The Olympic torch and foreign policy

Reactions have been varied to Bhaichung's courageous decision to not take part in the Olympic torch run in India. While the public at large have sided with Bhaichung's decision, sportsmen like Milkha Singh and actors like Aamir have tried to defend their participation on the grounds of fostering the Olympic spirit. If the Olympic torch run is a symbolic way to foster the Olympic spirit, then China by its actions has blatantly subverted the Olympic spirit in trying to use diplomatic pressure on a weak willed Indian government. People around the world recognize that the torch is a symbol of the Olympic movement and therefore it is not China's prerogative to decide whether the torch will be handed over to India. China has according to many press reports pressurized India to reduce the length of the Olympic relay and has even threatened to deny India the opportunity to participate in the relay if its security is not guaranteed. The question that needs to be asked is if China can take a decision at all in denying India a role in the worldwide relay. The answer clearly is that China doesn't own the torch and cannot deny a democratic country its rightful role in this worldwide relay. The silence of the intelligentsia in India and people participating in the relay such as Aamir on why India should listen to China on a global issue is shocking and unacceptable. The Olympic Spirit requires mutual understanding in a peaceful manner with the games played in a spirit of friendship and solidarity-values that China has rarely if ever demonstrated in the past. China has been given the games purely for political reasons and it is therefore unreasonable for them to expect a apolitical Olympics without any link to its gory past.