यदि केरल में किसी बाहरी व्यक्ति को यह देखकर हैरत होती हो कि एक विदेश विचारधारा जो भारतीय राजनीति में बाहर से आई और अब वहाँ जड़ें जमा कर बैठी है, तो उसकी हैरानी का कारण बताने के लिए सिर्फ यही कहा जा सकता है कि शायद उसे ईश्वर के अपने देश की ज़मीनी हकीकत की जानकारी नहीं है। केरल की धरती सोने उगलने वाली है। यहाँ भू-स्वामियों और कृषि श्रमिकों के बीच स्पष्ट विभाजन है। यहाँ का समाज भी देश के किसी अन्य राज्य के समान ही जाति और संप्रदाय के आधार पर बँटा हुआ है। हालाँकि, अन्य राज्यों की तुलना में केरल ने शिक्षा के महत्व को बहुत पहले समझ लिया था। एक के बाद एक सत्ता में आने वाली सरकारों ने विकास के लिहाज से शिक्षा पर विशेष बल दिया। खास तौर पर महिलाओं और समाज के उन वंचित वर्गों के बीच इसका प्रचार-प्रसार किया गया जो पूरी तरह से कृषि संबंधी कार्यों पर निर्भर थे और अक्सर उच्च जाति के भू-स्वामियों की ओर किए जाने वाले अत्याचारों और शोषण का शिकार हुआ करते था।

इसका परिणाम यह हुआ कि आज केरल न केवल साक्षरता की बहुत ऊँची दर का दम भरता है, बल्कि उसके समान ही अन्य प्रभावशाली सामाजिक सूचकांकों जैसे निम्न जन्म दर, निम्न शिशु मृत्यु दर, उच्च जीवन प्रत्याशा, संपत्ति में महिलाओं के उत्तराधिकार, इत्यादि पर भी उसे गर्व है। चूँकि केरल में वर्ग-संघर्ष के लिए एक उपयुक्त माहौल था, इस कारण देश की स्वतंत्रता के तुरंत बाद ही वहाँ साम्यवाद का उदय हुआ। कम्युनिस्टों ने बिना समय गँवाए शिक्षा के प्रचार-प्रसार से लोगों में पैदा हुई उच्च राजनीतिक चेतना का लाभ उठाया। धार्मिक और जातीय आधार पर बँटवारों के समाप्त होने से पहले ही, वे चुनावी राजनीति में कूद गए। उन्होंने किसानों का मुद्दा उठाया और भूमि सुधारों की वकालत की। उन्होंने भारतीय राष्ट्रीय काँग्रेस (आईएनसी) की पूँजीवादी नीतियों और समाज की पारंपरिक बुर्जुआ सोच को चनौती दी।

साम्यवाद और चुनावी राजनीति

1957 में, भाषाई आधार पर पुनर्गठन के तुरंत बाद, केरल के भारत का पहला ऐसा राज्य बना जहाँ लोकतांत्रिक प्रक्रिया से देश में चुनी हुई कम्युनिस्ट सरकार बनी जबकि विश्व में सैन मारिनो के बाद दूसरी ऐसी सरकार बनी। सैन मारिनो दुनिया का सबसे छोटा और पुराना गणतंत्र है। भारतीय कम्यूनिस्ट पार्टी (सीपीआई) ने सामंतवाद के खिलाफ लड़ाई छेड़ी और उसे ही चुनावी मुद्दा बनाया तथा सत्ताधारी भारतीय राष्ट्रीय काँग्रेस को पराजित किया। कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी की सरकार बनते ही, केरल देश का इकलौता ऐसा राज्य बना जहाँ गैर-कांग्रेसी सरकार थी।

हालाँकि, केरल की कम्युनिस्ट सरकार ज्यादा दिनों तक नहीं चल सकी। केंद्र में बैठी काँग्रेस सरकार को यह कतई मंज़ूर नहीं था कि कोई उसकी पार्टी के राष्ट्रीय वर्चस्व को चुनौती दे। लिहाजा, उसने संविधान के अनुच्छेद 356 को लागू कर ईएमएस नंबूदिरीपाद के नेतृत्व वाली सरकार को बर्खास्त कर दिया। इस बीच, 1957 से 1959 के दौरान अपने छोटे से कार्यकाल में कम्युनिस्टों ने भूमि सुधार अध्यादेश और शिक्षा विधेयक को पेश कर दिया था, जिसने राज्य के लोगों के दिलों के तार को झंकृत कर दिया। उसकी झंकार आज भी ईश्वर के अपने देश में गूँज रही है।

साम्यवाद की अपील

केरल के तमाम इलाकों में साम्यवाद के फलने-फूलने का एक बड़ा कारण केंद्र में कांग्रेस की सरकार की ओर से राज्य की पहली कम्युनिस्ट सरकार की विवादास्पद बर्खास्तगी थी। कम्युनिस्टों द्वारा पेश किए गए भूमि सुधार अध्यादेश और विवादित शिक्षा बिल जैसे अभूतपूर्व कदमों को जनता ने हाथों-हाथ लिया। यही नहीं, 1960 और 1970 के दशक में किए गए भूमि सुधारों ने भी कम्युनिस्टों की लोकप्रियता में चार चाँद लगा दिए। ऐसा माना जाता है कि केरल के लोग देश भर में राजनीतिक रूप से सबसे अधिक जागरुक हैं। राज्य में मजदूर वर्गों के साथ तथाकथित भेदभाव और उनके अधिकारों की माँग को लेकर की जाने वाली हड़ताल और धरने नियमित राजनीतिक गतिविधियों में शामिल हैं। इसका ही परिणाम है कि केरल के श्रमिकों को देश में सबसे अधिक मजदूरी मिलती है।

शिक्षा के व्यापक प्रसार के कारण यहाँ के लोग दुनिया में भर में होने वाली राजनीतिक घटनाओं से वाकिफ रहते हैं। उन्हें इस जागरुकता का फायदा भी सबसे ज्यादा मिलता है। चाहे चाय की दुकान हो या फिर शहर के किसी बड़े इलाके में आलीशान घर का ड्रॉइंग रूम, चर्चा के मुद्दे आर्थिक मंदी के असर से लेकर दुनिया भर में अर्थव्यवस्थाओं की सुस्त रफ्तार और वैश्विकरण के प्रभाव ही रहते हैं। इस प्रकार की चर्चा अलग-अलग माहौल में, न केवल जोश और जज्बात से की जाती है, बल्कि उनमें विषयों की गहराई और विस्तार भी हैरान करने वाली होती है। हालाँकि, उच्च स्तर की राजनीतिक जागरुकता और समाज के विभिन्न वर्गों तक शिक्षा का प्रसार, वरदान की बजाए अभिषाप में बदलता दिख रहा है। इनके कारण ही अक्सर हड़ताल और बंदी होती है, जिससे राज्य में उत्पादन और औद्योगिकरण पर ब्रेक लग जाता है।

बेरोजगारी और पेट्रो डॉलर

शिक्षा के व्यापक प्रसार के साथ-साथ राज्य भर में नाम-मात्र के उत्पादन की वजह से, केरल में बेरोजगारी की दर अपेक्षाकृत बहुत ज्यादा है और अन्य राज्यों के मुकाबले इसकी औद्योगिक तरक्की डराने वाली हद तक कम रही है। राज्य में विनिर्माण और औद्योगिक क्षेत्र के विकास में वृद्धि की सुस्त रफ्तार का प्रमुख कारण बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों, भारतीय उद्योग और उद्यमियों द्वारा राज्य में नए उद्योग लगाने को लेकर घोर उदासीनता है। राज्य में बुनियादी ढाँचे के अभाव के साथ ही उन्हें यह डर है कि कम्युनिस्टों के आक्रामक रुख के कारण राज्य में कभी भी औद्योगिक अशांति फैल सकती है। फिर चाहे कम्युनिस्ट सरकार में हों या विपक्ष में। ना के बराबर औद्योगिक विकास और बेरोजगारी की उच्च दर के कारण योग्य स्त्रियों और पुरुषों के साथ ही राज्य से अकुशल श्रमिक भी पलायन कर भारत के विभिन्न हिस्सों और दूसरे देशों, खास तौर पर खाड़ी के देशों में जा रहे हैं। इस तस्वीर बदल दी और राज्य की अर्थ व्यवस्था जो पहले कृषि आधारित थी वह बाहर से आने वाले पैसे और सेवाएँ देने पर आधारित हो गई।

चूँकि बहुत बड़ी तादाद में कामकाजी लोग अपनी आजीविका के लिए दूसरे राज्यों और विदेश का रुख करते रहे हैं, इस कारण राज्य में नौकरी और रोजगार के अवसरों की कमी उतनी ज्यादा महसूस नहीं की जा रही है जितना कि पहले थी। केरल भारत के तमाम राज्यों में ऐसा चोटी का राज्य है जहाँ अनिवासी भारतीयों की ओर से सबसे अधिक धन प्राप्त होता है, जिसके कारण गरीबी का नामोनिशान न देखकर हैरानी होती है। व्यापार और पर्यटन के साथ ही इस प्रकार का धन राज्य सरकार के बजट में आय के प्रमुख स्रोतों में से एक है। विदेश से भारी मात्रा में आ रहे धन के कुछ अवांछित परिणाम भी हैं। खाड़ी के देशों से आने वाले पेट्रो डॉलर ने राज्य को एक बहुत विशाल उपभोक्ता बाजार बना दिया है। इस कारण ही, ऐसे अनेक व्यापारिक फर्म, दुकानें, एफएमसीजी डीलर, टूर ऑपरेटर और ट्रैवल कंपनियाँ हैं जो अकुशल लोगों को भी रोजगार देते हैं। अनिवासी भारतीयों की एक बड़ी आबादी और खाड़ी से आने वाले अकूत धन के कारण केरल के लोगों की क्रय क्षमता अच्छी। फलस्वरूप, शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य सेवा, पर्यटन और सेवा क्षेत्र में अच्छी तरक्की हो रही है। इसका नतीजा सेवा और व्यापार के क्षेत्र में रोजगार के अवसर पैदा होते हैं, भले ही उनकी संख्या अधिक न हो।

दूसरा पहलू

राज्य की अर्थव्यवस्था के विदेशी धन, सेवा और पर्यटन पर आधारित हो जाने का दूसरा पहलू यह है कि आवश्यक सामग्रियों और उपभोक्ता सामानों की कीमतें बेहिसाब रूप से बढ़ जाती हैं। इसकी ज़िम्मेवारी सबसे अधिक अनिवासी भारतीयों की ओर से भेजे जाने वाले विदेश धन पर आती है। इस प्रकार की स्थिति के कारण राज्य की अर्थव्यवस्था अनेक प्रकार के नाजुक पहलुओं पर निर्भर हो चुकी है जैसे खाड़ी क्षेत्र और ऐसे अनेक देशों में शांति और सामान्य स्थिति के जारी रहने पर जो केरल से जाने वाले कामकाजियों के पसंदीदा पड़ाव हैं।

अनिश्चित कारकों पर आधारित अर्थव्यवस्था की अस्थिर प्रकृति, जिसमें सक्षम युवक और युवतियाँ योग्यता या बिना योग्यता के ही कमाई के अवसरों की तलाश में विदेश चले जाते हैं, और जिसका कारण राज्य में औद्योगिक व्यवस्था का अभाव है, राज्य में शराब की लत बड़े पैमाने पर दिखती है और खुदकुशी की दर भी बहुत ज्यादा है। यही वजह है कि केरल में भारत के किसी भी अन्य राज्य की तुलना में प्रति व्यक्ति शराब की खपत सबसे ज्यादा है, और देश में खुदकुशी की दर भी सबसे ज्यादा है।

राजनीतिक परिदृश्य

केरल की राजनीति में सत्ता का सौभाग्य कभी भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस के नेतृत्व वाले यूनाइटेड डेमोक्रेटिक फ्रंस (यूडीएफ) को मिला, तो कभी भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी (मार्क्सवादी) के नेतृत्व वाले लेफ्ट डेमोक्रेटिक फ्रंट (एलडीएफ) को मिला। सीपीआई (एम), सीपीआई तथा अन्य दलों वाला, एलडीएफ केरल में कांग्रेस का कट्टर प्रतिद्वंद्वी बना हुआ है। कांग्रेस को चुनौती देने वाला कोई और विकल्प भी नहीं है। कांग्रेस ने यूडीएफ का गठन 1970 के दशक में किया था, जिसने राज्य में अल्पसंख्यक ईसाइयों और मुसलमानों के अपने पारंपरिक वोट बैंक के साथ ही बहुसंख्यक हिंदू समुदाय के कुछ वर्गों के समर्थन से अपनी मजबूत पकड़ बना रखी है।

यह अपने आप को विभिन्न सामाजिक, जातीय और धार्मिक समूहों के गठबंधन के के साथ ही एलडीएफ के विरोध के तौर पर पेश करता है। एलडीएफ का नेतृत्व सीपीआई (एम) के हाथों में है और उसने सांप्रदायिक दलों के साथ गठबंधन न करने को अपना सिद्धांत बना रखा है। भारतीय जनता पार्टी (बीजेपी) को कपटी छद्म धर्मनिरपेक्ष ताकतों ने ‘सांप्रदायिक’ करार दे दिया और इस कारण ही इसे केरल के पूरी तरह से विभाजित समाज में अपनी पैठ बनाने के लिए संघर्ष करना पड़ा। राजनीति में यूडीएफ और एलडीएफ बुरी तरह से हावी थे। अनेक वर्षों तक कठोर संघर्ष करने के बाद, यह धीरे-धीरे और निरंतर रूप से सामने आई, और अब राजनीतिक वर्चस्व के लिए इसे एक गंभीर दावेदार माना जा रहा है।

अस्थिर अर्थव्यवस्था

यूडीएफ और एलडीएफ ने बारी-बारी राज्य पर शासन किया और दोनों की ही मंशा महज किसी तरह सत्ता से चिपके रहना और हालात को जस का तस बनाकर रखना था। इस कारण केरल की हालत आज बहुत बुरी हो चुकी है। यहाँ न तो बुनियादी ढाँचा विकसित हुआ और ना ही औद्योगिक उपक्रमों की स्थापना की दूर-दूर तक कोई संभावना ही दिखती है। विदेश से आने वाले धन की बदौलत उपभोक्तावादी अर्थव्यवस्था को कब तक ज़िंदा रखा जा सकता है? खाड़ी में या पश्चिम एशिया में लड़ाई छिड़ जाए या राजनीतिक हालात बिगड़ जाएँ, तो पेट्रो डॉलरों की जीवनरेखा सूख जाएगी और तब देखिए कि कैसे राज्य की अर्थव्यवस्था दम तोड़ देगी। वैश्वीकरण और अर्थव्यवस्था के उदारीकरण के खिलाफ बना राजनीतिक माहौल औद्योगिक कदमों की पृष्ठभूमि तैयार करता है जो स्वस्थ पर्यटन उद्योग के लिए शायद ही सकारात्मक होता है।

इसके बावजूद कि राज्य पूरी तरह से पर्यटन पर निर्भर है, यहाँ की सरकार शराब बंदी जैसे मामलों पर भ्रम पैदा करने वाले संदेश देती रहती है, जिसका विदेश और देश से आने वाले पर्यटकों की संख्या पर बुरा प्रभाव पड़ता है। इसके अलावा, पर्यटन क्षेत्र की ओर से अर्जित राजस्व भी सेवा करों के माध्यम से विदेशी पर्यटन कंपनियों और अन्य भारतीय राज्यों के पास चला जाता है, जिससे यह उद्योग भी कमजोर हो जाता है।

सुदृढ़ अर्थव्यवस्था की आवश्यकता

आखिर सेवाओं और पर्यटन क्षेत्रों पर आधारित अर्थव्यवस्था ठोस औद्योगिक आधार पर निर्भर अर्थव्यवस्था की तुलना में कितनी सुदृढ़ और स्थिर हो सकती है? कम्युनिस्टों ने वैश्वीकरण और प्रत्यक्ष विदेश निवेश का लगातार विरोध किया है और उस में अड़ंगा डाला है। अर्थव्यवस्था के उदारीकरण के खिलाफ रैलियाँ और धरना करने के साथ ही ज़हर भी उगला और इस प्रकार राज्य के लोगों को वैश्विक घटना का लाभ उठाने से रोक दिया।  कांग्रेस भी राज्य की सत्ता पर कब्जा जमाए रखने के लिए कम्युनिस्टों के साथ होड़ में है। सत्ता से चिपके रहने की उसमें असीम इच्छा है लेकिन राज्य की अर्थव्यवस्था के विकास के लिए उसने एक भी प्रगतिशील नीति नहीं बनाई है। हालात ऐसे हैं कि राज्य के एक तरफ कुआँ है तो दूसरी तरफ खाई। न तो राज्य से साम्यवाद की पकड़ कमजोर होने के संकेत मिल रहे हैं और ना ही उसे काँग्रेस की प्रतिकूल आर्थिक नीतियों और येन-केन प्रकारेण सरकार में बने रहने की चाल से मुक्ति मिलती दिख रही है।

लकीर का फकीर

केरल को अपनी आर्थिक दुर्गति से बाहर लाने और विकास तथा प्रगति की मुख्य धारा की राजनीति में लाने के लिए साम्यवाद के कागजी शेरों और कमजोर पड़ चुके कांग्रेस के कुचक्र के तोड़ना होगा। कुछ एक अपवादों को छोड़कर, जहाँ पूरा देश तरक्की के लिए मोदी के साथ कदम से कदम मिलाकर चल रहा है, वहीं केरल आज भी साम्यवाद को एक राजनीतिक विचारधारा के तौर पर आजमा रहा है तथा कांग्रेस के साथ जुड़ा है। यहाँ यह याद दिलाना आवश्यक है कि पूरी दुनिया में साम्यवाद बुरी तरह विफल हो चुका है जबकि काँग्रेस के साथ भ्रष्टाचार उसी तरह जुड़ा जैसे मिली-जुली जाति के कुत्ते की पीठ पर मक्खियाँ भिनभिनाती हैं। काँग्रेस को अधिकांश राज्यों से धिक्कार कर निकाल दिया गया है और वह इतिहास के पन्नों में सिमट गई है। इस प्रकार, केरल आज भी लकीर का फकीर बना हुआ है और उसी जोश के साथ ऐसा प्रयास कर रहा है मानो कोई मरे हुए घोड़े को पीट-पीट कर जीवित करने की कोशिश कर रहा हो।

विरोधाभास

आज भी केरल को लोग काँग्रेस और साम्यवाद को अलविदा कहते दिखाई नहीं पड़ते, जबकि दोनों ही दल, बहुत पहले ही, किसी विचारधारा और लोकोन्मुखी नीतियों के अभाव में खोखले संगठन बन चुके हैं। आज की तारीख में, काँग्रेस का मुख्य मुद्दा धर्मनिरपेक्षता है, जिसके आधार पर वह इंडियन यूनियन मुस्लिम लीग जैसे दल का, जो शेर की खाल ओढ़े गीदड़ की तरह सांप्रदायिक पार्टी है, और यूडीएफ के अन्य घटक दलों जैसे केरल काँग्रेस (एम), रिवॉल्यूशनरी सोशलिस्ट पार्टी, जनता दल (यूनाटेड) और केरल काँग्रेस (जैकब) जैसे यूडीएफ के घटक दलों का समर्थन हासिल करती है। स्वयँ काँग्रेस पार्टी और उसके सहयोगियों में अल्पसंख्यक समुदाय के नेताओं का वर्चस्व है, ऐसे में उनकी ओर से धर्मनिरपेक्षता की रक्षा करने का दावा विरोधाभासी है।

एलडीएफ का वोट बैंक

जहाँ तक एलडीएफ की बात है तो, वह हिंदू समुदाय के वोटों को, विशेष रूप से एज्हावा और अन्य पिछड़े वर्गों के वोट को जोड़ने में जुटी है। वह विभिन्न वर्गों में बँटे समाज में उनके आर्थिक और सामाजिक उत्थान के मुद्दों को उठाती रहती है। सीपीआई (एम) के राजनीतिक समीकरण में एक आश्चर्यजनक पहलू यह है कि अल्पसंख्यक मुसलमान और ईसाई समुदाय धर्मनिरपेक्षता के मुद्दे को लेकर उसके दावों पर यकीन नहीं करते हैं। वे यूडीएफ के साथ जुड़े हैं।

इस बीच, धर्मनिरपेक्षता को बढ़ाने के नाम पर अल्पसंख्यकों के तुष्टिकरण का काँग्रेस का इतिहास ‘प्रभावशाली’ रहा है और इस कारण ही मुसलमान और ईसाई समुदाय बिना ईश्वर  वाली कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी की बजाए, उससे जुड़े हैं। हिंदू समुदाय का एक वर्ग जो सीपीआई (एम) की ओर से वर्ग संघर्ष और कम्युनिस्ट विचारधारा की बातों से ऊब चुका है, वह यूडीएफ को चुनता है, जिसे वह दो बुरी चीजों में कम बुरा मानता है। इस प्रकार दोनों फ्रंटों के बीच वोटों का सीधा बँटवारा हो जाता है। इनमें से दोनों ने ही विकास की राजनीति में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं दिखाई है।

तीसरा विकल्प सुनिए!

हालाँकि, पिछले कुछ समय से केरल के लोगों ने तीसरे राजनीतिक विकल्प – बीजेपी को आजमाने के प्रति थोड़ा रुझान दिखाया है। अरुविक्कर उप-चुनाव के साथ ही इस साल राज्य में हुए स्थानीय निकायों के चुनावों में बीजेपी के बेहतर प्रदर्शन ने साफ तौर पर दिखा दिया है कि उसकी चुनावी रणनीति एकदम सही है और यह पिछड़े एज्वाहा समुदाय, अनुसूचित जनजातियों और अगड़े नायर समुदाय के समर्थन से एलडीएफ की नींद उड़ा सकता है और अपने आप को यूडीएफ का प्रमुख प्रतिद्वंद्वी साबित कर सकता है। हिंदू समुदाय के वोटों को एकजुट कर और अल्पसंख्यक समुदायों को यह समझाने का सच्चा प्रयास कर कि उनका हित बीजेपी सरकार में अच्छी तरह पूरा होगा और वे अधिक सुरक्षित रहेंगे, यह अपने लिए एक जीत का ऐसा फॉर्मूला तैयार कर सकती है जिसमें यह राज्य के राजनीतिक परदृश्य के केंद्र में हो।

ऐसा होता है तो यूडीएफ और एलडीएफ को मिलकर भी वैचारिक रूप से सुदृढ़ बीजेपी का मुकाबला विकास की राजनीति के मुद्दे पर करना भारी पड़ेगा। केरल के लोगों के सामने राज्य में औद्योगिक और निर्माण क्षेत्रों को पटरी पर लाने के लिए बीजेपी को सत्ता में लाने का ही एकमात्र विकल्प है। इस वक्त धर्मनिरपेक्षता की खोखली बातों की नहीं प्रत्यक्ष विदेशी निवेश (एफडीआई) को लाने की जरूरत है।

आज केरल को तुष्टिकरण की राजनीति नहीं, बुनियादी ढाँचे और औद्योगिक विकास की आवश्यकता है। केरल के परिश्रमी लोगों ने अपने कठिन परिश्रम से अपने आप को दूर के देशों में मूल्यवान मानव संसाधन के रूप में परिवर्तित किया है। वे अब केरल को आगामी 2016 के चुनावों में सोच-विचार कर किए गए फैसले से केरल को बहुत आसानी से औद्योगिक विकास का केंद्र बना सकते हैं।  इसके लिए, उनसे बस यही उम्मीद की जाती है कि वे 2016 के विधानसभा चुनाव में बीजेपी के लिए वोट करें, जो उनके राज्य को औद्योगिक और आर्थिक मोर्चे पर वह तरक्की दिलाएगी जिसकी नितांत आवश्यकता है। इसके साथ ही वह बेरोजगारी की भीषण और निरंतर समस्या का समाधान करेगी जिसका सामना वहाँ की युवा पीढ़ी कई दशकों से करती चली आ रही है।

The 20^th century saw the rise and rise of plastic bags distributed either free of cost or on nominal payment, with the merchandise at shops, grocery stores, pharmacies and other commercial outlets all over the world. However, the dawn of the 21st century marked the beginning of the steep decline in the bag’s fortunes or supremacy as one of the most popular tools of utility for the customer as well as the seller. The innovation of plastic carrier bags and one-time use bags made a big splash in the way shopping was done like never before. The plastic bags were found very useful, versatile, and economical for the carrying of purchases home, easy transportation, and convenient storage. They were considered durable, suitable for carrying heavy purchases, hygienic, waterproof, sleek and attractive with bright and animated logos and names of stores printed that endeared them to the consumer by their immediate visual appeal.

Myriad were the uses which an Indian housewife could think of putting the bag to, ranging from wrapping her office-going husband’s lunch, to sending samples of some delectable culinary invention of hers, a compact disc of her very favourite ghazal maestro or a handy potato peeler bought at some charity bazaar or an exotic souvenir bought on her latest holiday trip abroad, to a dear friend living a couple of blocks away or soiled clothes for washing to the cleaners. Identify a possible use for any odd object lying around at home begging for your attention and there it was, the humble plastic bag at your service. If you could not think of possible use for the thing that you do not want to throw away in haste, lest it should be badly wanted at a later date, there was nothing too much to worry about. Just put it in a plastic bag waiting at your elbow for such occasions and shove it away in the storage compartment for a leisurely review on a later date.

After the lapse of considerable spells of time, when you open on a lazy sunny afternoon such packages of odds and ends kept in the loft, neatly wrapped in faithful plastic bags, the child in you starts hoping against hopes to discover some treasured and useful stuff that you had always wanted! You open the bag and find some photo frame made of cardboard by your child with a lovely birthday greeting scrawled all over. Oh, joy! You are transported back in time and end up spending the rest of the afternoon mooning over pleasant memories of the days gone by! The object that brought warm memories back had been preserved in its pristine glory by the humble and self-effacing plastic bag.  Ever ready for use, the bag became part of every householder’s day-to-day life and was considered a boon that made one’s life easier. Besides, plastic grocery bags reportedly take 70% less energy to manufacture than the paper grocery bags. Therefore, the plastic bag is resource-efficient, comes practically free of cost and involves no maintenance despite its utility and longevity for extended periods of time. However, the versatility of the champion bag was marred by a flipside.

Flipside of the Versatile Plastic Bag    

The problem with the plastic bag is about its disposal once it has served its originally intended purpose of manufacture as well as the numerous other purposes that ingenious housewives and their ilk think of putting it to, although its life seems endless or interminable. Litterbugs cause mayhem when they thoughtlessly throw the worn out plastic bag away anywhere and everywhere. Roadsides and public places become an eyesore with the unseemly sight of plastic bags, especially the single-use ones, dispensed by chemists, fruit and vegetable vendors or kiosks with odd purchases, flying around in sudden gusts of wind. Such bags consigned to garbage dumps tend to be airborne at the faintest trace of wind, thanks to the aerodynamic attribute that went into its making, albeit unintentionally. And in the course of their aimless drifting around in open places, they may occasionally wrap themselves around the face of an unwary biker or scooterist passing by, momentarily throwing him off balance, which may lead to nasty traffic accidents. Pedestrians are not spared either. Unwanted plastic bags strewn around, sidle up to them when there is a sandstorm and refuse to go away.

Thus, the general public has no end of problems with the ubiquitous plastic bag that makes its nuisance value felt in several other ways. A carelessly flung plastic bag clogs the drain or gets stuck in the sewer, resulting in flooding during a downpour. Clogged drains and sewers breed mosquitoes that cause malaria. There have also been weird and freak incidents of babies and toddlers putting on a plastic bag over their head, unwittingly or for fun, and suffocating to death. The sight of stray cattle munching away plastic bags, which had once contained eatables and subsequently landed in garbage dumps, is not uncommon. The poor animals end up with serious health issues, with the plastic waste that had got into their digestive system not finding it possible to exit their body, having to be surgically removed. Reports estimate that around 20 cows die per day in India as a result of ingesting plastic bags. Veterinarians are mute witnesses to such cases of random cruelty to animals, caused by the careless disposing off of plastic bags by thoughtless persons with no civic responsibility.

Threat to Environment

Plastic bags also tend to trap birds in flight. When birds find plastic bags blown on to trees, they mistake them for some exotic fruit and merrily eat them to disastrous consequences. When the bags find their way to the rivers and the sea, they become a hazard to the marine life. According to the UN Environment Program, scientists estimate that every square mile of the oceans contains approximately 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in them. Around 10% of the plastics produced every year worldwide ends up in the sea, with 70% of it finding its way to the ocean floor, where it will likely never degrade or, in any case, not earlier than a minimum of 500 years. The Ocean Conservancy’s annual International Coastal Cleanups rate plastic bags consistently among the top ten pieces of trash collected on beaches across the globe. The distressingly slow decomposition rate of plastic bags leaves them to drift on the ocean for years on end.

Sea creatures like sea turtles, seals and whales that feed on fish often mistake the glazy plastic bag for jellyfish and devour it, which results in disastrous consequences. According to an estimate of the World Wide Fund for Nature, every year over 100,000 whales, seals and turtles die after eating plastic bags or because of getting trapped in them. The media has reported several instances over the years when whales have died because of being unable to eat after ingesting plastic bags, apparently mistaking them for jellyfish. Whales cannot digest plastic bags; furthermore, the chemicals react very negatively in their internal organs. Suffice it to quote a report of 4^th January 2015, from the Virgin Islands Conservation Society, to get an idea of the extent of the menace of plastic bags (and other plastic waste) that pollute the oceans:
“A recent Scientific American article stated the world creates 260 million tons of plastic each year, and much of it winds up in the oceans. We can do our part by not using plastic shopping bags.”

Predicament of Civic Authorities

Civic authorities are often clueless about the proper disposal of the plastic waste. The plastic bag, which was considered a boon to man’s modern lifestyle on its advent, has now turned out to be a bane. The bags are made of polyethylene with the use of natural gas and oil. Manufacture of vast quantities of plastic bags puts considerable pressure on the extraction of precious non-reusable energy sources such as natural gas and oil. According to an estimate by the Wall Street Journal, 100 billion plastic bags are used and thrown away every year in the US alone, which requires 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture. According to China Trade News, three billion plastic bags are used daily in that country. About two million plastic bags are used around the world every minute and over one trillion single-use plastic bags are used every year, in terms of an estimate by the Earth Policy Institute.

Non-biodegradable

Furthermore, plastic bags are not biodegradable. Although the bags are recyclable, which is the safest and most ideal way for disposing off the worn out bags, in reality they end up in landfills where it takes them hundreds of years to break down, thus making it the kind of stuff that an environmentalist’s nightmares are made of. An estimated 3,960,000 tons of plastic bags, besides sack and wraps, are produced annually out of which 90% are discarded. When plastics break down, normally they don’t biodegrade but they tend to photodegrade, which means the materials tend to break down to smaller fragments and readily soak up toxins. They then contaminate soil, waterways, and animals upon digestion, according to Earth911, the international organization that connects people with information about helping the earth and also enable them to reduce their daily waste.

The Only Way Out

Plastic bags are made of grade 2 and grade 4 plastic. Easily recyclable, these are often turned into composite lumber whereas a variety of products could easily be fabricated. Until the international scientific community comes up with a suitable alternative, recycling is the only way for effectively disposing off worn out plastic bags. However, the BBC and the CNN estimate that only 3-5% bags produced are recycled.

Worldwide Situation  

The menace of the non-biodegradable plastic bags being a global phenomenon, governments all over the world have been taking steps to tackle the situation depending on the seriousness of the situation on the ground. Some countries like Bangladesh, Rwanda, China, Taiwan and Macedonia, have already imposed a total ban on lightweight bags. Some others have followed suit by either charging customers for lightweight bags or generating taxes from the stores who sell them. In the United States, last year California became the first and only state to ban the use of plastic bags. Otherwise, only some cities and counties of that country have outlawed their use.

Plastic Bags in India as of Now

On account of the practically non-existent recycling facilities, India has already banned plastic bags with the thickness of less than 20 microns. The States of Goa and Delhi and the city of Mumbai have also banned bags, but with different specifications. The problem with the Legislations of these bans is with regard to their implementation.

What Should the Government Do?

From the customers’ point of view, the alternatives to plastic bags that are currently available in India are restricted to paper bags or jute bags. As the production costs of these bags coupled with the transportation costs are considerably higher than those of the plastic bags, the possibility of their catching up with the latter and ending their monopoly seems farfetched. Nevertheless, the days of the one-use plastic bags are practically over. The need for the proscribing of its use has been increasingly felt especially in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. But more and more sustained efforts are called for on the part of the Central and State Governments as well as NGOs, and other pressure groups like the student community, sportspersons, artists, media and the like to create awareness among the people of the country to the problematic situations that arise due to the continued use of plastic shopping bags, causing inestimable damage to the environment, hygiene, safety of birds, livestock and marine life, and to the uninterrupted flow of rivers and other water bodies.

People need to realize that environmental pollution is a time-bomb ticking away while much more needs to be done than debating the need to ban plastic bags. On the part of the government, there should be a ban on all plastic shopping bags; and such ban should be implemented in all seriousness. The problem should be tackled at its very source by ensuring that the bags are not produced on pain of closure of the production unit. Offending companies and stores should be levied hefty penalties and repeat offenders handed out exemplary punishment. There should be laws with teeth to prevent breaches of pollution control. Simultaneously, the government should make ample provision for the setting up of recycling units where members of the public could have their worn out plastic bags recycled. It should be made mandatory for large stores to have their own recycling units where the customers should be encouraged to deposit their worn out bags. The government could also levy a tax at the sale point every time a new plastic bag is given and the fund thus collected could be used to constitute an environment fund meant for fighting environmental pollution. Above all, the plastic industry should be exhorted to be accountable for the disposal of the plastic waste by contributing to the setting up of a dedicated cleaning force of employees for the collecting of plastic waste. The starting point is the imposition of a blanket ban on the manufacture, sale and use of plastic shopping bags.

(The article published in weekly magazine Uday India in December 20-26, 2015 edition)

Many of us, if not all, are aware of the term ‘carbon credits’. Equivalent to one tonne of carbon di oxide or related greenhouse gases, a carbon credit comes under the realm of Kyoto Protocol, a global drive to reduce emission of harmful gases and thus mitigate the risk of temperature rise. While in early 2014 there were talks about probable losses to companies which had acquired carbon credits by investing in Clean Development Mechanism due to fall in prices below one euro, the other side of the coin came into being in mid this year when the government of Himachal Pradesh earned a handsome amount of money by selling carbon credits to the government of Spain under bio-carbon project. This raised hope for the farmers of the state, who used degraded public land for raising forest under a World Bank-funded watershed project, by making them entitled to a share in this sum.

PM Modi and his counterparts from across the globe deliberated the menace of rising greenhouse gases, their impact on climate, humans and non-humans in Paris with a conflict over contributing to the uphill task of reducing emissions. Developed nations have a different stand as compared to developing ones, more weight can be accorded to the latter since such unparalleled rise in global temperature and amount of GHGs in the atmosphere is a direct aftermath of the industrial era when the west pocketed high profits. Those leather tanneries, deforestations for setting up factories, dumping of waste in rivers and lakes and nil regard to sustainability while assessing projects were all a contributing factor. Having no option than to participate in this worldwide race of industrialization, developing nations followed what they borrowed from the developed ones, thus India abandoned its ages-old culture of environment protection.

Different countries have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) but what seems an arduous job is their upright implementation. We have seen developed nations, in the past, defaulting on their commitments towards negotiations and agreements on climate. On the contrary, countries like France (which has generated more than 90 per cent of its electricity from non-fossil sources including nuclear and hydro) are performing their parts regardless of any INDCs or covenants. PM Modi’s proposal of forging an alliance of solar rich countries is indeed laudable, this, however, demands collaborated labors from over 100 countries, which may or may not bring the expected effects.

It can’t be an overstatement if we think of India leading the world in its fight against climate change. Won’t you agree that we are an offspring of those who were the best in terms of agricultural output, animal husbandry; we devised Ayurveda depicting use of medicinal plants and herbs; once the country was the finest spot on earth to live in, this is what that attracted colonial powers from around the world to India. Then what is holding us from being the protagonist? Let’s discuss a point. Though India is a country with high population density, idle land available with Indian Railways, local bodies and other entities is abundant. This vacant land is either used as dumping ground for waste or as a place for defecation by locals or is encroached illegally by land mafias. In this context, it is to be noted that the CAG Report of 2013 reflected the incapacity of state forest departments with respect to undertaking afforestation and conservation to compensate for loss of forest cover. This loss of cover in the process of industrial growth is obligatory; however is unsustainable.

We lack commitment, be it when compensatory afforestation programmes are talked about or when figures pertaining to decline or addition to country’s total forest cover are released. An RTI filed by a group of conservationists in 2013 revealed that the country loses around 135 hectares of land every day owing to diversion of forest land to projects for mining, power plants or other industrial exploitations. The irony is that all these are termed as ‘development projects’ by governments of states; we have almost deleted the word ‘sustainable’ from our dictionaries, and the authorities clearing these projects boast of job creation and addition to production of consumer goods . Sad but true, only the manufacturing and services sectors of India, or to say of the world, relish patronage from respective governments, agriculture, forestry and allied activities are looked upon as a burden. States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, which were gems when land under forest cover was talked of, are fast losing greenery as a result of land being diverted to industrial projects.

A hope, however, in this vicious darkness still exists. And a sense of contentment comes from the fact that this does not demand a radical change in policy-making. Here is the suggestion. An appeal to Gram Sabhas, Panchayats at block and district level, Indian Railways and other government bodies to use idle land owned by them for the purpose of planting tree seedlings, resulting into afforestation, which will not only creatework prospects in the area besides saving it from mafia or becoming a landfill, it will also make available ‘Forested land’ for purchase by corporates in lieu of land purchased for setting up of factories. A sensible approach, coordinated and planned one, will see a real shift in circumstances. An online database of these available forest lands, post-afforestation, for procurement as ‘Forest Credits’ will deliver on the needs of country’s greenery as well as of project owners. Such green use of idle land will boost carbon sinks of India and will complement the state forest departments in their afforestation program.

A rough projection reveals that villages of India, which are more than 6 lakh in number, if opt for average minimum 10 acres each for developing forests over degraded land with community help, along with partaking of cities and towns with minimum 100 acres each, plus the idle land owned by Indian Railways (along with space at both sides of rail tracks) will give afforestation figure of more than 2 crore acres, a lush green cover that India and its citizens crave for sooner than later. Besides, such a program will provide a huge opportunity for rural employment owing to its commercial viability as the growers of forests will be able to sell the same to companies for their afforestation obligations. A ‘win-win’ situation, indeed.

It is sure that India’s drive for clean energy from renewable sources and cutting on emissions will bring pluses, this when complemented with pledge towards afforestation of degraded land across the country, especially in the north-east where forest cover has been decreasing, will make India a significant player in the mission of mitigating the dangers of GHGs and climate change. For sure, apt assessment of soils, climate variations and availability of seedlings is a pre-requisite to ensure that this project turns out viable. While carbon credits, formalized under the Kyoto Protocol, have not found the success they were expected to, India’s initiative of ‘Forest Credits’, if perceived and undertaken with due diligence, will fortify India’s vow in response to environmental catastrophe.

First it was Shah Rukh and then it was Aamir. The two big stars of the Khan triumvirate of Bollywood came up with bloopers, similar in nature, which caught their starry-eyed fans and others alike off guard. The nation was dismayed to note that the two larger-than-life figures had the audacity to make preposterous statements over “rising intolerance” in the country. Their comments turned the troubled political waters of the nation a whole lot murkier. Right thinking people of the country were bewildered as to what had led to the unkindest blows dealt by the two in quick succession without any provocation. Further, they could not help wondering if there was a deep-rooted conspiracy behind the highly objectionable behaviour to defame the nation. The reason for the puzzlement was obvious – the two iconic stars are recipients of the adulation and admiration of millions of fans spread across the length and breadth of our country as also elsewhere across the globe, cutting across the religious divide, which had made them superstars in the first place.

Why would two successful film stars, who are already well established in their career and have been decorated with impressive arrays of awards and honours, make an unwarranted faux pas and rock their own boat? It was quite difficult to believe that their reprehensible reactions were part of a familiar behavioural pattern. Even after giving allowance to the quixotic way some of these artists try to project their image, from time to time in unusual contexts and backgrounds, the statements made by these two Khans on “rising intolerance” were quite far-fetched. Was it then the craving for cheap publicity that made them do it or was it part of a clever strategy to promote their films? Both the possibilities could not be ruled out. The most likely possibility is, however, a conspiracy. Here, let me explain what makes me think so.

Conspiracy Theory

First, consider the timing. Shah Rukh made his comment as the Bihar Assembly elections were in full swing. Meanwhile, Aamir made his ominous statement following BJP’s shocking defeat at the hustings, and the party was in self-introspection mode and in the process of crafting a more successful poll strategy for Kerala. The virulent attack on the party launched by its bitter political rivals who had ganged up to denigrate the Prime Minister on charges of not speaking against what they called were signs of “rising intolerance” – killings of some rationalist writers in Karnataka and that of a member of a minority community in Uttar Pradesh allegedly by some people who suspected him of consuming beef – bolstered the conspiracy theory. The shrill and strident attacks by a combined Opposition managed to make the people of Bihar believe that the Assembly elections were all about an outsider’s unjustifiable bid to seize power from their own local leaders, and there was a massive “threat” of communalism purportedly waiting in store to the utmost detriment of the minority community in the event of the BJP coming to power in the state.

Here it is worth recalling that the anti-BJP parties had united not on common ideological grounds but on the plank of fear of the prospects of the BJP making big political fortunes in Bihar that would have resulted in the leaders of the grand coalition being relegated to the footnotes of history. To make matters worse, the Opposition came up with a cunning strategy of rattling and misleading some disgruntled recipients of national awards for excellence in various fields such as arts, literature, etc into returning their awards in protest against “rising intolerance”. This was actually a canard spread in a bid to bring discredit to the BJP-led government at the Centre and for defaming the nation in the world arena by the unscrupulous anti-BJP elements for their narrow political gains. The insidious atmosphere of hatred for the BJP and the consequent combined assault on the ruling party by a united Opposition and a Media, heavily prejudiced against BJP, managed to sway the opinion of the people of Bihar against BJP”s development-oriented campaign. 

Smoking Gun

Secondly, there are reasons to believe that the disdainful speeches and insolent comments made by the two Bollywood actors were aimed at the soft underbelly of the BJP, badly mauled in the Bihar elections, and an extension of the contumelious propaganda of the Congress and its allies, to keep the heat on the BJP for further political gains. This is a very strong possibility wherein the two actors allowed themselves to play, knowingly or otherwise, into the hands of the Opposition parties in general and the Congress, in particular. The validity of this theory is given credence by a recent happening that involved Rahul Gandhi. The Congress Vice President, who was the guest at a program in a prominent women’s college in Bengaluru, recently tried hard to run down the Prime Minister’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and mobilize, in a vain bid, the support of the students to term the program a failure. The keenness of the Gandhi scion to turn the youth against Modi proved counterproductive when the students voiced their support for the program much to his dismay. Against the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi’s futile bid to denigrate the Prime Minister, the vexatious statements made by Shah Rukh and Aamir, turned out to be part of a larger game plan conceived by the Congress.

All these appeared to be happening in connivance with sections of the Media with a vested interest, to pit its pet theory of “rising intolerance” against the soaring popularity of Prime Minister Modi, both at home and abroad. The statements of the Bollywood actors over their disenchantment with the government were sweet music to the ears of the Congress, which was quick to grab the opportunity to beat their drum about their hackneyed allegations of the government’s failure to safeguard Secularism and arrest the trend of the increase of intolerance. There were familiar echoes of the charges in the Pakistani Media too. Insidious stories were floated by the Pakistani Media that Shah Rukh had blood connections with an ex-Chief of ISI and was welcome to Pakistan, should he decide to quit India. Nothing could have brought more shame and disgrace to Shah Rukh than this kind of gimmickry by the Pakistani Media over a highly irresponsible and reprehensible statement of the actor. One could not forget, no matter how hard one tried, the extremely unpatriotic way the Congress honchos Salman Khurshid and Mani Shankar Aiyar canvassed in Pakistan for that country’s support and assistance in dislodging Prime Minister Modi. There lies the smoking gun out in the open.

Master Brain at Work

Thirdly, it takes the best of directors several takes to get a perfect shot. That being the case, how do the filmy heroes enact a portentous scene perfect to a ‘t’ in their real life without the professional assistance of scriptwriters and directors? No matter how puffed up they seem and brave they sound, they are sure to falter when they deliver statements of powerful impact away from the arc lights. Their statements are therefore taken only with a pinch of salt in normal circumstances by people who are knowledgeable and well-conversant with the ways of the filmdom. In the instant case, there seemed to be an underlying motive and sufficient indications that there was a master brain behind the well-timed delivery of the statements.

Shah Rukh’s Statement

Shah Rukh had referred to an atmosphere of growing “intolerance religiously” in the country in reply to a question during a Twitter Townhall on November 2 and said that not being secular in India was the worst crime a patriot could commit. He had further defended the gesture of returning of awards given away for excellence in different areas of creative arts, literature, etc in protest. He went on to call those who returned the awards brave and honest if the gesture was going to turn things around. Shah Rukh’s statements raised the hackles of a broad spectrum of right thinking individuals across the nation but were acclaimed across the border as a leading voice of dissent in castigation of the Modi government.

There was no dearth of people who questioned in the social media his loyalty to the country. They wished him Godspeed to migrate to Pakistan if he were to behave so high and mighty and was uncharitable in his criticism of his own country.

Aamir Khan Harangued

Obviously people were furious over Aamir Khan’s statement and went hammer and tongs to demolish his superstar image, and questioned his patriotism. The social media was replete with condemnation of the star in the strongest of language for his disgraceful speech. Was it not the people of India who had made him a superstar and given him appreciation and accolade for his work? Why should he fear the same people and talk of moving out of the country? Even when he made highly controversial films like PK, didn’t his fans stand by him and make the films hugely successful? Why now the talk of moving out of the country?  And, in any case, which country would he want to go to? Definitely, not Syria or Iraq? Pakistan, for one, would not take him as he is reportedly a Shia. Also, to know what intolerance in real sense relates to, study the Blasphemy Law of Pakistan used widely as a tool to suppress voices of non-Muslim religious minorities. Equal freedom and rights to all religions and castes in India is what you shall be proud of.

Reactions on Aamir

BJP spokesman MJ Akbar brought out the stupidity of the star’s talk of moving out of India by asking him if he proposed to migrate to New York or London, adding with a chuckle that at neither place would Aamir be hearing Azan, the call of the Muslim cleric to the faithful for inviting to prayers! Speaking at a press conference, Akbar said Aamir had defamed the country for some personal benefits. He alleged that Aamir had “committed a moral sin” as he did not have any “right to drag down the entire country because of personal antagonism towards a party.” He also said Aamir should not forget his iconic status and the fact that he was a relative of freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, whose message was that the country belonged to everybody. He reminded Aamir that Ulemas of 73 countries had praised India for religious freedom. Meanwhile, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said no country in the world is better for Muslims than “incredible and ‘atulya’ (unmatched)” India and no neighbour better than a Hindu.

Writer Taslima Nasreen gave Aamir the most sensible and straightforward advice – India is the safest place for Aamir as that is what had made him what he is today. Meanwhile, Snapdeal, which had appointed Aamir its brand ambassador, faced flak for the controversial statements made by the film star and users on the Google Play Store for the e-commerce marketplace downgraded the e-commerce giant’s app. Netizens took to Facebook and Twitter to express their opinions, majority of which reflected abject disappointment over what the two film stars had said. They wondered why neither of these superstars ever talked about “rising intolerance” at the time of ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits, communal riots in Mumbai, the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, the Sabarmati Express coach burning incident in Godhra in 2002 and during times of the never-ending suppression of Dalit, women and children in various states of India.

Aamir’s comments evoked strong, negative reactions from a cross-section of people on the social media. A comment posted on Twitter said: “A man who married two Hindu women but forced all his kids to follow Islam, is now teaching us tolerance.” Meanwhile, Aamir’s detractors shortlisted Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia as available countries for his migration. A highly distraught fan went to the extent of suggesting that Saudi Arabia, with its daily public executions, would be the ideal place for the star’s child to grow up for his daily dose of tolerance! A highly aggressive comment indeed, but not one without a sufficiently high provocation! Calling Aamir a hypocrite, another fan said, “You did not scream intolerance when your city burned at the hands of some of your co-religionists. Your wife did not feel insecure when a mammoth crowd of some of your co-religionists attended the funeral of a hanged terrorist. You were silent even when a mob from Reza Academy kicked and destroyed a national memorial and manhandled female cops. But now, suddenly, your wife feels insecure in India and wants you to move out.”

Striving to drive home the point that vast majority of Hindus are tolerant and not driven by their religious beliefs, on Facebook an avid movie-goer reminded Aamir Khan that though majority of movie-goers in India are Hindus, for years they have been spending their money to buy tickets for his movies. So it was the money of Hindus that has made him the Superstar that he is today. He signed off saying that he and his friends have decided to boycott all the Aamir Khan movies in future and also the products where he is brand ambassador.

Humble Pie

While Shah Rukh said he had not said what had been attributed to him, Aamir pointed out with all the conviction at his command that although he was sticking to what he had said earlier, he and his family were staying on in India and going nowhere else. If he was so fiercely committed to staying on in India, why he had raked up the question of moving out of the country in the first place was something he did not talk about. Maybe there was nothing to say.

Conclusion

Having stated all that happened in the past few weeks in response to the unjustifiable statements of two Bollywood superstars, rounding up the facts and impressions to reach a conclusion becomes a must to replace the dirt with clear skies. Dear superstars (I am afraid how this word personifies you), you are not the only ones belonging to and yours is not the only minority community in India. You are second to the majority in terms of numbers (in fact, your growth rate is higher among all), and Islamic followers far outnumber Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs and Zoroastrians. Sikhs are a living example of how a community faced political wrath, yet did not label the country as intolerant. Of course, among them too are fanatics planning for a separate country for Sikhs, they are categorized as terrorists and not patriots. Then how shall we label you? You must agree that we are tolerant even after this politically fabricated and manufactured propaganda of which you are a part, consciously or otherwise.

It cannot be said whether it was the Modi government’s stringent action against illicit foreign funds received by NGOs (your association with them is known to all Indians) or it is the desperate need of controversy to kick-start your upcoming films’ promotions or it is the unending disliking for one politician, who today is the Prime Minister of India, that prompted you to give such senseless, shameful and unacceptable statements. Another fact to be noted here is that in February this year the NDA government’s Urban Development Ministry sent notice to the Congress party for vacating bungalows in their unauthorized possession. Lending support to Opposition’s voice by awardees, film stars and even by some journalists (many among whom relish government bungalows and perks either as patronage or due to security reasons) may be a probable outcome of a fear triggered among this class of losing the such aids having won honours under the patronage of Congress government.

Tolerance and Intolerance, our dear stars, have a very thin line of demarcation. Your shutting of doors of your cars and turning back to those street children of Mumbai is an example of intolerance, your spending on bungalow interiors, when more than half the city you live in is even deprived of basic necessities is intolerance, also, when you speak such statements, however, have no time advocating PM’s Jan Dhan Yojana aimed at financial inclusion, it’s intolerance. People’s reaction by just downgrading a mobile app you endorse or boycotting your films peacefully is tolerance; to know what intolerance can do to you, try mocking a minority Deity in a film like PK.

Glycerin can help you bring tears to eyes while hosting a show based on social flaws, real work for deprived, however, asks for selfless devotion, charging crores for a day’s hosting and profit-sharing agreements with producers of your films substantiate your hunger for paybacks. Then too, we are so tolerant and more than happy to back you when you do not cross limits; this time, however, you have done so, having defamed the country and its natives. As a piece of advice from a common man who does not relish VIP security and fan-following like you, do refrain from using your hatred for one politician as a reason to insult the country of which we are proud to be a citizen. Also, your senseless behavior, if continues for long, may bring you face to face to what is called ‘real intolerance’; but I am very much sure that descendants of Ambedkar and Vallabhbhai Patel will never hurt India’s harmony and acceptance that we consider as our asset, a duty we are taught to abide by.

Once ‘Sri Sri Ravishankar Ji’ spoke: Hindus are very tolerant. Indians in general are very accommodating but insult is not to be tolerated. Hatred-venom against a community is not nice for an artist. There is no other country in the world which gives so much freedom of expression as India. See with respect everyone and every religion. Nurture harmony in diversity. It is these people who fuel fundamentalism even in communities which are very peaceful and tolerant.

Let’s be aware of the terrorism of PEN (Freedom of Expression).

P.S.: The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya community in Buddhism dominated country, the persecution and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from a Muslim dominated state of India and the refugee-crisis as a consequence of ISIS’ caliphate advocacy are ‘Intolerance’. Better it shall be if eminent personalities of India, writers and film stars, ditch their disliking for one politician, refrain from making seditious statements under the ambit of freedom of speech and expression, and understand, search for and talk of ‘real intolerance’. As the first step towards this, please categorize this writing as freedom of speech and not as an act of intolerance towards you.

Putting the bread on the table and keeping the wolf away from the door had traditionally been considered a man’s prerogative all over the world while a woman was to take care of the home, raise a family and remain in the background much of the time. Things began to change in the western countries with the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Women there started taking baby steps by foraying into occupations and professions that had thus far remained male bastions. Over a period of time, they started breaking glass ceilings at a furious pace. However, their counterparts in the developing countries were still being considered best suited for supportive and backup roles in man’s quest for excellence. In other words, women got to play second fiddle.

It was only by around the mid-twentieth century that the walls of gender inequalities started crumbling in a big way in the face of fast emerging feminism. Nevertheless, combat role in the armed forces proved to be a much elusive chimera for women cutting across the nations. With the exceptions of Turkey and the erstwhile USSR, women pilots of other countries were denied entry into the combat stream, which was one of the few glass ceilings that remained unbroken by women, not for want of trying nor due to lack of qualifications or capability. Soon blank spaces in this segment also started filling up in many developed and some developing countries during the 1990s. However, India decided to join the elite club of nations that boast of women fighter pilots only recently, with the Ministry of Defence approving induction of women into the Fighter (Combat) Stream in October 2015.

Yet Another Glass Ceiling Broken

While the first batch of Indian women will commence their training as fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force by June 2016, in another year following that, we will start seeing the first Indian women combat pilots in the cockpits of frontline fighter jets of the Air Force. This development augurs well for the nation in more ways than one. First of all, this Defence Ministry decision is in keeping with the aspirations of the Indian women who have never lagged behind their male compatriots in the freedom struggle as well as in the task of nation-building. In the matter of defending the country’s unity and integrity from external aggression, however, their position had thus far been limited to providing support and background operations. Members of the 100-strong contingent of women pilots in IAF have been serving as transport and helicopter pilots.

The landmark decision that has fructified after years of debates, discussions, bureaucratic hurdles, closed political mindsets, litigations and reviews, has not only resulted in the breaking of yet another glass ceiling by the Indian woman but also in the waxing of her aspirations for career enhancement like in the case of her counterpart in several other countries like the US, the UK, Israel, the UAE and, closer home, Pakistan. Till recently, it had been argued by the experts and decision makers as well as a section of the public that the question of a woman pilot being available round the clock during combats was a big question mark on account of the constraints confronting her in terms of biological, physiological and psychological conditions, including pregnancy. Together, the doubts, misgivings and uncertainties weakened her case. Besides, there was the morbid fear of the possible scenario of a woman pilot being taken as a prisoner in combat and subjected to torture with a vicious focus on her gender.  “Think of what can happen if a woman is taken a prisoner in a combat operation,” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said in Pune in May this year.

Responding to a question in the Parliament earlier this year, the Minister had said that women personnel in the armed forces were not being deployed for combat operations and on naval warships as it had not been encouraged by the studies conducted in 2006 by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS) and in 2011 by the High Level Tri-Services Committee. The previous governments had maintained the same line.  Eventually, however, the arguments against the proposal to allow women pilots’ entry into the fighter stream were found specious. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, who had said as recently as last year that women were not physically suited to fly fighter planes, said while addressing the Air Force Day function at the Hindon Air Base in October this year, that he had “no doubt” that women could become fighter pilots. The diametrically opposite viewpoint taken by the Chief of Air Staff heralded in the shift in perception of the IAF and the government.

Court Orders and Crunching Numbers

The government has also announced that it has undertaken a comprehensive review of induction of women in short service as well as the permanent commission. Besides the change in the government’s perception of a woman’s role in the armed forces, there were other factors at play that resulted in its downshifting of the gear. The Delhi High Court ruled in 2010 that women should be allowed to hold permanent commissions in the Army and Air Force since female officers “deserve better from the government.”  In another recent case filed by female naval officers, the High Court ruled that it would “frown upon any endeavor to block the progress of women” in the military. The government’s negative stance held thus far was further weakened by an April 2015 report of a parliamentary committee that pressed the panic button regarding a critical shortage of pilots faced by the IAF. The cumulative effect of the moral high ground taken by the Judiciary and the startling revelation by a parliamentary committee had the salutary effect – women pilots in the IAF got an equal opportunity to prove their mettle in combats alongside their male compatriots.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Vision

No pathbreaking human endeavour is feasible unless it is dreamt, conceived, nurtured and its seed allowed to germinate under propitious conditions by a zealous mind. Such was the case with the momentous decision of allowing women pilots to join the combat stream in IAF too. Here it is worth recalling that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who spearheaded India’s armed resistance against colonial occupation, not only visualized the Indian women in combat gear but also contributed to its transformation into reality.

Getting Practical

Netaji was a pioneer among the leaders of the freedom movement to envision women as social activists and reformers capable of independent thinking and contributing to the task of nation building. He was confident that modern Indian woman would break the mould of the traditional Indian woman’s image as Sita or Savitri, the epitome of feminine grace and repository of noble virtues. He saw the modern Indian woman as Durga, the slayer of evil forces. To him, a woman’s gender was a mere detail of her personality and not a hurdle or constraint that would ever come in her way of redeeming her aspirations. His concept of empowerment of women was not merely a lofty principle that figured in his speeches and writings. He had a practical plan of action too which was put to use as part of his strategy to achieve the ultimate goal of the country’s independence. The course of action which he pursued in the process of empowerment of women was not only progressive but also one which was evidently far ahead of his time.

Unlike Mahatma Gandhi and his band of Congress leaders who saw a role for the woman limited to supporting the Independence Movement by remaining within the family circle, Netaji saw for her a larger role that transcended constraints of family and was not hamstrung by any limitations. This was, he professed, feasible only when women had access to education, which allowed them to think for themselves. Just as he broke up with the Congress that he had served as party President, he advocated women severance from their past lives and throwing themselves headlong into the process of empowering themselves as part of the armed struggle for independence. Nobody was going to empower them but themselves, just as the colonial forces were not going to grant independence on their own volition and had to be vanquished on the ground. “Equip yourself with education and be ready to pluck the opportunity to empower yourself as a fellow freedom fighter in your own right,” was his advice to the Indian woman.

Women Combatants in INA

Netaji’s idea of empowerment of women was not a vacuous theory or a hollow doctrine. In the Indian National Army (INA), which he raised to fight the colonial imperialism, he had an entire 600-strong all-women contingent appropriately named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment headed by Capt Lakshmi Swaminathan (Sehgal). The troops of the regiment bore arms, including machine guns, and played the role of combat forces while not helping with nursing. They were well-trained in real earnest in all areas of combat including range practice and bayonet training along with male troops.

Self-Help

Empowerment of women was for Netaji a state policy and women’s education a priority area. He wanted the State to provide women not only free primary education but education at all levels, including spiritual and moral, as well as physical and vocational training. He exhorted women’s rights groups to spread education and awareness among women in rural areas and remote urban areas like slums about the evils of ancient taboos like purdah and encourage them to venture into male-dominated areas of social development. He wanted women to champion their own cause of empowerment. He wanted the State to accord equal rights to women and men in all areas and all respects and also have a separate department for women’s upliftment.

Women in Provisional Government of Free India

Netaji’s ideas on women were so revolutionary that as part of the Provisional Government of Free India in South East Asia (Azad Hind Government), a separate women’s department was constituted by him. Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan (Sehgal) who was the Chief of the Rani Jhansi Regiment was given the dual charge as Minister for Women’s Affairs. The Women’s Department had a separate wing to deal with the training of women as social activists. Members of the wing were tasked with visiting neighbouring plantations and slums in South-East Asia and train the women inhabitants in areas such as better health, nutrition and sanitation. They also taught rural women the basics of childcare and related matters. The Women’s Department included a Health and Welfare Department, which had a team of doctors, nurses and welfare workers. The Government had a Planning Commission mandated with the task of conducting research in areas where it could benefit from women’s contribution.

In Quest of Women Empowerment

In short, Netaji walked the talk and practised what he preached. He did yeoman’s service by spreading awareness among Indian women of their real potential, which enabled them to vie with men for honours in contributing to the advancement of the nation and betterment of the society. This was a remarkable accomplishment considering the fact that our country had been languishing under colonial occupation for hundreds of years, having to rediscover its cultural moorings of the glorious past when women were equal partners with men in literary and intellectual pursuits. Women who had been kept in the background under the protection of men for their own good in the toxic atmosphere of conflicting cultures during colonial occupation, needed a gentle nudge from social reformers and leaders of the Independence Movement to be convinced of their capability, flair and prowess to match the contribution of the menfolk in the redemption of the nation’s lost glory.

Subhas Bose was the one among India’s freedom fighters who provided the gentle nudge and, as a good measure, practical guidance to the women who had just stepped out of their sheltered life and the complacent nature of the lifestyle that it offered. He gave women not just representation but pride of place in the government he had formed and the army that he had raised. He gave them substantial roles to play and tasks to perform like spreading awareness of sanitation, health, education and empowerment of women among the socially backward and less privileged of the society in East Asia. It was with the aim of carrying forward his ideas for a much larger role for women in free India that he set up the Planning Commission dedicated to the development of women’s cause.

He advised women’s groups not to avoid politics but to become a part of it. Trailblazing indeed would have been the shape of things to emerge if only he had been victorious in his armed struggle and lived to implement his scheme of things including the one concerning empowerment of women. Although this was not to be the case as the course of events spanned out, the spark of his revolutionary thoughts about women empowerment was good enough to fire up the imagination of today’s Indian women. Not content with the laudable role they have been playing in all civilian walks of life, they had been knocking at the doors of the defence establishment to be permitted into the combat stream in the IAF. The doors of the fighter aircraft’s cockpit have at last been opened unto them. With this development, Netaji’s vision about the Indian woman’s donning the mantle of combat glory has materialized, thanks to woman’s self-help to empowerment just as he had foreseen.

Going the Whole Hog

Notwithstanding the judicial rulings and the review of its stand by the Union government, women in the Armed Forces still have a long way to go before they are accorded equal opportunities in all respects and all streams without prejudice to their gender. It is only when the government goes the whole hog in all three Defence Services that Netaji’s vision would have materialized in its entirety. Furthermore, it remains to be seen whether women fighter pilots are actually given missions as daunting and forbidding as are assigned to their male compatriots by the IAF in real wars.

It would be foolish on the part of arm-chair critics to blame one or two individuals like Narendra Modi or Amit Shah or just one or two factors such as “growing intolerance” or the “caste factor” for the mammoth defeat of the BJP and its allies in Bihar because there are several reasons for this debacle. While some attribute it to BJP’s reluctance to project a chief ministerial candidate when its rival had a credible face in Nitish Kumar, others say Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion that there should be a review of the reservation policy, played a major role. Meanwhile, there are many who claim that Nitish Kumar’s popularity among the state’s voters, as well as his image as Bihar’s Vikas Purush, was one of the most decisive factors for the Grand Alliance’s triumph.

Some others say Nitish Kumar’s ploy to make ‘Bihari versus Bahari’ one of his main campaign themes, by projecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Chief Amit Shah as outsiders and asking the state’s voters to choose a ‘Bihari’ and not a ‘Bahari’, made the biggest impact. However, some of the crucial fallouts of the Bihar polls that are worth highlighting are as follows: the Grand Alliance has won more than two-third seats, Rashtriya Janata Dal has emerged as the single largest party with a whopping figure of 80 seats, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and Amit Shah’s BJP has suffered its biggest political setback and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM could not even secure 1% of the total vote share. Meanwhile, the massive defeat of the BJP has lessons for all – for the politicians, the political parties and even for the voters.

Bihari versus Bahari

Why Biharis opted for a ‘Bihari’ and not a ‘Bahari’ has to be studied first. Believe it or not, elections in any Indian state can never be compared or equated with polls in highly homogeneous provinces of the Western countries, where voters hardly have any caste-related issues or communal tensions as topics of debate and discussions. Almost every pre-poll and exit poll surveys by news agencies have repeatedly provided enough evidence to support this truth. Furthermore, the foremost factor that helped the Grand Alliance ride to victory with Nitish Kumar as their projected Chief Minister was undeniably ‘development’. Bijli, Sadak, Pani, and those bicycles to schoolgirls (which significantly lessened dropout rates) are things to cherish in a state where the poor and rural inhabitants decide the future of all political aspirants. Nitish brought these things to the poor.

For Nitish, it was the tag of ‘Vikas Purush’ that insulated him from the disquiet of the famed Modi-wave, whereas for LaluPrasad it was his impeccable social engineering tactics as well asthe caste factor he played up as part of his vote bank politics that revived his fortunes. Though this strategy of Lalu may provedetrimental to the country and its economic prospects, no one, other than the Biharis could have ever thought that Lalu’s comeback would be so grand and so decisive. It now appears that Nitish’s election tagline ’Bihari versus Bahari’ worked the best for his decades-long foe and now the best ally, Lalu. After all, it was not until 2005 that Nitish found contentment in state politics, which he planned to ditch again in 2014. As such, Lalu undoubtedly deserved the ‘Bihari’ label.

Why did the Biharis not pick a Bahari (outsider)? The answer lies within the question. The term ‘Bahari’ perfectly fits the BJP squad that relied unreasonably on the allure of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and the strategic aptitude of their Party President, Amit Shah. Moreover, Sushil Modi, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shatrughan Sinha and the other local leaders of Biharwere sidelined, and the proven Amit Shah-approach that hadtransformed the trend in BJP’s favor in North India during the 2014 general elections was adopted, but it failed miserably this time. It is a simple and accepted notion in Indian politics that thenational, state and civic body polls are typically fought in unrelated backdrops. But BJP seems to have misinterpreted thistheory. Similar to what happened at the time of the Delhi debacle, where Kiran Bedi was inducted in the very end creating disquiet and chaos among the party workers, in Bihar too, the voters did not know who would take over the BJP command in the state if the BJP was victorious  as no chief minister candidate was declared. In this context, the question that begs an answer is: Are the state units of the BJP so incapable that it does not have any competent and deserving leaders?

Lessons for Prime Minister Modi

It seems that the Bihar election was yet again another test ofNarendra Modi’s policies, and its conclusions may go a long way to making the Prime Minister better understand the pulse of the Indian voters. The BJP, as well as our beloved country,cannot afford the Indira Gandhi-Janata Party like rift in the present conditions when we are all aiming at inclusive development, employment, and eradication of poverty. Claiming that the BJP and its top squad had misread the Bihar scenario would only lead us towards distorted findings. In India, the common man has the pivotal say, if not in the economy, at least in the political sphere. For instance, if you ask a common man from Bihar, who voted for the Grand Alliance or any other person from a different state of India as to how much he feels elated to know that India has overtaken China in GDP growth rate, you would draw a blank. Similarly, an ordinary Indian may not know that India has pulled ahead of China and the US and has emerged as the world’s number one destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2015.

On the other hand, if you ask him why parties like the RJD and the BSP get the support of the public despite their leaders being involved in massive corruption scandals, you will get some convincing and insightful replies. That tells us social engineering works very well in India, where the common man feels more empowered. Even though such empowerment may be delusive or short-term, Indian political leaders reap immense political gains from such a scenario. For example, Tamil Nadu’s current Chief Minister, who was sentenced to four years in prison, enjoys enormous public support because of the freebies and perks she distributes from the public exchequer. Hence, leaders like Nitish, Lalu, Mulayam, Mamta, Mayawati and Arvind Kejriwal enjoy such a strong backing as state leaders that any party contesting polls against them in the name of a national leader is unlikely to win any election in their states. Though no one can ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt the strategies or gimmicks of the said leaders, it is important to ensure that the benefits emanating from his sincere efforts and good work should percolate and reach the common man.

Shift in Voters’ Perception

What was it that made Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India? What was the sole factor that aided the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secure a landslide victory in Delhi? And what brought a third term for Nitish Kumar in Bihar? It seems, lately the voters’ perception has been changing rapidly and radically; and they have started favouring incorruptible and effective leaders. Had it been a non-performing chief minister in Bihar, the BJP wouldnot have failed so drastically. The BJP knows that in Bihar, people from all castes had voted for Narendra Modi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in a bid to free the country from the clutches of corruption and inefficiency. These voters, a substantial number of which are very poor and reside in remote and rural areas, expect tangible results from their leaders as well as from their government. In this scenario, the soaring prices of pulses and other essential commodities coupled with the dire economic conditions of our country’s farmers ruined it for the BJP.

Here it is worth recalling that as a social repackaging exercise and in response to Lalu Yadav’s Dalit cluster in Bihar, someyears back Nitish Kumar had coined a new term ‘Mahadalit’, while referring to the extremely weaker castes. Roughly translated, it means the most oppressed or the ones on the last rung of the social and economic ladder. The Mahadalit Commission was also set up in the state in 2007 adding to Nitish’s acceptability among the traditional vote bank of Lalu. However, it is hard to understand why the BJP government at the Centre or in any of the states, especially in Maharashtra, has not yet set up such dedicated Commission for farmers, hundreds of whom have opted to commit suicide to escape grinding poverty and mounting debts, rather than seek government help.

The BJP leaders should know that the demand-supply reasoning is very hard for the common man to understand. When one saysthat bad monsoon caused the deficiency of essential commodities, the common man wonders why the government in power cannot formulate appropriate policies to alleviate the resultant sufferings emanating from such developments. They prefer to hold the government liable and are not willing to accept even valid justifications. Roads, power, and housing may not be the direct obligation of the central government, but the common man does not think along those lines. He perceives the government to be an all-powerful entity with unlimited resources at its command. He believes that if the government desires, it can execute or implement whatever needs to be done. Because of this, the BJP should explore avenues to strengthen its state units and promote devoted workers in a bid to reach outand create awareness among the general public. The party cannot hope to win all the elections just by riding on the Modiwave.

Polarization Worked Against the BJP

If communalism had been a factor in Bihar, the BJP as well as the AIMIM, which is the self-proclaimed rescuer of Muslims, would not have suffered such humiliating defeats. What the Grand Alliance used as their punchline was ‘Development with Peace’, something that was the need of the hour. Prevention of cow slaughter, though an essential topic of discussion, need not have been made an election issue. Even the question of minority-based reservations by the Grand Alliance shouldn’t have been raised as a point during the election rally. Had the BJP projected the Bihar polls as Modi’s governance and development model versus that of Nitish, the post-election scenario for theBJP would have been significantly more encouraging and rewarding. But here too, Prime Minister Modi’s massive poll promises seeking noticeable returns for the common man would have fallen short of Nitish’s deliveries so far. Meanwhile, blaming the RSS or Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion for a review of the reservation policy on economic grounds also does not make any sense. In view of the above, it is time for the BJP leadership to do some introspection.

Summarized Conclusion

Now that the Grand Alliance has tasted the never-anticipated triumph, it would be interesting to see how Nitish’s mode of governance (and his national ambitions) synchronizes with Lalu’s style of functioning, termed as Jungle Raj by his critics. An inapt combination in the state can halt the reform process and even lead to some law and order related issues, with the remote control of the government lying in the hands of Lalu.The Bihar verdict has boosted the confidence of the non-NDA parties, which may transform into a major challenge for Narendra Modi in the 2019 polls, with Nitish wanting to project himself as the common leader of the Opposition parties and a worthy contender for the top position.

For the BJP, the takeaways are many. Rhetoric politics and governance promises by themselves are no longer acceptable to the masses. Only proven and tangible results can fetch the much-needed votes and support. While state units have to be strengthened, leaders and workers need to be recognized andmotivated. They should also be paid for efficiently discharging their work with full commitment. Corrective measures should be initiated wherever necessary, sooner than later. Required help should be extended to the farmers in terms of providing them high-yielding seeds and easy credit facilities. Special schemes for the poor and the backward, making essential commodities easily available as well as child education are areas craving for immediate attention. And the best way to connect with the public on these issues is to nurture and create effective local leadership, an area the BJP seems to have neglected so far.

Moody’s, as well as the IMF and the World Bank, may have a positive outlook for the Indian economy, stalled projects may have been given the required boost, curative actions may have been initiated for dismantling obstructive laws, but the general public is craving for something else. Prime Minister Modi hasn’t been able to diagnose and find out what they really want. Meanwhile, the land bill hullabaloo hasn’t brought anythingpositive for the Modi-led NDA government, except the agitation of farmers. Had Nitish won the election with the BJP as an ally, had Lalu not been tagged as the originator of Bihar’s Jungle Raj, had the Grand Alliance not become a reality and had the castefactor not played any role in Bihar’s political firmament, then the verdict of November 8 would indeed have been a cause for celebration for the BJP. However, the reality is otherwise, and the post-poll scenario in Bihar has brought immense cheer to the Sahitya Akademi awardees who protested by returning their accolades. Their ploy to defame the Narendra Modi and the NDA government by raising allegations of “growing intolerance” seems to have worked.

Now the lesson for the general public is concerned with the segregation of Hindu votes based on castes and sub-castes, which in turn has helped political parties like the RJD dominate despite being disgraced for their past failures. Such parties have also been able to capitalize on the prevailing casteist and communal hatred, and they have managed to lure the Muslim votes and thereby emerged as strong challengers to the BJP. In fact, the humiliating defeat that the BJP suffered in the Bihar election can be attributed to this factor. Though, on a single-party basis, the BJP’ vote share of 24.8% is higher than the individual shares of 16.7% of the JDU and 18.5% for the RJD, it has not actually translated into any gain in terms of winning seats. Hence, it is disappointing to note this is how things work in India. However, if we want our future generations to land up respectable jobs and live good quality lives, it is high time we started shunning caste-based and community-based voting practices.

Bihar, the state where Nitish commenced ‘Vikas’, craves for many more development-oriented initiatives to enable itself to come out of the grip of underdevelopment and scarcity. For that to happen, a BJP-JDU collaboration would be in the best interest of Bihar and Biharis. So if both the political parties are willing to forsake their respective egos for the sake of the nation and in their own self-interest, then there is a bright future awaiting all the players. In the process, they can also set a unique examplefor other political parties to emulate. Meanwhile, if during the next five years the JDU and the RJD can maintain the same harmony that they had displayed prior to the announcement of the election results, then their government can show a splendid performance in Bihar in the coming five years. Meanwhile, the BJP can also learn a lot from what all went wrong in the Bihar elections and shun arrogance and over-confidence in future, which will help the party reap rich dividends in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, UP and other states.

Meanwhile, only time can say if Biharis have made the right or wrong choice by voting for the Grand Alliance. We can only hope that the newly-formed Nitish-led government is able to fulfill all the promises made to the people of the state

Patriotism is a noble virtue and supreme quality that every proud and law-abiding citizen of a nation wears like a medal of honour. An article of faith, patriotism is an ingrained trait that gives those living in a country a national identity. It binds people into a cohesive body and coalesce them into a unified driving force for the survival and development of a nation. It occupies pride of place in an array of qualities of an honourable citizen like integrity, pride and love for the state and collective self-esteem of people over and above all other commonalities such as religion, language or affinity to customs and traditions spread worldwide. The lack of patriotism in people would reduce a nation to a mere geographical landmass of zombies, distinct from living and breathing people whose patriotism is in sync with their readiness to live and die for their country.

Opportunist Politicians and Populism

In contrast, populism is tactical gimmickry adopted by wily politicians, who are desperate for power, popularity or narrow personal gains and espouse the cause of the common man who they say is exploited by the rich and the elite. Patriotism would be conspicuous by its absence in such persons for whom the larger interests of the nation or society are secondary. Even though they espouse noble aims and objectives like ridding the nation of corruption, improving the law and order situation or augmenting the standards and quality of the people, they have no vision or strategy and lack a road map and action plan. In the quest for power, they make compromises with forces interested in destabilizing the country, creating anarchy and conditions congenial for their selfish ends and purposes. Financed by evil forces with sinister designs like thwarting the Constitution or abetting communal and divisive forces for the ultimate destruction of the nation, they need a launching pad to catapult themselves to positions of political power. Populism is the Trojan horse that carries them to the highest echelons of power.

The Allure of Populism

Populism undoubtedly has a niche space in politics, whether it is regional or national. It is capable of carrying politicians on its steely wings to positions of power at dizzying heights but has no feet of credibility to stand on. The political landscape of our country has a surfeit of corrupt and unscrupulous politicians who try to quench their polydipsia for power at the fountainhead of all political authority, namely elections. Bereft of ideology and principles, such candidates try to appease the common man and promise freebies, sops, subsidies, improbable concessions and outlandish quotas for entry into government jobs and promotions in service and educational institutions for different segments of the society including on communal lines. Pandering to the demands of casteist and communal forces to grant undeserved concessions and quotas is fraught with the danger of fragmenting the society if and when such schemes are implemented. The speeches of demagogues are replete with catchy phrases and crispy slogans. Attractive promises are bandied about, sounding deceptively alluring, as well as viable and within the realm of political and administrative feasibility. Thus, they capture the imagination of the easily-swayed sections of the electorate who are gullible and naive and have them eating out of their hand. When electioneering is thus reduced to the level of a contest between unprincipled politicians who resort to the gimmick of populism on the one hand and parties and individuals who fight on the strength of political ideology and personal integrity on the other, the die is heavily loaded in favour of the former category. The electorate, weighed down with the harsh realities of the day-to-day life and yearning for immediate relief, no matter how interim, could tend to get carried away by flights of fancy induced by the speeches of the demagogue. In such circumstances, the elections could be no more than a case of the people being led up the garden path by opportunist politicos, the electorate being none the wiser.

Opportunist Politicians Exposed

Having deposited the position seekers, who had solely banked on its appeal, in high offices of profits at stupendous heights, which are notoriously fragile and unstable amid the whirlwinds of political turbulence, populism takes a backseat. Then it waits in the wings for the next set of opportunist politicians to come by and succumb to its seduction. Left now on their own, the power grabbers are precariously perched in high offices and come under the harsh scrutiny of the media and discerning people, the same ones who had voted for them on the basis of the promises and the slew of populist measures that the politicos had bandied about before the polls. Now they feel threatened and tend to get panicky about their political survival. With nary a roadmap nor an action plan to deliver on the promises made, the persons in the hot seat are exposed, and their real identity revealed – crass political opportunism, unvarnished. This tends to assume scary connotations in the post-poll scenario, in terms of economic viability, budgeting, pre and post-auditing and, above all, the compulsions of priority spending on more urgent projects and programs.

Still More Populism

Desperate to retain their offices of profit at any cost, the political opportunists, left denuded of the fig leaf of credibility and integrity, look to populism for their rescue once again. They announce more and more populist measures, freebies, sops and subsidies at enormous costs, with absolutely no qualms or compunction to explain to the intended beneficiaries as to how they propose to finance the schemes they are about to splurge on. No matter how politically well-informed, the less-than-modestly-enlightened segments of the public fall for the sweet talks of the crafty politicians. And apart from putting up with their political shenanigans, very often they keep returning the wrong ones to power time and again, hoping against hopes that the tide would turn. However, the situation keeps worsening before the bitter truth of bad governance hits the people and they look for the alternative – not any alternative, but the real one.

The Real Alternative

What is the real alternative?  A party with sound political ideology, a clear roadmap for a bright future, a viable action plan, and a strong leadership with a vision and determination to succeed, tempered with the spirit of patriotism. The course and drift of the electioneering such as a campaign free from fake promises and false assurances, hate speeches along communal lines and polarization of the society are evidently indicative of a healthy trend in the course correctness of alternative governance. The speeches delivered during such campaigns are often based on developmental issues and inclusive growth.

The Virtue of Patriotism

Patriotism presupposes the evil of dividing people along the rich-poor lines and the virtue of inclusive growth. At the best of times, like during peace and economic stability, it lies dormant as a spark in the heart of every law-abiding and proud citizen of the country. The spark of honour and love for the nation flares into a torch of patriotism, more often than not, in times of trials and tribulations in the course of the country’s history, like during external threat or wars. On such occasions, spurred on by the patriotic fervour every citizen pitches in for the nation’s unity and integrity. During times of peace, however, patriotism remains shrouded in the psyche and sub-conscience of the individual. While electing the government or evaluating its performance, patriotism becomes the touchstone. The patriotism of the individual citizen does not brook wrong doings on the part of the symbols of authority, political or bureaucratic, just as the government or bureaucratic machinery does not condone anti-national activities by the individual citizen.

Patriotism is a fire of river that everyone must swim and cross for redeeming his honour and pride when his integrity is challenged. This is especially so in the case of political parties and individual candidates fighting elections. Allegations of anti-people or anti-national stances leave a slur or stigma on a candidate to his utter detriment. This is the reason why election campaigns are full of speeches surcharged with pop patriotism to vindicate one’s own integrity and all sorts of allegations against rival candidates to besmirch their reputation.

Party of Principles and Patriotism

Political parties that get elected to office on the strength of their development programs, economic policies, inclusive growth and non-divisive approach to a multilingual, multi-religious and multicultural society, cannot but be guided by patriotism in all their policies and actions. Their policies and actions are bound to be in stark contrast to those of the opportunist politicians who ride the wings of populism to power and hold offices of profit solely on the strength of their populist policies that are counterproductive to sustained economic growth. Some of their actions based on the hard options available to the government like taxation, stopping or curtailing of subsidies, withholding of concessions that cause an excessive drain on resources, etc are like bitter pills for a healthy economic growth. In such cases, the Opposition parties do not miss an opportunity to criticize the government for taking measures that are described by them as anti-people.

All the same, even a party of lofty policies and noble principles, with a highly motivated leadership, endowed with a vision, determination and will to succeed in its mission for the restoration of the nation’s lost glory and the upliftment of the society, cannot afford to abruptly scrap or withdraw, while in power, certain populist measures that have been already introduced by the previous governments. This is because of the apprehension that such a course correction will draw avoidable flak. For the people such tightening of belt hurts; more so when decreed by law. Such a predicament does not, however, make the party any less principled than when it started off in power and definitely no less patriotic. Thus, the party of principles in power is saddled with the twin responsibility of providing good governance and also convincing the people about the course correctness of the non-perfect alignment of its policies and actions owing to the prevailing political conditions taken with the larger interests of the nation in mind. This situation is exploited by the Opposition parties by projecting it as a sign of weakness, if not a downright failure, on the part of the ruling party in implementing its policies and programs. Beyond a limit, the party has to be reconciled to grinning and bearing the accusations, leaving it all to the better judgment of the thinking public.

The Poll Scenario

While contesting bitter polls, participated in by mealy-mouthed politicians who stoop to mudslinging and casting aspersions on the integrity of the representatives of the party with principles, politicians whose strongest asset is patriotism and the most effective poll plank developmental programs and inclusive growth, are hard put to fight their case on what is evidently not a level playing field. In pockets of constituencies that are economically lagging behind in comparative terms, focusing on long-term projects, programs or goals for the development of the State’s economy is a hard sell. Where there are crunching poverty, rampant unemployment, deep-rooted communal divide and deplorable rates of literacy, midterm and long-term economic programs do not resonate with the people as much as populist schemes and announcements of freebies and sops, which have immense appeal in the short term. As such, the people who trade their invaluable votes for cheap material gains cannot be faulted for lacking patriotism in the discharge of their fundamental democratic duty of electing their representatives to the legislature. However, the opportunist politicians who exploit the miserable conditions of the people should most certainly not escape the charge of compromising on their patriotism.

Patriotism Flourishes, Populism Flounders

While populism has feet of clay, patriotism is deep-rooted.  While one vacillates, the other is resolute and unyielding. Populism survives on the crutches of falsehood, tall talks and empty promises, whereas patriotism thrives and flourishes on honesty and truth. When the immediate appeal of populism wears off, the crafty politicians are exposed for the men of straw that they are. The true leaders of the people whose hallmark is their unwavering patriotism, bide their time. And by the sheer dint of determination and uncompromising stand on their policies, they prevail over all sorts of odds and adversities to emerge as farsighted visionaries or courageous statesmen.

Judicious Choice

On their part, people realize that patriotism and populism are as different as cheese and chalk. Political maturity and sagacity gained over a period, combined with hindsight, enable them to ward off the spurious stuff and settle for the genuine option in the service of the nation. In short, individual members of the society should put the collective welfare and development of the country above their personal interests. Ultimately, voting judiciously and electing politicians known for their patriotism and dedication to the service of the nation is the collective responsibility of the people in the interests of the nation as well as in their own interest.

By virtue of the tremendous responsibility vested in them, politicians in a democratic nation like India are expected to be as much responsible for their speeches as for their actions. It is especially so concerning the speeches made by them before the elections because it is primarily on the strength of these speeches that they get elected. The pre-poll speeches made by politicians are generally in the nature of propagation of the policies and programs of their parties; the action plan contained in their party’s election manifesto and objective criticism of the rival parties. In reality, however, much of the time is spent by them, while electioneering, in unceremoniously castigating the rival parties and tarnishing the image of their candidates in a no-holds-barred attack, rather than on explaining their own party’s policies and programs or action plan for the next five years that are of crucial importance to the public.

This is primarily because, an unscrupulous and unprincipled party in power very often misuses its position, power, and other resources by twisting the facts related to its own misrule and by fabricating false statistics about development and misleading announcements through the state machinery. Furthermore, it does not have any qualms about garnering vast sums of money from corporate houses and moneymaking enterprises that are at the mercy of the government for ensuring hassle-free operation of their activities. Besides, black marketeers, tax dodgers and anti-national elements who stash away hordes of black money in overseas tax havens, tend to take great pains to remain in the good books of the government by financing the costs of electioneering of the ruling party.

Slanging Matches

Consequently, the ruling party ends up with having so much to hide from the public glare, apart from its own law-enforcing agencies. In a bid to divert the attention of the public, it hits out at the Opposition parties, which try to unearth the misdoings and misdemeanors of the ruling party. The electioneering then ends up as a slanging match between the two sides, with the electorate looking for a comparative analysis of the roadmaps of the two sides for evaluating the right party for their votes. Sometimes they are left high and dry. What is particularly distressing is the fact that many a politician refuses to enter into a meaningful debate with the rival candidate on how their party proposes to develop the nation and serve the people. Instead, they settle down to the easier option of flinging baseless charges of corruption, allegations of moral turpitude and accusations of lack of integrity on the part of their rivals.

Their bravado and braggadocio, are neither thought-provoking nor are their speeches made with the welfare of the public in mind. They constitute mere gimmickry aimed at the gullible masses that tend to get carried away by the show of sound and fury instead of light and substance. Listening to the demagogue whose speeches are full of fire and brimstone but no substance, an impartial observer cannot help wondering as to why such spiteful behaviour comprising vile language and insidious but unsubstantiated charges against the rival candidate is allowed to go, more often than not, unnoticed by the law and a benign public with a mere smirk and oodles of philosophical detachment! Normally, such speeches can easily land the speaker in prison if it were not made on a public platform and involved two persons in their individual capacities. Matters have come to such a sorry pass in our country, not because of political immaturity on the part of the public but entirely on account of lack of accountability on the part of the rabble-rousers for making slanderous speeches.
Why the Accountability?    

In the long run, an absence of accountability would most definitely derail democracy and lead to the emergence of an autocratic or totalitarian form of governance and eventually to dictatorship. Any person in a position of power could potentially be as fickle-minded as the man next to him and his decisions capricious if he is not answerable to higher authority or accountable for his actions. Who could wield more power in a democracy than politicians that get elected as people’s representatives and become lawmakers of the nation? As their decisions and follow-up actions in the service of the nation are supposed to be in the best interests of the people whom they represent and are intended to bring greater good to the greater number of people, it is absolutely necessary that they be accountable to the lawmaking bodies, namely legislatures, and through them, answerable to the people.

This is precisely the reason why debates and discussions taking place in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies are directly telecast for view by the public who have a right to know how a law is passed and convince themselves that a law is not unilaterally or whimsically passed by a single erring politician or a group of politicians with vested interests. The legislative bodies are the most powerful and sovereign organ of the democratic form of governance. Members of the legislative bodies are not answerable for their speeches and actions made on the floor of the House, either to the executive or the judiciary. Nor are they accountable to the Media, which spares no opportunity to ruthlessly address and criticize their decisions and actions. They are solely answerable to the people who have elected them. This enables them to fearlessly participate in debates and discussions on issues that impinge on the lives of the people and the course of progress of the nation.

Right to Recall

However, the voting public in India does not have the right to recall a legislator no matter how irresponsible or ineffective he is found. Bad policies and non-implementation of good policies can only be criticized by the people in the public fora like the Social Media, with the Mainstream Media (MSM) that has its own agenda, often failing to objectively report the mood swings and pulse of the people. Spontaneous protest marches and rallies held by the public to demonstrate their displeasure with the powers that be over matters of national interest often degenerate into unruly gatherings thanks to the agents provocateur of an unscrupulous ruling party and sometimes even by the machinations of some Opposition party or other with vested interests, aiming to bring discredit to the government.

In the circumstances, only political parties are in a position to successfully organize and hold such events. Even then, protest marches and rallies if frequently held disrupt the smooth flow of business and cause tremendous inconvenience to the people. Moreover, such gatherings of crowds could become a convenient opportunity for anti-national or anti-social elements bent on sabotaging peace and tranquility and instilling in the minds of the people a fear psychosis. Protest marches and rallies held by members of the public or political parties should, therefore, be allowed by the authorities only in exceptional circumstances like when there is a tremendous and sudden spontaneous surge of emotions on the part of the people.

Such events should be allowed only on the basis of a mandatory undertaking from the organizers that they would be personally responsible for the maintenance of law and order during the event. What is of still more importance is the putting in place of a badly-needed Right to Recall, which would allow the people of any constituency to recall their legislator under certain conditions like when he fails to fulfill out his pre-poll promises or has flagrantly misled the people into electing him.

Freedom of Expression Misused

The Right to Freedom of Expression guaranteed by the Constitution is quite frequently misused by the motor mouths among the politicians. There have been many instances in the living memory when important leaders of some political outfits that are, in reality, nothing more than communal organizations, targeted certain sections and communities for launching virulent verbal attacks on communal lines; apart from making flagrantly provocative and venomous speeches against the targeted community and hurting their religious sentiments. Such politicians have even dared to challenge the authority of the law-enforcing agencies – all in the name of Right to Freedom of Expression! As of now, these politicos who are, in reality, nothing more than agent provocateurs of anti-national forces from across the border, merely have cases registered against them by the police for making inflammatory speeches and causing a potentially explosive situation between different communities.

Peace-loving people of the community that come under the insidious and unwarranted verbal attack by a bunch of rabid communal elements given to fits of bigotry and attack of verbal diarrhea, easily become vexed with the mild nature of action initiated by the authorities. Such actions are restricted to mere registering of cases. Furthermore, disposal of such cases gets inordinately delayed because of the slow pace of progress of judicial action albeit due to genuine problems. A clear case of breach of the spirit of democracy is when a rabid speaker of a measly communal outfit attacks a numerically stronger community along communal lines. This not only hurts their religious sentiments but sometimes tend to remain out of the clutches of the Law!

Such situations are fraught with danger of getting out of control and degenerating into avoidable communal conflagrations between communities living thus far in peace. It is sometimes observed that the law-enforcing agencies do not push the envelope beyond a limit by way of bringing the guilty to book, nor the erring politico is reined in by the leadership of his party. In fact, such politicos are allowed to roam around freely and make with impunity more and more hate speeches, every one of which is a shade more sinister than the previous one.

Aside from the helplessness of the law enforcing agencies, and the growing sense of despondency on the part of the peace-loving people, some politicians belonging to the rival camp, who do not want to lag behind, retaliate by making counter attacks in the form of speeches. Though such reactions may be justified in the context of the provocative speech made earlier or may even be a kneejerk reaction by a few individual politicians, some mischievous elements project it as the official line and a sign of arrogance on the part of the party that tries to protect the interests of the community attacked. Sections of the Mainstream Media, given to sensationalism, often play up such instances and cause further rifts between communities.

Vote Bank Politics

It would be too naive to expect the rabble rousers to be punished and trounced at the next round of polls by the peace-loving people. This is because such errant politicians usually contest from what are considered ‘safe constituencies,’ a misnomer for pocket boroughs of influential persons, where people of certain communities allow themselves to play into the hands of politicians of communal proclivity that encourage vote bank politics, and vote on communal lines. In such cases, gross misuse of the Right to Freedom of Expression should be made punishable under charges of sedition. Moreover, other punishments, including disqualification from contesting elections or making speeches in the public, should be meted out.

Religious Congregations and Places of Worship Misused

Religious congregations and places of worship are often misused by the rabid clergy and communal political leaders for making hate speeches and provoking people into mounting physical assault and attacks against members of other communities. The persons in charge of such places should be asked to give a mandatory periodical undertaking that they will be personally responsible for maintaining and upholding the religious sanctity of the places and that they would not allow the premises for anti-national and insidious purposes on pain of exemplary punishment in the case of default.

Performance and Action Plan

One of the first things that politicians do after coming to power is to take advantage of the short span of the voting people’s collective memory and let their party’s election manifesto die a natural death by completely ignoring it. They settle down to a comfortable life of reacting to day-to-day situations, problems, and crises. The Opposition parties, on their part, get to the busy mode of shoring up the way of the government, any number of day-to-day situations, problems, and crises. Besides, much of the time of the government is spent in exposing more and more scams and corruptions involving the previous government.

The Opposition parties are too hard put to defend themselves from the government’s allegations and accusations to get down to the real work of pricking the government’s conscience on delivering on its pre-poll promises. Such a paradoxical situation leads to the roadmap and action plan for the ruling party becoming more and more irrelevant and infructuous with the passage of time. The people, on their part, are too preoccupied with the availability or non-availability of the essential commodities, cost of living, rate of inflation and continuous dents and knocks to their quality of life in general, to be bothered about the glories or disgrace of the government or its lambasting by a peevish Opposition trying to justify its existence with shifting stances on eminently forgettable issues like Communalism and Secularism vis-a-vis crucial issues of development and inclusive growth of the nation.

In the circumstances, it would be in the fitness of things to create an autonomous rating agency as a part of the legislative bodies both at the Central and State levels to monitor not only the performance of the political parties in terms of their election manifesto but also that of their elected representatives in terms of their attendance and participation in the activities of the legislatures. There should be a constant and continuous updating of the ratings, which should be accessible to the public desirous of knowing about the output of their representatives and their parties. Such a course of action would not only be reflective of the performance of the politicians but also make them truly accountable to the people of the nation.

Dear eminent awardees, your capabilities and competence to comprehend issues are much more than the common man of the country. Your works are cherished by the society, your views followed and your verdicts noted. Then isn’t any act of insulting the country and renowned institutions by returning souvenirs of applause a defamation of the jury and of the countrymen? The aim of this writing is to bring a slight variation in your perusal of present happenings. Also, being from the same community and having pursued writing for long, I should not blame you of being politically driven against an established and reformist union government, after all liberty of speech and expression is what that makes us free in true sense; however the debates in this context are more or less being diverted to politics, which is a strong reason to give your stand a second thought. I may breach my limits in the following paragraphs by making you remember that the awards aren’t just the money associated with them or the plagues, citations and mementos, they are hopes that the society and the nation have from persons of your caliber and excellence. Isn’t the return of awards an outright murder of this hope?

History of the Republic of India isn’t unknown. The Vedic period, rise of the Maurya and Guptas, followed by the ferocious Delhi Sultanate, Mughal era and the colonial rule are the chapters of academic books, and notable writers and other awardees are more familiar with times past than a common Indian. Post-independence era, when the notions of democracy, secularism, equality and freedom gained utmost prominence, the exploitation of these, which we expected to bring Ram-Rajya, by political parties did not allow India to advance in the way envisaged by the makers of the Constitution. Cases of oppression of Dalit, communal appeasement, ignorance of women and child rights, and breach of internal security by extremist forces have been more than what a nation could sustain. Now the question which shoots up is that weren’t these awardees aware of the globally known and many a time criticized Indian social state of affairs at the time of accepting awards from eminent Indian institutions?

Communal violence, or the so-called ‘vitiated atmosphere’, has prevailed in India for a long now. Mentioning the Muslim sovereignty that began with the founding of the Delhi Sultanate by the ruler of Slave Dynasty, Iltutmish and subsequent conquests by Timur, Nader Shah and others makes sense to let the protagonists of secularism in modern India know that today’s India is way more stable and tolerant than pre-independence times. It is also true that the Republic of India hasn’t been out-and-out prolific in delivering concepts of equality and freedom as treasured in the supreme law of the land, for which mischievous interpretation of ‘freedom of religion’ and ‘secular nation’ can be widely held liable. Here, it is also vital to note that if the call for banning of cow slaughter is viewed as an outright strategy or ‘propaganda’ of right groups to make India a pro-Hindu country then any pacific and meaningful solution would remain out of reach. Isn’t it quite uncomplicated that considering the faith of Hindus, who unluckily form a majority in the so-called secular India, with respect to cows, outlawing acts of cow slaughter is not a sin and nothing that can promote intolerance?

It is expected out of learned writers and the honourable awardees of Sahitya Akademy that they interpret present happenings in a wider parlance and in a way that promotes communal harmony instead of igniting the feelings of discord and insecurity among the minorities. Film-makers, who have earned accolades from the government for their endeavors to promote art and creativity, are looked upon by the nation as promoters of social congruence; their returning the awards for alleged intolerance against minority is more like letting your presence felt by ‘exploiting a timely opportunity’. At a time when India is excelling towards technological and scientific advancements, a veteran scientist’s step to return his Padma Bhushan award is a clear deviation from setting upright examples for the future generation; holding the present central government responsible for any and every acts of intolerance, for which governments of respective states are liable, is an unfounded excuse that can hardly justify returning of awards.

It is afraid to note that instances like ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits, Mumbai and Delhi bombings, 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Godhra train burning and never-ending suppression of Dalit, women and children could not create a feeling of anxiety among scholars who today see no other option than insulting the decision of the distinguished panels that honoured their works. Have we become so insensitive when it comes to overpowering of the rights of Hindus, women and children, or does secularism hold value in the Indian context only when minority group is devoid of some special rights, even when under the doctrine of equality? Lynching of a man in the state of UP over alleged consumption of cow meat is in no sense a justifiable act and condemning the same is the duty of every government, state or central. In the light of this, however, questioning the intentions of central government with respect to Indian secular setup is exceedingly imprudent, corrupt. It is the state government’s duty to maintain a law and order situation that permits relishing of fundamental rights; declaring the so-called propaganda of the Modi-led government to spread Hindu supremacy as a cause is nothing else than politicizing the matter.

When a Chief Minister of an Indian state dares the centrally ruling government to act against him for eating beef, when a senior leader from an opposition party declares that RSS holds the remote control of country’s administration and when a minister from the UP state government talks of his plan to write to the United Nations about lynching of a man over beef row, the political milieu of our country that revolves around appeasing separate communities and castes for votes stands blamable. However, intellectual personalities, awarded for their notable works, when ‘use’ such events as a motivation to protest, their objective and timing becomes questionable. Suicides by Indian farmers, rapes of minor girls, violence against women and thousands of street children on the roads of metropolis demand courtesy of writers, activists, film makers and others associated directly or indirectly with the social sphere. But this as well, does not seek return of awards as a means to protest inefficiency of the government. In their respective domains, these people hold enough authority and influence to express their worries, resorting to defaming the elected central government and its representatives is senseless and infertile.

In the states of UP, Bihar and Bengal, politics of communalism and appeasement has been the most reliable means to rise to the echelons of being an MP, MLA or a CM. Now when the same has led to troubles, which you must agree is a reciprocal occurrence, nervousness has found its place among pseudo-seculars. Though no one can be held accountable unless an unbiased investigation reveals findings, one side of the coin foretells that communal forces would not mind harming the members of the vote-bank they rely upon during polls so that the meritoriously functioning union government can be stopped from gaining support in legislative elections. The other side is shady; no one from the general public or the writers and scholars returning their accolades can give a clear verdict. Then why accuse the BJP government just on grounds that RSS is their ideological mentor and this voluntary organization does not find a reputable standing in the eyes of pseudo-seculars? Barbarism against any community holds no place in the Indian democratic and secular setup, in the wake of this expression, however, politics should not be permitted to thrive illicitly.

From where has the question of infringement of right to free speech and expression has arisen is hard to understand. In the past one year, more so since the BJP has been elected to power, freedom of speech has thrived extraordinarily; the awardees, opposition political parties, religious leaders and others have not only criticized the BJP of being biased against the minority, they have also halted the process of much-needed social and economic reforms. The massacre of free speech during national emergency of 1975, during anti-Sikh riots of 1984 and on many such occasions is to be compared with what the state of affairs India is experiencing today. News debates, press conferences and one-on-one discussions are filled with free expressions, some in support and many against the government of the day. The leader of the country talks about and advocates harmony among communities and inclusive development then isn’t halting the process of growth and reforms the most forbidden use of freedom of expression?

What this entire episode has boiled down to is just an attack against the Modi-led government; manufactured or not, but this is the bitter truth and awardees returning their accolades ought to realize this. When Moody’s, World Bank and IMF are bullish on India’s prospects, a sudden turmoil is washing away all the hard work. Also, the incessant pain of Kashmiri Pandits, their exodus from own houses, now seems a trivial issue owing to awardees sudden anxiety just for a few atrocities, planned or unplanned, against people from minority groups. Indeed, this raises a question mark on the acumen of eminent people who opted for silence all through the time which was adverse for the Hindus and now doubt the intentions of the central government. Very bitter this may sound but the ‘Grand Alliance’ of Bihar against the lone BJP is supplemented by a cartel of national awardees. While they are alleging ‘enhanced intolerance’, politically stable government of the country is being burdened. One such attempt in Gujarat has recently been busted by the investigation agency, which validates scrupulous measures against the government. Needless to say, returning award can be anyone’s personal choice, but unverified accusations, which can arouse communal tension, by deliberately making minority groups feel insecure, against a democratically elected government is a plain act of sedition, a novel addition to pseudo-secularism.

http://www.bharatniti.in/story/open-letter-to-award-returnees-is-returning-awards-a-new-addition-to-pseudo-secularism/90

Terrorism has been growing unabated the world over since the late 20th century. It has been used as a tool or weapon seldom by nation states but largely by ragtag terrorist outfits or ideologically-motivated groups of fighters against stable regimes in countries like Israel, India, USA and Russia. Of late, those who resort to terrorism call themselves freedom fighters or jihadists and are motivated by the ideological conviction of throwing occupation forces of colonial nations out of the lands that they claim belong to them by right.

They consider the USA their arch enemy and have been hitting and hurting the American interests and strategic assets practically all over the world, including the mainland US. Some of the terrorist outfits such as the Islamic State (IS) have, in a wide overreach of their unbridled ambition, declared the establishment of a Caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. The IS dreams of expanding its suzerainty over the entire West Asian and Gulf areas as well as several European, African, Mediterranean and South Asian countries, including sizable parts of India.

In their operations, they adopt medieval and barbaric practices like committing brutal and indiscriminate killings, rape, slavery, destruction and desecration of places of worship of conflicting and minority religious groups. They also enforce fastidious religious edicts dating back to medieval ages on pain of excruciating death or incapacitation not only against opposing armies but amongst the civilian population of the enemy countries as well. They have already committed numerous war crimes against humanity like ethnic cleansing, genocide, cultural cleansing, etc. The brutal onslaught of their inhuman terror attack is still on in full swing.

War on Terror

The War on Terror declared by the then US President George W Bush in October 2001 following the devastating terror attacks on key targets in the US by Al Qaeda, for hounding out the Al Qaeda leaders and cadre and bringing the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan to an end, was drastically toned down and brought practically to a halt, after success was partially achieved, by President Barack Obama in 2013. President Obama acknowledged that it was more pragmatic and prudent to selectively carry out military attacks on selected targets of terrorists rather than fight a global war on Terror as a tactic.

The US and its allies are currently engaged in a fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. USA’s ally Pakistan has not, however, been fully committed in the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda and has been doing far from enough to restrain and control the assorted groups of terrorists much to the chagrin of the US. Separately, the US, along with its NATO and non-NATO allies, has been fighting a war in Iraq and Syria since 2013 against the IS in addition to a war against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has, in a show of defiance to the US dominance in the region, come out in support of President Assad and joined the fray by mounting intensive aerial attacks against IS in Syria, causing immense damage to the enemy.

Defence Preparedness

Defence preparedness must be a country’s topmost priority as it is critical for the very survival of any nation state. In this context, given India’s geographical location and the complex nature of its political relations with its neighbours, especially China and Pakistan, our country is required to be on the alert all the time. After attaining independence in 1947, India has already fought five bitter wars with Pakistan and China. While some were won by us, the others were either inconclusive or downright disastrous. None of the wars brought the nation prosperity or material gain. They were not intended to.

Those were wars that we had to fight at enormous costs to defend the country’s territory and save our nation’s honour. Besides, the armed forces have to be on the alert practically all the time, with barely any let-up, on account of the countless numbers of border incursions, indiscriminate shootings from across the frontier without provocation, military conflagrations, skirmishes, flare-ups and standoffs likely to degenerate into warlike situations. Thus, high defence preparedness is an inescapable deterrent not only in conventional warfare but also in the war against terrorism.

The current defence budget of our country is a whopping Rs 250,000 crore. Moreover, the BJP-led NDA government has been giving topmost priority for the modernization of the armed forces, equipping the forces with the most modern weapons and equipment, refurbishing the ageing fleets of fighter aircrafts and warships and tweaking the DRDO for indigenous defence production. Notwithstanding the fact that India is not a superpower with an inexhaustible supply of resources to spend on the protection of its territory and strategic assets as well as the lives and property of its citizens at enormous costs, our country has been making steady progress in its defence preparedness.

Pakistan and Terrorism

Dismayed over its failure to take on India in traditional warfare, Pakistan considers terrorism a genuine weapon to be used for resolving its feud with India. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has turned out to be a fertile ground for the breeding of terrorists. Uneducated and unemployed youth are recruited, indoctrinated and trained in carrying out terror attacks by Pakistan’s intelligence agency and army. They infiltrate into India by crossing the border, under the cover of fire from Pakistani troops.

These terrorists are heavily armed with guns, explosives, fake Indian currency, etc supplied by the ISI and the Pakistani army. They establish contacts with the disgruntled separatist elements and mercenaries in the Kashmir Valley, with whose help they manage to spread on to different parts of India. The aim of these jihadist elements is to carry out terror attacks, kill or maim innocent people and cause damage to the political fabric of the country. Destabilizing the political system of India and creating chaos in the orderly life of its citizens are the goals of the terrorists.

Objective of Terrorism

The target of a terrorist is not a professional army nor its objective victory in a war. The target is the civilian population, and the aim is to make them freeze into inaction and make the nation bleed. A series of explosions is carried out in a metropolitan city within a short span of time, causing the death of scores of defenceless and vulnerable people in a densely populated area, thus rudely interrupting and throwing the daily routine of the survivors of the mayhem out of gear. The idea is to show off the ability of the security forces to protect the citizens of the country in poor light.

For instance, a commercial airliner is hijacked, and hundreds of passengers are held captive and demand for the release of some militants held in a high-security prison are put forward. The entire nation plunges into gloom and uncertainty and wonders what is going to happen next. Irrespective of the final outcome of the standoff between the terrorists and the law-enforcing agencies, the tension and uncertainty created by the incident are what the terrorists want to achieve in the long run. The release of the incarcerated militants is a short-term goal. Similarly, on the eve of festivals and national holidays, people are advised by the police authorities to avoid crowded areas, be alert and watch out for suspicious-looking persons lurking around and suspicious-looking objects lying about.

The need to be on a perpetual state of alert causes the joy and euphoria of hanging around in the public fizzle out and render the festive atmosphere fall flat like a cola without the fizz. Public places surcharged with an extremely sanitized atmosphere, and crawling security agencies, in the uniform or plainclothes, are the last places that one wishes to visit on a holiday and spend quality time in the company of family or friends. When the holiday is finally over, instead of reliving moments filled with fun and frolic and looking for doing it again, one heaves a sigh of relief and shudders at the thought of the horror that could have resulted if things had gone wrong in case of a terror attack, which was very much on the radar of possibility but mercifully did not occur.

Prime Minister Modi’s Initiatives

No sooner had he been elected as the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, than Narendra Modi demonstrated his proactive stance in mending fences with Pakistan. He invited the Prime Minister of Pakistan along with Heads of other member countries of SAARC to his inauguration.  In the one-to-one meeting that he had with Nawaz Sharif, he made it abundantly clear that his Government would give no quarter to acts of terror on the Indian soil by Pak-trained militants. He also insisted on the expeditious trial of the terrorists involved in the attacks carried out in Mumbai in 2008.

Simultaneously, he made a positive gesture by agreeing to host talks between the two countries at the level of Foreign Secretary. This was followed up by another pro-active measure by his agreeing with Nawaz Sharif in his meeting in Ufa, Russia, to host talks on terrorism at the level of the National Security Advisers of the two countries in August this year. Due to the recalcitrant behaviour of Pakistan, the talks did not materialize on either occasion. This was entirely because of the obduracy of Pakistan, which was not willing to discuss terrorism and was keen on the leader of its delegation being allowed to meet the Kashmiri separatist leaders before the scheduled talks commenced.

India would not allow Pakistan under any circumstances to cross the new red lines, talks or no talks. There has resultantly been a standoff on India’s peace initiatives. To make matters worse, Pakistan has been lambasting India for allegedly instigating and abetting acts of terror in Balochistan! Pakistan’s NSA, Sartaj Aziz, went to the extent of threatening India with Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.

Pakistan in a Bind

On account of the fact that Pakistan had already carried out 192 ceasefire violations until July 29 this year along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir resulting in significant civilian and defence casualties, Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag pointed out that a very high level of operational preparedness at all times had become part of India’s strategy as there was recognition that the swift, short nature of future wars was likely to offer limited warning time. Meanwhile, his Pakistani counterpart threatened India with “unbearable damage” in the event of a war.

Notwithstanding Pakistan’s brandishing the threat of a nuclear attack from time to time, India has already demonstrated its capability of striking at the terror elements that take refuge in other countries, by successfully carrying out a short and swift commando operation in the jungles of Myanmar earlier this year. This has resulted in Pakistan feeling all the more threatened of the terror network that it has been assiduously building on its territory coming under a similar deadly attack by Indian forces.

A measure of tremendous importance taken by Prime Minister Modi was to formally conclude and finalize the Land Border Agreement with Bangladesh as this measure would enable the authorities to monitor the situation of infiltration of undesirable elements into India – a vital step in the war on terrorism. The cyber laws need to be tightened, and punishment for violation or infringement made harsh by the government to ensure that terrorists do not succeed in using the internet and social media for propagation or recruitment purposes.

Addressing Global Terrorism

In his recent visit to the US in September this year, Narendra Modi had meetings with US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande, and they discussed global terrorism, among other things. He pointed out in these meetings as well as his address at the UN that terrorism was a global phenomenon that had an adverse impact on practically every country without exception. And no country was immune to this threat, which India had been battling for four decades now. Modi also pointed out that the time had come for the international community to speak with one voice on this issue and adopt the long pending Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, which had been delayed because of the disagreement on the definition of terrorism. Modi’s views were met with agreement from his interlocutors.

Pakistan’s Counter-Charge

Pakistan has claimed that it has handed over to the UN Secretary General dossiers purportedly containing details of alleged Indian interference and also support for terrorism in Balochistan and Karachi as well as the links between its security and intelligence agencies and the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, especially in FATA. Pakistan’s representative at the UN accused India of using the “terrorism bogey” for stalling the bilateral dialogue between the two countries.

Rubbishing Pakistan’s four-point formula for peace, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asserted earlier it was ready to discuss all the issues if the neighbouring country addressed “just one” point of ending terrorism emanating from there. She also referred in her address to the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai attacks who have been roaming around freely in Pakistan and urged the world community to ensure that countries providing finances, safe havens and arms to terrorists “pay a heavy price”.

People’s Role in the War

While India government is thus fighting its case against terrorism at the international fora, the people of the country would do well not to lose track of their own role in the ongoing war on terrorism. Eternal vigilance is the price that every nation has to pay for liberty. Unless the people are attuned to the developments in this regard on the international front and are psychologically prepared to play their part, the government’s efforts in this regard would remain incomplete. The responsibility that weighs with the people assumes greater significance because of the fact that the onslaught of the terrorists has dangerous religious connotations capable of causing a rift in the society along communal lines.

Hence, for the common man the need of the hour is to be vigilant and combine it with the ability to identify the troublemakers without deliberately offending the susceptibilities of the peaceful and law-abiding citizens of any of the communities. It would be a good idea to form area-wise citizens’ peace committees to act, strictly in coordination with law-enforcement agencies and not on their own as loose cannons, to act as the eyes and ears of the said agencies and report cases of suspicious activities of strangers or residents suspected of involvement in cases of inciting violence, money laundering or such unlawful activities.

Regular meetings of police authorities with community leaders and representatives of political parties could help avert instances of irresponsible behaviour by irascible elements, inflammatory speeches, etc. Local friendship associations could be formed with the participation of youngsters from all communities to forge a healthy understanding between the communities. It must be ensured that religious festivals and functions are peacefully organized to avoid situations where potential terrorists could cause trouble and create explosive situations.

Contingency plans should also be put in place for managing the situation in case of a terrorist attack, without allowing rumours to spread and the situation to get out of control. These are but a few of the baby steps that members of every residential area should be able to adopt. Above all, complacency should be nixed and replaced by eternal vigilance.

Are We Doing Enough?

No amount of preparation is enough to keep such a large country as India with a huge population, given the idiosyncrasies of the system and the society, out of harm’s way all the time. But all of us can rest assured that the current BJP-led NDA government is closing the gaping holes in the system and chinks in the defence armour. Bits and pieces are falling in place in our country’s preparations, slowly but steadily. And surely, we will overcome the odds and win the war. There is no choice.

Pakistan’s shenanigans leading to the last minute cancellation of the National Security Adviser-level meetings with India, which had been scheduled for end-August this year, portended the fate of the negotiations and were a part of the high voltage drama that preceded the ominous denouement. Pakistan’s announcement, calling off the talks, came neither as a surprise nor as a shock. India had already called Pakistan’s bluff when it made the ground rules for the talks abundantly clear. India would not acquiesce to the importunate demands of Pakistan for the expansion of the scope of the talks beyond terrorism and for its envoy to be allowed to meet the Kashmiri separatist leaders during his visit to Delhi for the talks.

Pakistan called off the talks purportedly on the grounds that talks, if held on India’s “preconditions”, would serve no purpose, making it obvious to India and the rest of the world that the only “purpose” it had in mind was the appropriation of the whole of  Kashmir, part of which has already been under its forceful occupation. Pakistan would be ready for talks at the NSA-level or, for that matter, at any level, only if it is convinced that the talks centered around what it considers as the “core issue” of all talks between the two countries viz. Kashmir.

Terrorism as a Tool

Ironically, talks or no talks, Pakistan considers the use of terrorism as a low-intensity weapon fair and square. Whenever India has protested against acts of terrorism orchestrated on its soil by its Western neighbour and ceasefire violations by the latter’s troops, Pakistan has turned the table on India by feigning to be the real victim of the aggression and terrorism. Divided by the Shia-Sunni religious schism that has fuelled a spate of mindless violence with alarming regularity, which has already claimed the lives of thousands of its own people, Pakistan has been a fertile breeding ground of ragtag outfits with an extremely narrow religious orientation and unbridled political ambitions.

Such militants have regularly and frequently trained their guns against India with aid and assistance from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and army. After infiltrating into India and creating mayhem and death by striking at vulnerable civilian targets, the terrorist elements sneak back to the safe haven of Pakistan, where they lie low till they embark on the next round of assault on Indian targets. Pakistan has not hesitated to accuse India of instigating and abetting terrorist activities in Balochistan and being the perpetrator of the border violations.

Kashmir-centric Policy

Pakistan has never shied away from thumping its chest over its nuclear-power nation status and daring India to use its military might against it. This has been the pattern of events, marked by Pakistan’s unhelpful and unacceptable response to initiatives by India to discuss outstanding issues between the two countries. It is evident that Pakistan’s policy about India has been simple – Kashmir-centric. It is hardly interested in easing of trade restrictions or the improvement of people-to-people relations, like in the consular, sport and cultural fields. Any reference by India to the export of terrorism by Pakistan meets with stiff resistance and negation from the latter. Furthermore, Pakistan has not hesitated to vilify India of trying to act like a regional superpower against its smaller neighbour.

Birth of Pakistan

The chequered relations between the two South Asian neighbours have witnessed many a conflict and upheaval over the years. The birth of the theocratic nation of Pakistan was the inevitable fallout of a diabolical plot foisted on India, poised on the threshold of independence from a colonial past of two hundred years. It was the outcome of an unholy nexus of the outgoing colonial forces, which were none-too-happy about the prospects of the emergence of a strong united India on the one hand, and fundamentalist religious elements of the sub-continent with a warped mindset that wanted to carve out a geographical niche where they could perpetuate their medieval religious dogma and procrustean value system, on the other.

The cataclysmic events that led to India’s partition, marked the most tragic and portentous moment in the post-colonial history of India, having taken a toll of over a million lives and hundreds of thousands of broken homes, migration of over seventeen million people between the two countries and the consequent loss of home and hearth, constituting the most horrendous human tragedy of a colossal scale seldom witnessed in history.

Pak-occupied-Kashmir

Immediately after India’s partition, Muslim tribal militias entered the border of the Princely State of Kashmir and tried to secure large areas for Pakistan. They were actively assisted in the bid by regular Pakistani troops. In the ensuing conflict, the Indian Army came to the rescue of the Princely State’s forces at the request of Maharaja Hari Singh, who entered into the Instrument of Accession with India. After a prolonged war and protracted negotiations, a cease-fire agreement was signed by the two countries under the watch of the United Nations.

As per this agreement, Pakistan was required to withdraw its forces, both regular and irregular. It allowed India to retain a minimum strength of its forces in Kashmir to maintain law and order. Further, on the compliance of these conditions, a plebiscite was to be held to determine the future of the territory. However, Pakistan managed to takeover roughly two-fifths of Kashmir while India maintained the remaining three-fifths. There has been no headway on the Agreement since Pakistan has been unwilling to withdraw its troops although insistent on the plebiscite, which is a non-starter.

Replacement of Wars by Terrorism

Overall, the two neighbouring countries have fought three major wars and an undeclared war, besides being involved in numerous armed skirmishes and military stand offs. Till date, wars and armed conflicts have not helped in the resolution of the Kashmir logjam. Nor is either country looking at war as a viable option in the changed scenario of both the countries being in possession of nuclear weapons. The prospect of a nuclear warfare has worked as an effective deterrent on both the sides. There has consequently been a military standoff with no peaceful solution in sight to the vexatious problems bedevilling the relations between the two countries ever since their emergence as sovereign free countries in 1947.

Meanwhile, India has witnessed a steady stream of insurgents from across the border infiltrating into its territory with the sole aim of causing grievous body blows to the Indian polity. Notwithstanding the heavy casualties and damage caused to the smooth functioning of their economic and social life, the Indian people as well as the political and defence establishments, have emerged much stronger and successful in their resistance against the nefarious activities of the terrorists and covert military operations of the Pakistani intelligence and army.

Unresolved Issues and Disputes

Besides Kashmir, there have been other unresolved territorial claims by Pakistan such as over Siachen Glacier and Kori Creek that have been put on the back burner, with primacy accorded to the vexatious Kashmir issue. Pakistan has been stubborn in its demand for the resolution of the “core issue” of Kashmir, without relenting to withdraw from those parts of Kashmir which had been illegally occupied by its forces in 1947.

In 1949, close to one million Hindu refugees from the then East Pakistan, fleeing from extortion and persecution by the Pakistani authorities, had flooded West Bengal and the other Indian States. Following talks between Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Pakistani counterpart Liaquat Ali Khan, a pact was signed between the two sides which provided for the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees to Pakistan. Furthermore, there are unresolved disputes over apportionment of water, arising from the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the rivers flowing from India into Pakistan.

Terror Network

Frustrated by its failed military bids to forcibly capture Kashmir, and inability to drum up sustained international support for its case, Pakistan seems to have reconciled to the idea of keeping up the pressure on India, by mounting terrorist attacks under cover by its army. While playing the role of ally of Western powers in their war against global terrorism, and receiving billions of dollars worth of economic and military aid in return, it has been allowing scores of transnational terrorist outfits to thrive and flourish on its soil.

Some of the terrorist organizations created and nurtured by Pakistan include Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (previously known as Harkat-ul-Ansar), the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and scores of other organizations. The aim of these organizations is to create mayhem and instability in India and its neighbourhood, terrorize the civilian population, make the State machinery vulnerable to change in perception of a terrorized civilian population and drain the resources of the State in the process of keeping its security forces perennially alert.

Former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari acknowledged in July 2009 that the Pakistani government had “created and nurtured” terrorist groups with the aim of accomplishing its short-term foreign policy goals. An analysis published in 2008 by Saban Centre for Middle East Policy at Brookings Institution depicted Pakistan as the world’s “most active” state sponsor of terrorism, including aiding groups. For the past so many years, Pakistan has aided quite a good number of terrorist groups, which have been fighting against India in Kashmir. Over and above this, it has also been a major sponsor of Taliban forces fighting the US-backed government in Afghanistan.

Acts of Terror

Pakistan could not reconcile to the good work being done by India in Afghanistan for the latter’s stability in political, economic and social sectors. It could not accept an enhanced level of bilateral relations between India and Afghanistan and has been using every available opportunity by covert means to thwart the coming together of these two nations. The Indian embassy in Kabul became the target of a suicide bomb terror attack in July 2008.  The US intelligence officials indicated that Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency had planned the attack.

Although Pakistan tried to deny any responsibility, US President George W Bush reportedly confronted Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with strong evidence. Bush also warned Gilani that in the case of another such attack he would have to take “serious action”. In May 2014, four heavily armed men carried out a terror attack on the Indian Consulate in Herat, Afghanistan, on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oath-taking ceremony to which Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had been invited. There was incontrovertible proof of ISI’s involvement in that attack. 

Similarly in December 2001, an attack on the Indian Parliament by four terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad was foiled. This incident brought these two countries to the precipice of nuclear war. Moreover, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir in November 2001 by terrorists trained by the ISI. In November 2008, 10 Pakistanis who were members of Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks, which lasted for four days across Mumbai. They killed 164 people and wounded at least 308.

Ajmal Kasab, the sole terrorist who was caught alive, tried and executed by hanging, was a Pakistani national. He had confessed to the involvement of the ISI in the dastardly attacks. These are some of the landmark acts of terror carried out by Pakistani terror outfits that are financed, trained and supported with materials and logistics by its intelligence agency ISI and Army. Despite copious documentary evidence of its involvement and complicity provided by India and widespread condemnation of these incidents by the international community, Pakistan is yet to act on India’s complaints against the masterminds of the mindless violence, who are roaming freely in Pakistan.

Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi are some of India’s most wanted terrorists who have taken shelter in Pakistan. In 1999, an Indian Airlines aircraft bound for Delhi from Kathmandu was hijacked to Kandahar in Afghanistan. Maulana Masood Azhar, a dreaded terrorist who later became the Head of Jaish-e-Mohammad, was released from their custody by the Indian security agencies in return for the passengers of the hijacked aircraft. Despite India’s repeated requests for their extradition, Pakistan has either been saying that those terrorists are not in that country or complaining of lack of sufficient evidence to be able to take legal action against them. It is a clear case of Pakistan not wanting to act against its own interests. Currently, there are two Pakistani terrorists in Indian custody who are undergoing legal proceedings for infiltrating into India for carrying out acts of terror.

High Points

It has not always been a case of the Indo-Pak relations going south all the time. Occasionally, there have been high points too. There have been several attempts to improve the relations, like the Shimla Summit, the Agra Summit and the Lahore Summit. Confidence building measures were initiated like the Ceasefire Agreement of 2003 and inauguration of a train service by the name of Samjhauta Express between Lahore and Amritsar in 1976; and inauguration of a bus service between Amritsar and Lahore in 1999 by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who travelled by the bus to Pakistan on its inaugural run. Another bus service connecting Amritsar with Lahore and Nankana Sahib was started in 2006.

Prime Minister Modi’s Initiatives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited the Heads of Government of all SAARC countries, including Pakistan, to his oath-taking ceremony in May 2014. He had a meeting with visiting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during which Pakistan was urged to cease terrorist activities in India, expeditiously conclude the cases of terrorists involved in the 2008 attacks in Mumbai and extradite all the terrorists wanted in India.

The meeting was to be followed by Foreign Secretary-level talks, which were cancelled by India at the last minute on account of Pakistan’s unyielding obduracy about its envoy meeting Kashmiri separatist leaders. In July 2015, Prime Minister Modi met Nawaz Sharif in Ufa, Russia, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to have, among other things, talks at the levels of their National Security Advisers and Directors General of Military Operations. Narendra Modi also accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan in 2016 in connection with the upcoming SAARC Summit.

Pakistan’s Failure

Despite the agreement between the Heads of both the countries that there would be official level talks, and the 2008 Mumbai terror attack trial would be expedited by Pakistan, there has been no headway in the de-escalation of tensions. On the other hand, relations have nosedived on account of incessant terror attacks from across the border since 2011 and repeated violations of the border by the Pakistan Army. The inability of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take on the ISI-Army nexus and present a concerted case of Pakistan at talks is contributing to the continuance of the stalemate. In the meantime, a determined India has scored a marked victory by showing its adversary the new red lines, which are not to be crossed.

Strategy for Taking on Pakistan

India’s efforts during the past seven decades to resolve outstanding issues bedeviling its bilateral relations with Pakistan have so far proved futile. During this period, the Government of India has tried out various policy measures and strategies to counter Pakistani terrorism and to bring to an end the undeclared war that its western neighbor has been waging on the borders right since its inception. Though none of them has yielded any positive results, the current NDA government has not given up hopes yet. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives to hold talks – the first time at Foreign Secretary level and then at NSA-level – were scuttled by Pakistan, both the times at the last minute and on technical grounds.

It has now become obvious that Pakistan’s initial acceptance of the proposals for talks and the subsequent act of pulling out of the peace process by insisting on meeting separatist Kashmiri leaders and extrapolating the scope of the talks agenda, were part of a carefully choreographed put-on act for stealing India’s thunder at the peace initiatives. Knowing well that it would have been pinned down on the mat at the negotiations on account of its complicity in hosting, promoting and equipping terror networks working against Indian interests, Pakistan took the easy way out and stayed away from the talks.

Till such time as another peace initiative is mooted by India, Pakistan would continue using cross-border terrorism as part of its asymmetric warfare. This strategy of Pakistan is untenable and has to be exposed and defeated by India with an effective counter-strategy of its own. Although neither India nor Pakistan could afford yet another war in the changing world of shifting geo-tectonic political plates, Pakistan’s recalcitrance and obduracy pose a conundrum that India has the unenviable task of unravelling. Pakistan has already committed 192 ceasefire violations along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir till July 29 this year at the considerable cost of civilian and defence casualties.

Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag stepped in and pointed out that quite a high level of operational preparedness has now become a part of India’s strategy as there is recognition that the swift and short nature of future wars are unlikely to offer adequate warning time. Although the Pakistani Army Chief has warned India of “unbearable damage” in the case of a war, implying a nuclear attack, Pakistan’s braggadocio stood already exposed when it had threatened India earlier too, off and on, of its nuclear might. The last time this happened was in August this year when Pakistan’s NSA, Sartaj Aziz, had said that Pakistan was a nuclear power capable of taking care of itself.

Pakistan’s excessive reliance on nuclear weapons and repeated threats to use them flow from that country’s internal weaknesses on account of rampaging unemployment, slow economic growth, surging religious intolerance, unabated rise in extremism, perennial conflict between various power centers and the country’s inability to match India’s strength in conventional warfare. Pakistan’s threat to use nuclear weapons is, therefore, to be treated as no more than empty bravado on the part of a failed state, teetering on the verge of an implosion, fully aware of an assured massive retaliation bordering on that country’s virtual obliteration, which it cannot afford. In the above backdrop, India should draw up a multi-dimensional strategy incorporating diplomatic, economic, political and military modes to rein in Pakistan from resorting to any adventurism against India and to impress upon it to do more to curb terrorist activities emanating from its soil.

Diplomatically, India should press on with negotiating the terms of peace through diplomatic channels and flag meetings of the army personnel, for a total cessation of border incursions and export of cross-border terrorism and handing over of the terrorist elements wanted in India. If that does not yield the desired results, India should not hesitate to downgrade Pakistan’s mission to consular status and even oust Pakistan’s ambassador. Meanwhile, India can also contemplate economic sabotage by making its trade ties with Pakistan conditional to the latter delivering on terrorism.

Politically, India should expose Pakistan by highlighting how the latter has been consistently sponsoring terrorist organizations, funding terrorist activities, spreading hatred between communities and violating ceasefire norms. By doing so, India would be in a position to change the narrative about this conflict and convince its international backers that there is no “India-Pakistan problem”. Rather, it is only a Pakistan problem as this country has now become an epicenter of terrorism. And unless the international community accepts this truth and joins hands to force Pakistan to abandon terror, nothing is going to change.

Simultaneously, India can explore the scope for resorting to military options such as pounding of terrorist training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in other territories across the border, which is posing a serious threat to India’s border zones by short and swift operations using drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This multi-dimensional strategy seems to be the only way to deter Pakistan from continuing with the undeclared war it has been waging against India for almost seven decades now.

From Vedic Land to Ireland

What could be more befitting for an Indian Prime Minister who is proud of the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of his country than to be received in a country in the Western hemisphere to the chant of Vedic hymns by children of that country? The warm reception accorded to Narendra Modi at Dublin on September 23 with the graceful Vedic recitation by Irish children marked an indelible moment in the bilateral relations between India and Ireland. This in turn made the hearts of the 26,000 strong Indian community in Ireland and that of every patriotic Indian at home, swell with pride at the recognition accorded to the undisputed leader of the modern Indian nation as the proud inheritor of a glorious past of Vedic civilization.

This thoughtful gesture of his Irish hosts was accepted with his customary élan by the Indian leader with a quip about the champions of pseudo-secularism in India! Taking a dig at the so-called secularists back home, Narendra Modi said if anyone had welcomed him in India by reciting Sanskrit slokas as was done in Ireland, then pseudo-secularists would have created a hue and cry by raising questions concerning the country’s secularism.

Bilateral Relations Reset after Long Hiatus

When Prime Minister Modi met his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny in Dublin, the two leaders reviewed the bilateral relations between their countries and exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest. The visit was expected to provide an excellent opportunity to bolster the economic ties between the two nations as there are clear complementarities between their flagship programs, in particular, Skill India and Digital India, and Ireland’s proven educational institutions. Other areas that have scope for closer cooperation for mutual advantage are information technology (IT), smart agriculture and food processing industry.

From the East Coast to the West

On the successful conclusion of his one-day Irish visit, Narendra Modi proceeded to the USA, primarily for addressing the UN General Assembly session at New York, a traditional annual exercise. He combined this with a visit to the Silicon Valley that he took by storm. He summed up the effect of his US visit as one that demonstrated “extraordinary depth and diversity” of India-US relationship and also said that a lot of ground had been covered during the visit.

Earlier, at the ‘India-US Startup Konnect 2015’ program and later at the ‘Digital India’ dinner at San Jose on September 27, he spoke of how a nation of 800 million youth below the age of 35 years was eager for change; had the energy and drive to pursue it; and, the confidence to achieve it. He also spoke of how when each of the 500 odd towns of India created ten startups and each of its 600,000 villages produced six small businesses, on a regular basis, the country would create an enormous economic momentum and generate a vast number of jobs. He also described the vision and the spirit behind the Digital India Program thus: to use technology to transform governance, eliminate barriers to opportunities, empower our citizens, deepen social change, impart scale and speed to development, improve delivery of services, customize services for specific groups, design affordable products for the poor and build a more sustainable future for our planet.  

Above all, he said he saw technology as a means to empower the people and as a tool that bridged the distance between hope and opportunity; and that social media connected people on the strength of human values and not identities. Referring to the India-US partnership as the defining partnership of the century, he pointed out how it could advance and further prosper in the two countries – from creating infrastructure to services; from manufacture of products to human resource development as well as from supporting governments to enabling citizens and promoting digital literacy.

Digital India is a vast cyber world of opportunities open to a joint partnership. Welcoming the launch of the India-US partnership schemes that would support India’s mission, he assured the assembled technology entrepreneurs that the schemes would not trap their creativity in long government procedures. He assured them that the Indian Government was already into reforming its regulations and processes with the aim of making it easier to start and do business in India.

Leaders of Industry

Prominent leaders of industry who called on the Prime Minister included Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; John Chambers, Executive Chairman of Cisco; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; and Paul Jacobs of Qualcomm. In the meetings with the leaders of industry, there was a clear discussion on how these iconic companies could contribute to the Prime Minister’s flagship program, Digital India and Skill India. Tim Cook of Apple expressed great desire to be a partner in the Digital India initiative, which he thought was a transformation initiative and a game changer for India. 

G4 Summit

PM Modi’s program included his participation in the G4 Summit in which he mentioned that the reform of the Security Council within a fixed time frame had become an urgent and important task. He pointed out that the Security Council should include the largest democracies of the world, major locomotives of the global economy as well as voices from all the major continents. This particular measure will carry greater credibility and legitimacy and be more representative and successful in addressing the challenges of the 21st century, he added.

UN Sustainable Development Summit

Addressing the UN Sustainable Development Summit, Modi outlined the poverty eradication schemes of his government and stated that India was fulfilling its responsibilities as a development partner in Asia and Africa and also with small island states from the Pacific to the Atlantic. He dwelled on the subject of climate change and stated that when nations spoke only of climate change, there was a perception of their desire to merely secure the comforts of their lifestyle. It was while speaking of climate justice that nations demonstrated their sensitivity and determination with regard to securing the future of the poor from the hazards of natural disasters.

It was important, he said, to focus on solutions that could help nations reach their goals. Nations should forge a global public partnership to harness technology, innovations and finance in a bid to put affordable, clean and renewable energy within the reach of all. Equally important for nations to do was to look for changes in the lifestyles of their people that would make the world less dependent on energy and more sustainable in its consumption.

It was quite important to launch a global education program that would prepare the next generation to protect and conserve Nature. He expressed the hope that developed nations would fulfill their financing commitments for development and climate change, without placing both of them under the same head!

UN Summit on Peace Keeping

The Prime Minister attended the UN Summit on Peace Keeping in New York where he reiterated India’s commitment to the ongoing and future peacekeeping operations. Earlier in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he called for a change in the manner in which decisions are being taken concerning peacekeeping operations where large troop-contributing nations like India were not consulted adequately enough before peacekeeping missions were authorized. This was despite the fact that cumulatively India has been the largest contributor to international peacekeeping operations.

Back-to-Back Talks

At San Jose, Narendra Modi had three back-to-back meetings with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande (Bill Gates was a surprise visitor at the meeting with his inputs on climate change), and US President Barak Obama. He discussed with them issues like climate change, terrorism in general and the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in particular, UN Security Council reform and India’s desire to become a member of the four export control regimes, starting with the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

On UN Security Council reform, President Obama reiterated the support that he had publicly articulated in favour of admitting India as a permanent member of the Security Council. Now that the inter-governmental negotiation process was going to start, how India and the US could collaborate on that front was also discussed by the two leaders.

On the issue of climate change, Modi reiterated that India’s commitment to environmental conservation was second to none. India was prepared to play a leadership role on this subject. Modi said that India had sought permission to declare its intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) on October 2. The deadline was October 1, but October 2 being the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who was passionately committed to the cause of environment, and was also a champion of sustainable development, India’s declaring its INDCs on October 2, would add a very significant moral dimension as well to its commitment.

There was a broad appreciation for this point of view, with all the three Western leaders appreciating India for declaring its INDCs and combining it with the observance of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. India has since fulfilled its commitment on October 2 and vindicated its principled stand in the matter. On the substantive issue of climate change, Modi made it very clear that the prevailing mood of negativism cannot be a useful factor as the world prepares for the crucial negotiations of COP 21 to be held in Paris this December.

He said rather than just putting pressure over caps on emission targets, it would be far better if there is an active agenda that enables countries to opt for more sustainable development paths by providing them with finance and with the requisite technology. That was the path India had been advocating. He also outlined his own ambitious agenda for 175 gigawatts of renewable energy and the steps that he had initiated to reach that goal.

There was also a discussion on some of the very innovative ideas that India had taken in this field. There was further discussion on how more such innovative ideas could be found so that the whole debate on climate change went along the path of a positive agenda rather than a negative one. President Obama was very forthcoming in the matter and said that he totally accepted the point that developing countries needed to be provided with the right technologies.

In this context, he referred to the solar panels and said their prices had gone down in the US because of which they became more easily affordable for developing countries. He said this became possible because of a conscious decision on the part of the US government to make these technologies inexpensive.

Modi called terrorism a global phenomenon that had an impact on each and every country without exception; no country was immune from its threat, which India had been battling for four decades. He said the time had come for the international community to speak with one voice on this issue and resolve the long pending finalization of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, which had been held up because of the disagreement on the definition of terrorism.

Modi also spoke of India’s aspiration for membership to the four export control regimes. There was broad support from all the three interlocutors who stated that they wanted to see India as part of these non-proliferation regimes in view of its impeccable track record in this particular area. Apart from discussing issues of concern common to the three interlocutors, Modi separately discussed with them matters of bilateral interest concerning their respective countries.

Social Media Interface

Narendra Modi visited the Facebook headquarters on September 29 where he was received by Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. Modi wanted to know how social media could be used for giving greater coverage to the Indian government’s social program such as Swachh Bharat, etc. Later, at an event at the Town Hall, Modi answered various questions on the role of social media and some personal questions pertaining to his early life, the role of his mother in his life, etc. The Q&A session was fraught with poignancy and nostalgia on the part of the Prime Minister, which gave the audience rare insights into the leader’s personality, making the occasion quite momentous and unique.

Modi visited the Google headquarters where he was received by Eric Schmidt and Sundar Pichai. Larry Page, co-founder of Google, was present too. They showed the Prime Minister three or four of their top technologies like Google Earth, the Iris project, Knowledge Panels, Project Loon, etc. Eric Schmidt said he was very excited about the Prime Minister’s initiative to bring Digital India to every corner of the country.

Modi evinced keen interest in Google’s flagship project, Project Loon, which is aimed at bringing internet access to hitherto unserviced areas that have no internet signal at all. Google is doing a pilot project in Andhra Pradesh, the idea being to target rural areas that still do not have internet penetration. Modi felt this could be a very, very significant innovation to help with rural connectivity. The Google top brass said if internet access is expanded, then 160 million people could be lifted out of poverty. So, the Prime Minister immediately felt the usefulness of the application of Project Loon for areas such as long distance education, rural schools, telemedicine, etc.

There was a discussion on the project that Google was now doing in partnership with the RailTel to offer Wi-Fi connectivity at 500 railway stations in India. Starting with Mumbai Central, the project, the biggest in the world, would roll out to 100 railway stations. There was also a discussion on the possibilities of Google technologies for the agricultural sector in terms of developing an algorithm, etc.

Mega Event to Fete the People’s Leader

After visiting Facebook and Google Inc headquarters on Day 2, Narendra Modi was accorded a grand reception at SAP Center, San Jose and he addressed a mega event at the San Jose Convention Center that was attended by 18,000 people. In a way, this was the West Coast trying to outdo the East Coast, which had a similar privilege last year. If the rockstar reception of 2014 at Madison Square Gardens, New York had been in anticipation of the tasks that Modi had set out to accomplish as the newly-elected Prime Minister, the latest one at San Jose was in clear recognition of his wowing the world in his inimitable style with his ambitious schemes and ingenious programs for good governance during the past sixteen months.

Suffice it to say that the Prime Minister’s candid question at the event as to what the audience thought of his performance and acquittal of a blemishless and corruption-free personal conduct, was more than amply answered by the deafening chanting of his name by the 18,000-strong exultant audience. Narendra Modi started off his address by paying tribute to Shahid Bhagat Singh on the latter’s birth anniversary and finished his speech by announcing a good news – that Air India would be commencing a non-stop flight from Delhi to San Francisco in December. He also said that the mission of his government was JAM – ‘Jan Dhan’ bank accounts for all, Aadhaar unique identity card and Mobile Governance.

The rest of his speech was devoted to the accomplishments and achievements of his government, besides being interspersed with patriotic fervour. He also paid heartfelt tribute to members of the Sikh community who had migrated to the West Coast in the 1940s to work as farm labourers and founded the Gadar Party that campaigned for India’s Independence from colonial rule. Praising the role of the Indian diaspora on the West Coast in making a mark not only for themselves but also for India with their technical expertise and professional prowess, he spoke of how the rest of the world was looking upto India as the most outstanding performer among the BRICS group of nations. He reassured his captive audience that the 21st century was going to be universally acclaimed as the century of India.

He disowned all credit for the  transformation of India’s fortunes and recognition at international fora like the World Bank, IMF and rating agencies like Moody’s and attributed it to the 125 crore people of India. Rubbishing all talks of “good terrorism” and “bad terrorism” (by Pakistan which he did not name), he seized the occasion to reiterate India’s stance on terrorism and urged the UN not to lose any more time in coming down heavily on what has now become a global phenomenon. Meanwhile, he struck a positive note and emotional chord in the audience by stating that he viewed the exemplary collection of so many illustrious Indian nationals on the West Coast not as Brain Drain but as Deposit of Brain which could turn as Brain Gain for their motherland’s economic transformation at the appropriate moment. The crowd rose as one man to express in unison its solidarity with PM Modi.  

Roundtable on Renewable Energy

Prime Minister Modi attended a roundtable conference on renewable energy, which saw the participation of international experts and authorities on the subject as well as Nobel Laureates and academics. The participants felt India had the potential to emerge as the clean energy capital of the world. And with electricity storage becoming inexpensive, clean and renewable energy will soon become a viable and affordable energy option. On his part, Modi emphasized India’s commitment to realizing the vision for 175 gigawatts of clean energy. He said there was massive scope for investment in the sector, for example through the railways, where 100% FDI had been made admissible. He also gave an overview of initiatives already undertaken by his government in the area of renewable energy.

Bilateral Meetings

The Indian Prime Minister had separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Cyprus, Egypt, Palestine and Mexico and a brief meeting with Prime Minister Kenny Anthony of St Lucia.

Interaction with Indian Diaspora

While in New York, Narendra Modi met a broad section of the Indian American diaspora. He also had separate interactions with members of the Sikh community and with some other persons of Indian origin. Some other personalities who called on Prime Minister Modi were Governor of California Edmund G Brown and Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy

Accolade for the PM

The personal involvement, understanding and tireless interest displayed by Prime Minister Modi in the schemes and projects for eradication of poverty and digitalization of India, were a tremendous source of inspiration for the American corporate honchos and technology entrepreneurs who are vying for a piece of the great Indian business pie. This US visit of Narendra Modi, second as Prime Minister, turned out to be a resounding success just as his first one of last year. It made everyone wonder yet again as to what made Modi stand out as the most popular and successful Prime Minister of India.

It was undoubtedly his ability to combine the down-to-earth qualities of modesty about his past, which was evident in his interactions with global leaders and corporate honchos, pride in the spiritual and cultural ethos of India and political pragmatism vis-a-vis the Hindutva ideology of his party. All these allowed him to have no constraints about doing business with capitalist and theocratic nations.

This in turn, seems to have made his interlocutors at the international fora more receptive to his ideas and initiatives in comparison to his predecessors. For instance, Jim Yong Kim, President of World Bank said that Prime Minister Modi’s reforms have had an enormous impact on the way the world looks at India. This was no mean compliment by any standard, not even by the standards of the Congress Party, which had lashed out in animosity by denigrating the Prime Minister’s visit as a mere fashion show!

Legacy Inherited

One Rank One Pension (OROP), a matter crucial to the welfare and self-esteem of retired defence services personnel, has been an extremely contentious issue that has been tearing at the heartstrings of the nation for quite some time now. The bitterness felt by the principal stakeholders of the issue was an unenviable inheritance of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from a host of governments, which had preceded it during the past three decades. Surprisingly, the previous governments had done practically nothing to redress the grievance of the veterans regarding lowly pension rates.

Although the principled stand of BJP on the issue had been well-known since even before the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, the retired defence services personnel resorted to protests and vociferous outbursts of outrage over the continued indifference of the successive governments over the years. The nation watched in disbelief and amazement the virulent attack undeservedly mounted on the Narendra Modi government that had, in reality, been sympathetic to the cause all along. The NDA government’s action in the matter had been characterized by the measured steps characteristically taken in an unhurried, yet steady pace, befitting the tremendous import of the issue. It had warranted a close examination of the financial, administrative and legal aspects of the matter, which had been kept in the cold storage, nay, doghouse, for all these years.

The impatience of the veterans, who felt there was hardly any forward movement in the matter, grew by the day. They were instigated by the Opposition parties with an axe to grind and a highly irresponsible section of the mainstream media that believes in sensationalism rather than objective reporting. As a result, all these assumed darker shades resulting in a deplorable sense of despondency and despair all around. To make matters more confounded, the layman wondered, bemused and blissfully oblivious of the subterranean course of bureaucratic measures set in motion, over the apparent lack of action despite promises on the part of the government.

Discontentment Continues

Eventually when the NDA government announced its momentous decision to implement the One Rank One Pension scheme, there was a mixed response in store. While the government’s decision came, by and large, as a welcome relief measure for the veterans’ camp, there were discordant notes and murmurs of discontentment over the nitty gritty too. Although considerably scaled down, the bitterness and rancour have refused to die down and continued to vitiate the atmosphere.

No Jubilation over Decision

Now that the storm, which had been ominously brewing up has blown over with the announcement of the government’s decision to implement OROP, where is all the jubilation, the hoopla and the celebration over the good news? Shouldn’t the nation which had been slamming the uncomplimentary treatment meted out to that honourable section of the society and pride of the nation, namely the veterans, be all jubilant over justice having been done at long last and simply go agog? Leaving aside the veterans, who still have a few dodgy points of the OROP scheme for the government to look into in further detail, what has been holding back the nation? And what has been preventing the Opposition parties and the more difficult sections of the mainstream media, from falling all over themselves in congratulating the veterans and complimenting the government?

Why the continuance of the sore note? Has it become a characteristic trait of our nation to be grumpy about giving credit where it belongs and paying compliments for a good job well done? How quick we were in rising in criticism! How ruthlessly we castigated the government for its laid-back attitude and lackadaisical approach to the sterling issue! How vociferous and unequivocal we were about justice for those who protect the country’s borders with their lives! How condescending we were about the merits of the issue and restoration of the glory to the meritorious veterans! Why are we still sore and sulking? What are we still fretting and fuming about? Not to make too fine a point, is it not the time for our nation to sit up and self-introspect to get a drift of the disaffection over the issue of OROP?

Political Opportunism

Notwithstanding the tremendous amount of empathy that the entire nation has for the cause of the defence services personnel, the Opposition parties, the common man and the army veterans seem to have viewed the whole issue from a very biased standpoint and perspective. Does it not remind an impartial observer of the classic Indian parable of a bunch of persons with impaired vision touching and feeling about different body parts of an elephant and trying to describe the animal in totality. The Opposition parties, for instance, had absolutely no concern for the enormity of the issue or the intimidating nature of the challenges ahead in implementing OROP, given the ground realities of the nation’s economy.

The Congress party and its allies, which had been in power for most of the period during the last three decades of the pendency of the issue, had kept OROP on the back burner. This obviously happened because the implementation of the scheme against multiple odds had meant no political dividends, and they did not consider the defence services personnel a constituency worth cultivating. Now that they are themselves in the political wilderness, they are clutching at straws in the wind for dealing a broadside at the NDA government and found in the OROP issue a handy political weapon for doing so.

The stance of the Congress and its allies in the matter is not based on any political or ideological conviction about doing the right thing, but it is totally a matter of political opportunism, pure and simple! Hence, their abortive attempt to steal the thunder from the government by making false claims about having taken the decision and doing all the commendable work themselves! The hollow ring of their claims has, however, been too deafening for the people not to notice. Consequently, the Congress and its allies stand exposed in the eyes of the masses for not only doing nothing when they were in power but also for underwriting the NDA government’s creditable performance in the matter out of spite.

Sensationalism versus Defence Outlays

As regards those sections of the mainstream media that are given to playing up issues for the sake of sensationalism, the issue is still a burning one. They have been whipping a dead horse by talking about how an ungrateful nation has all along ignored the welfare of its soldiers who have unquestioningly served the country with sweat and blood in extreme conditions and daunting circumstances. Countless numbers of columns and blogs have already been written, with more on the way, about how niggardly our soldiers are paid during their service and post-retirement in comparison to their counterparts in developed countries like the US, UK, France and Japan. Such columns and blogs have also ranted about how a nation, which does not pay its Army well, has no moral right to send it to fight wars.

Our soldiers not only fight wars with the enemy across the border, but are also called in to help with relief measures whenever there is a natural disaster at home and, at times, in a neighbouring country like Nepal. All the more reason why they should be treated like the real heroes they are and all their demands met! While doing the comparison along sentimental lines, one conveniently forgets how it does not add up to make much sense to compare the pay structure and pensionary benefits of an Indian soldier with those of his counterpart from a developed country for obvious reasons such as economic viability, the nature of duties performed, etc.

Besides, having never been a colonial power, India has never sent its troops abroad to fight wars like their counterparts in the Western world except for peacekeeping operations as part of the UN Peace Keeping Forces. The only exception to this was the brief role they played as Indian Peace Keeping Forces in Sri Lanka during Rajiv Gandhi’s premiership. Furthermore, India has never started a war with a neighbouring country unlike Pakistan or China, which are given to military adventurism and hegemonic ambitions. Guarding the borders along a harsh land terrain of 15,200 km and a 7,517 km long coastal line, is undoubtedly no mean task, requiring maintenance of a standing army with 1,325,000 active front line personnel and 2,143,000 reserve personnel.

India’s defence budget is a whopping Rs 250,000 crore per year, in addition to which the retired defence services personnel are paid Rs 60,000 crore every year by way of pension. With the announcement of OROP, an additional annual expenditure of Rs 12,000 crore is added to the defence outlay. These are not just statistical figures but the kind of price that the nation has to pay for safeguarding its frontiers from external aggression – during times of relative peace, with countless numbers of border incursions thrown in!

Sentimentality

For the people of the country, in general, neither the costs involved nor the challenges faced by the government in implementing the scheme, constitute a matter of concern. Meeting the demands of the defence services personnel, who are an eternal source of inspiration and symbol of patriotism for the crores of awestruck people of the nation beholden to the heroic soldiers, is not only a matter of sentiment and passion but also a means of redemption of its gratitude. Moreover, it is also a sign of its rewarding of supreme patriotism worn on the sleeve by the war veterans as proudly as the shining medals of honour won for valour in wars. In such circumstances, pragmatism tends to take a back seat.

More Categories to Follow

The veterans are still protesting over the perceived inadequacies of the terms of the scheme like the periodicity of the revision of pension rates and the rates of pension. While the review of the pension rates is due every five years as per the scheme, the veterans are demanding an annual revision. Besides, the protestors are demanding that pension be fixed at the highest pay of the rank in which one retires whereas the pension payable as per the approved plan is the average of the highest and lowest rates of the rank pay, with protection to those who are drawing the highest rate. Furthermore, the month from which OROP becomes effective is July this year. The protestors are demanding that the scheme be implemented with effect from April this year. Thus, there is no dearth of points of discord with nary a care to mounting additional costs of implementation!

The possibility of the paramilitary forces and law enforcing agencies like police personnel of different States demanding OROP is becoming more and more distinct and pronounced like ominous dark clouds gathering on the not-too-distant horizon. The question arises as to how justified or fair it would be to treat the soldiers who safeguard the country’s borders from the external enemy as a superior category, the demands of which are to be met at any cost without hesitation or reservation, in preference to the law enforcing agencies that safeguard the integrity of the nation from the evil designs of internal and external enemies? No doubt, the defence services workforce have a shorter duration of service in comparison to the personnel of the law enforcing agencies, due to which they are deprived of the benefits of periodic pay revisions.

Furthermore, there are other differences too, which set the soldiers apart as a special category. But differences in the retirement age and service conditions pale into insignificance when the contrast stops at that. Because there is no comparing the employees of the law enforcing agencies with defence services personnel in the matter of valour and selfless service which both the categories of staff display in their respective spheres of operations in the service of the nation. As in the case of defence services workforce, application of OROP to the law enforcement agencies could not be linked to the expenditure outlays for reasons of sentiment. Yet another government sector wanting OROP is the Railways, the personnel of which have made the demand some time ago.

Less Government, More Governance

How dramatic, if not devastating, an effect will the spiraling costs of implementation of OROP to the complete satisfaction of the protesting defence services personnel, have on the country’s budget? Where can the line of distinction be drawn between different government services in applying OROP? Are the people of the nation ready to take on additional taxes in future budgets to meet the demands of the swelling tribe of government personnel demanding OROP? In the clamour by more and more government department personnel demanding OROP, and the snowballing of expenditure outlays to meet these requirements, has the nation forgotten all about the droughts and famines and the consequent hardships and suffering of the farmers all over the country?

How far is our nation prepared to go to meet the demands of the defence services personnel, law enforcement agencies and similar workforce in the government machinery without compromising its obligation to other economic and social sectors? Is the nation not committed to the basic tenet of good governance enunciated by Narendra Modi before and after the Lok Sabha 2014-15 elections – less government and more governance? Where do we draw the red line of less government? Now is undoubtedly one of the moments of reckoning, which every nation on the right course of progress and development faces to be able to answer the daunting questions.

What is obvious, in any case, is that the nation should collectively decide its response to the culture of protests, demonstrations and rallies, and not leave it to the government which is meant to give clean governance which, in turn, brooks no interferences. The nation should not buckle under pressure. Nor should the government allow itself to be sucked into the quagmire of non-developmental expenditures. Having traversed thus far, it is probably time to bring the issue to a swift conclusion and move on in quest of productivity and progress with no interferences, a condition very vital for good governance.

http://www.bharatniti.in/story/orop-time-to-end-the-issue/84

Individual versus Society

With the possible exception of a recluse living in an otherwise uninhabited island or in such an improbable scenario outside the pale of human civilization all by himself, nobody is living in a world of his own where one could say or do things or act exactly as one pleases without a care or thought to the sensibilities of others. Every individual is a link in a chain that forms a society, with every single unit having its bearing on the whole. A society is a group of individuals and more. People’s thoughts, ideas, concepts, ideological contributions and behavioural pattern make a society much more than the sum of its parts. They also contribute to the evolution of the society. As a higher body, these constituents are responsible for and responsive to the collective need of keeping the society the august organism that it is.

When thoughts, ambitions, aspirations and goals of individual members of the community, especially the younger segment are lofty, like during the Independence Movement, there will be an upsurge in the collective will of that society. This leads to an uplifting and productive period, conducive to that country’s betterment and progress. During such periods, which are often marked by the appearance of a Mahatma or a visionary with outstanding leadership qualities, the nation makes bold strides in the creative fields of arts, science and spiritual development. On the contrary, when the cultural moorings on which society is based are shaken, decay sets in, making the collapse of the stature of that community only a matter of time. In short, while the society provides for the individual’s personal liberty and freedom of expression without which the evolution of that community is not possible, the individual owes it to the society to conduct his affairs in a responsible and restrained fashion. This is to ensure that his conduct does not impinge on the society’s fundamental and basic tenets of decency and decorum.

Indian Society

In India, where the society had traditionally been conservative down the centuries, the Western culture that started making inroads along with the wonders of information technology, paved the way for the horrors of cultural and moral decay. It is an indisputable fact that the cultural mores and acceptable norms of conduct and behaviour in India in matters of public display of affection and adult entertainment are at variance with those of the West countries and elsewhere.

An unrestrained and unorganized influx of data and informational material, which are crass and indecent in nature, are a risqué factor that is capable of playing havoc with the moulding, shaping and development of feeble minds. As they have been designed to cater to the base or animalistic instincts in humans in the name of entertainment, adult or universal, they need to be blocked by the society for ensuring a healthy lifestyle of its members, conducive to the collective welfare of that community. Without trying to sound too moralistic or pontificating, it may be safely said that sleaze, smut, obscenity or vulgarity should find no quarters in a civilized society.

Porn and Exploitation

It is hard to imagine a world where the participants in the put-on acts depicted in porn movies, clippings, etc seen on the porn sites on the internet lack self-esteem and willingly demean themselves by enacting the scenes of depravity. Without getting into the gory details, it may be safely claimed that the participants are either economically or otherwise exploited and forcibly pushed into crossing the Rubicon. Today, pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry. It thrives and flourishes on abominable vices and crimes such as human trafficking, modern day slavery, extortion, human rights violation, particularly concerning children and women, drug peddling, etc. It is a sinister and murky world of purveyors of sleaze and depravity who view the humans they prey upon as mere commodities in their money spinning operations.

They work in close cooperation with underworld dons who undertake to lure in easy prey for their shoddy services, launder black money and keep competing adversaries and snooping law enforcing authorities out of the beat. Money making is the only aim of the purveyors of filth and the churning out of a never-ending stream of sleaze and smut for those on the lookout for lasciviousness their sole occupation. Their gateway to a lucrative pornographic industry of easy pickings is strewn with the early casualties, of attributes such as innocence, honour, basic human decency and faith in fellow human beings. And the victims are not only exploited but also coerced into falling in line. Even in economically advanced Western countries, we see the sorry spectacle of helpless governments unable to crack down on the spectre of grooming of innocent schoolgirls who are sexually exploited, blackmailed and then pushed into a fate worse than death. Surprisingly, such countries even include France and the UK, which have become a cauldron of heterogenous cultures that don’t merge but stick out like sore thumbs.

That the governments of such countries choose to remain inactive is a matter for deep self-introspection for the concerned societies. They don’t initiate action owing to fear of antagonizing the minority migrant communities, which are fertile breeding grounds for such evil crimes. But an undeniable fact is that pornography industry is often the fountainhead of sex-related crimes and attendant violence, which are absolutely unjustifiable and unacceptable in any civilized society. On the one hand, the internet is a wonderful medium of information and knowledge, and it has shrunk the world to the amazement of humanity. However, this same internet acts as the conduit of the wares of the purveyors of sleaze, and it has overdone its bit by transcending all norms of decency and decorum and features the ugly underbelly of human behaviour and conduct.

Sample the Evil

Aside from the evil practices employed in the porn industry, how pornography has overwhelmed the young and vulnerable segment of the Indian society and brought it under its outreach is a matter of grave concern for parents and the community. According to the findings of a survey conducted by ‘Rescue’, an NGO that works on social issues, over 3 lakh students in Chennai aged in the age range of 16-21 years watch rape videos every day. Among college students, 44% watched 18 videos of violent porn, rape and gang rape every week. For 84% of those in the age group, porn is an addiction, just like drugs.

Recommendations

Abhishek Clifford, CEO of ‘Rescue’, who is also a statistics lecturer in London says now no one can deny the link between youngsters watching rape and porn videos and the ever-increasing figures of violent rape and abuse in India any longer. The survey has also found that 62% of those students who watched rape videos wanted to do it in real life. Even if 10% of this lot act on their desire, it will produce 1,300 rapists each year, Clifford points out. Based on the survey, members of ‘Rescue’ have put forth some recommendations. They include: incorporating cyber ethics in the first and second year syllabus of college students; installing porn-blocking software in cyber cafes as they tend to provide easy access to pornographic material; and creating awareness among parents about the psychological impact of porn and how easily their children can access it.

Evils of Porn

Pornography is addictive, especially in the case of adolescents whose minds are not adequately developed. Regular exposure to uncensored adult material, replete with untrammeled passions and unbridled violence, is capable of tricking young minds into cultivating wrong notions about man-woman relationship. Apart from robbing the innocence of the viewer, such dubious visual experience could result in extreme trauma, shock and psychological setbacks. It can also severely alter the concept of gender objectivity and adversely affect the way individuals view others, especially members of the opposite sex. This could lead to a situation where young men and women who work in close proximity with each other and married couples develop a cock-eyed view of the commonalities and differences of perception about each other’s gender.

Healthy respect for emotions, feelings and sentiments on the part of one’s partner in a beautiful man-woman relationship for which there is no scope or room in porn, could give way to lust and urge for gratification of animalistic instincts, primeval cravings and primordial perversions. Such a situation could eventually lead to skepticism and pessimism towards concepts such as platonic relationships and beautiful friendships between members of opposite genders. There could be an unhealthy atmosphere of mistrust and animosity in educational institutions and workplaces. Corruption of a pristine mind at too early a stage in life is pernicious and is likely to make one lose focus on the development of creative faculties and progress. In short, young men and women are likely to go astray, and get sucked into the treacherous and uncharted waters of extreme gratification of sensory perceptions.

For and Against Porn 

Some defend pornography, saying that critics overreact and that porn may act as an outlet for aggression. Liberal thinkers are per se against curbs and restrictions on individual freedom for a lifestyle of one’s personal choice, such as accessing porn on the internet. There are others who believe that pornography is immoral, could ruin relationships and perpetuate sexism, besides falling foul with religious norms and tenets. While both the sides have their own arguments, based on logic, reasoning, beliefs and facts, no government could play mute spectator to the phenomenon of pornography affecting the individual and the society. It must take a call on the issue and take appropriate measures to curb the menace of porn before it gets out of control and cause irreparable damage to the cultural fabric of the country.

Censorship and Ban

Indian culture has a rich diversity with strong underpinnings of regional, linguistic and faith-based beliefs and value system. There is a common thread of Hindutva running through our culture notwithstanding the differences of perception on the part of people in different communities in the manifestation of creative art forms. It cannot be denied that ours is a country where the woman is not only respected but revered too, as female worship predominantly features in people’s religious and spiritual beliefs. The importance of family values is of tremendous significance. As such, the need for movies and other creative art forms to be temperate in their artistic expressions cannot be overemphasized as their impact on the viewers is immense. Hence the need for censorship in the absence of which obscenity, vulgarity, obscurantism and violence could run roughshod over the viewer’s sensibilities.

When art and mainstream cinema is subjected to censorship, how could pornography, to which more people have access to, within the precincts of their home than the viewers of movies, be allowed to skirt censorship? In the absence of a self-auditing mechanism, porn on the net has to be subjected to rigorous filters. The resultant product has to be in conformity with strict control measures and exacting standards before it is allowed to reach the viewer. Complaints from viewers about breaches of regulations and excesses should be subject to review of permission to the net service provider. Sites on child porn, taboos, incestuous relationships, demeaning of women, violence and other unnatural acts must be banned. A comparative study of measures initiated by the governments of other countries to regulate or proscribe porn on the internet may be undertaken for designing an appropriate policy for India.

Action by Government

The NDA government has taken upon itself the task of regulating and organizing the availability of risqué material on the internet, citing threat to public morality. With a shot-in-the-arm directive from the Supreme Court, the Department of Telecommunications had on July 31 via a discreet order directed internet service providers to block access to 857 websites and search engines that were providing an unrestricted flow of porn material. They were found violating Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution. The said Article imposes “reasonable restrictions” on the exercise of free speech, particularly in instances concerning decency and morality. However, in the face of a stiff and sustained pressure from the mainstream media and criticism, the restriction had to be partly lifted. The ban on the sites featuring child porn still continues.

Meanwhile, in the second fortnight of September 2015 the Supreme Court Women Lawyers’ Association (SCWLA) has filed an intervention application in the apex court seeking a national policy on the issue of pornography, framing of guidelines as well as initiation of strict measures to curb the growing menace of child pornography. The SCWLA has expressly sought blocking of all porn websites claiming that pornography “corrupts” the mind of the younger generation and provokes them to commit crimes against women and children.

In its endeavour to bring about a complete stoppage of porn in all its vicarious and pernicious manifestations, the Central and state governments should press their agencies and continue to examine ways and means, for the collective good of our Indian society. These efforts should be in tune with the commitment to the preservation of the Indian culture and notwithstanding the grandstanding of liberal thinkers harping on the personal liberty of the individual. Thus, the Central and state governments should be determined in their bid to prohibit pornography and need not be apologetic about the viability of the drive to achieve the laid-down goal. The following are some measures that could be taken up for consideration:
● A battery of intellectual luminaries, community elders, spiritual gurus, representatives of organizations that work for women’s and children’s welfare, and representatives of the parent-student community could be engaged for launching a nationwide campaign for creating awareness of the evils of pornography.
● A media blitzkrieg could be considered to give the movement visibility and high profile.
● Some real-life cases of individuals and organizations who have successfully battled the pornography dragnet could be illustrated and feted.
● A nationwide contest may be conducted for launching a catchy logo with wordings like “Say No to Porn”.
● A drive could be initiated to enlist volunteers who come forward to express their opposition to porn and spread the message of the government’s determination to eradicate porn.
● Prohibitory orders and censorship laws could be made more stringent to send a dire warning to internet service providers.
● Cyber laws should be strengthened to fight cases of pornography on the same lines as treason.
● Above all, the real life panacea of Yoga could be promoted to combat the evils of porn.

Engaging the Neighbours

India’s foreign policy was inherited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his predecessors. However, its contours were redefined by him with his ‘Neighbourhood First’, ‘Extended Neighbourhood’ and ‘Act East’ doctrines, as well as the ‘Make in India’ program. He scored his first diplomatic coup when he invited to his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014, the Heads of Government of all SAARC countries, including Pakistan and China, with which India has had full-fledged wars and any number of border skirmishes as well as military stand-offs.

Modi’s gesture of sagacity and good neighbourliness was followed by a State Visit to India by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, which our Prime Minister reciprocated by visiting Beijing. All these moves sent a message to both the belligerent neighbours of India as well as to the rest of the world. These neighbouring countries were expecting, with some degree of trepidation, a major shift in India’s so-far-benign Foreign Policy, after the leader of the India’s leading Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was voted to power with a massive mandate in the national elections in 2014.

Modi scored again when he proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan, which were subsequently scuppered by the latter. Similarly, even as there was an incident of border incursion by the Chinese troops on the eastern front, he was busy discussing the strengthening of bilateral relations between India and China with the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping at Ahmedabad. During Xi Jinping’s visit, 12 Agreements were signed between the two countries. China committed to investing US$20 billion in India over the next five years and establish, among other things, an Industrial Park in Gujarat and another in Maharashtra.

During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to China, 24 bilateral Agreements were signed. It came as a remarkably refreshing gesture on the part of the Indian Prime Minister when he demonstrated his willingness to sit down at the negotiating table with a country that had seized sizable stretches of Indian territory and was a staunch ally of Pakistan, with which India has been having border problems. The common denominator of the talks was the desire to keep bilateral relations in the economic sector moving for the mutual benefit of the two sides. It was unfortunate that Pakistan was not willing to see reason and share Modi’s wish for the improvement of India’s common destiny with that country.

Apart from inviting Heads of Government of SAARC countries, Modi exhibited his concern for the collective welfare of the South Asian neighbours when he exhorted the DRDO scientists at an ISRO launch event to work for the development of a dedicated SAARC satellite. This satellite, he said, should share the fruits of technology like telemedicine, e-learning, etc with the people across South Asia, with the aim of complementing the currently operating Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program in the region. Another occasion soon presented itself for Modi to demonstrate India’s solidarity with its neighbours especially during the latter’s hour of need.

When Nepal suffered a series of devastating earthquakes in April this year, India rushed its first plane containing relief material, medical assistance and medical teams within six hours of the first quake. This was followed by relief operations code-named ‘Operation Maitri’, the largest of its kind launched by India outside of its borders. India committed an aid of US$1 billion for the rehabilitation efforts of Nepal. Modi announced, “We will wipe the tears of every person in Nepal.”

Visit to Neighbouring Countries

Furthermore, as part of his ‘Neighbourhood First’ doctrine, Modi undertook a series of whistle-stop tours to South Asian countries, starting with Bhutan and Nepal. The other countries on his itinerary were Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Fiji, Seychelles, Mauritius and Bangladesh. During his landmark visit to Bangladesh, the Instruments of Ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement were exchanged between the two sides and as many as 22 bilateral Agreements signed. Modi also announced a US$2 billion Line of Credit (LOC), which would be used in infrastructure, power, health and education projects.

This LOC will also create 50,000 jobs in India and provide a major boost to project exports from India and help numerous Indian companies. It would also accelerate the ‘Make in India’ program. Besides, Indian ships have been allowed access by one of the Agreements to the Chittagong and Mongla ports for the first time. The Chittagong port had been built and maintained by the Chinese and access to that port was, in particular, of strategic importance to India in addition to trade purposes. In short, Modi’s historical visit brought the two countries closer to each other than ever before in the past.

All the proactive gestures and moves of Modi for the collective welfare of India’s South Asian neighbours were reciprocated with a left-handed compliment by a peevish Pakistan, which accused India of trying to throw about its weight as if it were a regional super power!  Pakistan demonstrated its recalcitrant nature once again when at the November 2014 SAARC summit in Nepal, India supported three pacts to enhance connectivity and energy cooperation in the region, and the agreements fell through when Pakistan dissented. With the recent cancellation of NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan by the latter albeit for a reason which could not be sustained, and frequent shelling across the border by the Pakistani troops, it remains to be seen if Prime Minister Modi would be visiting Pakistan to attend the SAARC Summit to be held in that country next year.

‘Make in India’ initiative

The flagship program of Modi, namely ‘Make in India’, is an aggressive economic push designed in a bid to give a fillip to the country’s manufacturing industry by encouraging global companies to set up their manufacturing facilities in India. During all his foreign visits and meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries, Modi has always highlighted the program and assured global investors how India’s demographic dividend, competitive cost of production of goods, special investment facilities such as tax exemptions, infrastructural facilities, etc makes it a lucrative and ideal manufacturing hub.

The program is aimed at job creation and skill enhancement as well as achieving high- quality standards in the industrial sector and minimizing the negative impact on the environment. The initiative hopes to attract capital and technological investment in India and boost GDP growth and tax revenue. Modi has reached out to the regional powers such as China, Japan and Australia with proposals for investments under ‘Make in India’ program and has been promised over US$55 billion in foreign investment over the next five years.

FDI Inflows

According to the World Investment Report 2015 by UNCTAD, FDI inflows in India rose by 22% to US$34 billion in 2014, and the upward trend is expected to persist against the backdrop of a boost to manufacturing sector as part of the ‘Make In India’ initiative. FDI inflows to South Asia rose to US$41 billion in 2014, primarily owing to a good performance by India. FDI inflows to India are expected to maintain an upward trend during 2015 as economic recovery gains ground. Meanwhile, in terms of the sectoral composition of FDI inflows, the manufacturing segment is likely to gain strength, as policy initiatives to revitalize the industrial sector are sustained, including, for example, the ‘Make in India’ initiative launched in mid-2014, the report elaborated.

India ranked 6th among the most promising investor economies and 3rd among top ten prospective home economies. The report further said that in the manufacturing sector in South Asia, FDI success stories had come up, with the Indian automotive industry showing how large-scale inflows could reshape the trajectory of industrial progress in low-income countries. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stated in the Parliament that FDI inflows increased in 2014-15 from three out of four major investing nations visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, last fiscal. All the 26 countries visited by Modi from June 2014 to July 2015 had a substantial economic component.

Emphasizing that the Prime Minister’s efforts have helped in creating a positive image of India, Swaraj said, “As a result, FDI equity inflows increased from US$24.3 billion in the financial year 2013-14 to US$30.9 billion in 2014-15, a growth 27.3%.”

Liberalization of FDI Regime

During the last few months, India government has, on its part, liberalized the FDI regime in various sectors including medical devices, defence, railways, construction and insurance. In May 2015, the Cabinet allowed non-repatriable investments by non-resident Indians to be considered at par with domestic funding, in a bid to encourage capital inflows in manufacturing and infrastructure.

Improved Relations with the US

After Modi took over as India’s Prime Minister, there has been a marked shift in our country’s bilateral relations with the US as he has put the US at the heart of India’s international strategy. During President Obama’s visit in January 2015, India and the US broke the seven-year-old logjam in operationalizing their landmark civilian nuclear deal. The two countries also decided to jointly produce military hardware including the next generation Raven mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and specialized kits for C-130 military transport aircraft. They also renewed an enhanced Defence Framework Agreement for the next ten years. They further agreed on a Working Group to explore aircraft carrier technology, besides the designing and development of jet engine technology.

During his forthcoming visit to the US to address the UN General Assembly session, Modi will meet Apple CEO Tim Cook. This has led to speculations that Apple is exploring opportunities to invest in manufacturing capacities in India. Furthermore, Foxconn, the contract electronics manufacturer and a key supplier to Apple, has meanwhile signed a pact with Maharashtra under the ‘Make in India’ program to invest US$5 billion over five years on a new electronics manufacturing facility. Also on his schedule is a meeting with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on September 27 at the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto, California for a Q&A session that will be hosted live on Facebook.

The other business heads Modi will be meeting are Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla Motor’s Elon Musk. Also, according to a press report, JP Morgan will organize an exclusive meet for 15 CEOs from the financial sector. Time Inc will be hosting a dinner with 100 CEOs specializing in infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.
Besides ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’, Modi will also focus on renewable energy. He will hold a roundtable on the subject at Stanford University. This will be one of the key topics of discussion in his conversation with President Barack Obama in New York on September 28.

Engaging Japan

Of special significance has been Modi’s visit to Japan last year during which Japan announced a US$35 billion package over a five-year period on India’s developmental programs. The two countries signed five pacts covering defence exchanges, cooperation in clean energy, roads and highways, building of smart cities, cleaning up of Ganga river, healthcare and women. Japan also agreed to help India in providing financial, technical and operational support to introduce Bullet trains. Furthermore, the Prime Ministers of the two countries reaffirmed the importance of defence relations between India and Japan in their strategic partnership and agreed to upgrade and strengthen them. Alive to the possibility of a threat from a rising China, the two leaders agreed to accelerate talks on the sale of an amphibious aircraft to India. They also agreed to speed up talks on a so-far elusive nuclear energy cooperation deal.

Deals in Canada

On his three-day visit to Canada in April this year, Modi had succeeded in securing a landmark nuclear energy deal, which will see the North American country supplying India with 3.2 million kilos of uranium over a five-year period. This deal brings to an end a long-standing moratorium on Canadian exports of nuclear materials to India. In the 1970s, India had used Canadian technology in its nuclear program. According to Canadian producer Cameco Corporation, which will supply the uranium, India is the second fastest growing market for nuclear fuel.

Indian Diaspora

During all his visits abroad, Modi has been engaging the Indian diaspora, which has become an important input to Modi’s foreign policy initiatives in several countries. By virtue of the political clout they wield in their country of residence and because of their access to centres of power in those countries, members of the Indian community in countries like the US, Australia, France, Germany, Canada, etc are useful contacts with the overseas companies and establishments for selling the ‘Make in India’ program.

He has succeeded in convincing the overseas Indians that India has the strength, and now what is needed is the opportunity to expand its economy and that Indian diaspora has a crucial role to play in this area. The Indian diaspora is very conscious of the fact that no other Indian Prime Minister had cultivated them in the past as a useful link in their foreign policy endeavours. As such, they are all very eager and ready to take up this call in right earnest. Meanwhile, Modi has already made a mark for himself in hardselling Indian economy under the ‘Make in India’ program.

Homework

While the endeavour to hardsell Indian economy will continue during Narendra Modi’s future visits abroad, some more homework needs to be done by the NDA government. These would include the passing of the Land Acquisition Bill and the Goods and Services Tax Bill without further delay to make the prospective global investors venture into the untested business waters of India with hope and confidence. In the meanwhile, there are already many reasons for us to rejoice over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Diplomacy.

The voters of Bihar are currently on a roll, taking pride in being accorded by the nationalist forces a break to emerge at last from the shadows and constricted contours of regional politics to take their rightful place in the national politics. They are also enthralled at the prospects of aligning the State’s political destiny with the engine of development that appeared on the national scene last year and has since been chugging on in its inexorable march to the country’s ultimate goal of emerging as the ‘Vishwa Guru’

With the crucial assembly elections in Bihar scheduled to take place in October-November, a large section of people are looking forward to a change of guard and hoping for a positive and refreshing change to sweep across the state in the coming years. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech at the first Parivartan rally in Muzaffarpur on July 25 sounded BJP’s bugle call for the transformation of Bihar from an under-rated actor, waiting in the wings, into a lead character on the centre-stage in the dramatic political events about to pan out shortly. After that, he addressed three more Parivartan Rallies—in Gaya on August 9, in Arrah and Saharasa on August 18 and in Bhagalpur on September 1.

Breaking the Mould

Meanwhile, the voters of Bihar are currently on a roll, taking pride in being accorded by the nationalist forces a break to emerge at last from the shadows and constricted contours of regional politics to take their rightful place in the national politics. They are also enthralled at the prospects of aligning the State’s political destiny with the engine of development that appeared on the national scene last year and has since been chugging on in its inexorable march to the country’s ultimate goal of emerging as the ‘Vishwa Guru’.

Bihar has never lagged behind in playing its part in the process of shaping or moulding of the country’s destiny right from the pre-independence days. Nor is it likely to do so this time around either. For the State and the people of Bihar, the elections due later this year provide a windfall opportunity to sever their connection with the State’s dubious past of caste and communal politics and usher in a brave new world of mainstream politics and pan-Indian model.

Windfall Offer

Of particular importance in the course of the developments leading to the present stage was Prime Minister Modi’s landmark announcement of a stupendous special package of Rs.1.25 lakh crore for the State, which he said had been “yearning for development and progress”. The package, which covers a wide range of development sectors such as roads, highways, petroleum refineries, gas, airports, rural electrification, education, health, farmers’ welfare, digitalisation of Bihar, etc, is expected to change the economic landscape of the State tremendously.

One would, therefore, have thought that the package would be whole-heartedly welcomed by the entire spectrum of political parties and stakeholders in the State’s development and progress. But that is not what transpired! While the Centre’s special package is bound to act as a catalyst for the accelerated growth of the State’s economy and the people of Bihar would undoubtedly be the beneficiaries, Modi’s political rivals feel outwitted and threatened and are bitter over the introduction of a “game changer” by the Prime Minister. Not surprisingly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gave vent to his disappointment and sense of helplessness when he reacted by lashing out at Narendra Modi for “bidding” for Bihar. He exhibited his characteristic braggadocio when he called the special package a trumped-up one and threatened to expose the “real truth” behind the package soon. It was indeed a splendid display of a remarkably narrow mindset that would not allow the regional politician to rise above the usual antics of a mere powerbroker!

Being neither a sop nor a mere promise, the package was a windfall offer of a badly needed economic assistance by the Centre on an unprecedented scale. It was a wonderful opportunity for the State to shore a much-needed breakthrough up the alley of its beleaguered economy. However, the occasion turned out to be yet another case in point, which proves that it takes as large a heart to appreciate a real crackerjack of an act of goodwill as the one that conceives and delivers it. And again, notwithstanding how the people of the State feel about the economic benefits expected to accrue, thanks to the special package, the politicians of the back alleys of Bihar are hardly likely to grow out of the caste and communal mould that has kept the State tied to the shackles of laggardness in the first place. And yet, Nitish Kumar has been demanding special category status for the State to place its economy, which is in tatters, on an even keel.

Casteism and Communalism

It is a matter of abiding shame and embarrassment that political battles have traditionally been fought in Bihar, as in several other Indian States, on the lines of casteist or communal politics. It would appear by implication that those politicians who had vote bank politics for strategy had the only aim of winning polls on the unquestioning support of an entire community or caste whose narrow interests they were espousing on the basis of sops, freebies and populist schemes, with absolutely no concern about the development and progress of the State as a whole. For the self-serving practitioners of the fine art of vote bank politics in Bihar, the forthcoming elections present yet another opportunity to hone their skills and put them to good use for the purpose of perpetuating their hold on the levers of power in the State.

On the one hand, the RJD-JD (U)-Congress coalition has been bitterly complaining against the special package that helps bolster the development plank of NDA’s poll strategy. On the other hand, RJD Chief Lalu Yadav has accused the NDA of trying to split the Yadav-Muslim vote bank by helping Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) contest the elections and garner Muslim votes to the detriment of the RJD-JD(U)-Congress coalition. Fear of a split in the Muslim vote bank owing to the Owaisi factor, and the apprehension that the Yadav segment of the electorate may also not vote for them en masse this time around owing to the presence of Yadav leaders in NDA, have sent tremors down the ranks of the RJD-JD(U)-Congress grand alliance.

The camp opposing NDA would much rather have the Muslim segment of the electorate believe that BJP is and has always been a party of Muslim-baiters and is, therefore, against Secularism. Likewise, they do not favour the idea of the splitting of the Yadav votes. They are keen on keeping the flock of the Muslim-Yadav vote bank in their stranglehold by operationalising their tried-and-tested strategy of playing the Communalism card against NDA and offering the vote bank constituents sops and populist schemes.

The hypocrisy of extending unabashed support to a particular religion or a community in the name of promoting Secularism or warding off casteism does not in the least make them feel queasy. Such is the audacity of political rivals of the NDA of arrogating to themselves the mantle of champions and protectors of the interests of these groups. It shows the ugly underbelly of vote-bank politics practised with such ease and aplomb against the development agenda of NDA. It is time for Bihar to choose between the progressive and development agenda of the NDA and the regressive vote bank politics of the RJD-JD (U)-Congress combine.

Hollow Speeches

The RJD-JD (U) coalition has no economic agenda whatsoever. Lalu has made it clear that his coalition is fighting against “fascist and communal forces”. There is nothing more to his agenda. The champions of pseudo-Secularism have no intention of being ever concerned about the State’s economy and have apparently been “dedicating” and periodically “re-dedicating” their lives every time there is an election, to fighting “fascist and communal forces”. How they propose to do the fighting is by identifying the BJP with Communalism and entering into a grand coalition against that party with whosoever is ready for such collaboration.

When the BJP or the NDA, of which it is a partner, talks of development politics, the RJD-JD(U)-Congress clique counters it with the talk of communalism and secularism. As Lalu once famously said, development projects do not fetch votes, but talking of the bugbear of communalism and secularism does! Lalu has further dared the Prime Minister to bring back black money stashed away at overseas tax havens in keeping with BJP’S poll promise of 2014. Conveniently overlooking all the good work already initiated by the NDA government in this regard, he went ahead and taunted Modi by stating that the latter was incapable of vindicating his promise of unearthing black money.

Referring to onion prices shooting up across the country, albeit due to shortage of production, he made a jibe at Modi about the latter’s “inability” to unearth stocks of onion hoarded by black marketers, let alone unearth black money, thereby making a facetious charge over a matter of great national importance. Such flippant quips and facetious comments made in casual reference to matters of national importance do get a moronic claps and guffaws from his roadside audience who are out for a good time and even endear this clown to the mainstream media, which is all the time on the lookout for sound bites (the nastier the better). Whether his antics and buffoonery are capable of translating the amusement and titillation of the audience into votes in this age of right to information and vibrant social media, which have transformed the common man into less gullible and more knowledgeable and discerning a voter, is a foregone conclusion.

Fight against Corruption

Never the one to shy away from fishing in troubled political waters, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has thrown his hat in the ring by agreeing to campaign for the RJD-JD(U)-Congress coalition. The plank of his campaign? Why, corruption, of course! There was a time when he called every political party in the country corrupt and declared that all politicians were crooks and guilty of complicity. Today, his ire is exclusively targeted at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. In the name of fighting corruption, he is campaigning for the defeat of the BJP and its NDA allies in Bihar. What is more, he is working hard for the success of some of the most discredited and corrupt political leaders and ideologically bankrupt and irrelevant political parties in the country.

As recently as a few days ago, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to Lalu Yadav on a plea by the CBI against the dropping of certain charges in one of the FIRs by Jharkhand High Court in the multi-crore fodder scam in which Lalu had been convicted and is currently out on bail. As regards Nitish Kumar, he has no reservation or compunction about working with a fellow politician of Bihar with whom he has a love-hate relationship and who is convicted on multi-crore corruption charges.

Besides, he had no qualms either about being egoistic while turning down point blank an aid of Rs 5 crore from the Government of Gujarat for the people of Bihar who had been affected by floods in Kosi river in 2008. This he did without caring a whit about the distress of the people of his own State and their need for relief or the sentiments of the people of Gujarat who had contributed the amount, making a prestige issue of accepting the aid from his political rival. Why accept the aid and let Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, hog the credit for coming to the rescue of the people of Bihar, earn their goodwill and make political mileage out of it, was his line of reasoning. He had no conflict with his conscience about placing a false pride and prestige before the distress and sentiments of people. In short, politics before people.

Furthermore, now Arvind Kejriwal is all set to wage a war against corruption by joining hands with Lalu Yadav, who is convicted on multi-crore corruption charges, Nitish Kumar who puts politics before people in distress and in need of assistance, and the Congress which is neck deep in numerous cases of scams and corruption charges and is under investigation and litigation. A unique way indeed of fighting corruption! Having fought and won elections for the Delhi Assembly twice, both the times on the plank of fight against corruption, and formed the government both the times, he has so far failed to introduce his much promised Jan Lokpal Bill and Swaraj Bill in the assembly.

If he could not accomplish the task of passing the two anti-corruption Bills to which his Aam Aadmi Party owes its existence, despite having a steamroller majority in the assembly, how does he hope to win over corruption in Bihar by campaigning for tainted and convicted parochial politicians who lack an economic agenda and a pan-Indian vision and are preoccupied with perpetuating family rule?

Cradle of Political Corruption

Bihar, one of the poorest States in India, is about to go to polls that are, according to media reports, expected to be the costliest ever. The exact dates of the election have been announced, and the campaigning already commenced. Having to stagger the publicity and campaigning over a period of more than two months, the candidates are already bewildered by the huge cost of electioneering.

The estimated expenditure of each candidate on campaigning is expected to cross the Rs 1-crore mark. However, the expenditures admissible in terms of the ceiling fixed by the Election Commission (EC) are in the range of Rs 20-28 lakh. In this context, would it sound too cynical an observation if one called India’s elections the cradle of political corruption and fountainhead of black money? Given the candidates and their parties have to resort to plying enormous amounts of unaccounted money into their campaigns, these undoubtedly seem to be very apt observations.

Momentous Occasion

The forthcoming elections are of tremendous significance for the voters of Bihar. Standing at a crossroads, they now have two different paths diverging in front of them. And since they cannot travel both, they have to choose one of them. They may either take the much-treaded path of pseudo-secularism, or they may choose the unfamiliar road of issue-based politics and development agenda.

Here they just need to remember that if they go for the first option, it will lead their beloved state to the murky world of regional politics—a veritable ‘jungle raj,’ stalked by ideological dwarfs and political pygmies with arrows tipped with the poison of casteism and communalism.

On the other hand, if they opt for the second alternative it will open up for them a brave new world of social development and economic progress like never before. It will also enable them to finish an important task of seeking out and identifying the politicos who are out to fish in the troubled waters of Bihar and eliminate this scourge from their State forever.

(The article published in weekly magazine Uday India in September 20-26, 2015 edition)

http://udayindia.in/2015/09/18/fishing-in-the-troubled-waters-of-bihar/

An Anarchist at Work

Arvind Kejriwal, the self-proclaimed anarchist, is passionate about fighting political battles on the street by holding dharnas and rallies even while in office. Instead of vindicating the trust reposed in him and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by the electorate of Delhi by governing the State with a single-minded devotion and unflinching determination, he keeps descending on the unwary people with alarming regularity for fighting street battles against perceived injustice. His idea of fighting for a cause is to badmouth and vilify symbols of authority such as the Prime Minister and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Armed with a Rs 500-crore plus publicity budget, Kejriwal has no qualms or compunction about using the taxpayers’ money for self-promotion as well as for demeaning the NDA government at the Centre by alleging that the latter has been creating road blocks in the smooth functioning of his government. Using the same funds, he has also been falsely claiming that Lt Governor Najeeb Jung is acting in cahoots with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thwart his plans and policies. Furthermore, Kejriwal has been peevish and petulant about Delhi Police for not falling in line with his strategic program for making Delhi a safe place for women what with the department being directly placed under the control of the Home Ministry at the Centre and not answerable to him.

During his first stint of 49 days as the Chief Minister of Delhi between December 28, 2013 and February 14, 2014, he staged a rally to protest against then UPA government for not agreeing to place Delhi Police under his command. His rally was full of dramatics like sitting in the middle of one of the busiest thoroughfares of the city, signing important files and letters on the roadside, spending a whole wintry night on the road complete with his trademark scarf, blanket, etc. He also had home-cooked food on the road, all to the amusement of the gawking public; and the inquisitive TV cameras lapped up every move and word of his with unabashed gluttony for sensationalism.

Kejriwal even exhorted the policemen, who were present at the scene for controlling the protestors and crowds, to shed their uniform and join the protest. For a good measure, he declared without an iota of hesitation, throwing propriety to the wind, that he was an anarchist. On January 21, 2014, he threw a veiled threat that he would continue his protest on the street till the Republic Day and also flood Rajpath with lakhs of supporters and disrupt the Republic Day celebrations.

Self-promotion and Vilification of Rivals

Humongous hoardings dotting the city’s skyline, radio and television broadcasts singing his paean, liberally funded, not with party funds but with public funds, scream out in silent agony over the gross misuse of power and position and Kejriwal’s thirst for publicity. Surprisingly, all these self-promotion and vilification of political rivals are being done with public funds that could have been better utilized elsewhere for the good of the public. The recent instance of his name being displayed in big bold letters at the Independence Day celebrations organized by the Delhi government was yet another occasion that betrayed his megalomania.

Kejriwal has not missed out a single opportunity to cross swords with Lt Governor Jung over issues like the appointment of Home Secretary, Secretary (Lands), Chief of the Anti-Corruption Branch, Chief of Delhi Women’s Commission, revision of circle rates, etc. While disputing the authority of the Lt Governor, he seems to be unmindful of the vast body of powers vested in the latter by the Constitution on account of Delhi enjoying the unique status of a Union Territory, which has its own Legislative Assembly and government, headed by a Chief Minister.

Kejriwal would rather have the rules of the game redrawn by having the country go back to the drawing board, upgrade the National Capital’s status to a full-fledged State, place the Delhi Police department under his direct control, grant himself unfettered freedom to make appointments of senior officials in the State and, above all, replace the Lt Governor with a benign Governor devoid of meddlesome authority to rain on the unfettered freedom of the Chief Minister to act as per his own grandiose scheme!

Shades of Anarchy

His ministerial colleagues and party functionaries have studiously followed Kejriwal’s example by resorting to vigilantism and activism, blissfully unmindful of the legal position of the issues involved or constraints like human rights and social niceties. Far from reining in his errant ministers who do not hesitate to fall foul with the law in the course of their spirited public display of their passion for fighting injustice, he seems to spending much of his time and energy on suppressing voices of dissent within the AAP. He went so far as to have his senior party colleagues and ideologues Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, unceremoniously thrown out.

While doing so, he did not fight shy of badmouthing them as a parting gift. So much for the inner party democracy in the scheme of things of the “anarchist” operating within the ambit of democracy! He always seems to be itching to break the mould of the democratic institutions that have been founded in line with Constitutional provisions in the first place and have been functioning as per established norms and recast them in terms of his own ideas. This is a startling fact that the people of our nation would have to take into account while reckoning his bid for power in the future course of his political life and career.

Craving for Power

When the lure of office overtakes the will to serve the country and more and more powers are all that one hankers after on assuming a position of power, there sets in the process of degeneration of a politician of ideological conviction and moorings based on value-based politics, into a mere powerbroker. Arvind Kejriwal, the enfant terrible of Indian politics, is a self-proclaimed nonconformist. He dubbed all the major political parties in the country corrupt, and majority of politicians thieves, when he descended on the national scene in 2010 as a member of Anna Hazare’s team, which raised the threshold of the people’s awareness of corruption and black money as major stumbling blocks in the way of the nation’s development and progress.

Kejriwal accused politicians who allowed themselves to play into the hands of unscrupulous corporate houses, tax-dodging industrialists and businessmen, of murky dealings and opaque monetary transactions responsible for the generation of black money. He decried the inadequacy and inefficacy of the existing political system to tackle the situation and advocated its replacement with alternative politics. He recommended transfusion of new blood into the body politic, and accused major political parties like the Congress and the BJP of not being sincere in their publicly avowed support for the Jan Lokpal Bill, which is aimed at ending corruption in public life.

Although initially he was reluctant to join electoral politics, later on he succumbed to the taunts of the parties that came under his relentless attacks. These parties dared him to form his own party, capture power and pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. Kejriwal who had not been in any case happy with the ways of the movement called ‘India Against Corruption’ launched by his mentor Anna Hazare, threw down the gauntlet, announced his intention of pursuing active politics and founded the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012.

Non-deliverance and Excuses

Notwithstanding the fact that it has been voted to power in Delhi twice in a row, AAP has not vindicated its courage of conviction by introducing in the Assembly either of the two Bills to which it owes its existence – the Jan Lokpal Bill and the Swaraj Bill. Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister the first time after a brief period of 49 days, as a protest against a lack of support from the Congress and the BJP and objections from the Lt Governor. However, his gambit of presenting a picture of injured innocence boomeranged and had a negative impact on his image.

He was variously described by his detractors as a quitter and defeatist. His bluff was called when he received a sound thrashing at the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the Varanasi constituency where he had contested against no less a political stalwart than Narendra Modi, Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP, the hot-shot favourite for storming the citadels of Delhi. Instead of vowing the world as a veritable giant-slayer, the improbability of beating the tallest leader of recent times made him bite dust and he reconciled to returning to the battlegrounds of Delhi from which he had exited only some days ago in a feigned show of righteous indignation towards other parties, which did not support him in his fight against corruption.

Caught in a Tight Spot

When Delhi went to polls again early this year, Kejriwal went back to the people of Delhi who had trusted his nascent party and voted it to power albeit as a major coalition partner and repeatedly apologized for quitting office. He sought people’s forgiveness and assured them time and again that he would never again resign if voted to power. In addition to the major poll plank of passing the Jan Lokpal and Swaraj Bills, he promised a slew of welfare schemes and populist measures and a plethora of freebies. Apparently, the people of Delhi had accepted his walking out of power as a sign of political immaturity and made up their mind to give him the benefit of doubt. Resultantly, the tide turned in his favour once again, and the people returned the AAP to power – this time around with a brutal majority.

Kejriwal’s bluff having thus been called, he found himself in an unenviable position of being caught between a rock and a hard place. Having bagged 67 out of 70 seats, he secured a steamroller majority which, coupled with his promise to never again to walk out midway, precluded him from faltering on delivering on his pre-poll promises. Well, at least that was the general perception of the electorate as well as political analysts and observers.

Grievances and Complaints

However, lately Kejriwal seems to have become much too harder a proposition for the people of Delhi to contend with than they had bargained for. There has been no dearth of windmills for India’s very own Don Quixote to go tilting at. Having put the Jan Lokpal and Swaraj Bills on the backburner, Kejriwal lost no time in preparing his own laundry list of feigned grievances and complaints that prevented him from fulfilling his promises and serving the country. Topping the list were the issues of upgradation of Delhi as a full-fledged State, placing Delhi Police under his direct control, and grant of unfettered freedom to the Chief Minister for the appointments of senior officials.

Key Issues

Chief Minister Kejriwal was sore that his proposal for the appointment of senior officials were scuttled by Lt Governor Jung. Was it not obvious to the nation that the troupe of officials appointed in preference to those of his personal choice would not be beholden to him and would, therefore, not cooperate in carrying out his schemes and programs?

The Delhi government’s budget hardly has any scope to accommodate the cost of snazzy dreams woven, and alluring promises spun in the manifesto of AAP. While the Prime Minister and Lt Governor were expected to gladly turn down Kejriwal’s requests for release of more funds, the Indian mainstream media (MSM) worked overtime to project Modi in the wrong light.

Furthermore, the AAP strived to convince the voters that the good work executed by the Delhi government were not getting enough coverage in the Main Stream Media (MSM). It was important that the good people of Delhi be informed of his government’s tireless good work for the betterment of their life, he argued. An obscenely fat budget was, therefore, put in place to project Kejriwal as a people-friendly Chief Minister, who ceaselessly promoted people’s welfare.

Ambition and Future

As of now, the ire of Kejriwal is aimed at Prime Minister Modi and Lt Governor Jung. Having decimated the Congress, making its hopes of staging a comeback in Delhi a distant dream, Kejriwal perceives the NDA government as the Evil Empire and Narendra Modi as his arch enemy. He has already given the nation, much to its consternation, a taste of his vituperative outpourings of the “manipulations” of PM Modi in thwarting his grand schemes and the readiness of Lt Governor Jung to play the “willing catspaw.”

What the people might, however, find amusing is the fact that although Kejriwal was a rank outsider till recently, he must have had an overview of the constricted maneuverability of individual politicians and governments within the confines and parameters of the system and yet went ahead and made tall promises of populist schemes and a plethora of freebies with nary a thought to constraints of administrative and financial powers as a Chief Minister and limited availability of funds.

Meanwhile, now he is peeved about the Prime Minister and the Lt Governor standing in his way! While he hogs all the glory for himself for doing whatever little he has already done as per his party’s poll manifesto, the blame is conveniently parked at the doors of the Centre and its representatives watching over his moves. Whether such a flagrantly convenient but uncooperative attitude is acceptable to the people is a moot question. Playing the superhero and Sad Sack in turns suits him splendidly, and he does it with ever so much alacrity! Whether it washes down well with the people is what remains to be seen.

A review of the structural set up of political institutions and the distribution of powers among Constitutional authorities in the country may well be in order. A national debate among major political parties, with the active participation of regional representatives and bureaucracy, would be the best bet to ensure a meeting of minds in the matter so as not to leave the room for any more grouse in future. All these would be feasible only if there is a preliminary agreement to take the process forward among the stakeholders who need to be identified. Till such time, prudence and the collective national instinct for survival call for the maintaining of the status quo and not rocking the boat by the avaricious and the impatient pack, led by Arvind Kejriwal.

Since coming into power in 2014, the BJP government has not only speeded up administrative tasks, the men in power have substantiated that they aren’t a pack of hounds, rather are a commandingly motivated group that is assuredly heading towards the desired direction. Appraisals and assessments during the execution of plan not only reminds about any misses in the passage, these exercises also help steering clear of unwanted mistakes and to realize the expectations of people you are liable to. What is wrong if one of the world’s most noteworthyvoluntary charitable organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), meets country’s topmost decision-makers to consult and guide them towards a constructive roadmap for the future?

As alleged by some as unconstitutional, to be specific, by one from the pack of hounds in whose hands Delhi is scuffling at the moment, the RSS-BJP meet held on 2-4 September 2015, may have called for some criticisms, more so when the same is seen with the eyes of muddy Indian political arena, the truth is that this coming together is as much necessary and beneficial as are all other mid-term evaluations of government schemes and programmes. News reports do carry the facts of the meet, which embraces discussion over key social and political matters, including One Rank One Pension (OROP), border issue with Bangladesh and China, and talks over militancy concerns in Kashmir. When ministers along with persons of acumen from the RSS put across opinions and anticipations, the outcome wouldn’t be futile like one of the Congress top shots attempting to score some political numbers through visits to OROP and FTII protest sites, indeed, the result will be practical answers to matters concerned with the society and economy.

Why is it senseless to term the meet illegitimate?

Many of us send proposals to the government when the law-makers plan a new law or an amendment to any existing legislation is proposed and the same is put on ministry’s website for suggestions from the general public and other stakeholders. This is called participative and transparent governance, and sound ideas are considered to augment the overall productivity of the country. On similar lines, the RSS, an organization that through millions of its volunteers undertakes tasks of social betterment and is also the ideological mentor of the ruling government, when deliberates over prevailing issues with persons capable to devise and introduce new initiatives, problems and potentials are shared, legitimate answers are located and policy-makers are reminded of their indispensable duty of serving the citizens at the earliest and to the fullest.

A comparison with the past

The UPA rule witnessed a weak Prime Minister Office and concentration of power with a handful of people who imposed incompetent and biased policy initiatives on the nation. The committees and task forces formed during such time were a mere formality to refer key issues to specialized group of people, in fact, the decisions flowed from a single powerhouse. And alike is the milieu today with the AAP government, one or two men are in-charge of all possible tasks; this has led to people with dignity and sense of honesty to quit the party and expose one-man dictatorship within the group. In politics, it has been a routine to limit decision-making within a small cluster or family, more so because this doesn’t let others to grow and hence demand any shift from ineffectual leaders. Isn’t the same a valid reason why the Congress could not look beyond one family when it comes to electing party’s President and Vice-President? Had there been an independent and shrewd group of evaluators and advisors, a sense of responsibility and delivery would have been a part of Congress’ way of governance.

Why to expect and not lend ears to false allegations

Opposition parties and the so-called secular groups have repeatedly targeted RSS’ right-wing belief denying the crucial role of the cadre in improving socio-economic and political scene of India. Voters who exceedingly backed the Modi-led BJP in 2014 and are satisfied enough today owing to government’s deliveries in past more than one year shall also thank the RSS volunteers who communicated BJP’s candidature to far-flung areas and helped the party secure a strong majority in the Lok Sabha, a pre-requisite for healthy governance. The RSS leaders as well as the bottom-most volunteers have chosen to stay away from active politics, which makes them eligible to represent the common man of India and ask the ruling government for quick corrections in the society. If at all the doubts are over the alleged pro-Hindu approach and article of faith of the RSS, people are to know that during the RSS-BJP meet, rehabilitation of Kashmir’s civilians injured during militant and cross-border attacks is a significant topic of deliberation and the same calls for advancement of non-Hindusof the valley.

Since decades, opposition parties and their leaders have relied upon anti-government protests to regain public support. The OROP, FTII, land bill, amendment to labor laws and such other matters dominant today have also found illicit backing from opposition leaders. On the contrary, the RSS has assessed these subjects in view of all feasible possibilities and for the actualadvantage of all and not just a particular class or cluster. When ministers discuss tasks and ideas with RSS leaders and debatewhat steps shall be taken to overcome barriers to success, the underlying bonuses accrue to the common people of India, not to political or corporate entities.

This is no assessment, this is coordination

No one has the constitutional right to call upon ruling ministers and assess or guide their working. This notion is duly honored during these deliberations and the attempt is to coordinate and harmonize rather than impose any special or unjustified expectations on the people in power. RSS does not have any extraordinary demands to be shared, what at all they are concerned with is how governance can be made more inclusive, participatory and just. From the people of Arunachal Pradesh and states sharing border with Bangladesh to the pain of army veterans and Kashmir residents, the points of discussion touch common spheres of our lives and the liability of the government to provide resolutions. In no sense, as purported by a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, this RSS-BJP meet can be termed as performance appraisal of the government. Indians shall be contented that a social organization is making sincere endeavors in discussing issues with leaders who carry the ideology of RSS, which shouldn’t be a grievance so long as this ideology is unprejudiced, sensible and evenhanded, something we can be certain of owing to the past record of the organization.

Be assured that such form of inclusive governance, as is seen during such instances, will come as a shock to those political parties which are habitual to receiving dictates from a solecontroller. For those who understand how periodic deliberations improve delivery mechanism and policy making, the RSS-BJP meet is a moment to cherish, not complain.

If someone claims that such meetings defy government’s privacy to foreign relations and defence, they are to know that to make such meets possible there stands no need for the ministers and their staff to carry confidential papers for any sort of presentation. The motive of the RSS-BJP meet is clear and concrete- The government is chosen by the people to make their lives better and this task is to be accomplished in a limited period of five years. After regular intervals, the government shall be reminded of people’s hopes, past policies weighed in light of their efficiency, and a roadmap for future laid to serve as a tentative guide for policy-makers. RSS is capably and diligently undertaking this work and deserves a pat on the back for the same.

Rahul and his party seem obstinate enough to inflict a major damage on the country in a bid to tarnish the image of the NDA government in the public eye, with scant regard to the nation. Such obduracy and disregard for parliamentary procedures betray the unpreparedness and immaturity of a politician aspiring to become the leader of the oldest political party in the country

The Indian National Congress (INC) is desperately in need of reinventing itself. Its ideological bastions of democratic socialism, non-alignment and peaceful coexistence with neighbouring countries have all been dashed to the ground long ago by the shifting geo-political tectonic plates. Utterly bereft of ideological moorings and rendered short of a niche space in Indian politics to make it a distinct identity as in the past vis-a-vis other political parties, especially its arch-rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it is as of now, just another political outfit of power brokers and wheeler-dealers like the innumerable parties hankering for a piece of the power pie at the Centre.

With a mother-son duo leading it like a family enterprise and loyal foot-soldiers hanging on like limpets, a serious problem of crisis of identity is staring the party in the face. Unless the Congress gets a firm grip on itself and handles the situation imaginatively in the context of changing political realities, this situation may worsen in the course of time and lead the party to face an existential crisis. However, if one takes into account the peevish antics enacted by Rahul Gandhi recently, he seems to be in a hurry to accelerate the process of wallpapering the fissures and bringing it all to an abrupt end sooner rather than later.

Here it is worth recalling that Rahul forayed into active politics in 2004 when he contested for and won the Lok Sabha election and became a Member of Parliament from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. In 2007, he was made the General Secretary of the Congress Party. Then in 2013, he was elected as its Vice President and was given the charge of spearheading the campaign of the INC for the approaching 2014 Lok Sabha elections, in which his party suffered its worst electoral defeat in its entire history winning only 44 seats in a House of 540, as against 206 won in the earlier 2009 general elections. If one is generous enough to grant that ups and downs are part of the political scenario, then consider the following.

Voice of Dissent

In a recent letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, a one-time party spokesperson and former Minister of State for External Affairs, expressed dismay that his years of sincere service to the party has not been recognised or appreciated and that he was suspected by the party President of leaking information regarding party affairs to the Press. Categorically denying a leakage on his part, he referred to leaking as a habit of cowards and conspirators. Conceding that he had earlier voiced, in a meeting of Congress MPs, disagreement with the party’s strategy of stalling Parliamentary proceedings in the monsoon session, he gave vent to his apprehension of feeling isolated, with all the other party worthies turning against him.

Now, who is the coward and who is the conspirator? Definitely it is not the solitary one who stood his ground on the burning deck and shot off a missive to the President to boot, that could be either! Tharoor went on to state that some people with access to Sonia Gandhi had poisoned her mind by planting conspiracy theories so much so that his loyalty had become a much-suspected commodity. What he did not say, but left to be understood, was that the party had become a den of cowards and conspirators and—here comes the kill—these elements had access to the highest authority in the party and lost no time in branding him a traitor!

Tharoor’s letter gives rise to two inevitable questions. First off, what is the party high command going to do concerning his litany of charges—award him with a plum position or elevate him in the party hierarchy? That is hardly likely. The second question is what Tharoor himself is going to do about his grievance. Having already stripped him of the party spokesperson’s post, Sonia Gandhi has heaped on him the ignominy of severe castigation time and again for “always” towing an anti-party line. To drive home her point, she alluded to instances that had brought him appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, like participating in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and his recent address at the Oxford University, highlighting the reparations that Britain owed India.

What remains to be done with a recalcitrant foot-soldier who dared mutiny? Caught in a bind over the personal tragedy that had entailed his wife’s murder and the political brinkmanship that put his nerve to test, does he have the cojones to hang on to the status quo for much longer? This is a moot question which, along with the party high command’s likely course of action, falls in the realm of speculation.

More Dissidence

It would be foolishness to believe that Tharoor’s was a lonely voice in the wilderness. There have been discordant notes from other disgruntled party members as well. Soon after the electoral debacle last year, T H Mustafa, a Congress leader from Kerala, sent shock waves among the party by stating that the shaming of the party at the polls was on account of Rahul’s behaviour as a “joker”. He demanded Rahul’s ouster from the post of Vice President and induction of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Veteran Congress leader Bhanwar Lal Sharma of Rajasthan went a step further and said that the time had come for the party to think beyond Rahul and Priyanka, both of whom wielded clout only on account of their hailing from the Gandhi family.

The five-time Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla did not lag far behind and left his party dumbfounded by openly criticising its leadership. Despite the party high command’s diktat to all its chief ministers not to attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he attended the ceremony. Jibes and barbs from dissidents were aimed not only at Rahul or the high command, but also at Rahul’s coterie of aides and advisors who had been inducted into his team entirely on account of their proximity to the family despite their lack of support at the grassroots level. Former Minister Milind Deora demanded that it was not only Team Rahul, which gave the high command wrong advice, but also those who had kept quiet that should own responsibility for the failing of the party.

Emergence of Rahul

Notwithstanding the voices of dissent, Rahul seems to have overcome the odds and is inching towards the party President’s post by resorting to aggressive posturing after a mysterious two month-vacation at some undisclosed destination earlier this year. Voices of dissidents have been muffled. The idea seems to be to give Rahul another chance to prove his mettle as a leader of all sections of the party and his capability to pull crowds and keep their attention riveted. Referring to reports earlier this year on Rahul Gandhi’s proposed elevation to the post of the party President, former Minister Jairam Ramesh, considered close to the scion of the Gandhi family, said Rahul was ready for any responsibility and would not shy away from accountability or responsibility.

Reinvention of Rahul

Rahul who had enjoyed the unsavoury reputation of being an absentee Parliamentarian or one who was a back-bencher that took catnaps when the House was in session on the few-and-far-between occasions that he chose to attend, apparently felt compelled to subject his image to a complete makeover. That seems to have been the motivating factor for his sudden tearing off from the public glare for a two-month sabbatical. When he returned, however, the nation had expected him to wow the public as well as his detractors by taking a headlong plunge into the major political issues awaiting debates and discussions, before and during their introduction in the monsoon session of the Parliament by the government.

What resulted were, however, shock and dismay. Instead of getting under the skin of the subject matters for discussion, Rahul chose to get on the nerves of one and all by resorting to accusatory tactics. His new-found strategy was best described by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar as “spit-and-run.” This was with specific reference to the vile language used by Rahul to launch a personal attack, by “crossing all limits of decency” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Land Acquisition Bill which is currently with a House Committee of Lok Sabha.

Logjam of Parliament

When the NDA government was planning to introduce eight new bills and take up other eleven pending bills for consideration and passage during the recently-concluded Monsoon Session in the Lok Sabha, and seven bills pending in the Rajya Sabha, Rahul and his MPs cried hoarse over charges of alleged corruption or impropriety on the part of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, CM of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje and CM of Madhya Pradesh Shivaj Singh Chouhan and demanded their resignation or ouster. When Narendra Modi ruled out any such possibility, the Congress-led Opposition Parties asked for a debate and when the NDA government said it was willing for the debate, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi immediately changed their stance to ‘First resignations, then discussions’, and insisted that unless Sushma Swaraj, Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan resign, they won’t be ready for any discussions or debates.

Then, guided by Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, the Opposition MPs resorted to disrupting the proceedings in both the Houses of Parliament without let up, demanding blanket acceptance of their demands. Over the next couple of days, their behavior became more unruly and their protests became more and more shrill and strident. The situation came to such a pass on August 3 that Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan decided to take recourse to Rule 374(A) in Parliament and suspended 25 Congress MPs for five days for unruly behavior and for causing “grave disorder” in Parliament and for “persistently and willfully obstructing” the House. This has been the largest such suspension where so many MPs have faced disciplinary action at one go.

While Sonia Gandhi condemned the suspensions and described the Speaker’s action as murder of democracy, on his part Rahul asked the Prime Minister to listen to the “Mann ki baat” of the people of the country. Terming the susp5Congress Party MPs undemocratic, on August 5 Rahul Gandhi told media persons that his party won’t budge from its stand and there won’t be any let up in its pressure on the government as far as issues of corruption, Sushma Swaraj and Vyapam were concerned. He thus made clear his party’s intent to carry on with its belligerent posture on the issue of resignations of top BJP leaders whom he had accused of wrongdoing. And eventually the entire Monsoon session between July 21 and August 13, 2015 got completely washed out over the Lalit Modi controversy and the Vyapam scam.

Here it needs to be reiterated that though the NDA government kept saying from day one of the Monsoon session that it was willing to discuss and debate every single issue in Parliament, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were more comfortable with the disruptions rather than the debate. Even during the Budget session earlier (between February 23 and May 8), there were continuous protests and regular disruptions as the Congress-led Opposition parties were against the passage of the Land Acquisition Bill. This stalling of Parliament’s functioning during the past few months at the behest of Sonia Gandhi and her son and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, has resulted in the entire monsoon session getting completely washed out, holding up key economic legislations, in addition to an estimated monetary loss of Rs 260 crore.

Thus, Rahul and his party seem obstinate enough to inflict a major damage on the country in a bid to tarnish the image of the NDA government in the public eye, with scant regard to the nation. Such obduracy and disregard for parliamentary procedures betray the unpreparedness and immaturity of a politician aspiring to become the leader of the oldest political party in the country.

Venom against BJP

Rahul had earlier undertaken visits to different parts of the country like Punjab, Maharashtra and Kerala, purportedly to visit famine-hit farmers. Instead of assuaging the feelings of the distressed farmers, he played politics to the hilt by lashing out at the Prime Minister whom he accused of embarking on a spree of foreign visits and neglecting the farmers. He also visited the Film and Television Institute of India (FTTI) to express support for the students of the Institute who have been on a strike over the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman of the Institute. Here again, he failed to focus on the students’ issue and poured venom on the Prime Minister and his party. He lashed out at BJP and RSS for allegedly promoting mediocrity.

Then on August 14, when Rahul visited Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in an attempted show of solidarity with ex-servicemen at the venue, who were staging a protest demanding implementation of One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, he was embarrassingly greeted by protesters raising slogans of “Go back Rahul”.

Apprehension over Loss of Power

Meanwhile, Rahul’s speeches and statements lack objectivity and focus on the issues involved. Instead, his jibes and barbs are aimed at the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders. His game plan is obviously to malign Narendra Modi and discredit the BJP. Instead of speaking about his own party and its roadmap for the development and progress of the country and welfare of the people, he is gung ho about hurting the government.

Neither he nor his party’s President is reconciled to the reality of having been out of power for over fifteen months now. Nor are they inclined to wait for a full five-year hiatus, if not longer, till the next round of elections due in 2019. This may be because they fear if they stay away from the centre of power any longer, the BJP may expose more and more scams and scandals that occurred during the UPA government’s misrule, which in turn may help the BJP in its avowed aim of accomplishing a “Congress-mukht Bharat”. Meanwhile, the corruption cases which have already been exposed, are at various stages of investigation and litigation and are expected to be pursued by the NDA government in real earnest. The mother-son duo is personally involved in the National Herald case and has so much at stake. Any semblance of weakness or vulnerability on their part is capable of resulting in a revolt by the regional satraps of the party. Besides, the people of the country are not unlikely to get used to the NDA government’s rule and give Congress a short shrift.

In short, the longer the Congress party is away from the levers of power at the Centre, the lesser its chances of a comeback to power or even survival in national politics. Hence the desperation of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to fish in murky political waters by extending support to unprincipled political allies such as Lalu Yadav, Nitish Kumar and Arvind Kejriwal.

Rahul’s Handicap

Rahul has already become the butt of ridicule in the social media as well as certain sections of the mainstream media. His lack of vision, game plan, perspicacity, focus on issues that impinge on national interests and people’s welfare, his acts of disappearance, mysterious personal life, lack of objectivity and reverence for the established political norms, non-accountability and opaque style of functioning, have all contributed to a serious erosion of his credibility, image and stature. All these have rendered him woefully short of standards expected of a leader with a pan-Indian appeal. Lately, voters across the country have started realising that Rahul is not Prime Minister material by any stretch of imagination or yardstick. His party colleagues and he himself should be aware of this more than anybody else. And, last but not least, the people of India have already proved they are quite capable of thinking beyond Congress and they do not want another person from the Gandhi family as a default Prime Minister.

(The article published in weekly magazine Uday India in September 6-12, 2015 edition on page 22-25)

http://udayindia.in/2015/09/04/congress-under-rahul-gandhi/

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) at Pune, which is the premier institute for learning film making and allied matters in Asia, has lately been on a slide. Filmmaking has been edged out by theatrics and the congeniality in the atmosphere of the campus by vexation. The students as well as the officials have also started trading charges and resorting to unprecedented and unconventional methods and means to prove their respective points. And the institute has now become a scene of action where battle lines have been clearly drawn and positions taken by these two warring factions.

With the ongoing battle of wits and nerves showing no signs of abating and neither side displaying willingness to take the extra step to resolve the issues to mutual satisfaction, no end to the acrimony and animosity is in sight. While the student representatives claim that they are ready to have talks with the government, they are insistent on their demands and have ruled out any compromise. The reputation of the FTII has become the first casualty, especially with some of the dubious goings on in the campus among the student community having been brought to light by the glaring attention that the developments have attracted. 

The Outbreak of Trouble

Trouble started with the appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman of the Institute. Students protested against this appointment, calling Chauhan a candidate lacking “vision and artistic credentials”. He was derided as someone incapable of leading an institute of the stature and prominence of FTII. His selection was attributed to his perceived proclivity to the RSS ideology and alleged proximity to the BJP leadership at the Centre. Selection of other candidates chosen to fill the vacancies in the FTII Society was also condemned on account of the candidates’ allegiance to the Saffron ideology. Casting aspersions on the appointments on account of alleged political overtones, the students have been vociferous and unequivocal about their demand for revocation of the appointments. They vented spleen and went on strike, which has been continuing since then, without letup.

Roping in Celebrity Support

Not wanting their protest against the government’s actions, described as unilateral and far from being objective, to go ignored or forgotten, the students roped in celebrity support and even staged a morcha in Delhi. An array of film industry personalities and politicos came to the fore to enjoy their two-minute of publicity in the process of expressing solidarity with the student community and their “horror” at the “insensitive” and “unimaginative” manner in which the matter was handled by the officials of the Institute and the Central government.

Meanwhile, the student representatives and alumni of the Institute claimed that they held “positive interactions” with their counterparts from quite a few universities across the country like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia in Delhi, Jadhavpur University and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata as well as colleges in Ahmedabad and Pune, to enlist their support. Apparently, their idea was to explore the possibility of mobilizing sympathy and solidarity from the student bodies across the country to be used to force the authorities into acceding to their demands.

Entry of Politicos

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who had been touring States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra and UP to meet famine and drought-hit farmers for the purpose of vilifying the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s Land Acquisition Bill and turning the farmers against it, readily joined the fray by visiting FTII on an invitation from the protestors and expressed his and his party’s solidarity with the students. He also seized the opportunity to wax eloquent about what he called the RSS ideology of promoting mediocrity in the country. This was followed by a retort by the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Singh, who tweeted about the politicization of a students’ issue by the Congress Party. The student representatives also had a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, which failed to break the deadlock. At the meeting, Jaitley reportedly hinted at the eventual privatization of the FTII, but assured the students that they would continue to enjoy academic freedom.

Dubious Activities

The issue at the core of the movement became much larger and murkier by the day when incidents of some recalcitrant student leaders and elements with vested interest hanging around in the campus even years after completion of the duration of their courses were reported in the Main Stream Media (MSM) as well as the Social Media. Incidents of abuse of drugs and alcohol as well as involvement in political activities of the extreme kind on the part of these elements who were well past their student life and academic career were brought to light. These elements were reported to have a vested interest in prolonging the confrontation to make political mileage out of the resultant fluid situation.

The authorities of the Institute who wanted to cleanse the campus of such undesirable elements started issuing notice to them for vacating the accommodation on the campus occupied by them, on receipt of instructions from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Continued occupation by the hangers-on of the accommodation on the campus, which is heavily subsidized by the government, makes it difficult and even impossible for bonafide new students to get inexpensive accommodation on the campus. The newly-appointed Director of FTII, Prashant Pathrabe, announced the Institute’s decision to assess the incomplete diploma film projects of the 2008 batch with a view to weeding out the hangers-on.

This move was denounced as “irrational, unjustified and unfair” and was resisted by the affected students and their sympathizers among the students fraternity. They wanted the status-quo to continue as they feared that post-assessment those with incomplete projects may be declared failed and would have to leave the Institute. The students contested the admissibility of the decision to assess in the absence of the approval of the Institute’s academic council, which had allegedly been bypassed. The Ministry of I&B had earlier raised the question of non-completion of diploma film projects by the 2008 batch and non-conduct of convocation for the past 17 years that prompted the crackdown by the Institute. 

Midnight Arrests

The crackdown led to precipitation of an ugly incident with unpleasant fallout. The FTII Director reported on August 17 a case of his being manhandled, harassed and herded into his office when he tried to leave for home at the end of the day. He was then held captive for about seven hours. All the time, the unruly student mob raised slogans against him, shouted he was unfit for the post and demanded withdrawal of the decision to take up the incomplete diploma film projects by the 2008 batch for assessment. On receipt of an SOS, the Police rescued the Director from the unlawful custody of the students. The Police raided the campus around midnight. Although they had warrants against fifteen, they arrested only five students, all male, and booked cases against all of them. They were then charged with obstructing a public servant from performing his duty besides criminal intimidation, destruction of property, voluntarily causing hurt and rioting.

The arrested students were later let out on bail. The FTII Students Association has predictably put down the arrests as an act of spite arising out of an ulterior motive of weakening the students’ stir by ejecting some of its active participants. They have questioned the absence of the Registrar at the time of the arrests carried out at midnight, alleging that it drives home the point that the welfare or fate of the students figured nowhere in the scheme of things of the Institute’s administration. The youth wing of Shiv Sena and several student outfits in Pune have denounced the midnight arrests and stressed on the need for the government to find an amicable solution to the logjam.

Kejriwal Chips In

Whenever there is a controversy, can Arvind Kejriwal be far behind? He muscled his way through and reminded all concerned that he had a pebble or two of his own too to throw in and make the muddy waters still murkier. He received a delegation of FTII students in Delhi and assured them of his support. He went to the extent of offering them temporary space in Delhi where they could hold their classes and have their studies continue uninterrupted. He also offered to set up an institute in Delhi on a regular basis in the event of the fracas not being resolved by the Union Government to the satisfaction of the students. In short, he prodded the students to continue with their confrontationist attitude and not to scale down their demands or not to score a note of reconciliation while talking with the government! 

Chauhan’s Response

On his part, Gajendra Chauhan denied all the charges against him and expressed regret that he was being denied an opportunity to perform despite the appointment made by the Union government. He said he was unable to comprehend why the students of the Institute were being judgmental without giving him a chance to prove himself. If given an opportunity, he will do everything possible to address their problems and grievances, Chauhan added.

Emphasizing that the FTII Chairman’s job profile is administrative in nature, Chauhan said he has ample experience to fit into this position as he was BJP’s national convener, culture, and had promoted ideology of the party through cultural activities. “I was also a part of the Cine & TV Artistes Association, first as an executive committee member and then as the vice-president for four years. Furthermore, I was its president for a year,” he elaborated.

Wondering why should the students be questioning his credentials and how was the FTII Chairman answerable to them, he asked, “Why should the FTII be heading towards a future where students get to decide who their teacher will be?”

Meanwhile, noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal said it was incorrect on the part of FTII students to assume that Gajendra Chauhan was incapable of leading FTII without knowing his exact plans. To find out his credentials, the students should first meet Chauhan, have a dialogue with him and understand his plans. They should protest only if they find that Chauhan is trying to impose his ideology.

Emphasizing that students should not get provoked by opinion makers at this point in time, Benegal said it is they who would be the losers in terms of studies and training. As such, there is no point in politicizing the issue further, he pointed out.

Politicization

Notwithstanding the merits and demerits of their demands, the way students have gone about politicizing the issue speaks volume about their deplorable attitude and confrontationist approach concerning the core issue involved. Thus, a local issue has got blown out of proportions! In other words, a storm, nay, a tsunami in a teacup! Was it the idea of the students to apprise the authorities of their genuine grievances for possible redressal or to bring a mighty government to its knees? If it was all about genuine grievances and possible redressal, then the motions they have gone through hardly constitute the right way. If, on the other hand, the idea was to enact a David versus Goliath docu-drama in true filmy style, the protesting students should be congratulated for attempting a great job. But, then, that was exactly what Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal and the sundry politicos had done when they cheered up and feted the protestors. Wasn’t it? A rather nice script and stellar enactment! How exactly the student community has benefited from allowing politicization of their movement, with the exception of the hangers-on and the ones with the ulterior motive of making political mileage out of the protests, is for the student community to ponder over.

Authorities to Act

As regards the authorities, where do they stand? It is high time the Institute’s administrative authorities took the instructions of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry seriously and initiated appropriate actions to clear up the backlog of diploma film projects. It is equally important to clear up the mess of the hangers-on who seem to be out on the campus for a good time with their inadmissible behaviour and illegal activities, making conditions increasingly difficult for bonafide students. Filmmaking should be allowed to take once again its rightful place, which currently seems to have been replaced by theatrics.

Muddling by the Media

On their part, the self-proclaimed liberal thinkers and self-styled secular media had gone gaga over the ugly developments and their unpleasant fallout. They went to town with the story that the government’s “high-handed” action in the matter of appointments was on account of its susceptibility to instructions from the RSS. Nobody seems to be in a hurry to refute the imputation as it is for the umpteenth time that the government’s detractors had come up with the sensational invention that the ubiquitous RSS hand was behind the decision-making process of the BJP-led NDA government!

Reckless Charge

Here it needs to be noted that the process of selection of candidates for appointment and ensuring selection of the best candidates is a matter for objective discussion among all the parties and stakeholders concerned. However, deriding an appointment by branding it an act of rewarding of a party loyalist is tantamount to a wanton and reckless act reflective of irresponsible behaviour and absence of objectivity on the part of the critique. As Gajendra Chauhan has rightly pointed out, career achievement cannot be the sole criterion for appointment to such posts.

For that matter, even if every authority and official of FTII were a carefully handpicked dye-in-the-wool loyalist of RSS or BJP, how would that result in the dreaded saffronization of the Institute? So long as the students enjoy academic freedom to craft the kind of films they aspire to make, how would the selection of officials affect their presentation? The FTII is no Censor Board! Nor is it an institution for indoctrination. And, on a different note, party loyalists do not necessarily have to be starved of consideration for appointments so long as the government takes care to act by the laid-down and established norms!

Furthermore, the Indian Constitution gives everyone the freedom to have a political affiliation of his liking. Hence, singling out Gajendra Chauhan saying he has been hired because of his political affiliation does not cut much ice. And if one looks back, FTII Chairman has always been appointed by the Union government. In other words, it is always the political party in power that gets to decide who would be the FTII Chairman.

Moreover, the latter is only a figurative head because ultimately the FTII Society is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. As such, it enjoys full functional autonomy, and all its policies are determined by the Governing Council. So what exactly is bothering the students so much is something that is difficult to comprehend. This leads one to conclude that the striking FTII students are either making reckless charges or they are being misled by some vested interests keen to cash in at their expense in a bid to create problems for the Central government.

To understand how and why Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government have let the people of Delhi down, one would do well to have as much of an understanding of the man himself and the dynamics of his brand of politics as possible

An IIT-ian and a left-leaning political maverick, Arvind Kejriwal admittedly feels more comfortable holding dharnas and rallies than occupying a position of responsibility. He takes pride in calling himself a street fighter and a man of the masses. Yet he fought elections twice to become the Chief Minister of Delhi and once to become a Member of Parliament; if he had become an MP and his party garnered enough seats, he would not have fought shy of becoming the Prime Minister of our country.

He does not, however, truly believe in operating by the rules and norms of the system. He is a rabble rouser and a demagogue par excellence, given to dramatics. As a first-time Chief Minister, he had participated in dharnas and rallies organised by his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). During the course of one such dharna just days before the Republic Day in 2014, he demonstrated that he had no compunction about holding up the traffic on a busy thoroughfare in the heart of the Capital city and slept on the roadside from where he signed files, much to the amusement and bewilderment of political observers and the common man alike.

Without any qualms, he proudly declared on camera that he was an anarchist. He openly hinted at a startling proposal to thwart the traditional Republic Day pageantry due shortly, by continuing to sit with his coterie and supporters on the road. He pooh-poohed the significance of the prestigious Republic Day celebrations and claimed that his theatrical display of power of the masses would make the occasion the best Republic Day celebration ever. He exhorted the policemen who were controlling the crowds to shed their uniform and join the demonstration. Nothing short of an open invitation to rebel!

The preposterous nature of the call made the people of the nation feel aghast with a sense of revulsion. That Kejriwal was not taken seriously came as a reflection of the people’s sagacity and political maturity. It could not, however, be denied that he had brought matters to the precipice of anarchy on that momentous occasion.

No Ideology

A quick rundown on his brief track record as an active politician reveals beyond doubt that he lacks abiding faith in the democratic form of governance. His party lacks a clear-cut ideology. “Ideology is one for the pundits and the media to pontificate about,” says the party’s website facetiously. He acts more like a fly-by-night politician whose concern is restricted at any given time to the burning issues of the day than like the responsible leader of a political party. He evidently lacks a vision, a game plan and a roadmap for the development and progress of our nation.

No Room for Dissent

His statements and activities smack of a remarkable degree of intolerance towards his political adversaries as well as his own party colleagues who have divergent views. He has used harsh, nay foul language, while talking about senior party colleagues like Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and others who had protested against his autocratic style of functioning and had them unceremoniously thrown out of the party purportedly for indulging in anti-party activities. A classic case of equating a criticism of the party leader with an attack on the party itself, thus identifying the leader with the party and making the two synonymous—an egregious act of megalomania that did not exactly contribute to shoring up glory Kejriwal’s way as a democratic leader!

Politics and Corruption

However, none of his inadequacies proved an impediment to Kejriwal’s ability to bluster his way through and win the trust of the people of Delhi with the ease and élan of an experienced con artist or a mountebank. Exuding an air of moral superiority, he called every political party in the country corrupt and every politician a thief regardless of his political affiliation. These politicians and their parties were selfish and self-serving entities and beneficiaries of the largesse of rich industrialists, big business tycoons and unscrupulous hoarders of black money, he elaborated. Such people and parties would only serve their paymasters and never the common man, he sermonised.

Kejriwal pronounced them guilty of carrying on a sham democracy and held them squarely responsible for all the ills of the common man and the sorry state of affairs that prevailed in the country. He scoffed at the political system, which he said was incapable of producing good governance. He wanted a complete transformation of the system and transfusion of new blood into the body politic. He offered to revamp the system by becoming a part of it, rid it of corruption, give clean governance, improve the lot of the common man and make Delhi a model State.

A frontal assault against corruption was the main plank of his manifesto in 2014. He then promised to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill within 15 days of assuming office, and spoke of bringing about Swaraj and reforms in key sectors like education and health. In actuality, however, he resigned after a brief 49-day period, complaining about non-cooperation from the Congress and the BJP in the passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Apparently, his strategy of governance was woven around the thumb rule that he would have everything or nothing. In short, being conscious of his inability to carry out his poll promises, he threw away the responsibility of governance giving the flimsiest of excuses and left the people of Delhi without a government.

Back to Delhi

Though he had been unable to discharge the duties of Delhi chief minister competently, he had started aspiring to become India’s Prime Minister. So he shifted his focus to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and filed his nomination in Varanasi to contest against Narendra Modi, who was the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. After suffering a humiliating defeat in the Varanasi challenge, he returned to Delhi and profusely apologised to the electorate in his campaign for the state polls in 2015, for abandoning the trust they had reposed in him.

He also categorically told them that he would not let them down again. He held a series of rallies and jan sabhas for this purpose. People believed he had a change of heart and was now a transformed man. Besides the people’s readiness to believe that Kejriwal had changed and spoke from his heart, the combined support extended by India’s mainstream media, NGOs as well as the Muslim and Christian communities, enabled him clinch a clear victory in the Delhi elections.

To dwell briefly on one of the tactical maneouvres of the anti-BJP forces, there were as many as five mysterious attacks on Churches by unidentified people in Delhi between November 2014 and February 2015, when Delhi went to polls. On every one of these occasions, there were protest rallies against the purported failure of the BJP-led NDA government to protect the religious rights of minority communities and the mainstream media merrily went to town with the story. These developments had their benign effect on the “repentant” home comer’s victory.

Promises and More Promises

While he was at the serious business of revamping the system and fighting corruption, he promised he would give the people of Delhi reasons to rejoice and a cause for celebration. The promises he made in his party manifesto included several people-oriented schemes like the setting up of 500 new schools and 20 new colleges, making the Capital city drug-free, filling up of 55,000 immediate vacancies in government departments, special reservations for all senior citizens and youth, providing loans to young entrepreneurs at low interest rates, enforcing an education loan scheme, making Delhi safe for women and turning it into a manufacturing hub.

Over and above all this, he promised freebies ranging from a slash in the power tariffs to supply of free water and free Wi-Fi throughout Delhi. The most intriguing aspect of these promises was that he had no idea either before the polls or after getting elected as to where the required funds would come from for financing the populist schemes. He just went ahead and made reckless promises.

Second Chance

His apology and promises went down well with the people who thought that his “repentance” was reflective of his humility and common man image and gave his party a landslide victory. Apparently, they thought that an overwhelming mandate would give Kejriwal and his fledgling party a much-needed breakthrough and facilitate them to focus on governance and make Delhi a model State as he promised, without having to depend on the support of other parties for survival.

The voters believed that with its massive electoral victory, AAP had got not only the opportunity but also a hassle-free political environment that was required for doing all the good work that the party had promised. Apparently, the people of Delhi had not bargained for Kejriwal’s prodigious capability of making a series of reckless political moves and apologising to the people for his “mistakes”. How else could one explain the people’s act of returning him to power a second time in less than a year?

Power and Water Woes

No sooner had his party returned to power than Kejriwal announced the catchiest populist scheme of his. He slashed electricity tariff by 50 per cent for consumption of up to 400 units per month and announced free 20,000 liters of water to every household per month. There is, however, no provision in the budget for the increase in subsidies. Furthermore, the government has a running feud with power discoms over optimum power procurement and distribution and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission over the proposed increase in power tariffs.

A new power plant for Delhi has been promised. However, not much has been done about the allocation of funds. Nor has any action been taken towards land acquisition. The AAP manifesto also spoke about optimising the Rajghat and Bawana plants for power generation with no indication as to how the government planned to do so. There is no sign of the proposal taking off anytime soon. Meanwhile, the people continue to suffer power outages.

AAP’s election manifesto also promised every home in Delhi a water pipeline for supplying clean drinking water. In reality, however, few water pipelines have been laid. Large parts of Delhi are still waiting for water to be made available through tankers, etc. The government does not seem to be doing much more than quibbling over inner-party squabbles, scams and focusing on twiddling of thumbs. Meanwhile in June, his Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar was arrested for faking two degree certificates and sent to Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

Non-starter Schemes

Practically, all the other populist schemes enumerated in the AAP manifesto remain just that—promises, with little or no action underway. The government is clueless about ways and means of implementing the schemes including women’s safety and reforms in education and health sectors. The reasons for inaction are many. To start with, Kejriwal does not seem to be reconciled to the idea of continuing as the Chief Minister of the glorified municipality of Delhi as a cynic of a political observer would be tempted to call the government of the Capital city.

He has been complaining of little or utter lack of powers vested in the Chief Minister. He feels hedged between an active and assertive Lieutenant Governor and the Municipal Corporations of Delhi, which are controlled by the BJP. Consequently, he is on a warpath with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung as well as  Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While he holds Jung responsible for pulling him down, he keeps blaming Modi for trying to put him out of the political scenario altogether. He is bitter about having to work with a cramped style. Non-availability of sufficient funds to finance his populist schemes, which are like a resource-draining bottomless pit, is staring him in the face.

He has been sulking over Delhi not having been granted full-fledged statehood. If his current ambitions could be narrowed to a solitary one, it would in all probability be the securing of full-fledged statehood for Delhi and his going down, in the process,in  the annals of history as the valiant hero who made it possible. His government is in the process of holding a referendum to ascertain the views of the people of Delhi over the grant of statehood to the city. Whatever the outcome of the proposed referendum, he may quite likely take to the streets in the due course of time to seeking fulfillment of his dream.

Wilting under Pressure

Meanwhile, charges of monetary contributions from bogus companies and hawala operators for the funding of his party activities have caused a serious dent to his own image as well as that of his party. Eviction of senior party colleagues and ideologues has left the party bereft of the cutting edge of ideology. The moral stature of the party as a self-avowed crusading force against black money and corruption is in shambles. Today the Aam Aadmi Party is perceived as a private outfit of an autocratic Kejriwal and a small band of supporters who are too much in awe of his authority to raise a voice in disagreement over any issue.

What has made Kejriwal’s autocratic image truly horrid is his insatiable thirst for publicity. With a publicity budget of over 520 crore, he got a publicity blitzkrieg, singing his paeans on TV, radio and public hoardings, day in and day out, with nothing being subtle about it. The fly in the face projection of the image of a “helpless” Chief Minister who is under constant attack by the Prime Minister, Lieutenant Governor and the Media, orchestrated at a humongous cost met with the taxpayers’ money has already generated much revulsion among the public and a rebuke by the Judiciary.

The disclosure that the electricity bill for his official residence for one month was of a whopping Rs 1.35 lakh has done no good to his image as an aam aadmi in the public perception. Pushed to a corner, Kejriwal is quite likely to take the easy way out and do what comes to him best—quit. Since people would not likely to condone another resignation under pressure, he is likely to force the hand of the Government at the Centre to make it feasible. Hence, his relentless criticism and massive showdowns with both the Lieutenant Governor and the Prime Minister!

The Big Letdown

Be that as it may, there is no escaping the public perception that Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party are no more the vibrant political forces, which people had taken them for. They are more like the mere whiff of a flavour of the season gone by. The trust imposed by the people and the bonding with the common man are things of the past. The icing on the cake comes in the form of support by AAP to the corrupt and decrepit combine of Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar in the forthcoming Bihar elections!

This desperate move of Kejriwal instigated by sheer spite for Narendra Modi is the real whopper to drag his image all the way down in the eyes of the people of Delhi. To support, for political reasons, a leader indicted by the court on charges of corruption and still claim to be a crusader of corruption is unimaginable! It is the bottom of the pits for Kejriwal who has let down everyone who supported him in good faith. That includes his own party men. The worst casualty of this letdown is going to be Kejriwal himself.

(The article was published in weekly magazine Uday India in August 23-29, 2015 edition on page 32-36)

http://udayindia.in/2015/08/24/the-great-letdown-of-delhi-by-the-aap/

India was always a haven of religious tolerance from time immemorial although it has been only during the last 67 years of its existence as an independent nation, free from the colonial yoke, that Secularism has been the nation’s official policy. Sanatana Dharma of ancient India did not discriminate between people of different faiths, whereas it has always envisaged the whole world as a global family (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam).

The lesser known Tamil poet, Kaniyan Poonkundranar, of the Sangam Period (3rd century BC to 4th century AD) always viewed the whole world as his dwelling place and all thoseresiding in such a vast homestead as his kin. He outrightlyrejected the division of mankind into different categories and emphasized on the universality of all men.

In addition to the prevalence and popularity of lofty thoughts such as universal brotherhood, India has given birth, throughout its long history, to several major religions like Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, which have coexisted in total harmony with Sanatana Dharma. Zoroastrianism (Parsi religion) which was uprooted from its birthplace of Persia consequent upon its persecution by Islamic fundamentalists, took shelter in India and has been doing well for itself till today.

Secularism and the Hindu Psyche

There is a popular belief among non-Hindus worldwide that Hindus are tolerant, calm, harmonious and peace-loving people. The 17th century French philosopher Voltaire was a strong votary of this belief. He was of the view that the West was indebted to the East for the latter’s most precious gift of the Vedas. He regarded Hindus as a “peaceful and innocent people, equally incapable of hurting others or of defending themselves”. He was himself a supporter of animal rights and a vegetarian. He acknowledged that the Hindus’ treatment of animals showed “a shaming alternative to the immorality of European imperialists”.

Hindus are the first ones who would readily agree with Voltaire’s pithy assessment of their nature. Never in history have they waged a war on a State or people, within or outside India, in the name of religion. Bound by tall insurmountable mountain ranges and hostile terrain on the North and by sea on the other three sides, Hindus had lived in total harmony and led a cloistered, contended and peaceful life, free from external threat, for a fairly long period of time in history.

Native religions like Buddhism and Jainism never posed a serious threat to Hinduism, which assimilated the salient features of those religions and emerged as an inclusive body of faith. By doing so, Hinduism deflected their challenge to its unrivalled spiritual supremacy in the subcontinent. The influence of Hinduism in East Asia was achieved by means of cultural and trade diplomacy and never by military campaigns. This situation lasted till the 12th century when Muslim invaders struck at the heartland of Hindustan and changed the rules of the game.

Arrival of Islam

The killings, desecrations, lootings, pillages, forcible religious conversions and, above all, the religious intolerance exhibited in the form of massacre of tens of thousands of Hindus and followers of other native faiths who had refused to abandon theirreligion and convert, had been unimaginable and incomprehensible for the Hindus who had always considered their own survival and that of their religion as a case of mind power over matter. Hindus had always considered that life on earth was truly ephemeral in nature and that the soul was on a perpetual journey, not bound by concepts of time, place or physical constraints, to a state of self-realization or liberation.

Conquest of the hearts and imagination of people of other religions, atheists and agnostics, entirely on the strength of their own religious ideology, was their preferred form of interaction with people who were not on the same page as they were. Winning over someone to their side by the might of the sword and preventing the flock from going astray by instilling the fear of torture or death was downright repulsive an idea that had no place in the lofty principles and beliefs that the Hinduscherished. Hinduism does not promote or talk of proselytization. Nor does it mandate its followers to “spread the word of God”.

Advent of Christianity

Christianity made its advent in India in a big way in the 17th century with the arrival of the European traders and colonialists. The spread of Christianity in India was achieved using a mix of factors like force, deception, state support, inquisition and persecution of Hinduism and other native faiths.

Resilience of Hinduism

The combined might of the Mughal Empire and European colonialists could not wipe out Hinduism despite the horrendous genocide wrought by the Muslim invaders, arguably the biggest and the worst of its kind in living memory, inquisitions by the European colonialists, and large numbers of mass conversions of Hindus forcibly carried out from time to time.

What is the secret of the survival of the Hindu religion,especially when its followers are a tolerant, peace-loving and harmonious people, not known for a wily war craft or Machiavellian statecraft? It was their unflinching faith in their Dharma, which they believed would protect them so long as they sincerely observed it, that enabled them to carry on despite the odds, hardships, unwarranted criticisms, ridicules, humiliations and downright hostility and massacres.

Secularism in Post-Independent India

Even after India attained independence from British rule, the minority religions of Islam and Christianity found a fertile ground for growth in the country under the patronage of the State in the name of Secularism, which is an official policy of the Indian government. Freedom of the individual to practise the religion of his choice was guaranteed by the Constitution. Different religious groups were granted the rights to profess and propagate their faiths among the people, run their educational and religious institutions as per their religious tenets. Muslims have been allowed to have their own personal law under Sharia.

Islam was planted forcibly on the Indian soil by Muslim invaders and Christianity by European missionaries and traders. Aggressive means and methods such as propagation and conversion, which had been unheard of in India till the advent of these religions, were adopted as marketing strategies. In the normal course, tribals and people of other weaker sections of the Hindu community living on the fringes of society were targeted for proselytization. And in certain cases, people of entire villages were converted.

Being a totally unorganized religion, Hinduism never believed in keeping its flock together under a central command. In fact, followers of Hinduism living in different parts of our country have always enjoyed the freedom of offering prayers and worship to the deities of their choice in conformity with the unique and individualistic cultural practices of their regions. Having never been subjected to the straightjacket of religion earlier in their life, they were systematically lured and enticed with pecuniary benefits and, not infrequently, coerced through societal pressure into converting to the new religions.

Pseudo-Secularism

Congress, Communists and other Opposition parties have proved adept at playing vote bank politics and playing the reservations card among the Dalits, OBCs and other socially and economically weaker sections among the Hindus. The nexus of the Congress-led parties who profess Secularism but actually promote pseudo-Secularism for their own narrow and selfish political ends on the one hand and the religious and political organizations of Islam and Christianity with a vested interest in promoting those religions on the other, has been unfairly targeting BJP for pursuing a “saffron agenda” and flagrantly promoting the interests of Hinduism.

In their attack on BJP, RSS and the other Hindu organizations like the VHP and Bajrang Dal, the Main Stream Media (MSM) has willingly played a big role by supporting these pseudo-secular parties. Although BJP is in power at the Centre and is committed to defending the interests and improving the welfare of the Hindu community, as it forms the main plank of the country’s demography, the party is hamstrung by the limitations imposed by the Constitutional provisions and the cruelty of numbers in the Parliament.

Resurgence of Hindu Pride

With the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance coming to power in India, there has been a major shift in the perception of the Government of India with regard to its policy on Secularism. Since BJP has strong moorings in the Hindu organization of the RSS, the Sangh Parivar units like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal have felt upbeat and have accordingly initiated activities to give shape to their theological ideas and beliefs. This in turn, has given impetus to calls for construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, ‘Love Jihad’, ‘Ghar Wapsi’, etc, with BJP MPs like Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj vociferously supporting the calls.

In the meantime, politically appropriate statements had to be issued by BJP leaders and spokespersons to undo the damage caused by these calls. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who is a Minister of State in the Modi Cabinet, made a controversial remark about Opposition parties, which was perceived to be communal in nature. Subsequently, in the face of a strident protest from the Opposition parties, she retracted her statement.

Another raging controversy that is currently being debated in political circles is the issue of passing legislation against conversion. Prime Minister Modi, who has asked BJP leaders not to make statements out of turn, has himself maintained a stoic silence over the controversial statements issued by his party colleagues and has preferred to focus on matters of development and administration.

Although his silence has been criticized by leaders of the Opposition parties as well as political commentators, Modi has steered clear of all controversies. His strategy has been to avoid controversies that could give rise to communal confrontations, while also keeping his partymen in check and not allowing them to aggravate the situation. Fortunately, this strategy has paid off. However, it may appear that the BJP has lost some of its cutting edge as a progressive party totally focused on developmental programs. In contrast, Congress and its allies have continued to play the communal card rather than projecting economic and social policies for the development of the country and its citizens.

Some sections attribute BJP’s inability to win a single seat from the Kashmir valley in the last Assembly elections to the loss of its cutting edge. But, given the unique position of the State of Jammu & Kashmir in national politics, BJP’s inability to persuade the people of Kashmir valley to pin their faith on the national party in the face of hostility from the local political parties and terrorist activities by extraneous forces, was not totally surprising. BJP may still need to cross some impediments before it is able to convince the people of Kashmir that their future is safe only when there is a seamless transition of the State from the insular politics currently being practised to the mainstream national life, a source of immense strength and national pride.

‘Sickularism’

Although Secularism is an Article of Faith for BJP as the ruling party of the country, it cannot help noticing the steady erosion of credibility of the doctrine in the Indian context. With the export of terrorism by the country’s hostile and meddlesome northern neighbour, Pakistan, which has been sheltering and actively supporting a host of jihadist elements, and the terrorist organization Islamic State already casting its ugly shadow on Afghanistan and Pakistan, the people of India have reasons to have fears over the inability of the ever-so-brittle doctrine of Secularism to unite all sections of the people, cutting across religious and communal barriers.

This has been made further hollow by the scheming and conniving Opposition parties by playing to the gallery with pseudo-Secularism and promoting their vote bank politics, in the face of terrorism at home as well as external threats from sinister international forces. People, at an individual level, are already contemptuous of and highly cynical about India’s experiment with Secularism to the extent of their coining a new word “Sickularism” in the Social Media to replace the pseudo-Secularism that is being practiced in India currently.

Secularism for Unity

The fear of the people regarding the inadequacy of Secularism, no matter how ill-founded it may prima facie appear, requires to be collectively addressed by the Society and the Government. We should not continue to live in a state of denial and believe that everything is hunky-dory between Secularism as a political doctrine on the one hand, and the political and social life of the people on the other. While establishment of a theocratic State, a Hindu Rashtra, is a theoretical alternative, in practise such a step would be highly unrealistic and not at all viable, especially with large numbers of non-Hindus living in the country.

A really viable alternative would be to make Secularism a truly flawless and non-partisan doctrine, which does not promote bitterness among the people of the majority community and those of the minority communities. To this end, it has to be ensured that Secularism, in its true sense, is wholeheartedly accepted by all political parties as an inviolable political doctrine. For this purpose, a national dialogue would have to be organized with the participation of all political parties.

At the religious and communal level, there has to be an exercise for arriving at a consensus among different religions and faiths regarding a Uniform Civil Code. A national referendum, with equal participation from people all over the country, would be able to forge the conflicting viewpoints of the people at large. In brief, a total divorce between Politics and Religion is a sine qua non for the nourishment of Secularism for the unity of the people and territorial integrity of the country as well as for making the parliamentary system of democracy, which India has consciously chosen for the development of the country and progress of its people a success.

Given the demographic situation of the country and the geopolitical realities of the global war against terrorism, probably Secularism cannot be wished away by India at this juncture. All the same, the political and social conditions of the country have to be improved and made congenial to make it possible for Secularism to snugly dovetail with the system in place. Consigning Secularism to the dustbins of history for the faults in the system and lack of will to administer the doctrine dispassionately would not be much dissimilar to throwing the baby away with the bath water.

Furthermore, tolerating ‘Sickularism’ as is practised today in silence, much to the vexation it has caused to the psyche of the majority community, would not be in the long-term interest of our nation. Because doing so would be tantamount to coveringup the nation’s shame with a fig leaf of appeasement of the minorities. In fact, the Central government and the state governments in our country should never leave any room for any kind of appeasement or any type of discrimination based on caste, creed or religion. ‘One for All and All for One’ should be adopted as the nation’s credo to complement the current lofty eternal truth ‘Satyamev Jayate’!

History has lessons for us, to realize that furthering religious persuasion can be for two reasons, either to oppress and win over other faiths, or to ensure well-being of ours in view of assaults on members of our community. Many can say that exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya or for that matter, drop in number of Hindus in Bengal, withdrawal of criminal cases that were filed against members of a particular community by the UP government are unrelated occurrences, but isn’t there something in common, and that something has a bearing on the lives of the followers of a faith that has remained long-neglected in the era of so-called secular politics, for appeasement of minority religions of India. Law of the land is inescapable; hence hasty decision in the sensitive and centuries-old Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute will only lead to more disorder, law for the construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed site cannot be passed unless Rajya Sabha approves, but can or should this be postponed for long?

It will be sensible if this is perused basis rational, historical and archaeological facts and indeed the sentiments of any of the communities seeking custody of the disputed land will find the last place. Excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India, conducted in three distinct years, 1970, 1992 and 2003, found flawless evidences specifying that the site under question had a large Hindu complex, and be it the Rama temple or a Shiva temple, the pilgrimage was that of the Hindus. In 1788, the year when it was reportedly the first time that someone defied the rightfulness of Babri Masjid, Joseph Tiefenthaler, a missionary and notable European geographer, advocated that the Masjid was on the birthplace of Lord Rama. Since then, many honorable courts, learned researchers and a wide array of historians have backed the presence of a Hindu temple at the site, which was demolished by one of the Mughal emperors, conspicuously, Babar or Aurangzeb. In one of the most timeworn judgments, the Faizabad District Judge, in 1866, said that the Masjid built on land which is sacred to Hindus is an unfortunate event, but cannot be reversed since more than 3 centuries had passed and it was too late to accord justice to Hindus.

Uprightness forbidden because of a long interval! And since then, in the name of India’s rich secularism, communal harmony, fairness to all religions and such other captivating phrases justice to the followers of Lord Rama has been kept miles away. Now, this does not validate what occurred in December 1992, on the 6^th the Masjid was brought to the ground by Hindu devotees, I will not use the word ‘hardliners’ since the same is more apt for extremists, but the postponement of justice was the real cause of the agitation and accusing some leaders or Hindu groups is like finding an easy course to delay this movement further and gain political mileage in the so-called religiously-affluent India. In 2005, terrorists attacked the site and targeted the provisional Mandir, and who can forget the 2002 Godhra case, which left Hindu pilgrims in fumes and resultant deaths in the rage that they were returning from Ayodhya.

Tens of thousands of casualties have ensued until today, and the unfounded debate by our legislators alleging that religious accord is above any structure, be it a Mandir or a Masjid, has only kindled the subject, has ridiculed the death of those killed in many riots over this issue and has left us in a state where vulnerable-appearing Hindus and Hindu groups alleged to be hardliners by self-styled secular governments are an easy target to oppression and blame. Now that we have seen a paradigm shift in the way our country is run by administrators post the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, is it wrong or unwarrantable to expect a judicious solution of the Ayodhya dispute, also because the attached word ‘dispute’ with Hinduism’s most sacred site ‘Ayodhya’ is completely unmerited. For if the Mecca is an undisputed place of worship for the Muslims and Jerusalem the holiest site for Christians, are the Hindus extreme in seeking an undoubted accordance of Hinduism to Ayodhya?

Don’t we know why even realistic demands by Hindus are turned down, why extremism is the name accorded to any movement seeking justice, why even in the wake of exact facts and evidences minorities are acquitted and why there exists a wide gap in facilities for minority factions and Hindus? Perhaps it is the rule of politics and diplomacy that is to stay forever, for every king needs public backing, and this comes best from the ones who are lesser in number but adamant to mark their presence. To be precise, in India, one community relishes superfluous bonuses, which would not have been probed had it not been at the stake of another community. Such equations kill the very essence of our democracy and constitutional framework that further equality and justice.

After the judgment of the High Court, which is stayed by the Apex Court, it is apparent that the very existence of a Hindu temple at the site is totally undisputable, had it been so, the demolition of Masjid would be the only substance taken into notice and the 2/3^rd part would never be given to Hindu plaintiffs. Also, the present government grasps the delicacy of this subject, Ram Mandir being a nerve center of Hinduism and its followers, but the need is to deliberate this topic scrupulously minus deferral and diplomacy. For the time being, until the BJP attains majority in the Upper House, at least debating the legislation for erection of Ram Mandir at the site and conveying the same in the Lower House is expected. BJPians are not to disremember that Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was a promise they made in the very initial days of forming the party, and Hindu votes backed them substantially in making it to the topmost echelons of Indian politics.

The Supreme Court stayed the verdict of the High Court saying that split of land was never demanded by any of the disputing parties; status quo has been ordered, and this is a chance to stand up again in the court with substantial evidences and findings to ask for a decision in the favor of Ram Mandir. Believe me, unless this matter is put to end, a decisive one, politics and appeasement will just result in suppression of both Hindus as well as Muslims, Hindus exposed to greater risk since many political parties rest on Muslim votes during polls. Then why allow interminable defeat of justice and Hindus? In judicious sense, and also to corroborate your claim for Hindus’ well-being after series of downfalls, Ram Mandir is crucial, inevitable.

Having said that bringing of uniform civil code, erection of Ram Mandir and annulling of Article 370 of the constitution demands at least 370 seats for the NDA in lower house, BJP president Amit Shah has flashed a new debate. Uniform civil code finds place in the directive principles of state, an addition made to steer clear of its actual implementation by the then Nehru government and all know of the gift, Article 370 by PM Nehru to J&K. These may need constitutional amendments; hence 2/3^rd majority in the lower house; however Ram Mandir cannot be delayed owing to this deficiency. Indeed, apt valuation of present conditions to assure that harmony and national security is not compromised by the erection of Mandir is undeniable. All in all, we cannot allow our descendants to be engaged in this turf war like we have been since centuries, let peace prevail with the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

As soon as he returned after a two month-vacation at some undisclosed destination early this year, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi donned the war paint of a combative and invigorated politician and went for the jugular of the Prime Minister. No less. After all, he is the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, which seems to believe it is the only Indian family vested with the privileges to rule the nation.

Rahul had, in fact, chosen his adversary even before the fateful Lok Sabha polls of 2014 by scoffing at and heaping scorn on BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. How could a measly tea boy who had the “dubious” distinction of hobnobbing with the RSS, become

India’s Prime Minister, he asked in a querulous voice.

Wasn’t Narendra Modi a Hitler and a merchant of death? How could the good people of India repose faith in such a person who lacked the right pedigree and was eminently unsuitable for the job? He interposed such questions with regard to Modi’s credentials and eligibility for the highest political office of the land. Rahul then decided to travel far and wide and tell people of the nation about the “evil lurking around the corner” aspiring to become India’s next Prime Minister.

Travel he did and told the people of the “impending disaster” too. But what he failed to do was to tell the people who UPA was proposing to anoint as the next PM. According to him, people should simply vote for the UPA. Once UPA returned to power for the third time straight, the Congress parliamentary party would decide who is to become the PM. Simple and straight. As for himself, he would not mind shouldering any responsibility that his party deemed fit to offer him, which is how he presented it to the Indian voters. What was left unsaid, but was clearly understood by the people was that the next PM would be decided by the Congress High Command, a euphemism for the mother-son duo of the ruling family, as had always been the practice in the past. In all probability, it would likely be a fall guy like Manmohan Singh who would be foisted by the Sonia-Rahul duo, who was happy calling the shots from behind the scene.

The electorate did not, however, fall for his gambit and preferred the more direct and forthcoming approach of the BJP, which had named its Prime Ministerial candidate. Modi had already arrived on the national scene in a big way, having captured the imagination of the people of the nation with his Gujarat model of development and pan-India vision vis-a-vis the other regional satraps who lacked a roadmap for the country’s progress and a blueprint for the development of its economy.

All that the UPA had to offer against NDA’s development-based program of action was a moth-eaten one-point agenda of their traditional “Secularism” plank. The people saw through their game and accorded the UPA at the General Elections of 2014 the contemptuous cold shoulder that they richly deserved.

UPA versus NDA

A downright rejection by the people, first at the Centre and then in a series of state-level elections, did not, however, deter the Congress Party for far too long from making it difficult for the NDA to have a free rein at the Centre, despite the latter’s humongous majority in the Lok Sabha. The UPA in general, and Rahul Gandhi in particular, focused on the NDA’s Achilles heel of inadequate numbers in the Rajya Sabha and started making it virtually impossible for healthy parliamentary debates to take place and some of the crucial legislations to be passed. The Congress Vice President led the shouting brigade from the front and did not flinch from leveling personal attacks on the Prime Minister.

Character Assassination

Rahul dubbed Narendra Modi’s hallmark quality of self-confidence as vanity and narcissism. Instead of taking on the government on its policies upfront, he went for the soft option of character assassination of his favourite bugbear. He conveniently forgot that Modi had risen to dizzying heights of political power from less than a modest social background by sheer dint of hard work as a disciplined party worker and with determination that had lasted over four decades coupled with exemplary developmental work as the Chief Minister of a State which scored over several others in economic and social developmental indices.

Rahul criticised Modi of grabbing power by means of a publicity blitzkrieg, purportedly funded by corporate houses, which had allegedly sidled up to him in the hope that he would return them favours after coming to power at the Centre. Based on these flawed premises, Rahul’s strategy was to take potshots at the Prime Minister, dent his pristine image, which was unmatched by any leader of the current crop. He thus tried his best to pull down Modi from the pedestal of high moral grounds, make him nervous and lose poise, which would have probably resulted in the latter making a faux pas, much to the glee of the Congress Party.

Rahul’s Strategy

Instead of waiting for a major policy goof-up, Rahul unveiled a three-pronged strategy of provoke, shoot and scoot. So he just kept on looking for a chink in the armour. How could US President Barack Obama’s second visit to India, which was directly attributed to a diplomatic coup by Modi, be allowed to be uneventful? So he decided to pick on Modi’s suit, which looked distinct with his name embroidered all over and unleashed a tirade, including the following.

Rahul called it expensive in terms of cost, but cheap in terms of taste. What a vain person had the suit made the PM! Such narcissism! Such audacity on the part of the leader of a nation which had still not attained the stature of an equal participant at the high table of the world’s economic power blocs! Such folly on the part of a man who dared to believe clothes made him and paraded around in cheap, vulgar clothes which reflected poor taste, like a proud peacock! How did he afford the expensive suit in the first place?

How could the people trust their money with such a man who shamelessly splurged money on symbols of vanity? If it had been presented to him, it must be by some industrialist or businessman with an axe to grind. Dig deep enough to find muck. In any case, let us not lose time in charging him of impropriety and lack of transparency before coming up with evidence or proof to make the charge stick.

Then Rahul creatively came up with a ballpark figure of Rs 10 lakh as the cost of the suit and accused Modi of misusing public money on acquiring the symbol of his vanity, narcissism and megalomania. Till date, Rahul has neither come up with proof or evidence to substantiate his charge nor had the decency to own up to the baseless charges he made against the Prime Minister. That is so much for his intellectual honesty and credibility as a leader.

Sobriquet for the Government

Taking part in a debate on the agrarian crisis in Parliament in April this year, Rahul told the BJP representatives, “Yours is a government of big people, a suit-boot sarkar”, in an obvious reference to Modi’s suit that was the eye of a political storm during President Obama’s visit in January this year. On protests from the BJP, he added, “The suit matter has ended, you have auctioned it, I will not talk about it. Happy?” So, Rahul officially declared his party position that the sordid suit matter had ended! Not because his charge made earlier that the Prime Minister had misused public money to the extent of Rs 10 lakh could not be substantiated, but apparently because the suit had subsequently been auctioned off.

Rahul was solicitous enough to ask the BJP representatives if they were happy with the ending of the matter! How very gracious of this ignoramus and needler! If there indeed had been a misuse of public money on the part of the Prime Minister as he had charged, should Rahul have not pursued the matter to its logical conclusion with all the tenacity and resources at his command instead of magnanimously letting it “end” with the suit’s auction? Whether the BJP representatives were “happy” or not about the closure of the matter, was Rahul not responsible for having caused a slur on Modi’s name?

Was it all, at the end of the day, a simple matter of smoothening the ruffled feathers of the BJP with nary a thought about Modi’s image and reputation? Did he not owe the people an explanation for announcing suo motu the “end” of the matter which involved the “stealing” of a large amount of public money? Was a quid pro quo involved here? Is this how the Prime Ministerial aspirant of Congress proposes to wind up his investigation into all the scams and scandals and make the Opposition ranks “happy”, in case he ever lands up in his dream job? That is a scary thought, indeed!

Accusations and Allegations by Rahul

Rahul accused the NDA government, which he derisively referred to as the “acchhe din government”, of failing the people and held it squarely responsible for pursuing an anti-farmers policy. And he made a series of other allegations and accusations including the following. The NDA government simply did not concern itself with the misery of the farmers in regions across the country, languishing under monumental debts owing to droughts, famines and hailstorms and driven to committing suicide. The Prime Minister was on a perpetual spree of foreign tours. Why was Modi not spending more time at home, to meet the farmers, hold their hands, commiserate with them and enact welfare schemes for their upliftment?

Rahul has been vehement about his party’s determination not to allow the passage of the Land Acquisition Bill in the Rajya Sabha. In a bid to sound sympathetic with regard to the plight of poor farmers of the country, he falsely accused the government of first “weakening” and then trying to smite by grabbing their land—all for the benefit of the influential industrialists, corrupt corporate houses and big businessmen and alleged that these are the very people who had funded Modi’s pre-poll publicity campaign.

So according to him, India currently has a government that had come into being in the first place using the money power of the rich; a government of people who had sympathy and concern only for the rich; a government that worked for the rich and enacted laws to benefit them at the cost of the poor farmers of the country. Hence the sobriquet “Suit-Boot ki Sarkar”!

Rahul has ever since been haranguing the government by castigating it with the sobriquet in his party meetings across the country to the amusement and titillation of the workers of his party and bemusement of the people at large—bemusement over such a bankrupt obsession with “Suit” by the Vice President of the oldest political party of the country while there were any number of crucial issues, ranging from terrorism at home to external threats, which begged urgent attention. Meanwhile, Rahul’s sidekick Raj Babbar added “Loot” to his litany of charges and made the sobriquet “Suit-Boot-Loot ki Sarkar”.

Failure of Congress

If in the eyes of Rahul, Narendra Modi and his political party were guilty of accepting financing from corporate houses and rich businessmen for their poll campaign in 2014, would he come forward and declare that he and his party were never beneficiaries of such a largesse from either the same or a different set of sources this time around or any other elections in the past? If both the NDA and the UPA had accepted funding from corporate houses, why should the latter pick on the former?

In any case, why had not the Congress Party which had been in power at the Centre for a total period of almost 60 years not done anything with regard to prohibiting political parties fighting elections from accepting funding for their campaigns by corporate houses? Why is Rahul finding fault with the system of the

functioning of political parties now, when his own party is playing the game by the same rules and is fully drenched in corruption, patronage, favouritism and abuse of power? Is it merely because of his party’s loss of face in the elections?

Why not a Suit?

Now, at the face level of it, what is wrong or evil about a suit per se? Is it something which only rich people are supposed to wear and not meant for poor people? Is the Prime Minister of India expected to represent only the poor people and not industrialists and businessmen as well? Are those people who are clad in a suit, children of a lesser God? Is it wrong for a poor man to aspire for riches and be seen wearing a suit? Have the members of the Nehru-Gandhi family, starting with Jawaharlal Nehru down to Rahul and his brother-in-law, not been wearing suits?

Is it an unwritten law that the quintessential Indian politician should be only seen in a crumpled pajama-kurta and not in a crisp suit, whatever the occasion? In any case, when English has been adopted as an Indian language, why can’t a suit be considered an Indian costume? Why the derisive urge on the part of Rahul to portray either the Prime Minister or the industrialists or businessmen as a butt of criticism for the mere act of wearing a suit?

Pro-farmers and Pro-poor Policies and Programs

Notwithstanding the merits of the Land Acquisition Bill and the benefits that will accrue to Indian farmers, what about the following pro-farmers and pro-poor policies and programs of the current NDA government, which Rahul has conveniently chosen to ignore?

• Enhanced Compensation for distressed Farmers due to crop damage
• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
• Soil Health Card Scheme
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
• Jan Suraksha Schemes (PMJJBY, PMBSY, APY)
• Rashtriya Gokul Mission
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (World’s largest Financial Inclusion Program)
• Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Shramev Jayate Karyakram
• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana
• Mission Housing for all
• Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA Bank)

Time for Rahul to Reflect

Will it ever occur to Rahul Gandhi that the right thing to do would be for him to study these programs and policies with a critical eye for possible flaws, shortcomings or inadequacies and lack of dedication or commitment, if any, on the part of the NDA government in their implementation? Such a course of action that calls for extensive research, analysis and objective assessment on his part would fetch him the stature of a serious politician whose primary concern is for the development and progress of the nation and the welfare of the people.

Will Rahul Gandhi rise to the occasion and seize the opportunity to become richer in stature as a serious politician and thereby present the people a viable alternative to Narendra Modi as a people’s leader or will he be merely contended with causing ripples in murky political waters with his provoke-shoot-and-scoot strategy? In any case, calling the government funny names for a strategy will only win him a few claps from his merry men and far from endearing him to the people make his stature not worth a picayune.

(The article was published in weekly magazine Uday India in August 9-15, 2015 edition on page 10-13)

http://udayindia.in/2015/08/07/is-the-narendra-modi-government-a-suit-boot-ki-sarkar/

“Mandir Gurudware Bhi Hain Yahaan
Girija Ka Hai Ghadiyaal Kahin
Mullah Ki Kahin Hai Azaan
Ek Hi Apna Ram Hai, Ek Hi Allah Taala Hai
Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain, Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain”

The lines above may sound unfamiliar and unheard of to many Indians; this is an extract from the National Cadet Corps Song ‘Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain’. ‘Unity and Discipline’ is the motto of NCC, a tri-services voluntary organization engaged in the mission of instilling discipline and patriotism in Indian youth. Now, let’s also take into cognizance an entirely opposite occurrence, where some so-called learned and intellect citizens of India did not think twice prior to their act of contempt of court, the Supreme Court of India, in the matter that involved execution of a terrorist. Discipline and patriotism, the former with respect to obeying the rulings of courts and the latter relating to holding every person charged of proven sedition as an enemy of oneself, saw deep decline, something that has substantiated, yet once again, that crime, judicial rulings and politics will always remain dyed with the colors of religion and caste in India.

As a general citizen of India, most of us relish the right to speak against rulings of courts, despite being fully aware that the time consumed in deciding any criminal case in our country is prolonged, not because of lack of judicial expertise, but because it is our inherent ideology that a wrong-doer may escape punishment, but an innocent never be penalized. In other cases, the Supreme Court may take into account such contempt; however since we are gifted with a constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression, we regard ourselves free to criticize judgments in the public and in debates over news channels. In the recent incident, shall I ask as to how many of those who censured the verdict of the court had comprehensively read the judgment? Did you actually know as to how many accused were held guilty in the 1993 bomb blasts case, how many are still behind the bars, how many have been acquitted and why Yakub Menon was the only one to be delivered with death penalty? Unaware of facts, in the name of so-called humanitarian relief, and in some cases, for want of publicity and political perks, a few of us never mind going against the most trustworthy wing of our democracy, the judiciary.

But, patriotism and unity hasn’t died utterly yet. On the same day when the guilty was hanged, one of the most cheered Presidents of India, Late Mr. Abdul Kalam, was also being bid farewell. Though news channels were busy broadcasting the ‘sensational’ hanging of a person found guilty of conspiring against the nation, real citizens did not escape the chance to pay reverence to the people’s president. Since many intellects and eminent personalities from politics and film industry too backed the idea of commuting the death penalty of the guilty as they allege that the court’s verdict was on ‘merely the confessions of other accused’, news houses saw immense profits and TRP in debating this subject rather than devoting maximum time to showcase contributions of Late Mr. Kalam, which would have inspired the Indian youth to aim for India’s prosperity than to challenge court’s verdict with full valor and weak specifics.

Not all can be blamed, yes many news channels also discussed the former president’s ideology; however in the prevailing conditions where we cannot afford anything less than ‘sheer commitment’ towards nation-building, the episode of the hanging of a guilty shouldn’t be debated to such extent. Of course, no one can deny that deliberations regarding the applicability of death sentences in India are necessary, as such debates pave the way for legislative and social corrections, confining to just one case for this cannot be justified. Let us go back to from where we started, ‘the motto of NCC’. Most of us have not been a part of this exercise; at least an insight into the belief of the NCC is much needed. Unity cannot be thought of unless we begin connecting ourselves with the pillars of democracy; faith in the verdicts of our courts is indispensable. They have upheld our constitutional rights, were the key in striking down sections of various Acts that infringe our privileges. In the same context, discipline is attainable if we are ready to stop politicizing matters of national integrity and security, India will become a nation of happy people with us being devoted to national service and economic betterment.

Here, it is unequivocally evident that the word ‘Secularism’ has taken an all-new connotation in India, even perpetrators of bombings and treason are evaluated basis their religion. A leader of one of the political parties of India and self-acclaimed guard of Indian Muslims linked death penalty of Yakub Menon with his being of Muslim origin- sheer contempt of true secularism and judicial competency of India, and also of the entire Muslim community. The media too saw this as a golden opportunity to increase viewer base, even when they realize how minorities are brain-washed during such cases by arguments over national television, this is similar to ISIS propaganda of radicalizing the youth by exploiting social media. Rarely did any news channel inform the general public that the court based its judgment on substantial evidences that proved Yukub Menon’s key role in planning of bombings, arranging finance, and yes, he may not have placed bombs on the very day, but this was to escape being caught, so they misused vulnerable youth for the same. It is not the time to find which news channel is owned by men of which political group, this is time when we, the viewers, rethink as to what we shall view and thus make perceptions and conclusions.

It is also time that we realize that Right to Contempt of Court, even by way of debates, isn’t and cannot be fundamental. For news channels, they are to introspect and make necessary amendments to the way news are handled, discussed and broadcasted. ‘Sensation’ is to be replaced by ‘Sense’ and ‘Sustainability’. Let us all look deep within ourselves and make corrections in view of the song of NCC, some lines are hereunder.

“Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain, Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain
Apni Manzil Ek Hai
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ek Hai
Ho, Ho, Ho, Ek Hai
Kashmir Ki Dharti Rani Hai
Sartaj Himalaya Hai
Sadiyon Se Humne Isko Apne Khoon Se Pala Hai
Desh Ki Raksha Ki Khatir Hum Shamshir Utha Lenge
Hum Shamshir Utha Lenge
Bikhre Bikhre Taare Hain Hum Lekin Jhilmil Ek Hai
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ek Hai
Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain”

England ruled over India for almost 200 humiliating and punishing years, a period that must remain etched forever in the annals of our country’s trajectory. In our entire history, we haven’t witnessed more horrific massacres than that committed by the English over us. Having reached our land driven by their outright and shameful greed of profiteering, the English used every opportunity to exploit our ancestors and treat them like subhumans. That England did so even in China fuelling the opium wars, the drugs being grown by the English in the Indo-Nepal border region and trafficked in China, is another testimony to their brutal past.

India, as a nation, and we, as a people, must always remember this past and learn from it. India was plundered by the English, our women raped, our wealth looted and our people treated as slaves. The English even took many of our ancestors to faraway lands like Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago to use them as indentured servants and slave laborers. They separated many families and destroyed the harmony in our society. In their sadistic lust for power, the English killed hundreds of innocent Indians in incidents like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The ultimate suffering they caused was through the Cabinet Mission plan announced on May 16, 1946, which led to promulgation of another alternative plan on June 16, 1946 that eventually led to the partitioning of India into Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan.

The second plan’s implementation caused the 1947 riots and bloodbath resulting in the death of lakhs of people. This happened mainly because the English imperialists felt it wise, as the ruling power, to sanction the breaking apart of our country. Divide and conquer was their tried and tested strategy through which they unleashed genocide upon our people. It is in the memory of those Indians who were killed, cremated and buried during the partition days as well as those who were humiliated, tortured, murdered and desecrated by the English Empire, that I write this article. In 1947, the English imperialists left behind a bankrupt India, a nation torn apart and a people subjugated and broken. We Indians should never forget this humiliation because a nation that fails to learn from history is doomed to repeat it.

It is no wonder that England always favored Jawaharlal Nehru, an Anglophile with his background of English education, as the man they could easily influence and control, directly or via proxies like Edwina Mountbatten. But the English were scared of leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. No surprises then that Sardar Vallabhbhai was not chosen as India’s first Prime Minister, despite winning elections from majority of the provinces (Nehru didn’t win even from a single province), whilst Subhash Chandra Bose was made to disappear from the scene altogether.

Since Nehru’s ascension, England always exerted considerable influence over India, from behind the scenes. Even Indira Gandhi was educated in England. We all know Rajiv Gandhi was enrolled at Cambridge University. And Rahul Gandhi worked in London for two years, and still likes to go there to celebrate his birthdays. Thus, through the Congress party, England always managed to retain some semblance of control and power over India, since the Congress party hierarchy had its assets, its lives and its secrets in the hands of its benefactors, the English. We wouldn’t be surprised to learn that even MI5 and MI6 kept dossiers on Congress Party leaders in a bid to exercise control over them.

Today, England faces a very different reality: a resurgent India and an increasingly confident nation that is striving to emerge as an economic leader internationally. And for the first time since independence, India has in absolute majority a nationalist ruling party in power that has no ties to England, and is not beholden to them in any manner. In Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have a true son of the soil, a man who grew up, studied and has always stayed in India. In fact, none of the current top leaders in India’s ruling party has had any background of education or familial ties in England. Nor does India purchase any weapons of war from England. So what does a nation like England do in such a case, habituated as they are to feeling superior, and treating us Indians as inferior subservient slaves?

Given the recent turn of events, it can be inferred that England is trying to interfere again, and weaken India’s nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It seems that the English are resorting to some dirty tricks, shamelessly trying to hurt our governance and our security, and thereby threaten our national interests. And they are trying to indirectly blackmail us through their media. Here, let me give you two recent examples.

Rupert Murdoch is the leading media tycoon in England. He is also one of the strongest supporters of the Conservative Party that governs England today. His newspaper, The Sunday Times, recently published a scandalous article in a bid to denigrate our Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Through this article, the newspaper attempted to create a media furore aimed at embarrassing India and our government. It would not be unreasonable to assume this was England’s way of hinting to our government that before our Honorable Prime Minister’s official visit to London scheduled in November this year, he better realize that England can always make life difficult for his government. As a patriot, this underhanded move via The Sunday Times to malign India’s honorable Ministers disgusts me. And it should definitely offend every true Indian.

When this particular scandal petered out with more and more people realizing that India government had done nothing wrong, England threw another bombshell. Leaking some police interviews of some alleged members of Pakistan’s Muttahida Quami Movement in London, England claimed via the BBC (though unsubstantiated by facts on the ground), that India was funding MQM, and by proxy, our government has been helping the party create unrest in its stronghold of Karachi. Such dishonest and deliberate leak of patently false and unjustifiable rumours can easily be something out of the playbook of the dirty tricks department of the English Government and its intelligence agencies.

This rumour has the potential to easily sabotage efforts of peace between India and her neighbour, and it can have adverse impacts on generations in South Asia, a home to over 1.5 billion people. It may also lead to India being isolated and branded as a nation that interferes in the domestic affairs of its neighbours. But more importantly, it can even eliminate hopes of a peaceful coexistence between India and Pakistan.

England, through these leaks and disclosures, thus contrived to humiliate India and also tried to weaken our country’s international standing, whilst desperately trying to make us look like sponsors of domestic terrorism in our neighbouring country. And this false propaganda of England took place conveniently, just before cases against Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) were being brought up, apropos the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

England almost succeeded in creating a wedge between India and China at the FATF meet, thereby deviating the focus from the path of tranquility and this was very aptly highlighted by our Honorable Prime Minister. Worse still, England tried to weaken our hands in negotiations with Pakistan on the sidelines of the just-concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Ufa, Russia, where Shri Narendra Modi met Pak Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. England has thus directly threatened our national security policies and objectives, which is indeed a very serious matter.

Whilst highlighting the treachery of the English government in their desperate bid to regain control over us, we should not be too surprised. After all, they have exercised unbelievable control over the Congress party, which has ruled India for the maximum number of years after our country attained independence in 1947. Here, I would like to make two more important observations before I conclude this article.

England has never given us any reparations for the loot and plunder of our nation which they had resorted to for almost 200 years. Not even once they have offered to compensate us for the murder of millions, unlike what they insisted from Germany in the treaty of Versailles and again from Germany after the Second World War. And while Germany had to apologize repeatedly for the genocide by the Nazis, not once has England, either through her Head of State, the Queen, or through her Head of Government, their Prime Minister, ever apologized to India.

In fact, England hasn’t even offered to apologize. If Germany apologizes repeatedly even today for its past, how arrogant must these English imperialists be to never apologize to us for the brutality England unleashed on us during the 200 long years it ruled India. Let us seriously think about it for a moment! Perhaps England felt that Indian lives were cheap, and the heinous crimes of its citizens were glorious.

Perhaps they still have the hubris to think that we natives, the colored people, don’t deserve an apology. Perhaps they feel India doesn’t merit apology for the rape, pillage and plunder she had suffered at the English hands. Undoubtedly, England’s arrogance has no boundaries, and all this while England continues to blackmail us. They want to weaken our position before our Prime Minister visits London in November this year. Perhaps they want more business and are indirectly putting pressure on us to buy their military weapons.

Perhaps they still feel they are our imperial rulers, just like Queen Victoria had conveniently declared herself Empress of India in order to promote herself higher amongst the royalties of Europe. Or perhaps England just feels the need to try everything to humiliate the ruling nationalist political party in India today, in a bid to make it more compliant like the Congress Party to England’s wishes. But the new India should never bend, and must never fall for such a horrifying and arrogant behavior of the English.

India must insist on an apology from the English government. We must be careful until we see true remorse and humility from England. We must be wary of England’s use of media to promote false propaganda and spread lies with the aim of defaming our government. India should insist on England returning to us what was originally ours – like the Kohinoor Diamond as well as other national treasures and artifacts, which they had looted from our country.

Meanwhile, we should never forget the sacrifices of Mangal Pandey and Rani Laxmi Bai, of Chandrashekhar Azad and Shaheed Bhagat Singh, and of our other brave souls who had consistently fought the tyranny of English. Their names must remain glorious in the annals of our history, as those who fought the tyranny of the English to free us from the yoke of slavery. And we must always remember our past, for the same may be getting played out today, driven by England’s evil designs to subjugate India’s rising power and strength. Jai Hind.

Hindutva or Hindu nationalism has a special resonance for every true citizen of Hindustan or India (also known as Bharat) whose heart beats for his motherland. He proudly wears it as a badge of honour as it makes his life more meaningful and purposeful. Hindutva also gives Bharat a unique and respectful place among the comity of nations. Patriotism sans nationalism would be tantamount to love for one’s country without the collective self-esteem of a people or a yearning for a unique and distinct cultural identity which is rightfully the core ipseity of a people. Hindutva is the binding force that brings and blends together people of different regions of our country, known for its rich divergence of ethnic, linguistic and sartorial identity.

Hindutva and Hinduism
Hindutva per se does not imply that a person subscribing to this ideology necessarily has to be a member of the Hindu religion. It is a common core value of every patriotic Indian, irrespective of his religious or spiritual proclivity. It is a coalescing agent or factor that enables the cohesion of all patriotic Indians of varied backgrounds and beliefs into a united people to make the task of nation-building feasible. However, India being his own birth place as well as that of his religion, no Hindu (in the current context, the usage of the term Hindu is restricted to refer to a member of Hinduism) faces at any point of time the predicament of having to choose between his loyalty to his religion and his motherland.
For a Hindu, his religion and motherland are happily and inextricably intertwined and loyalty to both comes naturally and spontaneously. In fact, a Hindu would find nothing more absurd or far-fetched a proposition than to have to choose between his country and religion. The same is the position of a member of any other religion that emanated from India such as Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism or a faith like Zoroastrianism which was given refuge by India in the face of religious persecution.
Hindutva and other Religions
That said, what about those religions of foreign origin, which were implanted on the Indian soil with the advent of the Turko-Central Asian marauding forces or European colonizers? Or could the question be dismissed outright or swept under the carpet as one of hypothetical or improbable a scenario or situation where one is torn asunder by loyalty to one’s country and loyalty for one’s religion? This kind of a paradoxical situation might have been considered ludicrous or contemptuously shrugged off in a different national or international scenario as existed till a few years ago; but not in today’s changed circumstances, which have thrown up a melting pot of religious extremism and shifting territorial borders, resulting in an unholy mix of strife, terror, bloodbath and gross violation of human rights on a scale seldom witnessed in history.
We have already been privy to unfortunate and deplorable instances of recalcitrant religious elements in our own country, including some Members of Parliament, being vocal about their holding their religion in primacy in preference to their national identity. This kind of rabid religious fundamentalism could, if not checked right at the initial stages, become widespread among the members of the particular community either out of fear for a religious diktat by the Clergy or on their own volition out of misplaced values and beliefs.
Nationalism and Patriotism
It is in such extraordinary circumstances or during challenging conditions that Hindutva stands out and shines like a ray of hope and guides one in a crisis or dilemma in national life or service to the nation. Loyalty to the motherland is the supreme virtue of every patriot. Religious or cultural affiliation could not be allowed to be a rigid impediment in the way to loyalty to motherland. It has to be tweaked or pruned to the extent of shaping it to complement one’s patriotism.
Promotion of Yoga
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently spearheaded the cause of Yoga and its promotion on a never-before scale to enable it to assume a truly international stature, all right-thinking citizens of our country rallied around him, with the exception of some skeptics and naysayers who included religious fundamentalists and the Main Stream Media (MSM), acting at the behest of vested interests. The thrust of opposition was that promotion of Yoga was intended to further the cause of BJP’s ‘saffron agenda’ and that Yoga militated against the religious sentiments of minority communities.
The detractors saw a Trojan horse in Yoga and a sinister design behind the move that was actually meant to promote a purely non-religious component of Indian culture. The fact that Hinduism had embraced Yoga, which contributes to the development of physical and mental discipline, thousands of years ago and immensely benefitted from it was beside the point. A similar move by people of other nationalities and faiths would equally benefit all sections of humanity as in the case of Indians in general and Hindus in particular.
Several member-countries of the UN, including Islamic countries, which were members of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation), supported the resolution to adopt an International Yoga Day while the detractors within the country of origin of Yoga sulked, opposed, protested and boycotted the effort and its celebration. This was a clear case of religious affiliations and extraneous considerations blatantly working together to thwart a unique manifestation of Hindutva.
Opposition to Hindutva
With BJP wedded to Hindutva, which is an official policy of the party, every move by the BJP government at the Centre in the direction of promotion of Hindutva comes under scanner by the Opposition parties and the MSM, which do not pass an opportunity to harangue the government and the ruling party with the charge of communal bias. When the government announced December 25th, which is the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, as Good Governance Day and declared it a working day for the government, it was bitterly opposed on the grounds that the government’s move would dilute its significance as the day of Christmas and hurt religious sentiments of Christians.
In fact, it was wrongly argued that the government’s move constituted a deliberate bid to push down the status of equality of religious minorities, guaranteed by the Constitution, notionally by a notch, with scarce regard to the religious sentiments of the minority Christian community. The fallacy of this argument stands exposed by the stand of members of the Christian and Islamic communities and others who bitterly complained against the ban of beef imposed by the government of Maharashtra, in deference to the wishes of the majority Hindu community, at the end of a due legislative process that had lasted several years.
The champions of beef eating, comprising primarily Muslims and Christians, demanded that their right to eat the food of their choice be upheld, in utter disregard to the sentiments of the Hindu community, which considers cow a sacred animal and worships it. How could it be gainsaid that the religious sentiments of minority communities be respected and celebrated and those of the majority community damned?
Votebank Politics
It is an unfortunate fact of history that all the governments at the Centre that had preceded the present NDA-II government (with the exception of AB Vajpayee-led NDA-I government, which was severely hampered on account of lack of numbers in Parliament) lacked a vision. Nor were the economic progress of the country and social development of the people their priorities of governance. Whenever the Congress Party was in power, either on its own or at the head of a rainbow coalition, it had strived, with single-minded devotion, for the perpetuation of dynastic rule and consolidation of economic gains and political power for the ruling elite, with total disregard to the welfare of the people at large. To this end, the powers that be misused the vote bank strategy.
Minority religious communities were viewed as vote banks, which the government took great care to appease by pandering to the smallest of their whims and fancies. This reprehensible approach of causing an artificial schism among the people of the country on religious lines, was inherently inimical to healthy and wholesome governance, and should have sounded alarm bells for the majority community. But the shrewd manipulators of power had their own answer to the situation to pre-empt such a possibility. They divided members of the majority Hindu community too – on the lines of caste, which caused artificial fragmentation of the society. This clever ploy prevented consolidation of votes of the majority community into a single sizeable bloc unlike in the case of minority communities. In short, politics was not really the sum total of its parts.
Appeasement of religious minorities in the name of Secularism and endless grant of reservations to certain sections of the majority community in the name of social justice, and pitting the leftout sections of the majority community against beneficiaries of the government’s vexatious reservations policy were the cardinal principles of those who had grabbed power when the country attained independence by virtue of their predominant position in a certain stream of the movement for independence. Not surprisingly, Hindutva figured nowhere in their scheme of things.
In fact, Hindutva was anathema to their brand of politics. They used it as a bugbear for scaring the minority communities with the possibility of a ‘saffron wash’ and manipulating their support at the polls. With the coming to power of the BJP and its allies in May 2014, it was time for standing the votebank politics of Congress on its head. This needed, however, to be done gradually and in a systematic manner without giving cause for undue criticisms and doubts among BJP’s supporters and well-wishers, of indulging in vindictive politics instead of focusing on good governance.
Sops and Concessions
India is the only country in the world in which a State where a minority religious community is living predominantly and has been allowed to have a special status and its own Constitution. The unique position of the State of Jammu and Kashmir is not congenial in the long run to the idea of members of various religious communities in the country living together peacefully in harmony as was envisaged by the founding fathers of Bharat. We should neither have wheels within the wheel nor can afford to have the people of Kashmir living in an island for much longer. It is not unlikely that the current state of affairs would lead to at least a section of the people of Kashmir, already living with a closed mindset, wanting to drift away from the mainstream nationhood of Bharat. That kind of a situation could be forestalled only by the exposure of the people of the valley to the successful application of Hindutva in the rest of the country for its betterment.
Uniform Civil Code
The people who are practising Islam have been allowed to have their personal law in terms of Sharia. It is evident that the Muslim personal law is unfair to the womenfolk of the community in matters of marriage, divorce, inheritance of property, etc, which does not augur well for their equal treatment with men. Unfair treatment of women and gender discrimination albeit with the sanction of religious tenets of the community are not tenable in a secular country like India. The Constitution was changed, when the courts in the Shah Bano case ruled that a secular nation must have only one law, and not separate religious laws. Islamic religious and educational institutions were promised a policy of non-interference.
This situation calls for a drastic change in the form of a Uniform Civil Code, cutting across all religious communities without exception. There has, however, been a recent landmark judgment by the Supreme Court in the case of a Christian lady fighting for rights as her own illegitimate child’s guardian. While granting the lady the rights, the Court did not take cognizance of certain tenets of Christianity cited in support of the case against her claim. It further stated that there should be a Uniform Civil Code in a country like India, and religion should be kept away from law. We may hope that the judgment will prove to be a milestone in BJP’s quest for a Uniform Civil Code.
Hindutva and the System of Education
In keeping with the spirit of Hindutva, senior leaders of the BJP have been appealing for the need to inculcate a sense of pride in youngsters for the Indian culture, customs, traditions, values and languages as against the current trend of aping the West. A true sense of appreciation of Hindutva is feasible with a factual and unbiased depiction of Indian history in text books, which would instill a sense of pride amongst our youngsters with regard to the past glory of our country and an urgent need for its resurrection.
Indian history as has been rendered by the yesteryear colonial masters with a vested interest, either completely neglects the bravery, valour and patriotism of true Indian heroes who fought the marauding forces of invaders and colonialists or portray them in poor light vis-a-vis the alien warlords in a winner-takes-all account of history. A review of our education system with the strong underpinning of Hindutva is the need of the hour. If in the process of achieving the goal for betterment of life of the people and resurrection of the lost glory of the country, a few toes had to be trodden on, it would still be worth pushing the envelope.

Though Kashmir has always been an integral part of India as any of its other territories, the state has always been inextricably linked with our country’s foreign policy on account of the unwanted presence of an extraneous factor – Pakistan. In an ironical turn of events in the history of Indian subcontinent, Pakistan, which had steadfastly refused political equality to the people of its own Eastern Wing, and subjected them to one of the most horrid military onslaughts in history that resulted in the birth of Bangladesh, albeit with the active assistance and support of India, has been harping for the “independence” of Kashmir.

Bitter wars have been fought by India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Colossal amounts of money have been spent on financing these wars, setting the economies of both the countries back by several decades. While enormous amounts have been spent by both the sides on oiling the war machine, other losses in terms of human lives have been incalculable. Furthermore, rancor runs so deep between the two countries that bilateral relations have been irreparably damaged.

Pakistan, the Spoiler

To make matters worse, Pakistan has been waging a proxy war against India in the absence of a full-fledged war, apparently in the hope of keeping up the sagging morale of their civilian population that started despairing long ago over their government’s failed policy of “liberating” Kashmir from India. Notwithstanding the fact that Pakistan had captured parts of Kashmir by military might and deception immediately after partition of the united India in 1947 and installed a puppet government in the Pakistan-occupied- Kashmir, the authorities of Pakistan have realized the futility of their foolish endeavor to wrest the rest of Kashmir; but find it impossible to let go of their pet obsession for Kashmir which forms the keystone of their foreign policy.

If ever they give up their claim for Kashmir, they would have to shift focus to the economic and social development of their own people. This indeed would be a formidable, nay, impossible task for a country which has unsuccessfully experimented with democracy, off and on, during the course of its six decades of independence. Even when it had been possible to hold elections and a democratic government was put in place, all the time it was the army that was in real control of the levers of power in Pakistan.

In short, because of a political atmosphere controlled by an unholy nexus between the Army, ISI and corrupt politicians, democracy could never take deep roots in Pakistan. In fact, having become a level playing field for the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and a host of terrorist organizations of all shades and hues, and a convenient place of refuge for terrorists like Hafiz Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim and others, wanted by the Government of India, Pakistan has proved to be an ideal launching pad for terrorist activities against India.

Propped up by the US with vast quantities of economic and military aid to enable its ally to play a major role in the global war against terrorism, Pakistan has diverted and subsumed all the assistance in furthering its military might at the cost of its social and economic development. Caught in the crossfire between the subversive and seditious activities of various terrorist groups and self-defeating policy of an all-powerful military and ubiquitous intelligence agency, Pakistan is today a failed state, a rogue one at that. The bleatings of Pakistan, with feet of clay, laying claim in international fora over Kashmir had never sounded more hollow, than now.

Kashmir and the Average Pakistani Citizen

Internally, in a political atmosphere that can only be described as a sham, policies of the State have always been the prerogative of the ruling clique, with the people of Pakistan having no say whatever in the matter. Not to make too fine a point, it would be presumptuous to believe that an average Pakistani citizen who is an unwary victim of the despicable political and security situation in his own country, would ever care as to whether Kashmir continued to remain a part of India, became a free country or became a part of Pakistan any more than which morally or ethically corrupt political dispensation ruled his country.

Kashmir and the International Community

Much to the discomfiture of Pakistan, the people of Kashmir enjoy political freedom to decide their own political destiny in local elections as well as elections to the state legislature and the nation’s parliament, just as the people of any other state of India. This has vindicated India’s stand in the eyes of the international community that Kashmir is truly an integral part of the country not merely because India says so, but because of the ground realities obtaining in Kashmir.

UPA Government and Kashmir             

To understand the gameplan or policy perspective of the current government in Delhi on the Kashmir issue, it would be necessary to appreciate the basic difference between the Narendra Modi government and that of his predecessor. The policy paralysis which had afflicted the Manmohan Singh government during its second stint (2009-14) had permeated India’s foreign policy. This had inevitably led to a stalemate in the settlement of the Kashmir issue. The UPA government’s Janus-faced stance mentioned below is a case in point.

We had been telling Pakistan and the rest of the world that Kashmir is an integral part of India. And rightly so. But, what had we been telling the people of India, including those of Kashmir? That notwithstanding the fact that Kashmir was an integral part of India, it enjoyed a special status in terms of a separate Constitution it had, distinctly different from that of India. Now the question is why should there be a separate Constitution that gives Kashmir a special status different from the rest of India of which it has been an integral part?

Circumstances leading to this anomalous situation date back to 1947, when India was partitioned and it constitutes a well-documented fact of history. After over 60 years of independence, the question which begged an answer was whether this was a permanent arrangement; if not, why hadn’t the situation been reviewed? Was India ever going to do it? What had been preventing the people of Kashmir from integrating with the mainstream India with their special status thrown overboard? Neither the Manmohan Singh government nor the ones preceding it ever had an answer.

It would not be too uncharitable to point out that the powers in Delhi simply lacked the gumption or political nerve to address the issue and had kept it in cold storage! Notwithstanding its political will, the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was, on its part, not in a position to address the issue due to lack of a solid majority in the Parliament; it did, however, try its best to bring Pakistan around to the negotiating table without any success.

Kashmir and BJP

The time for addressing the Kashmir issue had never been as propitious as now in the history of free India. This is on account of the fact that currently BJP is in an unassailable position at the Centre. BJP has the political arithmetic right (the party, with Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs, has already demonstrated that it is capable of managing the numbers in the Rajya Sabha) and political conviction in consonance with its ideology, to go for the jugular of the issue. The broad parameters with regard to this issue pan out as follows:

● With its very existence hanging precariously in peril, it is far from likely that the Nawaz Sharif government in Pakistan would address the Kashmir issue for a meaningful and realistic resolution. That Pakistan’s house is not in order, and therefore, renders that country incapable of taking the initiative is to India’s advantage. This should, however, not be allowed to degenerate or dissipate by having discordant notes from different sources within India. All political parties should have a consensus, the bottom line of which should be “Kashmir is an integral part of India and its territorial integrity is not subject to compromise”. The consensus should be declared India’s national policy, binding on all individuals, parties and movements and legally enforceable.

● Kashmir is a bilateral issue which is to be settled between India and Pakistan, without the involvement of any other country, or extraneous agency from either country.

● Individuals, political parties or movements in India seeking separation of Kashmir in clear violation of the government’s policy on Kashmir, should be imprisoned on charges of sedition, and disqualified from participating in any further political activity.

● To this end, an immediate review of Kashmir’s place in India’s political system, its Constitution and the special status accorded by the country’s Constitution should be undertaken. This would evidently cause much chagrin among certain sections of people or groups in Kashmir. Necessary constitutional amendments and laws should be introduced. Only by having such a firm and irrevocable policy can India hope to have an unassailable position at talks with Pakistan. A divided house would weaken India’s position.

Repeal of Article 370

Understandably, BJP has not yet placed the question of repealing Article 370 of the Constitution that vests Kashmir with a special status on the top of its political agenda. It should, however, be taken up sooner rather than later.

The contentious Article has not helped the people of Jammu & Kashmir in any way. It has only helped the mealy-mouthed wastrels with a feudal mindset among the politicians in the state to strengthen their stranglehold over the governance of the state. J&K has regretfully remained a backward and corrupt State, with no economic development and a high incidence of unemployment.

Cut off from mainstream India, thanks to Article 370, the state has become a hotbed of terrorist activities. Fight against terrorism in the state has been made more complicated, with the obtrusive Pakistan generously exporting terrorism. The state has witnessed a lot of violence and bloodshed besides an exodus of an estimated 700,000 Kashmiri Pandits. With the introduction of a new government, with BJP as an alliance partner, the stifling political backwardness of the state may be expected to be on the wane.

The regional political parties in the state such as the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and major opposition parties in the country are vehemently against repeal of the Article because of vested interests. Their argument is that the Article is the only constitutional link between J&K and the rest of India; therefore, if the Article were repealed, J&K would no more be a part of India. People of the state should realize that this line of argument is fallacious and cannot be sustained.

The state is at a crossroads. Winds of change have been blowing all over India, heralding better times for the Indian economy. People of J&K should wake up to the new reality, shun their self-serving politicians and latch on to the new resurgent India so as not to get further left behind in India’s march to progress and prosperity. It is high time they realized that fibbing over legal and technical aspects of an Article of the Indian Constitution, which had, in any case, been created on a very temporary basis and has outlived its purpose, will be an exercise in futility.

Winning over the people of Jammu & Kashmir

Now, it is imperative for the BJP to win the hearts of the people of the state and capture their imagination. This would become feasible by ensuring good government and clean administration not only in the state but in the entire country. For starters, it should expose the separatist leaders in the state for the men of straw they really are.

For undertaking the political exercise delineated above, a steely vision and iron will are required. Today, Narendra Modi is the only Indian leader who has the popular mandate and political sagacity to rise up to the occasion and unravel the Kashmir imbroglio. Only after this seemingly improbable mission is achieved, would Kashmir emerge as a truly integral part of India in all senses of the term, safe from the grubby hands of the avaricious neighbor, Pakistan.

What better way for a government to complete its first full year in office than by ensuring clean and scam-free governance? That is exactly how the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre marked its first anniversary in May this year. Even as the rejoicing over the landmark occasion had barely subsided and the government rededicated itself to the service of the nation and welfare of the people, four of the party’s important female leaders came under scathing attack from the Opposition and the Main Stream Media (MSM) for their “alleged involvement” in cases of corruption, financial irregularities and impropriety.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was falsely blamed for helping Lalit Modi, former Commissioner of IPL, who had been erroneously accused by the Opposition and Media as “fugitive”, get his travel documents from UK by writing in her official capacity to a British Labour MP stating that grant of travel documents would not affect India-UK bilateral relations. Meanwhile, it was alleged that Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was also involved in a scam relating to Lalit Modi. The media and the Opposition contended that she had supported the former IPL boss in migrating to the UK. It was also alleged that Lalit Modi was a business partner of her son and had invested in the latter’s company, resulting in financial impropriety on the part of Raje.

In the meantime, the Congress Party revived its long-forgotten complaint against HRD Minister Smriti Irani, which it had made some time last year immediately after her induction into the Narendra Modi Cabinet, regarding her alleged attempt to mislead the Election Commission by falsifying her educational qualifications. Then Pankaja Munde, young and upcoming BJP leader and key minister in the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government in Maharashtra, was accused of clearing contracts worth Rs 206 crore on a single day for the purchase of a host of items under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, casting procurement procedures to the winds. Since ‘chikki’, a groundnut-based sweet highly popular in Maharashtra – is one of the major items in the said purchase list, some journalists have termed this scandal “Chikkigate”. 

Media in the Fray

In a bid to be sensational and gain TRP ratings, the Media went gaga over the allegations and carried out a shrill and strident campaign, replete with a swelling number of “breaking news” and “exposes” seeking the scalps of the targeted ministers. Both the Opposition and the Media, which have been starved of scams and scandals during the past one year, gratefully seized the opportunity to make up for the lost time by working overtime on a long drawn out campaign against BJP in general and the four targeted ministers and Prime Minister Modi in particular.

Not a day passed without the Electronic Media coming up with a regular feed of updates on “Lalitgate” and “Chikkigate”. A large posse of news reporters was deployed exclusively for hunting vignettes of the scams-related developments. At least one news anchor flew all the way to Montenegro to interview Lalit Modi, the man in the eye of the storm. In their programs of high decibel noise power, which passed for panel discussions, visibly tired and harried anchors dutifully kept reminding BJP leaders that the nation wanted to know answers to their questions and how Prime Minister Modi’s silence in the matter would only hurt the party and the government.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), whose Law Minister in the Delhi Government, Jitender Singh Tomar, had recently been arrested and thrown in jail for obtaining and possessing two fake degree certificates, joined Congress in targeting Smriti Irani and sought a probe against her claim of higher educational qualifications than she actually possessed. 

Congress and the Scams

Prima facie, the charges appeared serious enough to make the people of the nation sit up and wonder in amazement about the veracity of the allegations. Congress spokesmen who had gone into hibernation over sheer exhaustion, and who were desperately waiting in vain for a goofup, gaffe or faux pas by some BJP leader or the other, got a fresh lease of life and were seen waxing eloquent about the “duplicity” and “hypocrisy” of BJP vis-a-vis Congress party’s “high moral and ethical standards” and wondering why Prime Minister Modi had been a picture of silence with regard to his “errant” party colleagues.

They stooped to new lows by insinuating that Bada Modi (Narendra Modi) was trying to help Chhota Modi (Lalit Modi). All this without a shred of evidence to support their claim that there had been foul play or quid pro quo! They commiserated with the “people of the nation who had been conned into reposing faith” in a party which claimed moral high grounds by the day and committed acts of betrayal of people’s faith on the sly! The Congress Party cadres brought up the rear by carrying out protest rallies and demonstrations outside the residences of the ministers and party offices of BJP.  

Charges Fail to Stick

Notwithstanding all the rolling up of sleeves and flexing of muscles by the Opposition and a high octane presentation by the Media of the terrible “assault” on democracy by the “errant” ministers, the concerned BJP ministers stoutly defended their own integrity. With the support they received from their party leadership and failure of the allegations to stick in the absence of substantial evidence or proof on legal or technical grounds, it became increasingly evident that the charges did not add up to merit either the gusto and aggression with which these were pushed forward by Congress or the sensation whipped up by the Media to tarnish the images of the accused leaders and their party. 

Support by Party Leadership

On its part, the BJP leadership announced that none of its leaders was tainted and that in the case of Vasundhara Raje, the documents produced against her had not been verified. Sushma Swaraj had acted in good faith and had extended help on humanitarian grounds. Smriti Irani’s position had already been cleared in 2014 itself, when she dared her detractors to move the court of law regarding the complaint against her. Pankaja Munde had, on her part, stated that “Chikkigate” was a scam of words; she had done no wrong and was, in any case, ready for a probe. In view of the above, the party asserted there was no question of any of the ministers resigning. Furthermore, the whole scenario of the ministers being axed was imaginary, it elaborated. 

Pressure Tactics

The unflinching solidarity of the BJP with its ministers under attack foiled the efforts of the Congress Party, which had been feeling a bit too pleased with the work of its Dirty Tricks Department in coming up with what it considered was invaluable information pertaining to the ‘indiscretions’ and ‘impropriety’ of the BJP ministers. With the attempts of the Opposition to besmirch the images of the ministers coming to naught in spite of the many unruly protests and rallies by its cadres and huge ruckus raised by the Media, Congress Party nearly ran out of steam and started desperately shooting arrows in the dark with the aim of further discrediting BJP.

It went about flagrantly bullying BJP with its plans to stall the proceedings of the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament. When BJP did not acquiesce to the demands of the Congress on pain of a washed-out Parliament, the latter adopted yet another tactic of its by wooing BJP with an interesting proposal – it would not block the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill despite its strong reservations, if it got the scalps of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje.

The proposal was, however, stonewalled by BJP by taking the principled stand of not yielding to strong-arm tactics of the Congress. The decision of the BJP to stand by its flock and call the bluff of Congress flummoxed the latter, which had been looking for an opportunity to make a mark for itself ever since it was trounced in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. 

Why Women Leaders

That all the targets of the vilification campaign are women is the lowest common denominator in the calculations of the Congress that has been trying hard to besmirch the image of BJP, which has provided corruption-free governance at the Centre during the last one year. Is it a coincidence or is there a design to this interesting commonality?

One would be a bit too naive to believe that it is a sheer coincidence that all the ministers who are sought to be discredited are women or that they constituted the low hanging fruits for a Congress on the offensive. It is interesting to note that all the four ministers are known for their high profile approach to politics. They are outspoken, hard hitting and harsh critics of the Congress Party. They have bolstered the glory of their party by their individual track records and fiercely defended the party against attacks by their rivals.

Their role in the landslide victory of BJP at the Centre and the States of Rajasthan and Maharashtra were inestimable. Their oratorical skill, eloquence and ability to systematically demolish the arguments and cases of their detractors, are highly commendable qualities and are indicative of the shaping up of the next generation of party leaders in the making. Sushma Swaraj had been applauded for the exemplary handling of the External Affairs portfolio, when the news of the scam broke out.

She was profusely praised for the manner in which she had managed to steer the Indo-Bangla land boundary agreement through the Parliament earlier this year. Furthermore, the unstinting support that these women ministers received from their own party leadership as well as from the RSS in the face of the intimidatory tactics of their arch rival and political tormentor, amply demonstrates their importance quotient in their party’s strategic quest for a Congress-mukht Bharat.

How Rahul Gandhi prattled about his faith in women power on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls of 2014 and kept harping about how he planned to empower women when the Congress Party is returned to power at the Centre, provided comic relief and sounded a pathetic ruse or ploy that it was, on the part of a political greenhorn who dreamt of being catapulted to the highest office of the land (barring that of Honourable President) by default.

In a curious turn of events, the Congress was decimated not only at the Centre but also in the states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra, which had been in its stranglehold for quite some time. Five years of life without power at the Centre and the crucial states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra are both unthinkable and unbearable for the Congress, which had never reconciled in the past to the idea of joining the Opposition ranks.

Walking the corridors of power came naturally to the dynastic family. Life was a breeze, when all one had to do was to call the shots from behind the scene without being answerable to anybody or accountable for one’s actions, walk briskly enough to convince the onlookers that one had not a moment to lose, wave vigorously at the multitudes of crowds waiting out in the open for hours on end to have a glimpse of the so-called “beloved leader”, parrot some soulless written-down speeches authored by people who do it for a living, do a brisk pirouette and make the most of photo-ops with visiting foreign dignitaries, and, in general, keep the mystique and sheen of democracy’s answer to a monarchy’s royal family on.

The misery of being lost in the political wilderness, that too for five long years, is indeed painful! The ignominy of not being able to secure the status of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is really unbearable! Congress had to figure out a raison d’être. And all that the grey eminences in the oldest political party of the nation could think was to discredit the ruling party and thereby score some brownie points. This would be an easy way out for the party desperately on the lookout for a breath of fresh life rather than having to reinvent itself, which would involve a long-drawn and monotonous exercise! Woman power being a matter of pride for the BJP, why not deride the women leaders and expose the chinks in the armour?

On the one hand, the Congress Vice President waxes eloquent about empowerment of women, and on the other, his party loses no opportunity to put women politicians doing good work down! What a paradox! Besides, there were old political scores to be settled. In Congress, there is a clear red line that is not to be crossed by anyone, whatever the circumstances. The Nehru-Gandhi family is the holy cow, beyond reproach both by the members of the party and its rivals. Nor are its members to be contested against in elections. They have to be extended the courtesy of being returned to the Parliament, totally unopposed.

History is full of wistful moments which beg answer to the question “If only…?” For instance, if only late Raj Narain had not trounced former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1977 polls at Rae Bareli, would India’s history have remained the same? In 1999, Sushma Swaraj had contested from Bellary constituency, where she had styled herself as the “Beti” of the people against the foreign-born “Bahu” Sonia Gandhi. Despite a spirited performance, she had lost by a 7% margin.

To make matters worse, she had publicly declared in 2004 that she would shave her head if Sonia Gandhi became India’s Prime Minister – a statement that did not go down too well within the Congress circles. Fifteen years down the line, history repeated itself when Smriti Irani was locked in a head-on battle with Rahul Gandhi at Amethi, the pocket borough of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Although she lost the battle, she had put up a very valiant fight, which drew tremendous accolade for her spirited performance.

She was also rewarded with a berth in the Narendra Modi Cabinet. At 38, she is currently the youngest among all the women ministers in the NDA government. Her post-poll visits to Amethi, despite her defeat in the election, during which she exposed Rahul Gandhi’s hollow claims of “revenge politics” by the Modi government have won her high praise from the party leadership, much to the chagrin of the Congress Party.

Sweet Revenge

Sushma Swaraj’s and Smriti Irani’s performances causing a halt in the Nehru-Gandhi family’s hitherto cosy sojourn in politics, constituted not mere breaches of the red line but major blitzkrieg, in acts both inadmissible and unacceptable, having much in common with late Raj Narain’s derring-do! For the Congress Party, it was time for a repeat of the infamous state of Emergency – which it was lamentably in no position to impose this time around!

Having waited long enough in the cases of Sushma Swaraj and Smriti Irani since 1999 and 2014 respectively, it was time for revenge – a dish best served cold! Desperate times for the Congress, which called for desperate measures! Add to the unpardonable acts of indiscretion against the First Family, the trouncing of the party’s impregnable bastions of Rajasthan and Maharashtra, for a good measure. Hey, presto! You got the perfect plan for the so-called scams of the four formidable female leaders of the BJP!

Choking were the streets and sidewalks with piling up mounds of rotten garbage and belching were the gutters and sewers, with no signs of being cleared any time soon. This could be the description of any Indian city or town, small or big. The situation in rural areas was no better. Defecation in the open was too common a sight with the poor and the needy of the society’s soft underbelly having no recourse to toilets at home. In fact, a dedicated toilet was not an intrinsic part of a typical home in an Indian village or a small town. Lack of hygiene and consequent outbreak of diseases was, therefore, an inevitable consequence of such a sad state of affairs.

Women having to go out into the open at odd hours to attend the nature’s call became easy prey to human predators. Tourists were aghast at the unseemly sights and revolted over the highly deplorable sanitary and hygienic conditions. A country of exquisite beauty, rich cultural heritage and inestimable spiritual treasure, unmatched practically elsewhere in the world, had started slipping down the popularity charts of international tourists for the sheer lack of an efficient waste management system and sound infrastructure in the area of sanitation and public hygiene.

All this resulted in a woeful lack of self-esteem on the part of the Indian society, which had been making strides in practically all sectors of economic development and took pride in laying claim to the title of a fast-emerging economic powerhouse in the South Asian region in close contest with China. The most ironical feature of the situation of helplessness that Indians suffered was despite their being finicky in their personal hygiene and keeping their houses spotlessly clean as a mandatory requirement in their regime of offering daily prayers, they were dismayed over the lack of a waste management system on the part of civic authorities. Consequently, both a state of mass inertia and hopelessness gripped the Indian society, compounded by a forlorn feeling of low self- esteem.

Prime Minister Launches Program

Well, in the above paragraphs we talked in the past tense, as the idea was not to indulge in an exercise of self-flagellation about the conditions prevailing in India. The intention, on the contrary, was to capture in a nutshell the woeful state of affairs as it existed before a fresh breeze of change started sweeping across the landscape of the country last year and thereby ushered in a new government at the national level that dared to think differently both at the macro and micro levels to address the monumental challenge of sanitation and hygiene.

While the situation today is not much different from what it was before Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled his Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission, from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of India’s Independence Day on 15 August 2014, there is a marked difference in the country’s determination to tackle the problem of filth and squalor. For the first time in the history of modern India, a prime minister had thought it fit to talk about one of the most pressing needs of the people, namely toilets and that too on an occasion which used to be kept exclusively reserved by his predecessors for making lofty speeches on the government’s achievements in areas like economy, education, industry, defence, poverty eradication, etc. Modi made a passionate appeal for uplifting the country from the depths of ignominy to which it had sunk in the matter of cleanliness, with particular focus on construction of toilets in each and every household in rural areas and separate toilets for girls in schools to ensure privacy and security. He unfurled a grand scheme for cleaning government offices and public places and presenting a clean Bharat in dedication to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150^th birth anniversary on October 2, 2019.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The scheme called ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ is no less daunting in sheer magnitude and scale than the Herculean task of cleaning the Aegean stables. The fact that no other leader of the country before him had retrospected on one of the most basic needs of the people, and presented a time-bound master plan for implementation of the scheme, in which political representatives of the people, and local authorities were involved with the active support and cooperation of the people themselves, resulted in a special resonance of the scheme for the people. 

Film stars, sports persons, captains of industry and other celebrities were enlisted not only for popularizing the scheme, but also to set personal examples and act as role models to motivate people to help themselves in the mammoth scheme on a scale never witnessed in the country ever before. Brand ambassadors were appointed and several organizations and commercial establishments roped in for implementing the scheme. More than three million government employees and school and college students are to participate in the drive. The total cost of the program is expected to be a whopping Rs 62,000 crore (US $9.8 billion), to be shared by the central government and state governments.

Challenges and Impediments

The challenges to the program are many and the impediments in its implementation are no few in number.

● The greatest of the challenges lies in the sheer magnitude and scale of the program. The program is an ambitious, nationwide campaign aimed at making India completely clean and “open defecation free” by October 2019. It plans to construct 12 crore toilets in rural India by October 2019, at a projected cost of Rs 1.96 lakh crore (US$31 billion). The government is conducting the program in concurrence with the Indira Awaas Yojana, a rural housing scheme. Although the Swachh Bharat Mission began on October 2, 2014, the government had begun constructing toilets prior to that date. Under that scheme, the Modi government was left with an allocation of Rs 32435 crore (US$5.1 billion). The program has also received funding and technical support from the World Bank and from corporations as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives as well as from the state governments under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan schemes.

As of May 2015, as many as 14 companies including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Mahindra Group and Rotary International had pledged to construct 3,195 new toilets. As of the same month, 71 Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in India had extended their support for the construction of 86,781 new toilets. Between April 2014 and January 2015, 31.83 lakh toilets were built. This indicates the scale of the program. However, there is quite a long way to go towards completing implementation of the scheme.

● The question is how long could the interest of the people be sustained in the necessity and viability of the program before their spirits start sagging and they go back to their old ways. People’s attention has to be kept riveted on the scheme. They have to be constantly reminded about the soundness of the scheme and why it must succeed. People have to be convinced that the government is quite serious about this program and that it is beyond politics and is essentially an exercise in self-help.

●  Another big challenge is to change the mindset of millions of people. People need to be educated about sanitation and hygiene. Although Indians do have a proclivity for cleanliness at home, they seem to behave differently in public places, which are not kept clean by the civic authorities in the first place. It would appear that “If you can’t beat them, join them” kind of syndrome is in operation. Urinating on the roadside, spitting and littering are some of the unseemly acts commonly indulged in by a person who feels utterly hopeless about the dismal state of affairs. The same people who indulge in such activities while in India conduct themselves responsibly while abroad, mindful of stringent local laws, civic sense and norms of behaviour. Although their duplicitous behaviour at home and abroad is not entirely explicable, it is apparent they seem to be driven by a desire to blend with the milieu. Call it an act in trying to look nonchalant, if you will. Such people have to be convinced that public places in India also can be transformed into clean and well-maintained places as in developed countries, if not more. To start with, enough numbers of garbage bins and skips should be kept at public places to encourage people to make use of them instead of littering around.

● Once garbage bins and skips are placed at strategic places for use by the public, strict legislation should be enacted to make littering, spitting, urinating or indulging in such unhygienic and unseemly practices legally punishable. Use of non-admissible grades of plastics and other non-bio-degradable material inimical to the maintenance of healthy environment and ecology should be banned by legislation. 

●  The workforce for cleaning has to be optimal in strength. There are any number of cities and towns in the country that are understaffed on account of shortage of funds for purposes of cleaning of streets and removal of garbage. This lacuna should be rectified by appointment of adequate number of cleaning staff to work in several shifts depending upon the severity or acuteness of the problem. Appointment of cleaning staff will per se not solve the problem. They have to be paid decent wages. Their working conditions should also be improved such as by issuing of liveries, surgical masks, disposable gloves and sturdy equipment and cleaning materials to enable them to clean and collect garbage with least exposure to health hazards. Unless they are paid reasonable wages and their working conditions ameliorated, they cannot be expected to have any degree of pride in their job or carry out the work without giving cause to complaint or dissatisfaction.

●  Garbage has to be collected regularly and transported to designated places located away from residential areas and water bodies before it is segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable categories. Wherever possible, solid waste should be converted into natural manure for farms or recycled for the benefit of the communities generating the waste matter. This is an area where great care has to be taken to ensure that no possible use, which could be made of the solid waste in the process of its disposal, is allowed to go unexplored. Disposal of hospital waste and industrial waste is yet another matter that deserves serious consideration. With Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ program coming into force in a big way with the setting up of more and more industrial establishments and manufacturing hubs, disposal of waste output has to be reckoned. The authorities need to have a master plan for disposal of all kinds of garbage, for the preparation of which expertise, technical acumen and eco-friendly approach have to be judiciously applied in a bid to get optimal benefits.

● A mandatory system of voluntary cleaning of government offices by the personnel working in those offices on certain designated days in a year should be introduced. This would help establish a sense of appreciation of the need to keep the premises clean by the people working there themselves and instilling in them dignity of labour. This practice is already being followed in quite a few countries like the former Soviet Republics.

● There should be a cordial tie up between welfare associations of residential complexes and those in charge of commercial and industrial establishments on the one hand and the civic authorities on the other so as to ensure optimal cooperation in collection of waste material at regular intervals.

● Civic authorities have to find ways and means of generating revenues, which could be allocated for cleaning operations. One simple way would be to sell stickers of different denominations to households, industrial and commercial establishments which generate garbage, to be affixed on garbage bags for collection.

When people are educated and motivated about the program, its necessity and winnability, and the implementation is in full flow, more impediments would perhaps come to the fore. Those could be successfully addressed with all the experience and hindsight gained during the implementation of the program.

(The article was published in weekly magazine Uday India in October 18- 24, 2015 edition)

http://udayindia.in/2015/10/17/swachh-bharat-abhiyan-implementation-and-impediments/

Currently, the Indian Ocean is a hotbed of conflicting interests for the two major South Asian political and economic rivals viz India and China. While India rightly looks upon the Indian Ocean as its backyard with tremendous strategic importance, China has thrown down the gauntlet in its bid to claim political and commercial hegemony and naval supremacy among the countries of the Indian Ocean region.

Riding on a burgeoning volume of international trade and a booming military might, it has been on a spree of acquiring strategic assets in the form of ports in many countries across and beyond the region and setting up bases, like in Bangladesh (Chittagong), Sri Lanka (Hambantota), Seychelles, Pakistan (Gwadar), Kenya (Lamu) and Tanzania (Bagamoyo). Called the ‘String of Pearls’ by Western sources, these ports would purportedly enable China to secure its commercial interests in the procurement of raw materials and sources of energy for its energy deficient economy.

A likely scenario to emerge over the years in the Chinese scheme of things is that the dependence of the world on crude oil will increase manifold; keeping pace with the demand in oil will be the control of China over the Indian Ocean. It has accordingly aligned its foreign and defence policies to ensure its economic success the world over and emergence as a market leader.

Naval Bases

Although China claims that the underlying motive of the Pearls of ports is purely an economic one viz to ensure its maritime interests for energy security, the current ground realities in the Indian Ocean throw up a different kind of indicator, making the communist country’s intentions appear far from innocuous. China has set up electronic intelligence gathering facilities on islands in the Bay of Bengal, and funded construction of a canal across the Kra Isthmus in Thailand. It has entered into a military agreement with Cambodia and has been building up forces in the South China Sea.

The Gwadar deep sea port in Pakistan provides China with a ‘listening post’ from where it can monitor Indian activities in the Arabian Sea. China can patrol the Indian Ocean sea-lanes for its security of shipments. It has a naval base on Hainan Island that can hold submarines, which pose a major threat to the US, but could be a threat to India too. China has dismissed reports of any plans of creating military bases overseas, but Chinese maritime strategists such as Shen Dingli advocate the need for China to set up overseas military bases.

China would not fight shy of protecting its energy imports that pass through the Indian Ocean. Nor is it comfortable with Washington and New Delhi being the security providers in the region. Inability to sustain troops in the region would leave a chink in its armour, which would mean that China’s energy imports would be highly vulnerable in the event of a military standoff with either the US or India.

Being already embroiled in maritime disputes with several countries in the South and East China seas over the ownership of islands, China is wary of the possibility of the Indian Ocean waters becoming another contentious area at some point of time in the future; in the absence of an effective blue-water Navy to protect its commercial and political interests.

Ruffling Indian Feathers

China has raised India’s hackles by docking submarines at the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka. India’s concerns have been further raised by the expansion of Chinese maritime powers with the development of aircraft carrier battle groups. Currently, China has the largest aircraft carrier in Asia. And alarm bells rang when Chinese nuclear submarines carried out patrols in the Bay of Bengal. The possible presence of Chinese nuclear missiles so close to its coastline was a matter of utmost concern to India’s nuclear deterrence.

India and the US

The first salvo of a resurgent India under the Narendra Modi government in response to a belligerent China’s ambitious maritime agenda being aggressively pushed forward by that country was fired soon after Modi became Prime Minister and visited the US in September 2014. Prominent among the issues discussed by the Indian leader with President Obama was maritime security of all nations to peacefully carry out their trade activities in the Indian Ocean.

During the visit of President Obama to India in January 2015, the two leaders reaffirmed “the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea”. They also called “on all parties to avoid the threat or use of force” in maritime disputes. China sharply reacted to an India-US joint statement referring to the disputes in the South China Sea, saying that only the countries involved in the disputes should work together to resolve the problems.

“At the current stage, the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable and there is no problem with navigational freedom and freedom of flights,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. According to political observers, Modi perceives a greater role for India in Asian affairs in pursuance of his policy of “Act East”, coinciding with Obama’s own pivot to Asia policy. Events after Modi assumed office as Prime Minister, have contributed to bringing India and the US toward a consensus on China.

India and Japan

During his August 2014 visit to Japan, Modi and his Japanese counterpart reaffirmed the importance of upgrading and strengthening of defence relations between the two countries in their strategic partnership. Keeping a wary eye on a rising China, the two leaders agreed to accelerate talks on the possible sale of an amphibious aircraft to India. The coming together of the two countries in matters of strategic partnership was seen by political observers as a bold initiative on the part of India and Japan to redefine the balance of power in the region and counter the ambitious expansionist policy of China.

India’s Extended Neighbourhood

India has extended its neighbourhood beyond the South Asian region where it has its presence in the Southeast and Indo-Pacific region. The Southeast Asian states have evinced interest in India by playing an active role in the region to counter the dominant Chinese position. India in recent years has strengthened its relations in the Southeast Asian region in pursuance of its ‘Look East Policy’ launched in the 1990s and reinvigorated and renamed under the Modi government as ‘Act East Policy’. India has integrated the Pacific in its extended neighbourhood concept. It has signaled that its Act East Policy was not limited to Southeast Asia, but goes beyond that to Australia and other Pacific Ocean nations.

India is not interested in taking on China in a direct confrontation. However, Chinese imperialist designs may succeed in uniting the countries of the Southeast Asian region. China would not be inclined to bargain for such a situation as it would be difficult for it to contend with. Any alignment of interest in the region would significantly affect the balance of power, posing serious consequences for all nations. India’s growing technological advances (with the launch of Agni-V) has placed it amongst an elite group of nations. This in itself has far-reaching consequences for the States in the region.

Strengthening Bilateral Relations with Island Nations

With a view to countering China, India has upgraded its military ties with Maldives, Madagascar and Myanmar in the Indian Ocean and with Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia and Japan. India has also enhanced its economic and security relations with South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia.

In order to counter China’s naval presence in the Indian Ocean, India has its naval presence in the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Malaysia launched defence cooperation with India by signing a memorandum of understanding in 1993. Defence cooperation between the two countries has been revived in 2008. Since then India has had a substantive military mission in Malaysia, focusing on training pilots and air force personnel.

Singapore has emerged as the closest security partner of India in the East, given its critical location in the Strait of Malacca at the confluence of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Thailand is holding joint naval exercise with Indian Navy and under the comprehensive MoU signed in 2005 they are regularly conducting exercises in the area adjacent to their international maritime boundary lines. India is increasing its defence cooperation with Indonesia after the related cooperation agreement of 2001.

Australia and India concluded a pact on joint naval exercise in 2005 and a more comprehensive memorandum of understanding on maritime security cooperation in 2006. And during the visit of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to India in November 2009, both sides agreed to enhance their defence interaction, with a special emphasis on naval cooperation. Furthermore, India has signed agreements to develop infrastructure with two Indian Ocean countries, Mauritius and Seychelles in their two islands – Agalega and Assumption.

India and Maldives

Despite its geographical proximity to India and having historically been within India’s sphere of strategic influence, Maldives has increasingly been strengthening its relationship with Beijing. Chinese investments in the Maldives have increased over the years, ranging from housing projects to other infrastructure projects such as building roads and airports. This has become a major cause of concern for New Delhi.

India and Seychelles

Location of Seychelles and its proximity to the coast of Africa makes it a lucrative option for Beijing to establish a naval base in that country. China is already participating in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and has growing economic interests in Africa. However, India and Seychelles share close military ties as New Delhi helps the island nation secure its EEZ by presenting surveillance aircrafts and patrolling ships.

India and Sri Lanka

The previous government of Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared fairly China-friendly, awarding many infrastructure development projects to Beijing. The Maithripala Sirisena government is now reviewing all Chinese investments in the country, especially the US$1.5 billion port city project. The Sirisena government has also reassured India that such “incidents, from whatever quarter, do not take place under our tenure”.

India and Mauritius

As Mauritius looks to attract investments from China, India is stepping up its game by providing a 1,300-tonne Indian-built patrol vessel, the Barracuda, to Mauritius to help the island nation protect its coastline. While India may not indulge in any China containment policy, New Delhi realizes it is absolutely crucial to reengage with these islands and secure its strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

China’s Stated Position

While affirming that it has no plans to set up naval bases in the countries of the Indian Ocean region, China has warned that the Indian Ocean could end up “as an ocean of conflict and trouble” if countries like India, the US and China itself failed to engage with each other more constructively as their interests begin to overlap.

India’s Call

This is an opportune moment for India which has achieved political stability under Narendra Modi’s leadership to expand trade with China and to go all out for the settlement of the border issue. With support from regional countries and associations, India can play a decisive role in the region and the world. To this end, it is imperative that India take pro-active measures to engage China in dialogues for settling its long standing border disputes with that country. It is an established fact that China would only involve itself in any meaningful exercise of resolution of disputes when the adversary nation is politically stable, economically vibrant and militarily formidable.

India should strive and acquire the required edge under the present dispensation in the country and emerge as a strong enough partner nation, to do business with China. Needless to say, despite the Western orientation of India’s foreign policy in recent times, India should accord top priority to its own interests while dealing with a militarily and economically stronger China which views the West with suspicion. And acquisition of an early Permanent Member status in the United Nations Security Council would set India in the same league as China, which is an essential prerequisite for checkmating the latter in the Indian Ocean.

Independence of judiciary is in the very essence of our constitution, this also is a pre-requisite for safeguarding the democracy against not-always-just political intentions, which many a time are driven by the greed to extract maximum out the constitutional setup, even if that demands arbitrary amendments to this supreme of the land. Had there been a political/ executive touch in the judiciary, the forty-second amendment to the constitution that struck down powers of the Supreme Court to a catastrophic extent and such other politically motivated stands would have stripped us of our fundamental rights and shifted the sovereignty exclusively to the parliament. Now that the fight of justifying the National Judicial Appointments Commissions Act 2014 and the ills of the collegium system has landed up in the Apex Court, it is more than warranted that the parties to the case consider this as not being ‘exclusive judiciary’ or ‘exclusive legislature’, but from the perspective of the makers of the constitution.

This isn’t for the first time that appointment of constitutional courts’ judges through the creation of the collegium has become a victim of unwanted controversy. To steer clear of the executive and legislature with respect to appointments in the judiciary, the court evolved this system, which however, does not find place in the constitution of 1950 or any subsequent amendments; we all know how the weapon of ‘partially rigid and partially flexible’ system for amending the constitution was exploited by previous governments from time to time, placing supremacy of the original constitution at stake. Ever since the ‘opinion’ of the Supreme Court given in the Third Judges Case, the system has been criticized by jurists and legal experts, even by the then President of India. It is often claimed that lobbying has become an inevitable part of the judiciary in post-collegium era, and judges, rather than lessening the burden of ever-high pending cases, secure a position by winning over the collegium members; let us not then also question the evident lobbying deep-rooted in all government functioning, from selection and transfer of ministers to placement of bureaucrats; should then the judiciary not step in to curb such ‘biased decisions’, would then the governments accept such infringement of their ‘exclusive’ rights as are in the constitution?

But the defending of the NJAC in the ongoing Supreme Court hearings has turned into a bitter fight where the hearing bench of five judges has presumed the role of a party to the case, more because they have been compelled so, and the Attorney General has been asked to put up evidences that show inadequacy of collegium. The opaque collegium, as is named by its sheer opponents, certainly has some flaws as far as it allows ‘judges appointing judges’, which in the very verbatim tone indicates prevalence of favor in some if not all appointments. This, however, cannot render righteousness to the NJAC where the executive and even persons from outside the field of judiciary and legislature may relish the opportunity of appointing judges. It can be agreed that the concept of collegium appointments in its entirety may not be exceedingly transparent; hence the composition of collegium to make it more transparent and the consultation broad-based, as advocated by former CJI Justice Sathasivam, can be deliberated upon, putting this ongoing and unwanted ruckus to a shrewd end.

As said earlier, why not peruse this subject with the eyes and intent of constitution makers who made ‘independence of judiciary’ the spirit of this supreme law, and even we, having preserved our rights by timely interventions of courts and through doctrine of basic structure that enables judicial review of any of the government’s move, must advocate stringent non-interference of legislature and executive in judicial machinery. Let not a day arrive when the courts of India become a power in the hands of political men, who are free to exploit it for their own good, let not the era of ‘Indira Constitution’ be resuscitated. Powers to executive, though with eminent jurists, will defeat the soul of the constitution; also, we do not want delays in the appointment of judges as is seen in crucial appointments, for say heads of PSUs and CPSEs and of CVC and CIC.

‘Appointment’, be it of the judge of the constitutional court, or of ministers assisting the Prime Minister/ Chief Minister, or in any other office, which is directly or indirectly accountable to the public at large, shall not be the prerogative of an individual/ cluster that can be influenced. But, putting this system to end is improbable, since any agency/ system in place for appointments will comprise of persons and such persons, whether independent or from within the cluster, can never be immune from influences. Nevertheless, what happens with bureaucrats and the CBI cannot be made a scenario in the Indian judicial setup, which is the savior of our constitutional setup. Many High Courts are awaiting appointment of Chief Justice and also worrying is the vacancy in offices of high court judges; resolution of NJAC vs. Collegium issue will not only pave way for such appointments but will also speed up justice for the common man. Fight must be brought to such an end that neither the independence of judiciary gets compromised nor does this become an ego conflict between judiciary and government; most judicious is to rework flaws of the collegium and let the judiciary remain a sovereign domain.