The Hindu : National : Krishna Menon remembered

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006

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National

Krishna Menon remembered

New Delhi: Friends and admirers of V.K. Krishna Menon showered lavish praises on the master diplomat saying his "passionate" articulations put India's stand on Kashmir under international focus.

Historians and diplomats said Menon, who as Defence Minister received flak for India's debacle in the 1962 Sino-Indian war, led a spirited "ideological battle" to garner middle class support in the U.K. for India's freedom struggle.

The former External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, who worked closely with Menon in the 1960s, said: "His speech in the U.N. General Assembly was the first such speech when the world came to know there was an Indian point of view to the Kashmir issue."

Tit-for-tat reply

Recalling his experiences in the UNGA, Mr. Singh said Menon gave a tit-for-tat reply to the Pakistani envoy when he alleged that elections in Jammu and Kashmir were rigged. Menon said people who had never seen a ballot box were talking about malpractices in polls.

Menon was a "temperamental person and social disaster" to deal with but had excellent rapport with world leaders including Cuban president Fidel Castro, Mr. Natwar Singh said releasing Suhash Chakravarty's Crusader Extraordinary - Krishna Menon and India League 1932-1936 last evening.

Renowned historian B.R. Nanda said Menon and the India League worked hard to drum up support from local Britishers for the freedom struggle.

Economist Prabhat Patnaik said Menon was remembered for his "anti-imperialist" stance and that his message also had immense importance in the current scenario.

Eminent historian and Director of Nehru Museum Mridula Mukherjee said the work of Menon and his India League was an "integral" part of the freedom struggle.

Suhash Chakravarty said "prejudiced" Indian historians always evaded the "charismatic" Menon for unknown reasons.

PTI

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