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The Kashmir Files – Part 2; why you should not watch it!

Anant Chetan
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The Kashmir Files – Part 2; why you should not watch it!

I hope you have already read the first part. You could have a look at that here: The Kashmir Files – Part 1. I had described my observations regarding the movie.

It is not that The Kashmir Files is the only movie talking about Kashmir or a Genocide or terrorism or cruel things that humans do to other humans. We have seen far more gruesome movies, depicting violent crimes- against children, women, old and young. We have seen far worse terrifying acts, rapes, gangrapes and what not. You name it and I will find a movie for that. Then why so much ho ha for this one? What’s the problem? Moreover, I am not even talking about the politicians or journalists who might have been directly or indirectly related to or at least relevant to some aspects of the story line. I am talking about the common man, who has nothing to do with what the movie was all about. What’s bothering them? Why are they so agitated and perturbed by the movie?

I thought about it. A lot! Then I realized why so many people are behaving the way they are behaving. It is natural for them to react this way. And it is not their fault.. at least not entirely. To some extent they are responsible but not completely.

We all grew up watching a particular style of movies, living a particular lifestyle and believing a particular truth. We grew up watching movies like Fanna or Mission Kashmir or Fiza where we developed a soft spot for a terrorist; didn’t we? Not because it was played by Aamir Khan or Hrithik Roshan (Yeah, I had to find a Hindu and a Muslim actor, so that nobody discards this article as a communal rant), but because the story was written/directed in such a way that it would create a soft spot for a terrorist. We grew up watching movies promoting Love, peace and harmony, Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. Literally in every other movie we would watch characters like Rahim Chacha, who helps anyone and everyone who is in trouble, even at his own life’s cost. We grew up watching movies like Main Hoon Na or Veer-Zaara; love, peace, or Aman ki Aasha. SRK is a brand ambassador for love and peace. I mean what’s wrong with that? Love, peace, harmony, liberal democracy, Hindu-Muslim brotherhood etc. are such novel and divine ideas, no person in his/her sane state of mind can be against them. Can you?

Also read: The Sacred Games we were always a part of

The problem is that they conditioned many of us in such a way that we started believing it was the reality. The “Imagined Reality“! Over the course of time, certain media houses, entertainment houses, political parties, corporations reinforced this imagined reality to such an extent that it left no space for any other truth, howsoever real it may be. And if and when something happens which exposes this Imagined Reality, finger pointing and blaming happens. Of course you know who to blame. Before 2014( when BJP won majority for the very first time) Hindus and Muslims lived in peace, before 2002 (when Gujarat riots happened) Hindus and Muslims lived in peace, before 1992(when Babri Masjid was demolished) Hindus and Muslims lived in peace before 1985(when Shahbano case happened/or Ram Mandir gates were opened) Hindus and Muslims lived in peace so on and so forth; if you want I could keep on writing and find out events for each and every decade without a miss.

I simply don’t understand when was the time when there was peace, love, harmony, Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. When was that time? When was the time that majority of Indians were living in peace and harmony?

Was it during the British rule? Or going even a little further when we were ruled by the Mughals? Yeah, that was a peaceful time! So, in short peace and harmony, love and brotherhood prevailed only when Hindus were slaves. Is that the case? You might not like it, but that’s the case according to many. Akbar was the Great!! Wasn’t he? As a matter of fact Dr. Shashi Tharoor, honorable member of parliament, writer, diplomat and what not went to British, house of commons asking for reparations for British Empire ruling India. However, when it comes to Mughal Empire in India he says they became us.

Everyone who has any interest in history, knows that one of the two main things that a large empire has to do to sustain, without failing, is, dissolve the us vs them distinction. Either the ruling elite converts and becomes the same as the one being ruled or the ones being ruled convert and become the same as the one ruling. Or at the very least, do things to pretend that there is no “them” anymore and everybody is “us”. I don’t remember anywhere reading that Akbar became Akbar Agrawal or Aurngzeb- Aurngzeb Gupta? How did they become us? By inducting Hindu girls in their harams as wives or sex slaves?

If British Empire had survived for a century more, Dr. Tharoor would have been saying the exact same thing for the British Raj. They became us!

As a matter of fact, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi popularly know as Mahatma Gandhi, was very eager to become a part of them; learnt the language, moved to England; immersed in their lifestyle; became a barrister; started doing their bidding; even raised an army for them; but unfortunately somebody threw him out of a train in South Africa shattering his dream of becoming one of them. Looks like his return to India and his struggle was less for the sake of nationalism but more out of revenge; his crushed pride. Had he not been thrown out of the train, he might have very well fought alongside British instead of Indians. He had already fought along Brits in the Second Boer War in 1899-1902 and Zulu War in 1906 as a Seargent-Major of the British Army.

Or probably he did become one of them but pretended to be one us, that would explain why he expelled Bose and did not support Bhagat Singh and many other things that are a taboo to talk about.

The point is, this movie, which unfortunately is one of its kind has punctured the very imagined reality that by now had become one and the only reality. There was no Rahim Chacha in the movie, but there was an Abdul, the neighbor who reveals the hiding place. There was no lost, confused, victim of the situation militant, but there was a terrorist who was crystal clear on what he was doing and why. There was no love, peace or harmony, but there was a child being beaten for cheering Sachin. There was no Durga falling in love with Sardar Khan, but there was Sharda who was being sawed in two halves for not falling in line.

The people who are agitated are not agitated because of the movie but are agitated because of the very fact that they were living a lie all these years. How would you feel if you were told that you know absolutely nothing? Or whatever you know is a lie? Everybody has got some ego.. isn’t it? How can we be so wrong? That’s not possible. That’s why I say, you should not watch it if you think you know it all!

By the way, this concept of Imagined Realities and us vs them; I did not invent it. It has been in existence for long. You could have a look at a book called Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, it explains beautifully these ideas.

Also read:

Eve Teasing, and much more

sumukh7
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Eve Teasing, and much more

A woman is a creator. A woman is a protector. A woman is a care-taker. A woman takes care of a child from when he is toddler, till he becomes an adult. But many of these people, who have been cared by a woman, forget all gratitude and sexually harass other women. There are many types of sexual harassment, and one of them is ‘eve teasing’.

Eve Teasing basically refers to sexual teasing or harassment of women in public places by men. The main cause or reason why eve teasing takes place is our bloodline. If we flashback to our medieval history, some 100-50 years ago, we can see clearly women were not treated properly. Women were only considered as ‘tools’ to give birth to children. People give examples of the life of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal as the greatest love stories of all time. But what many people don’t know, is that Mumtaz Mahal died giving birth to her 14th child! Yes, you read that correct, 14 children. And, it is not just, as some people say, Muslims that disrespect women. Women, irrespective of religion, cast and creed, have been treated as scum. The most shocking thing, is that the only ideology that all of India shares, is that women are worthless, and their only use is carrying babies in their wombs all their life. People think that women are some sort of vending machine. Insert a coin, press a button and BAM! Out comes a child!

Women have never gotten the respect they deserve. As India became a democracy after Independence, women have started to get some respect. But, to some people, women still are ‘tools’ and they behavior shows it.

2014 was considered the worst year for women as around a million cases of eve-teasing were reported in India alone. Eve-teasing has gradually increased in India since 2001.

Although Indian law does not use the term Eve teasing, victims earlier usually seek recourse through Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code, which sentences a man found guilty of making a girl or woman the target of obscene gestures, remarks, songs or recitation to a maximum jail sentence of three months., which, according to me is nothing compared to the severity of the crime.

Finally, I would like to say and appeal to every reader to spread awareness about crimes against women and fight to prevent it. After all, a woman has given us birth, and its high time we try to repay her for that.

हमारे राम, हमारे आराध्य, हमारी दृष्टि

Meenakshi Dikshit
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हमारे राम, हमारे आराध्य, हमारी दृष्टि

इधर श्री रामनवमी की शुभकामनाएं दो और उधर वामपंथी मित्रों का कुबुद्धि जन्य कुतर्क प्रारंभ – जिसने सीता को जंगल भेज दिया वो राम, जिसने सीता की अग्नि परीक्षा ली वो राम, जिसने अपनी इच्छा प्रकट करने वाली शूपर्णखा के नाक –कान कटवा दिए वो राम, जिसके लिए एक कपड़े धोने वाला अपनी पत्नी से बड़ा था वो राम इत्यादि इत्यादि।

यूँ तो ऐसे शुभ अवसर पर इन कुतर्कियों  को मुस्करा कर टाल देना चाहिए, क्योंकि ये नहीं जानते ये क्या कह रहे हैं, किन्तु फिर भी यज्ञ कुंड में हड्डी डालने वालों पर क्रोध आना तो स्वाभाविक है और उनका उत्तर देना भी बनता है।

ये कुतर्क मूलतः श्री राम द्वारा अपनी पत्नी सीता के परित्याग से जुड़े होते हैं और इनके माध्यम से विशेष रूप से महिलाओं को ये सन्देश देने का प्रयास होता है कि, आप पितृ सत्तात्मक समाज की व्यवस्था से त्रस्त हैं और ऐसे पुरुष की पूजा कर रही हैं जिसने एक अन्य पुरुष के कहने पर, बिना प्रमाण अपनी पत्नी को जंगल में छोड़ दिया।

उत्तर रामायण के रूप में प्रचलित ये कथा कितनी प्रामाणिक है कोई नहीं जानता क्योंकि स्वयं महर्षि बाल्मीकि भी रावण विजय कर लंका से लौटे श्रीराम के राज्याभिषेक और फिर सहस्त्रों वर्षों तक सुखपूर्वक राज्य करने की बात कहते हैं। श्री रामभद्राचार्य जी महाराज ने इस कथा का प्रमाण सहित खंडन करते हुए पूरी पुस्तक लिखी है।

अतः हम यहाँ रामकथा के कुछ अन्य सन्दर्भों की चर्चा करते है।

छल का भाजन बनी अहिल्या को ऋषि गौतम ने त्याग दिया, परित्यक्त अहिल्या पाषाण सी हो गयी, उदासीन। किसी ने अहिल्या का पक्ष नहीं लिया किन्तु अयोध्या के राजकुमार के रूप में दशरथनंदन राम ने अहिल्या को उनकी गरिमा और सम्मान वापस दिलाया उन्हें जीवन में वापस लाए,ये एक राजकुमार के रूप में स्त्री सम्मान की रक्षा हेतु श्री राम का प्रथम निर्णय था।

विवाह होने पर पति धर्म की मर्यादा स्थापित करते हुए श्री राम सर्वदा एक पत्नी व्रती रहने का निर्णय लेते हैं यद्यपि क्षत्रिय कुल में बहु पत्नी विवाह मान्य था स्वयं उनके पिता महाराज दशरथ की भी तीन रानियाँ थीं।  

वन गमन के समय मोहग्रस्त महाराज दशरथ कहते हैं, वचन तो मैंने दिया था राम तुम इसे मानने के लिए बाध्य नहीं हो। श्री राम उत्तर देते हैं, ये केवल पिता का वचन नहीं माँ का आदेश भी है, पिता का वचन तोड़ा जा सकता है किन्तु माँ के आदेश की अवहेलना कैसे संभव है?

माता शबरी, के जूठे बेर खाने में रंच मात्र संकोच नहीं रघुबर को। माता को विश्वास था, रामआएंगे तो राम उस विश्वास को कैसे तोड़ सकते थे? भक्त वत्सलता की पराकाष्ठा दिखती है यहाँ।

सीता हरण होता है तो एक सामान्य प्रेमी की भांति व्याकुल होते हैं, “हे खग मृग हे मधुकर श्रेणी, तुम देखी सीता मृगनयनी?” सीता को ढूँढने के लिए प्राणपण लगा देते हैं।

सुग्रीव से मित्रता होती है, बाली को वृक्ष की ओट से मारते हैं। बाली कहता है, “धर्म हेतु अवतरेहु  गोसाईं, मारेहु मोहि ब्याध की नाईं, मैं बैरी सुग्रीव पिआरा, अवगुन कवन नाथ मोहि मारा।प्रभु श्री राम उतर देते हैं,अनुज वधू भगिनी सुत नारी, सुन सठ कन्या सम ये चारी, इनहिं कुदृष्टि बिलोकय जोई, ताहि बधे कछु पाप न होई”

स्त्री के सम्मान की रक्षा में इससे बड़ी , इससे स्पष्ट नीति विश्व के इतिहास में किसी नायक ने नहीं दी।

अपनी प्रिया सीता, जिनके लिए स्नेह से भरकर वे कहते हैं, “तत्व प्रेम कर मम अरु तोरा, जानत प्रिया एकुमनु मोरा।  सो मनु सदा रहत तोहि पाहीं, जानु प्रीति रसु एतनेहि माहीं”, उनका पता मिलते ही, समुद्र पर्यंत सेतु बांधकर, विकराल युद्ध करते हैं, अपहरण कर्ता का समूल नाश करते हैं और सिया को मुक्त कराके लाते हैं।

अहिल्या, कैकेयी, शबरी, रूमा ( सुग्रीव की पत्नी) और जनक नंदिनी – श्रीराम ने  अपने युग की हर स्त्री के लिए युद्ध किया, है, सम्मान किया है, आदर्श रखा है।

हमारे राम अहिल्या के राम हैं, हमारे राम कैकेयी के राम हैं, हमारे राम सीता के राम हैं, हमारे राम शबरी के राम हैं, हमारे राम रुमा के रक्षक राम हैं, हमारे राम असुर संहारक राम है। उन्ही राम के जन्मोत्सव की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ।

सुविधा और अवसर की चाहत है तो जनसंख्या नियंत्रण से परहेज क्यों

kumaramritray
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सुविधा और अवसर की चाहत है तो जनसंख्या नियंत्रण से परहेज क्यों

हम सभी तरह के सुविधाओं की चाहत तो रखते हैं, राष्ट्र के संसाधनों पर अपना अधिकार तो जताते हैं लेकिन राष्ट्र के प्रति अपने कर्तव्य का ध्यान नहीं रखते! खुद की नासमझी को उपर वाले की मर्जी कहकर कब तक खुद को दोषमुक्त करते रहेंगे? Population Growth लोगों की नासमझी है या ऊपर वाले की मर्जी? जो लोग सोचते हैं की अपने बच्चों को पालन सिर्फ वो ही कर रहे हैं, उन्हें न तो वास्तविकता का आभास होता होता है न ही राष्ट्र की सामाजिक और आर्थिक संरचना का! उनके साथ साथ राष्ट्र भी पालन का भार उठाता है!

अब देश उस दौर में नहीं है जब उच्च जन्म-दर को उच्च मृत्यु दर संतुलित कर देती है! अब देश घटती हुई मृत्यु दर की एक सुन्दर अवस्था को प्राप्त करने की ओर अग्रसर है, ऐसे में उच्च जन्म-दर न सिर्फ परिवार का आकार बढ़ाएगा बल्कि देश की संसाधनों पर बोझ भी बढ़ाएगा! आज भारत के पास विश्व के कुल भू-क्षेत्र का लगभग 2.4 प्रतिशत भाग है लेकिन विश्व की कुल जनसँख्या के लगभग 18-19 प्रतिशत आबादी का पालन पोषण करना पड़ता है!

सुविधा, संसाधन और रोजगार के अवसर की तुलना तो हम पश्चमी देशों से करते हैं लेकिन जनसँख्या वृद्धि के दर और जनसँख्या के घनत्व को पश्चिमी देशों से तुलना नहीं करते! जनसँख्या तो हम ऊपर वाले की मर्जी कहकर बढ़ाते जाते हैं, लेकिन संसाधन तो सीमित है इसकी चिंता नहीं करते! कुछ मान्यताओं का हवाला देकर, कुछ अज्ञानता वश तो कुछ जानबूझकर आबादी को बढ़ावा देकर देश को Population Explosion की तरफ ले जा रहे हैं!

ये सच है की आर्थिक विकास की प्रक्रिया में किसी राष्ट्र की श्रम शक्ति द्वारा अपने यहाँ के भौतिक संसाधनों का उपयोग सन्निहित रहता है ताकि देश की उत्पादन संभावना सिद्ध की जा सके! इसमें संदेह नहीं की विकास कार्यों में देश की श्रम शक्ति का सक्रीय योगदान रहता है किन्तु ये भी सत्य है की तीव्र गति से बढती हुई जनसँख्या विकास प्रक्रिया को मंद कर देती है! बढ़ती हुई जनसँख्या आर्थिक संसाधनों के लिए अनेक रूप में बाधक सिद्ध होती है! इनमें कुछ प्रमुख समस्याएँ तो हम आए दिन अपने जीवन में झेलते हैं लेकिन न कुछ कह पाते थे, न कुछ सोच पाते हैं!

जनसँख्या में तीव्र वृद्धि दर सबसे ज्यादा प्रति व्यक्ति आय को सीधा प्रभावित करता है! तीव्र जनसँख्या वृद्धि प्रति व्यक्ति आय के आय के स्तर को उन्नत करने में रूकावट सिद्ध होती है! अगर Population Control किया जाए तो शुद्ध प्रति व्यक्ति आय की वृद्धि दर बढ़ जाएगी जिसका सीधा असर लोगों की दैनिक जरूरतें और सुविधाओं पर पड़ेगा!

जब कृषि योग्य भूमि में इजाफा लगभग सीमित है, ऐसे में जनसँख्या में तीव्र वृद्धि के परिणाम स्वरुप खाद्य संभरण की समस्या उत्पन्न होगी, न सिर्फ देश बल्कि परिवारों में भी! इसके साथ साथ अनुत्पादक उपभोगता की संख्या में भी वृद्धि होगी जिससे बेरोजगारी की समस्या में भी तेजी से इजाफा होगा! इसके अतिरिक्त आवास, शिक्षा और स्वास्थ्य जैसी बुनियादी सुविधाओं का भी भार बढ़ेगा राष्ट्र पर, जिसे पूरा करना आसान न होगा! परिणाम स्वरुप सभी सामान्य मानवी को मिलने वाली सुविधाओं और अवसरों पर विपरीत असर पड़ेगा!

अगर सबको घर चाहिए, एक अच्छी आय चाहिए, उत्तम स्वास्थ्य सुविधा और शिक्षा चाहिए, अच्छी जनसुविधा और परिवहन व्यवस्था चाहिए तो जनसँख्या नियंत्रण तो करना ही पड़ेगा, वरना भेड़ों वाली जिंदगी तो है ही! फिर हमें अपने देश की सुविधा और व्यवस्था को दुसरे विकसित देशों से तुलना नहीं करना चाहिए! सबको रोजगार और भोजन की मांग नहीं करनी चाहिए! हमें सोचना पड़ेगा की सरकारें वर्तमान संसाधनों को बेहतर तरीके से मैनेज कर सकती है लेकिन प्राकृतिक संसाधनों को नहीं बढ़ा सकता!

यदि जनसँख्या आवश्यकता से अधिक हो तो भी उसे कुँए में तो नहीं डाला जा सकता! आवश्यकता इस बात की है की हमें अपनी उत्पादन क्षमता बढ़ाने के साथ साथ जनसँख्या नियंत्रण पर भी ध्यान देना होगा! परिवार नियोजन कार्यक्रम को प्रोत्साहित करना होगा! समाज में जागरूकता फैलाना होगा! लेकिन ये सभी उपाय सिर्फ सभी उनलोगों के साथ कारगर है जो अज्ञानता में जनसंख्या वृद्धि के दर को बढ़ा रहे हैं! लेकिन जो ऊपर वाले की मर्जी मानकर जनसँख्या बढ़ा रहे हैं उनकी सदियों पुरानी कूपमंडूक दकियानूसी सोच से निपटने के लिए सरकार को कठोर Population Control Policy बनाना ही होगा!

Understanding Kashmir as it was

Naganathan
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Understanding Kashmir as it was


Before discussing the events which occurred in Kashmir, it is important to understand what Kashmir is truly about. Kashmir as conceived by the Rishis, Sages and Rulers is a prime center of knowledge and beauty. It has derived its name from Kashyapa Rishi. Kashmir was initially a lake until Rishi Kashyapa cut a gap in the hills and channeled out this lake so that people could settle there. It was identified as an aesthetic valley of progress and natural beauty. More than 10,000 temples/knowledge centers were established by the emperors of that land, which was ruled by the Hindus, for the Hindus.

The presence of Kashmir is traced back to the Mahabharata where it was identified as a great republic. Kashmir was prospering until the 13th Century under benevolent Hindu rulers. One of the most significant evidence of Kashmir as a land of knowledge is the visit by King Ashoka in the 3rd Century and the great Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the 9th Century. It is truly remarkable that Sri Adi Shankaracharya visited this knowledge hub all the way from the southern part of Bharat. He was welcomed by the Kashmiri pandits and later a Shiva Temple was established which became an important part of the Kashmirian heritage. Ashoka established Buddhist monasteries which were all based on Hindu principles as it was the primary source of knowledge. Kashmir was hence a perpetual synonym for the jnana yogaguna of the Vedic symbolism. 

This period of everlasting beauty and knowledge-imparting was preyed upon by the tyrant and ruthless Mughalian invasion in the 14th Century. The entry of Mughals was a black day in the history of Bharat as it marked the brutal invasion of the Hindu/Indu Civilisation (this invasion was later used by the West to prejudice the Hindu/Indic traditions). The Mughals were stunned by the beauty of Kashmir and wanted to rule over it. Various authors and historians have identified seven (7) brutal events in Kashmir which stained this magnificent valley of snow and hills, red, as exoduses. Though they have termed it as an exodus, which, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means a mass departure of people, which is synonymous to Emigration, I feel that the word exodus would not comprehend the ruthless acts of the Mughals or the later perpetuators of the crimes in Kashmir and hence I would be referring to these events as genocides.

The first genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus was during 1389-1413. During this time the Mughal tyrant Syyid Mir Ali Hamadi entered Kashmir and laid wreckage upon the Hindu traditions by destroying temples and forcibly converting more than 37,000 Hindus to Islam. Many Hindus fled the territory and others were ruthlessly murdered by Syyid’s men.

The subsequent three genocides were also during the Mughal period which took place in the 16th Century (1506-1585), 17th and 18th Century (1595-1753). These 3 centuries were brutal for the Kashmiri Hindus as they were suppressed, converted, forced to leave their homes and killed. Mughal rulers such as Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb laid wreckage to the Kashmiri valley. They slaughtered thousands of cows so that Hindus could be converted to Islam. They imposed heavy taxes upon the Hindus and gave the condition of removing the taxes if they converted to Islam.

The main motive of the Mughals was to convert the Hindus. For the Islamists, Hindus were Khafirs (Infidels), who were not organized and were barbaric in nature. The Islamic rulers gave the solution to humanise Hindus all throughout Bharat including Kashmir through mass conversions and genocides, without having any basic understanding of what the Bharatian culture is all about and that the people in Bharat were symbolic to tolerance. Kashmir had suffered and lot and by the time the Mughals left Bharat, the Hindu population in Kashmir had reduced and the Muslim population was at rise, through conversion and reproduction. The conversion of Hindus all-throughout Bharat was led by Muslim institutions and preachers who were instilled with the ideologies of the Mughals.

Then came the era of the British Colonialisation, which set course for a subservient change in Bharat’s traditions and cultures. The West could not get over with their own failures during the French Revolution, the World War and the Industrial Revolution and started preaching the world with a colonial mentality. Their fundamental ideology in Bharat was to create a cultural war and forecast the Hindu tradition as illogical. They turned a black-eye to cultural disputes and as a result of this, they allowed the brutal attack on Kashmiri Hindus during 1931. This was the 5th Genocide in the history of Kashmir.

The Kashmiri Muslims resorted to mass loot and arson in Srinagar and surrounding areas. They targeted the homes of Kashmiri Hindus (majority of whom were Kashmiri Pandits), including wealthy merchants, workers, rulers, landlords etc., and many of them were brutally killed by the Kashmiri Muslims. Unlike the other genocides, during this brutal attack on Kashmiri Hindus, the Muslims did not give the Kashmiri Hindus a chance to leave their homes and seek refugee elsewhere. The British crown did not bother to assess the situation in Kashmir and hence left it at a state of plunger.

Bharat got its freedom from the colonial rule in 1947, however, the Indian leaders of this democratic nation which was (and still is) influenced by the colonial mentality and its institutions were also (sadly) influenced by the colonial notions of the West. After independence, the leaders of the country were at work in uniting various princely states with India. Sardar Vallabhai Patel put tremendous work in uniting 562 princely states with India. Kashmir was one state which did not want to join India or Pakistan and wanted to be an independent state. Right after independence, an armed attack was launched by Pakistan on Kashmir with the intent of occupying Kashmir. Hari Singh sought help from the Indian Government.

An agreement was enforced which was an instrument of accession between the Indian Government and Hari Singh on 26th October, 1947 whereby it was stated that the territory of Jammu and Kashmir would be an independent one for a temporary period, after which it would be an undivided and indisputable part of India. This led to the introduction of Article 370 in the Constitution which was a temporary provision for the state of Jammu & Kashmir and after the expiry of that period, Jammu & Kashmir would be an integral part of India. The basis of the instrument of accession was that Kashmir is an integral part of India irrespective of the temporary Article 370. Unfortunately, we are aware of how long the temporary Article 370 was in force in India, as a result of which there have been numerous militant activities in Jammu & Kashmir.

By this time, the population of Hindus in Kashmir had reduced by a large margin. They were however, hopeful that the persecution would be reduced and they could finally live in peace in their own land. They were proved wrong by two genocides which proved to be the most brutal genocide in the 20th Century. In the year of 1986, the Kashmiri pandits faced an attack by the people of their own land. The then chief minister Gul Shah had exited the ministerial post and incited an attack on Kashmiri Hindus and their properties. During this time, the migration of Muslim youths from Kashmir to Pakistan to get trained and join the Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) increased.

Then came the year 1990, which marked one of the darkest years in the modern history of Bharat. During this year the JKLF’s influence had grown significantly and they wanted true liberation of Kashmir and jihad. For them, this would be achieved only when the native Hindus were abolished from their land. The JKLF and radical islamic extremists gave the Kashmiri Hindus (and the Kashmiri Pandits in particular, who were a minority) three options: Ralive, Tsaliv ya Galive which translated to leave, convert or die. The JKLF marched the streets of Kashmir plundering the Kashmiri Hindus.

They put out notices and hit-lists, which contained the names of those who would be killed if they did not surrender their properties and leave Kashmir. It becomes important to note that this religious genocide of Kashmiri Pandits continued in the 21st century with a recorded event on 24th March, 2003 where the members of JKLF disguised as members of the Indian army entered Nandigram village and executed 24 Kashmiri pandits including children in cold blood.

The manner in which the members of JKLF and radical islamists conducted the killings are horrific and inhumane. They employed methods such as strangulation by using steel wires, hanging, impailing, branding with hot irons, burning alive, lynching, bleeding to death, gouging out of vital organs, dismemberment of human bodies, drowning alive. There are also incidents where the Hindu females were mercilessly raped and when the woman identified the rapist, she was cut alive in two parts by a mechanical saw. More than 5000 Kashmiri Hindus were killed and more than 3.5 lakh Hindus were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in Jammu and Delhi. This period between 1990-2004 marked the 7th genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus (and the Kashmiri pandits in particular).

The Government failed the Kashmiri Hindus, Human Rights organisations failed the Kashmiri Hindus, the media failed the Kashmiri Hindus (they stated that the Kashmiri pandits, even though they were a minority enjoyed all the privileges and left their land on their own) and most importantly, we as a secular society failed the Kashmiri Hindus for the past 30 years. Proper investigation was not conducted and the main promoters of this crime in Kashmir such as Yasin Malik and Bitta Karate still roam freely somewhere in Pakistan. It is the duty of the government and the judicial system to provide justice to the lost voices of the Kashmiri Pandits, if justice is still a concept.

The abrogation of Article 370 is a positive step for the Kashmiri pandits to return to their homeland and reside there. They can buy properties and establish business but they will never get back to the home they resided in before leaving Kashmir. 

Brutal Killing of Kashmiri Hindus
Brutal Killing of Kashmiri Hindus

I conclude this blog with the above pictures. There was a gush of different emotions when I wrote this blog. I have tried my best in understanding the plights of the Kashmiri Hindus to my best in what a blog is supposed to contain. Do forgive me if I have not been able to comprehend the events and emotions of Kashmir to the fullest. I extend my thanks and gratitude to my readers who took the time in reading this piece.

Asht Laxmi: A new nomenclature given by PM to North East- Is something big in foray?

DR. ABHISHEK SINGH
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Asht Laxmi: A new nomenclature given by PM to North East- Is something big in foray?

Amidst all the furor post assembly elections something positive is in the air springing from the North East. Boundary or territorial disputes had ended up in taking lives of the human being be it in a colony, village, city, state or any country. Boundary and territorial disputes often stem from material or cultural claims; sometimes they may also emerge as a result of the fundamental changes in domestic and international environments. In certain circumstances, boundary and territorial disputes may even evolve into geopolitical games of big-power rivalry and competition. Regardless of existing boundary and territorial disputes, compromise may still be possible because a state’s claim over a disputed territory carries both benefits and costs. When these costs outweigh the value of the contested territory, compromise becomes more attractive than confrontation.

The net cost  that a state bears for pressing territorial disputes open a bargaining space in which concessions over contested territory can be exchanged for other goals that the state may seek. When the bilateral (or multilateral in a few cases) ties between the states concerned become more important, cooperation in or delaying the settlement of their territorial disputes will become more attractive than continuing to press claims. Recently, territorial dispute in six of twelve contested areas were mutually resolved between the chief ministers of two states Assam and Meghalaya. Even the areas under AFSPA  have been significantly reduced which implies improved security situations and speedy development in concerned areas. One of the bigger achievements of the government

Meghalaya was under the AFSPA for 27 years, until it was revoked by the Ministry from April 1, 2018. The law which first came into effect in 1958 to deal with the uprising in the Naga Hills, followed by the insurgency in Assam. It gives special power and immunity to the armed forces and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to act against anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant and protection from prosecution and legal suits without the Central government’s sanction.

Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged, leading to disputes. A major point of contention between Assam and Meghalaya is the district of Langpih in West Garo Hills bordering the Kamrup district of Assam. Langpih was part of the Kamrup district during the British colonial period but post-Independence, it became part of the Garo Hills and Meghalaya. Assam considers it to be part of the Mikir Hills in Assam. Meghalaya questioned Blocks I and II of the Mikir Hills -now Karbi Anglong region – being part of Assam. Meghalaya says these were parts of erstwhile United Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts. Interstingly, Assam’s capital was Shillong, Meghalaya’s present capital, before it was shifted to Dispur in 1972.

Can Inner Line Permit Be commuted?

Simply put, an Inner Line Permit is a document that allows an Indian citizen to visit or stay in a state that is protected under the ILP system. The system is in force today in three Northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram — and no Indian citizen can visit any of these states unless he or she belongs to that state, nor can he or she overstay beyond the period specified in the ILP. The indigenous tribes living in the hill areas would regularly be in contact with the outsiders leading to the gradual diminishing of their kind and culture. The concept that north east is a cluster of different tribes and races that need to be kept in check inside their territories colonial Act Bengal eastern frontier regulation act 1873 now known as inner line permit needs to revised.

Transition of North East States from seven sisters to Ashtalaxami

Famous journalist and bureaucrat from Tripura – Jyoti Prasad Saikia, coined the term ‘7 sisters of India’ during a radio talk show in 1972. Fifty years, hence, a new nomenclature ashtlaxmi seems to be appropriate synonym to seven sisters. Ashtlaxmi bestows upon us maintenance and progress in our life. It is much more than just having money and prosperity. It means abundance in knowledge, skills and talents. It is the energy that manifests as the complete spiritual and material well-being of a person. Relatively, the thrust of the current economic reforms is on upgrading and modernising technology through globalisation of the Indian economy and thereby achieving rapid growth relying more on market forces.

In response to such policy reforms, private investment, both domestic and external, has risen at a faster rate in different sectors of the economy. The flow of private investment to different states of the country would largely depends on the level and quality of administrative, social and economic infrastructures that are obtained in different states. All the seven states are isolated from India and the only way to reach there is via Siliguri Corridor (also called Chicken’s Neck) in Assam. Tripura is like an enclave surrounded by Bangladesh and depends on Assam for transportation. All of the rivers that flood the plains in Assam originate in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Mizoram and Manipur are connected to the rest of India through Barak Valley in Assam. And it is due to this interdependence, they were given the sobriquet.

Northeast states have considerably observed economic growth in recent years. Northeast not only holds an important position in India’s geo-strategy but also is the torchbearer for India’s ‘Look East’ Policy through trade and commerce with South East Asia. The eight north-eastern states of India (now Ashtlaxmi) namely Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura including Sikkim (earlier called as big brother of seven sisters) have a glorious history and diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage. Nearly six decades after Independence, the region was relegated to the sidelines. Citing disturbances and unrest, the governments under previous government displayed an utter lack of interest and failure to comprehend vital issues of the region.

An indifferent government in Delhi tried to put all north-east-related issues under the carpet, while the people suffered widespread corruption, unemployment, lack of peace, and a general state of backwardness. This led to generations of our youth becoming disappointed and discontented with the system. It has been instruction to all Union Ministers to visit at least one North-East state every fortnight to ensure that the north-east region is better integrated with our national policies and priorities. PM Modi has himself visited North-East states several times since coming in power. The frequent visits of the Union Ministers have helped in bridging the gap of understanding between policymakers and the problems faced by the people.

Today, North East states have much proximity with central government in terms of governance, policies, and provisioning of various government services. The people of the North East feel emotionally connected to the rest of India & vice versa and this can be seen in prototype shift of mainstream cinema which are now including many actors and singers of north east actors. The decisive governance of central government, citing the example of abolishing Article 370, which has resulted in a paradigm shift in how the government approaches issues confronting our nation. The Central Government has worked decisively with a sense of purpose and a rare clarity of vision to usher in peace, prosperity, and progress in the north-east region.

Rich in human capital, natural resources, biodiversity, and beautiful landscapes, each state has the potential to become hubs of international trade, tourism and are poised for sustainable development. It is heartening to note that the six smaller states in NE have tried to reduce the gap of progress with Assam. This silver lining needs to be seen in the light of the fact that the state government,  special reference to central government, still plays a very big role in the economy of these six states. There is a need for deliberate effort to bring these ashtlaxmies closer to each other barring the territorial disputes and eliminating insurgency, which can only be done  through focusing on higher economic growth endorsed by strong government will.

लास्ट मैनेजिंग एजेंसी- कांग्रेस

Puranee Bastee
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लास्ट मैनेजिंग एजेंसी- कांग्रेस

भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस का गठन 28 दिसम्बर 1885 को एलान ऑक्टविअन ह्यूम द्वारा किया गया था। इस पार्टी का मुख्य काम अंग्रेजी हुकूमत और भारतीय जनता के बीच की दूरियों को कम करना था। ह्यूम का मुख्य काम यही था कि भारतीयों को इस बात का विश्वास दिलाना की अँग्रेजी हुकूमत के अलावा कोई भी उनके हित की बात नहीं सोच सकता।

कांग्रेस जहाँ एक तरफ जनता को अंग्रेजी हुकूमत के कड़े कायदे कानूनों को आसान करके समझा रही थी, वहीं दूसरी तरफ वो अंग्रेजी हुकूमत से जनता के प्रति नरम रुख अपनाने के लिए कह रही थी। अंग्रेजी हुकूमत की लूटपाट को अन्य तरिके और विचारों से सही समझाने का काम कांग्रेस कर रही थी।

कांग्रेस के गठन का मुख्य लक्ष्य सही जा रहा था कि तभी मोहनदास गांधी की अफ्रीका से वापसी हुई। गांधी जी के नेतृत्व में भारत की स्वतंत्रता की मांग ने जोर पकड़ा। चंपारण, नमक कानून, भारत छोड़ो आंदोलन से होते हुए अंततः 15 अगस्त 1947 को लाल किले पर भारत का तिरंगा झंडा लहरा उठा।

स्वतंत्रता के बाद भी शासन का रंग-रूप लगभग-लगभग वही था, बस माई-बाप कहलानेवालों के चेहरे बदल गए। कोई अब ‘हम टुम से डो गुना लगान लेगा’ कहनेवाला नहीं बचा था। अंग्रेजी शासन के दौरान जिन अंग्रेजों के पास भारत मे व्यापार करने का लाइसेंस था उन्हें धीरे-धीरे कांग्रेस मित्रों को सौंप दिया गया और यहीं से लाइसेंस राज और वंशवाद का दौर आरम्भ हुआ।

नए शासक “राज” के द्वारपाल बन गए। स्वतंत्रता के बाद एक नई स्वतंत्रता की लड़ाई शुरू हो चुकी थी। 1950-1960 के दौर में कई नए संस्थान बने, जिससे भारतीय लोगों के सपनों को एक नई दिशा भी मिली। भारत एक ऐसा देश बनकर उभरा, जिससे और कॉलोनी के देश प्रेरणा ले सकते थे।

1970 के दशक में जनता को इस बात का अहसास होने लगा कि जिस आजादी के लिए लड़ाई लड़ी गई थी, वह तो दूर – दूर तक नहीं दिख रही है। भ्र्ष्टाचार और वंशवाद बबूल के पेड़ की जड़ों की तरह पनप चुका है। यहीं से “एंग्री यंग मैन” का जन्म हुआ जो सरकार से लोहा लेने के लिए तैयार था। राजनैतिक दल सुचारू शासन करने में नाकाबिल साबित हो रहा था और क्षेत्रीय पार्टी धीरे – धीरे अपना वजूद बना रहीं थीं। कांग्रेस के दिखाने वाले दांत अब अपना रंग खोने लगे थे।

2014 के चुनावों के बाद से कांग्रेस का पतन तेजी से हुआ लेकिन इस पतन की शुरुआत बहुत पहले ही 1975 में हो चुकी थी। अब कांग्रेस एक ब्रैंड के रूप में “थकान” अंतिम स्टेज पर है और इसका सबसे बड़ा कारण 1950 के बाद से कांग्रेस की नीतियों में हुए ‘शून्य’ बदलाव हैं। कांग्रेस के कई गुणधर्मों को अन्य पार्टियों ने अपना मूल मंत्र बना लिया। कांग्रेस को आज भी यही लग रहा है कि उनका मतदाता, वही गांव का गरीब है लेकिन कांग्रेस यह भूल गई गरीब और गरीबी दोनों है लेकिन गरीबों के सपने बदल गए हैं।

कांग्रेस की वर्तमान में सबसे बड़ी समस्या, उनका नेतृत्व है। पार्टी के बड़े नेता रेत को हाथ से फिसलता देख रहें हैं लेकिन वो अपने स्वार्थ-लाभ के चलते, पार्टी के नेतृत्व में कोई परिवतर्न नहीं करना चाहते हैं। गांधी ब्रैंड धराशाही हो चुका है लेकिन उसे खूँटे पर टांगकर, अभी भी पार्टी को जीवन देने की कोशिश की जा रही है। आज की कांग्रेस, नोकिया के उस ब्रैंड की तरह हो गई है, जिसने हठ के चलते अपना वजूद ही खो दिया।

अंग्रेज 1947 में भारत से चले गए। अब देर सबेर उनकी अंतिम मैनेजिंग एजेंसी भी बोरिया – बिस्तरा समेट ही लेगी।

नोट: अविक चट्टोपाध्याय की पोस्ट का अनुवाद, लेखक की पूर्व अनुमति के साथ। 

On war in Ukraine-India tiptoes carefully

G Indira
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On war in Ukraine-India tiptoes carefully

Thirty years ago i.e. in 1991 the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) disintegrated. All world countries thought it was a peaceful disintegration. There was no contest of arms. But now the world recognised that the “contest of arms” was not avoided but postponed (to date).  Russia is going back to the Soviet era to reclaim some of the lost territories. East Ukraine is pro- Russian even today, whereas West Ukraine is pro-West. Most of the breakaway nations of the Soviet Union joined NATO. Ukraine has not yet come under NATO. In 2014 Ukraine sought European Union (EU) membership. Russia has great objections to Ukraine joining either the EU or NATO. For, joining NATO brings to its (Russia’s) border NATO forces of defense, which Russia perceives as a security threat.

The Western view

All talk of NATO (NATO forces being a security risk etc.), coming from Russia, is a slight exaggeration. A red herring.  To them what Putin could not accept was an economically prosperous Ukraine, as promised by the EU. For the West, Putin’s war is a bolt from the blue. The West was under the illusion that through geo-economics, it could get (some form or the other) economic globalization and Capitalism and that will lead to democracy in world nations. As a matter of fact economic globalization allowed authoritarian states (read Russia and China) to have a free ride on the global market to acquire resources and power to turn around and use against the West and call security risks.  

Putin’s war on Ukraine

Russia started off the war with a hope that it could as easily win Ukraine as it had won Georgia (in 2008) and Crimea (in 2014). But that does not seem to be the case. Ukraine is giving a tough fight. Unlike World Wars I & II, this war on Ukraine is watched by all. The present powerful media brings live- coverage. Earlier wars were a distant stimuli to people in the far flung places. Now, the war is so near. It is on mobile handsets. All right-thinking people want this devastation, destruction and human tragedy caused by Putin be stopped. Some sections say that in a war…this is what happens … this collateral damage of property and civilian lives. Didn’t the U.S. wage war in Iraq, Syria and Libya? Didn’t civilians die in carpet bombing? Etc.

Two wrongs won’t make a right. Yes, democracies also make mistakes. But they have a self-correction. The chances of democracy being corrected are higher than other systems. Whereas Putin is an authoritarian leader. Putin’s external aggression is connected to Russia’s internal repression. Putin keeps Russians in a make-believe world: that he is only taking “military action” against Ukraine but not on “war”. He wants his friendly nations to buy that theory. This is what a totalitarian leader does. The U.S. waged wars in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan but never shied away from calling them “wars”. The U.S. government did not put any curbs on the media to report in detail their Vietnam, Iraq and other wars as unjustified and criminal.

The West’s Punitive Action

Russia is slapped with stringent economic sanctions. It almost amounts to strangulation. Russian accounts are cut off from SWIFT. European and American air space is completely cut off. The U.N. suspends Russia from the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) after the Bucha incident. The western world views— Putin will remain a geo-political risk as long as he remains in power. However, Russia is used to sanctions by the West and learned to live with them ever since they were imposed a decade ago. Moreover, there is an outright help from China to Russia at present.

India’s Position

Indian (former) diplomats argue, this war was not started by India. This is between the two power blocks: the West and Russia. In principle India says: no country should violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another country. In general, every country is guided by its self-interest. After the innocent civilian killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha, India slightly changed its stance. India called the killings “deeply disturbing” and supported an independent investigation. By taking a neutral stand on war, India is abstaining from voting on the resolutions in the U.N.

The U.S. is asking India to take a stand on the Ukraine war in an attitude: either you are ‘with us or against us’. This is a tricky situation. The stand they need is based on “principles” (sovereignty and territorial integrity)  rather than on “self-interest” (of getting cheap oil and arms from Russia). India is cautiously tiptoeing the path. India is asking for talks between the two warring sections to sort things out. India knows when it comes to protecting its territories of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh from the aggression of China, it has tobe on its own strength.  India should maintain its own capacity to make its own path by being self-reliant i.e. atma nirbhar.

India has a convergence of interest with Russia. That may continue but India has to recalibrate in the triangle between Russia, China and the U.S. Though, India should have open relationship with all countries, what the U.S gives to India no other country can give. World- democracies should support each other. The Govt. at the Centre is taking calculated right steps and exercising the country’s strategic – autonomy. The entire opposition is with the ruling. Hope the war ends soon and peace prevails.

Bengal- The killing fields

nabik
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Bengal- The killing fields

The Bengal’s orgy of elemental destruction, murder and barbarism continues.

From the post poll spate of death, dishonor, and displacement, to the seething embers of Rampurhat, the dance of death in Bengal continues its diabolic grasp unsparing of women, children, old and the young, even pets.

Bengal is now identified with violence, rape, and loot. Politics in Bengal flows from the barrel of the gun, the cutting edge of the sharp machete, and fire to scorch mother earth.

Today’s Bengal and its violence is a long term effect of the left’s cultural contribution of breeding “hate” as a political and social weapon to rule. Hate in Bengal was bred in a calculative manner, and started with class versus class. However, since class is always dynamic and ever changing in a democracy, this hate could not find a defined area of operation and spilled out and seeped inside any and every small crack, gradually converting the culture of dialogue to an arbitrary, totalitarian, and monolithic structure of hate and violence, which was implemented and presided by a bunch of uneducated, criminals.

This Nazism, became all pervading and fatal under the successors of the left, i.e. the present power holders. So the song to evoke electoral support is now laced in a bizzare chilling musical message of threat in “khela hobe”, while the plea to evoke support in an election in the largest democracy in the world has now been replaced with threats which include use of the word ‘rape’, and the political weapons of the medieval times of burning, killing, maiming and violating women in all forms of barbarity. Even Satan would have shuddered to see, this order of the day.

From the post poll orgy of 2021 till today’s Rampurhat, and nobody knows how many more in our tomorrow, every act has been well perpetrated, motivated and a long thought out policy of annihilation of opposition of any kind. The crux of this violence is to create and instill the fear of death, and dishonour so that nobody can ever think of holding an opposition flag, whether from an opposite political party or even within the ruling party. What we are witnessing in Bengal today is an intra state invasion, very new and peculiar to a kind of politics which may not be known to many in post partition India.

This is much more diabolic since it is also optically hazy. It can be made easily invisible in its identification then an external aggression, where the aggressors are identifiable, and do not know the terrain. In external aggression one has the natural right to defend with all strength. In the circumstances we are in West Bengal today, a further peculiarity exists in this well thought out intra-invasion. Here the line of argument of defense and offence is thin. So the motivated biased media and the authorities have the luxury to interpret an offence as an act of one’s defending his and his family’s life and honor, and in the process lives have been lost. The present government in Bengal surely has no intention to stop the culture of mayhem.

Thus the result would be, that by that time or within the time, the federal government acts, the intentions would be achieved—i.e., annihilate the active meritorious and strategically important ground level workers of the opposition, and thereby injecting an indelible fear so pervasive, that the present primary opposition party and other opposition parties, and even any opposition within the ruling party will have no power or presence left to even raise their heads in future. A chilling feeling would be instilled among the population who support the opposition, that the opposition parties have no credibility to even protect their own.

Assurance and relief are not an answer to the broken people of Bengal, who want to believe and pray that the federal democracy of this country does possess the strength to stop anarchy. The psychological impact is deep and long standing amongst the poor, helpless population of Bengal who thought they live in a democracy and can peacefully exercise their choice for someone else then the one in power.  So a mother in Bengal (if she has not herself been killed) who has seen this dance of the devil, of her son or husband, or maybe both killed, and daughter violated in the most gruesome manner, and hung from trees dead and cold, in Talibanic ritual, will shiver before she allows any one left in her family or her near ones to ever hold the flag of any opposition party in Bengal.

The ones dying in Bengal are very helpless, and poor they have, no alternative but just fold their hands and pray that the looters, buccaneers, freebooters and bandits who have been let loose like hungry lions by an emperor Nero or some other name, will be kind to them. If we have to save them, save democracy, save Bengal, save our fellow countrymen, then central intervention is critical, please act now, do not elongate the constitutional process of securing their lives. 

The continuous line of incidents in Bengal is a very well known strategy adopted n the history of our times, where a corrupt regime, backed by a deadly cocktail of mafia, and self styled intellectuals, to secure the perennial source of self aggrandizement and survival, execute their political plans within a prescribed time limit; achieve the desired result, and then declare peace, and allege conspiracy; so that the common people live permanently under fear, since this declaration of peace is by the ones who started the battle, and that peace can always be withdrawn anytime, after all the common people know who started the battle and who declared the peace.

To all the hollow intellectuals of Bengal, the poverty of your intellect is reflected in your stony silence…after all you have to keep someone happy to sell your intelligence, and to all who silently watch, today they are coming for someone else, tomorrow who knows they may come for you too ….

Is world order moving towards post-US hegemony era?

9045vishal
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Is world order moving towards post-US hegemony era?

End of US hegemony

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine policy in the Eastern Europe region, China’s growing influence on the global level & the same time capitol attack, and the killing of George Floyd which have deepened the crisis in America have sparked the debate on the end of US hegemony. 

Reasons for possible end of US hegemony:

1. Russia-China alliance: The closeness of Russia and China has reached an all-time high as they look forward to creating a united front against a similar enemy, the US. Western sanctions against Russia have further pushed it into Beijing’s lap and the US policy of isolating China in South Asia through the formation of quad & relations with Taiwan have further strengthened relations between Russia & China. China’s recently backed Russia in the Ukraine crisis and has also purchased Russian oil to bail out the Kremlin’s economy from western sanctions. The close relationship between these two ‘communist-nation’ will create a ‘two-front war’ situation for Washington.
2. De-dollarization: Putin’s aim of weakening the dollar’s global supremacy can be seen in the Moscow forex reserve where the share of the dollar is just 6.6%.The aim is supported by china by agreeing to a yuan-ruble transaction, Russia is also in talks with India to make a plan for rupee-ruble-denominated payments as an alternative to Belgium-based cross-border payment operator, SWIFT as the US and European Union has cut off seven Russian banks from this system. US adversary in the middle east, Iran is also in talks with India for dollar-less payment transactions between the two nations.
3. Nato collapse coming closer: Germany, a country known for its ruthless military has turned into a Pacifist spectator. Bundeswehr, {German military} condition is catastrophic due to meager expenditure, just 1.2% of GDP. Readiness of the military rate is below 50%.On other hand, France aims to resurrect itself as individual power rather than being part of collective security. Its increased defense expenditure to 3% of GDP is proof of that. Macron in 2019 called Nato ‘Brain dead’ & appealed for the creation of a ‘European army’ to not depend on external hegemonic powers treating Europe as the center of rivalry. It also aims to gain leadership of western Europe through its closeness with Russia & shuttle diplomacy.

Nato collapse coming closer

While turkey follows ‘pendulum diplomacy’ in which it looks to maintain a balance of relations between the West and Russia. While it is part of Nato it purchased an S-400 missile system, Sukhoi S-35 & 5th generation Stealth fighter SU-35 from Russia. The purchase of the S-400 attracted CAATSA sanctions from the USA. Erdogan{turkish president} continued suppression of dissent & resistance towards ‘Power abandonment’ goes against the democratic ethos embraced by the USA. The individualistic rather collective approach being followed by Nato nations will be the reason for Nato’s collapse which will further weaken US hegemony.
4. China Debt trap diplomacy: Beijing through its debt-trap diplomacy aims to increase its influence all over the globe.Already its Belt and Road initiative have reached different parts of the world and several nations have also become the victim of it. Djibouti offered land to china to set up its military base as it was unable to repay the Chinese debt equalling 80% of its GDP. Similarly, Sri Lanka currently facing an economic crisis gave its strategic Hambantota port to China on 99 years lease as it was unable to repay the debt taken to develop the port.

China’s loans to Africa skyrocketed to $30 bn in 2016 from $7bn in 2010. It also spread its network to Russia’s zone of influence ‘the central Asian region’ where most nations like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are already trapped in China’s debt-trap diplomacy. China’s debt trap is already on the verge of becoming pan-continental through which it will exploit ‘political leverage’ from debt-ridden nations which will highly impact Washington’s influence at a global level.
5. Canada turning ‘Authoritarian’:Justin Trudeau, Prime minister of Canada ordered reelection two years ahead of schedule amid his declining popularity over failure to handle a pandemic. Trudeau on record said that he admires the ‘china style of government’. His government passed bills in parliament{C-10 bill}that provides government censorship rights over Internet content. Dissenting media is fined & criminalized. Active tracking of citizens’ cellular and Bank accounts is carried on. The breaking of democratic institutions and ethics in the US neighborhood which regards itself as the ‘mother of democracy’ shows its plummeting influence.
6. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Sudden withdrawal of the American army from Afghanistan and takeover by Taliban within hours of its exit seriously tarnished US image as a global power on the world stage. It further lost its role as a regional player in the central Asian region which created a ‘power vacuum and it is currently being filled by China and Russia. Moreover, the Taliban going back on its stand of giving educational rights to girls by banning girls from entering school shows the Doha peace agreement was just a ‘face-saving’ exit for the US.
7. Social Issues: Growing ‘Black lives matter’ protests and vaccination rate among black Americans significantly lower than white americans{according to Kaiser news health analysis}ex: In the US state of Indiana where 85.8% of the vaccinated population is white and only 4% is black shows already existing racial divide. furthermore, US citizens are deeply divided into values, policies, and plans which was confirmed by the ‘associated press’ survey in which 85% of registered voters described Americans as divided in their values.
It’s a matter of time to see the erosion of the US as a global power will continue or will Washington regain itself and counter the growing Chinese threat and Moscow expansionism.

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