DELHI DIARY, JUNE 20-27

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 002991

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IN
SUBJECT: DELHI DIARY, JUNE 20-27


Classified By: A/PolCouns Joel Ehrendreich for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (U) Below is a compilation of political highlights from
Embassy New Delhi for June 20-27, 2007 that did not feature
in our other reporting, including:

-- KK Katyal: Potential for South Asian Parliament
-- Tawang Residents Speak Out Against China's Territorial
Claims
-- Controversy Continues to Surround UPA Presidential Hopeful
-- Maharashtran Hindu Right, Shiv Sena Backs Congress
Presidential Candidate

KK Katyal: Potential for South Asian Parliament
--------------


2. (U) KK Katyal, president of the South Asia Free Media
Association (SAFMA),met with Poloff to discuss SAFMA,s
efforts to facilitate the establishment of a South Asian
Parliament (SAP). Katyal stated that while SAFMA has made
significant progress in cultivating interest in such a body
across all eight South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) member states, he expects it will take 10
) 15 years for a SAP to materialize in any meaningful way.


3. (U) Katyal described to Poloff the two-pronged mission of
SAFMA: to facilitate greater freedom in movement and
dissemination of people, ideas, and materials associated with
the media, and to push for region-wide political change to
that effect. The latter objective grew from consensus among
SAFMA members that the current political situation in the
region impinges on the freedom of the media; accordingly,
SAFMA resolved to &throw its weight behind regional
cooperation, peace, and the rule of law.8 SAFMA,s ongoing
efforts to promote the establishment of a SAP are a
cornerstone of this policy.


4. (U) SAFMA has convened two meetings in the past three
years of 70 ) 80 members of parliament (MPs) hailing from
all eight SAARC states. Katyal stressed that SAFMA had asked
the heads of every major political party in their respective
countries to designate which MPs would serve as delegates )
the implication being that the attending MPs participated
with the consent and support of their party leadership and
constituency. Katyal noted that SAFMA is aware that it is
presently unrealistic to form a SAP; nonetheless, SAFMA is
pushing for increased and continuous contact between the
various MPs, and couching all its remarks in support of the
long-term goal of establishing a SAP. According to Katyal,
the response has been unanimously positive, and progress is
being made, albeit in cautious, incremental steps. Katyal
observed that while SAFMA would ideally like to take a back
seat, the parliamentary figures at this point seem unwilling
or unable to lead the initiative; SAFMA therefore remains the
primary driver of the effort. Katyal concluded by noting
South Asia,s relative homogeneity, which he identified as
conducive to eventual extensive cooperation, and by
emphasizing his optimism that in the long-term a functioning
SAP will improve the problem solving capacity of SAARC member
states by acting as a consultative and deliberative body.


5. (SBU) Comment: SAFMA reasons that active interaction
between SAARC member MPs in the form of a SAP will be
conducive to a region-wide free media, and lead to more
transparent and effective governance in general. A SAP could
also be a positive force for resolving existing bilateral
problems amongst SAARC states, and for obviating future ones.
Furthermobe, it could provide a convenient, consolidated
forum for USG lobbying efforts and interaction between US
members of Congress and their South Asian counterparts.
However, SAFMA aside, there is no significant support for the
SAP concept among our regular Indian contacts, nor would we
expect there to be while India plays such a dominating role
in most of its regional bilateral relationships. For now,
SAARC will play the role of regional integrating body for the
few instances the region does want to work together.
Katyal,s expectation that there could be a SAP in the 10 )
15 year timeframe seems very optimistic. End Comment.

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Tawang Residents Speak Out Against China's Territorial Claims
--------------


6. (C) The 25 June "Times of India" ran five articles which
refuted China's claims on Tawang District. China claims
90,000 square kilometers of Arunachal Pradesh including
Tawang district and its 400 year-old Tibetan shrine where the
sixth Dalai Lama was born. According to the articles, the
Monpas, a Tibetan ethnic tribe that comprises ninety-seven
percent of the population, have mainstreamed into Indian
society and consider themselves to be irrevocably Indian.
Secretary of the Galden Namgyal Lhatse Gonpha shrine Sangay

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Jampu avers, "not a single soul in Tawang will ever support
China. Considering Chinese atrocities in Tibet, we can never
associate ourselves with them. We belong to India. It
respects religious and individual rights." The different
peoples of Tawang have adopted Hindi as the "lingua franca,"
town landmarks are named after the great Indian leaders, and
boast a fellow Mon as the new Chief Minister Arunachal
Pradesh state. However, the Tawang populace is not very
happy with the central government, as many worry about the
absence of quick GOI reactions to counter China's claims.


7. (C) The Indian press has locked on to the boundary dispute
with renewed vigor since Foreign Minister Yang's comments on
the sidelines of the June G-8 Summit that the "mere presence"
of populated areas will not affect Chinese territorial claims
(ref NEW DELHI 2866). It is pressuring the GOI to come out
more forcefully in public to refute China's assertions at a
time when the GOI prefers to let sleeping dogs lie.

Controversy Continues to Surround UPA Presidential Hopeful
--------------


8. (U) On June 25, speaking at a conference organized by the
religious sect Brahma Kumari, UPA Presidential hopeful
Pratibha Patil spoke of a divine premonition delivered to her
by the sect's dead leader. Through a medium, the "Baba" as
the leader is referred to, purportedly spoke of "greater
responsibilities coming her way," after which, Patil claims
Sonia Gandhi called regarding the Presidential post.


9. (U) In 1932, Lekhraj Khubechand Kirpalani, a retired
business man from Kolkata established the religious sect,
which teaches that the world is approaching a time of great
calamities, suffering, and war. The followers maintain a
disciplined way of life and believe that God shared
Kirpalani's body while he lived on earth. Their followers
span 66 countries and the sect claims a membership of over
400,000. The Kumaris are now more a movement, with
established universities, hospitals, and efforts to empower
women and develop sustainable energy. They have been
recognized for their efforts by the UN and awarded a Peace
Medal and six Peace Messenger Awards. The group is also
affiliated as a non-governmental organization with the
Economic and Social Council of the UN and UNICEF.


10. (C) Comment: The lastest gaffe for Patil left Congress
and its allies stunned by her remark and apparent beliefs
that border on the superstitious. Communist Party of India
(Marxist) (CPI-M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat, retorted
to press inquiries that support from CPI-M was not
conditional based on an atheist candidate. As the Opposition
NDA continues its mud slinging campaign, accusing Patil of
shady involvement in a failed bank cooperative and leveling
murder charges against her relatives, she is making her road
to Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President's House) a bit bumpier
yet more entertaining than the usual stolid contest. End
Comment.

Maharashtran Hindu Right, Shiv Sena Backs Congress
Presidential Candidate
--------------


11. (U) Breaking from its NDA ally, on June 25, the Shiv Sena
announced it would support UPA candidate Pratibha Patil, a
fellow Maharashtran in her bid for President. The decision

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sent tremors through the 21 year old partnership between the
Shiv Sena, a Maharashtra-based Hindu political party, and the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray
called the choice one between a "Hindu" or a "Marathi"
(someone from Maharashtra). In the end, having the first
President from Maharashtra carried more weight.


12. (SBU) Incensed with the Shiv Sena decision to go against
the NDA candidate, current Vice President Bhairon Singh
Shekhawat, the Maharashtran BJP immediately threatened to
pull municipal level support from the Shiv Sena. (Note: The
Shiv Sena with support from the BJP governs several
municipalities in Maharashtra, including Mumbai. End Note).
At its National Executive Committee meeting on June 24-25,
BJP leaders expressed disappointment with the decision and
said a more thorough review of the Shiv Sena/BJP partnership
would take place after the Presidential election. Thackeray
denied that the decision would have significant impact on the
BJP/NDA relationship.


13. (C) Comment: In a Presidential race that is practically a
sure shot for Pratibha Patil, religion, region, and gender
are providing ample twists and turns for political analysts.
While the support from the Hindu right wing Shiv Sena will
not derail her support from secular parties, it further
demonstrates the chaos within the NDA coalition (septel).
End Comment.
MULFORD