DELHI DIARY, NOVEMBER 3-15

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 004989 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH JA IN SUBJECT: DELHI DIARY, NOVEMBER 3-15 Classified By: PolCouns Ted Osius for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (U) Below is a compilation of political highlights from Embassy New Delhi, in coordination with Consulate Chennai, for November 3-15, 2007 that did not feature in our other reporting, including: -- Indo-Japan Relations Expected to Continue Positive Trend, But On Hold While Fukuda Gets Settled -- Tamil Nadu Congress President Stabbed in A Case Of Mistaken Caste Identity Indo-Japan Relations Expected to Continue Positive Trend, But On Hold While Fukuda Gets Settled -------------- ¶2. (C) Japanese PolCouns Takio Yamada told PolCouns that he expects the budding Indo-Japan relationship to continue to blossom under PM Fukuda, although Fukuda will probably not focus on India until after more prominent relationships, such as those with the U.S., China and ASEAN, get his attention. Yamada reported that Foreign Secretary Menon met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura last week. Only briefly mentioning the civil-nuclear deal, they primarily discussed climate change and agreed to Terms of Reference for an Economic Partnership Agreement, according to Yamada. Menon told the Japanese that we should maintain the quadrilateral dialogue concept, stating it would be a natural evolution for countries sharing values to get together, Yamada conveyed. One of Tokyo's goals for the bilateral Japan-India relationship now was to seek synergy with Japan's alliance with the U.S., he added. PM Singh is scheduled to meet with Fukuda at the East Asia Summit next week, and will travel to Hokkaido for the G8 Summit, but plans for a bilateral visit, expected for early 2008 with PM Abe, are now being postponed until near the end of 2008. Tamil Nadu Congress President Stabbed in A Case Of Mistaken Caste Identity -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The president of Tamil Nadu's Congress party, M. Krishnaswamy, was stabbed on October 29 when a mob attacked his motorcade in Ramanathapuram in the south of the state. Krishnaswamy's family told ConGen Chennai that the Congress leader was out of danger and recovering well. The state's police intelligence chief told post the attack was not politically motivated. He explained that it was a case of "mistaken identity," and that the Congress leader had traveled along a prohibited route in an area known for caste-based violence without informing the police. The police intelligence chief said three of the state's southern districts, including Ramanathapuram where Krishnaswamy was stabbed, were marked by frequent clashes between local Dalits (former "untouchables" in the Indian caste system) and members of the locally dominant "Thevar" caste. He told post the target of the Dalit attack on Krishnaswamy's motorcade was actually a Thevar leader that Krishnaswamy's party had unknowingly picked up along the route. ¶4. (SBU) The state's political parties have picked up on the incident to press for political advantage. Congress party members have been circulating conspiracy theories in a bid to advance their positions in a long-running factional fight within the party. Jayalalithaa, leader of the opposition of AIADMK party, paid a highly visible, and unusual, call on Krishaswamy, whose Congress party is a member of the state's ruling coalition. Echoing her commonly expressed line of attack against the ruling parties' failure to maintain law and order, she asked "when there is no protection to political leaders, what will be the condition of the common man?" ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: The police intelligence chief's explanation that Krishnaswamy was the victim of mistaken identity was detailed and convincing. That said, the attack highlighs the continuing caste volatility of south Tamil Nadu. The Dalits and the Thevars remain at each others NEW DELHI 00004989 002 OF 002 throats, which means violence can flare up at any moment. Local governments, responding to pressures from the growing presence of caste-based parties in Tamil Nadu, are increasingly ineffective in handling caste conflict. The police blame Krishnaswamy for traveling along the prohibited route and failing to inform them where he was going, but that an important political leader traveling in a motorcade (albeit one with no police escort) could become a victim of caste violence speaks volumes about the situation in southern Tamil Nadu. END COMMENT. WHITE