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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002653 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL, U.S. 
ECONOMIC CRISIS, AIDS, TERRORISM; NEW DELHI-OCTOBER 4-6, 
¶2008. 
 
This cable reports on relevant media reaction from 
India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi 
reports on English-language media via email in the daily 
"Early Edition".  USG customers please write to Geeta 
Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early 
Edition." 
 
----------------------- 
U.S.-INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL 
----------------------- 
 
¶1. "AMERICAN SENATE APPROVES DEAL", editorial in theM 
October 4 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: 
"At last, the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal has been given the 
green signal by the American Senate by a huge margin. It 
was an extremely vital stage of the entire process, 
concluding in the deal. It was widely believed that the 
senate was not going to give the go ahead so easily, but 
our worst fears became untrue. After the completion of 
this stage, all such proposed amendments have also been 
rejected, which at one stage could have jeopardized the 
agreement itself. Anyhow, the difficult stage is now 
over. There doesn't seem to be any apparent trouble in 
the deal reaching its meaningful conclusion. However, 
there has been no reaction from the opposition parties as 
such. They were expected to have adopted a conciliatory 
stand and a positive view over the agreement. Possibly, 
the passage of the deal by the members of the Senate and 
the House would not have a salutary effect on the 
political parties in India. The fears are not unfounded 
that resistance to the agreement shall continue to 
prevail, whatsoever." 
 
¶2. "JOY OVER AGREEMENT, WHO CARES ABOUT BEING 
ANSWERABLE?" editorial in the October 4 right-of-center 
Urdu daily "INQUILAB", Mumbai: "The Indo-U.S. nuclear 
deal is slated to take a final shape in the near future. 
A mood of rejoice prevails over the approval of the deal 
by the American Congress and subsequently the Senate. The 
time when the communist parties were resisting the 
government to halt the efforts for finalizing the 
agreement, was in fact conducive to the government, since 
the supporters of the deal were many more. People used to 
say that the deal was in India's interest. A lot of water 
has flown down the Ganges since then and the same spirit 
and enthusiasm just does not prevail now. It is being 
said that, another benefit accruing out of the agreement 
could be India getting a vital place amongst the 
international comity of nations, while it would create 
its own niche. It could be very well possible, but at 
what price? The unique identity being talked about here, 
is not our own. Rather, we would have to forego our 
identity to earn this 'international' identity. Till 
yesterday, we were an independent sovereign nation, but 
from now onwards, we shall be seen as a puppet of 
America." 
 
¶3. "FINALLY, NUCLEAR DEAL DONE" editorial in the October 
4, 2008 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily 
GUJARAT SAMACHAR.  "After clearing numerous roadblocks 
and after passing through the scanners of various 
 
NEW DELHI 00002653  002 OF 004 
 
¶2008. 
 
nations, the nuclear deal is a feather in India's list of 
achievements.  The Indo-U.S. nuclear deal that had 
attracted the attention of the global community finally 
got the approval of the U.S. Senate.  The credit for this 
landmark nuclear deal should indeed go to Prime Minister 
Manmohan Singh who skillfully and with all the deftness 
pursued this deal with his American counterpart President 
Bush to fruition.  At a time when India is facing the 
heat from terrorism and inflation, the deal with the 
United States has come as a pleasant softener for the 
federal Congress-led UPA government....  Now that this deal 
is done, the Indian opposition parties should shed their 
inhibitions and welcome this historic deal by adopting a 
positive approach...." 
A similar editorial appeared in the October 4, 2008 
Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA. 
 
¶4. "NUKE DEAL NOT RELEVANT FOR COMMONERS," article in the 
October 4 PUNJAB KESRI Hindi daily by editor Ashwini 
Kumar: "No doubt PM Singh has emerged as king after the 
passage of the nuclear agreement in the U.S. Congress. 
But if the Indian Congress Party's spin masters are 
expecting the nuclear deal to be presented as the 
leitmotif of the party in the next elections, they may be 
surprised. When experts and parliaments were unable to 
comprehend the intricacies of the deal, how can one 
expect the common citizen of India to understand it. 
People want the prices to come down. They want terrorism 
tacked and security to be restored. Hope the Congress 
Party is listening." 
 
¶5. "END OF AN EXILE," commentary in the October 5 DAINIK 
JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic affairs specialist K. 
Subrahmanyam: "The Nuclear Suppliers Group was, actually, 
formed to obstruct India's civil-military nuclear program 
on the U.S. initiative after it conducted Pokharan tests 
34 years ago.... Now, again on the initiative of U.S. 
President George Bush the NSG' rules are modified to lift 
the nuclear restrictions from India although it has not 
signed the NPT. India's nuclear embargo is ended because 
the world's major powers consider India an emerging 
power. They believe that India will play an important 
role in establishing a better power-balance in the world. 
Manmohan Singh concluded the campaign initiated by 
Vajpayee. These two followed the tradition of Rao, who 
decided to change according to the Post civil-war 
circumstances and follow the line of globalization. Rao, 
Vajpayee and Singh correctly understood the international 
scenario and took its full advantage in India's interest. 
Thus, India could get rid of the 34-year-old nuclear 
exile." 
 
¶6. "OUR SHORTCOMINGS," op-ed article in the October 5 
DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by editor Sanjay Gupta: "U.S. 
S ecretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to India to 
finalize the nuclear deal and India's inking nuclear 
agreement with France are unique achievements. It could 
happen because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. 
President George Bush were firmly dedicated to the deal.... 
The Western countries ending India's nuclear ban because 
it is a responsible nation is just a small aspect. But, 
 
NEW DELHI 00002653  003 OF 004 
 
¶2008. 
 
there are many flaws too-- lack of all round development 
of the nation, inability to meet the fundamental needs of 
the people, inappropriate standards set by the government 
to put the country on par with the developed nations, 
politics based on caste, religion, language, region etc., 
and corruption-- which need to be rectified. We will have 
to prevent corruption and ensure that the energy sector 
is not controlled by the politicians but by the 
international standards." 
 
------------------ 
US ECONOMIC CRISIS 
------------------ 
 
¶7. "U.S. IN A CRISIS," editorial in the October 4 
NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "The U.S. is caught in a 
historically tumultuous situation over the economic 
crisis.  The bailout package aimed at averting a 
financial meltdown in the United States has been signed 
by President Bush. US taxpayers will foot the bill for 
the seven hundred billion dollar package, introduced in 
the hopes that it can save Wall Street from crisis. The 
bailout will offer respite, even if only temporary, to 
the world. India's software, pharmaceuticals, and jewelry 
industry will heave a sigh of relief, but the happiness 
may be short-lived." 
 
---- 
AIDS 
---- 
 
¶8. "DUTIES OF DOCTORS", editorial in the October 4 right- 
of-center Urdu daily "HAMARA SAMAJ", New Delhi: "The 
observations made by the Supreme Court in recent days in 
the context of public health services, is indeed a cause 
for concern for any government, whosoever. In any case, 
if   the common man's health is on the brink, it suggests 
that the government has failed to provide access to even 
basic health services. A lot of such cases are coming to 
the fore, where doctors have refused to bring under their 
treatment, even a patient who was HIV positive. Should 
such an attitude prevail in the society? Are doctors 
allowed to follow such a practice, under any law or 
regulation? If a doctor, whether in the government or 
private sector, refuses to admit & treat a patient who is 
HIV positive or suffering from AIDS, an intervention by 
the government is justified. Frankly, still such old 
fashioned ideas prevail about certain diseases, which put 
a question mark on our modernity." 
 
--------- 
TERRORISM 
--------- 
 
¶9. "BIASED ATTITUDE OF MAHARASHTRA POLICE", editorial in 
the October 4 right-of-center Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA 
SAHARA", New Delhi: "Draconian laws being invoked against 
Muslims indiscriminately are certainly not used against 
others, who deserve the treatment actually. The bomb 
blasts taking place in other parts of the country are 
being increasingly linked up with Mumbai, while the state 
 
NEW DELHI 00002653  004 OF 004 
 
¶2008. 
 
police have left no stone unturned in harassing the poor 
Muslims. In the name of arrests of suspected terrorists 
and those who were the masterminds behind the blasts, the 
police are arresting Muslim youth, while Muslim dominated 
areas are being constantly viewed with suspicion, which 
is certainly having a negative effect on the day to day 
life of common Muslims. A pressing example of this bias 
are the blasts in Malegaon, where it was the Muslims who 
lost their lives, yet no arrest has been made related to 
the blasts so far, possibly. It is not known what action 
was taken by the police in the aftermath of the previous 
blasts in Malegaon." 
MULFORD