NEW YORK: Compared to the calm, dignified and well-documented speech of Chaudhri Zafrullah Khan at the UN Security Council , India’s Menon yesterday indulged in four hours of venom-spouting against Pakistan. While Chaudhri Zafrullah’s speech was hailed by observers as sedate and restrained, Mr Menon spared no one from his attacks, including President Ayub Khan, Chaudhri Zafrullah and the Americans.

He waved his hands and fists as if he was in his Bombay constituency and at times treated the Council members like school children who didn’t know anything and had to be instructed. He categorically asserted that the ceasefire agreement or any other agreements relating to Kashmir were “as dead as dodo” and said that India would not accept the good offices of a mediator or any such thing in the Kashmir dispute.

When basic conditions change Mr Menon brazenly said, treaties cease to be binding. He quoted several legal “authorities” on this issue, including a case of Jackson versus British Marine insurance decades ago in London. The essence of Mr Menon’s speech, which has been the Indian stand for years, was that Pakistan had committed aggression in Kashmir and the Security Council must ask Pakistan to vacate it. —Special Representative