What were the premises that led Pandit Nehru to ignore all warnings, suppress all evidence and mislead himself vis-a-vis China? How did Chou En-lai fool him?Are our policies today any different? Are China's moves and motives vis-a-vis India any different? How does China look at us?Till just thirty years ago, China and India were at par. How wide is the chasm that has developed since? What does it portend for the future?Has a reaction set in to China's aggressiveness? What must we do to put it to work?Vital questions. An unnerving account by ARUN SHOURIE, one of the leading voices in our public life and discourse.Contents1Bal chhutkyo bandhan padey ...12Wish as policy243'We may have deceived ourselves384The policy is set595Anxieties are brushed aside786A satisfying tutorial1087Carried away1188'Two miles this side or two miles that side'1439'You didn't even know we were building a road ... '17010Prelude20711'These are not excuses, but merely facts'24312The avalanche26013A roundabout thesisRead more