8217;s action as unworthy of trust8217;8217;. Trust is the only way forward.

Craze for apologies

Demand for apology for past actions has been in vogue for sometime. There have been frequent calls for apology from the Japanese government by China, South Korea and Indonesia for the atrocities committed on civilians by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II coupled with demands for reparations. The Japanese government has responded partially. Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki cry out for an unconditional apology and substantial reparations. But there have been none. Imposition of the spurious June 1975 Emergency by the ruling Congress government certainly warrants an unconditional apology. The Emergency was a deadly onslaught on the democratic fabric of our nation. Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, Bhimsen Sachar and Piloo Mody amongst others were whisked away in the dark of the night and detained in solitary confinement. Duing the Emergency, in the words of the Supreme Court, civil liberties were withdrawn to a great extent, fundamental rights were suspended, strict censorship on the press was imposed and judicial powers were crippled. No apology by the Congress has yet been forthcoming though Indira Gandhi did admit that the Emergency was a mistake. Cold comfort to the numerous victims of Emergency.

Recent events show that demands for apology have become a craze as in the case of L K Advani8217;s speech in Pakistan and his description of Jinnah as a secularist, forgetting the context and the occasion of his speech. His critics, in addition to an apology, want his head 8212; the height of intolerance. The latest is the insistence on an apology from our Prime Minister because of his speech in Oxford where he praised, and rightly so, some aspects of the British Raj. British rulers no doubt did terrible things. But should one blot out their contributions, for example the institution of an independent judiciary? British judges in India in the thick of World War II released persons detained under the Defence of India Act for their terrorist activities because there arrests wer illegal. This tradition of judicial independence has been invaluable and has influenced our judges. In other colonial regimes suspected terrorists would have been shot outright. It is not suggested that the British were angels. However refusal to recognise some beneficial aspects of their rule depicts pettiness. In any case there can be two views on this matter and demand for an apology from the Prime Minister and the motion to censure him in Parliament appear bizarre.

Bottom patting

Pascal rightly observed that sin is geographical. Social mores and ethical norms vary from country to country. Kissing a woman in public in Iran is dangerous, indeed a criminal offence. In the West not greeting a lady by a peck on her cheek at a reception or a dinner is considered ill-mannered. What about a pat on the bottom of a woman at a private party or a social function? That depends on a host of circumstances. According to our Supreme Court it can be a criminal offence as K P S Gill found to his grief. To avoid controversies and legal tangles, a Namaste is the best and safest form of greeting.