Pakistan and its obsession with violence – The Kashmir story

It’s a nation that came into being with a separate home for ‘Indian’ Muslims (of Undivided India) at the behest of the call for hostility that primarily was a manifestation of a ploy by Jinnah and team to garner power and steal the show from the Congress back in 1930s. Ironically for Pakistan, the agenda that Jinnah had just after separation, of a tolerant society, lost its mark as Pakistan ushered towards Theocratization as Pakistan changed its constitution just after Bangladesh Liberation war in a bid to woo the Gulf ‘Friends’ under the pretext of an ‘Arab Parivar’ (Arab Family) even if the cultural commonness brings it close to being an alienated ‘Indian Parivar’.

The one common thing that became part of the legacy is an Anti-India Attitude that it inherited from the same leaders who vouched for the state of Pakistan. India was branded a ‘Hindu Nation’ despite the fact that the total Muslim population of India surpasses the entire population of Pakistan. In summary, the Hindu-Muslim feud took a political stance wherein the ‘Hindu’ was dragged into the fight against its will.

The obsession of Violence must have begun right after ‘Dicky Bird Plan’ of June 1947 which later translated into Radcliffe Division and an announcement for Dominions of India and Pakistan. The Kashmir war of 1947-48 was a manifestation of the theocratization of Pakistani Army. The decision to send Army guised as militants was an Army call and not a Political one marking necessarily a shift towards a doctrine which was to become a core principle of Pakistani Politics. The stance that Politics took after Army’s Adventures was also significant since Jinnah was completely sidelined and was virtually house-arrested in his Rawalpindi home and the ‘new leaders’ took to the helm supporting Army with whatever political and international needs they wanted.

Pakistani Political class was unaware of the fact that they were trying to tame a monster – a monster that shall one day become so powerful that it will tame the political class instead. The evidence didn’t need much more time to surpass as Army coups began right since 1950s. The Army coups further strengthened the legacy of violence as the Bureaucratization of the Political machinery from a civil one to a military one needed a purpose that could only best be served by an anti-India Attitude and the fear of sovereignty (which was never there).

Until 1970s, when Pakistan had already engaged itself into 3 wars with its eastern neighbour, the Politics seemed to take a stance that it was UN which could solve its version of Kashmir problem. The Political class was relying on CENTO and SEATO which it signed with US. The 1962 war between India-China was another turning point though. The ‘same feather friends’ began new relationship particularly aimed against India. Incidentally, the 1974 Pokhran Blasts changed the scenario completely. With India being a nuclear state, Pakistan saw a rise of Army’s stature – the Army began dictating its terms to Political class in all aspects especially and including the Foreign Policy.

1980s was a period when Kashmiri militancy appears for the first time. Pakistan terms it a rise of the suppressed voices long after India’s aggressive posture on Kashmir and internationally demands a UN-backed solution. Logic however questions, what kept them quiet instead for that long. With Political instability in India, the posture of Pakistan-backed Kashmiri militancy grew strong, possibly aimed at an ‘early solution’ (if I could use this Political language at all). The stance could also be a result of Indian occupation of SiaChen in 1980s.

1998 was another turnaround period when Chagai Blasts put Pakistan as the 7th nuclear state – thanks to the ‘generosity’ of Netherlands and thefts of A Q Khan. The Kargil war and Musharraf’s regime added to the bitterness of Indo-pak relationship. What incidentally is important here though is a bit of warmness that thawed against the perceived bitterness as both the countries agreed for LoC peace treaty of 2003 and then Track-2 back-channel talks were close to yielding a political solution to Kashmir.

2008 saw democracy returning to Pakistan which only changed the face of the government as the long rule of Musharraf had only militarized the Bureaucratic structure with Army head taking calls on major policy decision – be it internal matters or external ones.

What promises a declining anti-India legacy is the stance hat civil society of Pakistan has taken up. It was, in fact, unimaginable to see Pakistanis rising up for India in Pakistan back in 1970s. But this illusion is pretty much mired by the fact that civil society and Politics are quite a distant phenomena in an Army-ruled Pakistan.

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December 6, 2014

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The New Age ‘Indo-phobia’ – Pakistan’s Lust turning ‘Green’ !!

Pakistan’s hate for India seems to have grown into a lust instead. The lust however is rather explained as ‘Indo-phobia’ or better to say – ‘Non India’ or quite bluntly, ‘Anti-India’ phenomenon. The contextual debate on the subject may however, garner multiple hues, the colour of green shines the most here. The article attempts to deal with the current Border tensions with perspectives, alternatives and strategies.

Bullets are being fired across 6 sectors in Kashmir. The bullets of words are nonetheless, more important for us. The one important characteristic of Pakistani Foreign Policy is that it’s India centric. Ask an Australian about their Foreign Policy, the answer would be Indian-Ocean Centric, ask a Chinese – Asia-Centric, ask an American – Global Centric. The characteristic, in itself signifies the extent of energy, time and manpower a nation devotes to fulfil its strategic needs within the given space among 200+ countries and counting.

While the policy in itself is deemed to bear the Historical reasons, it inherently a ‘home-grown’ cult, nurtured quite carefully by Pakistani Army, Media and Polity. The Army would use the Indo-Phobia as a tool to recruit more jawans. The media would jab ‘Anti-India’ to win over the Regime’s support and the Polity would use it to garner votes and to be in power. The other factor that emerges is that the nation would use it to justify its heavy defence expenditure, its nuclear programme and lastly even Natural calamities like Floods. Ironically, this Indo-phobia finds communal colours in Pakistan wherein India, being a Secular state, is termed a Hindu state and an attack on India is justified ‘as service to God’ in the name of Jihad and thus the lust suddenly turns green.

The border tensions arose on 4th of October when Pakistani forward posts targeted Indian posts along the LoC in 6 sectors in Kashmir. The intelligence however claimed that the firings were merely a government ploy and tool to weaken the Anti-government jibe that is continuing to gherao the government in Islamabad over Election Fraud issues. A few media reports went on to claim that the firings were a result of loss to India in Asiad Finals Hockey. A few Analysts have claimed it as an aggression against the UN Show-stopping moment by the Indian PM. Others claim that this is meant to extend US presence in Afghanistan to keep a check on India

It was however interesting to see Pakistani Diplomacy making a move that until now was quite uncommon. It deliberately weakened its hold on the LoC, allowing killing of civilians, to garner an international support for the ‘unprovoked firings by India’. It’s however common that nobody now cares for what Pakistan says.

What is uncommon is a sudden change in the posture of India as well. When it came to Chumar last year, we saw our troops dismantling establishments to resolve the incursion issues with China. Earlier that year, Pakistani troops beheaded Indian soldiers. But things seem to be changing. The Latest September incursion incident did not see Indian troops pulling back. And now, a firm resistance is being offered at the LoC.

In the economic perspective however, his Indo-phobia seems not to be working for Pakistan. In fact, it attracted quite an FDI only for being a neighbour of India – one of the largest emerging markets in the world.

What are the alternatives? The world knows that talks have failed. For once, North Korea and South Korea might unite but a successful India-Pakistan Dialogue seems a myth. The options are limited. Whenever an option shall be tried upon, the last card will always be found up on Pakistani Army’s sleeves. It is the army that controls junta, the Judiciary, the Polity, the media, the Terrorists, the Policies. The only leverage for India against Pakistan is its soft power diplomacy and the International pressure it may mount over its neighbour to keep the brat quiet for a while. But one thing that is certain is an implosion – Pakistan might implode under its own weight. Many Analysts have opined that with over 60% of its GDP expenditure on Defence, Pakistani is yet another Sudan in the making.

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October 9, 2014

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An Open letter to Abdul BaSHIT (Pakistan’s envoy to India)

And here we have Mr. Shit with his jibber-jabber again. Whenever he opens his mouth, Delhi air just pollutes with foul odour. This time he has come up to save his ‘old friend’ Hafiz Saeed, the ‘Philanthropist’ which India ‘mistakenly’ considers a terrorist.

Mr. Shit, in October 2013, you polluted the city air by a remark that Pakistan Bashing has become a fun for Indian media. I made a reply that you don’t give me something to write and create an aura of applause for your dirt nation. Again, you are playing your ‘hide and Seek’ leaving me with no option but to tell you what you and your nation are. Don’t worry Mr. Shit, I won’t be shitting on you because we don’t shit over shits.

Now, getting back to business – Mr. Shit remarks that the ‘philanthropist’ has no case against him and hence cannot be prosecuted. Well, this could be understood in a nation where law strictly says that a murderer shall be spared if the victim’s family forgives the murderer (your very ‘modest’ and ‘modern’ law). So, either Mr. Shit is unaware of what terrorist means and what philanthropist means or he is simply losing it with age.

Let’s talk retrospectively for a while. We have submitted multiple dossier of proofs against the ‘Philanthropist’ but your courts under the pressure of your Army regime finds it difficult to admit them as evidence. This, of course, is natural in a court that proudly prosecutes a man for burning Koran in just 2 days while cases of stoning women to death (Honour killings) would linger on for decades. So, I admit it – We were at fault. We were expecting principle of Natural Justice – quite an unnatural phenomenon in your dirt nation.

Next, your courts would fix case dates with a time lag ranging from 3 weeks to 4 months under the recommendations of the prosecution i.e. your government. Again, 1 council was blatantly murdered on the streets of Karachi and other just declined to take the case after a while (possibly because of threats) but your government proudly claims that legal procedures are in place. Next, your delegation which was supposed to record witness testimonies in Mumbai would take 1 long year to decide and come to India, re-scheduling visits a multiple times. And then the cherry on the cake – the news reporter who revealed the matter suddenly goes missing and mysteriously appear dead on the streets of FATA. We, Indians really have much to learn from your nation especially how to sink low.

Your ‘philanthropist’ friend ‘suddenly’ becomes ‘a Free Pakistan National however, who is free to roam’ even if the Interpol says, is associated with the internationally banned organization – Jamat-ul-Dawa. Your Punjab Assembly proudly presents to the ‘Philanthropist’ friend a cheque of Rs. 1 crore Pakistani rupees for his ‘outstanding works in the field of education’ perhaps primarily because they are principally directed against your neighbour to the east. Your ‘friend’ would time and again make remarks inciting the public sentiment against me and my nation but he should be free to roam because even terrorists are philanthropists with such a ‘connection and love for the society’ – I must admire. Your country cares for dogs so much – they are free nationals in your nation.

Mr. Shit let’s leave what we had yesterday, let’s talk present. Your ‘learned philanthropist’ a few weeks ago makes an intelligent remark about ‘water terrorism’ by India against Pakistan. It’s a different thing that he just doesn’t know that rains are a natural phenomenon and Himalayan region, geographically, lays in the zone of heavy rainfall. I was shocked to learn that your ‘philanthropist friend’s’ views on girl child education – He did not let me down and categorically accepted that such an act is ‘evil’ – such is his outstanding works in the field of education.

M. Shit you might deny the fact that recently Colombo asked Islamabad to recall one of the Consulate members in Colombo on charges of him being a terrorist. But still, Pakistan is a peace-loving nation that wants International piece (No No – I typed it correctly. That’s not a typo error)

You keep your foreign policy and defence policy clubbed and that whole baggage vests with your army regime. Incidentally, the name of the missiles that you have deliberately chosen are of those who invaded India in the past ignoring the fact that they raided your lands as well. Your army selectively targets those ‘Jihadists’ and ‘Talibanis’ who work against the will of the mighty Army else they all are your nationals (at least until they live and fight). You would even refuse to take back bodies of your armed personnel after Kargil war perhaps in ego or shame. I’ll chose the latter one instead.

Mr. Shit, in case you don’t know, your ‘friend’ is a terrorist who is shitting on the same shithole from where you come. It’s time your nation acts unless your streets would foul bad sooner with the odour of fundamentalism and terrorism.

Apparently yours
Chirag Goel.

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October 2, 2014

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India-Maldives Relations – An outlook into Past and Prognosis

Maldives is a small nation in the Indian Ocean, south of Lakshadweep and Sri Lanka. Consisting of a series of Atolls, Maldives is rightly said the – the Indian Ocean’s beauty.

A brief look into the demographics suggests Maldives to be a Muslim dominated democratic Polity with Liberal Presidential form of Government. Further, Maldivian economy is primarily based on Tourism with Tourism generating as much as 73% of Country’s GDP. The country and Society practices Secularism although Fundamentalism has seen a rise in recent years, particularly after the 1988 Army coup which fortunately got averted.

In the international Fora, Maldives is predominantly, a member of IORA and SAARC and shares genuine concerns on Piracy, Terrorism and Economic Development along with India.

In the past though, Maldives saw some upheavals on its grounds when the Former President was forced to take shelter inside the Indian Embassy in February 2013. The story dates back to February 2012 when President Nasheed was ousted on charges of abusing his power after his win in 2008. The media described the move as an attempt to revert back to a dictatorship regime under the former ruler Guyoom. However, the courts issued warrants against Nasheed who was forced to take refuge within Indian Embassy. In the interim, multiple attempts were made to conduct elections but every time, things seemed to be moving on, media would come up with either SC Judges or the Police ‘hand-in-glove’ with each other delaying the elections. In fact, the 3rd Election Contestant Qasim Ibrahim is alleged to have saved the SC Judge who was accused in one of the scandals in Maldives. The SC judge was reportedly part of the panel which quashed the September elections terming the Electorate List ‘unfair’ and ‘incomplete’. However the November 16, run-off elections led Yameen take over as the New President of Maldives.

As soon as Yameen became President, within 50 days of his office he made his first foreign visit to no country other than India. The coming of the President gave India the impetus to bring forth the long pending issue of the presence of the Chinese on Maldivian Soil which has been a worrisome factor for India as far as securing the Coastal Boundaries and EEZs are concerned. Further, the Visit helped India raise the GMR issue wherein the Previous Waheed Government had sacked GMR’s contract for building a New Airport Terminal at Male with Millions of Dollars hanging in balance.

Anyhow, the President’s assurance of checking the Chinese presence was a welcome step in January as Yameen’s visit in itself helps India restore ties after relations sunk to a new low after the 2013 crisis. India and Maldives share good terms for the fact that India helped Maldives avert a Possible Coup in 1988 thereby saving Maldives from going down the hands of Dictators and Fundamentalists.

The visit secured for Maldives a 3 years quota of Agriculture Products, mainly cereals and cooking oil within the provided quota of 25 million dollars of Lines of Credit. This may be considered a smart move by India since this helps secure terms with Maldives on the Security front at least geographically. Further agreements were signed on better connectivity, and investments. India agreed o train Maldivian Police and Forces (as is agreed with Afghans). Another area was maritime security where both nations emphasized the strengthening of the India-Maldives-Sri Lanka Trilateral dialogue mechanism that has been taking place over the years.

However, there are multiple concerns for India on multiple fronts. India has not treated Maldives alike Bhutan thereby leaving voids in its policies which were quickly exploited by US and China and now more and more US and Chinese investments are sinking into Maldives endangering the Indian Coastal waters in the south. Again the talks between the two nations have more been at the highest political level and the Track 2.0 and Track 1.5 dialogues are almost absent wherein the issues could be discussed steadfastly and agendas could be prepared for Political meetings. Further, despite assurances, the Maldivian Government has neither helped India mitigate its Chinese phobia nor it has solved the GMR issue. The delayed trials of GMR case has only led Indian investments pull back from Maldives which is allowing the neighbours, especially the Chinese to catch up fast in the arena.

Amidst all, new opportunities prevail though. India may provide development assistance to Maldives, at least on the Climate Change and Global Warming front. With Indian industries’ expertise, India may set up a Petroleum Refinery unit in Maldives which Maldives has long been insisting on. More people-to-people contacts would help as Maldivians are fond of India culture, cuisine and Films.

It’s up to the new government in the both the nations to take things forward. However, the current trends show the talks shall contribute to find place mainly through SAARC and IORA hindering the enormous potential of cooperation.

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October 2, 2014

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Tracing the Origins of Society, Religion, Communalism and above all the foolishness of men

Man is Society and Society is Man – That’s how it goes. Society is founded on the basic structure of norms which are set of unwritten rules imposed upon men by men to provide an arena of opportunity and a space to breathe to all the fellow men.

The development of society is pre-historic. The origins begin when men would begin to form a group to increase the probability of a catch in hunting and Fishing especially in hostile environment. Later, these developments would aid the formation of clans who would identify themselves as one group and completely different from the rest. In fact, Sociologists have traced that pre-historic clans had their own gods different from that of the others. Usually, the God was symbolized in the form of a Totem (traced from Australian Aborigines) leading to the development of the cult of Totemism.

The society when settled as an Agricultural group had a population abundant enough to develop as a Tribe. The Agricultural settlements forced the Society to wage wars as the only means of survival was the Agricultural Land. The war therefore was always on and for Agricultural Land and Cattle. The development of multiple tribes led to Assimilation with further political developments aiding social changes. A larger population demanded a just society wherein the strong and weak could identify in and out of the society and at the same time might be provided with an opportunity to live a meaningful life thereby contributing to the rest of the Tribal population. This was the age of the development of the political states. In fact, it was politics and Politics alone which was to define society in the coming times.

The modern day society however is more of an industrial complex society with its roots existing in the Agricultural societies. Evidently, the Economy today shapes the society which used to be the function of Polity earlier.

The religion, as Karl Marx once said, is the Opium for Man. Marx suggests that the priestly class have used Religion as a reason to justify the sufferings of the sufferers. Often the Religious teachings include that a higher power would reward for the sufferings on earth.

The development of religion may be traced to the earliest evidences of Naturism and Animism. The earliest men were hunters and Food gatherers. There was always an uncertainty of weather and Animal behaviour. The intellectuals among the re-historic men would suggest worshipping these ‘powers’ which ‘control the Human destiny’. Thus, nature worship would begin. The fear of Animals would again lead to development of Animism (as may be traced from the sociological evidences of Andaman Tribes).

However, the quest for the philosophy and Life and ‘God’ or the higher power could not be satisfied. The reason, it is provided, is the inability of the Human intellect to answer question amidst development of economy and Polity which regain ground as and when the myths of older religions are broken. This called for the development of newer religions. Incidentally, all the religions developed as a regional character of a regional society emphasizing the fact that the religions developed to satisfy the curiosity of men in dilemmas locally and again to suit the needs of men locally (as evident from the development of Hinduism, Christianity, Islam in India, Europe and Arab respectively). These local religions started gaining ground as traders would cross borders and would talk about how they have satisfied their curiosity about life and Philosophy. The thinkers would jot down the philosophy of the time and which would later become ‘holy’ and ‘infallible’.

Communalism would develop when same religion that developed in a society takes a rigid shape. The rigidness was first provided by the Priestly class, earlier to keep their presence and hold on the society and masses and later to secure their ‘earnings’.

The hostility was provided by the developments of economy and Polity wherein masses could be controlled in the name of religion for power. Further hostility came when men assumed themselves as the representatives of a particular religion without prior approval of the masses in question (as evident from the adventures of MA Jinnah).

What surprises above all is the fact that how a few men would go on to control masses and would inflict wounds and scars to multiple generations coming in. Here I describe the foolishness of men. First of all, the ‘freezing’ of religions and their teachings in the Vedas, Korans, Bibles and other religious texts hindered the harmonious growth of the society. Next, this provided for a rigid and distinct society wherein assimilation stood no chance which means mean are now not open to any new ideas to satisfy their curiosity with regards to ‘God’, the ‘Supernatural’ etc. Again, the developments led to development of multiple superstitious beliefs and Practices in different societies primarily meant to appease the ‘God’. A further jolt was provided by the Priestly class who would continue to brainwash men and would dare anything to keep a hold among men.

Religion is a sensitive issue because we have made it a sensitive issue. Our quest for finding answers to satisfy our philosophical needs may perhaps never be satisfied. Religion was meant to keep the society in order and in Harmony by providing for a backing of ‘God’ who would punish a man for violating the norms. These rules however have taken a very rigid shape and are in fact hindering the growth of men. I just wait for the time when men begin to question the very ‘infallibles’.

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October 2, 2014

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The Socio-Philosophical aspect of Sex and Modern-day Society !!

(The article takes into cognizance the sentiments of the traditionalists and the modernists. This is neither to appease nor to criticize any class. In case, any person feels offended, (s)he may register a complaint with local authorities because the author would be unwilling to put this article down under all possible threats.)

Sex – perhaps, one of those words that makes Adrenaline flow through the Blood vessels, the moment you hear the word. The conservatives see it with an offensive attitude while the modernists would take things casually. This word, at times, has created ridges between generations in families. It has even led to different reactions from different classes across all genders. Some would want it better be kept within the walls of the bedroom while others prefer to talk about it in the open. This article would try to examine how the Modern-day Society deals with this “most un-talked necessity” called Sex.

Sex has long been perceived as a means of Carnal pleasure only wherein two members of a given species would indulge into sexual acts irrespective of gender. The Social norms that have been shaped for centuries have confined sex to a post-marriage affair with a condition of fidelity. While Sociology, as a subject only regards Sex as a process of ‘mating’ and Marriage as ‘mate-selection’ to produce progenies, Philosophy would deal with more of Human aspects involved including Society. The long-established post-marriage affair of sex was practiced as ‘Moore’ in Traditional societies and in fact, the Rural Indian Society regards the same as the basis of Marriage. This basic norm was later to become so rigid that it tended to disallow Widow Re-marriage which could only be made possible in mid-19th Century through legislative means – Thanks to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

The Orthodox, however, would cling to the old norms wherein the purity of a girl is decided by whether her chastity remains intact. A girl having had pre-marital Sex would be seen by the same orthodox society as ‘Slut’, ‘Whore’ and even ‘Prostitute’.

The Urban Society, on the other hand, is experiencing a change. Youth are seen indulging into pre-marital sexual acts which often are taken lightly among the urban class, pretty much a deviation from the long established norm. The Urban youth would take Sex as only a means of Pleasure wherein, sex would mean either a means of workout (as in Gymming), a means of mitigating Office or College pressure, a means of entertainment and enjoyment. At times, the same sexual acts may even lead to the very process of Mate-selection wherein a formal tie-up of a couple into marriage would take place. After all, the law provides for a Consenting Adult to please him(her)self the way (s)he wants.

The ‘modern-day traditionalists’ would see such acts as a deviation from the long-drawn-norm. They would bring in traditions, values, culture and even religion seeking justification. Mass protests and Parliamentary ruckus would prevail as if two consenting adults indulging into sexual activities would lead to the whole country getting raped. They would put forth the Ancient and Medieval Religious scriptures criticizing such acts.

The Modernists, on the other hand, would see it as a victory of individual rights and a victory of Law. They, in fact would congratulate the society for ‘moving’ towards ‘development’ as if pre-marital sex is one important necessity of modernization. They would demand a greater autonomy for Individuals in the social sphere and would demand a change in the ‘archaic’ laws and Norms that ‘hinders’ Human ‘growth’.

One of my Philosophy lecturers once talked about the ‘zone of acceptance’. He would say that men tend to accept something if it falls within “their” zone of acceptance. An ability to communicate therefore matters here. He went on to explain the crucial case of Sex Education in Schools in India. He would explain that parents would refrain from sending children especially girl child for Sex Education classes. The reason, he cited, was the inability of the school administration to communicate to the parents about the benefits of sex education. Then he would link the ‘zone of acceptance’ concept with the ability of Human perception and Human Communication. Any justification on sex Education might be perceived wrongly and the conservatives might see it as an attempt to rob a Girl Child of her chastity.

Thus, Sex as a topic may be dealt with once we talk about it in open space within the zone of acceptance. E.g. Even in Urban India, Women would refrain to buy Contraceptives like Condoms from a Drug store knowing the possibility of Pregnancy and STDs. The reason here is 2-fold. First, the women would not accept the use of Contraceptives like Condoms under the Bulk of Religion and Customs. Second, the society, on the whole, would not accept women buying contraceptives like Condoms from a Drug store.

Sex is an act that should better be judged by the persons so involved in the act. It is up to the people involved to decide if they wish to express themselves in Open. However, the ‘zone of acceptance’ of the society must be enlarged enough to allow for such a ‘radical’ change.

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October 2, 2014

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The multiplying division – Politics and Anarchy at their best !!

Can Religion and Language be enough for Human Survival? Let’s answer the question in the Globalized setting with reference to domestic setting.

The division of lands is a common affair in India as lands pass from the father to the sons. What is uncommon however, is the division of society, Political Boundaries, Regions, National Boundaries and above all Human beings. The Ironic state of the day demands a call from the Human intellect to persistently provide a logic to this unruly attitude of men towards men and at the same time justify the very acts that cause and tend to cause the many divisions inflicted upon Humanity by them.

The latest in the fray comes due to language. A recent row over English language has caused the law and Order agencies to patrol the streets of North Delhi. The row is over the demands to scrap the second paper from the preliminary state of the Civil Services Examinations being conducted since 1926 by UPSC.

The initial demand of scrapping English only took a sudden different form as agitators looked upon the Political parties to garner support. From the demand for scrapping English Comprehension, the demand moved to scrapping the second paper altogether. The politicization of the matter began after the podium was seen being shared by leaders of many political parties whose existence merely exists as Recognized Political Parties. When the ‘Opposition’ in Parliament saw the water simmering, it took to fan the steam to the boiler and the matter further intensified due to political ruckus in both the houses of the parliament. Important days for Parliamentary legislations seemed to getting wasted while highly important matters and bills remained pending because somebody in the neighbourhood could not read and write an exam in English language.

Another important cause to effect the division are the Iraqi and Gaza Crisis, which though regional crises, seem to be attracting attention from every nook & corner of the Globe. While the parliament was rocked first on the issue of Indian Nuns and Nurses in Iraq, the issue took a drift towards India’s stand with regards to Israel and Palestine. While the former seems a genuine concern, the latter seems to only divide the nation on religious lines.

The foreign policy, as everybody knows, aims at satisfying the national interests. Now, taking a stand and choosing between Israel and Palestine is just not going to help the nation. While Israel is an important strategic partner as far as defence technologies go, Palestine helps maintain a rapport with Arab states which otherwise would shun away India and Indian Oil supplies due to Pakistani interventions. Not taking a stand not only helps India keep cards up its sleeves, it keeps the door shut for any aggressive Global diplomacy from taking shape as happened with Libya Issue in 2011. A few Political parties, instead, decided to hold rallies in Delhi to show solidarity towards a community ignoring the fact that the community can prosper only when India prospers.

While language and Religious tension in some distant lands might tend to inflict domestic injuries, a sudden blow is provided by our own domestic setting. The religious setting provides a base that reverberates and continues to change direction in the Political setting. The analogy of religion and Politics is not new to deal with. In fact, the Political setting and religious setting try to dominate the social setting in Toto besides influencing and affecting each other. How can a religious man develop without electricity at home? How can a linguistic man develop without intellect? How can a Political Organization develop without a Nation?

What irritates the most is that the smoke signals from a far-off place seem to be polluting the domestic atmosphere. Justification and Confrontations seem to be becoming the most vital tool of domestic politics. The national interest having been kept at the backburner, suddenly is overshadowed by the quick demands because we have either a ‘Religion in Danger’ or a ‘Language in Danger’ or ‘Pseudo-discrimination’.

The aspect of national identity seems lost as we usher into a tomorrow that unwraps for us the hope for a nation supposedly for a strong and powerful one. However, the hope is blurred amidst the myriad of our own expectations and desires that troubles our today thereby endangering the very roadmap of tomorrow. The aura of Religious fanaticism seems gaining ground as one sees the Political developments that tend to dictate the Political environment making it filthy.

The idea of India as a nation is lost because we further are busy choking ourselves in the air-tight compartments of Language and region unknown to the fact that the identity of the region and Language is well protected only under the identity of a nation. We tend to prefer ‘the easy way out’ because we don’ like challenges that dictate our settings. We instead prefer to be in a setting dictated all by ourselves whether the man standing next to be likes it or not because he is just another member of the society that we would wish to dominate.

A nation is imploding. We are divided. We tend to hire the weakness of ours beyond the facade of nationalism. It is no sooner that the same walls might see leakages. And when they will begin to leak, there would only be foods with ‘Red water’ all around.

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October 2, 2014

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North-East – The 7 Sisters Cry !!

North-East, along with the scenic beauty of the Eastern Himalayas and the Hill Ranges that run almost parallel to Himalayan range, are spectacular centres of rich variety of Flora and Fauna. A land, traditionally inhabited by the Local Tribes, saw tensions mount as nations drew boundaries segregating men from men. The tensions manifested itself in the form of struggle for autonomy and insurgency which began right since later part of 1950s and continues to cripple the region of development and any prospects of development whatsoever. The Reply of the Govt. was deployment of Armed personnel along with AFSPA which further intensified the problem.

The ‘mainland’ India sees North-East as a one-single unit which in itself creates a distinctively wrong picture of the North-East. For the ‘mainland’ everybody from North-East is an Assamese and the whole region suffers from Insurgency. The media on the other hand never fails to use the word like ‘racism’, ‘alienation’ etc. whenever a violent attack on a resident of a north-Eastern State takes place in the ‘mainland’.

Assam suffers from the problem of Bangladeshi infiltration against which agitations have been rising right since 1978 which first manifested in the form of a boycott m movement started by Assam Students’ Union. It is alleged that Bangladeshi immigrants are denying the local Assamese of their share of job opportunities by encroaching upon the limited jobs. Another Bodo section of Upper Assam demands a separate state to be carved out of Assam, Tripura and Arunachal. Mizoram and Nagaland has suddenly seen a rise in violence against Civilians by the Insurgency groups like NSCM and MNF. The Kukis have joined the party in Manipur where the Traditional fight between Kukis and Nagas continues and at times takes a violent shape. Tripura grapples again with the infiltration problem but here the ‘infiltrators’ are the Indians from Bengal. Arunachal is a conflict zone between India and China for China contends it to be part of China on ‘Historical grounds’ while history suggests almost whole of China should be part of Mongolia.

The Centre has cleverly carved out a Ministry – Ministry of North-Eastern Affairs which deals ‘collectively’ with the North-Eastern matter while each of the states as mentioned above suffer from a different set of Problems. Recent Scams unearthed by IB shows how NREGA funds were being directed to Insurgent Groups who have been using it to procure weapons against the Union.

A further issue is that not much of North-East is covered by the popular media so that mass of the ‘mainland’ could opine on the matter. The attack and rape of Tribal women by Naga Insurgents was lost in the aura of general election results. Further, the media often work either under the threat if insurgents compromising their independence or are forced to write what government wants since government advertisements are the only revenue source for Local media. This makes the ‘Mainland’ Indians to opine basis what they think and not what they know.

The underdevelopment shield has often been used by the Insurgent and the Government cleverly. While the Blame Game continues the truth is that this underdevelopment has given rise to new forms of trade – Drug and Human Trafficking. North-East forms part of the ‘Golden Triangle’ from where the Drugs and Opium produced in Wa State of Burma reaches the Rest of the country and West Asia. The problem is so critical that North-Eastern states have one of the highest HIV infected Indians with Assam leading the race. Chinese policies further add to the Drug problem as they, in a bid to weaken India, supply Drug and weapons to the insurgent groups.

The need of the hour is connectivity. The recently held North-East Business Conclave does provide an opportunity for the Businesses expressing their willingness to set up firms in NER. The Transit route through Bangladesh may solve the issue but Haseena Govt. would not concede anything before the Teesta Agreement and Land Boundary Agreement are signed and ratified. In such a situation, insurgency operations by Bodos in and around the Chicken’s neck of Sikkim make things difficult.

The solution to the NER problem is looking at the problems separately and not collectively. A political consensus for Tessta and LBA will only help the Union in the long run as we would remove Bangladesh from the List of annoyed neighbors. In the meantime, BCIM corridor presents an opportunity for the NER.

Govt. shall have to make efforts to contain the Drug and Human Trafficking problem though. The same might need a cleverly spelt diplomacy wherein support of the neighbors shall be a key factor. This would call for a ‘give and take’ diplomacy pretty much missing in Indian Polity recently.

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October 2, 2014

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Women as Soft Targets – Analyzing the mystery behind the misery

(Be it war between nations or a family feud, women often find themselves as soft targets by the perpetrators who commit numerous acts of violence against them. This article analyzes the reasons and proposes solutions)

When a man fights a man, a woman is deemed to be the ultimate sufferer. This is how it goes even in the ‘Modern’ world which promises to have advanced the men to a new era altogether.

I look down throughout the history and I see that multiple wars have been fought. Some over women and some for women. Some wars were fought to have women as wives, some as concubines, some as slaves and some merely for pleasure. Women have suffered every time a war has taken place. But if I leave the war for a while and take the family matters now – A woman would be physically, verbally, mentally and sexually abused for having talked to another man, for not delivering a male child, for not bearing children at all, for bringing less dowry, for being ‘lazy’, for wearing ‘offensive’ clothes, for not following the orders of the ‘master’, for arguing even if she answers the question asked and lastly for being a woman.

We all are aware of how the women members of the society are abused, violated, used and multiple atrocities are inflicted upon them. But let’s examine the reasons for why women are the soft targets.

I read an Article by Mazumdar which says that evolution of society in itself manifests the poor state of women. Howsoever I see the article as a pessimistic one, the article does convince me about how the growth of society and evolution of institutions led to women being subjected to inferior position. The Traditional society saw women as the Home-maker and the men as the breadwinner. The family (as per Mudrock through his research on 250+ Tribal Families across the globe) which had the opposite case was seen with disgust. The inferiority, Mazumdar says, gave a notion that was to later become a Moore that Women are the dignity of a Man i.e. you steal the woman and you just break the back of the man. This evolution of Moore was further consolidated when Gatherers would settle as Agricultural Farmers where an inch of fertile land would be competed for. Interestingly, the lack of manpower in those days compelled women to work along with men and hence the wars so fought were more to take women as Labourers than for pleasure. The later evolution of the social architecture into Organized Polity would lead to Class stratification. While Polity would provide strength to stability, the protectors would engage into pleasure activities during the time. Thus, the wars would begin to be fought for women for sexual pleasures. Again, with the coming of multiple religions, the fundamentalism would spread and the Medieval world would see wars being fought as a ‘revenge’ against the other religion (Call it the Medieval version of hypothetical ‘Love Jihad’). The modern world, however, would have different notions altogether. Here, instead of religion, the wars would be fought for Economic or Political motives. The women however, would be sufferers since the winning armies would want these women as ‘trophies of wars’.

The one basic point that Mazumdar missed is the Social Attitude towards the control of Women Sexuality. If we examine the Indian society now, we see that the roots of the very social attitude of controlling the women sexuality lie in the wars themselves. Women sexuality is primarily controlled to keep the community intact. Since nature provides women the gifted power of bearing children, the women often are subject to being ‘children bearing machines’ who are instrumental to keeping the lineage and the Clan evolve and move generations over generations. The other aspect which is often neglected by Contemporary thinkers if the Communal aspect of society which still persists (Take the UP matter of ‘Love Jihad’ for that matter).

The other aspect in contemporary world is again communal wherein dominating Fundamentalists would inflict sexual violence on women from other communities to ‘strengthen’ their religious base and clout (as may be seen from the rapes in Iraq by ISIS Militants and Rapes on Minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh)

What possible solutions may we have to ensure that women do not become targets at all – One of important source of women emancipation may be economic independence.  Ensuring that the women control Home finances leads to a reduction in Domestic violence (as evident from the writings of Das in his case study of Gujarat in 2007 having liberal Property tax regime). A further step may be gender sensitization right from the very beginning of inculcating human aspects to Children. Some other aspects may be rewarding parents for educating girls thereby setting examples in the society. Protecting women’s’ economic freedom after divorce through legislations would further build confidence in women.

At times, I feel that women are soft targets because they have accepted the very fate. I often see women don’t rise up on the issues that hinder their growth as a community in the society. Again, the social emancipation procedures may best be implemented when women fraternity demands for reforms (in society, economy and polity) and not just wait for somebody like me to raise issues of their concern which often go unheard.

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September 10, 2014

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A diplomacy gone wrong !!

The global theatre seems to be becoming more of a talk show than the theatre of action. US is losing its charm across all Diplomatic business, thanks to China Rising and Russian threat. Europe is busy with its finances and the African crisis continues; West Asia and South East Asia providing their share of tensions to the world.

The so called ‘flashpoints’ have begun shifting from the traditional backyards of India-Pakistan, Israel-Palestine, Korean Peninsula and South & East China Sea to Ukraine, Syria, Somalia, Iran and Afghanistan.
The new flashpoints, present to the world, an arena of confrontations, accusations, encroachments and above all an opportunity for a new Global world order.

The US war on terrorism begun post 9/11. Previous to that incident, any radical move (even if violent) was a clash of ‘old’ and ‘new ideologies’. This was perhaps the reason why a militant attack in India was often termed ‘a struggle for independence’ by the same hypocrite nation. An attack at the WTC was enough for the nation to change its ‘ideology’ and describe such acts as acts of terror. As the ‘head of the Global world’, it vowed to eliminate terrorism from the world map, once and for all. In this attempt, it cleverly used its European Thugs to join its plan to invade countries in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. The message was loud and clear to the world – Who is your daddy?

The first decade of the 21st century saw the Asian Tigers roar. The South-East Asian economies were growing at a rate that attracted enough investments that at one time, it appeared almost all of Global investments sank in Asia altogether. Asia, though growing fast, had its own problems. South Asia poses a challenge to the world security as two Nuclear Rivals share Word and Bullet exchanges almost every other day. Chinese intentions of growth remained unnoticed until US could look back to see a ‘Dragon’ rise and rise enough to challenge its hegemony in Asia. Well Daddy was meeting a hostile enemy years after having seen Soviet Russia disintegrating. 

The second decade brought new issues – Global economy was at haywire, West Asia and Africa had their own problems, Russia and China stood up to confront NATO led by US and the Asian Tigers seemed to have run out of steam.

The Syria could have been the next ‘playground’ for US but for China and Russia which resisted bowing down at UN under US pressure. Ukraine becomes an all new flashpoint after the two traditional arch-rivals take to the ground perhaps Cold war 2.0.

What surprisingly makes things look different is a change in stance of the nations with regards to issues. The divide between the first world, second world and the third world seems to be drifting towards an action vs. Talks world. While the NATO prefers actions on grounds of ‘proofs’ apparently supplied by agencies in their indirect control, Asia seems to prefer the route of diplomatic talks.

In the whole Syrian, Ukrainian, Iranian and Afghan issue, the Diplomatic game changed. From the classical diplomacy of secretly taking up talks and meetings, the ‘war or words’ was out in the open with Media paying attention to each and every word clearly spelt out by leaders (taking reference from Obama and Kerry’s remarks and Putin’s remarks on the other hand on the different issues). The war of words blurred any prospects of a solution in the near past as back-channel diplomacy was out of question. Things got ugly when countries tried to shield themselves within their own created groupings as if clearing indicating to the ‘rival’ camp a ‘show of strength (taking reference from creating of Eurasian Union formation and US+ Kicking Russia off the G8 to make it G7).

The failure of Classical diplomacy indicates 2 things – either a new era diplomacy is the need of the hour or it is understood among nations that Classical diplomacy cannot bring the results out they desire in a given time period. Experts were quick to term this new era diplomacy as a new beginning of Cold war which ended as Soviet Union collapsed. 

The OECD GDP combined still dominates the Global economy. A deep analysis can spell out clearly the fact that the rise in Asian voice has primarily been backed by the rise in Indian and Chinese economy and an almost absent Europe from the Realpolitik in a bid to save its economy from implosion. 

The new age diplomacy continues to make a solution to the Global crisis a distant dream. In the whole picture, the world continues to ignore massive killings, refuge, atrocities and sufferings Humanity is facing in one of the corners of the world.

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June 6, 2014

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