By Saswat Pattanayak

Well what does one learn from the defection of a senior operative Rabinder Singh from Indian’s covert overseas intelligence-gathering agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to the US with the help of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)?

Nothing new that one did not know of. The so-called Cold War phase which left millions dead or stranded in haplessness, was replete with such activities. Destabilizing “other” countries is a well played pastime for some. And US dollar paves the way.

But what surely baffles is the so-called secrecy maintained around the covert operations in India, of which the then right-wing power at the Indian center was so proud of while claiming that the US could not even guess when India went nuclear. The US also feigned shock at the event and declared it had nothing to do with the same act and indeed went ahead and imposed sanctions (and later withdrew too!).

If India were so independent a country with its internal secrecy mission in place so as to fool the international community into believing that it was a peace-loving democracy (or whatever that word is), then there should be no reason to worry for P K Hormis Tharakan, the newly appointed head of RAW. Apparently Tharakan is tensed that Singh might have recruited many ‘moles’ in the sensitive departments of India before fleeing to his destination. Well, part of the game, one would suspect. Except that the Indian investigating agencies claim that they did not know of the defection until after a year! Whereas Singh fled to US last year around this time with US papers during the right-wing power after recruiting other potential ‘defectors’ into the RAW and other wings of Indian intelligence, the news breaks only now.

So much for intelligence and counter-intelligence. Leaves little doubt in minds that the Indian N-test was done so covertly that the US bigwigs came to know of it through media reports! Sounds incredible. Yes, In-Credible. I am sure, US of America well knew of the Indian plans to hatch the nuclear eggs. And that of Pakistan’s too. And all the escalating tensions as well. And the ideas of help to fight the wars.

Wow. And who gains? Only the militarists. And their fraternity of power elites.

Tags: Saswat, Capitalism, War, India, Pakistan, USA