Dear Friends: The Telegraph London has received more than fifty-eight comments under the heading International Development. in the Letters to the Editor column. It is interesting to know what we British tax-payers think about it. I reproduce some of the letters below:
-bhuban 58 Comments SIR – The practice of giving aid money to countries with vast standing armies and nuclear and space programmes must cease. India has shown that it can stand on its own two feet (“India tells Britain: We don’t want your aid”, report, February 5). Any perceived latent imperial duty to the jewel in the Victorian crown must now be relinquished. Tony Levy Wednesfield, Staffordshire SIR – Pranab Mukherjee, the Indian finance minister, has said that the £1 billion given to India in aid over the last five years is “a peanut”. Could we please have the money back, as it will buy a lot of peanuts in this country? Ron Kirby Dorchester SIR – We are doubling aid to Pakistan, even though it would appear that the Taliban is being materially assisted by Pakistani intelligence services. Now we read that the Indian government has refused to be bullied by embarrassment-averse Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, into accepting £280 million annually from the British taxpayer. As Britain teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, when the NHS is in crisis, 2.5 million people are without work and pensioners fear to turn on the heating, ministers should be reminded that charity – especially when it is supported by our overseas creditors – begins at home. John Barker Prestbury, Cheshire SIR – By continuing to give aid to India, Britain is helping the Indian government to evade its responsibilities to its citizens at the bottom of the social pile. Those who insist that we give aid would do better to campaign for the Indian government to look after its deprived citizens. James Dowd Prestbury, Cheshire SIR – The comments by Mr Mukherjee date back to 2010. Since then, our programme has been refocused on three states where half of the children are malnourished. Our help ensures that the Indian government’s work to help the poorest goes further and faster. Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, has made clear that his government welcomes the expertise Britain brings. The revamped programme is one part of a wider relationship between our two countries which is in both our national interests. It would be wrong to cut the programme when our help can still make such a big difference. Stephen O’Brien MP (Con) Department for International Development London SW1 SIR – India has indicated that it will not buy its new generation of fighter aircraft from us, even though David Cameron has repeatedly emphasised our historical ties with the country. France has, by comparison, given minimal sums in aid to India and has few historical ties with it, but now appears to be the winner in the race to supply new aircraft at a lower cost. This should be a harsh lesson to our Government that you cannot conduct trade relations using sentiment, but only by real influence and competiveness. Hand-outs cut no ice when hard-headed business deals are being made with emerging economic and military powers. India holds the high cards and has made it clear that it will not be patronised by its ex-colonial masters or bought off with aid which it says it no longer needs. Ted Shorter Hildenborough, Kent SIR – Is this a poor example of Britain trying to curry favour? Austin Cannon Litherland, Lancashire _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
