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ShareChennai: Janata Party president Subamanian Swamy today said there was "real danger" of India and China entering into a border conflict by "miscalculation" and the two nations should hold talks to remove "mutual insecurity."
"There is a real danger of India and China entering into a border conflict by miscalculation. Just as we are highly suspicious of every event that represents a change in the Chinese attitude, they are also noting some changes in our attitude, which they are playing up there," he told reporters after returning from a four-day visit to the Communist nation.
China for example, was considering as an "unfriendly act," India's decision to not encourage visa applications for skilled and semi-skilled Chinese workers, he said.
These problems could be solved by direct talks between prime minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, he said, in an apparent reference to their possible meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN summit in Thailand next week.
Foreign ministers of the two countries who would attend the trilateral meet of RIC (Russia, India, China) at Bangalore next week should also discuss the issue, Swamy said.
Saying that India and China have to be friends in the interest of the region, as well as the world, Swamy said the two Asian giants face common problems.
"The instability in Pakistan is a factor which will affect China as much as it affects India. We should collaborate on the question of Islamic fundamentalism, which affects their state of Xinjiang (as) it will also affect our country," he said.
Swamy said he had pointed out some issues during his inetraction with, among others, a think tank associated with China's policymaking, regarding the border dispute.
"The Chinese reject the Macmohan line for Arunachal Pradesh on grounds that it is British-made,but accept it for Myanmar. I am surprised that the Indian side has never raised this with China," he said.
On China's objection to Manmohan Singh's recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, he said it should be ignored.
However, India should not now highlight the border dispute, but focus on economic cooperation and strategic partnership, he said, adding "we should not allow other forces to disrupt the growing Sino-Indian friendship."On the Mullaperiyar rowbetween Kerala and Tamil Nadu,Swamy said Kerala had not implemented the Apex Court order, allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the water level to 142 feet and said the verdict was valid even today, as there was no stay on it.
He said though he was not against a new dam, the survey for which Kerala has undertaken, he asked the state to "first implement" the Supreme court order.
To a query on a legislation by Kerala assembly, authorising the government to decide on water storage levels and decommissioning a dam, passed in the aftermath of the supreme court verdict, he said a legislation "cannot override" the judgement of the apex court.
He alleged that CPI-M was openly opposing Tamils' interests.
To a statement by VCK founder Thol Tirumavalavan, asking countries, including India, to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka, he termed it as an "irresponsible statement."
