What were the premises that led Pandit Nehru to ignore all warnings, suppress all evidence and mislead himself vis-a-vis China? How did Chou En-lai fool him?
Are our policies today any different? Are China's moves and motives vis-a-vis India any different? How does China look at us?
Till just thirty years ago, China and India were at par. How wide is the chasm that has developed since? What does it portend for the future?
Has a reaction set in to China's aggressiveness? What must we do to put it to work?
Vital questions. An unnerving account by ARUN SHOURIE, one of the leading voices in our public life and discourse.
Contents
1
Bal chhutkyo bandhan padey ...
1
2
Wish as policy
24
3
'We may have deceived ourselves
38
4
The policy is set
59
5
Anxieties are brushed aside
78
6
A satisfying tutorial
108
7
Carried away
118
8
'Two miles this side or two miles that side'
143
9
'You didn't even know we were building a road ... '