Atrophy of Conscience

The Government which Indira Priyadarshini adorns, dependent as it is on American food and aid, feels that it can stir itself only up to a point. The moral problem which Vietnam poses is therefore pushed aside. Our Prime Minister cannot proceed beyond the cautious meanderings of early July, and even those were influenced by the extrashort term realpolitik of her visit to three countries of which two are non-aligned and the third belongs to the other bloc. In particular, the last country happened to be the Soviet Union, on which too we depend for the supply of victuals — military as well as economic. Before and since the visit, our official voice has been and is mute. Matter has triumphed over mind.