HOW LONG WILL INDIA BLEED?

Well back to writing after a long gap and this time around I am starting a series called “INCREDIBLE INDIA” where I would be focusing on all the social evils and practices that are dismantling our country from the right path of progression and growth. Well it has to be started off with NAXALISM because situation is quite grave and the solution requires fundamental changes in the system.

I am a law abiding citizen and I feel sorrow for the state of nation who proclaims to be one of the most developing nations but can’t tackle the ever spreading evil of naxalism posing a threat to its internal security. It’s a slippery slope for sure. Haven’t we seen the effect of such avoidance/ignorance of naxalism in our neighboring state Nepal where Maoist became strong enough to uproot the governance of the country.

Besides the brilliance and brutality of the naxalite ambush sprung in Dantewada on April 6 that accounted for the single biggest one- day loss ever to security forces, the other two images remain in the aftermath of tragedy. Instead of saluting during cremation of CRPF jawans, police officers doing Namaste; and the policemen bunched in single-file patrol in the Dantewada forest. Both these actions demonstrate the civilian mindset of the police where military ethos is the answer.

I could remember the song ‘SAD but TRUE’ from metallica referring correctly to this situation of India’s internal security. It took the US just 46 days to overhaul its internal security system post 9/11. That country has since then not witnessed a single terrorist attack on its soil. In contrast, two years after the high level meeting in Delhi, India witnessed its arguably most daring and horrific carnage comprising over 10 brutal coordinated attacks by Pakistani terrorist which killed 173 and wounded 308 people.

The way 26/11 galvanised counter terrorism, Dantewada will, we hope chivvy counter-insurgency and anti-maoist strategies. Since black Tuesday a torrential downpour of lessons and ideas have flooded policymakers on strategies to cope and confront Maoists people war. At one end is civil society’s Arundhati Roy, calling Maoists Gandhians with guns while on the opposite side is the gun – wielding majority demanding their extermination. The biggest distortion about the Maoist challenge is that it is billed as a law and order problem falling under state jurisdiction when even the blind will acknowledge it is a full blown insurgency beyond the capacity of individual states.

How much more we are going to follow this “tolerance and wait and watch” policy considering the fact that Naxalite presence was confined to 50 districts out of 639 in 2001. By 2009 its geographical scope has expanded to 223 districts across 20 of India’s 28 states. In all, about 40000 sq km of our territory is currently under Naxalite’s sway justifying it being rightly called as ‘RED CORRIDOR”.
The flaws in India’s internal apparatus are considerable and the task is increasingly becoming daunting. India’s internal security problems arise from a combination of factors that include political and administrative mismanagement for which military and police solutions are seen as way out. The army and police at best can suppress or eliminate the terrorists. Common sense dictates that tackling terrorism, insurgency and political grievances is far more complicated and require a wider and deeper strategy which entails ‘employment of all means for the end’. The keyword here is ‘means’ which goes beyond employing military methods alone.

In the meantime the question arise whether we have the required instruments to combat naxalism?

CRPF is the designated force to tackle naxalism but is untrained to fight insurgency which requires combat skills or an infantry soldier. Massive expansion of CRPF to 216 battalions have diluted the quality of the force, raising another question of compromising quality over numbers? I think all the CPO’s have to be geared up and a proper coordination between army and state police force is required for giving a befitting reply to the naxalites.

Our strategic culture, which can be summed up in two oft repeated words –chalta hai and jugaad- is reflected in the way we treat our internal security. Lack of political will is responsible for insurgency dragging on and maoist gaining ascendancy. The prime minster in his second term owes it to the nation. Structures within the system should be made correct and adequate attention should be paid for removing deficiencies, then only it would be possible to address both the amelioration of the concerns of the Maoists and the violence unleashed by them. Remember, Our pontifications on “our rightful place in the world” will never get taken seriously unless we start taking ourselves seriously and change both our mindset and the way we think.

Thanks 4 reading this article. Looking forward to ur comments n suggestions.:):)

Ripudaman Singh
9467861147
Cheers n keep rocking!!!!

GROW UP INDIA!!! Stop this Arson

What a tragic day this has been. Right from the morning started pouring in the screamers on the news channels about the riots that started in few district of Punjab and parts of Haryana because of Vienna incident where head of Dera Sach Khand, Sant Ram Nand was shot at in an assault by members of a rival group.

Its very sad that people who claim themselves as supporters of Dera Sach Khand had no idea why they were destroying the public property. I mean what will be result of this arson which has started here and where is this heading towards? Analyst are saying this violence could have its roots in community conflict between Jat Sikhs and Dalit Sikhs. I think that would be like politicizing the topic beyond extent.

I personally feel the urban poverty in cities of Punjab could be the fundamental reason for such heinous acts. People are too free to indulge in these riots because after 62 years of independence still there is a fight for employment, basic amenities and still the majority of people are under the below poverty line.

I was completely depressed by the role of media. Instead of helping the administration in coping up with the situation, they were showing footages of police charging at the peole to dispel the mob which in turn will instigate more people towards such incendiarism. I mean what you expect the police to do in such situation and this is one of the reason for police inefficiency. And when they fail, call Army – the only plausible option left. Its high time for media to be responsible and the administration should take all the possible steps to bring the situation under control.

Can AfPak policy stop Talibanisation?

It was only recently that President Obama’s emerging Afghanistan-Pakistan (AfPak) policy was based on the assumption that the key to solving the Afghanistan problem was a stable and cooperative Pakistan. It is a measure of the rapidly changing dynamics of this region that overnight it has become Pakistan that is the primary focus of both US and international concern. Predictions of it becoming a failed state are no more in the realm of speculative exercises.

The situation is quite perilous. In February, the Pakistan government struck a peace deal with the Taliban, acceding to the latter’s demand for the imposition of Sharia throughout the Malakand agency that includes both Swat and Buner.

Emboldened, the Taliban declared their intention to enforce Sharia in the whole of Pakistan claiming that Western-type democracy was alien to the Islamic way of life.The Taliban then occupied the district of Buner, a mere hundred kilometres from Islamabad. This set the alarm bells ringing in Washington.

Strong statements emerged from Washington. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, talked of events moving closer to the tipping point of a militant takeover of Pakistan.

General Patraeus told administration officials that Pakistan had run out of excuses and the next two weeks would determine whether it would survive. The White House asked the Pakistan and Afghanistan Presidents to be in Washington for a trilateral summit with US President.

This sustained diplomatic pressure and the approaching summit had the desired effect and the Pakistan military which thus far had been a mute spectator sprung into action. Their operations were perfectly timed to soften the reception that the Pakistan President and his party, including the ISI chief, would receive in Washington.

Then, on the eve of the summit, came the news of a major offensive launched by the Pakistan Army inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban. Pakistan was repeating what it does best — running with the hare and hunting with the hound!

Within two days, the mood in Washington had softened and the strong statements verging on panic moderated. With the Presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan by his side, the US President declared, “We meet today as three sovereign nations joined by a common goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al-Qaeda and its extremist allies in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to prevent their ability to operate in either country in the future.”

I am completely surprised as this statement emphasised terrorist activities only within these three nations. I have also felt that the US has always been somewhat ambivalent about expanding the definition of its war on terror to include Pakistani-abetted terrorism against India since it desperately needs Pakistan for its war in Afghanistan.

Clearly, President Zardari and the Pakistan Army had played their parts in this charade well. Pakistan was rewarded with good words and a cheque for $400 million.What smart fellows they are! They will even beat Shakuni Mama(Mahabharat) in the astuteness.

Where does this leave India? Judging by the tranquillity being displayed by the Indian security establishment amidst some of the most ominous security developments in the region, one can only conclude that the Indian foreign policy and security establishments are still basking in the glory of the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation deal and the anticipated strategic embrace that would propel India into world power status!

We are now faced with stark choices. A Talibanised or failed Pakistan is not in our security interests. Yet this is a possibility and in an environment where even friends and allies are putting their national interests first, we cannot be doing otherwise.

Describing India’s response to the Mumbai terrorist attacks as remarkable, Mrs Hillary Clinton told the House panel that both the Obama and Bush administrations had worked hard to prevent India from reacting to the Mumbai attacks and predicted that the perpetrators would not cease their attacks, in India, because they were looking precisely for the reaction that the US wished to prevent.

Clearly, the message to the soft Indian establishment is that while there may be more attacks, India must be patient and not provoke Pakistan, because that would hurt US and Western interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As far as the US and its allies are concerned, terrorism in Kashmir and the rest of India is a byproduct of India-Pakistan relations, and solutions lie in improving them. In short, the West’s war on terror is different from that of India.

Taking a cue, it is time for India to jettison the mindset that others will help propel it to great power status. It must make its resolve clearly known that its status will come from its inner strength and that it has the will to safeguard its sovereignty.

STABILITY IS PEOPLE'S VERDICT

The high decibel babel of Indian elections is over. Finally the electorate of biggest democracy has given its mandate in the form of stunning win for UPA alliance. It is all set to cross the magical mark of 272 to form the next ' STABLE' government, I repeat stable government. The reason I emphasised on 'stable' was the lessons this elections have teached the political bigwigs of the country that we dont want windbag politicians in our country, we want persons who can do some substantial work for the people and take country to the next level of development. Its a common feeling among masses that success defined by commitment to act will launch India into the next superpower orbit

Once again poll pundits, exit polls and arm chair analysist have been proved wrong by the mandate of the people. Some people are saying that this is the unpredictable side of Indian electorate which have proved wrong the notions of hung parliament prior to 15th Lok sabha elections but I feel Indian electorate has become more smarter and more mature which can be proved by the verdict clearly stating a stable government at the centre. What I could infer is that the verdict is influenced by three major factors:

1. National Issues are very important and cannot be neglected.
2. Power of Youth has to be counted upon and the next line of leadership should be present in the party willing to succeed.(Rahul Gandhi's factor which remarks the ressurgence of Congress in Uttar Pradesh by increasing its tally to 21 from 9)
3. Regional factors and good governance at state level also contribute largely to success.(Nitish Kumar, Sheila Dikhshit, Narendra Modi showing exemplifying success in their respective regions)
And the most important thing is to keep up to the promises made to the people.

I think these elections have completely shunned Communalism and Casteism that why parties like BSP have flunked in the all important exam of elections getting only 20 odd seats in the political Kurukshetra of Uttar Pradesh.
Another think worth mentioning is the targeting of PM Manmohan Singh as a weak prime minister completely backfired for NDA and even Mr Advani's demand for presidential style debate could not prevent him from sitting in the opposition. I feel that in the course of about 20 years from being the finance minister to the leader of the ruling party, he has changed from being a technocrat to a consummate neta. The transition was evident from the stand he took during the Indo-US nuclear deal but still calling him an astute politician will be far fetched. Well anyways the Singh has once again become the King and is going to rule for next five years.

But this verdict also inflict more responsibilities on the Government. Caught in the Vortex of a global slowdown that has derailed growth and terrorism in the neighbourhood, India no longer has the luxury of navel gazing. The exigency is the fallout of wasted years. I have always felt that two sentiments are prevailing in larger parts of the world i.e anti - americanism and islamophobia but thankfully none of them has still affected this hub in south east Asia which has second largest numbers of muslims in the world and this has been completely supported by the verdict of the people.
India is no longer just any Third World economy, it is a trillion - dollar entity getting notice at global high tables. An inadequate response, inability to decouple national interest from party politics and sloth may just stall its migration to First World. For too long, national interest has been subservient to political interest. Circumstance preludes hierarchy of choice. India must define and act in National interest and must respect the people's verdict because dont't forget...Democracy is for the people, by the people and of the people.