Letter: Terrorist threat in Kashmir

Sir: Tim McGirk has managed to contribute an unexpected addition to the long list of allegations against Indian authorities dealing with the terrorist problem in Kashmir ('Kashmiris unmask India's devilish plot', 17 August). So the world's largest democracy depends on security forces dressed up as ghosts, in order to keep its citizens under control?

We wait with bated breath for the next development, which is for readers of the Independent to express their concern about the human rights of the innocent, fun-loving, gun-toting tourists who visit Kashmir regularly from a friendly neighbouring country, now threatened with the prospect of a collective heart attack at being confronted by hordes of Indian security ghosts, each complete with mask, gloves and white robe.

Others, who worry about the multilateral agenda, will no doubt say that it was a mistake in the first place to have allowed a delinquent country like India easy access to the works of Enid Blyton. India must now be pressurised to place all its clandestine bed-sheet-manufacturing facilities under international supervision, so that the phantoms in Kashmir are denied their uniform.

The objective of those who create incidents or give out stories of the kind reported in the article is too transparent. And since heavy propaganda does not come easily to a country like India, the above is the best that can be offered by way of rebuttal.

In the meantime, the people of India will continue to persevere in their belief that foreign correspondents will eventually settle down to more mature and responsible professional use of the hospitality and access they enjoy in Kashmir.

Yours faithfully,

K. V. RAJAN

Acting High Commissioner

The High Commission of India

London, WC2

20 August