Mr Tarun Vijay of the BJP needs to be congratulated for so candidly and fervently displaying before Goans and the world his utter lack of reality and perspective of world history. Any person who does not comprehend that over centuries the world has formed and reformed itself into Nations is as lucid as an imbecile child holding a carrot. Nations have come and gone, have formed and dissappeared without leaving much of a trace. Contemporarily, India changed its boundaries in 1947 and Pakistan was born whilst in 1971 the Congress led by Mrs Indira Gandhi changed the boundaries of Pakistan and played mid-wife to the formation of Bangladesh. The Constitution of India accepts the conceptual idea that territories can be accquired or lost through the operation of circumstances in human history. Accordingly through the Police action in Hyderabad and under the threat of similar action, the Princely States thought it fit to join the Union of India to foreclose such similar action. In 1961, Goa was liberated(accquired) and became an integral part of India, whist in 1962 China changed the boundaries of India through the Sino-India war. It accquired Aksai Chin and still continues to retain it and other large swathes of India. The Pakistanis too changed the borders of India and continue to occupy territory in Kashmir referring to its occupation as Azad Kashmir. Is it not amply clear then the concept of "contemporary foreigness" is a concept having as much chance of survival as an ice cube in Hell. Mr Mohammed Ali Jinnah,then an Indian citizen, as a Member of the Sandhurst Commission was instrumental in the setting up of the INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY ,which has been the nursery for leadership talent of both India& pakistan. Yes , a number of Pakistani military leaders learnt their leaderships lessons at the IMA, just as the Indian military leadership ,but owing to different contexts applied those lessons differently. When the thoughtless Tarun Vijay talks about the "foreign" origins of the Congress he is correct ,quite similar to the" foreign" origins of the BJP. the BJP has thrown up leaders who have been "foreign' in origin -- take Mr Lal Krishna Advani as a leading example. This person was born inKarachi in Pakistan quite similar to Mr Manmohan Singh, our curent Prime Minister being born in Punjab in Pakistan. Similary General Parvez Musharraf the erstwhile President of India was born in Old Delhi in India. Again Goans prior to 1951 were Portuguese citizens. Quite a number of Goans opted for Portuguese nationality and left India after 19th December 1961. Others remained back and became citizens of India. Mr. Tarun Vijay must grow up and realise that it is Citizenship and not origin that is the basis of the Constitution of India. Were General Parvez Musharraff to cite his origins and seek Indian citizenship, and if he were to be granted Indian citizenship ,he would be as eligible as any other Indian citizen under the Constitution of India, to become Prime Minister of India, quite similary if Mr Lal Krishna Advani were to cite his Pakistani origins and seek Pakistani citizenship so as to become Prime Minister of Pakistan. The same would also apply to Dr Manmohan Singh were he to cite his Pakistani origins and seek Pakistani citizenship so as to return to the villade of his birth. Mr Tarun Vijay does a great national disservice when he casts a slur on citizens of India not born in India. By that token a number of Goans are tarred by the same brush and their patriotism or should it be called "matriotism", since India is referred to as Mother,is called into unneccessary question. The Armed Forces of India would be loathe to entertain the quixotic ideas of Mr Tarun Vijay as by this token a slur would be cast on the integrity of some of the following Regiments of the Indian Army viz., the Gorkha Regiment a substantial number of whose troops hail from Nepal, The Jat Regiment, Indians who trace their origins to the Scythians and Partians,the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry some of whose troops hail from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, The Punjab Regiment, some of whose troops were born in Pakistan,the Assam Regiment, some of whose troops were born in Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Rajput Regiment, some of the ancestors of these troops being born in Pakistan, the Border Scouts,some of the ancestors of these troops being born in China and Burma. It is imperative that Tarun Vijay of the BJP needs to introspect about the history,culture and traditions of our country before he "flies by the seat of his pants" and continues to allow himself not to be treated for the malaise of " oral dysentry" to which he has wittingly become victim. Cant resist affirming that Mr Tarun Vijay comes across as " MILK TRYING TO MASQUERADE AS SEASONED WINE" LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA, THAT IS BHARAT! Regards, Gerry
