Archive for March 2017
Pakistan annexing PoK (Gilgit Baltistan): A win for India
You would have read this news last week; Pakistan is all set to declare PoK (Gilgit Baltistan) as its fifth province. Contrary to the popular belief, it’s a win for India. It’s a part of shrewd mind-game that Modi diplomats have been playing on China. Let me explain why.
History: Why was it not made Pakistan province till today?
The answer lies in Pakistan agenda of Kashmir Azaadi. PoK was kept as a separate entity so Pakistan can blame as to how India has occupied Kashmir while they have kept their side of Kashmir Azaad. There was no other reason.
Why Pakistan action now after so many years?
It’s under duress. CPEC (China Pak Economic Corridor) is passing through PoK. India stressed upon China that since PoK is not Pakistan territory officially and since India considers it as our integral part, any aggression by India and resulting destruction of CPEC, should not be considered aggression against China. After all PoK was Azaad and not part of any sovereign nation. Worried China stressed upon Pak to annex PoK officially, which is what Pakistan has done now. It’s all about money.
What India Gains?
This was the only practical solution to Kashmir issue. Since PoK will now officially be a part of Pak, Pak can’t misguide Kashmiri youth anymore that Indian side of Kashmir is under seize while their side of Kashmir is Azaad. It is a huge psychological strike by India. Pakistan was forced to show its true colors and has lost all grounds to criticize India and has also lost any credibility in the eyes of militants. It’s early days yet but a great step towards normalcy.
How Kejriwal lost the plot
I wrote about it earlier how Kejriwal got the tide wrong. He fought against Modi head-on who was riding the wave of great public support. As Kejriwal fought with Modi, he kept losing support; hence his fate in 2017.
Last 2 years or so, he has continued his tirade. As I mentioned earlier, people get tired of prolonged drama. Even if BJP was not letting him work in Delhi, continuous cries don’t work. People get fed up. Either find a way or quit. He has all the right to badmouth Modi, but given the support that Modi commands today, it’s a self-goal. AAP came out as an immature party, with no dent to Modi popularity.
He could have made a mark in Punjab, but got the calculations wrong. You don’t berate a popular leader, without repercussions. He should have fought against Badals and Congress, whom public dislikes and should have left Modi alone. Demonetization was another thing he miscalculated. He was the most vocal against the move and look where it got him. He should have highlighted the fumbled implementation rather than the intent of Modi. Voters like strong and decisive leaders, not cry-babies. Have you ever seen Modi cry about lack of Rajya Sabha support? He let people around him do that but he himself gives a vibe of not caring and finding a work around.
Hope Kejriwal and AAP learn their lesson. Modi is ‘once in a generation’ leader and nothing good with come out by fighting him directly. People supported you when you took on Jaitely and that’s the way to go. To outsmart Modi, you have to hurt his cronies. People love Modi but not so much people around him.
It’s still early days for Arvind and his party and hope they come stronger out of this. Congress has ceded the space of principal opposition party and for a healthy democracy we need a strong opposition leader. If you continue acting immature, people will find some other strong leader. Long live democracy!
Triple Talaq: BJP’s Mandal Move?
Late 80’s and Early 90’s saw the Kamandal vs Mandal politics. With BJP able to consolidate Hindu votes with Mandir politics, other parties hit back with Aarakshan, driving a wedge in the consolidated Hindu vote. Last 25 years have seen voting along those lines, with Lalu, Mulayam and Mayawati being the biggest regional gainers with their respective caste bases.
Outcome of UP 2017 elections has shocked everyone. How to make sense of the results? The result goes beyond polarization. Unless Muslims have voted for BJP in decent numbers, the results don’t make any sense. And that is why I call Triple Talaq as BJP’s Mandal move. Muslims have always been distant to BJP and have good reasons for that. Like others, I too have been of the opinion that BJP will never be able to woo Muslims.
But the master stroke of Triple Talaq and Muslim women’s rights, has driven a similar wedge among the Muslim voters. Muslim women voting for BJP can explain the mystery results of UP election. There will be a lot of dissection in the months to follow; such is the enormity of the outcome.
Politics aside, women rights needs to be protected. I believe that support for eradicating inhuman practices like dowry or triple talaq has to come from within the community. If Muslim women have voted for BJP in good numbers, it should be considered their silent revolt against the practice and an open discussion must follow.
UP results: Morality of Nation Vindicated
I wrote about a day after Nov 8, how demonetization was a political master stroke from Modi and will increase his political capital. UP election has proved this and how. What makes me happier is that the morality of the nation has been vindicated. Let me explain what I mean.
The political parties who went to public against demonetization were banking on the immorality and corruption quotient of the citizens. I remember a joke from standup comedian Sunil Pal. He was playing a corrupt politician and was sure to win banking on the fact that 90% of us are corrupt and thus would choose someone who reflected their corruption. Same was the strategy of the major opposition parties, who missed the pulse of the nation. Nitish Kumar got it right and came out of the current cycle with his reputation intact.
Although literacy rate is not improving as fast we would have liked, but what we don’t realize is, a lot of officially illiterate people have access to smart phones and are becoming self-literate. They have easy access to what is happening in the country and abroad. This is unlike in the past when the information flow was limited only to big cities and privileged few. Today’s Rural India is as politically aware as Urban India and can appreciate an honest effort. It shows in the election results.
The onus is on Modi and BJP to realize the dream of 20 crore UP people. They can start by reforming police stations and restore the rule of law. Using his goodwill, Modi should attract industries and investment to the state which has been limited to Noida region only.
Politics is a cycle and we don’t know what holds 5 years down the line, but one thing people of UP have affirmed is, they are in a hurry. Modi would be aware of this and should be ready to play 20-20 and not a Test Match.
What happened was unfortunate, But Why demonize US?
It’s a matter of sadness that an Indian techie was shot dead in Kansas US, but what I have been seeing of late is a lesson in morality being taught to America by the whole world. Frankly I don’t understand why? First of all the countries which are teaching it, should look at their own minority rights history before pointing fingers.
What is not being highlighted in media is the outpouring of support across US for the techie and his family. Americans have donated whole heartedly for the families’ welfare fund. As I see, American people has been more than welcoming to the immigrants from this side of the world, more than any other country. And what we are doing after a few unfortunate incidents is to demonize them.
For our country where even today, dowry killing and honor killings are rampant, it’s quite rich to preach. Preach to a country which has always welcomed immigrants from all parts of the world.
I would suggest Indian immigrants in US, instead of sending money back to India and buying properties left right and center here, invest in the future of country of your work. Come together and create employments there. Don’t alienate the people there by secluding yourself. Embrace the culture and the society.
Most important of all, consider yourself one of them.
ArpitGarg's Weblog 