Date: 10 Feb 2012
THE NEWS THAT INDIA IS PLACING A BIG DEFENCE ORDER FOR AIRCRAFT WITH FRANCE INSTEAD OF BRITAIN HAS COME AS A SHOCK TO THE UK GOVERNMENT SINCE THE FRENCH AND THE BRITISH PLANES ARE VERY SIMILAR IN THEIR OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES. THE ORDER WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT BRITISH JOBS THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE INDIANS WORKING HERE. MOREOVER, MOST INDIANS WHO LEFT FOR FOREIGN SHORES HEADED FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM. OVER THE DECADES ENGLAND HAS GIVEN MORE ECONO9MIC AND DEVELOPMEMNT AID TO INDIA THAN WHAT FRANCE GAVE. THEREFORE, BY SWITCHING MORE LOYALTY TO FRANCE GOVERNMENT OF BHARAT (MUTILATED PARTITIONED INDIA) HAS SHOWN LACK OF GRATITUDE. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ AT THIS TIME WHEN ALL THE INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP IN SUPPORT OF BRITISH AVIATION INDUSTRY, AT LEAST ONE MAN HAS SPOKEN OUT FORCEFULLY AND FRANKLY. HE HAS DONE ALL OF US (NRI’S) PROUD. HERE IS HIS LETTER: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\(QUOTE) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Re. British Aid to India. The British aid to India is intended to help the poorest people who have no voice. It is wrong for the rich people of India to condemn British aid with impunity whilst living in luxury. In some cases, rich Indians have made fortunes at the cost of the poorer Indians by not paying taxes to their full extent which would have helped their countrymen. We remember the scandals at the time of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi when India was damaged by people who were engaged in corrupt practices and were taking advantage of their motherland with inflated contracts and by supplying shoddy materials at twice the market price. 2G Spectrum Scandal where India lost billions of pounds is yet another example. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ British aid, no matter how small, is still making a difference to the health, education and future prospects of so many who otherwise have little hope. They have no choice but to take whatever help they can get from any quarter. We must never bite our nose to spite our face. Similarly, anyone who is trying to alleviate the poverty and suffering of our fellow countrymen should be welcomed with open arms and not shunned. Besides, foreign aid plugs the hole left by those “elite” Indians who have not served their country well. It is ironic that instead of being concerned for the plight of their fellow Indians, who are struggling to make ends meet, they deem fit to condemn aid, simply for a feel good factor and that too to the detriment of those who depend on it. We have all taken help in our lives to be where we are today. Having secured ourselves, we have no right to condemn those who need help for their survival. Hypocrisy is what is impeding India’s progress at every level. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Let’s see the merit of buying French planes in preference to that of Britain. Firstly, French planes are technically inferior. I would like to see sons or daughters of Indian politicians piloting these technically inferior planes in combat. India should have opted for the best, regardless of cost, simply because cheap is not always cheap in the long run. If we lose more planes in a dog fight along with our trained pilots, then French planes will prove to be the most expensive planes we have ever bought for our nation. Besides, a technologically inferior aircraft will become obsolete faster than a technically superior one, thus costing us more in the not so distant future for its replacement. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ If the contract had come to Britain, then it would have given further boost to Indo British relations along with extra esteem for millions of British Indians who owe a great deal to Britain for their comfortable life style. In addition they remit money earned in Britain to their loved ones back home regularly. This is more effective than any foreign aid or even government programme as it is free of corruption and goes directly into the hands of those for whom it is intended. Regrettably, not many Indians live in France and as a result not many Indians will get much out of the deal except for those who have decided to opt for French planes for reasons better known to them. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ The French have also banned Indian Sikhs from wearing turbans in their country. Sikh defended the freedom of Europe including that of France in both the first and second World Wars whilst wearing the turban. 84,000 Sikhs died and many more were injured defending Europe, more than any community in comparison to their numbers. Yet France deemed fit to ban the same turban which was and is the symbol of human freedom. At least the custodians of Indian democracy could have linked the deal with the French stopping this abuse of basic human rights of fellow Indians on the basis of their faith. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ In all, buying French planes is bad for India and for Indians living in Britain. Above all, it is bad for those who are being discriminated daily in the name of their faith. It is about time India stood up for what is right and not what is cheap. (UNQUOTE). ============================== 000000000