AFOVA Newletters of Year 2001

Page 26 of 52 Krishnanswami, +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ During training exercises, the lieutenant driving down a muddy back road encountered another car stuck in the mud with a red-faced colonel at the wheel. “Your jeep stuck, Sir?” asked the lieutenant, as he pulled alongside. “Nope,” replied the colonel, coming over and handing him the keys, “Yours is.” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Other Points 27. We are proud to learn, that the Newsletter is generating interest. It was felt that we could help ourselves in the field of matrimony. In the past we have instances when our children found their life partners with the help of the members of the Association. At that point, the enquiries were propagated through word of mouth We now propose ofer a column to project the eligible brides/bride grooms who are seeking life partners. As a beginning there is a request for a bride for 31 year old Kamma Naidu boy, presently employed as a Network Engineer, in Intel Corporation, Portland, USA. For further details, please contact Smt Chitra Rajan, at H-l14 / 2, 33 rd Cross Street, Besant Nagar, Chennai – 600 090. Telephone No 491 9208; email: chitra@eth.net. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 28. All of you would have closely followed the Agra summit and thereafter. There is an interesting letter written to General Pervez Musharraf on the subject, which is concise and explains the case in a lucid and clear manner. A copy of the same is reproduced below for the benefit of members. “Dear General, At the outset, let it be made clear that the prefix “Dear” above has been used only because it is “the core issue” in any letter written in the civilised world. Please don’t mistake it for anything else. This fundamentalist Indian (not an Indian fundamentalist) can, you see, never forget the treachery of Kargil and the thousand cuts of jehad. Then there’s your three-in-one status. You may well have liked to be addressed by your presidential status. But considering that you’re known to move around in your little country much less in mufti and much more in army uniform bearing all those badges and medals, you, the realist, probably detest being in the sheep’s clothing. Hence, this letter’s preference for the ‘general’ tag. The protocol done with, let’s come down to “the core issue” -- your summit with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our prime minister with two repaired knees and one Hindu heart of tolerance unlimited. Many days before D-Day, you had proclaimed you intended to “create” history (or words to that effect) during the summit visit. Was it history then that after four rounds of talks, Agra could not produce even a lukewarm joint statement? Or was it history that you became the first visiting dignitary of any country to tell his hosts before departing that his people don’t trust the host government? Or was it history to deny that you held even a single Indian as a prisoner of war when your own human rights commission said more than 30 were languishing in your jails? Or was it history to hold an arrogant and abrasive media conference on our soil without so much as our courtesy? Civilised India is not equipped to answer those questions. Getting ownership of real estate through terrorism and blackmail, without having the legal papers for ownership -- that would have been history, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately,