Hitting Below The Belt

Perhaps this is the second time in history when Pakistan, a near rogue country has been hit below the belt by India. The hit has hurt them where they are feeble. The first time India gave them a brutal punch was in 1971 when India brought them down to knee and dismembered the East Pakistan from their map. The recognition for that deed is still remembered by the Indians with pride, and the credit owes to the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Though the pain to Pakistan was very severe and shameful, yet they did not take the lesson. Over the years they keep shaking the patience of the Indian people by provoking with terrorism in different parts of India, cross-border infiltration and slandering against us in international forums. India, by virtue of their tranquility and tolerance, kept their evil neighbour at bay.

Last week when the Indian Premier League (IPL), a monumental cricket forum, has called up their franchise clubs to restrain from inducting Pakistani players into their clubs, all hell broke lose in Pakistan. The perfect punch was hit at the right place, below the abdomen. The whole of Pakistan has cried together, as if all is lost. The Ministers, the Board officials, the former players and the present players in form of Pakistan have created hue and cry, blaming Indian Government and the IPL, as if India has usurped their wealth. It is the height of shamelessness.

Pakistani government and the Pakistani players-in-form had been dreaming of pocketing around hundred million US dollars by playing for the Indian clubs. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is bankrupt, and so is the Pakistani exchequer. So by snatching away their dreams when they felt they were the most sought after, the IPL has hit in the right place. The bad boys in Pakistan are fuming. This time the honour goes to Lalit Modi. The people of India will surely remember him for his deed, for he knows where to hit at the enemy

A poignant truth (a sad tale of Indian democracy)

Most of us, at a certain period of time, often look back and question ourselves whether we did any error in the past while making our career and future. Similarly, on the eve of the Independence Day, most of us look back in the past, and try to examine what went wrong while shaping the country during the last sixty years. No one, I believe, would accept the present day India as an ideal State. A poignant truth, perhaps, is that the leadership has never cared for the wishes of the minority but the vibrant educated people of India. Unlike other nations, Indian literates are unfortunate as they were always swayed by the decisions taken by the leadership on the pretext of caring for the wishes of the poor, uneducated people of India, and abided by the norms of democracy.

Unlike many other nations, we were blessed with the conglomeration of leaders, headed by no less than one of the greatest men on earth of our times, Mahatma Gandhi, during the freedom movement. Without much bloodshed, India achieved its freedom, and under the tutelage of the Mahatma, the icon of truth, the country was handed over to the heroes of our freedom movement. Nehru, the modernist was at the helm of power who was assisted by the equally powerful leading lights of the period, Sardar Patel, Rajaji, Rajendra Prasad, Azad, Ambedkar and so many others. Yet, what happened to the country during the next thirty years has been a reality what the generation born after the independence witnessed?

The population of India grew by the extent of reaching to explode. No substantiate policy was ever taken by our erstwhile leaders. The country soon became a corrupt nation, whose people, right from the poor man to the man at the helm, have been indulged in corruption. No country, like India, is as dirty as it is. The people of the country love to speak lies, unlike what has been taught to them by the Mahatma. We are the worst neighbour in the world. There is a distant solution, it seems, in the case of Kashmir, which our forefathers have passed the buck on to us to face the dire consequences of present day terrorism. Killings of the innocents are added to our basic problems of education, sanitation, poverty, beggary, unemployment, drought, flood and corruption. The successive governments failed to provide any respite from these tortures.

Recollecting the memories of the discussions held between our forefathers, our childhood memories during the sixties, and while reading out biographies of eminent leaders, it became conspicuous that all went wrong because the leaders did not comply with the wishes of the educated mass. Truly, the educated mass did not approve of the movement led by Gandhi and Nehru. They were looking for parties to be headed by people of audacious, trustworthy and dashing nature like Subhash Bose or Bhagat Singh. After independence, Sardar Patel was an acceptable personality for them to head the government, which did not materialize. Their aspirations were somehow met only in 1977, though for a very brief period. Vajpayee was adored as PM, but he was kept out by the Congress by aligning with unlike- minded parties on his second term. How could literate people of India accept Sitaramayya against Subhash Bose in the Tripuri congress, and in the same likelihood, how can an educated Indian absorb our present Prime Minister look subservient to 10, Janpath?

Fortunately, our educated class have never gone against the norms of democracy. They knew that they were being swayed by virtue of numbers and the craftsmanship of the leaders. Completing sixty two years of independence, the conclusion remains that the head needs to be placed in front of the body, not at the back of it.

Good Taliban, Bad Taliban

Aren't we living in a world of fools, or more precisely, we are living in the world manouvered by few notable pranksters? The rulers of Pakistan viz. its PM Geelani, President Zardari and Army Chief , General Kiyani have very diligently been able to convince the US President Barack Obama that they have discovered some Talibans who are good enough to make business with. President Obama who was looking for a plan to escape from the current dismal situation of Pakistan, didn't waste time, and announced the presence of good taliban and bad taliban. But we are yet to listen from the President, the demarcation line of these talibans.

Though not delivered any definition, the Washington may have firm conviction that those who have taken up weapons and look forward to the war against the US are the real threat to the human kind, and are categorically called the bad taliban. However, those who fall short of this activity are moderate, and are good taliban. Now the Obama rank and file are occupied with a deal with these good taliban, through Islamabad.

Let's focus our discussion on who these good talibans are. Good talibans believe in the ideology of a chauvinistic theocracy who are desparate in moulding the modern muslim world into a regressive region. In doing so, they would attack the society from within. They do not involve in restoring any sympathy from anyone. The believers discourage the modern education system, the women's liberation and they discard the modern judiciary ruefully. It's the women who are the worst sufferers wherever talibans seize the area under their control. In order to pacify the talibans, the Karzai government has newly introduced the family law bill, with the consent of its US masters. Amongst many, the law states that the husband of the family will be the complete master, the women need to take permission from their husband wherever they move, women would have no right to the custody of their children.

These good talibans are now the blue eyed boys of the US administration. President Obama desires to work with these good samaritans. However, all the eyes of the world cried out watching a video clip from Swat, a Pakistani region. Two good talibans have subjugated a 17 year old Chand Bibi to the floor and another good taliban was engaged in lashing her with a whip for around 40 times. Bibi was accused of being seen with a man who was not her father or brother. Bibi was crying, knowing fully well that her tears would not soak those who are at the helm of affairs, though it has saturated the souls of all the human beings living in this world.

Now who would decide whether the talibans are good or bad? Will President Zardari or PM Geelani or President Obama has any right to declare that? Have they ever met the eyes of their own daughters, after watching the video clipping? Or we may leave the decision to Chand Bibi who would be the perfect person to decide whether there can be any good taliban. Until we receive the unbiased comment from either Chand Bibi or the brute whip, we may rest the decision with the souls who have witnessed the ghastly act shown on the video clipping.

The Real Al Qaida

During the one month of the onslaught that was unleashed by the Nato forces on the terrains of Afganistan after the 9/11 debacle, most British nationals were of the opinion that Osama Bin Laden was no more alive. The allied forces kept on bombing ruthlessly on the surface of Afganistan, sent its specialist infantry to capture the most dreaded terrorist alive, and announced a reward of US$ five million on the head of the prized catch. It really did not take ten days to capture Afganistan from the hands of Taliban, when thousands of people died and a country was smashed to dust. People had no money, but no one came out to hand over the catch and tried to make a fortune. As for creating awe, the US brought Guantanamo bay prison, combo searching generated in various parts of the world, geared up vigilancy to cease money transfer and many other stringent exercises to make the Al Qaida forces totally detached from the world order. But, bin Laden could not be smitten and brought out to face the justice, as was promised by the then President of US.

Almost eight years into an absolute unusual situation in Afganistan and Pakistan, a lot of things have changed internationally. Iraq was destroyed and then reconstructed, in-between Saddam Hussain was hanged, Prez. Musharaf was dethroned from Pakistan, a weakling government took over in Pakistan, a new US President takes over and many others. Amongst all the above, no one incident was good enough for tackling the dreaded terrorist group. However, there have been two issues that could be perceived as facts which have been rising constantly. Firstly, the growth of Taliban esp. during the last one year and secondly, the financial aid and abet to Pakistan in order to curb and fight the war against terror. During these eight years, an unprecedented mammoth amount of money alongwith weapons have been provided to Pakistan for being a partner of US in their venture.

Hundreds of US and Nato soldiers have died alongwith Pakistani soldiers, but no substantial result has been noticed. Taliban has again thrown itself headlong and exercised control over sections of people in Afganistan, have sneaked into various parts of Pakistan and forced the government of Pakistan to abide by their laws. Of late they are daringly accepting the responsibility of the terrorist activities meted out in different parts of the subcontinent. And above all, Al Qaida leaders are announcing that they would plan to devastate another incident like 9/11 in US. How is it possible that a group of devastated rowdy people who were forced to retreat in isolated caves of Afganistan strive to bounce back and unleash terror worldwide?

It is difficult to digest that after persisting efforts of eight years, the US alongwith Nato forces were not able to grab Osama or for that matter crush the Taliban in Afganistan. It is equally inconceivable that a mighty Pakistan army who are powerful enough to defy the mights of Indian army, bend on knee before the Taliban in their own State. Do we have to believe that a couple of hundred individuals or groups can manouvre in taking up their wicked causes to destroy the civilisation, belittling every effort made by the world powers? This is nothing but making fool of people in a most tacit way.

It is true that the US has been spending billions of dollars and lives of its people in its war against terror in Afganistan. A big chunk of US treasures are also galvanised into Pakistan so that they can help the US army to control the Taliban. The billions of dollars from the US taxpayers' money are siphoned off each year for military aid and civilian assistance to Pakistan. And in exchange, what are we or for that matter, the US is gaining? Nothing. They make fool of themselves. Neither they can swallow the gulp they once dared to take in nor eject it.

Pakistan on the other hand, very cunningly could manage to keep alive the issue of terrorism by sensationalising it with few blasts in India, and when they found that India could retaliate, they immediately turn the eyes on their own soil and creates sympathy for themselves. These are all the handiwork of the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), the military intelligence department of Pakistan. It is not unknown that the ISI and its military bosses receive the lion's share of the money floated from the US. But which is unknown is that perhaps a big part of the aid then would redirect for the use of Al Qaida, Taliban and other terrorist organisations mushrooming in the Pakistan soil. Tell us where would Al Qaida and Taliban escape, if not aided by the ISI, where would Al Qaida and Taliban obtain modern weapons, if not provided by the ISI? It's really a very cunning play which the ISI bosses over the years have mastered in. They are the real Al Qaida. The Pakistani government is the mask, the Al Qaida and the Talibani groups are sheer puppets and the real policy makers sit in the office of the ISI. If the west really wants to remove Al Qaida and wipe out the malaises of Taliban from the soil of Pakistan and Afganistan, then they have to shrug off all the inhibitions that Pakistan is a friend of US in their war against terror and round up the officers of the ISI by the neck and grill them persistently to find the truth.

Therefore, the crust of the story is, the ISI of Pakistan is the real Al Qaida.

The Next Target

This blog is a modified version of my article written in February, 2008. After 26/11 mayhem occured in Mumbai, the media entered into direct foray with the politicians of the country.  As a result, the govt. bounced back when the dire situation seemed to have calmed down.  Proven right,this encuraged me to remind this article and add on few instances, and bring it forth before the readers.

It is often seen that a professional group or an institution is targeted by the government in power. Years on the line, the governments are forced to have cold wars with the professions in question. In whatever way, the govt. endevours to curb the wings of the profession and in retaliation, the professionals come back with some popular measures and obtain the sympathy of the common man, and thereby humiliate the govt. in power. In the course of time, the government makes the politicians of either side, be in the ruling or in the opposition, understand that the profession itself is guilty, and is the enemy of the politicians as a whole and not the government alone. Getting together, the government acts with an iron hand, and demolishes the spines of the profession in question, and coerces them to go into wilderness. Sooner, the rebellion withers away and the people forget them that they once made the government stumble to the knee. In effect, the profession was subjugated to by the lawmakers by punishing them, and sending them to near extinction. After some time, the said profession forgets whether they were ever part of any kind of rebellion. This had been practiced during the British Raj, and is being formulated by any modern day government.

During the 1970-80s, it was visibly observed that the officials serving in the Central and State Governments were basically anti-establishment. The succeeding governments, esp. the one led by Congress party, pushed the babus into troubles first by marauding them, by breaking their agitations and putting them behind the bars during the emergency, then appeased them by offering regular pay commission packets which enhanced their salaries to a respectable one. However, it was seen, the people sitting inside the North Block, South Block and other Bhavans did not cherish the government line. They do not vote enmasse, but they have a voice. They are middle class, they are educated and able to persuade a feeling of distrust and hatred amongst the people who vote. The succeeding governments noted that, and during the economic liberalization period, the government decided to cut short the wings of the babus. It was then pronounced that half of the posts in the Central Government would be curtailed gradually. There was no immediate sacking, but the posts once vacant would not be replenished. Though some departments were closed down, but the skulking officials were never sent home. There was no scope of rebellion, and hence, no one could protest. It was a policy which was tantamount to be a punishment meted out to the officials serving in the Central and State Governments.

The anti-reservation agitation has always been the aspiration of the middle class people of India, which they felt that the power never paid heed to their feelings. The people at large feel that the reservation to a section of society was only to secure votes and insure power. An endless appeasement to others made them jittery. It was also observed that no political parties dared to venture against the reservation class. In order to garner more, the parties in power, extended the benefits to some more. In this game of ascertaining the power, whoever opposes the reservation policy, had to face invariably the wrath of the mighty government.

However, the medical students all over India, took the bull by the horns. In 2006-07, they opposed the government policy of reservation, vehemently. They took the protest to the streets. Other students from different streams lined up behind them. They challenged the legislatures. No political parties were seen meddling around them. Sensing that all the political parties were up against the wall, the Government motivated themselves to let loose the power against the students by thrashing them on the streets by the brute police force, resulted into injuring many. Without wasting time, a bill was presented in the Parliament to provide reservation to the OBCs in the higher educational institutions. Later though, the matter was taken up by the Supreme Court, the agitation of the medical students took a back seat. Getting the support of all the political parties, the government bounced back to maraud the medical students. P. Venugopal, the effervescent Director of AIIMS, became the first casualty. He was sent to forced retirement by making a law in the Parliament, for the sake of punishing one man. It takes around five and a half to study MBBS and roughly twelve years for getting ahead with the subject. Now, the government has increased the course period for MBBS by one year, and plans that it would take them nearly eighteen years to button up the whole medical course. The government has curved down the agitation, and the agitated are sulking and cast down.

Looking at the atrocities made by the governments in the past to the institutions that had caused troubles to the politicians, it is clearly presumed that the next target to face the agony and wrath of the government will clearly be the mediamen. Until the last century, the media in India were relatively subdued, as they were less professional in their approach. They had their freedom, but upto a limit, and they most often toed the line segment of the government. They never used the name of a person, party or community when it was involved in groping any scandal. The period of economic liberalization has indeed intensified the vigour of media who are keen to outperform. The competitiveness amongst the communication industry has effectively encouraged abundant liveliness and durability so as to attract people in the most candid way. It is in this period only when we saw the judiciary also take on the politicians to do the justice. The corrupt political leaders and the government departments were taken to task by the judiciary and when we found the police, the magistrates and senior bureaucrats seemed worried and pulled their socks up to retain their jobs. These were all the handicrafts of the Media esp. the electronic one. Apart from doing this adventurous job, it also finds out the elevation in the poverty, the lawlessness in the country, and most importantly it tries to listen to the bereaved. These activities were never taken kindly by the government.Of late, people at large find out in the media a friend, a trustworthy one, which they didn’t see in the behaviour of the government over the years.

In effect, the government seems gasping. They have been pacifying the media all the time, but by now it has taken the shape of a Frankenstein. It is difficult to undersize them because they seem people-friendly and they have a voice. It is true that the politicians take benefits from the media whenever it suits them, but for some time now, most of them feel humiliated by the media's intrusiveness. Post 26/11 the electronic media of India have shown exclusive coverage of the gruesome incidents and behaved like a friend in need of the people, exposing the careless attitude of the politicians at large and the government in particular, which was taken seriously by the government. It was presumed then that sooner or later, the politicians will get united and look down its nose at the media and will definitely snap its neck. Last month, the government had attempted to bring a law which would censor the electronic media from displaying events that could humiliate the govt. Looking at the uproar of the mediamen and the approaching general election, the govt. has cleverly retreated from its move. Never mind, a law will definitely come after the forthcoming general election in order to quieten them. No doubt the media is mighty, and have the universal support. But not as mighty and cunning as any government, when force matters. A hard battle is in the offing. Will the media be able to stand erect against the government when the force is applied to or will they too kneel down to hibernation?

Be Practical

Again terror was struck on the black 26^th in Mumbai. This time the power and dimension of the threat was much bigger and horrific than what we had seen in the past. Previously, the terrorists had planted the bombs secretly in crowded places, and they could manage to kill 15 to 20 innocent common men, in most of the times. But this time, they had aimed at the very opulent class who stay in five star hotels of Mumbai and many bigwigs became the victims of this bloodbath.. Apart from this, the masterminds had decided to challenge openly to the people and security of India, by facing them head on. They killed whoever came in their way. Unlike in previous occasions, they have pointed their guns this time cleanly on the number of Supercops. This is in fact a desperado act for which India was not truly ready.

Though this kind of terrorism is a henious crime, but one cannot claim that India has won because their security personnel could manage to kill a dozen of terrorists. We have more than 200 casualties and 350 injuries which itself speak of the losses that we have conceded. After all these terrorists acts, it was boldly claimed that we would not bow down to the terror. The media, after every mayhem, maintained that the terrorists could not suppress the spirit of life, the life has illuminated on the very next day. Some of the popular catch phrase we often find on the newspapers and TV channels by the politicians and media men the very next day of the mishaps:

1. The aspirations of the terrorists will never be fulfilled.

2. We will teach them lessons.

3. Life is back to normal.

4. The people of this country are brave enough to face such dastardly act.

5. We must keep peace and not allow them to disrupt it.

6. We must not fall into the trap of communal disharmony.

7. We salute our brave soldiers who lost their lives, and promise to look after their families.

8. Finally, the nation won and the evildoers lost.

9. The govt. will not tolerate this lawlessness.

10. We will see to it that this kind of act never repeats.

11. Terrorism has no religion.

12. We must stand united.

What is the point in saying all these rhetorics at the time of crisis each time we face bloodshed? Do we really mean it? How many times do we visit those unfortunate families who lost their dearest ones? Do we care for those who engage themselves against the terrorists, save lives of people, but didn't die? Not a single politician comes out without their security to the spot of the event and boost the morale of the security personnel. Have they ever roared against the govt. of Pakistan for involving in the act? Never, never. Forget about Pakistan, we do not have the guts to strike even the suspected places of Bangladesh and teach a lesson to the minnows. Shame on us.

After the Mumbai act of 26/11, the nation asks its politicians and the media men not to use these rhetorics again. We can tolerate the incompetence of our leaders because we are used to it. But please do not rub salt on our injury. We cannot endure it, we simply abhor it.