Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra

The Juhu Spectacle

2012-01-04T02:19:00.000-08:00

I will write about my experience at Juhu beach in Mumbai few days back, and give name to it the Juhu Spectacle. It was really a very interesting experience. Seema and myself went to the beach (locally called chowpatty) in the evening with the main purpose of buying souvenirs, especially that of made of shell, such as conch, or bead made of small shells for window decorations, etc. with the additional plan to have an evening stroll in the beach.

It was just evening when we reached the beach by auto rickshaw. The sun had set, though the place was not totally dark. Things were visible. The sea, the Arabian Sea had receded a little, may be, because of low tide. People were, almost all people in the beach, were marching in flocks to the muddy space left by the receding sea. It was full of mud, and also a layer of black substance could be visible on the surface. About the sea beach, the Juhu beach is perhaps not one of the best beaches in India. I prefer the one at Puri, which is clean, and the sand quality there I think is better than Juhu. There is no industrial pollution, sewage flowing into sea. Because of humid climate at Juhu, one can usually feel a stench of humid air thrusting into nostrils. Hence, in that sense it is not the best sea beach I have seen. But, it is one of the most popular sea beaches in India; besides its popular nature, its locality as it resorts residences of some popular bollywood stars and famous hotels and theatres has eked out a special place in mind of every Mumbaikar, everyone who visits Mumbai.

The beach has many special qualities. Here, there is no discrimination, no inequality, no high and low, no upper and lower in the Juhu – the extraordinary Juhu is perhaps the reflection of egalitarian culture of Indian society and its people. One can come across all kinds of people roaming in the beach. The rich, the gym going people jogging in the beach, small children playing with sands, artists making here and there sand statutes like that of Lord Shiva that I saw, and also some hawkers selling Chinese products like cheap lights attractive to children, and balloon wallahs flying balloons, and so on. Not only that, one can find almost all kinds of eatables starting from Vada Pav to Chat papdi, all kinds of Indian foods are available, particularly the quick foods. The beach is not only a beach of sands, but it is a beach reflecting the multitude of India, the Indianness, the India in its diversity.

But, there is a difference which I found that day. Earlier the stalls were less, leaving enough open space for people to walk, to wander, to stroll, to enjoy. But, when Seema and myself searched for those stalls, we found none, not even a single one. I asked some of the hawkers selling peanuts, tea, while wandering there. They said it is because of municipality raid, all of them have temporarily vanished into some corner, and once the municipality people go, they will come and occupy the place. My reason for being anxious was to buy the shell products. I saw the municipality vehicle, a truck with a huge closed space behind, perhaps to take away quick to fix stalls, standing just on the road nearest to the beach. I waited about two and half hours, from about 6PM to 8.30PM till the vehicle stood there, because I wanted to ‘finish’ the thing so that I will not have to come again for buying souvenir.

Around 8.30PM, the municipality vehicle disappeared. To divert a little, the municipality is really a dreaded thing for the people, mainly for the poor people. I have seen people, poor people, selling fruits, or some eatables, or vegetables fall victim to the whims and caprices of the municipality. I do not know how much the illegality committed by them can be compensated by illegality committed by the rich. Anyhow, I will not go into details of this. Illegality is illegality, whether committed by the rich or by the poor, perhaps there can be more welfare programs.

Anyhow after 8.30PM I saw the spectacle, which I call the Juhu spectacle. One by one stall, with wheels, started rolling towards the beach, not one, two, or three, but a number of stalls succeeded quickly one by one, from their hiding place towards the beach. As if a caravan of stalls, or rather caravans of poor man’s dreams are marching into the middle of the multitude! It is the fear of the municipality that could make them vanished in seconds, and the absence of municipality could lead to their resurgence, as if it is the regeneration, the rebirth of something spectacular. I did not have the camera with me hence I failed to capture those glimpses. All kinds of stalls, little, medium with various colours marched to the beach. Though I could not find any stall selling shell products, but I was thankful to nature in its multitude to provide the occasion to relish this spectacle.

Paradigm Shift in India-Paksitan Relations

2011-11-08T23:50:00.000-08:00

Pakistan on 2 November 2011 decided to accord most favoured nation (MFN) status to India. The decision amidst the turbulent relations between the two countries certainly added a new dynamism to the relations with a plethora of advantages for bilateral trade and commerce, as well as for building confidence between the two countries towards resolving various contentious issues. Pakistan’s Information Minister, Firdous Ashiq Awan called the decision as taken in the ‘national interest,’ while India’s Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma called the change in Pakistan’s approach to this long pending issue as a ‘paradigm shift’ with wider implications for South Asia.

Under the rules of World Trade Organization the members need to accord MFN status to each other towards facilitating smooth flow of trade between the member countries. India had granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996, and demanded the same status from Pakistan. Under the new arrangements, Pakistan will allow trade in more items by shifting to a system of negative list that restricts import of items mentioned in the list. So far, Pakistan uses a system of positive list that permits trade only in a handful of products, which are routed through third countries. For instance, in case of India-Pakistan trade, Pakistan allowed about 1933 items to be imported from India, while it allowed about 6000 items to be imported from other countries. Without going into technicalities, it needs emphasis that Indo-Pak trade are mostly shaped by the negatives in relations, which are mostly governed by political considerations; while the positives in the relations in terms of economic complementarities, socio-cultural connections, etc. are largely sidestepped. The recent move by Pakistan will no doubt add a new impetus to bilateral relations.

The political bracketing of relations has negatively impacted the two countries in various ways. From an economic point of view, the bilateral relations stand at a meager $2.7 billion. The restrictions made the trade prospects and free flow of goods and commodities suffocated. For example, the restrictions made the transport route of bilateral trade long and circuitous, and the goods and commodities were to travel through third countries. The tragedy is that despite both the countries are neighbours with dozens of cross-border routes which can be used for trade; these routes lie unused or used below capacity. Second, both the countries enjoy complementarities: while India can provide energy, pharmaceutical products, engineering goods, plastic goods, etc. to Pakistan; Pakistan can provide cement, textiles and surgical instruments, etc. to India. Under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) which further complements MFN in the region, the South Asian countries including India and Pakistan need to provide preferential trade arrangements for bilateral trade by gradual pruning of the negative list. But, due to bilateral mistrust and animosity, these agreements have not been effective, while India has similar arrangements with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries except Pakistan.

The jubilation among the peace activists as well as advocates of economic diplomacy is expectedly high. Pakistan’s Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) stated, “Granting MFN to India is an economic issue by virtue of which we can gain a foothold into one of the fastest growing markets in the world. This step can bring millions of rupees to the exchequer in terms of additional export revenues and bring about job opportunities to thousands of unemployed youth of Pakistan.” President of the Federation of Indian Trade Organization, Ramu Deora stated, “It is a historic development. This will also have an impact on efforts to solve the political problems.” Similarly the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) issued a statement expressing hope that the new situation will help strengthen economic ties between the two countries. India’s Commerce Minister has expressed hope that the decision by Pakistan will certainly dawn a new era in bilateral relations. He stated, “It will be beneficial for both countries. It opens up new pathways of elevating our economic engagement to a much higher level. We are clear that economic engagements, removing barriers to trade and also facilitating land transportation will help the region. Eventually, economic activity and industrial activity will bring in prosperity and stability. It will generate jobs.” This sentiment was echoed by Pakistani Information Minister, who said, “We cannot live in regional isolation.”

The idea of giving economic diplomacy an upper hand over political differences was materialized gradually. In May last year, the meetings of business delegations from both the countries argued that the grant of MFN status by Pakistan will boost bilateral economic relations. In September 2011, during meeting of Commerce Secretaries of both countries, India and Pakistan agreed to boost bilateral trade to the level of $6billion in coming three years. This month foreign secretaries will meet to discuss in detail the modalities to govern the newly emerging economic relationship. Some of the issues which are likely to be discussed in forthcoming negotiations at various levels include: making flexible visa rules, provision of multiple entry visas to businessmen, easing of transportation facilities between the two countries, etc. Both the countries have already started cross-border trade in the region of Kashmir since 2008 as a peace measure, but the results have not become satisfactory. The lack of mutual trust plays the role of devil in this context.

The results of free flow of trade between India and Pakistan will be numerous as it will nullify many of the negatives in the relations. First, it will help in building confidence between the two countries. The detractors argue that unless the contentious political issues like Kashmir are resolved, it may not be wise enough to commence trade in full measure as it will belittle the controversial issues. Such arguments in the post-cold war era, in the globalized world where borders crumble or become flexible, land in sheer oddities and are no longer tenable. Rather, the reverse argument can be put forward that economic development can strengthen peace constituency, and goad political leaders towards amicable resolution of conflicts. Second, the new arrangement will help both the countries to meet many of their economic necessities in a complementary framework. It may give a push to larger plans like Iran-Pakistan-India and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipelines, and bring other countries of South Asia towards larger economic integration under the rubric South Asian Free Trade Area. It will also be economically convenient for both the countries to trade directly than to route goods and commodities through third countries. Third, it may help foster peace, stability and economic development in Afghanistan, as all the countries – India, Pakistan and Afghanistan – are well connected through land routes. Both the countries can cooperate with each other without much external interference towards developing and executing joint projects for reconstruction of Afghanistan, including reviving silk route trade in the wider Eurasian region. Obviously, one does not expect these ambitious ideas to be executed in a span of days or weeks. The most important thing which needs commendation is that the paradigm shift in relations will move the Indian subcontinent towards peace and development at least by few steps.

(This article was earlier published under my name in Strategic Culture Foundation web magazine)

Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna

2011-11-08T01:37:00.000-08:00

This year we are celebrating the birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna. It is the 175th birth anniversary. Though it is the 175th, I feel Ramakrishna and his messages are still alive and much relevant in today’s turbulent world. Last year when I visited Belur Math, and also the Dakshineswar temple, both situated at the opposite banks of river Ganga (locally called Hugli), I could still feel the marvels created by the great souls like Ramakrishna, and his disciple Swami Vivekananda. Hundreds of thousands of people throng to these places every day, and seek noble teachings preached by them, and ennoble their lives.

Ramakrishna did not know how to write. He was in the conventional sense an illiterate. He could not write his name correctly. The museum in the premises of Belur Math show how he was born in a modest family, a family of priests (if I remember correctly), and he did not have enough means to realize the dream of being educated and being a babu. I read somewhere when as a child he was walking in the field, he saw a group of birds flying in the sky and he had a divine realization. There are many such interesting stories one can come across in the life of this child, later one of the greatest apostles of truth, honesty and innocence.

After Ramakrishna’s death, when his wife Sarada Devi, in order to follow Hindu tradition, decided to wipe out the red vermillion on head, and taking out bungles, Ramakrishna suddenly appeared alive and said to her that I am not dead, I am alive; the Lord that is Rama, the Lord that is Krishna, in this body is Ramakrishna. Hence, no need to appear like a widow. The great soul, the image of simplicity, even his saintly frame, as I see in photographs and paintings, his discourse with his disciples, his gestures in the air showing three fingers, are something which are markers of the great mysticism which Ramakrishna embodied. And this mysticism is not something pure chimera or fantasy, but something that changed and moulded lives of millions, including the atheist Narendra, later became Swami Vivekananda. There is a story that whenever Ramakrishna touched coins, he felt pain and his fingers became crooked. His yet to be disciple Narendra doubted this, and put a coin under his bed, and the Saint pained and his fingers became crooked. These are some of the stories, which invoke curiosity towards further delving deep into the lives of these great men. The western philosopher Romain Rolland has written a beautiful book on Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna himself has told thousands of stories, with full of meanings, full of lessons for his followers, and even non-followers to learn and mould their lives.

The great saint was no preacher of fundamentalism or exclusivism. There is a beautiful story how this great saint practiced all religions. He practiced Christianity and Jesus came to him. He practiced Islam and realized God, and then he could realize and preached that God can be realized in every religion. It is not the religion but the individual’s faith in practicing the religion that is more important. He used o say – to realize God, one needs to have a child like simplicity. He, in this context, used to give the example of a baby cat or a baby monkey. In the case of baby monkey the mother cat bites and lifts the baby gently to shift it from one place to other. The baby is not afraid, and is fully dependent on her mother. Similarly, the seeker must have complete faith and surrender that whatever the mother, the God, will do, will do for the good. The baby monkey clutches the mother’s body so tightly that it goes with mother from branch to branch without falling on the ground. Similarly, the seeker must have that much unshakable faith and that persistence in God that she will go wherever He takes her. Ramakrishna used to say if you have absolute faith, even an iota of absolute faith; you can jump the Himalayas or swim across the seas. It may appear churlish to the cynic, but it is the fact which Ramakrishna realized, and also realized by his disciples and followers.

Here I remember the concept which Plato gave, that we know everything innately, but gradually we come to know that we know things. Ramakrishna was the messenger of God, who had realized God directly; hence for him the formal education, formal initiation was matter of no importance. It is said that while his guru Totapuri took 40 years to realize God, Ramakrishna realized it only in three days. He was the person beyond the images of the world, beyond the human calculation; he was in fact Jivan Mukta, to quote Shankara’s terminology. He was in this world, but beyond this world. When I visited the temple he was the main priest in later part of 19th century, and when I saw his room, he was staying; it was the experience that made me realize that we have the world where such people came and went, but they left an indelible print, a rich heritage for future generation to follow and cultivate. Perhaps, on his birth anniversary, it will be the greatest tribute to Ramakrishna, to believe in honesty, truth and virtues, and then try to implement those values in our lives.

Dialogue with God

2011-11-08T01:21:00.000-08:00

I want to write on something called ‘Dialogue with God.’ Is it possible to have a dialogue with God? I think it is possible. We can have conversation with God, as we have dialogues with our friends, fellow human beings, our surroundings, as well as our inner selves. The most important thing that we need in this context is that we need to have faith, a firm faith, that there is God, and He is close to us, and we can have conversations with him. In this context, I remember the famous Saint of Kolkata (then Calcutta), Sir Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, whose 175th birth anniversary is celebrated this year. Ramakrishna was famous for his dialogue, his conversation with Goddess Kali. And when his yet to be disciple Narendranath Dutt, later famous as Swami Vivekananda, did not believe in the popular saying that the saint in Kali temple has seen and conversed with God, Ramakrishna made him realize God there. On another occasion when penury succumbed to the family of young Narendra, he went to Ramakrishna to seek wealth, and Ramakrishna sent him to Goddess Kali to ask whatever he wants.

My point here is that the once atheist Narendra became a strong believer in God, and a famous preacher of Hindu religion, starting from his famous Chicago address in 1893. Hence, the first requisite to have dialogue with God is to have the firm belief that there is God, who is all ears to us, kind and compassionate, and our friend , philosopher and guide. The second most important prerequisite is our sincerity that if I ask something God in earnest then he will reply. That seeking must be there. If I believe in God’s existence, but does not believe in God’s kindness, his eagerness to help us, his all attention to us, then there is no possibility that one can have dialogue with God. It needs the devotion and love of a Mirabai, or the kind of faith of Aranyaka or Upamnyu, that can lift one to the level, or to the sphere when one can have dialogue with God. And third most important prerequisite is that the seeker must not have any narrow mind, or narrow thinking that seeks God’s blessing for personal benefit. It is like asking for a penny, when the king is ready to offer his kingdom. Unless the seeker rises above petty thinking, above the circle of petty desire, and all its attachments, then it will be difficult to have dialogue with God. It will be like marching fast on the road towards the goal, but the feet are hanging on the air, which is an impossible proposition.

There is the famous case of Mahatma Gandhi, when he says that he received Adesh (order) from God to stop non-cooperation movement, or civil disobedience movement during the Indian freedom struggle. He used to say that he always listened to the inner voice, not to bland arguments of reason or logic. Similarly, the well known freedom fighter, and later yogi and philosopher, Sri Aurobindo, who left Kolkata for Chandan nagar (then a French colony) in 1910, he was saying that he suddenly left the place because there was the divine command, not any personal calculation was involved there. We have seen the results in both the cases.

Hence, there can be a dialogue with God. As there was a dialogue of Nachiketa with Yama, the God of death, similarly there can be a dialogue with God. Again this is not something which can be measured by means of reason and logic. When the Greek philosopher told the great Alexander not to come in front of sunlight to his request for bestowing everything, it is not something which can be explained very rationally. Similarly, when Socrates preferred to drink hemlock, perhaps it cannot be well defended on the basis of logic and reason. Hence, I believe, it is absolutely possible to have dialogue with God, as we have dialogues with ourselves, with our inner selves and surroundings.

No doubt, it will be a very beautiful phenomenon, experience to have dialogue with God. It is the dialogue between ignorant and omniscient, between weak and oppressed (not by lack of wealth, but by many other evils) and the omnipotent, and between the brittle beings and transient beings with omnipresent. That will be a wonderful experience, perhaps the most wonderful, even than the great wonders of the world. Even if we think that way, and guide our actions and words in that way, as if there is a God who is looking us and our action, who is more powerful than us, and always eager to protect us, then perhaps most of anxieties and sufferings that have grappled human beings will vanish. When the greedy will think that God is more wealthy, and it is not material wealth, but wealth of peace, wealth of happiness, that can give the true comfort to mind and body, then the greedy will not be greedy, but rather a servant of mankind as a servant of god, because he will rise himself above individualistic thinking, and guided by universal thinking. It is not foolishness or madness; rather it is the larger freedom, larger and wider than the freedoms offered by capitalism or socialism, which can make human beings wiser, healthier, and happier.

Some Reflections on Perfection

2011-11-04T04:27:00.000-07:00

What is perfection, what are its elements, is there something called perfection, which are perfect, and can the transient things and beings be perfect? And lastly, can human being be perfect? If we analyze Plato’s Idea then we come to know that the idea is perfect, which lives in idea, which is not visible to us, but which exists, and all other things and beings are imperfect imitation of idea. There are many examples to illustrate this theory. One famous is, not this horse or that horse is the ideal horse, not perfect horse, but the idea of horse is the perfect, which must be the subject of equine science. The same argument goes further. It is an abstract thought, perhaps not amenable to empirical analysis. Then the argument goes, not everything is subject to empirical analysis, even the idea of perfection as well. The idea lives in the sphere of ideas, but It is, and It exists. Then comes the idea of agnosticism, which says that we cannot say whether there is something called perfect or something called God or not, we do not know is the answer.

Veda’s theory, or also in a different way propounded by Spinoza and Hegel is that every determination is a negation, and the Vedic equivalent is ‘Neti Neti,’ not this, not this. When we talk about something, or when we elaborate something, then we leave so many other things as well. As the Jainas say in their theory of Anekantavada, that the Truth, the Perfect is many sided reality, and we human beings with our limited knowledge and perception see only one aspect, and take it as the whole. But that is not the truth. It is like in Shankara’s language to perceive in rope the snake in dark, but that is not the reality. But, then can we see something perfect, something called perfection? But, then, perhaps we will need not limited knowledge, but a knowledge, a perception which has 360 degree vision of the things and beings, or the kind of humility what Socrates says, ‘I know that I do not know.’

The ontological proof of God says that God is perfect, and it is self-evident, a priori like three angles of a triangle equals to 180 degree, and for which we do not need proof. The existence of God is a self-evident axiom, which does not need any proof. The idea of God emanates in our mind shows itself there must be something or somebody, which is called God, which is perfect, the best, the beautiful, the knowledgeable, the wise, and so on.

Coming back to this idea of perfection, which various theories about God attempt to prove that God is perfect, the question emerges can human beings attain perfection? We have seen spurt of genius around us and in history, that there are great scientists, philosophers, who have unraveled many mysteries of the universe. But how far they have attained perfection? Is it possible for human beings to attain perfection, or is it something called chimera, or something too idealistic and abstract, which is an impossible chase for the ordinary, brittle human beings, who take birth, grow old and then die, like any other animal?

I read somewhere the famous philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti wrote that mediation is where there is no meditator, implying that meditation is something so deep, and so immense and enthralling, that individual doing meditation loses the sense of self-identity or loses himself in universal identity. A person having this realization can vouch it, otherwise like A. J. Ayer call it non-sense, as it is not verifiable to logical analysis and empirical observation. But, when we study the lives of great people, we come to know that there are many things which are beyond empirical, or what Kant says transcendental, which are beyond the reach of both realist and empiricist paradigms.

I believe in the saying that all life is a movement towards higher goal. I read, ‘no human will can conquer against Divine’s will, let us put ourselves exclusively on the side of the Divine and the victory is ultimately certain.’ If we study it from its face value, it may appear as a call to sheer dogmatism and orthodoxy. But a deeper analysis completely changes its meaning. When it says Divine will, it is not the will of the narrow thinking of an individual, but an elevated thinking of an individual who identifies his will with the universal will. It moves the human animal to rise towards perfection, for that one needs a constant aspiration. This is not pure mysticism, or something pure tantric, or something old and outdated. This is amenable to practice. A person who has done meditation for 10 or 15 minutes with a composed mind and realized its power can obviously find the real sense of this argument and its kernel.

Sufisim vs Extremism

2011-11-03T01:08:00.000-07:00

One of the foremost challenges that multiethnic and pluralistic societies confront in 21st century is religious based extremism, which is resented by both state and non-state actors who believe in the values of peaceful coexistence of religions and other pluralistic values practiced by human society. Any orthodox interpretation of a religion at the cost of exclusion of saner values preached by other religions often puts practitioners of different religions at loggerheads. The situation gets murkier when the orthodox side gets powerful and draws massive support of followers to the detriment of pluralistic ethos upheld by the other groups. Another variety of tussle comes to picture in this context when different strands of same religion preach different values with divergent propaganda; the clash within religion becomes obvious. And in this age of science and technology with rapid strides in communication technology, when concepts like suicide terrorism or cyber terrorism are prominent, the clashes come to highlight in ever present media glare.

In its Maha Panchayat (meaning large congregation) on 16 October 2011 at the Indian town of Moradabad, not far from capital New Delhi, the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB) raised this conflict within religion to a new height. In a congregation of more than 100,000 followers, the General Secretary of AIUMB, Maulana Syed Mohd Ashraf Kachochavi raised the pitch against extremism to a new level as he called the followers to shun radical variety of Islam, as reflected in the preaching of Wahabism that fosters intolerance in contrast to eclectic preaching upheld by Sufism. Though both Wahabism and Sufism are varieties of Sunni Islam, the basic precepts of both the variants have often clashed. While Sufism entered India many hundred years ago, Wahabism is a comparatively recent entrant to India. While Sufism, a peaceful variety of Islam, has deep entrenchment in Indian soil with having great Sufi Saints like Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi, the later Wahabi version of Islam have threatened the peaceful accommodation and moderation of Sufism. The core of Sufi teaching is love and devotion to God. Under its roof are allowed all kinds of people irrespective of birth or creed. There are even Sufi saints with having both Muslim and Hindu names, the famous being the Kashmiri Sufi saint Nurudddin (called Nund Rishi by Hindus). Sufism played a great role in the building of Indian society and in fostering brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims. In the spirit of Sufism Maulana Kachochavi urged the huge congregation, “the time has come for us to come out and claim our rights. Let us take a pledge that we will never support Wahabi extremism — not today, not tomorrow.” He further urged, “let us take a pledge that we will work for the unity and integrity of our motherland.” This message may appear too disturbing to detractors of peace and advocates of Wahabism, and also to separatists who are interested to divide nation-states on the basis of religion.

However, the issue of terrorism and the apparent castigation of Muslims as terrorists have led well meaning and broad minded Islamic scholars to further interrogate the issue and search rationale behind this absolutist and unjust criticism. It is but foolish to term all Muslims as terrorists, but at the same time the radicalization of Muslim youth at some places has become a matter of concern for policy makers as well as common people worldwide. Perhaps this new trend of radicalization has created a kind of soul searching, and led to contestation between moderate and extreme varieties of Islam. The congregation that drew hundreds of thousands of young people including the youth at Moradabad is no mean achievement in showing resilience of Muslims in India and their abhorrence to violence and intolerance. Maulana Kachochavi told his followers, “when an extremist turns up at your door seeking your support, when anyone tries to recruit you into terrorism, hand him over to the nearest police station.” The AIUMB represents about 80 percent almost India’s Sunni Muslims, which constitute the majority faction of Indian Muslims. Other sects of Islam in India such as Shia, Ismaili and Ahmadiyya constitute the minority at about 30 million from total of 150 million Muslims of India. The Maulana also rightly lamented the vote bank politics of political parties, which is driven to win elections at the cost of secularism. He alleged that political parties do not shy away to play dangerous politics of religion to win votes of minorities including Muslims.

The point here is to highlight the urgency to fight extremism at its root. A radicalized young man may be less dangerous in comparison to a radicalized Maulvi or religious preacher. The young man at most can kill few people, while the leader can divert hundreds of innocent minds towards radicalism and violence. These radical leaders must be targeted and brought to justice. Maulana Kachochavi minced no words while highlighting the pathetic situations of many of Indian madrasas, run by extremist Muslim organizations with support of funding from foreign sources. He argued, “right now the madrasas are under the control of Wahabi-inspired organizations,” which are “radicalising and poisoning the minds of innocent Muslim boys.” These extremist organizations turn these education institutions and other religious bodies like the Dargahs, Sufi Shrines, Waqf Boards into centres of radical propaganda. The Maulana cautioned that his followers will not allow these radical elements ‘to grab the Indian soil by terror and violence.’ He appealed to the government of India to mobilize efforts towards establishing a Central Madrasa Board to regulate the activities of madrasas and to audit the sources of their funding. He also pointed out how the radical organizations are well entrenched into political system, and play their religious card to woo political parties towards furthering their narrow sectarian agenda.

The President of AIUMB Maulana Mahmood Ashraf echoed the sentiment of moderation and tolerance when he emphasized that one of the deterrents to Wahabi extremsim is Sufi tradition of Islam. He argued that the extremist version of Islam has dented the secular fabric of India. Hence, the idea must be to confront radical ideas before confronting the radicals. Unless the radical ideas are contained, it is difficult to contain extremism and terrorism. It is a complicated task but necessary. The Moradabad congregation in India brings this stark reality to forefront with all urgency. The leaders like Maulana Kachochavi and Maulana Ashraf and the organizations like AIUMB must be supported by the public authorities as well as civil society groups not only in India, but worldwide because the menace of extremism and terrorism is not confined to India or South Asia but to other multi-ethnic and pluralistic societies in the world.

(This article under my name was earlier published in TMS Weekly Digest)

Anna Aroused India from Slumber

2011-08-29T03:13:00.000-07:00

I was planning to write something about Anna Hazare for the last few days, particularly after his fast in Delhi in mid August that gathered thousands of Indians on streets against rampant corruption. The mass media were so overwhelmed about this movement and so profuse in pouring out information, it was difficult to grapple with all the developments. Without going into details of debates about Anna’s persona, I will focus how his determination to make India corruption free impacted Indian people and strengthened their optimism that India can one day be corruption free. I heard earlier about Anna Hazare, who belonged to Indian state of Maharashtra. Any internet search will generate thousands of items in his name; hence I will not go into details about biography of this great Gandhian of 74 year old. Anna is a crusader against corruption since decades, and his honesty, simplicity, and his lean figure, and cool and innocent demeanor often bring before me the image of Vinoba Bhave, or Baba Amte, or Mahatma Gandhi.

Some people compare and contrast Anna with Gandhi. His detractors criticize Anna that he is masquerading Gandhi. His admirers compare him with Gandhi and call him Gandhi in independent India or Gandhi of modern India. I am not entering into polemics and that is not my purpose here. To me, it seems absurd, and also unnecessary. Anna himself says, as I listened to him in TV, that he has no intention to don the robe of Gandhi but to be his true disciple. He will be very happy to sit at the feet of Gandhi and learn from him and implement his principles of truth and non-violence in his life and in society.

I think it is the cause which is greater now, than the person. Gandhi himself was a great crusader against corruption, and he believed that the rich, molded by the principles of simple living and high thinking, should donate their wealth for greater cause and behave as trustees, not owner or possessor, of their wealth. Anna believes in Gandhi and his principles. It is analysts and intellectuals, some of them so-called, who debate about Anna. They measure his credentials according to their perspectives and make Anna a Mahatma (great soul) or a devil.

The important point here is the cause for which Anna is fighting. It is perhaps true he is the only leader who could galvanize the teeming millions of India to raise their voices against corruption and against government apathy to check the menace. It is a wonder in itself. Any casual observer can observe how millions thronged streets of India and pledged themselves to fight along with Anna against corruption. Anna is not a big politician of a particular political party nor is he a celebrity like a sports star nor a film star, nor is he a magician. But the mass following he could generate within a span of 2/3 months, is no mean achievement for the good of India.

Let me focus a little on corruption. Corruption is gangrene in Indian society, eating into the very vitals of modern India which the great Indians like Gandhi wanted to establish. Any common Indian will affirm that he/she faces corruption in every step of public dealing. Going to public office to make a license, to get a ration card, to be eligible for something deserving, all can be done by means of corruption without going through the process of red tape or official harassment. Rajiv Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India, had said some 30 years ago that one rupee (Indian national currency) sent by government of India is reduced to 20 paisa (1/5th of rupee) when it reaches the intended target at grassroots level. The recent corruption cases at upper levels such as Commonwealth Games scam, Telecom scam, etc. have further raised apprehension in common Indian mind. Anna caught the public imagination in right time. And his fight is not his personal fight. It is a selfless fight, which is meant for all Indians. Hence, it is not important whether we call him Anna (itself a word of respect) or Mahatma (great soul), but his work, his determination, his fast in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan brings forth the realization we have still persons built in the image of Gandhi, who can play the role of great catalyst to bring social transformation in India. In that sense, Anna Hazare is an embodiment of India’s anger, frustration, and desperation but in a saintly frame towards achieving a corrupt free society to which the political class seems to be apathetic.

The heated debates in the parliament in the last days of August 2011 could have begun few days, months or years back. Anna demands a kind of Ombudsman which can check corruption at high and low levels. In fact this system of Ombudsman (which we call Lokpal) was already introduced in Indian Parliament several times since 1968, but it was not passed. Who is to blame? I blame the apathy of the political class, the lack of coordination between divergent political parties, and also the lack of political vision and statesmanship. Perhaps, all these point towards India as a nation state is not yet mature, vibrant and fair. Leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Ambedkar and other builders of modern India could have lamented the present state of India.

Anna rises above all petty debates. He aroused the spirit of India from slumber. Indians irrespective of differences and diversities must support him and his vision.

Mumbai's Woes and their Implications

2011-07-27T00:38:00.000-07:00

Mumbai is India’s most prosperous as well as most cosmopolitan city. The city’s local trains everyday carry about 7 million diverse people, and to this gigantic fare are everyday added 1200 families who reach city from different corners of India in search of better life. Mumbai, also India’s tinsel town, is not only known for its exquisite places and lifestyles, wealth and poverty but also as a constant target of terrorist attacks since the menace raised its ugly head in the Indian subcontinent. In the past decade, it has been the target of terror attack at least five times in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011. In these attacks, it is the common people who bear the brunt as the targets are usually (perhaps to the sole exception of attacks on posh hotels in 2008) busy market places, local trains, train stations, hospitals, etc. While earlier this year huge fire wrecked havoc in one of Mumbai’s suburbs displaying in national and international media abysmal poverty as a mark of city’s paradox of wealth and poverty, the terror attacks make it clear that Mumbai remains a favourable target for terrorists as whatever happens in Mumbai instantly catches the eyes of the nation and the world, thus in a way fulfilling the aims of the terror designers and their organizations to highlight their presence and activities.

The bomb blasts at the three locations in south and central Mumbai on 13 July 2011 killed at least 21 people and injured about 131 people. The death toll may rise with passing hours, as there are people who are severely wounded in the attacks. The targeting of three locations named Zaveri Bazaar, Opera House and Dadar west in the rush hours were aimed at causing maximum damage to the people. The attacks also pricked the claims of authorities that after the Mumbai attack of 2008, Indian security and intelligence agencies have been successful enough to foil terrorist plans and attacks. India’s home minister recently observed that so far the year 2011 has been peaceful as there has been no terrorist attack. And within days of his statement, the bomb blasts took place. Though India invested heavily in anti-terror operations post-2008, it still appears not fully capable to counter the attacks. After 2008 India witnessed five terror attacks in various parts including New Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmadabad, Pune and Varanasi, Bangalore. Perhaps two factors explain the difficulties in these operations. First, the terrorists mostly target the busy market places or places which are mostly crowded like trains and that too during rush hours, hence making difficult security operations including surveillance of a particular area. In the case of Mumbai, it is one of the most crowded cities of India, with population at about 21million. Like any big city there are always bursts of activities in Mumbai (any commuter in a local train in the city particularly during rush hours can feel the hustling and bustling of the Mumbai life). Hence, it becomes difficult to always keep a tap on developments in a particular locality in this huge city. Hence, while people this time appreciated quick actions by the Mumbai police and authorities, the fact remains that Mumbai still remains vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

The question then emerges – how to tackle the terror menace in countries like India, or for that matter any other country which is a victim of terrorism? International criticisms have poured in as many countries condemned the attacks in clear terms. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov who was in a bilateral meeting with his US counterpart in Washington expressed strong disapproval of these ‘despicable’ acts which are aimed at creating an atmosphere of ‘fear and division.’ Countries like the US, China, Pakistan, Canada, Australia, etc. have expressed strong criticism of the incident. But, there seems something is lacking at international arena to make a coordinated effort and to devise mechanisms such as to share real time intelligence to fight the menace. Though there are some effective bilateral mechanisms between countries, there is apparent lack of a unified attempt in this context. The Af-Pak tangle is a clear cut example of this conundrum.

Amidst all these bad news, perhaps one positive thing is that India has not accused any particular country for this attack. The earlier habit in a section of Indian establishment was to point fingers at Pakistan for terrorist attacks in India. This restraint is perhaps a welcome sign for India-Pakistan rapprochement which was lagging behind since 2008. India’s Home Minister, P. Chidambaram clearly stated that there must not be any ‘pre-determined assumptions’ towards accusing any particular entity in this heinous act. Though he argued that India lives in a troubled neighbourhood, and countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan have become centres of terrorism, there is no apparent reason to accuse neighbours for this barbaric act. Though yet unconfirmed, there is an argument floating around that the detractors of Indo-Pak dialogue might have triggered the blasts to derail bilateral peace process. This month itself India is going to host two significant events. Pakistan’s foreign minister and the US Secretary of State are visiting India to deliberate on diverse issues of importance. In this backdrop, the bomb blasts will likely push the leaders to think in more pragmatic terms how to tackle the menace. While India accuses Pakistan to use terrorism as an official instrument against India, Pakistan has accused India for not resolving contentious issues including Kashmir.

Is there a large picture attached to these blasts in Mumbai? An analysis of the recent developments in the wider region of South Asia provides some indications in this direction. The recent standoff between Pakistan and the US, the killing of Ahmad Wali Karzai, the powerful half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the rising to power of Ayman al Zawahiri and some Indian Mujahideen’s links to Al Qaeda as the last year’s arrest of an Indian techie in Paris revealed, present a picture of terrorism in the region with wider implications for the world. Though Indian authorities at present suspect the role of Indian Mujahideen, a home grown fundamentalist and terrorist network (emerging out of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India), which is comparatively amateurish and less sophisticated in comparison to other terror groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba or Al Qaeda, a wider linkage in triggering these blasts cannot be ruled out.

Though the recent blasts were unable to dent the spirit of Mumbai and its people, or putting in a different way, though the attacks were unable to affect India’s policy options towards its neighbours or other aspects of its policy making, it certainly challenged India’s recently acquired expertise in counter terrorism operations. There is certainly a wider angle. The menace of terrorism is not bound to any particular nation or group of nations, it transcends national boundaries, and it holds devastating potentials for the human society.

(Earlier published in Stratetic Culture Foundation web journal)

Mani Bhavan in Mumbai

2011-05-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

I visited Mani Bhavan (name of Gandhi museum in Mumbai) recently. It is the place where the Mahatma (the great soul), our Mahatma, or rather the Mahatma of the world was staying, whenever in then Bombay, for about seventeen years – from 1917 to 1934. From Mani Bhavan, some of the historic movements including the Satygraha (literally meaning love for truth, it may also imply peaceful resistance) against the Rowlatt Act (a repressive British law) in 1919, non-cooperation movement 1921-1922, the Civil Disobedience movement 1932 were conceived.

It was indeed novel experience. This part of Bombay (now Mumbai), where Mani Bhavan is located, was the real Bombay as it was originally developed by the British. Hence, while walking one will definitely come across old buildings, bearing marks of old construction, old style, perhaps British, Victorian style. After getting down at Grant Road railway station, I crossed over to the west and walked on the newly constructed foot bridge and walked around some hundred meters to the left (there is a short route which I discovered later, when I visited later) and then getting down near August Kranti Maidan (revolution garden), famous as from here Mahatma Gandhi had in August 1942 given the call for ‘Quit India’ against the British. I strolled in the garden for about few minutes, and saw the memorial constructed in 1970 in one corner of the garden. It was the garden which witnessed some 70 years ago, one of the most powerful movements in the world, finally convincing the British to give up the Indian empire. I could visualize, though in my own way, how the Mahatma might have stood in the centre of the garden and calling the Indians to throw the mighty yoke of colonialism and imperialism, though in a particular Gandhian way. Gandhi from here gave that final call ‘Do or Die.’

Mani Bhavan is something, I recommend, which everyone across divides should visit at least once. It is a kind of pilgrimage. It opens one’s eyes to the message of that great soul. I remember while reading the copy of his letter dated 23 July 1939 to Adolph Hitler in the first floor of the museum in a plea to stop the war during the second world war, Gandhi was in his usual self, polite, humble and even his language showed no antipathy or dislike of Hitler. He wrote the letter very carefully, and with a powerful peaceful mind, and pleading to the dictator to stop the violence. One must read the letter not to read the style of Gandhi, but even how the powerful message can be conveyed in simple ways. I am reproducing the letter here:

“Dear Friend,
Friends have been urging me to write to you for the sake of humanity. But I have resisted their request, because of the feeling that any letter from me would be an impertinence. Something tells me that I must not calculate and that I must make my appeal for whatever it my worth.
It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world who can prevent a war which may reduce humanity to the savage state. Must you pay that price for an object however worthy it may appear to you to be? Will you listen to the appeal of one who has deliberately shunned the method of war not without considerable success? Any way I anticipate your forgiveness, if I have erred in writing to you.”

Below that letter, there was copy of another letter of Gandhi dated 1 July 1942 to then US president Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is a big letter in comparison to letter to Hitler. Gandhi expressed his appreciation of some of the values of the West, recounted how he was influenced by the ideas of Thoreau and Ruskin, and how he was educated in London, etc. However, he did not fully support the policies of the Allies during the second world war. In a way, he appealed Roosevelt to use his power on the British to withdraw from India. To quote him, “I venture to think that the Allied declaration that the Allies are fighting to make the world safe for freedom of the individual and for democracy sounds hollow, so long as India and, for that matter, Africa are exploited by Great Britain, and America has the Negro problem in her home. But in order to avoid all complications, in my proposal I have confined myself only to India. If India becomes free, the rest must follow, if it does not happen simultaneously.”

Gandhi’s message is crystal clear throughout the photographs and paintings and other items in the museum. At one place, he says that ‘if I die from the bullet of a mad man, then I will rather smile with name of God on my lips.’ Such courage, I think, few human beings can display, or shelter in heart. Indeed he followed his words. When killed by a fanatic on 30 January 1948, Gandhi joined his palms as in prayer and uttered the name of God! And he says cowardice is a crime! I read the message of Albert Einstein on Gandhi, and he rightly says, hardly future generation will believe that such a man of flesh and blood ever walked on earth!
Below is reproduced the message (undated) of Einstein:

“A leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority; a politician whose success rests not upon craft or mastery of technical devices, but simply on the convincing power of his personality; a victorious fighter who has always scorned the use of force; a man of wisdom and humility, armed with resolve and inflexible consistency, who has devoted all his strength to the uplifting of his people and the betterment of their lot; a man who has confronted the brutality of Europe with the dignity of the simple human being, and thus at all times risen superior.
Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

The photographs portrayed various aspects of life of Gandhi. I saw medals he was awarded for his services in Africa, particularly during the Boer war, 1899-1900, and the Service Medal, 1906. The paintings displaying his humiliation as he was thrown out from his first class rail car in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa (well portrayed in Shyam Benegal’s film Making of the Mahatma), his fight there against the discrimination, his Tolstoy farm (including his letter exchanges with Leo Tolstoy), are well preserved in that museum. His role in Indian freedom struggle, his arrest from the terrace-tent of Mani Bhavan, his visit to communal violence affected areas in Bengal, Bihar, are well depicted in the museum. I was moved by that particular painting, belonging to both Hindu and Muslim fanatics in Bengal, surrendering their arms before Mahatma Gandhi as he was on fast unto death to stop communal violence. Such was his personality! His power was his simplicity, honesty and conviction.

Similarly his Dandi March in 1930 to break discriminatory salt law was equally heart thrilling. Gandhi, then 61 years old, along with some of his followers walked about 261 miles from Sabaramati Ashram in Ahmadabad to Dandi in the west coast of India to break discriminatory salt law. Another picture, in which another great stalwart of Indian freedom struggle, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, also called Frontier Gandhi, was sitting on the bed side of Gandhi before departing for his home place in Pakistan after the partition of the British India. About Nehru, Gandhi is full of praise and says when he dies, Jawaharlal will speak his voice. Perhaps that conviction and that trust in Nehru, led Gandhi to choose him to be independent India’s first prime minister. And, I believe, Nehru lived up to Gandhi’s trust on him.

At one place, I saw copies of front pages of various news papers such as Young India, Indian Opinion, Harijan, Harijan Sewak, which Gandhi during the Indian freedom struggle. Gandhi took over Navjivan weekly and Young India in Gujarati and English respectively in this building in 1919. We all know how Gandhi’s heart was always concerned for the upliftment of Harijans (a name meaning people of God, which Gandhi used to call lower caste people or Dalits). One can imagine from the life of Gandhi how much he was active. It is written somewhere in the museum that while writing whenever his right hand was tired, Gandhi used to write in his left hand without taking rest. In the thick of action, as he was actively involved in the freedom struggle, he could manage to read and write volumes after volumes.

In the museum I saw the painting of Srimad Rajchandra (1867-1901), an ascetic who influenced Gandhi so deeply. Gandhi wrote in 1930 about this ascetic who died at a young age of 34, “Srimad Rajchandra captivated my heart in religious matters as no other man has till now. In moulding my inner life Tolstoy and Ruskin vied with Kavi (poet) Rajchandra. But Kavi’s influence was undoubtedly deeper.”

I could see postal stamps from almost every country of the world to mark the birthday centenary of Gandhi in 1969-1970. There are also posters, pamphlets, some quoting Gandhi, to mark the occasion. Some of those quotations are very powerful and much relevant today. They are perhaps powerful antidotes to communal violence and parochialism that have wrecked havoc in India in recent years. Gandhi in these messages exhorts countrymen to think from a wider Indian identity and perspective rather than as a Hindu or Muslim, or Marathi or Gujarati, or any such other narrow divisions.

Gandhi’s love for his wife and parents is well depicted in the paintings and pictures in the museum. At one place, after the death of his wife and great companion for 62 years Kasturba Gandhi (whom Gandhi called Ba), Gandhi said ‘it is difficult to imagine life without Ba.’ In a painting, the head of deceased Kasturba was lying in rest on the lap of Gandhi. Before going to London for study, Gandhi took an oath before his mother. His mother allowed him to go but on the condition that ‘he will not touch wine, woman and meat.’ And Gandhi kept the promise. In this, he was in the image of his mother, whom he describes as a woman who keeps all the promises, even the toughest. At some place he says during his service to his father for about five years when he was ill, Gandhi used to discuss many issues with him. There is a painting in which the teenage Gandhi kneels down before his father asking forgiveness for theft, which his father accepted, in fact appreciated the confession of his son.

There are many other interesting things as well in the museum. Gandhi’s meeting with famous personalities like Romain Rolland, Charlie Chaplin, Rabindranath Tagore, his stay with working class people of London for about eight weeks are well depicted in the paintings and pictures in the museum. In one of the photographs it is shown that Rolland was playing Beethoven’s symphony at the request of Gandhi in Geneva.

Some very interesting things I also found in the galleries. In the first floor, one can see a copy of Gandhi’s passport to visit to London in 1931 to attend Round Table Conference. In the passport his citizenship was written as ‘British protected subject’ (perhaps that was the status of all Indians then), his height five feet four inches, his occupation as ‘farmer (bar-at-law) non practicing.’ There are many such interesting things one can find in Mani Bhavan. In one picture Gandhi was sitting like a stone as one of the renowned sculptors Joe Davidson was drawing his painting in 1931. There are in the museum replicas such as bowels, utensils, knives, etc. which Gandhi was using while staying in jail.

In Gandhi’s living room on the second floor, one can see from the glass the original Charkha (the spinning wheel, Gandhi’s symbol of self-dependence) he was using, his bed on the floor, his Kadam (wooden slipper), his book stand, and many other things. I imagined Gandhi while viewing that room. The room is still there, the great soul has departed, but his ideas still reverberate in the world. We all know how great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela and many others were influenced by him. I remember reading somewhere how one of the great peace activists of our time Johan Galtung started crying at the news of the departure of the great soul.

The US President, Barack Obama during his visit to Mumbai last year in November paid tribute to Gandhi in Mani Bhavan. In the museum is adorned a stone (stone of hope, from Martin Luther King Jr. memorial) presented by Barack and Michelle Obama to the museum.

It was a great experience indeed! I wish every person believing in peace must visit the museum and feel Gandhi and learn to follow his messages. Hope, people with radical ideas come to the museum and learn from the ideas of the great soul. If this happens, which I pray, we will not have wars and violence. Gandhi, the visit to museum made me further convinced, is much more relevant in today’s world in which we are witnessing violence almost on daily basis in almost in every place. Which peace loving citizen will not agree with Gandhi when he says in peace lies the salvation of the mankind, not in violence!

Basant Panchami

2011-02-10T04:19:00.000-08:00

The 8th of February 2011 we celebrated Basant Pachami. All the reminiscences of childhood emerged in my mind. In schools and colleges (more in schools), it is a big festival, and the people, particularly children, enjoy it to the fullest. They enjoy the festival, its colours, sweets, and all that is attached with the festival. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on this occasion of Basant Pachami. Basant in Sanskrit means spring season, and Pachami means the fifth day after the onset of spring. Saraswati is the Hindu Goddess of learning and wisdom, somewhat similar to Lord Ganesh in terms of attributes. Sri Aurobindo in his monograph The Mother has described four aspects of the Divine Mother: Maheswari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. Though the youngest among the aspects this aspect of the Divine Mother is equally important for the seeker of true knowledge and liberation. If I remember correctly, besides being the Goddess of learning, Saraswati is also the Goddess of perfection in works.

Coming back to the school days, it was really something to be remembered and worth counted. Till the end of secondary school education, the festival is very well celebrated. The school going boys and girls become very happy due to varied reasons. On this auspicious day, also a kind of holiday, the school is full of religious fervour and gaiety. The school gates are coloured. Beautifully designed papers adorn the school gates and roofs, and with threads connected to each other, and also with flowers including lotus and lilly and other local flowers are used to decorate the place of worship and also the whole school building. The school is not closed as such, but there are no lessons that day. Hence, the children are free from the burdens of classes, and also at times from the caning from the teachers (in fact in schools, particularly in rural areas, besides caning, teachers adopt various treacherous means to punish errant students, for example by kneeling them down outside classroom in scorching heat, and that too with piercing stones under knees sometimes, and many such other methods). It is also the day of celebration, no home works. For the children, including myself twenty five or thirty years ago, it is the day which they really wait for.

The children get new clothes, like in other festive seasons, from their parents and relatives. In fact this is one among other festivals, when children push or cajole their parents (particularly father, who is the usual bread earner, or may be through mother) to have new clothes. Usually all students get new clothes that day. Not only that, that day usually, variety of sweets is prepared at home to celebrate the occasion. I remember in my childhood, particularly in the evening, we enjoyed village drama, or watching movies in video in groups, or enjoying a music fest in open theatres. Hence it is the day of festivity, as it continues for three or four days, as the idol of the Goddess then is taken on an auspicious time to a water body, pond or river or lake to submerge in water. All these three or four days boys and girls enjoy immensely.

Coming to the religious significance of the festival, it is equally important for the Hindus. As the Goddess represents knowledge and wisdom, she is also called Bagdevi (or Goddess of Words, symbolizing knowledge and wisdom). If one looks at the idol of the Goddess, installed in a hall of the school, and in a classroom used that day as a room for worshipping the Goddess, one can find a book (made in clay, again a symbol) in one hand of the Goddess. The Goddess has the vehicle in the figure of a swan, and she is surrounded by other Gods and Goddesses in a very beautiful fashion. In the morning all the students after taking bath gather in the hall. A priest comes there to offer the prayers, or convey the prayers of the students or both. He starts chanting Sanskrit hymns as prayers to the Goddess. Students and teachers gather in the hall. Students place one or two of their books on the podium in front of the Goddess, as a gesture so that the Goddess will bless all of them and bestow more knowledge and wisdom on them. The priest continues chanting hymns. After about an hour when it is finished, the students break coconuts as an offering to the Goddess. And then all offer flowers (usually thrice) along with the priest to the Goddess, while chanting prayers in chorus. This offering of flowers is called Pushpanjali (literally meaning offering of flowers). This is something really amazing, heart filling as if the collective consciousness rises higher for good of all. After that the prayer ends, and all the participants receive prasad (the sweet and fruit offerings to the Goddess).

Someone may say it is pure ritualism and nothing else. But there is also another way to look at the event. It is a kind of prayer to the Goddess, it at all symbolic, to aspire for more knowledge and wisdom. The atmosphere is surely happy and cordial and enchanting, and pure and without any dogmatism. I know how one of the great Indian freedom fighter Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya founded one the biggest universities of India, Banaras Hindu University on this day in 1925. Perhaps his decision in choosing this day might be motivated by his thinking that this day is auspicious and will be suitable to found the university, a centre of knowledge and wisdom. One may argue that if this social gathering brings peace and happiness to the community, and somehow motivate boys and girls to work and study hard, there is no harm. If such a festival descends into obscurantism or jingoism, then it is a matter of serious concern. In Durkheimian language, if this social fact inspires the community for good, then perhaps there is nothing bad in it.

Year Anew 2011

2010-12-31T00:05:00.000-08:00

We welcome a new year. The year 2011, like the year 2010, will come to us, and will have 12 months with same names. It is true that the events will not be same as in the year 2010, but it is true that the events in 2011 will have their links, antecedents or causes or something there will be with the events in 2010. I do not say that the events in 2011 will be all related to the events of 2010, and there will not be new developments or ‘virgin’ moments, but there will also be developments which will be linked to the year 2011, then to 2012, and so on.

In fact the developments in their multiple dimensions take place in every plane of human life both collective and individual. In collective human lives – in the form of family, or villages, or clans, or nations or such larger agglomerations the developments will take place. And these developments as the developments in the relations among the common human entities will be either for good or for bad. It is certain that relations will not be static. In fact the relations, and particularly the human relations abhor any kind of statist tendencies, and so also among the relations between the nation states, or intra-state, or among regional organisations.

On a different scale the Idea will move further towards East, or as in the Hegelian dictum, the march of God on earth will move from west to east. But this movement is so perplexing, it is very difficult to confront it in very physical shape, and it will take many more years – that the West and East will be equals in all senses. When I say equals, I do not mean physical or quantitative equality, the nations are different, the cultures are different, and they will remain different. But it should be, rather it must be a relation in harmony, relation of harmony, not a relation of subordination and superimposition or subservience, or something like that.

Something similar will be happening or is rather happening in the individual plane. In this age of technology, when everybody can claim to the domain of knowledge and known, and in this era of connectivity and globalisation, the individual is at once a decider of destiny and a slave of his fate. The individual with superior knowledge and idea can also be a master of his fate. It all depends, or will depend, the kind of consciousness, knowledge and wisdom he or she has. Every individual obviously will react differently to different situations. Similarly the consciousness of the individual will determine his or her actions. A fundamentalist terrorist brainwashed by dogmas of a religion cares for nothing because he or she has no consciousness or has imposed consciousness which guides him or her for devious goals. Obviously it is a complicated question that why a terrorist becomes a terrorist? Or rather who is a terrorist – individual or any group who kills the innocent by means of gun or who swindles billions and makes millions deprived and dead?

The victims suffer many ways. They suffer everywhere, at every turn, without any recourse. Putting in a different way, the Kautilyan saying ‘big fish eats small fish,’ or might is right is the principle that guides most of the actions of the most of the people and most of the actions of national as well as international entities. But the common concern is that – when an individual in isolation is motivated to harm, it can be controlled, but when a man is motivated by opium of religion, or culture, or whatever having direct bearing with mass human life – that becomes dangerous.

Turning to a different principle, I remember what Sri Aurobindo says, that human life is bound to evolve towards better, if not today, then tomorrow, if not tomorrow then day after. The descent of superconscious and ascent of human being to higher conscious are inevitable, as the evolution of man from primate was inevitable. But one may ask, whether this is pure mysticism, or is there any truth? It is a matter not to be argued, not to be seen from a rational angle, because it is something what Kant says beyond the rational. It is not irrational, but suprarational. It does not negate rationality, but transcends it while according it its due place. It is something to be realised not rationalised. If it is so, then it is possible that human beings can aspire to have a higher consciousness, which can provide strength and wisdom to work harder and wiser so that the killing of the innocent and maiming of the humanity by unnecessary wastage of resources in arms, nuclear weapons, and devious agendas. This is an important and interesting question, which needs to be pondered in the eve of the New Year.

Simply put, can we be good human beings by moderating our lower passions and related actions motivated by greed, anger, hatred, lust, craving for power and many such, and think of the other in a wider framework what in Sanskrit called ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ the whole world is one family. If we can think and act that way as individuals and impact our families and neighbours, and the larger communities that will indeed be a great step towards a better society undoubtedly. Or can we pledge – we will not harm others in thought or deed. If controlling thought process is difficult, then at least in deed. By doing so, we can contribute positively towards a better society in 2011.

A Small Animal Trotting on the Globe

2010-12-09T01:09:00.000-08:00

While walking from my residence to the university department where I work, an idea suddenly crept into my mind. I was walking on the road and then the idea came. Perhaps the circumstances of that particular time induced me to think that way. That was the working hour in the university. I was walking on the road, so also many other people including students, staff and others with different vocations and aims. Seeing so many people, walking different ways, with different ambitions, and then some people walking on feet, some riding on bicycles or motor cycles, and some others on the four wheelers including cars and buses – and then the idea extended, and suddenly this sentence ‘a small animal trotting on the globe’ spurted in my mind.

Obviously when I say a small animal, I refer to myself, or like me others. Extending, it refers to all individual human beings. Man is an animal, or what the philosopher says, man is a social animal, as he lives in a society, is both empowered as well as restrained by the society. I will not deal here the aspects of society as it is beyond the current scope, I will deal with this animal, or rather the human animal that trots on the globe.

Referring to myself, I am also a human animal, and behave as normal as other human beings. While walking on the road, the footsteps go forward, one after another, and with the steps, also move the thinking mind, and also the aspiring heart, it is all a great combination, and this same process, with different ambitions and in different contexts and extents, goes on in all human beings. But look at the result! The result is oceanic. The small animal may not at sight have achieved wonders or have all the great or small things, but its steps, in all dimensions, could make the human life possible, also make possible almost everything in society, its arts and architecture, science and technology and also the living life in accordance with laws it made.

While thinking about this small animal, many other things came to mind. Human animal is obviously a small animal, average height of human being in India is five feet six inches, it may vary in other countries, but in comparison with, say, giraffe or elephant, human being is a small animal. But this small animal is a marvellous creator, because it is also an idea bearer and also creator of things based on his ideas. The man created the things by scrutinizing, by analysing or by measuring nature and this was possible because it was an idea creator, and also the implementer of ideas.

Hence, I was thinking, when the idea spreads, it spreads to zillions. In fact ideas are contagious like some diseases, or it may be faster. Like we say that there are about 600 (?) faces in the world with which we can identify more or less exactly the six billion people’s faces, similarly there are similar peoples in terms of thinking, and when one idea spurts in this small human being, it spreads to hundreds, thousands, or even millions similar thinking human beings. Mahatma Gandhi walked on the earth (whom Einstein called a miracle for future generations) and evoked the ideas of truth and non-violence, gave it the personal Midas touch, and spread it through the whole world. King caught this idea in America, and Mandela in Africa, and so on. So the ideas spread over time and space, and that can span beyond our conceivable imaginations.

This small global trotting animal in its present evolution, and in this age of globalisation and IT and wider thinking, indicates towards a human future in which there will be no more divisions but harmony and reconciliation.

Regional Economic Cooperation as a Key to Solve Afghanistan Problem

2010-09-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

‘Economics is the key to overcoming all problems,’ observed the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while articulating the main content of quadrilateral meet of Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan at the Russian Black Sea resort Sochi on 18 August 2010. Though the initial agenda was to focus on terrorism and drug trafficking issues, the summit widened the agenda and included issues of economic cooperation in the areas such as energy, infrastructure, etc. The summit further brought into focus the urgency of regional cooperation in the troubled country. It may be unjust to see the summit as a counter to policies and presence of US led NATO in the region; rather it may be seen as an attempt to widen the cooperative network in the region to bring peace and stability. It assumes significance as the earlier Soviet experience in Afghanistan can be used to fight the Taliban menace and to bring development to the region. Gone are the days of the cold war and ideological rivalry and in the post-cold war relations it is cooperation rather than competition that is the basis for management or resolution of contentious issues including the crisis in Afghanistan.

Russian leadership took the lead to foster the process of regional cooperation in tackling the problems in Afghanistan. This year so far reportedly Russia has trained 225 Afghan personnel to counter the menace of drug trafficking. The drug cartel and illegal business through Afghanistan and Central Asia and further beyond is a concern for Russia and the countries of the Central Eurasian region. Russia has also allowed its territory for transit of certain goods and equipments to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban menace. Somewhere it seems that the old sentiment of rivalry and competition in the style of great game makes the process of friendly cooperation among diverse stakeholders in Afghanistan difficult. But the fact remains without the involvement of powers like Russia and Central Asian countries it will be a difficult enterprise to bring peace and democracy in the region. Though the conferences on Afghanistan, particularly the London Conference of January 2010 and later the Kabul Conference emphasized on regional cooperation, there seems to a lot of divergence among the players towards giving the cooperative format a concrete shape.

Keeping in view the Soviet era cooperation, Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev emphasized on ‘giving additional impetus to the economic development and solve a whole number of urgent tasks, including in energy and social development.’ Some analysts argue that this is the attempt by Russia to regain its lost influence in the region and to assert its power in the trouble torn region. It may be farfetched to argue that Russian involvement in the Afghan peace process will jeopardise the prospects of peace and development in the region. It may be the other way round. Russia has accumulated a lot of Soviet era experience in terms of building energy and transportation infrastructure during its decade long presence in the country, which can be utilised for Afghanistan devastated due to ongoing conflict. Russia has good influence among the Central Asia countries, and along with these countries, it can work with NATO members for stability, and in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking. Any strategy to keep out powers like Russia and Central Asia from the Afghan solution format, as in the past years, will not likely produce enduring results. Despite NATO’s 1,41,000 troops in Afghanistan, it has become unable to control the Taliban menace. This year alone 437 foreign soldiers were killed by the Taliban forces. The likely departure of NATO troops from a fragile Afghanistan after a few years will definitely create a vacuum, inviting the Taliban forces to capture the space. Hence, in this complex situation, the role of powers like Russia and countries of Central Asia comes to picture as they can play a significant role in fostering stability in Afghanistan.

The joint declaration issued after the summit hold many promises for development in the region. Russia will play a role for the development of Salang tunnel linking northern and southern Afghanistan. It will likely play a partnership role in developing oil and gas projects in the north of Afghanistan, besides building fertilizer factory and a power station in Mazar-e-Sharif and a home-building factory in Kabul. It will also cooperate in building and development of railways in Afghanistan and Pakistan and supplying locomotives, and more importantly, to help both the countries meet energy deficiency through the project called CASA-1000. As per this project plan, energy from Central Asian countries like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will be supplied to Afghanistan and Pakistan. As per the initial plans Pakistan will be supplied 1000 mega watt of electricity and Afghanistan will be supplied 300 mega watt. The regional electricity project is backed by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank. Russia too has expressed interest to supply helicopters to Afghanistan. Russia will likely play a role in renovating and expanding the Pakistan Steel Mills built by the Soviet Union during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s period in Pakistan. Medvedev offered Russian support for the victims of the devastating flood in Pakistan, which has already displaced more than 20 million people.

From a broader perspective, the meeting of the leaders of the four countries is a step towards fostering regional cooperation to bring development and stability in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. In fact, the turmoil in Afghanistan is so deep and entrenched; it necessitates a format in which international, regional and national players can work together to confront myriad challenges in the region ranging from terrorism, drug trafficking, religious fundamentalism, poverty and underdevelopment, corruption, etc. It is comprehensible that the competing interests of nations might collide while confronting the Afghan issue, but as the past experience shows any unilateral or sectarian approach is not going to win in the difficult soil of Afghanistan. Hence, the Russian initiative to foster regional economic cooperation can be considered a step in right direction to bring stability and development in the region.

Then Pandits, Now Sikhs

2010-08-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

For the past few days media reports are abuzz with the Sikh community’s expression of fear in the Kashmir valley. Both print and electronic media provided news about how anonymous letters were thrown into the premises the Gurudwaras, the Sikh religious shrines, how the warning by some of the radical leaders in the valley have rattled the Sikh community about their future in the valley. The fear is understandable, and the fear that lest not the fate of Kashmiri Pandits befall on this minority community in the valley has come loud and clear. It is known well that in the early 1990s almost the whole Pandit community left the Kashmir valley citing the factors of, among others, fear and intimidation by religious fundamentalists and militants.

Kashmir is not only the paradise on earth but is also characterised as a cultural and religious melting pot, famously referred to as Kashmiriyat. Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs lived in the valley for centuries together. Hence, one can see the dress and food patterns of Kashmiri Muslims and Hindus as similar, while the same those of the valley Muslims and Jammu Muslims are different. The famous patron saint of the valley enjoyed Hindu-Nund Rishi as well as Muslim-Nuruddin names. This is called Kashmiriyat. It is true when almost whole of India was burning during partition due to Hindu-Muslim riots; it was the Kashmir valley which blazed as a site of communal harmony and peace. As far as I remember reading somewhere, Mahatma Gandhi mentioned this greatness of Kashmir on one occasion. Though overwhelmingly Muslim majority region, the valley has never witnessed communal violence till the late 1980s. The Kashmir rulers like Zainul Abidin played great role to foster the spirit of this syncretic culture of Kashmir called Kashmiriyat.

The erosion of Kashmiriyat came with the onrush of radical version of religion as the sole guiding principle of life in the valley. And it is not varied religions, but only one religion- the majority religion the Islam that must govern the life of the valley- that dented this principle of Kashmiriyat. It is true that not all Kashmiri Muslims are radicals, or even all Kashmiri leaders are radicals, it will be absolutely foolish to paint all Kashmiri Muslims in the Islamic radical brush, but it is also equally true that there are elements that play the religion card at the behest of other powers to destroy the Kashmiriyat spirit. It is appreciable when separatist leaders like Mirwaiz or Gilani promise that the Kashmiri protests have nothing to do with religion. But the fact remains and as the past Pandit episode reflects, there are elements that want to demolish the syncretic culture of the beautiful Kashmir valley.

The anonymous letters say to the effect that the Sikhs must take part in protests along with the Muslims even if that is against their will. There are also reports that the threats also include the warning that the Sikhs must leave the valley or convert into Islam. Expectedly there was huge uproar not only in the Sikh community world wide but also in other communities at such a brazen communal intimidation. The Akali Dal and many other Sikh religious organizations have appealed to the prime minister of India, also a Sikh, to protect the minorities in the valley. All the mainstream parties in India, and also the local parties of Kashmir, particularly the National Conference, have strongly raised voice against this threat. Mehboob Beg, the member of Indian Parliament from National Conference, struck the right chord in saying that it is a shame that this threat is coming and his party will do everything to protect the minorities and protect the spirit of Kashmiriyat.

Any protest against the government of India or government of Jammu and Kashmir or even the Indian rule might have some genuine grievances underlying them. That may be comprehensible. But one may ask why the violent protests are confined only to the Muslims of the valley, not to Hindus and Sikhs and others in the valley, and why this protest is confined only to a small part of whole Jammu and Kashmir but not to other parts such as Jammu or Ladakh, dominated by Hindus and Buddhist respectively. Does it imply the radical Muslims of the valley (obviously they are the minority within their own community, as the majority Muslims in the valley are peace loving) are better custodians of true interests of the whole Muslim community or even the whole Jammu and Kashmir with India. The protests and the hands behind these protests need to be scrutinized, and with this comes the larger issue whether the violence is purely political, or it has other dimensions.

Whatever may the reason behind the ongoing protests, the threats to minority Sikhs display a design underlying nexus between violence and religion in the Kashmir valley. The saner voices in Kashmir including the moderate leaders must rise to the occasion and check this erosion in the spirit of Kashmiriyat in strongest possible ways.

Wounded Kashmiri Youth

2010-08-23T00:12:00.000-07:00

I was reading Indian Express of 17 August 2010 and suddenly came across a photograph, which was really horrifying for me. This photograph was from the Kashmir valley, in which a teenage boy (must be between 15 and 17) with blood flowing from his face, and with blood marks on his clothes and hands, was running on the road. The caption below says the boy was beaten by the police (while taking part in the protest rally.) I felt really bad for the boy and the parents of the boy, and in fact for his whole family. I too felt bad for all those teenage boys and girls, who are beaten or killed by the police and security forces in the valley. This teenage youth, the fact remains, have come in large numbers to the streets disregard of the curfew in place.

From a legal point of view the police have right to enforce the curfew and maintain law and order. The curfew rule does not allow people to congregate at one place. And the violation of the rule is punished by lathicharge or by shelling of tear gas or by other means of enforcement. Hence, from a pure legalistic point of view, and which is the Indian government point of view, police have the duty to enforce the curfew and maintain law and order. But the Kashmir issue is more than a mere legal issue to maintain law and order in the valley. It is a kind of tapestry woven by layers of complex threads. It is, besides a legal issue, a political, and economic, as well as a social and cultural issue. Hence, mere lathicharge, or tear gas shelling, or even killing, will not solve the problem. It needs a more complex and nuanced approach to deal with the issue.

Coming back to the teenage youth. The youngsters are guided by sudden spurt of emotions and passions, fuelled by the elder men and women. I doubt whether all the youth, or even a minor percentage of the youth, do really know, understand or assess the true import of the objective for which they are coming to streets so violently. I really doubt. If I am told to see dreams for a better future that is a fine rallying point for me and many people who think alike. But in a wider sense the fact is that nobody exactly knows what future is or what future years hold before us? Like usual politicians who promise so many things during election time to renew the same in next round of elections, these youth are promised with grandiose objectives. The youth are certainly misguided. If there is disenchantment in terms of poverty, unemployment, maltreatment by some security men, or even alienation, I am sure these are not enough motivations for the youth in such a mass scale to indulge in organized violence. It is difficult to find a teenage boy, in stable Indian states like UP or Maharashtra or Karnataka to indulge in violence, supported by other youngsters, and cause damage to public property because he is poor or unemployed. Hence, there is the larger picture. These teenage youth are shown pompous dreams and prosperous life post-Azadi. It is portrayed before them that all the problems will vanish in a whimper if the Indian control goes away. That is the magic mantra to move the youth to action.

But the predicament is that nobody knows what exactly Azadi is, or what exactly it looks like, even in imagination. If Azadi merely means the end of Indian rule, then we know the situation in ‘Azad’ Kashmir, which is ‘liberated’ from the Indian ‘occupation.’ The youth of Kashmir can well ponder whether the ‘Azad’ Kashmiri people are better off in any standard than them. And if Azadi means the Islamic rule, then we all know the situation in Taliban controlled Afghanistan or in a micro scale in the Swat valley few months back. The youth of Kashmir need to ask this question to themselves. The fact is that there are many Muslims in India, more than in Kashmir, who enjoy and cherish the secular credentials, and the multicultural ethos. No Indian did appreciate the demolition of the Babri Masjid or the Gujarat carnage of 2002, and in the same breath the Kashmiris must realize the situation from a broader perspective. It is true that there are excesses by the security forces, and there are ostrich like attitudes by the Indian state in many cases, but the solution can be found to these without any resort to violence.

Let the Kashmiris speak in one voice, let the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh speak in one voice, develop civil society organizations, restore faith in the democratic process. Let all the parties in the region including Congress, PDP, BJP, National Conference, APHC, etc. come together to the dialogue table and find the ways for an amicable solution. There is every justification for the demand for the revocation of armed forces special powers act, but street violence will not likely provide the needed clue to take such a step. It is true that there are human rights violations in Kashmir and at times innocent people have become victims to atrocities, but violence will not likely bring peace to the region and restore the victims their dignity. It may be true that the protests, which must be non-violent, will sound enough caution for the forces in Kashmir against repeating atrocities. But at the end violence begets violence, not peace.

The citizens of Kashmir must rise to the occasion. The parents of these youth, who take the matter to streets at the behest of demagogues and prompters, must tell their children to go to school, and resume their education and other youthful activities like sports. I have seen many Kashmiri youth with extraordinary talent. These lovable youth must be encouraged to excel, rather than destroying them by getting brainwashed, by dream-feeding, and then mobilized to indulge in violence. The parents of the violent youth must realize this and play a lead role to rescue the future of their children.

Besides the parents, it is the governments both of the state and the Centre, grassroots organizations and the civil society that must play an active role in this direction. One of the tasks before them must be to meet the people and convince them of the futility of violence. Not guns, but love, peace and harmony- there lies the key to solution of the Kashmir problem.

The Independence Day

2010-08-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

Today is 15th August 2010, the 64th Independence Day of India. It is also the day on which one of India’s great freedom fighters and spiritual leaders Sri Aurobindo was born 138 years ago.

In the afternoon I was watching some patriotic songs in television. All the songs were touching and enthralling, and very rich in meaning. I also listened to the famous song, sung by the melody queen Lata Mangeskar in person in TV, ‘ye mere watan ke logo, zara yaad karo kurbani… .’ Literally it means, O’ my nation’s people, remember the sacrifice made by the martyrs... It includes in its ambit so many meanings. Among them the main is: O’ sisters and brothers of the country remember the sacrifice made by the great martyrs, and also introspect: did they sacrifice their lives for the conduct we are now displaying in free India?

It will be a meaningless exercise if we remember the day just for the namesake, and that too once a year. It is absolutely meaningless, and I will prefer not to celebrate the day at all.

Some will ask – why should we at all remember the martyrs? What is the purpose? What is the purpose of remembering the events which took place at least 64 years back or more than that? It seems the question is right in view of the fact that we are remembering our martyrs once or twice or thrice every year, and shed tears of patriotism and make grandiose resolves, and then come back to our common mundane and selfish life throughout the year. Again if that is the purpose of remembering the martyrs – just to shed few tears and express bland emotions, just to sing the songs which inspired the martyrs, or to just watch movies on their biographies, then I will prefer not to remember them at all.

In this context, I will remember the five dreams which Sri Aurobindo envisaged on the day of independence, also his birthday. Sri Aurobindo in contrast to the demand of dominion status, made by the moderate Congress leaders, had demanded Poorna Swaraj (complete independence) and advocated the methods of Swadeshi, boycott and national education to achieve the objective. A patriot to the core, he was most jubilant at the independence and observed that the appearance of both the events – his birthday and Independence Day – on the same day is not mere coincidence but the greatest gift from God for him. The five dreams which he envisaged on that day are quite emphatic. To summarize: India is not free for herself alone, though which is a precondition, but it is more than that. India is free to rise as a power to contend with. It has to be rich and prosperous both in material and spiritual wealth. She must rise for the world. She must rise to spread the message of humanity and spiritualism in the world, when there will be no exploitation of one nation by the other, but it will be cooperation in harmony and peace. But he rightly argued India must be strong and vibrant at first before playing the world role.

This Sri Aurobindonian message is closely linked to his dictum – all life is yoga. This is the central message of Sri Aurobindo’s whole philosophy. We must practice our daily life, everyday thinking and action according to some higher principles, for our nobler self, for the nation, for the mankind. Hence, when I say, why I should remember the martyrs – then the answer is this. I must remember then the martyrs – Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Ramprasad Bismil, Khudiram Bose, and many others not merely because that they gave us freedom, but because they loved India, they worked for India, and they died for India. This thinking must penetrate our everyday life – not just as a ritual twice or thrice in the whole year.

That must be the message of this Independence Day.

Statist India-Pakistan Dialogue

2010-07-26T02:25:00.000-07:00

India-Pakistan dialogue at foreign ministers level in Islamabad can be justly called statist as it added nothing substantial to bilateral relations except meetings and press conferences bordering acrimony. Anyone who viewed the joint press conference of the ministers on 16 July 2010 could conclude nothing but precisely this: the post-Mumbai terror attack relations are surviving on a vague optimism that relations will get better in due course. Despite this optimism expressed opulently by the political leaders of both the countries, the fact remain unless some substance is added to the relations, South Asia will further plunge into another bout of crisis. In international politics diplomacy and dialogue are good things to salvage bad relations, but these can not sustain long in a vacuum.

Since February 2010 when direct official talks started between India and Pakistan after a gap of about one and a half year, hopes have gathered momentum among the civil society members who love peace and stability that something positive will come out gradually. While the constituent of peace is squeezed after the Mumbai attack, nonetheless this constituent has never dithered in advocating peace at whatever cost. India-Pakistan relations have to be guided by the principles of peace and co-existence, and no matter how furious and degenerating the extremist elements with extremist agenda, India and Pakistan with nuclear weapons can not but promote dialogue and deliberation to arrive at any amicable solution to the vexed issues including the issue of Kashmir. The hard line elements in both the countries are not interested in peace as they promote hatred and animosity, in which there interest is served at the cost of peace loving citizens of both the countries.

The meeting of prime ministers of both the countries in the Bhutanese capital Thimpu in April 2010 further increased the peace constituency and raised the hope that something positive will come out. Both the prime ministers emphasized on the initiatives to bridge ‘trust deficit’ between the two countries. Prime Minister Singh of India, known for his peace overtures to Pakistan despite criticism from sections at home, has promised to ‘walk extra mile’ to promote friendly relations with Pakistan. The radical elements do not like these overtures. They call the prime minister ‘evil’ and want to punish India by promoting terrorist violence for its positions on contentious issues. While the civil society of India and Pakistan want peace and stability, the extremist elements always want to see both the country at loggerheads. Whether it is Al Qaeda or Lashkar-e-Toiba or Jaish-e-Mohammad, they are pronounced opponents of India-Pakistan dialogue.

The point that needs emphasis that both the countries need to come out of rigid frameworks of policy making and think in broader terms. Two particular issues that drag the peace process in South Asia are the following. While India insists that Pakistan must punish the culprits of Mumbai attack, Pakistan demands that the issue of terrorism has to be dealt separately and India has to bring to table other contentious issues like Kashmir. In fact after the revelations of David Coleman Headley India’s demand for action from Pakistan has become further emboldened. The recent foreign ministers’ meeting discussed all the contentious issues including that of terrorism and Kashmir but without any conclusive outcome. Both the parties did not issue any joint statement and as the joint press conference showed, both the ministers disagree on a bitter note on various issues. On a question to Pakistan foreign minister about the hate speech of the Lashkar chief, Hafeez Saeed, the foreign minister delivered elusive statements with overtones implicating India for the similar activities.

Despite allegations and counter allegations, complains and counter complains, the overall agreement that could come out is that both the countries will meet again in near future. Pakistan foreign minister alleged that his Indian counterpart did not come fully prepared and that he will not be going to India for some picnic, referring to India’s unpreparedness. Indian foreign minister countered by saying that he was not in Pakistan for sightseeing and did not invite his Pak counterpart for any such activities but some serious engagements. The only succor was that the Pakistan leadership took the dialogue in a positive note and expressed hope that dialogue and deliberation is the only way forward. It remains to be seen how far this resolve will be supported by the army, which plays a decisive role in the decision making process in Pakistan. The Indian leadership too is optimistic that peace and dialogue is the only way forward to resolve the contentious issues.

The point that needs emphasis is: how far the dialogue will continue without any substantive outcome? Mere exercise in dialogue without breaking the trust deficit will lead nowhere but ensconce the radical spirit that all these exercises are niceties in vain and these are ploys to divert attention from core issues, and the only way to solve the issues is war and violence. Besides, the patience of the civil society in both the countries may wear thin in passing days, which may give rise to pessimism that nothing positive will happen in bilateral relations and the political leaders are at best can fix dates for dialogue, but without any substantial result. Such a development will be precarious as it will put the framework and the spirit behind the composite dialogue into jeopardy, and goad extremist elements into action.

On a wider front the India-Pakistan relations are more complex as these are not confined to the issues of terrorism or Kashmir, but also issue of strategic rivalry, sphere of influence in Afghanistan, and also the issue of control over natural resources like water. Both the foreign ministers attended the Kabul conference on 20 July 2010, but again the bilateral differences and more so the inherent distrust and acrimony pulled back the leaders towards achieving any concrete result, and thus weakening the constituent of peace and dialogue in South Asia.

Published in Transcend Media Service Weekly, July 26-August 1, 2010

India and Iran Warm up Ties Despite Strains

2010-05-26T03:44:00.000-07:00

The meeting of Indian Foreign Minister, S. M. Krishna with Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in Tehran on 18 May 2010 was lauded by both the sides as warm and cordial. President Ahmedinejad went to the extent of expressing Iran’s satisfaction at a rising India which can play a global role. Besides, on the issues of regional importance particularly the issue of Af-Pak, he was of the view that both the parties should be in contact in devising common means to tackle the problems. These developments may appear disconcerting to some powers but for the protagonists of good India-Iran relations these were something long overdue. In fact, the press of both the countries, on the occasion of the recent meeting, repeatedly pointed out the long civilizational ties and cultural relations between the two countries. The contested nuclear issue in the context of Iran which has recently led to divergence of approaches of both the countries affected the bilateral relations. However, it did not totally dry up the warmth the bilateral relations. More importantly the implications of the meeting were not confined to the bilateral relations rather they bear implications for the globe in many ways.

The meeting which took place on the occasion of the 14th G-15 meeting in Tehran in fact set the tone for an exalted agenda for the developing countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki argued, “After the end of the cold war era the regional groups spent a hag period of relative stagnation for some 15 years.” The Iranian news agency IRNA quoting him pointed out how certain world powers could hope to turn the world into unipolar, but which in fact did not happen. The same sentiment was echoed by Ahmedinejad during his meeting with Indian foreign minister. While lauding India’s economic strides and its emergence as a global player the Iranian president argued both the countries ‘should not neglect the present opportunities to replace the dying big powers.’ Ahmedinejad known for his acerbic style in pronouncements left no stones unturned in his criticism of the powers which wanted to change the global order to their advantage. Hence his exhortation to India and other powers to challenge the existing discriminatory world system must have echoed in other centres of power in the world. Iran has viewed the nuclear disarmament regime as discriminatory, and as a result engaged in a protracted opposition to it.

Second most important development in this meeting was the President’s emphasis that both the countries should be in contact with regard to development in the region of the Af-Pak, the region which has recently surfaced the most in international power configurations. Iran, having common border with Afghanistan, undoubtedly enjoys a clout in the region. Any format for peace hence must have to take into account the concerns of Iran. Similarly India too has raised its stakes in the country. It has already committed $1.2 billion for reconstruction of the war torn region. Hence, any coming together of these two countries along with other powers such as Russia and China makes sense in making the region peaceful and stable. More importantly, when the NATO forces are all set to leave the region, it has become crucial for the regional powers to develop a common agenda for stability in the region.

Another crucial development, rather commonality in approach that surfaced during the meeting of Indian minister with Iranian officials was on the issue of terrorism. Indian foreign minister during his meeting with the Speaker of Iranian Majlis, Ali Larjani on 16 May 2010 deliberated on the issue of terrorism emanating in the region of Af-Pak. Both the sides agreed that the net work of international terrorism has one of its key centres in the region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and for its control it needs a regional solution with cooperation from regional powers. It is a common knowledge that most of the international terror incidents have their genesis or links to this region.

The Indian officials might have self applauded at their successful talks with the Iranian leader and officials. In fact past few years have seen some strenuous marks in their relations with India supporting the US in international forums regarding Iran’s nuclear disarmament. Another issue that affected the relations is non-materialization of the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. India has expressed apprehensions about the success of the pipeline project and prospects of advantage to India due to its differences with Pakistan. These developments in fact widened the gap between these two countries despite the repeated exhortation on the part of the leadership of both the countries of age old relationship, cultural ties, common border of undivided India with Iran, etc. Due to the strains in the relationship the Indo-Iran Joint Forum has almost become ineffective.

The recent developments will likely mend much of the strains in the bilateral relations. As one of the steps in positive direction both the countries will likely hold the meeting of the joint forum soon in this year. Iran is a major energy supplier to India and bilateral trade of both the countries has already surpassed the $14 billion mark. Perhaps the mutual differences will be subdued by other emerging issues such as that of Af-Pak, terrorism, energy, etc. It can be mentioned here on the issue of Kashmir, Iran has taken a moderate approach suitable to India’s policy. It can be argued the emerging imperatives of the world order will likely goad both the powers to adopt common approach on various issues having implications for bilateral ties as well as other issues.

Holyland in Belfast

2010-04-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

At one side of the Queen’s University Belfast towards Lagan river there is an area called Holyland. When last month I went to see Asian Super Market for the first time, I had to cross through this Holyland. When I walk on the bank of the river Lagan from Central Railway station, I usually take a turn near the Asian Super Market (about 1km from there or may be more) towards the Queen’s University and come to my residence. While coming to my residence at Fitz William Street I cross this Holyland.

The name appeared to me quite interesting. How the planners of the streets cared to choose such names such Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem and Palestine Street, I could not comprehend. Perhaps the builders were and the architects associated with them were impressed by the culture of Arab lands or they might have acquainted or studied about the stories about Arab like the Lawrence of Arabia, who played a great role in stirring Arab unity. As I probed further I came to know that the street network was built in the 1890s by the city’s oldest firm of property consultants, Brown McConnell Clark. Sir Robert McConnell, who was part of one of the founding families of the firm had travelled Palestine and Egypt and impressed by the Arab culture. Hence, the streets were named after famous Arab places with having religious significance. In fact Sir Robert was himself a devout Christian.

Perhaps this is the only city in the world, which has at a particular location of a small area all these streets names. And the interesting thing is that in this holyland in Belfast the streets of Jerusalem and Palestine are just adjacent! The image of violent Israel-Palestine conflict, and also their contested claims on Jerusalem itself, suddenly conjured up my mind when I saw these streets and their names at first instance. Equally interesting is that the Holyland is found in Belfast which too has witnessed violent turmoil in its recent history. The city in fact the larger Northern Ireland, witnessed some of the violent phases called Troubles in its recent times. It is very difficult to call it whether a paradox or an amazing site of harmony.

The media reports say that this holyland has become a violent zone in recent years and the Queen’s University and Ulster University in 2005 initiated programmes called Students Awareness Programme to bring civility to this region. This area has recently witnessed change in its demographic composition as it has become host to outsiders particularly students from outside, also youth looking for jobs, etc. And these youth sometimes create disturbances causing trouble to other residents. The holyland has in fact recently earned an unholy name due to reports of burglary, car crime and violent assaults despite awareness campaigns and police patrols. While walking in the evening I too occasionally come across loud noise, broken bottles, etc.

The holyland is really an interesting phenomenon. When someone says ‘land’ it simply invokes in imagination a piece of territory, but when one adds prefix ‘holy’ it creates a lot of meaning, and which on occasions becomes a matter of contest, competition, and in many cases becomes a zone of conflict as in the case of Palestine and Israel. In fact the idea of holy in its seed contains the notion of unholy. And there is the eternal human tendency to show one’s own as holy, while by doing this it marks the other category as unholy. The issue of Jerusalem always figures prominently within the contesting claims of both Arab Muslims and the Jews. Hence, the name holyland, at occasions evokes the spirit of reverence and at times contestation.

In India I have not come across such holylands. But nowadays there are lots of debates going on in India, particularly in Indian media, about the so called holymen and their unholy acts. Some of the fake Sadhus by donning garb of holymen indulge in all kinds of activities which their ‘holiness’ otherwise debar. In another context, one can find contrasts in some of the religious sites in India. In New Delhi’s Qutab Minar area one can find Islamic sites with Hindu deities or symbols carved in their walls or pillars.

How far can the Multilateral Forums like BRIC Go?

2010-04-23T04:09:00.000-07:00

The third week of April 2010 just aftermath of the international nuclear summit witnessed vigorous activities by the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) members in the Brasilian Itamaraty Palace on 15 April 2010. The leaders as the earlier summit meeting at Russian city Yekaterinburg displayed enthusiasm to raise the multilateral platform to play a crucial in the international affairs by widening the international decision making process with the inclusion of members India and Brazil in the United Nation’s Security Council, by widening the ambit of Bretton Woods Structures with the provision of incorporating the increasing clout of these nations, and also equally importantly by expediting the steps towards an international convention on terrorism and mitigating the effects of climate change. And also importantly, perhaps for the first time, the countries insisted on a time frame to meet these issues.

Some of the international news agencies called the deliberations of the BRIC countries ‘baby steps,’ and they easily pointed out ‘huge differences in national goals and tensions in security and economic policy’ in these countries while pursuing common goals. Furthermore they pointed out that the fixing of time frame by these countries, which comprise about 20 per cent of world GDP with the some of the fastest growing economies within the grouping, is something unexpected as it amounted to tactics of ‘greater pressure.’ These observations might carry some weight, but the international climate has never been as complicated as it is now and undoubtedly these baby steps of the grouping can be starting points towards rapid strides in making world politics fair, multipolar and stable. As to the fixing of the time table, for instance for the remoulding the global financial bodies like World Bank and International Monetary Fund by providing greater say to these countries with more voting rights by the time of G-20 Summit in South Korea in November 2010, and to frame and develop an equitable climate change regime at the forthcoming Cancun Conference in November 2010 following United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali Roadmap, it might be discomforting for the statusquoist powers but if at all the world needs to accommodate the aspirations of rising powers, then the widening of the international political and economic framework emerges not only as an adjustment but also an imperative. To add, the BRIC leaders also emphasized the role of G-20 as a global economic body which can lay out the future course of actions which the global financial system will need to take. The joint statement of summit declared, “We advocate the need for the G-20 to be proactive and formulate a coherent strategy for the post-crisis (global financial crisis) period.” The grouping also signed a cooperation agreement among the development banks to jointly fund infrastructure works of the members.

Equally crucially for the first time since its inception as an important multilateral body in 2008, the grouping took the issue of Iran as a focal point for deliberation. It believed dialogue and diplomacy bear more value that the sanctions which the US leadership is keen to impose on Iran to bring it to pressure. The grouping will likely emphasize on the role of the international bodies like International Atomic Energy Agency to tackle the nuclear issue in Iran, rather than imposition of sanctions. This emphasis acquires crucial value as it emerged just aftermath of the nuclear summit in the US. As some of the news agencies report the imposition of sanctions will likely be on the government of Iran not on its people, it becomes difficult to comprehend how the imposition on the government will not affect the people. Rather on the contrary, some would suggest, the imposition will have direct bearing on the people and it is the influential people in the government who can face the sanctions without much problem. However, the BRIC countries emphasize that Iran must cooperate with international bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency, and all steps need to be taken by the methods of dialogue and diplomacy to prevent Iran to develop nuclear weapons. But at the same time the grouping considered it appropriate to build nuclear reactors for civilian purposes like clean energy.

Though the summit was shifted back by one day as the Chinese leader was to leave due to earthquake in Qinghai in China, and the summit had to be held just after another summit that day itself comprising IBSA nations (India, Brazil and South Africa), which also equally urged for a global order free from domination and discrimination, it is considered the BRIC summit was successful in many ways. Indian Prime Minister observed, “We aspire for rapid growth for ourselves and for an external environment that is conducive to our development goals. BRIC countries have an important role to play in shaping the pace, direction and sustainability of global economic growth.” In the context of imposition of sanctions, the Iran issue will likely figure in the forthcoming days in the United Nations’ Security Council. Brazil is currently a member of United Nations’ Security Council non-permanent member, which assumes significance as it opposes any imposition of sanctions on Iran. Two permanent veto wielding members Russia and China are also opposed to sanctions, and are in favour of dialogue and diplomacy. Interestingly, Lebanon, which is unlikely to support sanctions on Iran, will take the chairmanship of the Security Council in May. In this emerging scenario it will be quite significant and decisive as to how Iran issue is figured in the highest international decision making body, which particularly can not develop a single point of agenda on this issue.

BRIC, in spite of its weakness or differences among members, no doubt will play a significant role in international politics. The coming of the countries together is no mean achievement, and on various issues like Iran, United Nations, Bretton Woods structures, climate change, etc. the grouping has already been vociferous. The clout of BRIC as a significant multilateral body is bound to be reckoned with, However, the grouping will have to develop more coherent and consensual agenda for actions in coming days.

Kashmir and the Demilitarization Debate

2010-04-01T04:45:00.000-07:00

In the last week of March 2010 a new dimension hitherto unknown to demilitarization debate in Kashmir came to picture. One of the premier Indian TV channels, NDTV, showed in its news the popular protests in Khurhma village in northern Kashmir against the shifting of the camp of Rashtriya Rifles, a part of paramilitary force of India. The interesting thing is that all the protesting people were Muslims. This development adds a crucial dimension to the demilitarization debate in Kashmir as it makes enough dent in the separatist argument for the immediate withdrawal of Indian forces on the pretext that the people of region want it.

The video footage showed clearly how the people including old and young opposed the shifting of the camp. Hence, it is the people who want the forces to be in their areas. It is these people, who have suffered in the hands of the militants in the heydays of militancy, are scared that once the paramilitary forces withdrew the rule of militants will return back with all impunity. The 75 year old Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh while protesting against the shifting lamented how the militants killed two of his daughters in the 1990s, when Kashmir was passing through a very violent phase. Hence, when Ayaz Akbar, spokesperson for the Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led hard line faction of the Hurriyat Conference argues that Kashmiri are not ‘cowards’ (to quote his word) that they need security forces and this is all propaganda by security forces, it falls flat as the video footage clearly reflected the popular voices of the people, and not one or two persons, but a huge number of people. In fact, the statement by the spokesperson further makes the separatists more separated from the very people whose cause they claim to espouse.

The new development also dents the Pakistani argument, particularly vigorously forwarded by the Musharraf government, that at least the border districts in Kashmir should be demilitarized. There were two sets of arguments floated to support this proposal. First militancy has gone down in the region. Hence there is no need to retain the camps of forces mainly intended to check militant violence. Second, such a measure will further strengthen confidence building among the two rivals India and Pakistan, and work as a step further towards transformation of the conflict in Kashmir. India appeared to have agreed to such a formulation. Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh declared on many occasions that depending on the situation the government will think of demilitarize Kashmir and take steps in that direction.

No doubt Kashmir needs to be demilitarized, and no civic society can grow healthily in a tense atmosphere. But the question is when and how? In one of my publications, I strongly argued that the demilitarization process should begin in earnest in a phased manner. My surveys in the past years in the border areas in Kashmir showed that there are instances when public places like schools and primary health centres are taken over by the armed forces. Undoubtedly these places need to be vacated by the forces on an urgent basis. But, what about the places, under control of the forces, which do not have any direct bearing on public life? Tents in open places, or makeshift buildings, or other government houses not directly related to public services do not pose any urgency for vacation. However, as the reports suggest, over the past one year about 35,000 troops have been withdrawn from the region that include 39 Mountain Division forces from Rajouri, a battalion in Vilgam area of Handwara and 1,000 men of 49 Rashtriya Rifles in Qazigund in Anantnag.

Some of the factors must be taken into account while talking about total demilitarization of Kashmir. Perhaps, the idea could have been feasible in 2007-2008 (till the Mumbai terror attack in November 2008), when there was almost complete tranquility in the landscape of Kashmir and people under the influence of ‘irreversible’ peace process and composite dialogue thought that the solution of the vexed problem was appearing near. The Mumbai terror attack created a big bang in the sense it completely shattered all the achievements of the past decade and brought back the tense atmosphere to the region.

The recent Kashmir Day celebrations in Muzaffarabad did not add any good thing to the whole scenario rather it further led to spiraling down the situation into the pit of chaos and radicalism. One radical leader named Abdur Rehman Makki on the occasion called Manmohan Singh ‘evil’ and promised revenge on India. If Manmohan Singh, the incumbent Prime Minister of India, who always talks about going extra mile in talks with Pakistan, and who is mostly criticized at home for soft attitude to Pakistan, is the real evil or culprit of Indo-Pak talks, then probably it is an impossible dream to see peace returning to the subcontinent. Another development also needs to be factored in the context of demilitarization. The recent reports suggest that there are about 400 militants waiting across the Line of Control to cross over India and play havoc in the lives of innocent people. Hence, keeping these factors in mind, the government must initiate a much calibrated programme towards the demilitarization.

It is true that there are instances when the security forces are found guilty of violating human rights of innocent civilians in Kashmir. Hence, the anger and frustration of a Kashmiri who has experienced this violation, or has witnessed or come across this violation, is understandable. And that explains why the security forces may not be very popular in the valley. As India is a democracy, and everything happens in media glare, nothing can be hidden, and particularly in sensitive areas like Kashmir valley, and also when they do not enjoy support of the local leaders. The militants also commit gross violation of human rights but that seldom come to light. The militants are still active in the valley, and recently, they have killed innocent civilians including girls. But their crimes are either undervalued or under reported. The last year one premier news channel of India was displaying in prime time news how the militants were brutally torturing people because they committed crimes. What were those crimes? They were not following the Sharia code of law.

The protests in the Khurhma village last week show that what the separatists say is not all truth, and it is not the whole people of Kashmir, including the Kashmir valley, that want the exit of security forces soon. It will be an ideal situation when all security forces pack their bags and leave the valley, and all militants in the undivided Kashmir shun violence and embrace peace. Then Kashmir will reflect its true character as paradise on earth. But ideal situations are scarcely feasible in a situation which becomes playground of dangerous games at the cost of the innocent many.

St. Patrick's Day at Belfast

2010-03-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to the City Hall at the centre of the Belfast city to watch the march of processions to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This day is celebrated on 17 March of every year. St. Patrick is revered by Christians throughout the world as a great Saint who could uphold the values of Christianity. As reflected through his Confession and the Letter to Coroticus he preached the principles of Christianity. St Patrick also baptized many converts into Christianity. What most attracted to me among the preaching of the Saint was that one could not be born a Christian but had to be a Christian by following the principles. I would prefer to extend this principle to other religions as well, particularly to my religion that is Hinduism. Here, Mahatma Gandhi comes to my mind. He preached peace and nonviolence and believed all religions are great and represent different paths to God realization.

St. Patrick was born in the north of the Britain, now called Wales, at around 390AD in the name of Patricius. At the age of 16 he was captured by raiders and made a slave in Ireland. While keeping sheep in Ireland, as the story goes, the boy had developed deep religious convictions and had rich experiences in Christianity. In Ireland he developed deep devotion and conviction in the principles of Christianity, and the preacher developed in him from there. Though he escaped from the captivity and returned back to Britain, he came back again to Ireland to preach the gospel of Christianity, and later became the patron Saint of Ireland. St Patrick implored people to return to God through Jesus Christ. In his Confession St Patrick says ‘I am Patrick the sinner’ and expressed the belief that ‘For all have sinned and come short of the glory of the God.’ But his dictum that a person had to become Christian not be born a Christian is firmly based on the belief, to quote Bible, ‘Expect a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ As I understand, it means that though man sins, but by virtue of faith and sincere following of principles of Christianity and dedication to God, one can leave the path of sin and move towards God realization.

I confess I do not have deep knowledge about St Patrick. Though I have a deep sense of conviction that all regions are great life systems which need to be studied, I have not studied them yet thoroughly. Once, about two decades ago, I read the New Testament as a boy but I could understand little then. But my understanding of Christianity says it is one of the great religions of the world. Its philosophy ‘love thy neighbour’ is something that goes deep into me. Watching some of the movies like The Passion of Christ impacted me too. Here is the Saviour who went through all pain of life to save the disgruntled civilization. I was deeply influenced by the Christ’s saying that ‘Father Forgive them, for they do know not what they do.’ Hence, this forgiveness which is a crucial principle of Christianity needs to be cultivated by the human beings of our society. Perhaps, extending the argument further, this Northern Ireland, which has passed through so many violent tumults, could have been an ideal place if all the conflicting parties could have followed the Christian principles of forgiveness and love in its true spirit.

My interests in the religion attracted me towards the celebrations marking St. Patrick’s Day. In fact I have never earlier witnessed such a colourful celebration among the followers of Christianity. Though in India I observed people of Christian religion observing various festivals like Ester, Christmas, etc., here it was a golden opportunity to see the processions at the City Hall. I observed people from different places crowding the City Hall entrance to witness the processions from a close. So much enthusiasm in the celebrations, so much cheerfulness! I could see parents carrying their children on shoulders so that they can have a view of the processions. The jamboree, the colour, and the enthusiasm in the place made me think: how can the human beings who are so good and happy social animals can be involved in ghastly acts of sin. I took some of the photographs for my satisfaction. I could see children playing around, with artificial moustache and beard, perhaps to look like the Saint. The colourful dresses, mostly in green and colourful attires like beautiful headgears and bands and also sound making instruments instantly captivated my mind.

I enjoyed the processions. I liked the one in which there were three or four women playing butterflies, with big wings. They were fluttering their wings, while cheering the crowd with serene smiles. It captivated my mind. On the top of this group of butterflies there was a lady with two artificial horns, with colours on face. She was jeering at the crowd, perhaps she was depicting the evil. To decipher the inner meanings of the processions was no doubt a difficult task. The processions were in another sense full of fun and joy. The scene of the people, jostling each other, for a favourable location to have a glimpse of the processions is something that can be seen and measured from a point of view of enthusiasm they display on these celebrations. Putting in another way the celebrations were not mere celebrations and marches on the streets of Belfast, rather these were marches of life on the road of humanity, with an aim to impart a greater lesson to mankind that in love and togetherness the human society can conquer all difficulties both inner and outer. Perhaps that was the lesson I could draw from the celebrations on St. Patrick’s Day at the heart of Belfast on 17 March 2010.

Saudi Arabia as Interlocutor in South Asia?

2010-03-10T02:37:00.000-08:00

Mediating in conflicts in South Asia particularly between India and Pakistan since the inception of bilateral animosities has become a prize catch in international politics since long. In the list of players as mediator the name that has emerged recently is that of Saudi Arabia. Indian Prime Minster visited Saudi Arabia on 27 February 2010 on a three day state visit. The visit at the highest level that took place after 28 years has evoked optimism in bilateral relations, but at the same time it has raised apprehensions as the discussions during the visit bring to the fore.

India signed about ten bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister. The last time any Indian Prime Minister visited the most powerful country in the Gulf was in 1982 when Indira Gandhi was in the Gulf country. It can be mentioned here that Saudi Arabia is the largest supplier of oil to India. During the visit of Singh, many agreements in the fields of regional security, terrorism, money laundering, etc. were signed. A prominent agreement was the signing of the extradition treaty between the two countries. The spirit of the Delhi Declaration signed during the visit of the King Abdullah to Delhi in January 2006 was further bolstered with the signing of the Riyadh Declaration during the visit of Singh.

But, the visit and its outcome have been virtually overshadowed by a controversial statement by the Indian Minister of State in External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor, who was also part of the delegation led by the Prime Minister. Tharoor to a question from media on 28 February 2010 said that Saudi Arabia can play the role of a ‘valuable interlocutor’ between India and Pakistan to ease tensions in bilateral relations. It is yet to be unclear whether the utterances by the Indian Minister were gaffe or part of a deliberate policy intention but the opposition in India took umbrage at the Minister’s statement. Most of the Indian political circles have expressed reservation at such an idea of South Asian amity at the behest of Saudi Arabia. Bhartiya Janata Party, the main opposition party in the Indian parliament called the statement ‘utterly irresponsible’. The Left parties also criticised the statement on the same ground. Almost all opposition parties have urged the Prime Minister to clarify in the Indian parliament on his return the true nature and spirit of the statement of his minister. There were also references to the recently held foreign secretary level talks in New Delhi on 25 February 2010, which concluded without any tangible results. Pakistan during the talks called Indian dossier on Hafeez Saeed, allegedly the master mind behind 26/11 Mumbai attack, as ‘literature’, not evidence. The acrimonious tone in bilateral relations got further highlighted when the bilateral talks ended without any joint statement.

Undoubtedly Saudi Arabia is a major player in the regional politics. Reportedly, the United Nations officials had met the leaders of moderate Taliban in the Saudi capital Riyadh in January 2010 to broker peace in the trouble-torn Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia has enough clout in ruling establishment in Islamabad thus the fact remains that it enjoys special relations with Pakistan. Its influence on Pakistan in terms of economic, religious and cultural sphere is enormous. Pakistan’s civilian rulers and army, both enjoy special rapport with the ruling establishment in Saudi Arabia. The two major religious places in Islam- Mecca and Medina- are situated in Saudi Arabia. However, there is also a point of view that the powerful Gulf country has used its influences to spread radical Sunni Islam called Wahabbism in Pakistan, and surrounding regions. It is argued that the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan and other radical organisations draw inspiration heavily from the Gulf country. Credence to these arguments also stemmed from the fact that Saudi Arabia recognised Pakistan-supported Taliban regime in Afghanistan that emerged in the mid 1990s with its radical agenda.

Expectedly, the Pakistan press immediately pointed out the minister’s statement as Indian keenness to involve Saudi Arabia in the peace negotiations between the two countries. But, the statement of Shashi Tharoor contradicted the official position of Indian government. Indian official position since long, particularly after the 1972 Shima Accord between the two South Asian neighbours has been that all bilateral and contentious issues between India and Pakistan must be resolved through peaceful bilateral dialogue without any third party interference. The only and once successful initiative by any third party in moderating tense relations between the two countries took place in 1965-1966 when then Soviet Premier Alexi Kosygin took the initiative to call both the leaders of both countries to the dialogue table in Tashkent in the wake of a full fledged war between India and Pakistan. This Soviet gesture had led to the return of peace in the subcontinent. The whole episode was declared as being successful by the then Indian Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri due to ‘noble intentions’ of the Soviet Union.

The potentials of Saudi Arabia as a player in India-Pakistan dialogue can be a matter of debate. However, the fact remains the Saudi royal kingdom can use its levers in Pakistan to tame the radical elements sprouting from its soil. How far that is possible will depend on the will power of Saudi establishment, as well as the will of the Pakistan establishment to curb these elements. Besides India, Pakistan of late has also become a victim of terrorism and religious fundamentalism. In this background, the best case scenario for India, Pakistan as well as Saudi Arabia will be that the Saudi establishment pulls the right strings in Pakistan in right direction so that the violent, radical elements can be curbed. In that way Saudi Arabia can serve to the best for peace and amity in South Asia. This is what Prime Minister Singh intended while replying to a question on 1 March 2010 in which he asked the Saudi King Abdullah ‘to use his good offices’ to persuade Pakistan to desist from the path of terror.

Published in Strategic Culture Foundation (Msocow) online magazine on 8 March 2010

Post-Electoral Tensions in Sri Lanka

2010-02-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

The presidential elections in Sri Lanka on 26 January 2010 and the results declared the day after has created tensions in the island nation, which has been passing through innumerable crises after the horrendous defeat of LTTE last year after a bloody battle. The election results have shown the fractured verdict again in ethnic lines. Though some analysts have argued that the election results this time reflected participation of all communities disregard of ethnic diversities, the fact remains that the reelection of incumbent President, Mahinda Rajapaksa is mainly based on the support of Sinhalese dominated southern parts of the country. This support base of the President is likely demean the importance of minorities like Tamils and Muslims, and further jeopardize their future already devastated by the bloody war in the north eastern parts of the country last year.

Both the President Rajapaksa and the former Army Chief and opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka emerged war heroes last year after the army trounced the Tamil tigers and killed their leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran. Rajpaksa for the first time got elected in 2005 on a promise that he will end the Tamil insurgency and bring the country to the path of peace and development under the framework of united Sri Lanka. It was under his presidency that the Sri Lankan army led by Fonseka waged the violent war last year that continued about two months ending in the defeat of the LTTE. The international attention on Sri Lanka remained high last year not only because of the war itself, but because of the consequences of the war that befell on the innocent civilians. Besides the death of thousands including the militant cadres of the Tamil tigers, the war also left about a quarter million Tamils homeless, displaced and finding themselves languishing in government run camps.

After the victory of Sri Lankan army over the rebels, the government was in a mood to capitalize on the gains of the war. But apparently the government of Rajapaksa wanted to address the Tamil alienation and promised to address the sufferings of the ethnic minorities. Perhaps in a mood to assuage the minorities, aftermath of the war he addressed the nation in Sinhalese as well as Tamil languages. His 14-point 2010 manifesto emphasized on a modern, developed and peaceful Sri Lanka in the line of Singapore. He envisaged to make Sri Lanka a kind of bridge between east and west, and to make it a beautiful island nation which can do business with the world. But aftermath of the war, almost nine months has elapsed, the ground reality shows that still the displaced have not been rehabilitated, and their conditions in the camps are still deplorable. President Rajpaksa declared his intention to have national elections even before the completion of his term, as he was sure, that the huge upsurge in Sinhalese nationalism, will lead him to victory.

Sarath Fonseka could emerge as a challenge to President Rajapaksa primarily owing to two reasons. Besides his Sinhalese origin, he was also considered as a war hero as under his leadership the Sri Lankan army defeated the rebels and ended the 26 year insurgency. He was supported by many opposition parties including the party of former president, Chandrika Kumartunga, and the Tamil group called Tamil National Alliance. The rainbow coalition was kin to cut into size the influence of Rajapaksa by supporting Fonseka. In fact after the war of last year, Rajapaksa has become immensely popular among the majority Sinhalese. Though Fonseka too has become popular, he has not the mass base as a political leader like that of Rajapaksa.

On 27 January 2010 the day the election results were declared there was wide media coverage that the disputed results may likely whet up violence in the country. There were reports that the armed troops surrounded the hotel Cinnamon Lake in Colombo where Fonseka was staying. These forces were withdrawn later. Fonseka also wrote to the Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake alleging irregularities, and use of government machineries by Rajapaksa to ensure his victory. There were also reports that Fonseka appealed India for help. There were also reports of army coup or assassination attempt on Rajpaksa by Fonseka supporters. Amidst the massive celebrations in the southern Sri Lanka, the Tamils and Muslims in north east apprehend that the victory of Rajapaksa, for whom they did not vote, may likely further affect the reconciliation and development process in their regions.

As per the data revealed by the Election Commission, Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party secured about 5.5 million votes while Fonseka’s New Democratic Front secured 3.9 million votes. In percentage terms, Rajapaksa won about 58 per cent of the votes this time, which is much higher than 50 per cent of votes he polled in 2005. Fonseka could secure 40 per cent of votes. In north and east Fonseka secured more votes than Rajapaksa as he was supported by the pro-government Eelam People’s Democratic Party in the north and Tamil National Alliance in the east. However, the Sinhese-Buddhist dominated south overwhelmingly voted in favour of Rajapaksa.

The coming days will be revealing as President Rajapaksa, who currently emerged as the most powerful leader in the island nation, unravels his future course of action particularly on the issues of minorities. The apparent peace which his government could secure last year may fizzle out unless he reaches out to the disenchanted minorities in the north east with some kind of accommodation that is acceptable by both the sides. It may be easy to conclude that the Tamil tigers are wiped out, hence there is no obstacle to peace, but it may not take much time the alienation of the minorities and their likely negligence in future may give birth to new insurgent movements. As President Rajapaksa has promised to address all these issues, it is likely that he will not be arrogating himself as the only representative of the majority after his massive victory but also as the leader of the whole Sri Lanka and initiate policies for an all inclusive development of all communities in an equitable process.

India’s New War Strategy and Tensions in South Asia

2010-02-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

Indian Army Chief’s recent statement that India is ready to face ‘two-front war’ simultaneously with Pakistan and China has ruffled the old tensions in the New Year with Pakistan reacting to the statement as usually strongly and with China remaining guarded in its criticism. The Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor in a statement in the last week of December 2009 while reviewing India’s military doctrine, a routine exercise every five years, in the training centre in Shimla announced India’s new strategy to counter the two neighbours in the case of eventual attacks. The timing of the statement, the gravity of the regional situation, and the uneasy situation in the region emanating out of the problems of terrorism have further compounded the regional politics in South Asia.

The regional situation in South Asia has never been peaceful and stable enough to allow the countries of the region to pursue their national policy agenda in a peaceful manner. The differing ambitions of nations at times backed up by the jingoistic attitudes and grandstanding, and the inherent tensions within the borders of these countries coupled with the lack of requisite civic culture have put the countries in the region in the vortex of instability and under development. The regional forums like SAARC have failed to achieve any substantial results for regional cooperation. India’s statement about two-front war at this critical juncture has been questioned by many quarters. Particularly, while India-Pakistan relations are passing through a turbulent phase, and while India-China relations are not at a good shape, it is natural and obvious to raise concerns at Indian army chief’s statement at this juncture.

The first explanation with which most of the Indian establishment will agree is that it is routine exercise of the Indian army, hence there is nothing exceptional or surprise element to it. When the new army doctrine will be devised, or prepared, then only the exact intent of the Indian army in stating this strategy can be comprehended. It is a fact that India has considered China and Pakistan as potential threats. India has fought three wars with Pakistan and one with China. There are also reports how China and Pakistan collude to develop a front which can be probably used against India. The army chief’s statement is a reflection of this concern of Indian establishment which expressed the Indian readiness to fight a possible war simultaneously with China and Pakistan if and when that occurs. The border between India and Pakistan even today witnesses intermittent violence, and between India and China there are thousands of miles of unsettled and contested border. Similar is the case of unsettled border with Pakistan in Kashmir. Hence the argument is India may not be in a mood to go to war with powers China and Pakistan. But the statement may be considered of a deterrence value, which can probably be used as a kind of self-defence formula by India to further strengthen its ‘cold start’ strategy in the event of war.

The opposite view point appears equally forceful. After the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008, India-Pakistan relations have reached a new low, and India has repeatedly demanded that Pakistan must take action against the culprits of the attack. Pakistan, India argues, has failed in its promise to bring to justice the culprits of the attack. Besides the issue of terrorism, both the countries too have different perceptions in the context of Afghanistan, and also on many other issues. Regarding China, the last year witnessed much acrimonious exchange of statements between India and China particularly on the issue of territorial jurisdiction and on the issue of Dalai Lama. But, the time of tensions does not allow such a provocative statement that may further add to the tensions instead of defusing the same. China was mild but firm in its criticism. Chinese official news agency Xinhua observed that Indian army chief’s statement is not going to ease tensions in South Asia rather it will further aggravate the tensions in the region. Reactions from Pakistan were, however, sharp. Pakistan foreign office spokesperson on 4 January 2010 called this statement ‘absurd and irresponsible.’ He further criticized India as the statement, for Pakistan, ‘betrays a hostile intent as well as a hegemonic and jingoistic mindset which is quite out of step with the realities of our time.’ Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi observed while Pakistan at home is confronting with radical elements and sacrificing its soldiers for the sake of peace and stability in Pakistan, such a statement is absurd.

Looking at the issue from a broader perspective, it is yet difficult to decipher the exact intentions behind the statement of the Indian army chief. In international politics it is said that retaining the deterrent capability is more difficult than fighting war. Perhaps the statement reflected India’s intention to retain its deterrent capability without any recourse to war. If the intention is defensive then it might have some value. But if the intention is offensive, it will only add to tensions in the region. The final draft of the military doctrine will likely take into account all these factors into account. However, for the time being, the fact remains that the statement has made the South Asian regional politics further complex. With the Pakistan army chief’s statement that Pakistan is ready to face Indian onslaught, the situation has become further uneasy. The initial days of the new year, it can be safely said, have augmented the tension in South Asia with three nuclear powers at loggerheads, an alarming situation not only for the region but for the world as a whole.

Why Do You Celebrate New Year?

2010-01-01T02:26:00.001-08:00

Why do we celebrate new year? When the year approaches its end we start preparing ourselves for celebrations to bid farewell to passing year and to welcome new year. We do it in our own ways but anyhow we do it. My point is besides the customary repetition of pomp every year in welcoming new year do we celebrate for the celebration itself or is there anything else which we must appreciate and recognize while celebrating the occasion?

The year 2009 is going to be over after a few days. In fact the first decade of the second millennium will be over soon. We remember how the slogans at the onset of this new millennium echoed in various columns and quarters, we talked about 2K, and then 2K+1, in fact we then started adding to this calculations as years passed by. Things changed around us. We grew bit older and wiser (?). And the years surged and passed by. There were changes both internally and externally. We faced old and new challenges.

At a mundane level things almost remained the same. We started our daily chores, went to work, came back home after the work, mingled with family and shared happiness and sorrow like that. Throughout things took such shape, without any transformation in our lives. We enjoyed life through happiness, through sorrow, we made new friends, lost some, and life surged ahead.

When probed deep, there is something amiss in all these pomp and lights, glory and celebrations. What does it mean? I ask to myself. We celebrated few days, and then come back to our normal selves. As if the bacchic rapture surrounding new year celebration just evaporated within a week or so! Then did it mean that we just celebrated, met friends, enjoyed and then forgot? And then wait for another 365 days to celebrate another new year. Was it just a custom, a repetition till we die and till the newer generations take the mantle from us and follow the same.

When I say new year, it means something new in essence, something expansive, something enchanting and enlightening. You can call it enlightenment of the mind and enchantment of the heart. For me there is no contradiction between the outer and the inner. It is the fact and we all know that happiness comes from inside. Wealth, position, status do not give happiness, they can create conditions for happiness, or they can create amber of happiness, not the true, real happiness that comes from within, comes from the real life giving attitude. If I am not happy internally, I can not be happy externally as well. The new year hence points to something nobler, something brighter indicating that happiness comes from within, from noble deeds. And once we realize this, then I am sure sorrow would transform into joy as we will search the meaning of life within not in apparent success or failure. There will be less competition, there will be less deceit, and there will be less evil. And every new year celebration will be like stepping stone to this expanding consciousness which will be reflected in our thoughts and actions.

Extending further, if human beings in collectivity work and realize this principle, nations can prosper and be happy but they have to give up the principle of national ego, and follow the principle of national collaboration. It is difficult but it is possible. Problems generating and generated by violence will vanish soon like day dream then.

Mahatma Gandhi set a beautiful principle. If you have doubt about the right course of action, then imagine the face of the poorest you have ever seen and see whether your act is going to help him, then the doubt will melt away. Can we see the Gandhian talisman in its proper perspective and do something which can bring us closer to a platform to promote human dignity and mitigate humiliation in all its form?

I think this must be message for the new year. And if we resolve to rise above our self, then we can celebrate the new year in its new and true spirit and help create a better family and a better world.

The Global Network of Terror

2009-12-04T22:58:00.000-08:00

The terror strike in Mumbai last year that killed about 200 people including children and women still reverberates in the memory of the people of Mumbai and reminds the ghastly designs of the terrorists whose networks spreads all over the globe. In this particular terror attack their connections have so far with certainty been traced to Pakistan. The recent development bring to picture the wider network spreading further towards the US and Italy. The arrest of David Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana in Chicago airport in October 2009 and Mohammad Yaqub Janijua and his son Aamer Yaqub Janijua in the northern Italian town of Brescia on 21 November 2009 brings to the picture the deep entrenchment and spread of terror networks.

David Headley, a US citizen aged 49, changed his name from Daood Gilani to David Coleman Headley in 2006 to give his name a veneer of un-Islamic identity in order to make the terrorist linkages and operation covert. It will, he might have calculated, also help escape the eyes of security agencies. He along with Tahawwur Rana, another person from Pakistani origin, but currently a Canadian national, was arrested for plotting the attack on the Danish cartoonist and the newspaper named Jyllands-Posten. The newspaper had portrayed cartoon of Prophet Mohammed in 2005. On interrogation, the involvement of Headely and Rana in terrorist activities was found deep rooted. In the context of Mumbai, both of them had visited India many times in 2007 and 2008. They travelled across India including the city of Mumbai. Headely visited in addition to Mumbai to other Indian cities such as Cochi, Lucknow and Pune to establish links. During these visits they also gave concrete shape to the designs for the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008. Reportedly, Headely had stayed in the Taj Hotel, which suffered the maximum casualties due to the barbaric act, just before few days of the terror attack in order to most likely for a reconnaissance purpose to make the heinous attack a success. The Indian home ministry has been tight lipped over the issue as the investigations are still in not conclusive stage. But it has been conclusively established that Headley with close links with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), a Pakistan based banned terror outfit, played an important role in the Mumbai terror attack. As further investigations reveal, Headley and Rana had in their agenda to facilitate terrors attacks on India’s national defence college and other government establishments.

With the Italian connection to the terror designs the plot has become much thicker. On 21 November the Italian police arrested the Janijua father son duo for their involvement in the attack. Mohammad Janijua, the owner of the business centre, Madina trading corporation, is found culprit mainly owing to two reasons. First, on 25 November 2008 the centre transferred money electronically to US for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) telephone service, which was in fact used by the terrorists and their handlers while the terror attack was going on in Mumbai. The internet voice service facilitated the smooth conduct of the attack. Second, Janijua transferred money to the US in the name of the Pakistan national who in fact never visited Italy. Hence, it was illegal. Reportedly, the Italian police have arrested two more Pakistani nationals in Brescia in this connection while another wanted Pakistani national is missing.

The alleged involvement of a retired Pakistani army official Ilyas Kashmiri with the plans of Headley and Rana has led to finger of suspicion towards Pakistan army of probable involvement in this whole process. Kashmiri has been arrested by Pakistan investigation agencies and detained for questioning. Pakistan, which itself is a victim of militant violence in its north west and other parts, has taken this concrete step in a move to show its cooperation in the anti-terror operations. Reportedly, there are some other personnel in its army with likely involvement that Islamabad is seemingly not willing to further explore or wants the matter to be investigated in a low profile way within its official investigation process. It is common knowledge that the outfit LeT, banned since 2001, played a major role in orchestrating the Mumbai terror attack. Its leader, Hafeez Saeed is a free man in Pakistan. It took one year for Pakistan to file charge sheet against other six main culprits in the attack including the LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Despite a year’s pass the Mumbai terror attack did not change much the security thinking of India as well as globe. A simple statement of truth would corroborate this view point. Even after lapse of one year, there is no concrete action taken against the culprits of the attack. They are still roaming free. The India-Pakistan logjam has further complicated the matter, and provides the terrorists the alibi to further disturb peace and stability in the south Asian region. With further effective probe and investigations by Pakistan there will be likely more skeletons getting revealed in the cupboards. And needless to say the revelation of the whole plot and its masterminds is crucial not only for India but for the whole civilized international community as the terror plans are not only India-centric – they are interconnected, driven by same ideology and similar devious designs.

The terror network from Mumbai to Chicago to Brescia may be just a small spot in the terror map. The terrorist network, manpower, intelligence, money power all are so richly cultivated in the terror designs, it is simply impossible on part of one country to tackle the terror menace. Here comes to picture the necessity of international collaboration to tackle the menace by attacking terrorist training camps, targeting their leaders, and by preaching the values of coexistence and harmony. Probably that is the message of the first anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack when hundreds of people from all religions gathered at different places of the city, including the Gateway of India, to pay homage to the victims of the attacks.

Emerging Paradigm in Asia-Pacific

2009-11-24T02:11:00.000-08:00

The meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders at Istana, Singapore on 14th and 15th of November 2009 called for a ‘balanced, inclusive, and sustainable growth.’ Under the theme of ‘sustaining growth, connecting the region,’ the 21-member body including the powerful economies of the world vowed at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) to coordinate policies towards ushering in a free trade regime, which will operate in a climate without restrictions. However, the meeting that took place in the midst of global recession appeared to have ended up in high scale rhetoric without much substance. But the summit in its utterances and proceeding brought into focus certain new developments that are likely to shape global economy in coming years.
Broadly speaking, the summit brought into focus two broader but incipient developments of the emerging global economy. The first is global in character and more pertains to economy, while the second dimension pertains to the domain of regional politics in the Asia-Pacific. At least from a symbolic point of view, the summit called for an inclusive, balanced and sustainable growth of the global economy. The recession has unveiled the fractured nature of global economy, subordinated by protectionism and other trade barriers. As a result when the economy stumbled in the US, the effect was felt throughout the globe. Interestingly while the West particularly the US suffered heavily due to the recession, the east Asian countries like China registered high economic growth in these periods. But, the point is that due to the skewed global financial system with unbalanced tariff measures, protectionism, trade restrictions, the global economic rules and practices have become unfair. The APEC leaders in a statement emphasized on a ‘strategy that supports more balanced growth within and across economies, achieves greater inclusiveness in our societies and sustains our environment.’ Hence, the call for an inclusive global financial system makes sense especially in the height of global recession.
Protectionism is another issue raised by the participants in the summit. Chinese President Hu Jintao pointed out how the protectionist measures by the developed countries like the US needs to be revoked, to allow the operation of free market economy as per the rules of the market. The US recently imposed tariffs on Chinese goods like glossy papers, phosphates, steel pipes and tires. Currently there is no global regime that oversees the free run of the market economy in the world, which as a result restricts development of developing economies. The Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who chaired the summit, called for the need to open markets and lower tariffs and restrictions to allow fair competition in Asia. The members also agreed on the need for structural reforms for operation of free market economy. Hence, the APEC voice on curbing the protectionist measures is a welcome move in the direction of balanced global economic growth.
One of the most pressing global issues of the climate change was, however, relegated to the backburner in the summit. Though an earlier draft emphasized that the summit will take up the issue of climate change towards evolving a common agreement, it could not take place. The participants failed to give any commitment to reduce emission of green house gases to a particular target. The supposed common agreement on climate change was left halfway to be further deliberated at Copenhagen summit on climate change. It is doubtful whether Copenhagen summit will help evolve a consensus on the issue.
Besides these broader issues the summit meeting needs to be analyzed in view of some prominent trends in the region. China is going to be the most important player in the region. In the current trend of development, China is going to replace Japan to be the second largest economy in the world. And also due to its military might, geographical proximity, bilateral trade in surge with other countries, China will likely be in an advantageous position in comparison to the US in the region. Some of the attempts by the US to salvage its downward economy came starkly into the picture during the recent ASEAN+US summit. The US President Barack Obama’s call to ASEAN countries to export US goods in order to create jobs in the US, his appeal to join the Trans- Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP, currently comprise Singapore, New Zealand, Brunei and Chile), and to China to strengthen its yuan with dollar, indicate the attempt of the US to boost its badly hit economy. Reportedly, China has kept yuan at about 6.83 per dollar since July 2008. The US has argued an undervalued yuan contributes to imbalances in bilateral trade. Interestingly due to China’s opposition the monetary issue was not deliberated upon in the Asia-Pacific summit. In an attempt to maintain cordial economic relations, Obama visited China on 16 November 2009 reportedly to assuage Chinese apprehensions about the US restrictions on trade and to boost bilateral economic relations.
The recent Obama tour of east Asia is an indication of the US attempts to reverse the diminishing clout of the US in the region. The south east Asian nations are implementing the free trade area agreement in January 2010, which may likely expand to ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) in near future. Similarly, as some analysts observe, it may further lead to free trade between ASEAN+6 (besides +3, India, Australia and New Zealand), which may further dent the US influence in the region. China’s trade with the ASEAN has grown almost 20-fold since 1993, with its share of total ASEAN commerce rising to 10.5 per cent from 2 per cent.
The latest summit meeting of APEC, which currently accounts for about 55 per cent of global output and 40 per cent of the world’s population, in itself did not pronounce something substantial but the overall scenario in which it took place is indicative of the new paradigm emerging in the scene of Asia-Pacific with global ramifications.

Can G20 Replace G8?

2009-11-24T02:08:00.000-08:00

After the widely publicised and effective G20 summit of the world leaders in the US city of Pittsburgh, there are speculations making round whether G20 will replace G8 in some near future as a better alternative to deliberate on common issues of the globe. The G20 summit held from 24 to 25 September 2009 primarily to discuss the global economic issues has emerged as a premier international forum to bring the economic power houses of the world, including the emerging ones like India, China and Brazil to deliberate on the issues of global economic slow down and the measures to come out of the crisis.
G8 (earlier G7), a conglomeration of the rich and industrially developed countries mostly from the Western hemisphere emerged in 1975 to deliberate on the issues of issues of mutual or global concern such as health, economic and social development, energy, environment, terrorism, etc. Dominated by the West, particularly by the US, this grouping controlled levers of the world economy with major saying in the affairs of global financial institutions like World Bank and International Monetary Fund. It was the richest club of the world. To further broad base its scope and nature, the grouping in 2005 formed G8+ 5, in which emerging economies like Indian and China were included. But these outreach countries do not have any say in the decision making process of the grouping.
The emerging realities in the post cold war world need to be taken into account. The first reality particularly from an economic perspective is the rise of BRIC countries. As per an estimate the combined economy of BRIC countries would surpass the economy of the most prosperous group of G7 (excluding Russia) by 2035. These countries particularly India and China have huge population with a huge and fast growing consumer market. Particularly India and China will play an effective role in this emerging matrix. Despite the global economic slow down Indian economy has grown in the period of 2008-2009 at more than 6 per cent and expected to grow at a similar rate in 2009-2010. China’s role in aiding the US in fighting slump in its economy is noteworthy. It can be mentioned here since its inception in 1999 G20, which also include all the BRIC countries, has played an important role “to strengthen the international financial architecture and to foster sustainable economic growth and development.” As its official website states, “the G-20 now has a crucial role in driving forward work between advanced and emerging economies to tackle the international financial and economic crisis, restore worldwide financial stability, lead the international economic recovery and secure a sustainable future for all countries.”
In fact the rise of Asia has been well pronounced at the summit of the G20 in Pittsburgh. Affirming the role of Asia, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphasised in the summit the rise of Asia with both political and economic clouts, which must be recognised and factored in the politics of the nations. To quote him, ‘With the rise of Asia, with growth of India, China and Brazil, the economic decision-making has to take into account the views of these countries if it is to have an optimum impact.’ The G20, formed by both the developed and the developing, in contrast to the G8, dominated by the rich industrial nations, can provide a base for equitable international playing field for all the countries of the world. As Indian prime minister correctly observed, ‘Interdependence in a globalised world means that no country, however powerful it may be, can take on the entire burden of economic adjustment and economic decision-making.’ The G20 summit developed a compromise formula in Pittsburgh to accommodate that emerging economies’ demand to have greater voting rights in the International Monetary Fund.
It may be too early to predict the replacement of the G8 by G20. There are too many challenges which the grouping must confront. Though the G20 communiqué stated, “We designated the G20 to be the premier forum for our international economic co-operation” the question arises whether the grouping with differences within the members, with diverse political and economic set ups and aspirations can rise as a single body for action in international politics. In the context of politics there is divergence of perceptions between members. In the context of politics, G20 is probably more divergent when the issues of global climate change, non-proliferation, financial regulation reform, etc. come to picture.
However, it will be imprudent to ignore the clout of rising economies of the world. At the same time, it is also equally important to remember the G20 represents 90 per cent of the GDP of the world. The Asian drivers far outpace the European counterparts in terms of growth. While the global financial crisis has hit hardest the US and Europe, the Asian powers particularly India and China have managed well the crisis. It may not be too far fetched to project G20 as an alternative to the G8. While the G8 deliberates on both political and economic issues, the overwhelming economic nature of G20 keeps it out of political ramblings and keeps it in good stead as the major forum to sort out, and to deliberate on major global economic issues. Some of the important decisions taken at Pittsburgh need special mention. There was common agreement not to curtail the stimulus package to revive world economy, to invest in infrastructure, to restructure international financial institutions, to recapitalise world financial institutions, and to provide the needed will to tackle the protectionist measures.
It is predicted by the end of 2010 the global economy may witness recovery. This recession, probably the severest since the recession of the inter war period of 1930s, has goaded the world leaders to think broadly in terms of common goals and achievements. However, how far this common agenda will guide the nations only the coming years can say. The emerging power equations and reconfigurations in the post-cold war era will definitely impact the shaping of international order yet to come. In this emerging scenario, the emerging clout of the G20 and the clout of its leading members can not be ignored.

Prospects of Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan after Sharm el Sheikh

2009-11-24T02:05:00.000-08:00

The debates over prospects of dialogue between India and Pakistan have acquired a key stage in Indian discourse since the bilateral peace process got stalled when Pak based terrorists attacked India’s commercial capital Mumbai in November 2008. The 26/11 attack spiralled down the bilateral relations to a low predicting doom to the bilateral relations. At least a revival within a year’s span was far from sight. The joint statement on 16 July 2009 at Sharm el Sheikh not only revived the prospects of bilateral dialogue, but also brought into surface the common ground of both the countries on issues of terrorism with Pakistan’s promise to do ‘everything in its power’ to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.
The dialogue as envisaged in the joint statement might have earned applaud for the leaders of India and Pakistan in international media, but drew flak from significant section of Indian analysts. Probably, the joint statement has never been subject to as much debates and examinations in India as this time. The prime minister of India’s vision of promoting bilateral relations with Pakistan became subject to interrogation not from the opposition parties but also from his own political party with the argument that he conceded too much ground to Pakistan without getting anything in return. Here are the arguments:
First, the joint statement appeared tilted in favour of Pakistan position that composite dialogue needs to be started between the neighbours despite the ongoing deadlock on the issue of terrorism. India has been insisting unless Pakistan takes credible action against the culprits of Mumbai attack there is no possibility of dialogue. This is what the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh exactly conveyed to the Pak President, Asif Ali Zardari in June 2009 at Yekaterinburg at the sidelines of the SCO summit. But contrast to this, the joint statement signed by prime ministers of India and Pakistan on 16 July 2009, at the sidelines of the 15th NAM summit, reads, “Action on terrorism should not be linked to the Composite Dialogue process and these should not be bracketed.” Apparently, it favours Pakistan’s position which has accused India for the stalled peace process after the Mumbai terror attack.
Interestingly, this interpretation of the statement may not be absolute. The contrary may be true that terrorism and composite dialogue can not be linked together, i.e. it is not imperative that actions against terror elements can not be taken unless there is composite dialogue. But, then arises the epistemological question: which comes first—whether Pakistan’s credible actions against terror elements or the composite dialogue. It will ostensibly depend on the kind of interpretation one makes. The prime minister of India emphatically stated in the Indian parliament on 17 July 2009 that Pakistan cannot be given a blank cheque to perpetrate, or to give patronage to terrorist elements to create havoc in India, and expect India at the same time to shake hands with it. In a move, either calibrated or coincidental, one of the main accused behind the Mumbai attack, the Lashkar-e-Toiba Chief, Hafeez Saeed was released from arrest just before few days of the meeting of the prime ministers in Egyptian Red Sea resort. Hence, it also appears rational that Pakistan must show ground result, and then only can composite dialogue be initiated in an atmosphere of friendliness and trust. In this sense, the joint statement fortified the Indian standpoint that dialogue and terrorism can not be linked together.
Second, the significant section of Indian establishment has found it difficult to see the inclusion of the word Balochistan in the joint statement. It is for the first time the term entered into any joint statement between India and Pakistan. The prime minister of India argues that India’s policy to Pak troubles is an open book, there is nothing to hide. Hence, if Pakistan wants to include the term then India has no problem. The joint statement reads, “Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas.” The Indian analysts ask: what was the urgency to include the term in the joint statement? It is true that there is problem in Balochistan since the creation of Pakistan. There are grievances of the people since the instrument of accession signed by the Khan of Kalat with Pakistan in 1948. India has as a matter of policy kept its hands off from the affairs of Pakistan. But, Pakistan as a matter of policy has often accused India of fomenting violent activities in Balochistan.
Hence, it is no surprise that Pakistan’s prime minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani after returning home told Pak media India’s implicit admission of its involvement in internal affairs. The Pak media as well as public rejoiced at the success of the Pak diplomacy. Probably, the Indian prime minister had a different objective, vision in his mind while allowing the term to slip in the bilateral document, but the hard headed diplomacy goes beyond idealistic thinking, and now Pakistan gets a brownie point to score over India and raise the Baloch problem as India’s making.
From an Indian point of view, the non-inclusion of the K word might be comforting though its implicit admission was there in the bilateral document. Both the countries agreed to resolve ‘all the outstanding issues,’ which also included the issue of Kashmir. Perhaps, it is the implicit admission on part of both the countries terrorism other than Kashmir has become the biggest curse to the subcontinent. Besides terrorism, both the countries recognised the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment afflicting the subcontinent and resolved to eliminate the factors which prevent “our countries from realising their full potential.” The joint statement also noted “India’s interest in a stable, democratic Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
But, how far both the countries would work together for a better future of the people is yet to be seen in coming days. The joint anti-terror mechanism constituted aftermath of the Havana NAM summit in 2006 has almost reached a dead end without yielding any fruit. The mutual suspicion is so deep; both the sides find it difficult to erase the old sheltered menace of distrust. The contrasting interpretations of the joint statement fortify to this fragile nature of bilateral relations.
However, it is something that the joint statement can bring to the reality. That something needs to be positive. An infinite distrust or hatred is neither sustainable nor practicable between the two neighbours who share many things in common besides the border. Hopefully, by the time when the foreign secretaries of both the countries meet at the sidelines of the United Nations in August 2009, the dialogue process moves forward at least by inches if not miles.