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The real Kashmiri identity: What they want to protect is Islamiyat masquerading Kashmiriyat

Anand
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The real Kashmiri identity: What they want to protect is Islamiyat masquerading Kashmiriyat

It has been few days since the historic move of scrapping article 370 and 35A and the immediate response of those directly impacted by it hasn’t given any reason to doubt the wisdom of the move. Yet. I would personally be very surprised if there aren’t any repercussions over the coming days and months as Pakistan, despite its teetering economic condition, gets its act together and manages to strike within India with vengeance. They are hurting badly because this is the first time in the history of this conflict that they have been taken by surprise, and there is nothing that they can seem to do to reciprocate. MSD have timed it absolutely brilliantly as such an opportunity comes only once in a generation. Our adversary is surrounded by existential threats and our government is one of the strongest governments the people of Indian have ever thrown. However, even if India pulls off this surgical political move, there are deeper causes of this malaise that must be addressed.

All Indians must understand that the problem of Kashmir is not a political problem. For years the Indian left has dominated the narrative and convinced the world and us that Kashmir struggle is a righteous fight for self-determination against the hegemonic power of India. Around 2-3 years ago I was listening to the award winning journalist Ravish Kumar, as he rhetorically asked, looking straight into the camera in his trademark monologue, “What does the Kashmir problem have to do with Islam? Nothing”. I usually have a poor memory but these lines were etched in my mind because of the gross and willful misreading of one the greatest human tragedies. I wouldn’t have even dared to put down these words had it not been for Mehbooba Mufti who declared just a little while ago that there would be nothing that will bind a Muslim Majority State with India if article 370 was removed. It needed to be said by someone pretending to be fighting for Kashmir’s rights for it to be believed.

Let us not fool ourselves into thinking ordinary Kashmiri doesn’t feels threatened by India. Kashmiris are desperate to protect their Kashmiri identity. Soon after the removal of the special status the major negative news that emerged from the valley was the forced exodus of Biharis. The threat of outsiders is fused deeply into the psyche of Kashmiris and leveraged by jihadis to keep this dispute burning. But what is this Kashmiri identity? Kashmiris looks different, speak a different language and undoubtedly have a unique culture. They are indeed different from the rest of India but so are they with the rest of Pakistan. Why then are the majority desperate to merge with Pakistan and not with India, which itself allows far more different cultures and identities into its fold than any other country in human history? The answer, as many know and few express, is Islam. The religion is at the core of this sham Kashmiri identity and all the rest just becomes a pleasing mask it wears to give the agitation legitimacy. If Kashmiriyat was truly about protecting its culture why Kashmiri Pandits are welcoming the abrogation of article 370? This is question is so basic that I feel like an idiot writing it and yet it is not part of the discourse.

We all, without exception, have a tendency to think in terms of right and wrong, but we will be far better served if we think in terms of what is and what isn’t. This is the attitude those who seek truth adopt to arrive at something that lasts. To solve the Kashmir issue we have to purse the truth and not chase mirages because this problem is not going away any time soon, and here’s why. The brilliant Manish Sabharwal, in his short interview to The Quint, said that interest/income trumps passions when discussing the Kashmir problem. It is absolutely true that food, jobs, hunger are far deeper issues than religious and cultural identity.

India is far better placed in addressing Kashmiri interests and incomes than Pakistan and we are all hoping that India led development and growth will let Kashmiris see the merit of being with us. However, that honeymoon will last only a while. In Russia the communist regime wiped Christianity out as churches were destroyed and priests were killed. Faced with existential threats it seemed that religion was snuffed out but as soon as the tyranny was over religion sprang up again. Interest will trump passions only till life becomes comfortable enough for the mind to start contemplating life’s guiding beliefs and ideologies.

Of all the mainstream religions, Islam is by far the most exclusionary. It has the sharpest dividing line between its followers and the rest. A Muslim utterance that no doubt is the most familiar to the non-Muslims of India is “La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah”. It unequivocally states that that Allah is the only God and Mohammad is his messenger. There can be no other God than Allah, and if you agree with the God then there can be no other messenger. Every religion has a tendency to develop cults but nowhere is the idiom against non-believers and religious wars so well developed and entrenched as in Islam. Islam has already divided this country once and it will likely keep doing so wherever Muslims find themselves in majority. Pakistan was built on the belief that Muslims cannot coexist with Hindus. It will be absolutely foolish to think that if India is able to pull off a peaceful transition through this current turmoil to an economic prosperous Kashmir then it will be all over. We must not forget that until 1989 Kashmir was as peaceful as we all hope it to become someday.

In one of his most moving speeches, Atalji narrated how when he went to Afghanistan as external affairs minister, he asked the Afghan foreign minister how was it that a hotel in Afghanistan was named Kanishka. He was told that Kanishka was their ancestor and Atlaji was lamenting how Aghans have changed their religious beliefs but not their culture. Unfortunately, practitioners of Islam in the Indian sub-continent are unable able to prioritize their indigenous cultural roots over their religious heritage. Kashmir is the land of Kashmir Shaivism, one of the most esoteric and sublime spiritual philosophies that have been gifted to the world. Indians who have bought the bogus notion of Kashmiriyat should know that there is an entire text, Nilamata Purana, dedicated to the life and glory of Kashmir that was written even before Islam came into being. It is a painful irony that Muslims of south east Asia take far greater pride than most Indians do in those parts of their traditional culture that were a direct import not just from India, but Hinduism. It is a disgrace that people of Kashmir are seeking their true identify in an external ideology than celebrating the glory that is rightfully theirs by the very act of having taken birth in Kashmir.

From the days of Sikandar Butshikan to now, Hindus have been systematically exterminated from their majestic land and their cultural roots have been usurped by an ideology that has distanced them from their own true selves. If we really want Kashmir to return to its grandeur, to being the cultural power house it was, and, more importantly, be a part of India, then we have to ensure that its inhabitants recognize their true identity. Kashmiris are so desperate to protect their Islamic identity, whose true home is in distant lands of middle-east, that they are willing to sever bonds with their brethren who are made from the same soil, water and air as they are.

Pakistan and separatist Kashmiris see a bond between each other because they now believe in the same God. Indians want Kashmiris to stay because we have the same blood coursing through our veins as them. When Kashmiris will go looking for who they really are beyond the beliefs they hold they will find they are one with us. Until we get Kashmiris to see this, Kashmiri shall not be ours.

Breach of parliamentary privilege: Kapil Sibal and his truth

OliveGreens09
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Breach of parliamentary privilege: Kapil Sibal and his truth

Ever since BJP under Narendra Modi adopted Sardar Patel as its icon completely destroying Congress’s claim to the legacy of Patel, more often than not it is put on the mat by the BJP in its aggressive defence of Sardar Patel. BJP has very tactfully taken over both Patel and Gandhi with some smart politics and media management. Narendra Modi has aligned himself with Gandhian ideals and appropriating very cleverly his ideas of Swach Bharat.

His next step was to encroach upon the legacy of Sardar Patel as the Iron Man of India, man who achieved the impossible of integrating the 562 odd Princely States of British Raj into a cohesive entity called India. Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat had invoked Patel through his espousal of the Sardar Sarovar Project on Narmada. He constantly invoked Patel and the insults which he thought were heaped on Patel by the Congress over the years, the Congress’ denial of Bharat Ratna, belittling the contribution of Patel were all highlighted by Modi in his years as both the Chief Minister of Gujarat and Prime Minister Of India.

Finally, Congress’ abdication of Patel and BJP’s adoption of Sardar is complete in today’s environment. Patel stands tall as the tallest in his statue at Sardar Sarovar is testimony of Modi’s faith in Patel as Unifier and he makes it a point to rub it in every time there is an occasion to do so. In light of the discussion on Reorganisation of State Jammu and Kashmir Bill, 2019, brought forth the ambiguity of Congress and its inability to form a coherent counter to repeated assertions of BJP that Nehru was behind the promulgation of Articles 370 and 35A.

And, the erudite but not so honest in his articulations, Kapil Sibal made the Cardinal Sin of putting the blame of Kashmir on Patel by alluding that Sardar Patel was willing to give away Kashmir in lieu of Junagadh, the insinuation that Patel wanted Junagadh in his home State of Bombay as part of India and was willing if Muslim majority Kashmir wanted to merge with Pakistan. This is a narrative formed by Congress to absolve Nehru and his acolyte Sheikh Abdullah and their dealings with the Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh.

It is a known fact that Hari Singh was opposed to Abdullah as an arbitrator of any sorts in Kashmir. The politics of pre Independence Kashmir was the flash point between the two. Sheikh and his Muslim Conference was fighting against the rule of Dogra King on the premise that how can a minority Hindu King rule over a Muslim majority region. Muslim Conference was an Islamist body of politic which wanted the rights of Muslims of Kashmir. However, Nehru persuaded Sheikh to change the name of Muslim Conference to National Conference to appear Secular if not become secular. The subterfuge worked and Sheikh then on became Nehru’s man in Kashmir. The personal antipathy between Maharaja Hari Singh on one side and Nehru-Abdullah combine on the other was the sole point of contention which was acting as a hindrance in making up of mind by Hari Singh.

Sardar Patel was excluded from negotiating on Kashmir by Nehru who appointed N Gopalaswami Aiyenger as Minister of Kashmir. The argument forwarded by Nehru was that Kashmir was a Foreign State and as the arbiter Of Foreign Affairs, Nehru had the Right To Deal with Kashmir and not Sardar Patel, who was looking after Home. This led the already frayed relationship to rupture. Accession of Junagadh was indeed an important issue but on 15 August 1947, Nawab of Junagadh had declared his allegiance to Pakistan which was against the spirit of the basis of division of States, the majority wanted to be part of the Indian Union while the Nawab’s declaration was violation of the spirit.

The last straw came with Pakistan accepting the Accession of Junagadh on 13 September 1947, the same day, Patel had accepted the fact that Kashmir has to be part of India by any means. The argument of Kapil Sibal is pregnant with insinuations when he states in the Parliament that Patel was ready to give away Kashmir for Junagadh not clarifying the issues behind the initial position of Patel as being in consonance with the larger model for the Partition of British India which was based on contiguous areas of certain majority religion.

Besides, not many would have known that Nizam was in correspondence with Pakistan over the issue of Independent status of Hyderabad. The position was exactly the same as in Kashmir where the majority was Muslim but the ruler was Hindu, in Hyderabad, the majority Hindus wanted to be part of India while Nizam wanted to be an independent country in middle of the Indian Nation. However, the day Junagadh was accepted by Jinnah, Sardar Patel had completely changed his views on the both Kashmir and Hyderabad, it was his firm belief that both Kashmir and Hyderabad will be part of India ( Ref; Patel, A Life, Rajmohan Gandhi).

The half truths by Congress is an attempt to buck the blame on the insidious provision of Art 370 in the Constitution. It is also often said by various present Congressmen that it was Patel who got the Art 370 passed in the Parliament.

The fact was that Nehru while embarking on his foreign sojourn had passed a written note to Patel devolving the responsibility of getting the Art 370 passed in the Parliament in his absence. His biographers have clearly stated that Sardar, all his life had followed what Gandhi had ordained for him. This devolving Of responsibility was a well thought out strategy to get the Article passed as Nehru himself would not have been able get the requisite support in the Parliament. Morality still played a big part in politics of those days and Patel wasn’t the one to ditch anyone, his inability to get out of this predicament led to the passing of Art 370, much to his dislike but it was his duty on the day to see the legislation through with which his leader had entrusted him with.

There can be many interpretations but knowing Sardar and his forthrightness, it was impossible for him to betray the Trust reposed in him by Nehru, even on a sly. Both Rajmohan Gandhi and VP Menon have hinted at the same manoeuvre by Nehru to get this concession through by using Patel ( Ref;Patel, A Life, Rajmohan Gandhi & Integration Of States, VP Menon)

Patel’s critics have said that he could have refused to be the scapegoat in the case, to remind them, Patel, did not even protest when Gandhi got the Congress Working Committee to nominate Jawaharlal Nehru through the backdoor. Even though not a single State Congress Committees had forwarded the name of Nehru. Sardar did not protest against the biggest injustice done to him, this was nothing. It was at best a Half Truth by Kapil Sibal when he insinuated that Patel wanted to give away Kashmir and at worst a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Iron Man Of India without whom we would still be fighting among ourselves.

Why was 370 revoked by Modi government, at this point of time?

vishwasraj
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Why was 370 revoked by Modi government, at this point of time?

Revoking 370 was a long-standing dream of the BJP party and many of the same ideology. It won’t be wrong to say that a good chunk of BJP’s voter base, which is the good chunk of nation’s voice wanted this. BJP had these two items in their manifesto since long. So many from the opposition or the critic liberal class did not believe that BJP had the galls to do this. Many before this government have had a complete majority, but none took such decisive actions. But this BJP government “a complete majority government” has a different attitude. It doesn’t shy down from confrontation and bold decisions.

Where they have lacked is assuming responsibility of actions which have backfired. But that issue is not the one to be debated today. So revoking 370 was another bold decision. This decision has changed the entire staging of the situation with Pakistan and their proxy within India. This also is not a topic of today’s discussion. However, in my mind, in the grand scheme of things, India has changed its position in the past 5 years, with deep implications both nationally and internationally.

Coming back to the topic at hand. Why was this done now? Why not in the first term of the BJP government? Or why not a few months back, or a few months later? Why now?

This may be a naive opinion, but this was a well thought out action, with several entities to care for. Listing down different aspects.

1) International Aspect: Touching the international aspect, we first have to look at various key players. USA, Pakistan, and China are the three key entities that India had to keep an eye on.
If we look at Pakistan, Pakistan is deeply occupied with FATF, IMF and American eagerness to get out of Afghanistan. With CPEC activity slowed down, and Chinese not being very happy about American involvement with Pakistanis, Pakistan had its hands full.

China and America are at loggerheads for some time now. Trade wars have escalated and both the Chinese and the American governments have bigger items to sort out than to look at India’s action. With daily back and forth just like the recent devaluation of yuan, both these giants are not looking at India but their interests.

Pakistan is more or less in a state of volatility both internally (Pashtun’s and Baloch movement) and externally (FATF, IMF, CPEC, and Afghanistan).

So this was an opportune time for India to do this.

2) National Aspect: There isn’t much of opposition right now in India, not because BJP has done something draconic but because the opposition is clueless, they have no specific ideology that they are sticking to. Current Indian opposition is clueless as to how to tackle this new, bold and decisive government at the helm. No one expects an Indian government to be bold. Not the people of India, not the opposition, not the world, not even the government itself. But this Government is not only bold, but it’s also direct, it’s decisive. This government doesn’t back down. This sort of approach comes with its own risk. But India has broken character. And it’s hard for everyone to understand its traits. And thus it’s hard for everyone to predict the actions of this government. This government has broken its character over and over again, with acts like Demonetization, GST, Balakot and now 370.

The psychology of India has been rooted in “accepting meekness”. This has been inbred so much, that despite so many such bold moves, the people, the opposition and the enemy are yet to believe that the people at the helm in India don’t have any psychological baggage. They are fearless, bold and love to take risk. This fearlessness is now seeping into the people of India. When a party can connect with the people at that psychological level. Then it’s very hard to beat that party. And that is why there were no real issues for the government of India to tackle at the national level. They beefed up the security in JnK and that is all that was needed.

Ramifications of 370 are yet to be known, whether there will be lasting peace in the valley or further escalation to this endless cycle of terrorism. No one knows. Yet this action of making 2 UT’s is a game-changer. I hope it’s one that would bring lasting peace in the entire region. I do think, there will be some amount of fallout from this. But I believe this act was the only way to solve this decades-old issue.

Nehru’s blunder and the dawn of a 21st century new India

Ankan Bose
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Nehru’s blunder and the dawn of a 21st century new India

The burdens of the old guard must be carried over by future leaders. It’s probably something that the Indian National Congress; the grand old party of India has believed in for generations. And perhaps, it’s what they wanted the nation to believe in order to ensure the future of a few regional parties with vested interests.

But, the question arises, did article 370 have any place in modern India; a country that’s been growing by leaps and bounds? A country that’s not walking, but galloping in the global scheme of things.

When the India of today is working towards becoming a global superpower, some people with vested interests are trying to put a stop to it by hiding under the guise of being just.

Article 370 was perhaps the biggest blunder in the history of India committed by the first ever Prime Minister Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru and now is the right time to correct that mistake if India is to progress, and there can never really be true progress unless the entire length and breadth of the country experiences the same level of abundance of opportunities that every corner of the country is experiencing right now, except for perhaps Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and a few north eastern states of India.

This writer truly believes that article 370 has no place in this 21st century new India. This new India is all about hopes and dreams; aspirations and accomplishments and most of all, progress for all who call it home.

So how is article 370 which basically only serves as a means to alienate and separate countrymen from one part of the nation in respect to his counterparts living in other parts of India, be justified?

My question is, when was the last time someone seriously gave a thought about abrogating this piece of document which basically did nothing more than sending of Jammu and Kashmir (Ladakh included) into a state of limbo.

The Indian National Congress, All India Trinamool Congress and resident regional parties of the state like the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party, helped by a few other regional outfits are the only mainstream parties opposing the abrogation of article 370, but the question is why?

The answer could very well lie in the fact that perhaps the Congress, which was once full of leaders like Sardar Patel and Lal Bahadur Shastri, who always put the nation first, is faced with a leadership crisis.

Thanks to Indian National Congress’ fixation with the Gandhis, chances are next to nil that someone without that last name is ever going to lead the grand old party ever again.

We all know what happened to Lal Bahadur Shastri, a man with an iron will when he tried to bring about a change. We are still left wondering, how a man of that stature ended up the way he did in Tashkent.

Article 370 basically served only one purpose, and that is to create a wedge between Kashmir and the rest of India. But, that’s all in the past now, It’s the dawn of a new day and it’s finally time to rewrite history like the way it should have been.

Parties like the Indian National Congress, the All India Trinamool Congress, the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party need to understand one thing; 130 crore Indians refuse to give up on their dreams; their aspirations and their future, so that the legacy of one man can continue to live.

It’s time to call a spade a spade! Article 370 was one of the biggest blunders in the history of this nation. One that has only lead to bloodshed and the martyrdom of our soldiers trying to protect the plurality and the diversity of India.

We can no longer allow the likes of the Abdullah’s, the Mufti’s and the Gilani’s to hold back millions of Kashmiri’s who not only want a better future for themselves, but for generations to come.

It was high time Nehru’s blunder, stood corrected!

Kris Gopalakrishnan advocates temporary relief on GST to improve consumer sentiment

bdnn68
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Kris Gopalakrishnan advocates temporary relief on GST to improve consumer sentiment

Bengaluru: Amidst some measures taken by the central government and RBI to arrest the domestic downturn, Infosys Co-Founder and multiple investor Kris Gopalakrishnan Friday advocated temporary relief on GST and few other taxes to improve consumer sentiment to arrest the problem, which has been the result of NBFC crisis.

“There have been some suggestions like having some temporary relief on GST, (some other) taxes, so that we can improve consumer sentiment to tide over the problem of economic downturn, which has been fallout of NBFC crisis,” he told this correspondent on the sidelines of an event conducted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.

The government has taken some steps to improve flow of funds for housing loans by infusing Rs 10,000 crore in NBFCs.

Reserve Bank of India also has taken some steps in this regard by allowing banks’ lending to NBFCs for on-lending to classified priority sector lending like agriculture, micro and small enterprises, up to specified limits.

“Of course, the government has taken some measures. The RBI has reduced interest rates and increased liquidity inflow in the system, which will probably provide credit for industry. Hopefully, some of these measures sooner than later will have a positive impact on the sentiments of the consumers and growth forges an upward swing,” he added.

Gopalakrishnan said the NBFC crisis has majorly hit the real estate and construction sectors, besides automotive industry, which is the largest job provider in manufacturing space. “This in turn has affected jobs atmosphere and consequently, the economic growth,” he said.

Endorsing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comments on RBI and government’s relationship, Gopalakrishnan believes Reserve Bank of India and the central government are on the same page and are coordinating better, which hopefully bear positive results.

“I believe they are on the same page and coordinating better. Hopefully we will see the results,” he said.

The statement comes in the wake of Sitharaman’s assurance to industry leaders that RBI and government are on ‘same page’ and making efforts to boost the economy.

On abrogation of Article 370, Gopalakrishnan said it will definitely boost the economy of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, but did show keen interest to invest there because he has not so far invested beyond South India so far.

“Already many industries – the film, startups and finance – have shown interest in investing in Jammu and Kashmir. I think, everybody is optimistic about the abrogation of Article 370. It will definitely give boost to businesses and companies,” he said.

“No (I am not keen on investing in Jammu and Kashmir). I am focused only in the South, because when you invest in startups you need to interact with them periodically. It is easier to do that in and around Karnataka and Bengaluru. Maybe, the maximum is Chennai or Hyderabad. I don’t go beyond that,” he added.

Asked about the penal provisions concerning mandatory investment towards corporate social responsibility by companies, Gopalakrishnan said he hopes that the government stands by its statement, saying nobody is going to be punished.

Sitharaman today said the government’s intention is not to criminally prosecute anybody.

वामियों का देशविरोधी होने का सुबूत

Rajeshwar Singh
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वामियों का देशविरोधी होने का सुबूत

#कश्मीर_पर_क्यों_मौन_हैं_तथाकथित_हितैषी

एक भी वामपंथियों और एक समुदाय विशेष की तरफ से कश्मीर पर फैसले को लेकर खुशी जाहिर करने का पोस्ट सोशल मीडिया पर दिखाई नहीं दे रहा है। एकाद ने किया है तो रोते हुए! बस इससे बड़ा इनका देश विरोधी होने का सुबूत हो नहीं सकता।

जब जब आप इनकी गतिविधियों पर नजर डालेंगे, तो कहीं न कहीं उनमें देश का विरोध करने वाली, देश को बांटने वाली, हिन्दू मुसलमान करने वाली, दलित सवर्ण करने वाली बातें मिलेंगी। इनका सिर्फ एक ही एजेंडा रहता है। जहां भी जाते हैं हर इंटिट्यूशन में इनका टारगेट बेवजह की क्रांति करना होता है, चाहे इसके लिए किसी को बाप बनाना पड़े या अपने बाप को गाली देनी पड़े।

2014 के बाद आजतक यही पूछते आ रहे थे कि मोदी जी तीन तलाक कब हटा रहे हो? मोदी जी 370 कब हटा रहे हो? अब जब दोनों काम हो गए तो टॉयलेट में मुंह डाल के फ्लश चला लिया है।

हम सोचते हैं कि इन्हें सिर्फ भाजपा या मोदी से दिक्कत है मगर हकीकत पर नजर डालोगे तो इन्हें इस देश की सरकार, यहां का संविधान, यहां की पुलिस, यहां की सेना, यहां के अधिकारी, यहां के नेता, राष्ट्रगान बोलने से, भारत माता की जय बोलने से, जय श्रीराम बोलने से, हिन्दू धर्म के धार्मिक अनुष्ठानों से, धार्मिक मान्यताओं से, हर किसी से समस्या है।

आज नाग पंचमी है, आज के दिन नागों की पूजा की जाती है। मगर आज के दिन भारत सरकार ने देश विरोधी नागों का फन कुचल कर देश हित में एक बड़ा फैसला लिया है। ऐसे नागों का समय समय पर फन कुचला जाना जरूरी है वरना भारत की एकता और अखंडता में हेमशा पलीता लगाने की कोशिश करने वाले नाग जहरीले होते चले जाएंगे!!

Congress has gone into the cocoon of DMK and SP by opposing scrapping of 370?

S Ranganathan
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Congress has gone into the cocoon of DMK and SP by opposing scrapping of 370?

Was the congress party opposing the bill scrapping 370 in J&K brought by PM Modi in Parliament a grave mistake of? Without taking any breathe or pause, one can say with great confidence and conformity that congress has committed a grave mistake, betrayed the national interest, defeated the spirit and letter of India and that is how several people of India believe and see the politics of the congress party.

Congress’s saga of mistakes doesn’t end with opposing the bill or exposing its ignorance and bankruptcy by asking whether the issue is internal or international during the debate in parliament, the gravest mistake of congress party was how it had cited the support of some tukde tukde gangs both in Rajya Sabha and Parliament to its stand against immobilizing article 370. For DMK, for example, opposing the bill is not going to affect in any which way and the same gesture the party would project as its on-going minority appeasement politics. At national level what is the image of DMK is well known and the entire reputation of UPA2 was at stake thanks to DMK and that is how the perception even today.

For SP and left also, there is nothing to lose by opposing the bill as their base is fast eroding and have already reached sub-microscopic level in Indian politics. Therefore trumpeting the support of DMK, SP etc., congress has in fact ruined its image at national level. On the other hand, the regional parties have gained something at the expense of congress party. When the congress party gets weaker and weaker, naturally the congress party has to fall at the feet of the regional forces. The regional parties can always use the congress party as its ladder to showcase its presence at national level.

Congress party has virtually fallen into a trap due to ignorance, delusion, entitlement politics, nepotism, sycophancy, lack of idea, agenda, clarity, vision, leadership and finally honesty. As long as congress party tries to ride over the back of regional parties, it is going to diminish continuously. Congress can revive only by opposing and defeating the regional parties and even if such politics may cause significant loss to it in near future, but still congress must engage only in such politics and only then it can regain its national identity.

Tamil Nadu is an excellent playground for congress party. DMK is weak in leadership although its cadre base is quite strong. Congress must exploit the opportunity and must oppose DMK to regain its lost identity in TN. If congress party wholeheartedly project Thol. Tirumavalavan of VCK as chief minister candidate and tries to galvanize the support of other smaller parties in the state, it can easily defeat DMK in the state and also it can create its strong foot print in TN.

On the other hand if congress decides to remain as Tanpura (तानपूरा or tambura, tanpuri), it has to remain in the scene forever without any significance and always at the mercy of the main singer. But unfortunately some congress leaders from TN who had decorated the congress government in the past by occupying different positions like Home Minister, Finance Minister etc., can reach Delhi only with the grace and charity of DMK and hence may be advise the congress party to play the role of Tanpura than go for an orchestra.

It is so unfortunate a national party, a party older than our nation; from the day we got our independence, has reduced to a level where it is trumpeting the support of DMK, SP etc., to oppose the bill proposed to paralyze article 370 in J&K as success.

Are SP and DMK going to build the national image of congress party? Congress party must see India more than anything including its poll victory. PM Modi always kept the nation above everything, including party politics. PM Modi always works for development of the nation, sab ka vikas and one India where every Indian are equal partners and beneficiary in building New India.

Congress party has disgusted Indians with its third rate politics. Already the party has done enough harm to our country by way of engaging in all kinds of corrupt practices, nepotism, minority appeasement, dynastic politics etc., and recently it has also showed its ugly face and dirty teeth by opposing the ethos of one India.

S Ranganathan

Quantitative easing: A tool missed by RBI to bolster Indian Economy

sahilkhale
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Quantitative easing: A tool missed by RBI to bolster Indian Economy

Quantitative easing is a tool which is used by Central Banks to buy Government bonds/Corporate bonds to bring down yields, which will help lower down interest rates to help create liquidity in markets and in turn give a boost to economy which may be the need of the hour. QE is tool which is used widely by Central banks & came more into limelight in early March 2015 when ECB launched a QE program. This was initiated by Mario Draghi (current ECB president) in light to fight low EU inflation rates & alleged recession.

While Mario Draghi retires in Oct-19 as ECB President, he will be remembered for his policies to bring EU’s economical health on track. When Draghi kicked off this plan, EU was battling multiple internal crises, but it didn’t deter Draghi to take route of QE to bring liquidity in the system. Below snap clearly shows how QE helped bringing inflation numbers up & liquidity in the market.

QE – A tool missed by RBI to bolster Indian Economy

In recent liquidity crunch which we witnessed in Indian economy can be attributed to multiple factors. One of them directs us towards inaction by RBI, which could have been handled in a better way. RBI knew liquidity crunch the financial sector is facing and is impacting negatively sectors like auto, manufacturing, etc. but still didn’t take steps towards it.

As per latest RBI response to one of my RTI about QE, they categorically responded that they haven’t exercised QE & by the response it seems that they are never going to take that as an option ever. A tool which could bring a lot of things in order. Yields for 10-year government bond is still looming around 6%, which is high and if RBI is serious in bringing the liquidity, they might have to do more than just reducing the interest rates.

Many critics of QE has also said that QE creates a “Moral Hazard” for the governments/central banks to artificially bring down the cost of borrowing which may not be a true indicator and would harm the economy in long run. Also, QE can never replace fiscal policy and must be looked as an independent tool to revive the economy.

Knowing that RBI has always been conservative and has been saving India from falling into recession/financial turmoil, but it’s role has been in question for quite some time now. Being a naïve investor, I would want RBI to come out strongly in its own capacity on liquidity qualms and give confidence to the market that RBI is willing to do what all it takes.

The bluffmaster

Chinmay 'Bharadwaj'
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The bluffmaster

The Abrogation of Article 370 has been an article of faith for BJP and it’s predecessor Jan Sangh since 1950’s. So, Modi government abrogating the article shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Each of BJP’s election year manifesto clearly articulated party’s stance regarding this abominable article that essentially singled out non-Muslims from Muslims and made non-Muslims from Jammu and Ladakh to pay for terrorism espoused in Kashmir valley.

However, Modi government’s methodical, surgical and efficient approach of ridding country of Article 370 caught not just opposition but also the supporters (and Bhakts!) of Modi government by surprise. Obviously, the supporters rejoiced and marveled at the execution while opposition chafed. The work and planning that went behind the scene is still largely unknown and hopefully we will find out more as the years go by but apart from fulfilling the manifesto promise, one very critical change Modi govt. managed to do to is calling bluff of borderline anti-India and self-serving establishment in Kashmir and New Delhi. This establishment that included Congress party, their stooges across multiple of NGOs and in Media, the JKLF and Hurriyats and of course, the ruling elites of Kashmir – the Abdullha’s and Muftis’. One of the most potent tools they used towards safeguarding their interests and goal was Article 370.

The election manifesto and the promises made in that document are generally taken by pinch of salt. Even for the party that attempts hardest to deliver the promise and the party for which Article 370 was an article of faith, the conversation among its staunch supporters regarding Article 370 was largely a resigned acceptance that this cannot be done. The reason being Indian psyche has been brainwashed for last 70 years that Muslims need special treatment forever (They don’t!), that Muslims across India are same entity (they are not!) and any change to the status quo in Kashmir will unleash the violence not only in Kashmir but across India as Muslims across India will come on the streets with vengeance and anger.

Suffice to say, they didn’t, and I am positive, they won’t. The successive Congress governments fed general public the idea that Kashmir is indeed a separate entity that needs special attention. That, Kashmiris have done us a favor by joining India in 1947. It is the responsibility of whole of India to work tirelessly to gain trust of 7 million people of the Kashmir valley. Things started taking ugly turn post start of Pakistan backed Islamic militancy in Kashmir. Now, instead of identifying militancy as potent mix of religious fundamentalism backed by foreign money and power, the establishment started feeding the narrative that it is India that is at fault.

The local militancy erupted because India did not fulfil its promise and that India failed to garner enough trust of Kashmiris. The propaganda was executed at all levels. From universities like JNU to the media rooms of NDTV. The so-called elite newspapers like The Hindu parroted the same line and the so-called Kashmiri experts in foreign universities published their ‘scholarly’ papers along the same lines. Goebbles would be impressed at this well oiled Pro-Islamic Kashmir and anti-India propaganda machinery. The narrative was so encompassing that I am sure majority of people believed this utter non-sense.

No one dared to ask that why is it rest of India’s responsibility to babysit Kashmiris? Why Jammu and Ladakh is clubbed with Kashmir when it is clear that Jammu and Ladakh do not support Islamic fundamentalism of the Kashmir valley? Why is government giving importance and audience to JKLF and to Hurriyat? Why is Indian government appointing ‘interlocuters’ to deal with what should essentially be considered as an internal matter of India? Even if someone asked, the person is either ignored or worse, branded as a right-wing Hindu nationalist, hell bent on destroying the fabric of Kashmir.

Then 2014 happened. The Modi government, the first full majority government since 1984 took reins of the country. And the establishment saw a potent enemy rising in their Durbar. But Modi isn’t just a master politician. He is a great tactician, a visionary who doesn’t worry about small defeats. BJPs alliance with PDP was strangest in modern Indian politics. But it had a purpose. The subsequent hard line approach against militancy where zero tolerance towards militants trying to be the leaders also had a purpose. The communication with JKLFs and Hurriyat’s of the world was complete shutdown.

All these steps were taken over the years to ensure government has firm grip over Kashmir in every possible sense. After assuming power again post 2019 mandate, the home ministry under Amit Shah went into overdrive. First cutting terror funding channels and then arresting (and putting them in Tihar) the Hurriyat and JKLF leaders. The legal maneuver to self-destruct Article 370 from within was a genius masterstroke but it was only an icing on the cake. The work to reach this point has been put together for at least last few years. That the work is successful is clear from the way opposition parties including Pakistan are in complete disarray.

The establishment played their hand for rather too long and they finally met someone who called their bluff!

The successive Modi government will go down in the history as one of the most active government in the history of modern India. The zeal to do as much as possible, as fast as possible is palpable in every facet of government working. But one particular trait that Modi government will be known in the future is Modi ji’s penchant to challenge the establishment by calling their bluff.

I cannot wait to see what’s next!

Checkmate Kashmir!

preity
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Checkmate Kashmir!

A 72-year wait is over today. Prime minister Narendra Modi of India has reversed the political blunder committed by Jawaharlal Nehru with regards to the state of Kashmir. It is a day that will be remembered as the day history was rewritten. People will be talking this decision and the way it happened for decades to come.

The Indian parliament has voted to integrate the state of Kashmir fully and finally with the rest of India. Something the county has been longing for 72 years but previous governments have lacked the political will to do so. This move will pave the way for the full integration of Kashmir with the union of India.

The state has also been bifurcated and turned into two Union territories, Jammu which is Hindu majority and Kashmir will be one entity and Ladakh, a Buddhist majority, will be another. This ensures the centeral governmet has control over these regions and treats Ladakh, which has long been neglected, as a separate territory.

In some ways, this is a huge leap forward toward global peace, dismantling the war-like ambience of Kashmir and cutting off the lifelines of radical terrorism from across the border.

Kashmir has been Hindu land for over 5000 years and is the nucleaous of the Vedas which gave birth o Vedic sciences such as Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda Vedanta etc. it has only for the last several decades has become Muslim majority sadly, eroding the cultural heritage which is matter of grave injustice for many who would like to preserve it.

To understand the nuances of this historic move, one needs to appreciate the complexity of the state of Kashmir. Pakistan used to be part of India till 1947 when there was a partition to create a Muslim state- Pakistan and a Hindu dominated secular state- India. In the last 72 years however there have been four wars instigated by Pakistan with India and numerous terrorist attacks. The main issue of contention between the two countries is the ownership of Kashmir- a state that was given the same choice as all the other princely states in 1947 to pick between India and Pakistan. The ruler of Kashmir at the time, Raja Hari Singh wanted more time to decide but when Pakistani army occupied it, it eventually did go with India signing an Instrument of Accession in 1948, which is a legal and legitimate document integrating it with the rest of India. So since 1948, Kashmir is a legitimate and lawful part of India. The Pakistani army however never fully retreated and even today occupied a territory illegally and has called it “Pakistan- occupied territory” POK or “Azaad Kashmir”. No Indian army has ever fought to get this area back.

The accession of Kashmir to India was agreed upon the condition that Kashmir would be given “special status”- it’s own constitution, own flag and anthem. This was only supposed to be a temporary provision, which sadly never was revoked or altered.

For the past 70 years or so, Pakistani army has never come to terms with the reality that a Muslim majority state like Kashmir would actually go with Hindu India, and to this day, they feel Kashmir should be a part of Pakistan. It however has Zero moral or legal case over Kashmir. Because Kashmir borders Pakistan, there is sadly a regular dose of indoctrination and Islamic ideological support and a push for a separate state. Weapons and terrorism are regularly transported across the vulnerable border turning this into a war zone.

The articles that have been revoked are Articles 370 and Articles 35 A. These are incredibly discriminatory, which only served a few families in power. Article 370 does not allow a non- Kashmiri to buy land or own property in Kashmir. The majority of Kashmir is Muslim by design so this directly discriminated against the Hindus. Article 35A decided who is a Kashmiri and who is not. It discriminated not just on religion but also gender. A Kashmiri woman who marries a non- Kashmiri man will loose all her state, inheritance and property rights. However, a Kashmiri man could marry a non- Kashmiri woman, even a Pakistani woman and she will gain full state rights. Foreign investment was also not allowed into the state leaving the youth vulnerable to recruitment into ISIS and insurgent groups. But more important than the details of these bills, these articles isolated Kashmir from the rest of India creating lot of animosity, confusing of identity and rising radical Islamic terrorism.

Its must be noted that the removal of these articles were made in the Indian parliament, in a completely democratic process with an overwhelming two-thirds majority. This demonstrates that it was approved across all party lines. Only a handful of political parties opposed this bill, manly the Congress Party and the Communist party of India as they had benefited from this political unrest in Kashmir. It also did not serve their ideology. It was a masterstroke by the Modi government who were able to resolve this issue without firing a bullet, by a parliamentary vote.

There are actors who are unhappy with this decision- the secessionists, terrorists, Pakistani army and the subversives. In preparation for this watershed moment, the government had sent an additional 50,000 troops to Kashmir to ensure law and order. The move has been welcomed without any disapproval from the international community.

This comes just after US President Donald Trump met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran khan and said that he would like to “mediate between the two countries”. However he has no jurisprudence to do so and it has been well noted that any matter between India and Pakistan will be resolved bilaterally without any third party interference. This move by the Indian government affirms this and sends out a strong message that anything to do with specifically with Kashmir will now be an “Internal” matter only to be solved by India itself.

No doubt there will be riots, civil unrest and curfews imposed for the next few months. There will be birthing pains but it will be worth it in the end. For too long, the power was only enjoyed by separatists and a few families in power. This move will right this historic wrong and relegate the Kashmiri leadership of the past into the dustbins of history forever, where they belong.

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