Pakistan: A creature of partition - Nothing can change where Dogma remains supreme

“When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.” 

― Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People

Modi-Imran:Yesteryears

Over to Pakistan, experts see 'ray of hope': But more than just an Imran Khan, Pakistan needs to change 'dogma'

Pakistani establishment that is the military is always in the background and would drag its feet whenever there is any peace initiative.

Amid hype created that Imran Khan's electoral victory would herald a 'new Pakistan', a noted Pakistani writer Mobarak Haider said more important will be to bring about transition in "unchanging psyche" in that country. He also said unlike Muslims, Buddhists in Vietnam despite immense suffering did not resort to any 'religious war'.

"It is an unchanging psyche. You may change the Shah of Iran with an Imam, replace Nawaz Sharif with an Imran Khan; nothing will change for the better because dogma remains supreme," says Haider 

To a question from the blogger, Haider suggested the Muslim clerics and some global players actually did a mistake by bringing in 'religion' in their respective national fight against the US or the erstwhile USSR.

2014: Haider and Blogger Dev

"People of Vietnam suffered far more than any Muslim nation did, but those Buddhists did not call it religious war nor did they start Jihad of Terror. We do, because we know only one answer to every question: Islam. What is, then, the role of a Muslim thinker? Should he preach Muslim unity against Christians and Hindus? Will that avert the conflict?," he asked.

"The industrial revolution which totally transformed our world was a product of scientific reason. This facet is not understood. Such scientific mindset actually pulled Europe out of the medieval norms of life. In medieval times, economic prosperity could come as a result of fighting power. But things changed....once people adopted to scientific temperament," he said.

Mr Haider, at present based in Stafford in Virgina (United States), pointed out that in the 20th century the United States could emerge as the 'Super power' because of this 'scientific economy and industrial prowess'.However, known for his candid observation, Mr Haider also lamented that Washington "has actually wasted most of its prestige and wealth by fighting wrong wars and by uninvited policing of the world".

In this context, Mr Haider also maintained it is because of such follies including 'policing the world', the United States has been "losing its status more rapidly since 1990s after it outsourced its economy and invaded Afghanistan and Iraq".

Even Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, a former UN diplomat is not quite optimistic. "So Imran Khan is a man Indians can talk to. But what should we expect from a Pakistan led by him? The problem is that he has two faces — a liberal, cosmopolitan and urbane one, which is seen in London and Mumbai — and an uncompromisingly hawkish Islamist one, an image he reserves for his Pakistani audiences. 

This is the man who, after all, has had Hafiz Sayeed address his early rallies", wrote Tharoor in an article for 'The Quint'.

On their part, a section of Pakistani experts say the 'real crisis' is still a few months away, "which gives the new government time to formulate its response".

"There are big problems waiting for the next government, though it is important to underline that none of them have yet graduated to become what we might call a ‘crisis’. That could happen in the months to come, but it is not here yet," writes Karachi-based economic journalist Khurram Husain in 'Dawn'. According to a report in another Pakistani paper 'The Express Tribune', Asad Umar, the man 'tipped to lead Pakistan’s finance ministry', has also spoken about the option of knocking on the doors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

A BJP leader in Delhi on the condition of anonymity, however, said the elections in Pakistan and possibility of elevation of Imran Khan as Prime Minister is only "an internal matter" of that country.

"People do talk about election being rigged at the behest of army....so the story has hardly changed. This was the story even two decades back," he said adding "We strongly feel that if they want peace, Pakistan needs to come clean on terror front. Without that no movement forward would be possible as the Pakistani army commanders are capable to put brakes on any kind of political approaches".

A section in India's ruling regime also says that it would be interesting to see how Imran Khan-led dispensation actually deals with the United States. Imran Khan has lately said that "excessive US diplomatic, non-diplomatic, and intelligence personnel from Pakistan” should be removed. Such reactions came after the US administration decided to suspend security aid to Pakistan until the country took action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network.

Meanwhile, senior sports journalist Gopalakrishnan Unnikrishnan, who has met Imran Khan as a politician and also a cricket captain, pens lucidly: "As a player, Imran created a deep sense of loyalty in his players and this not without forgetting his running rivalry with Javed Miandad. On a cricket field and within the walls of a dressing room, Imran could afford to be brusque and dominant. But if he indeed muster the number and become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, he will be asked to follow a different road."

ends

Tail piece:

However, BJP leader Sunil Shastri said elections in Pakistan and the possibility of Imran Khan taking over as the next prime minister in that country has given a "ray of hope" for improving ties with India  but the onus is on the cricket icon-turned-politician.
"I will say, there is a ray of hope....but it is with a caveat, he has to deliver. The onus is on Imran Khan," said Shastri, whose father Late Lal Bahadur Shastri led India to a glorious victory against Pakistan in 1965 war. (ends)

Politics Mixed Bag: Sena leader Geete 'forced' to stand in support of Modi Govt in Lok Sabha

Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete might not have voted in favour of the Modi government on July 20 on the No Trust Motion but was in a completely tricky situation on Monday when in Lok Sabha he had to be up on his feet identifying himself as the 'cabinet minister' of the BJP-led NDA dispensation.

During the discussions in the House on The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge was up on his feet raising point of order and insisted that two Union Ministers should be present in the House during any debate on a Bill. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs quickly pointed towards Mr Geete sitting in his trade mark white suit and for his part the Sena leader also lost no time to spring up quickly and said: "here I am".

Mr Kharge, however, said: "There should be in fact two cabinet ministers, you have only one and he does not have confidence in your government".
Several BJP members raised objections to such observation and among others Nishikant Dubey said
Mr Kharge's remarks must be withdrawn.
Mr Geete kept his hand raised even as members were speaking.

Bal Thackeray's soldier 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar also walked into the House shortly and pointing towards a smiling Mr Geete said, "woh hamare saath hae (He is with us)".

Putting the ruling NDA combine and the BJP leadership into major embarrassment, Shiv Sena MPs including the Union Minister Mr Geete had stayed away from the No Confidence Motion debate on July 20 and also did not vote against it despite series of efforts made by the BJP to reach out to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. In fact, during last two days commenting on the proceedings in Lok Sabha on the no trust motion and the voting, Sena leaders have more than once mocked at the BJP and even supported Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his speech and the dramatic interlude of embracing Prime Minister in the House.

Blogger at job

BJP finds faultlines in Congress: Sympathises with MMS while quotes Antony and Pranab to target Rahul

Answering a question at a press conference on whether former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should now speak out on Rafale issue and goof up by Rahul, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said said the desperation of Dr Singh could be well understood.

''Having been Prime Minister for 10 years, he understands the sensitivity of foreign policy...the manner in which Rahul Gandhi has dragged him to controversy must have made life miserable for him (former prime minister), '' Mr Prasad said, adding that ''I expect him now to respond.''
The BJP leader said on various occasions, UPA defence ministers -- A K Antony and Pranab Mukherjee -- ''on various occasions have refused to parliament on the cost break-up of the deals invoking the Security pact and the national interest.''

BJP also stepped up attack against Rahul Gandhi for his statement in Parliament on Rafale deal and said the Congress President has committed two blunders during the No Trust debate and such utterances were nothing but being "irresponsible".
"Rahul Gandhi cannot be irresponsible...He was wrong on two counts. First to say that there was no confidentiality clause and secondly to drag French President Emmanuel Macron into a debate of domestic politics," Prasad told reporters. 

He also dismissed a statement issued by three Congress leaders former Defence Minister A K Antony and Anand Sharma and Randeep Surjewala earlier in the day that the 'secrecy agreement' between India and France did not prohibit the Government of India to share information about the ‘commercial cost’ of Rafale aircraft deal.

Mr Prasad said contrary to Congress party's allegation -- the final cost relating to weaponry and India specific capabilities and maintenance '' are essentially part of the classified information'' and cannot be disclosed. He said Mr Antony was only toeing the line of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in spreading the untruth on the sensitive matter.  

"Since a member of the family has resorted to falsehood, the crowd around the family has no option but to collectively sing the tune of falsehood. When a party belongs to a family concerned every one has to behave like a part of the crowd," the BJP leader said.

He said: "Rahul Gandhi has put himself in an unenviable position where he is prima facie guilty of breach of privilege....Therefore, as part of his defence, Mr Gandhi has attempted to divert from the issue and fielded former Defence Minister A K Antony".

Referring to Congress move to press for a privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the BJP leader said: "The threat of a privilege against the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister is an act of misplaced bravado".
He said the breach of privilege issue in Parliament is a serious matter and anyone should press for it only from a position of strength.

"Just like PIL in courts have turned out to be a publicity seeking tool, we should not think on the same line in Parliament," he said.

Of Maut Ka Saudagar to.....Hug: And friends among political class

When one sees the transitions and various episodes in socio-political sphere – one is certainly drawn to the phrase – ‘Desh agey badh raha hae’...

Well from 'Maut Ka Saudagar' assault on a Chief Minister to the ‘unwanted hug’ – as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now described, Indian sickularism has come a long way !

Alongside the big hug in Lok Sabha – by an over enthusiastic Amethi MP with a reluctant PM – another photo should draw attention is Sitaram Yechury carrying a pooja pot on his head and walking towards a temple. If the second snap is not ‘photo shopping’ – I must say Desh agey badh raha hae !

Five years back – could anyone imagine – Rahul Gandhi displaying the desperation, bravado and the “hallucination’ for taking Mr Modi in his arms ! Could anyone imagine Marxist ‘Sitaram’  walking towards a temple.

What is the name of this change phenomenon – I call it the Moditva Impact !

More on this at a later stage.

Now about political friendship – well, as I come from Nagaland and had baptism into journalism through proceedings in Nagaland assembly – I remember the dramatic interludes of friendship between two arch rivals – S C Jamir and Late Vamuzo.

On more than one occasion – Vamuzo had called Jamir “an habitual liar” and Jamir used to often say – “I don’t know why this dull fellow is sitting here”. Can you guess the subsequent scenes – both of them would end up laughing. Such scenes provoked Shurhozelie once to say – “when there is debate competition in Govt High school next time – I want both Jamir and Vamuzo should be invited as guests”.

Now that’s friendship ! No one would have mind actually if Jamir and Vamuzo had embraced each other.

On this backdrop can anyone say Rahul Gandhi shares the same bond with Narendra Modi. Only till the other day – other kinds of adjectives used to be thrown. Modi has called Rahul – Namdar and Shehzade ! But for his part and on the part of Congress leaders including his mother Sonia Gandhi – the phrases and adjectives used were :

----- Sonia called him : Maut Ka Saudagar.... Manishankar : Neech kism ka aadmi

.... there were more - Zeher Ki Kheti, Chae-wallah....Gaddafi, Mussolini and Hitler,.....

Gangu Teli....Bhasmasur............Rahul: Jawano ka Khoon ka dalal.....

Rashid Alvi - "most stupid PM"

Modi with Shinzo Abe

So what does this signify – embracing and hugging can be okay if you share good relations.

The Congress argument has been if Modi could give bear hug to host of global leaders what’s wrong with doing so with Rahul Gandhi.

First of all – the venue for the high drama was absolutely wrong. Secondly, none of the global leaders are actually Modi’s ‘rivals’ and critics. The relation could be new but warm as the smile and grinning have displayed.

Without going into diplomatic realms, one can point out that Modi did call Barack Obama by his first name – and there was no American establishment protest !  Obama also used the Gujarati salutation ‘Kem Chho’ to receive Indian Prime Minister!

Now about other friendship among the political class.

Indian political circle is aware of friendship between Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani. 

Once Sushma Swaraj was asked during a television discussion – on what her response is on Jaipal Reddy  saying something on George Fernandes, an old player in the game – Sushma was smart enough to say: “Today Jaipal ji and George Fernandes are rivals. But I know their friendship. Tomorrow they can become friends again and so I do not want to come in between”.

On the lighter side – Sushma Swaraj’s friendship with actress-turned onetime Rajya Sabha MP Shabana Azmi was once referred by the illustrious Bal Thackeray when it came to the film ‘Fire’. 

George Fernandes also enjoyed good bond with BJP leader Jaswant Singh and in 2001 minutes before his resignation as Defence Minister over Tehelka tapes, he had walked into the office chamber of Jaswant Singh (then the External Affairs Minister).

Will Rahul ever cultivate such friendship with anyone in the political circle – forget about BJP!

One and only George!

Echoes of 1975 emergency : Under PM Modi, BJP-led regime has been often called authoritarian

Indira Gandhi would be remembered mostly for the 1975 Emergency. Ironically, the Modi regime has been also called authoritarian, inviting comparison with Indira Gandhi's rule!  

In a sense sense, Indira Gandhi was a "people’s leader" — but only so long as these people voted for her. She was extremely populist and able to strike a balance with all sections of voters. In Assam, her party’s electoral policy in the 1970s was reportedly aimed at "winning over Alis (Muslims) and Coolis (tea garden workers)".

Blogger: More Often Modi admirer

Regarding Muslims, she was so eager to win their widespread support she even pushed to promote Urdu among Muslims in Kerala and West Bengal — the two states where local Muslims prefer to use their mother tongues of Malayalam and Bengali respectively. Urdu is the language traditionally used and favored by Muslims in South Asia.

By the 1970s and 1980s, she had even developed a rapport with the Communists, a faction of whom backed her emergency. Later, she would work well with long-surviving Marxist Chief Minister Jyoti Base of West Bengal.

During the emergency and in the years after, it came to light that she preferred a system and political loyalists who would take orders from her son Sanjay.
She was also very fond of the likes of Devkanta Barooah — who echoed certain Nazi sentiments and coined the phrase "Indira is India" — and she depended a lot and was perhaps even willing to take 'instructions' from her trusted lieutenants like Yashpal Kapoor.

Critics of politics often complain that it encourages and promotes the art of self-interest. But one irony of this situation is that political decisions often come back to haunt those who make them, meaning one mistake can become a legacy. This is the dilemma the leaders of India’s leading opposition party, the Congress, now face after accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of pursuing sectarian and authoritarian politics for the last four years -- often crushing India's democratic principles.

PM Modi has forged an image as a decisive leader and tough taskmaster since he rose to power in May 2014. In more ways than one, his government has been called authoritarian and criticized for discriminating against minorities.But BJP leaders, in contrast, have taken to social networking sites, addressed press conferences and written blogs in the past month lambasting the alleged "dictatorial traits" of the Congress party, which (ironically) fought for India’s freedom under the guidance of peace apostle Mahatma Gandhi. 

In a snub to Modi, Zakir Naik meets Malaysian PM : Episode revives debate on 'Islamic terror'

It could be called a snub from Malaysia to Indian diplomatic efforts to get radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik deported to India. News channels and portals in Malaysia showed photographs of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammed with the controversial Islamic preacher.  A section of India- predictably rejoiced - more because it embarrasses Narendra Modi.

But the episode has brought to light various facets of India-Malaysia relations vis-a-vis the good old 92-year-old veteran Mahatir Mohammed and also the broad issue of New Delhi's standing on extradition treaties.

                                                         

"The abolition of the death penalty, which has no deterrence value nor any penological justification, would also improve our image as a country committed to the ethos of justice. At the same time, we must undertake a review of our bilateral extradition treaties, in order to strengthen our ability to seek the extradition of individual fugitives," suggests Congress MP and a former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor.

"Many European states refuse to extradite wanted criminals to India on the grounds that India retains the death penalty, which most European democracies consider a barbaric practice," wrote Mr Tharoor in a piece after Malaysia rejected the extradition request from India. In his argument, Mr Tharoor also said: "India has, in some cases, promised a European Court that the extradited offender will not be executed, and has obtained extradition only on the basis of such an assurance. That was how Portugal agreed to extradite the notorious gangster Abu Salem".

Social network became active in no time. "It's time for India to flex it's economic muscles to deport extremists like Zakir Naik from Malaysia," ran a Twitter message. 

On another plane, the personal standing of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammed on terrorism also has come into focus. "That clearly states when it comes to Muslim brotherhood, they all become one," ran a Twitter missive adding that at times people "don't even mind supporting a terrorist or Jihadi". 

On this backdrop, it may be mentioned that on the context of terrorism especially involving Muslims, a typical indifferent stand taken by Mahatir Mohammed is nothing new. A strident critic of Israel, Mr Mahatir has in the past suggested that the September 11 attacks of 2001 might have been staged by the United States administration. The murmur in the ruling establishment in India especially in the political circle is perhaps Mahatir had his own compulsions or in other words, Zakir Naik has "huge influence and reach".

Is Modi's diplomacy failing?

The 52-year-old Zakir Naik is facing probe both in India and Bangladesh, also a Muslim predominant country, after two of the suspects in the terror attack in Dhaka in July 2016 claimed that they were inspired by Naik's radical preachings over Facebook and Peace TV.