VZCZCXRO1292
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHNE #2768/01 2961013
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221013Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3872
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1210
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 3689
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2931
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1581
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5367
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 2044
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9029
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 2745
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5401
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7044
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002768 
 
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. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, 
KASHMIR; NEW DELHI. 
 
This cable reports on relevant media reaction from 
Indias 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. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
-------------------------- 
 
¶1. THIS YEARS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN AMERICA, 
editorial-page article in the October 22, 2008 CPI (M) 
Organ GANASHAKTI Bengali daily, Kolkata by senior 
columnist Dr. Dilip Ghosh Roy. Those who take interests 
on the issues of social justice and equality will 
certainly understand the significance of this years 
Presidential election in America. Before one gets to know 
about the real attitude of Obama, he will have to win 
first. Only time can tell what Obama will and will not do 
once he sits on the throne. We will have to judge him as 
things unfold in the political arena. However, his 
candidature is significant not in the sense that the 
White House, controlled by Obama will usher in a 
fundamental change in corporate America or it will impact 
the American imperialist policy. America now stands on 
the precipice of crises. The ordinary Americans and even 
the Whites, who bother little about who is good and bad 
among the rulers, now want the deadlock to be resolved. 
At this election moment, Obama has emerged as the center 
of integration for many people. The Blacks as well as 
people belonging to other minority communities believe 
that they will benefit if Obama becomes the President. 
The so-called progressive people hope that Obama will be 
obviously against imperialism. At the same time, a 
section of the American middle class feel that Obama will 
introduce the much needed economic transformation that 
will help them sustain their aspired life-style. Second, 
the Obama campaign repeatedly reminds people that their 
candidates mother is a White and it was she who brought 
up Obama. This is a conscious effort of arousing a 
special middle class sentiment. Third, a larger section 
of the voters can no longer rely solely on the White 
rulers for eradication of their woes. Fourth, in spite of 
being a chosen candidate of mainstream Americans, this 
campaign has unwittingly created a crack in the nations 
political scene that will not be easy to repair. It is 
not Obama, but the inherent conflict of the U.S. society 
is to be blamed for this. There is a possibility of ultra 
rightist backlash if Obama fails to fulfill the 
aspirations of the Americans. The crack will certainly 
grow longer and wider. 
 
------- 
KASHMIR 
------- 
 
¶2. WELCOME DECISION TO HOLD ELECTION IN KASHMIR 
editorial in the October 21, 2008 Mumbai-based centrist 
Gujarati daily evening newspaper JANMABHOOMI.  Assembly 
elections in the state of Jammu-Kashmir had become 
inevitable since the imposition of Presidents rule in 
 
NEW DELHI 00002768  002 OF 002 
 
 
the wake of the collapse of the Congress government over 
the Amarnath land row there.  However, considering the 
tense atmosphere prevailing in the Valley, this task 
seems to be fraught with enormous challenges.  At last, 
the Election Commission of India took the bold step of 
announcing elections to be held in seven phases.  This is 
certainly a welcome decision as any delay in the election 
process would only prove to be a shot in the arm for 
separatists in the Valley who have already called for a 
boycott of the elections  However, the election is an 
opportunity for the people of Jammu-Kashmir to give a 
fitting reply to separatist elements.  It is an 
opportunity to send the message that people can resolve 
their own problems by participating in the democratic 
process and not by propagating politics of separatism and 
infighting. 
MULFORD