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India criticises torch security
10/04/2008 16:09 - (SA)
New Delhi - Grim-faced Chinese guards protecting the Olympic torch have attracted further criticism ahead of the relay's arrival in India, where bitter memories of war with its neighbour remain fresh.
Phalanxes of Chinese security personnel are accompanying the flame on its round-the-world journey to shield it from pro-Tibetan and other protesters.
One Indian general who fought Chinese troops in the 1962 war attacked New Delhi for allowing Beijing to guard the torch, while some Indian figures asked to carry the flame have pulled out citing their own concerns.
"The relay may have been marred by Tibetan protests in France and England, but I completely disagree that the Chinese should be doing anything with its security on Indian territory," Lieutenant General Afsir Karim said.
"There is something terribly wrong in how India is handling this situation and it's outrageous that a foreign force will be the custodian of the torch when we have more than ample experience in crowd management."
Curtailed the route
An advance team of Chinese commandos would provide "proximate security" for the flame when it reaches New Delhi from Islamabad on April 17, The Press Trust of Indian quoted security officials as saying.
India has already curtailed the route from 9km to 3km because of fears of rowdy protests.
"The Olympic Holy Flame Protection Unit which has personnel from Beijing's Special Police Force will form the inner security ring for the torch," a home ministry official, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
Among those invited to join the New Delhi relay is Rahul Gandhi, a scion of the charismatic Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty and touted as a future premier.
Gandhi was yet to say whether he would take part, but an aide told AFP he had been advised to stay away. "It's a political minefield and it will provide strong ammunition to the opposition," he said.
However, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan said he would take part, noting the Olympics was a sporting event and not political.
Desist from violence
On Thursday, the senior leadership of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in the Indian hill station of Dharamshala urged protesters to be "non-violent and peaceful."
We "would once again like to strongly appeal to all quarters of the Tibetan Diaspora to desist from any kind of violent methods, particularly to respect the law of host country," the senior leadership including the Dalai Lama said in a statement.
Organisers in other cities where the flame will pass, such as Canberra and Jakarta, have already said they are amending security arrangements to avoid similar chaos to London and Paris.
- AFP
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