Recent Kashmir unrest is the most appalling in recent years. Protesters defied curfew and pelted stones on security forces which resulted in deaths of over 40 and over 2000 injured.Voices wanting to join with Pakistan, form a separate nation is at all time high.But, those who are raising this voices know the following consequences:
If a fair plebiscite is conducted and people choose to have a separate nation, then will they be able to nurture peacefully. As Pakistan won’t accept this at any cost and will continue or even intensify terrorists infiltration and other tactics to disband the peace of Kashmir. In this case, will Kashmir be able to deal with this, will they be able to guard thousands of kilometers of border, will they be possess with competent agencies and equipment–to deal with Pakistan– as they have now because of India.
Some people there are comparing there fight with India’s independence which is utterly absurd. As there is no second voice on Britishers illegal occupation and infiltration of India. But, that’s not the case with Kashmir, if we look back to history of Kashmir after and before India’s independence its very complex, there many theories about the ownership of Kashmir.Also, there are many voices among Kashmiri people. Some wants to stay with India, some with Pakistan and some wants separate nation. How will they be united and live peacefully if any one of the two latter opinion wins? And won’t there be protest by people of two different voices as going now? In case of India’s independence there wasn’t any other voice other than expelling Britishers.
If Pakistan would’ve been a secular and peaceful nation, we may not have much problem with Kashmir joining Pakistan. But, the world knows the reality of secularism in Pakistan. How Hindus have been persecuted and forced for religious conversation since the formation of their country. What will happen to many Hindus living in Kashmir, would they have the same faith as Pakistani Hindus.
It is no surprise that Arnab Goswami’s journalism, disgusts the rest of his industry, of which Barkha Dutt is a mere symbol. That her outburst is a mere continuation of a ferocious campaign against him, since the time, the Outlook magazine branded him as ‘The man who killed TV News’, needs to be remembered. Reasons for this maligning attempt are numerous. But at the heart of the maligning attempt, lies their deep aversion to a fast-changing media environment. The status-quo is being challenged, the old ways of doing journalism are getting defeated, and this is giving them sleepless nights.
Direct questions, unambiguous answers.
There was a time, when guests on TV debates, could get away with merry-go-round arguments. Not anymore. Efforts of spinning an argument on air, are met with resistance. The resistance comes from the anchor himself. He keeps asking the same question, again and again, until such a time when the tone, tenor, and content of the guest’s response is as direct as his own. Direct, in form; certainly not in content, for the guests disagree with him just as much as they agree, if not more. And thus, the The Newshour viewer got, what the Indian voter could not: answers. In the answer, which more often than not, becomes a confession- lies the triumph of Indian democracy.
To think that he changed the media landscape without Opposition, will be a mistake. There is a long list of public figures, who refused to come to his show, after he aired an unfavourable story, or made them uncomfortable with his on-air questions. But he did not stop. He stuck to his form of journalism.
Arnab Goswami ‘mainstreamed’, the social media.
There was a time when the collective wisdom of a handful editors, all comfortably seated in their Noida offices, could set the news agenda. Not anymore. Social media is the loop that The Fourth Estate needed. It is the feeder, the receiver, and the reviewer. The Newshour gave it the space it deserved. Others followed.
Viewer is the judge.
The viewer benefited from his journalism. After watching The Newshour, he is either enthused, or angered; either ways, he gets the clarity that he needs to judge, those walking in the corridors of power. And so, Arnab Goswami is not the Justice that he is made out to be. It is the viewer itself who is the judge, in the final analysis. And nothing can be more empowering to the real aam aadmi, than the fact that the messenger that media is supposed to be, has finally become a facilitator in the true sense of the term.
Ratings
There is a barometer to test your competition, in all spheres of society. Manufacturing, is about production. Retail, about sales. Businesses, about profits. Magazines, about readership. Political parties, about winning elections. Government finance, about revenue. And yes- TV news, to the bewildering surprise of some- about ratings.
The fight for viewership, and ratings is as old as news itself. The only difference is that the old elites, now stand crushed, due to stiff competition. If marketing a well-built product, and publicising a well-crafted policy is allowed, why this aversion for presenting a different version of TV news? Their problem is not with him running after ratings- for that is something the whole industry is expected to do. Problem is with the fact that the ratings have shifted, to their disadvantage, at the expense of the clout they once enjoyed in the corridors of power.
The privilege of deciding what constitutes the right kind of journalism.
If those fighting elections, are allowed the liberty to present compelling arguments, on what the business of a particular government should be, and how it is supposed to conduct the same; why is it that the likes of Arnab Goswami are denied the right to present their case before the people of the Indian Republic? Is understanding, formulating the doctrine of good journalism the sole privilege of the likes of Ms. Dutt, who happen to disagree with him?
Those who hate him need to come to terms with the fact that he has made mainstream media more inclusive, and citizen-centric. Given that it is a little too late for the old elites, to change their profession, they have no option but to embrace this new form of media. One can only hope that they do; for the world is replete with examples of products that have been destroyed, and careers that have been ruined simply because they refused to answer the call of change.
In his latest ‘message to common man’, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to get him killed. He has asked his party volunteers to be ready for a fight, that could end with their death. He has asked them to talk to their family members, and be prepared for all consequences.
Learn from the Modi story.
This is victim-hood, of the highest order. He needs to understand that this politics of victim-hood will not help his cause. Not only is it unethical, but it is bad political sense, as well. Abusing Modi has never paid anyone rich political dividends. The Opposition, and media created his larger-than life persona, post-2002, by doing exactly what he is doing now. Some called him a ‘maut ka saudagar’, others ‘mass murderer’. But he did not give in to the demonizing attempt. He re-crafted himself as the ‘Vikas Purush’. Just think of the things, the ruling Congress dispensation would have done to ‘trouble’ him, post-2002. He did not have much support even within his own political party- a powerful section of which, wanted him to resign. The Congress government at Centre was ready to do, whatever it takes, to suspend BJP governments all over the country. They made every effort to isolate him. Business houses led by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) moved out of the state. The number of times his MLAs were jailed, and cases were filed, is well recorded in history. Some of those cases turned out to be false, as is given knowledge now. Others were true, and were rightly prosecuted. Despite of all odds, he slowly and steadily re-built himself. He re-crafted himself and made himself the Vikas Purush- we know him as, despite of what anyone’s opinion on his brand of development may be.
People don’t support those, who launch mindless personal attacks. They support those, who survive them.
As Modi worked, not only did businesses come back, but he gained praise-worthy national and international capital as well. The more his Opponents attacked him, the larger he became. This is because people don’t like those, who launch mindless personal attacks. They support those, who survive them!
Governance, is an exercise, that is fundamentally different from electioneering. It requires calm demeanour, and responsible behaviour. High-pitched attacks are for election campaigns.
Write your own story.
The arrest of MLAs, in some cases, does raise a few questions. One was picked up from a live Press Conference. That was not necessary; for he is no terrorist. But, by launching a highly personal attack against the Prime Minister, Arvind Kejriwal has lost all the political sympathy, that he may have otherwise received, from the citizens of Delhi.
A simple message to him would be: If there is unlawful interference, fight it quietly in the Courts. People will notice. And, no matter how much they ‘trouble’ you, stick to your slogan of Bharat Jaldi Badlega. Keep talking about honest, and effective governance, no matter how much they ‘trouble’ you. Build your own story, against all odds. Don’t just sit and tweet against ‘Modiji’, all day long. It gives the impression that you are not serious about governance. And that perception, will lead to your fall, which will be just as dramatic, as your latest message to common man.
From a year or 2 to till yesterday, the way things were turning out in media made me very much disappointed. They made me switch off the TV and run inside my bedroom, which though dint let me sleep; but raised a very disturbing question in mind. Am I really listening/reading to these things?
These thought first begin, when in an incident someone said “we are living in times where you need to teach your children that they should say Bharat Mata Ki Jay”. As a person who understand both Marathi and Hindi language well, the statement was nowhere targeted towards any specific religion/group. But yes it was targeted towards every citizen of this country, and yeah what the hell? Why anyone should has problem saying it? Mohan Bhagwat dint question anyone’s patriotism by that statement, neither had he said those who don’t say it should go to Pakistan. It was more or less statement like what my grandma used to say “Aajkal ke bacchonko badonki izzat karana sikhana padata hai”. How do we react to this?
I tell you how we react. A gentlemen said in response (though he was not expected to respond to it) “I won’t say Bharat Mata Ki Jay even if you threaten to cut my throat “. Wonderful! And the next thing I saw on TV made me go what the hell! (That’s more decent way of putting it). Instead of media questioning why someone has a problem saying it, or just brushing aside this issue by telling the gentleman “Boss he dint say he will cut your throat or u r an antinational if u don’t say it, they questioned how Mr. Bhagwat could ask this and there unfolded a drama of Modi-Bhagwat bashing. Calling them Hitler and what not.
Let me tell you a pleasant reality of this country. I studied in a school which had Urdu, Marathi & Kannada medium schools together. Which attended their prayers together every morning and I never saw any fellow Muslim student taking an offence to utter Bharat Mata Ki jay. Never. Nor till last year when I heard first Muslim who had a problem saying it. And I’m sure these are not many. As a matter of fact I could never imagine this being a matter of debate for any Indian.
But all I have is right to sit and watch TV and crib about it. With nobody standing up for the right thing.
And to my fear this kind of news, narratives, debate occupied the most part of the public discourse on news media and it took the shape in last week which I thought could never happen in my terrible nightmare.
Imagine this, a terrorists of Hizbul Mujahidin gets killed in an encounter with security forces. And all that began was sympathy wave from section of media (most of them) towards the terrorist & people explaining how uncalled for was the encounter. Some even called it fake. Oh yes! The terrorist had whatsapped you that he will surrender to security forces. Isn’t it?
If there has to be any debate about an incident like this. The debate should have focus on the issue and not that to explain innocence of a terrorist you call the security forces rapist. That’s shameful. Some even tried to justify the act of terrorists by saying people are moving to terrorism because of the situation army has created in valley. Really? If that is the logic you apply then every act of terrorism is triggered because of some incident that takes place and someone somewhere feel oppressed. But do we always justify terrorism. Why is this selective outrage on this issue?
But Amidst all these there stood a hero. A hero who enters our television screen at prime time (or you can say super prime time; that’s the way our hero likes to call it) dressed like Bond, with the most powerful weapon of modern times in his hand, a pen and paper. And trashed all these terror sympathizers out of the boundary line. Raised very pertinent questions what other media houses have failed to question. Asked these pseudo-liberals to take a clear stand whether you are for or against terrorism. And that reassured my trust in the system, it reassured the values I have been taught as a child to always put country first before anything. Most of these media houses does not realize in an incident which involves India’s pride, we Indians can never be objective about it. Oh yeah! You can say we are not intellectual or any other word which defines your shameful behaviors. We are proud, we are not you; we don’t think like you & we don’t feel like you.
And finally I would like to thank Mr. Arnab Goswami for standing up for voices like me. For being the voice of the nation. And asking what nation really wants to know.
Are the dalits rising? Images of dalit protests shown on electronic channels in the aftermath of the Rohith incident, the Gujarat incident in which four dalit youths were publically flogged for skinning a dead cow, the demolition of Ambedkar Bhawan in Mumbai, the mobilization of BSP cadre against derogatory remarks related to BSP supremo and the incident in Haryana where a dalit girl was gang raped. The intensity and vocabulary of protests show the dalit resistance battle has now come of change; the dalits are no longer willing to take things lying down and are not averse to paying back non dalits in the same coin when it comes to confrontation. The democratization of information with the advent of social media has provided a platform for the subalterns to vent out their grievances and agenda. No wonder, the social media was littered with objectionable comments against Hindu religion & gods-goddesses, vituperation against Manuwad & upper castes and crude attempts highlighting cultural incompatibility between the dalits & the Hindus. Without an iota of doubt, it can be said that the dalits are in rage and rising. But what are the reasons for this vehemence and sectarianism? Is it the widely prevalent caste discrimination against them that is driving them to despairs or is it something more underneath the surface?
For years, dalits have faced caste brutalities and caste discrimination. Violence against dalits has been ideology neutral. Whether it has been the states ruled by Congress or the BJP or the states like Bihar, UP and Tamil Nadu ruled by intermediate/OBC castes, dalits have been compelled to lead a life of deprivation and humiliation. According to National Human Rights Commission figures (2011), a crime is committed every 18 minutes against a dalit. On an average, two dalits are murdered and three dalit women are raped every day. The NCRB figures indicate that in 2014, there were more than 44000 cases of atrocities on dalits, an increase of more than 44 percent over 33000 such cases in 2010. It’s not proper to blame the coming into power of BJP for the spurt in crimes against dalits because BJP needs dalits more today than the dalits need BJP. Dalits are an important component of Hindutva national expansion programme. If there is one party that stands to gain the most from removal of caste discrimination & caste, it is the BJP because that would make its task of consolidation of Hindu votes much easier. Some fringe elements may have become emboldened enough but why should the BJP be blamed for fomenting caste tensions? However, perceptions matter more in electoral polity than realities as media keeps exaggerating the atrocities as if they are happening only during the BJP regime. There is more to it than what meets the eye.
The rise of Modi has upset the left leaning narrative of the dalits. BJP got a substantial share of dalit votes in 2014 LS elections and the subsequent Assembly elections in the states of Maharashtra, Haryana and Bihar. As a matter of fact, BSP could not open its account in LS 2014 elections because a section of its constituency gravitated towards the development rhetoric of Hindu Right. Dalits turning right is fast becoming a reality though the leftist dalit elites refuse to see the writing on the wall. The collapse of the Nehruvian consensus, the decay of communists and the limited impact of socialist ideology has led to a fear among the leftists-secular-radical Ambedkarite camp that if the BJP is not checked, the days of cultural nationalism and Hindutva are not far off. BJP’s attempts at appropriation of Ambedkar have also not gone down well with the parties for whom Ambedkar is a bread and butter issue. Ambedkarism has often been used as a tool to hit at others and hence, it does not surprise anyone when leftists, sections of dalit leadership and secular camp accuse BJP of imposing Hindu hegemony, subverting constitution and abiding by the diktats of RSS which is often at odds with dalit agenda & Ambedkarism. It suits the agenda of dalit elites & middle class dalits to keep the common dalit masses ghettoised and prevent their assimilation with the national mainstream. They want their leadership and privileged positions in the community intact. The shrill intensity of diatribe against BJP is guided by the left/secular/Congress pathological dislike of the Hindu Right.
The arrival of BJP has also led to increased debates on reservation. The statement of RSS chief calling for a review of reservation and the subsequent acts of BJP ruled states of Gujarat and Haryana setting aside a reservation percentage for the economically backward class to tide over the Patel and Jat demand respectively have fuelled talks of the government trying to move away from the caste centric definition of backwardness. The fact that RSS initially was not in favour of reservation though it changed its stated position later also doesn’t help matters. Naturally the middle class dalits who are making merry at the cost of their less fortunate brethren are upset and this explains their belligerence. The increased assertions of Kapus, Jats, Patels and Marathas for reservation benefits, the helplessness of the state in meeting their demands and the obduracy of the judiciary in enhancing the reservation limit have further made the elite sections of the dalits jittery as they feel this deadlock may force some action on part of the government. The JNU incident and the Hyderabad University incidents are poignant reminders of subtle caste victimisation of dalits but the problems of the students/faculty have more to do with the class preferences of the well off dalits. Personnel problems related to employment may be passed off as caste problems. The dalit protests are guided by the agenda of the middle class and elite dalits who are cut off from the rural dalits for whom land deprivation is an obstacle for gaining visibility and self respect. Dalit fury is aimed at pre empting any future endeavour on the part of the government to revisit reservation. It’s sort of blackmail. But these protests have made one thing crystal clear. Today the dalits have become a force to be reckoned of in Indian polity; no party can ignore them. When it comes to confrontation with the state or others, they work as immense pressure force.
Caste discrimination may be one of the factors of dalit fury but rest assured, this alone is not the sole factor. The relationships between dalits, OBCs and upper castes are more overlapping now in contrast to earlier times, the style of interactions have changed and naturally, chances of friction on economic matters, property matters, personal disputes and symbolic matters can’t be ruled out. All atrocities are not on account of caste factor alone. Chances of SC/ST act getting misused can’t be ruled out completely. There may be fabricated cases in which non dalits are wrongly targeted. The problem with the media & local dalit leadership has been to attribute all dalit problems to caste. Every often, individual cases related to dalit atrocities are bunched together and highlighted. Even petty personal disputes are made to appear as if they have caste connotations. If caste has been so cruel for dalits, why are they not ready to dispense with it? Why do they want to retain caste? Isn’t this puzzling? The harsh reality is that dalits don’t want removal of caste. They want caste to stay because it provides them electoral clout and reservation. All they want is to elevate dalit to the level of a super caste with which non dalits don’t dare to mess; they want to act as a strong pressure lobby in Indian politics. The neo dalit agenda is not social revolution but capture of political power for which their caste identity is vital. If the protest would have been about caste deprivation or caste discrimination, they would have stopped the moment action was taken against culprits but this did not happen. The protests were rather intensified. The dalit agenda is less about discrimination and more about cementing their identities as different from rest of the Hindus. It has got to do not only with social sectarianism but also cultural exclusion. Just witness how the radical dalit left camp is weaving a counter cultural narrative to the mainstream Hindu cultural paradigm. Hindu religion and religious texts, Hindu gods and goddesses and Hindu symbols are being attacked. The Manuwadis are being castigated for subjugating the culture of Bahujans and imposing their cultural hegemony. The radicalised dalits are seeing red in everything Hindu. For so long, the left ideology or the Lohia-ite-Mandal ideology or the all in compassing Congress ideology did not offer the kind of resistance that Hindutva ideology can offer to dalit agenda. The dalits risk being run over by the saffron ideology.
It’s a well come change in the annals of our history that dalits are on the upsurge. But the causes that they are championing represent the class aspirations of the middle class & well off dalits. In some cases, the perceived insult to their icons or derogatory language used against their icons is also driving their protests. They are also attaching too much importance to cultural symbols that are pitting them directly against non dalit castes. Majority of the dalits live in village and suffer from historical dispossession from lands, they are forced to work as landless labour, people from marginalized communities are committing suicides but who cares? The dalit elites and intelligentsia want to be seen on TV debates debating Manuwad & Ambedkar. They have no time for the masses. But of course, they need the support of masses to win elections and hence all these machinations of driving wedge in the social fabric of the country. It’s as simple as “we” versus “they”. The poles can’t meet. Dalits and non dalits have existed together for more than 3000 years with a shared geography, culture and aspirations. If caste has been a pernicious legacy, the need of the hour is to allow it to wither away and decrease the incentives associated with it so that people won’t see any benefit in holding on it. Caste discrimination needs to be tackled with tough laws and awareness drives aimed at attitudinal change. The last thing that the dalit movement needs is erosion of its credibility. Making too much fuss on irrelevant issues, sabre rattling at the drop of a hat and failure to introspect on real issues will take the movement nowhere. It may arouse the other social groups against the dalits which may be politically unproductive. Murders, rapes and tortures are not confined to dalits only. Such problems require law & order interventions and should be left at that without trying to create a political capital on caste. Why only for murder of a dalit, zero tolerance should be there for murder of a person belonging to any community?
2016 has been a strange year. Ever since PM Modi came to power we all expected a backlash from the Lutyens Delhi cocktail circuit. This was an ecosystem that flourished over many a years, where you pat my back I pat yours was the norm. This is a group that is self serving and even includes a certain section of the media who owe their allegiance to 10 Janpath and their partners. Modi doesn’t give interviews, he doesn’t take us on his plane, he doesn’t call us for tea so why should we report in his favour, is the basic thinking. Some of the older more experienced journalists like Barkha Dutt lead this pack. No doubt some of their work is par excellence but when balanced out there are instances that leave alot to be desired. Giving out strategic locations in war reportage, providing cover fire for extreme anti India thoughts being some of them.
So coming back to 2016, we not only had the JNU protests that seemed perfectly coordinated to upset peace in India, with anti india slogans being defended as free speech by those same journalists and their politician friends. We also had the Kashmir fall out of the killing of a terrorist Burhan Wani. A young boy who lost his way but had death destined the day he chose to get violent against the Indian state. He was a terrorist, he died. Sure you can report on Kashmiri people but dont glorify a terrorist. We have seen enough to see through this game also.
Recently one of India’s top journalists Arnab Goswami raised a point that most Indians had also felt strongly about, the Pro Pakistani voices emerging from India’s social circle including the media. Without naming anybody he exposed those in Lutyens Delhi who under the garb of being pro Kashmiri were actually being anti Indian. What do they achieve by immortalizing a terrorist and making him a hero, such people shouldn’t even be journalists he said. Although she wasn’t mentioned Barkha Dutt’s guilt made her write scathing tweets and Facebook posts about Arnab. She said she won’t waste time on him but did exactly that. Not to anybody’s surprise even her followers on social media said Arnab is write. When a journalist is mocked by others forming a group but also enjoys maximum TRPs you know he’s doing it right. And the outburst was as much using Arnab’s name to become popular as it was a defence of a guilt.
People can accuse Arnab of a lot of things but not of acting against India’s interest. Given the fact Times Now have always reported only what’s in India’s interests is enough reason to back him and show the others what real journalists are like.
Let’s pledge to defeat this propaganda of anti India campaigns in Kashmir and elsewhere in India.
भारत की शिक्षा व्यवस्था में अधिकतर बड़े विश्विद्यालयों में कला क्षेत्र में सामाजिक विज्ञान में बच्चों को शुरू से यह पढाया जाता है के भारत एक ऐसा देश है जहाँ हमेशा से दलितों पर अत्याचार होते आये हैं | इन अत्याचारों को साबित करने के लिए अक्सर शम्भूक (रामायण), एकलव्य और कर्ण (महाभारत), अम्बेडकर आदि के उदाहरण दिए जाते हैं | इसके बाद मनुस्मृति तथा वर्ण व्यवस्था को गाली देते हुए वामपंथी दलित चिन्तक बात को घुमा फिर कर हिन्दू धर्म और ऋग वेद से जोड़ देते हैं | अंत में निष्कर्ष यह निकाला जाता है की हिन्दू धर्म में आधारित जाती व्यवस्था ही दलित शोषण की जड़ है तथा जब तक हिन्दू धर्म रहेगा तब तक जाती प्रथा रहेगी और तब तक दलितों पर अत्याचार होता रहेगा , अतः यदि शोषण समाप्त करना है तो हिन्दू धर्म को समाप्त कर दिया जाए क्योंकि यह पूरी तरह ब्राह्मणों के कब्जे में हैं और वो सबको गुलाम बना कर रखना चाहते हैं |
यह पूरी बात जो मैंने कुछ शब्दों में ऊपर लिखी है, यह समझाने के लिए कई सामाजिक विज्ञान, समाज कार्य तथा समाजशास्त्र पढ़ाने वाले बड़े विश्वविध्यालय २-३ साल का समय लेकर या कई बार पीएचडी करने तक युवाओं के मन में भरते चले जाते हैं | इससे ना सिर्फ हिन्दुओ के प्रति नफरत बच्चों के मन में पैदा होती है बल्कि भारत की हर प्राचीन सभ्यता एवं संस्कृति के प्रति भी इनके मन में नफरत का भाव पैदा होता है | क्योंकि यह शिक्षक बहुत खूबसूरती से हर प्राचीन भारतीय संस्कृति को हिन्दुओं से जोड़ चुके होते हैं ( जैसे वेद, उपनिषद, संस्कृत, पुराण, नालंदा आदि )| इस तरह की पढाई का नतीजा दो तरह के छात्रों के रूप में बाहर आता है –
पहले वो छात्र जिन्होंने हिन्दू धर्म या भारतीय संस्कृति के बारे में घर में कभी ज्यादा पढ़ा या जाना नहीं होता | यह छात्र पूर्ण रूप से हिन्दू विरोधी तथा भारतीय संस्कृति के विरोधी हो जाते हैं और ऊंची जातियों को गालियाँ देने लगते हैं तथा हिन्दू धर्म को नष्ट करना ही उनके अकादमिक पेशे का लक्ष्य बन जाता है | यह जिस भी एनजीओ, संस्था , अख़बार , मीडिया आदि में काम करते हैं , यह हमेशा इसी फ़िराक में रहते हैं के किसी तरह से दलितों के शोषण का सहारा लेकर ब्राह्मणों और ऊँची जाती और हिन्दुओं के खिलाफ बोला या लिखा जाय | इस तरह के छात्रों से वामपंथी बहुत खुश रहते हैं तथा कई बार उन्हें अपने साथ या तो छात्रवृत्ति दे देते हैं या फिर उन्हें सहायक-प्राध्यापक बना लेते हैं | इन छात्रों को चीन, पाकिस्तान, रूस, ब्रिटेन और अमेरिका भी कई तरह की नौकरी और छात्रवृत्ति प्रदान करते हैं ताकि यह उनकी छद्म युद्ध (प्रॉक्सी वार) रणनीतियों में भारत को तोड़ने के काम आ सकें | उदाहरण के तौर पर फोर्ड फाउंडेशन, एमनेस्टी इंटरनेशनल, ग्रीन पीस, कश्मीर के अलगाववादी एनजीओ आदि |
दुसरे वो छात्र होते हैं जो या तो थोडा बहुत भारत और भारतीय संस्कृति तथा धर्म के विषय में पढ़े होते हैं या फिर घर में इन्हें कुछ धार्मिक संस्कार मिले होते हैं जिसके कारण इन्हें हिन्दू धर्म तथा भारत की थोड़ी बहुत समझ होती है | इन छात्रों को समाजशास्त्र के क्षेत्र में मेकाले समर्थक तथा वामपंथी समर्थक शिक्षको द्वारा रोज अपमानित किया जाता है | जब भी यह इनके धर्म या संस्कृति का पक्ष लेने का प्रयास करते हैं तब इन्हें तुरंत चुप कराकर बैठा दिया जाता है या अन्य छात्रों के सामने बेईज्ज़त किया जाता है | इसका नतीजा यह होता है के ३ साल या ५ साल में नम्बर प्राप्त करने तथा कैंपस में बैठने के लालच में यह विरोध करना बंद कर देते हैं | पर मन ही मन देश तथा धर्म के अपमान का घूंट रोज पीकर हीन भावना से ग्रसित हो जाते हैं तथा खुद को सेक्युलर कहने लगते हैं | यह छात्र बोलते हैं हम नास्तिक है हमें हिन्दू धर्म से लेना देना नहीं है | इनके मन में हीन भावना इस हद तक बैठ जाती है के इन्हें सच में लगने लगता है के इनकी जाती , इनका धर्म और इनकी संस्कृति ही भारत की समस्याओं की मूल जड़ है तथा ये इस विषय में किसी से चर्चा करने में भी डरने लगते हैं | इन्हें डर लगने लगता है की जैसे ही यह भारत की सभ्यता या संस्कृति की बात करेंगे, तो पढ़े लिखे बुद्धिजीवी लोग इन्हें संघी गुंडा, तालिबानी या अराजक तत्व कहकर बुद्धिजीवी वर्ग से जात-बाहर कर देंगे | इनमे से कई छात्रों को कॉलेज से निकलने के बाद लगने लगता है के यह सब कॉलेज की शिक्षा व्यवस्था दलितों ने या अन्य संप्रदाय के लोगों ने बनायीं है अतः वह बाहर निकलकर दलित या मुस्लिम विरोधी हो जाते हैं |
दुःख की बात यह है की इन दोनों ही तरह के छात्रों के मानसपटल पर भारत की संस्कृति एवं सभ्यता के प्रति इज्जत बहुत कम रह जाती है तथा समाज को आपस में बांटने की प्रवृति अधिक बढ़ जाती है | अपने धर्म के प्रति इनके मन में सम्मान की भावना ना के बराबर शेष रह जाती है | इसका मूल कारण वह शिक्षा होती है जो इन्हें कालेजो में दी जाती है | इन्ही में से कई छात्र अनजाने में ही कई ऐसे कई पक्षपात पूर्ण शोध कर बैठते हैं जो दुसरे देशों में भारत की छवि को धूमिल कर देते हैं | यही कारण है के दुनिया में भारत की छवि कभी सपेरों का देश, कभी जादू टोना करने वालों का देश, कभी महिला विरोधी तथा बलात्कारी देश तो कभी दलित वर्ग का शोषण करने वाले देश की बना दी जाती है | इससे ना सिर्फ भारत की छवि दुनिया में धूमिल होती है बल्कि भारत में आ रहे विदेशी निवेश पर भी इसका गहरा असर होता है तथा इसमें भारी कमी होती है | यह भी एक कारण है के हमारे दुश्मन देश कई बार ऐसे शोधकर्ताओं को पैसा एवं पुरूस्कार देते हैं, जिससे भारत विश्व की बड़ी शक्ति ना बन सके |
मेकाले के समय से इस तरह की शिक्षा की शुरुआत हुई है | उस समय अंग्रेजो ने भारत के आत्मसम्मान को गिराने तथा अंग्रेजों के प्रति सम्मान को बढाने के नजरिये से इस शिक्षा की शुरुआत की थी | पर अफ़सोस के भारत के आजाद होने तक कई सारे लोग इसी शिक्षा में पढ़ लिखकर हमारे सारे विश्वविद्यालयों में शिक्षक तथा प्राध्यापक बन गए और बाद में इन्होने अंग्रेजों के ही द्वारा कराई गयी रिसर्चों को आगे बढाया जैसे सती-प्रथा, दलित शोषण, मनुस्मृति में कमियां आदि| बाद में वामपंथियों ने इसे ही आगे बढाया क्योंकि इसमें उनका राजनैतिक हित भी था | पर आज इसी कारण देश कई समुदायों में बंट गया है कहीं दलित-ब्राह्मण लड़ रहे हैं, कही द्रविड़-आर्य, कही उत्तर पूर्वी राज्यों में विरोध चल रहा है , कहीं मूलनिवासी के नाम पर आदिवासियों में नफरत का जहर भरा जा रहा है | आज जरुरत है भारत की शिक्षा नीति में बदलाव की, आज जरुरत है देश की सोच में बदलाव की |
आज भारत में जितने भी देश विरोधी आन्दोलन चल रहे हैं असल में इनमे से कई युवा देशद्रोही नहीं हैं बल्कि इनके दिमागों में अलगाववादी शिक्षा के द्वारा जहर भरा गया है चाहे यह कश्मीरी अलगाववादी हों, नक्सलवादी हों या फिर तमिलनाडु में ‘आर्य या हिंदी’ विरोधी संगठन , इसी तरह कई आन्दोलन जो दलित पुनरुत्थान या महिला सशक्तिकरण के नाम से चल रहे हैं इनमे से कई विदेशी चंदे से तथा विदेशियों के इशारे पर, या तो भारत को आपस में बांटने, या फिर आपस में लड़ाने के लिए चल रहे हैं | इनमे काम करने वाले अधिकतर भोले भाले लोगों को पता ही नहीं है के अनजाने में वो भारत तोड़ने की बड़ी साजिश का हिस्सा बनते जा रहे हैं | अतः सरकार को इस विषय को गंभीरता से लेते हुए इस शिक्षा को नयी शिक्षा नीति में सख्ती से बदलने के विषय में सोचना चाहिए ताकि भारत का भविष्य अंधकार में जाने की जगह सही दिशा में जाए | हमारे युवा ही हमारी शक्ति हैं तथा इन्ही के दम पर भारत विश्वगुरु बनेगा पर यदि इन्हें ही ऐसी शिक्षा दी गयी के यह “भारत तेरे टुकड़े होंगे ….”, “हमें चाहिए भारत से आजादी ……”, “ भारत की बर्बादी तक जंग रहेगी ….” आदि नारे लगाने लगे तो भारत की अस्मिता तथा अखंडता को अन्दर से ही खतरा हो जायेगा तथा सोवियत यूनियन की तरह हमारे देश के टुकड़े होने से भी कोई नहीं रोक पायेगा | अतः सभी भारतियों को इस विषय में सोच कर सही और गलत का फैसला लेना चाहिए तथा जहाँ भी इस तरह की जहरीली शिक्षा मिल रही हो उन संस्थानों का बहिष्कार करना चाहिए , तथा सरकार को चाहिए के नयी शिक्षा नीति में भारतीय संस्कृति तथा राष्ट्रीयता पर आधारित शिक्षा का प्रचार प्रसार देश में करें, जिससे देश के गौरवमयी इतिहास का पुनर्जागरण करके , देश को पुनः सोने की चिड़िया बनाया जा सके
I recently read Mukul Kesavan’s stirring article in the Hindustan Times about the India before liberalization. It made me truly nostalgic for the simpler times when we made a family trip to the wonderland called Nepal and walked the streets of Kathmandu greedily buying precious exotic Camay soap for everyone back home….
And just as Mukul Kesavan says:
“In cities like Delhi and Calcutta where the poor are a kind of landscape, the promise of liberalisation — that we will consume the world in real time like the denizens of the first world — can seem unpersuasive, even grotesque. For this reason, if for nothing else, it might be useful for policy makers to look back at a time when, for admittedly perverse reasons, consumption was constrained and austerity celebrated.”
So true. It is beautiful to see Mukul Kesavan wistfully look back at a time when austere living and luxurious language with lots of big words was celebrated. I distinctly remember that India’s poor were much better off back then. They could happily die of hunger knowing that their “austerity” would be celebrated. Mr. Kesavan is right. It does not matter how bad my life is as long as I am comfortable in the knowledge that life is horrible for everyone else as well. This is the good, austere, socialist spirit that has brought humanity out of living in caves.
Fascinated as I was by Mukul Kesavan’s article, I decided to dig back into my own memories and those of the elders in my family to find out more about pre-1991 India. What I found left me with nostalgia and a deep sense of loss at the times we have left behind. As Mukul Kesavan puts it so nicely, India before 1991 was so different that it was another country altogether.
First, about secularism. Back then, communal riots never happened. Hindus and Muslims lived side by side together as brothers and sisters in total harmony. The Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb ruled the day. Christians always felt safe and never ever as if they are on a “hit list”. Thieves would never break into any Christian schools to steal money. No gambler ever threw a stone at any church.
In those days, India had totally secular laws. All Indian citizens were governed by the same set of rules enshrined in the Constitution, irrespective of Hindu or Muslim or Christian or whatever.
Further, in those days, there was an explosion of creativity among India’s intellectual classes. Back then, there were no sedition laws and no curbs on free speech. It was a fantastic atmosphere of open exchange of ideas. No artist was ever sent to jail for writing a poem referring to PM Nehru as “Commonwealth ka daas” (slave of the Commonwealth).
Speaking of which, I forgot to mention that back then there was no Censor Board. Film makers would express themselves freely and without fear in their creations, with no interference or coercion from the ruling government. There were no laws whatsoever that permitted the banning / censorship of books/movies/cartoons, etc.
All this was enforced by means of a non-partisan government where all high ranking officials were picked on merit rather than political loyalties. In major national institutions and academic positions, genuine scholarship was encouraged and partisan hacks were severely frowned upon.
Ah! I almost forgot! Back then, there was no Article 356 and the Central Government had immense respect for federalism. No state government was ever dismissed by the Center in an undemocratic manner. And of course, no Prime Minister ever tried to impose Emergency upon the country nor tried to become a dictator.
In pre-1991 India, the ruling party had deep rooted internal democracy and no personality cult. All the ruling party’s leadership positions, right from party president to district committee head were elected in an open democratic process by party cadres through secret ballot. Everyone in the party could freely express their views in front of the top leadership without any fear.
In those days, the personal liberties of every citizen were respected. There were no curbs on what citizens could eat and drink. Citizens could freely consume beef in every state of the country.
It goes without saying that women had a high place in society at that time. Injustices against women were promptly set straight. So much so, that even a poor 62 year old mother of five children from Madhya Pradesh demanding alimony from her husband could get instant justice from India’s Parliament.
Back in the day, the benevolent hand of the state dealt fairly even with criminals and terrorists. No one was ever killed in a fake encounter. Every accused was duly captured and produced before a court of law and given full opportunity to prove their innocence.
I saved the most important thing for last. In those days, there was no poverty in India. The most deprived sections were rapidly lifted into the middle class during the 50s and early 60s while Nehru was alive, due to a scintillating Combined Annual Growth Rate of 1.67%! The last vestiges of poverty were quickly washed away within a few days after Indira Gandhi rode to power in 1971 on the promise of “Garibi Hatao”. In fact, raising the slogan of “Garibi Hatao” magically made food and drink appear in front of people, unlike the fruitless slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” that are in circulation today. Farmers were happy, workers were happy, women were happy, students were happy, minorities were happy; it was the idea of India.
Thinking of those bygone golden days fills me with a sense of loss, a sense of foreboding, a sense of “knowing hedonism” and lots and lots of big words that only Mukul Kesavan knows about…
‘’Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear’’, read the side view mirror as Rajesh embarked on his road journey. Hailing from North India but having lived his entire life in Maharashtra, he was largely unexposed to the geographical diversities of the country. Hence he was excited about this expedition, driving on the coastal road from Panvel on NH 66 overlooking Western Ghats and with Arabian Sea on the other side in some places.
First stop Ratnagiri, slightly over 300 kms from Mumbai, the place known for its mangoes, weather and proximity to the pristine beaches of Ganapati Phule. But amidst all this beauty there was something amiss which took Rajesh by complete surprise, large number of mosques and madrassas sprawled up in the town he believed to be predominantly Hindu.
After a brief rest there he continued his journey till he entered into Goa. Having enjoyed the beaches and the nightlife of Goa, Rajesh was reluctant to continue his journey further, but he somehow forced himself inside the car to resume the journey.
Southern Jaunt
He had almost forgotten about the observations he made at Ratnagiri and the Konkan belt prior to that. However the same images of demography change came back as soon as he entered Karnataka. Starting with Karwar and Sirsi in the Uttara Kannada some places resembled the image he had in mind of neighboring country, further down at Bhatkal the resemblance was even more striking. Having driven for long he wanted to break for some rest but continued nonetheless until he reached some place he’d be more comfortable with. Finally he halted at Udipi.
Goa might have made him forget the images of demography change, but now he could just not get it out of his mind.
He persisted nevertheless, totally unmindful of the fact that there’s much more in store for him. After entering into Dakshin Kannada , there were some towns close to Mangalore with less than 50% Hindu population. Mangalore itself has less than 68% Hindu population with Muslims and Christians almost equally making up for the remaining numbers.
Further down south along the coastal route there were more and more towns and districts with significant Muslim and Christian population. Whether it was Mallapuram, Kasargod or even the coastal districts like Alappuzha or the ancient Indian trade hub Kozhikode (Calicut). Rajesh enjoyed the beauty of God’s own country but didn’t spend too much time there and continued further to stop at Kanyakumari. He visited the Vivekanand memorial and was surprised to see so many Churches near to that place. By then Rajesh had already grown despondent.
Even bigger shock awaited him
Each time Rajesh tried to forget about or downplay it, he received an even greater shock, his next stop Rameshwaran- one of the holiest places for Hindus delivered a body blow to him. He was dumbstruck when he saw a board prohibiting entry of outsiders (Non- muslims) at the entrance of Athiyuthu, Puthuvalassai, Panaikulam villages in the same district. Rajesh never recovered from that shock. On his onward journey along the eastern coast line again he saw large church structures in villages of Coastal Andhra and Tamil Nadu indicating the dominance of evangelical bodies, but all that paled in comparison to what he had witnessed at Rameshwaran.
Villages in Ramanathapuram banning entry of Non Muslims
He drove upto Odisha and prayed to Lord Jagannath in Puri before driving across the breadth of the country to come back to the place he started from.
After a long and arduous journey, which left him more stunned than he might have anticipated, he tried his best to pretend that he was not moved by the demographics change he has witnessed. But on the very next day after his return, while discussing with friends, his anxiety became apparent. Being devout Hindu he just could not resist ringing the alarm bell.
Religion Census 2011
State
District
Town
Minority Population
Maharashtra
Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri
32%
Karnataka
Uttara Kannada
Bhatkal
75%
Karnataka
Uttara Kannada
Sirsi
25%
Karnataka
Dakshin Kannada
Mangalore
32%
Kerala
Kozikode
–
43%
Kerala
Alappuza
–
31%
Kerala
Kasaragod
–
47%
Kerala
Mallapuram
–
72%
TN
Kanyakumari
–
51%
TN
Ramnathapuram
Rameshwaram
13%
TN
Vellore
Melvisharam
76%
So what really petrified Rajesh?
Rajesh had read about the events leading to partition of India in 1947, when the majority-minority ratio was 3:1. Watching mainstream media for all these years made him believe that the worst was behind him and an event like that would never reoccur. Even reading through the latest religious census data published in 2011 (released later when BJP came to power in 2014), he somehow missed the signs of the impending danger. Media too downplayed the rise in minority population, by drawing wrong references to suggest that Muslims and Christians have grown at a slower rate than the decade earlier. Rajesh too bought into that folly, hook, line and sinker.
His travel down the coastal route not only debunked all the theories media had built up but also opened his eyes to the dangers which are far more real than imagined.
What are the major challenges of Demography change?
History is replete with examples of whenever Muslim population becomes majority, the minorities are either forced to embrace Islam or left with the option to either flee or die. It happened more than a millennia ago in Zoroastrian provinces in Central Asia and Persia (Iran), now natives Parsis are reduced to zero in those countries.
Mahabharata has mention of modern day Afghanistan. It was Hindu kingdom, after that it became Buddhist before falling into the hands to Islamic invaders. Bamiyan in Afghanistan had the largest Buddha idol before it was blown to pieces by Taliban at the start of 21st century. Pakistan, Bangladesh were all part of large Hindu kingdom that we all know. Even as per the census just before partition, Karachi had Hindu population in majority.
But Hindus disappeared fast and now are reduced to mere 1-2% of the population in Pakistan and we continue to read countless stories of atrocities meted out on Hindus in Pakistan. Though Bangladesh has 8-10% Hindus (down from 32% at the time of partition) news of Hindus getting hacked to death there is becoming common these days.
In India too we’ve seen exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir Valley in 1990. And recently in Kairana in UP.
Why does the situation portend a bleak future?
All the locations Rajesh travelled through are along the coastal route. Areas closer to sea develop much faster due to commercial activities and vital for the sustenance of any economy. Ports are essential for keeping the supply lines running and also in most cases act as the defense bases to protect against the naval maneuvers of enemies.
If seen in the context of essential supplies, one would shudder even at the thought of losing control over the coastal territory. We’ve seen how some developed countries used evangelical organizations active in the south in their attempt to thwart Kundunkulam Plant near Tuticorin TN.
Who’s to say that Christian population in the coastal regions in the south can’t be turned against India by powers that be in Vatican. Similarly we can ignore the threat of the booming Muslim population in coastal region at our own peril.
Likewise, growing minority population in West Bengal, Assam are also ticking time bomb. Losing control over any one of these territories would mean losing access to North East entirely.
Can the situation be salvaged? What must the government do?
As the old English proverb goes “A stitch in time saves nine”. If the government acts now still the damage can be undone. To begin with Government must use the 2011 religion census data and devise a strategy to tackle with this menace panchayat by panchayat.
Step 1- Ban religious conversions- Implement a strong Anti-conversion bill in lines with the one we have in Gujarat. This would invite a strong push back from evangelical lobby in the west, be that as it may, it must still be pursued. Simultaneously, government must do background check and stop giving visas to missionaries masquerading as philanthropists.
(Note-Already some work is happening on this count, banning NGOs involved in money laundering and conversions using nefarious means was a step in the right direction)
Step 2 – Remove Government control over temples- The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act 1951, enables government to take over donations and land belonging of temples. This has led to exploitation of temple wealth and dis-empowered temple as the institution. Moreover in many instances the appropriated temple land was given over to Churches and Wakf boards. Late Andhra CM YSR Reddy almost gifted Thirumala hills (where Tirupati temple is situated) to Church, only for the High court to intervene and thwart the move.
(Note -Subramanium Swamy is already fighting a case in SC for this already)
Step 3 – Security watch- Government should keep vigil on every Panchayat with minority population above 15%. Encourage setting up of Hindu enclaves in the region to offset the demography change. Increasing Hindu population will ensure that Muslim votes would hold little sway over political decisions.
These developments only can help deal with the challenges following change in demography, inaction would be detrimental to the future of the country and Hindu population.
Kashmir continues to burn. Kashmiris continue to beat their chests in an unprecedented outpouring of grief over the death of Burhan Wani and the rest of India continues to ask – why this grief over the death of a terrorist? Was he a hero to Kashmiris?
Well, the truth is that Burhan Muzaffar Wani died on 8 July. And till 7 July, no one outside Kashmir had heard of him. He was known inside Kashmir, but had a niche audience. On 9 July 2016, Burhan Muzaffar Wani became a poster boy for Kashmiri separatists and certain media houses in India. Why and how did this happen?
Burhan Wani was popular amongst the young and radicalized of Kashmir. He was also popular with the security forces. Both wanted to meet him, but for different reasons.
It is important to deconstruct the manufactured myth surrounding him before it solidifies into something tangible. India must know the truth.
On 26 May 2014 Narendra Damodardas Modi took over as the 14th Prime Minister of India. Pakistan had already branded him a Hindutva-RSS man, who they thought would focus specifically on a domestic right-wing agenda like the Ram Mandir and the alienation of Indian Muslims from the mainstream. Pakistan planned its India policy based on these assumptions, and as usual wrapped Kashmir around it.
None of what Pakistan assumed, happened. Instead, Modi surprised everyone and went on a global charm offensive. He did three things very effectively.
He reached out to the Indian diaspora in all the countries that he traveled to and was received like a global statesman.
He pitched for massive foreign investment in India, and got it.
He adopted a constant and consistent policy of isolating Pakistan on the global stage.
As an extension of point 3, Modi started strengthening diplomatic ties with important members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a close-knit body of 57 Muslim majority countries.
It is because of point # 3 that Burhan Muzaffar Wani became a manufactured celebrity overnight.
India considerably improved and cemented its relationship with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel, all at the same time. Those who understand foreign affairs will agree that not only is this truly remarkable, but till it happened, was thought to be entirely impossible.
For the past seven decades, Pakistan has based its foreign policy on 5 parameters only.
Its friendship with China. Its role in the 60’s of playing mediator between USA and China cemented this relationship.
Its geostrategic location, with land access to Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia (through Afghanistan) and India. It also has two warm water ports; Port Qasim & Karachi Port Trust in Karachi, and Gwadar, a semi-operational port in Balochistan, built and operated by the Chinese.
Kashmir and the related UN Resolutions.
Being US’s front line ally in the war against terror, and using this handle to get massive foreign aid.
Being the only Muslim nuclear weapons state.
As Modi collected frequent flier miles and the position of Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif took a beating at home, three things happened in the 2nd week of July 2016.
To the untrained eye, they may seem totally unrelated. But related they are, like conjoined triplets.
On July 9, Burhan Wani was elevated to dead rock-star terrorist status.
On 14 July, huge billboards started appearing in major Pakistani cities urging Gen. Raheel Sharif to take over Pakistan and establish military rule. No one could initially figure out who was responsible for this and what was the motive.
On 16 July, Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaaf said that the people of Pakistan would distribute sweets if the Pakistan Army took over the country.
Pakistan has traditionally been an insecure state. Conspiracy theories are a national pastime. For seventy years, it has been teetering on the edge. In the last 14 months, Modi pushed it over that edge. An isolated Pakistan was desperate for a foreign policy win. It had suffered a hiding of hideous proportions very recently in the US Senate. Pakistan has been called a rouge state, compulsive nuclear proliferator, and the Haqqani network a veritable arm of the ISI, all this on the floor of the US Senate, by its number one partner in the war on terror, the United States of America.
When Burhan Wani was killed, the Generals at GHQ Rawalpindi, the purveyors of all foreign policy disasters of the Fortress of Islam, had a brainwave. Why not project Burhan Wani as an image, a representation of how brutal Indian occupation in Kashmir was? Why not shake up the world’s conscience?
So on the evening of 8 July, images of a “young and handsome Burhan Wani” donning a stylish camouflage combat dress surrounded by his followers started going viral. A person, whom very few knew of, suddenly became a celebrity, thanks to the Inter Services Intelligence of the Pakistan Army, and its paid stooges in the Kashmir Valley.
A few days later when the hype had reached critical mass, Pakistan did what it does best. It shot itself in the foot. It declared 19 July a “black day” in honor of Burhan Wani, the leader of a designated terrorist outfit. It then shifted the date to 20 July.
The elevation of a hitherto unknown terrorist to a hero is nothing more than the Pakistani Army trying to reassert itself domestically, using Kashmir. Why Kashmir? Because that is all that aid-dependent Pakistan has ever used in 70 years. It has nothing else to use.
It has denied its own citizens for 70 years, exhorting them to sacrifice at the alter of Kashmir. But it is not Nawaz Sharif, who lives on a 400-acre farmhouse near Lahore, who sacrifices. It is not the Pakistani Army Generals who zealously guard their corner plots in Islamabad and Lahore, who sacrifice. It is the common man on the street that sacrifices, who gives donations to Hafiz Saeed’s Lashkar-e-Toiba and sends his sons to die in Kashmir.
During the Afghan jihad, Gen. Zia ul Haq, President of Pakistan called Lt. Gen. Akhtar Abdur Rehman, the then Director General of the ISI and told him, “The water in Afghanistan must boil at the right temperature”. Zia wanted to create enough problems for the Russians in Kabul, but without pushing them over the edge. He feared Soviet retaliation. The ISI has now taken a leaf out of Zia’s book. It is trying to boil the water at the right temperature in Kashmir. But it is faced with two problems.
One, India is not the Soviet Union and we are in Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. Two, Pakistan is an aid-dependent country with ZERO international credibility. The global community does not remember the last time Pakistan spoke the truth.
And these are precisely the reasons why the myth of Burhan Wani, so synthetically created, will crumble.
people choose to have a separate nation, then will they be able to nurture peacefully. As Pakistan won’t accept this at any cost and will continue or even intensify terrorists infiltration and other tactics to disband the peace of Kashmir. In this case, will Kashmir be able to deal with this, will they be able to guard thousands of kilometers of border, will they be possess with competent agencies and equipment–to deal with Pakistan– as they have now because of India.
