A little bit more than patriotism. A little bit lower than jingoism. --- Nirendra Dev
Friday, December 31, 2021
Bid adieu 2021 : Refreshing memories -- now some headlines to my articles and news stories
"Spinning Charkha can't change Taliban," Maj Gen Bakshi tells proponents
Bid adieu 2021 : Refreshing memories -- some oneliners and Quotes from last year blogs/politics etc
# There is a big dilemma about democracy. Had the man been more intelligent, he would have known how to conduct correctly, and if God had made man or woman less intelligent, he/she would have been more disciplined and thus easier to govern and control. But we have to face life and politicians as they are.
- Punjab has seen the very ugly face of terrorism. Of course, most of it was Pakistan-instigated. Islamabad must be waiting in the wings to take revenge for Bangladesh. In Kashmir, all its investment for years was virtually negated on August 5, 2019.
(from my piece ...'Pak angle' in Punjab poll season has dangerous connotations, Oct 2, 2021)
and see how on Nov 19, PM announced repealing of farm laws. 'anti-Sikh' narrative was one reason....( I was right yet again with Namo, or he took my warning seriously)
Link here: organiser.org
"Once during a Lok Sabha debate, Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, "Lagta hai ghari ki sui ghoom ke usi jagah laut aayi hai (It appears the hands of the clock have come back to the position from where we all started with)." The sentence aptly applies to Nagaland and its story of insurgency". - (my piece in 'Deccan Herald', Dec 30, 2021)
“Conversion causes differences. It causes hatred, it creates conflict … so if we want to make the world conflict-free, there is a need to respect all religions." - Indresh Kumar, RSS leader (quoted in my piece for UCA News....as published in 'Eurasia Review'
Link
Great snap: 2021 |
“Between 1947 and 1991, the economy was driven by corrupt bureaucrats. Their family picnics were more important than national economic growth. The 1991 liberalization of the economy ensured prosperity no doubt, but India also saw a rise in its economic disparity,” said Naushad Khan, a trader in East Delhi. - from my piece for UCA News....
Link
India's rich-poor divide is widening
On Nov 21, Sunday, Yogi Adityanath, who shared the photograph from his Twitter handle, wrote in Hindi, "Hum nikal pade hain pran karke....ambar se ooncha jana hai, ek Bharat naya banana hai (We have started on with the pledge to sacrifice our body and mind. We are determined to create a new sun/wave and go further than the skies-to build a New India)."
The snaps and the tweet went viral on social media, and there was a public debate in more ways than one. The photos of PM Modi, a catalyst of development with a firm commitment to the Hindutva ideology, keeping his hand on Yogi Adityanath's shoulder, would be in public memory for weeks and months to come.
(Organiser - Modi-Yogi snaps: Symbiotic 'Hindutva' bond)
https://www.organiser.org/india-news/uttar-pradesh/lucknow-news/modi-yogi-snaps-symbiotic-hindutva-bond-8163.html
power of a photo |
"I will not say he has committed a major mistake or blunder. But the 'repealing' strategy is certainly a case of flip-flop -- something that does not go well with Namo's image.
Namo needs to be careful of his neo-admirers .....
Those who are rejoicing farmers' win or a case of 'Modi surrender', should be more careful now. In 2014-15, after the Land Acquisition Bill was scuttled, the 'reforms' had gone for a toss. And Modi started falling more and more on the pro-Hindutva agenda!"
(my piece in TripuraNet.com)
Risk of 'Vajpayee syndrome'
On his personal rapport with PM Modi, the senior Naga politician S C Jamir said: "We had a very good relationship though I was there only for five months. We were good friends. When I became Governor of Gujarat in 2009, I told him, I am an ex-Chief Minister so I know the responsibility of a Chief Minister. So as Governor I will never interfere". (Jamir interview to me .... as reported for IANS...
published in
Morung Express
Link : Nagaland, other NE states should contribute to nation building,
says S.C. Jamir
Jamir in Delhi: Nov 7, 2021 |
Spl Guest Column/corner
Learning due lessons from history helps
We know that Bengalis were at the forefront of the struggle for a separate state for the Muslims, so there was no reason for them to participate in the breaking of a country which they had fought for.
It may be recalled that there were 44 members from East Pakistan and only 25 from West Pakistan in the first constituent assembly of Pakistan. Six of the members were nominated by the East Pakistan Assembly from West Pakistan, and one of those six members was Liaquat Ali Khan.
Needless to say, the project failed. However, the general’s intention was to create competition with the flourishing industry of the eastern wing and to claim some of the foreign revenue.
Planned ‘distortion’
J.N. Dixit, a former Indian foreign secretary, wrote in his book, Liberation and Beyond, that when he had asked Mujib about when he had first conceived the idea of ‘Bangladesh’, Mujib replied that it had been in his mind since the inception of Pakistan.
Bengalis had issues with the Urdu language, and, by implication, with anybody who spoke that language. I experienced all this first-hand.
Pak's plan to invite a select group of people from India to visit Teri temple in Pakistan 'stalled' :
Govt sources in Delhi say ----
"Pakistan had planned to invite a select group of people from India to visit Teri temple in Pakistan in a non transparent manner. This was not acceptable to us".
- This was also "contrary to the spirit" under which the two sides conducts pilgrimages.
"Now around 160 Indians pilgrims, selected by Indian organisers, will cross over to Pakistan through Wagah-Attari border tomorrow, Jan 1, 2022"
** Sources further said - "As in the past, Indian Govt is fully committed to provide all assistance to the Indian pilgrims".
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Fiction series 'Rebel is a Middle Name' : Part 9 :::: Chap 6 -- When the door opened....
Part 9
Fiction series: Chap 6 -- When the door opened....
Link of part 8
'Do not Edit Your Soul'
Finally. The decision for winter tour destinations for both the teams were finalized.
The Women team reached Nagaland capital Kohima. - the time was celebratory in the pre-dominant Christian state. The local tourism bonanza was called Hornbill Festival named after the wild flying creature once found in abundance in the wilds.
Christmas not far off and so...the mood of the natives was also religious. To a large extent the three Bengali Hindu women found the atmosphere pious.
No meeting, no tea party and no dinner session would begin without a prayer. "Amra to emon noe" - we are not like this," said Shampa.
Snap: Ajay Khape Jadhav |
Story teller and Nagas |
Parul nodded her head. Eldest bahu Geetanjali also echoed the same sentiment and said, "I cannot agree more".
First few days of their holidays gave a fascinating experience. The cottage they stayed was owned by an Assamese gentleman from nearby place called Jorhat. Porimol Barua was married to an Angami Naga and so he had decided to settle down here in Kohima.
The house wife was the real owner of the house on the paper as well and the cottage but she maintained a low profile.
"NAGAS are known for being a Male chauvinistic society. Angamis are more. So I had grown up like that....always happy to play second fiddle to Mr Barua. He served in a government department and we met and the love was instant on my part. He gives me so much indulgence," the wife of Barua - Vitono told them.
She told them breakfast and lunch were complimentary. The three guests were certainly overwhelmed, never anticipated this generosity. Shampa even called up her husband Moloy to inform him about the arrangements at the 'Khonoma Cottage'.
Vitono once told them - "After my son was born, Mr Barua said he would settle down in Kohima with me...A Naga boy of a Naga mother should grow up in Nagaland-- he told me and had already made up his mind".
She also said many of her relatives and even Barua's brothers in Assam feel ...."I forced him to stay in Kohima. I did not".
She said, "I studied Hotel management in Pune briefly...I wanted to settle down outside Nagaland. But Mr Barua and my fate had other plans".
Between the three sisters in law, Parul once said - "This Naga woman's story has an irony...don't you both see..she does not like to be staying on in Nagaland, ...I fail to understand".
Geetanjali said - "That's because Nagaland saw a lot of disturbance and killings once. No mother would like children to grow up amid violence".
Shampa said - ".....but she is opening up before us..at times I get a feeling that she is trying to do some kind of 'Prayaschit'...repentance".
"Why she has to feel guilty about it," Parul was curious - perhaps she had already sensed a deeper and interesting story plot.
"In fact, she told me ...Repentance is essential feature of Naga Christians," said Shampa.
"May be so," remarked Parul perhaps casually. "...we hardly know of Christian cultures and Naga traditions. In Bengal we were so much lost about our own culture, life, problems and gossips."
"True" - retorted Geetanjali...and added, "So much of a different world outside... Kupa-manduka...frogs in the well is a permanent syndrome with Bengalis".
All three laughed together.
"Our husbands must be experiencing a different world in Allahabad... religious...so much of Hindu rituals...and of course evening drinks along Ganga Ghat," said Parul.
Again three of them laughed out. Geetanjali sounded politically correct and said, "Oh ya, but Allahabad is Prayag !"
At times Barua would also sit with them and chit chat. He was specially excited to know that Parul also writes. Journalism and writing always fascinated him, he said.
Barua said he had landed in the Nagaland Government's information and public relations department chiefly for writing works. Then he moved to the state assembly and took interests in reading and writing about Nagaland legislative history...enacting of laws...preparing Speakers and other Assembly officials and members and various committees for conferences and international seminars.
"I also traveled a bit specially a few SAARC countries and twice to Thailand and the Philippines," he told them.
Barua and his wife Vitoto were like "a different window" to the ladies from West Bengal about the Naga life.
"Nagas are wonderful community but like all human races and communities, they have serious fault-lines too...they are fighters as a group but often individually and emotionally weak," Barua said.
As the guests would grill him further, he would say - "When the Naga insurgency against India and seeking independence was at its peak ...they also wanted the Government of India to fight their battle if there was a battle at all".
"They would expect a lot of funding from the centre, they would require jobs both in the central government and in the state and pretty good jobs," he said.
Parul would ask most questions and often take notes diligently.
Barua also said, "For long there was a psychic tug of war. Even within families there were divisions...some Naga youths would join IAS civil service and even Indian army...others would join militant organisatoms and call themselves 'brave underground and freedom fighters'."
Perhaps they were not so pragmatic like Mizos as rebel leader Laldenga had led his Lushai and Mizo community to end insurgency once and for all in 1986.
The Nagas continued their battle, sometime against Indian forces, sometime against state politicians and also against one tribe against the other.
Rajiv Gandhi was Indian prime minister when Mizo Accord was signed, Barua has been an admirer of Rajiv, the last Congress Prime minister he admired.
He disliked Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh, he openly confessed. "I don't know why...perhaps I could sense these two leaders would fail and bring a long term damage to the Congress party".
Nagas also have serious differences among themselves ---- the fact that a major combative community of Nagas was "in Manipur state" made things more complex in 1990s and later. Nagas are also in Assam, Barua's wife Vitono told them.
"If north east of India is Mini India, Nagaland is mini north east ...very complex...," she said once.
Barua would also explain to them - "All Nagas are not quick tempered...nor all Nagas are dog eaters".
They are allowed to take beef as Christians and as Naga tribal natives, but Nagas have a craze for pork instead.
Laughingly he said, "I also love pork and specially if it is prepared by my wife in Angami Naga style with lots of ginger leaves and pieces of pork fats around your plates. She controls me by her cooking talent".
All of them would laugh out loud at the dining table.
Parul and two others Shampa and Geetanjali had pork for the first time in the Khonoma Cottage only; and and each one of them later confessed to each other - the experience was 'good'.
"Bolte parish ei gulo mangesher dalna...(You can say this is a little variety of a Bengali dish too)," Geetanjali told both of her sisters-in-law.
Both Barua and Vitono told them a lot about Khonoma village and about the villagers, their history.
The doyen of Naga freedom movement of 1940s A Zapu Phizo was from Khonoma village.
On hearing this, Parul said "We must visit the village".
"Yes, Yes; we will take you there," Barua was too keen to assure them.
Next Sunday was planned for the trip to Khonoma.
The journey was planned for a quick but leisurely drive for about an hour from Kohima town.
"Because it is Sunday traffic will not be a problem," Barua's wife told them.
On the way yet again Barua was doing most of the talking while his wife and others did the patient hearing.
In between Parul asked his wife, "...why don't you also share some of your thoughts?"
Vitono smiled joyfully. Slowly, Parul realised - Vitono was yet again opening up.
"There is a deliberate and peculiar schizophrenia among Nagas...an outsider may not appreciate this. But we are really the conformists lot among the human race," she said.
Barua agreed readily and said -- "Within family and village social structures there is not much of rebellion. Nagas grow up and learn to follow and abide by family and social norms. Respecting elders is good, but sometime they seem to be defending even people who are absolutely wrong".
"Yes...", said his wife and hastened to add, "we can divide our private lives and public lives very smoothly. An outsider can mistake it to be opportunism. It is not".
"We can easily conform to the surroundings and community and respective Khel demands when it comes to public life. We can play the roles as expected by the community and tribe, and which may be wrong even from an individual point of view".
Barua also said -- "If may add, even at times 'silence' is a kind of eloquent speaking....I am surprised at times when even my wife will sit down in silence and allow her relatives to attack my Assamese people or the Indian government.." - he smiled in between.
Parul says, "My husband also keeps complaining like that...all men will be men...".
Barua continued - ".....privately she would tell me latched in a very affectionate voice ...." you know our Naga people my dear...and I am floored".
They all laugh mildly for a brief period.
His wife seemed to agree ...and said " Once I was surprised when a road accident in far off Tuensang district in the hills, two army officers and their wives and children died...and some of my relatives said -- it served them as right as the two army officers had tortured Nagas".
This was in reference to a court of inquiry report that found two officials guilty of torturing two innocent coal mine workers just because they told the officials that they could speak the ethnic local language of ethnic communities in Myanmar.
Barua's wife Vitono said -- actually the way Nagas grow up they acquire a unique sense of propriety -- what is wrong and what is right.
Parul was recording some of their conversation with the permission of Barua and his wife. She assured them repeatedly that their names will never come out. Se will write fiction....so that will be harmless. But at the same time all these can tell some fascinating things about Naga people.
to be continued ..... /-
Story teller and 'Angami' friend |
Global ambitions in RIC factor: 2022 and beyond :::::: 'Inventing' names to places in Arunachal does not alter facts, India snubs China
(India and Russia have rekindled the old bond at the Summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin on December 6 in New Delhi)
A major lesson from 2021 diplomatic and strategic experiences is that it would be erroneous to suggest that China is all too happy about the developments in Afghanistan.
Great Wall of China: Coffee time 2019
India and China have borders and other skirmishes. But they do have a significant stake in the stability of countries like Afghanistan. Beijing is particularly concerned about the stability of its restive Xinjiang region. New Delhi's concerns are pretty well known.
Against this backdrop, it will be important to assess India-China relations in 2022 and the importance of RIC - Russia, India and China.
Once upon a time, the United States virtually found it exceedingly difficult to define its "national interest" in the absence of Soviet power. But things changed once China developed its business and trade globally.
China is rapidly emerging as a challenger to the global pre-eminence of America. This pushed Washington to understand the importance of partnering with a democratic India.
Lately, India and China cooperated and collaborated during the COP-26 Summit in Glasgow and joined in opposing a commitment to "phase out" coal. Both Asian giants and Russia under Vladimir Putin have also been cooperating on regional security in fora, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
RIC Summit and Foreign Ministers meet have also been regular events. But it is also true that while Russia-China has inched closer, for its part, India has inclined more towards the United States.
Even the Summit for Democracy and President Joe Biden inviting PM Narendra Modi was crucial. India to the United States is a suitable 'counterbalance' against communist China. But complexities are too prominent to be missed regarding the India-China relationship.
China enjoys a favourable balance of trade with India, but Beijing will not hesitate about its military aggression regarding territorial issues and so-called border tensions. The Indian government has banned a series of Chinese apps. These, however, do not affect China much on the economic front. India's trade deficit with China rose by 56.12% to $28.10 billion USD in the first half of 2021.
This indicates that in spite of the tensions, the India-China trade equation has thrived. But when it comes to giving access to Indian pharmaceutical companies, China is yet to award market access.
India has other irritants too. Beijing launched the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, started working with Pakistan, and tried to 'undermine' India's influence in its neighbourhood. It also expanded the military presence in the Indian Ocean.
Beijing has continuously pushed its economic interest in the region and the extended neighbourhood of ASEAN countries.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has tried to understand the significance of all these, and thus he waxed eloquently. "... the state of the relationship, at the end of the day, will reflect the state of the border. You can't have a tense, high friction border and have great relations in all other parts of life. It doesn't work that way."
But when it comes to Russia, both New Delhi and Moscow have rekindled the old bond at the Summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin on December 6 in New Delhi. New Delhi seems to have drawn the right message from the western mistakes.
The western campaign to 'isolate' Russia after the Soviet collapse has driven Moscow to China's 'much closer embrace'. Even the US is taking corrective steps. In July 2020, under the Trump administration, Washington suggested the expansion of the G-7.
The Group of Seven (G7) is an inter-governmental forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. It was suggested that India, Russia, Australia and South Korea be included. The move left Beijing worried as it is already in the middle of several complex games both at the Asia level and globally.
The challenges are far from over. For India, the Indo-Pacific initiatives, a US-inspired forum and Australia-Japan, are crucial. Russia sees the Indo-Pacific as an American ploy, perhaps for a military alliance against China and Russia. Beijing sees Indo Pacific as a specific anti-China grouping.
Amid all these, therefore, RIC has a critical element. More important perhaps is the bilateral arms of the Russia-India-China triangle.
India needs to push up defence ties with Russia and keep China engaged in boundary talks and robust trade ties.
ends
China name some places in Arunachal Pradesh : Nothing new says New Delhi
December 30, 2021
In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, the MEA pokesperson Arindam Bagchi said:
"We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017.
Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact."
There is a given perception in diplomacy that China respects strength and it does not worry much about 'good manners', 'humility', etc.
In 2017, India had taken a tough posture during Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's Arunachal Pradesh visit. This was seen as a "rare display of firmness and sovereign rights by the Indian government with regards to China. I find it refreshing and overdue. My only consideration is that this assertiveness should sustain," said former Foreign Secretary Lalit Mansingh.
China shares its 22,457 km land boundary with 14 countries, including India, the third-longest after the borders with Mongolia and Russia.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Despite protests and assembly resolution, AFSPA extended in Nagaland
New Delhi:
Amid protests, assembly resolution and political rows, the Centre on Thursday morning, Dec 30, 2021, extended application of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) by six months.
"..the Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of the
state of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in the aid of civil power is necessary".
"...therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958, (No. 2 of 1958) the central government hereby declares the whole of the state of Nagaland to be 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from Dec 30, 2021 for the purpose of the said Act," an order from Additional Secretary Home, Piyush Goyal said.
CM Rio
An AFSPA review panel was set up by the centre on Monday and it is to be headed by Census chief Dr Vivek Joshi.
The agaland assembly on December 20 passed a unanimous official resolution seeking immediate repeal of
the controversial law.
Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home, Piyush Goyal will be the member secretary of the panel, and it
will have Lt Gen P C Nair, DG Assam Rifles among others as the members.
Other members of the committee are J Alam, Chief Secretary, Nagaland, T. John Longkumer, DGP, Nagaland,
Dr M S Tuli, Joint Director Intelligence Bureau and Lt Gen B S Raju, DG Military Operations, will be the special invitee.
"The terms of reference of the committee shall be to review the application of AFSPA in Nagaland and make suitable recommendations within a period of three months."
The Christmas festival went off this month in predominantly Christian-stronghold Nagaland state in a dampened
mood this year.
Protesters even burned effigies of Union Home Minister Amt Shah in remote Tizit area for allegedly
'misleading' the Parliament on December 4 shooting at Oting in Nagaland where local Konyak
Naga coal miners were killed in a botched up anti-insurgency operation.
The AFSPA has been enforced in Nagaland since 1958.
The enforcement of AFSPA in Nagaland (erstwhile Naga Hills) was preceded by the Assam Maintenance of
Public Order Act 1947 on June 15,1948 in response to the 'Naga independence' movement by the NNC.
Naga National Council claimed 'independence' for Nagaland on August 14,1947.
Insurgency in Nagaland started way back in the 1940s when doyen of 'Naga freedom movement'
A Zapu Phizo had floated the Naga National Council. It is also the oldest insurgency in the region.
Mizoram too had seen serious insurgency struggle but during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi as
Prime Minister, the rebel group Mizo National Front had come forward and signed a peace
accord in 1986.
Full-fledged statehood was granted to Nagaland in 1963 with a 16-point Agreement inked
between Naga groups and the centre but the insurgency still continued
and multiple groups emerged at a later stage.
ends
Indianewsstream.com
2021 : India a changed nation in Sports :::::::: Global stage - Unhappy America
Circa 2021, India a changed nation in Sports
New Delhi
(Not long ago, what was India's story with Sports? When the Indian contingent came back empty-handed from the Olympic Games every four years, there would be no post-mortem examination of the failures. 2021 - the story has changed.)
Two northeastern ladies proved that the 'New India' has arrived.
Manipur's weightlifter Mirabai Chanu used to take lifts from unknown truckers to go to the
stadium for practice. She won the Silver medal on the opening day of Tokyo Olympics
and good luck started.
Assam’s Lovlina Borgohain was another star who virtually snatched a bronze in women’s
welterweight (69kg).
Of course, so did others. Neeraj Chopra has redefined 'javelin' for millions of Indians.
His admirers later wrote - Neeraj Chopra made use of 10 precious seconds of his life to end India’s 121-years
wait for a track and field medal at the Olympics.
P V Sindhu bounced back from a disappointing semi-final loss to pick up bronze and become the first Indian
woman to win multiple Olympic medals.
India is a changed nation in sports today. 'Naya Bharat' as envisioned by its dreamer Prime Minister.
Conventionally, one could call it 'fire in the belly' - a salad of powerful sense of
determination and ambition for any competitor.
Indians were happy to believe in the old dictum that one could win or lose but what is important is the
game. The show must go on ... etc etc. And for officials, babus and coaches - these events
used to be shopping melas and tourism bonanza.
Now it's different. That was 2021.
For the first time since its independence in 1947, the nation of 1.3 billion people finished with seven medals,
including a coveted gold in the men's javelin throw.
The Indian men’s hockey team made history as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years. Overall, India finished 48th among the participating nations.
There were fairy tales in the entire show. Indian women hockey captain Rani Rampal's father pulled a
hand-cart and mother worked as a domestic help. There were others with similar stories of penury to
medals and social respectability.
"I always wanted to see an Indian win an Olympic Gold (in athletics)," said a proud sprinter P T Usha,
who had finished fourth and missed Bronze in the 1984 Los Angeles track event.
It was 'Olympic fever' for days in a nation - which looked demoralised fighting Covid19 and the
pandemic-inflicted economic crisis and joblessness.
But there are a few vital underlining messages from the moments of sporting glory for India, and thus
a few important lessons too.
One important takeaway is that Tokyo2020 marks the emergence of the underdogs.
But the bigger message would be that the Sports have proved to be tools of great social
metamorphosis for a country of 135 crore plus which was satisfied till now not winning any medal for years.
The 'revolution' also meant a few bigger stories -- fighting two 'almost permanent' malaise - Poverty and Patriarchy.
The year 2021 and Tokyo2020 for India marked a major and positive turning point more from a social point of view.
"This is now an era of underdogs and underprivileged. Women have fought patriarchy specially in Haryana and
a host of hockey players and others are in sports essentially in search of a better life", wrote one sports writer.
Unlike cricket stars from Delhi and Mumbai, the young boys and girls in athletics often are homeless.
A few stayed in mud houses. Sports was a game-changer in 2021.
For a long time, Indian boys and girls focused on the classroom, aiming to be doctors, engineers,
and bureaucrats with easy to live jobs.
The Indian education system still values the ability to mug up. Sport was never important for the
educated middle classes.
In Haryana, the society is generally of conservatives and male chauvinism.
The state recorded lopsided sexual demographic in 2012 where there were just 877 women to every
1,000 men following years of infanticide and abortions. In 2020 too, there was marginal improvement, yet
these concerns remain. Now the state has 922 girls for every 1000 men.
It was not easy to do well in sports for young girls braving these social hurdles and tough conditions.
In Haryana, parents want young girls to wear Salwar-Kameez (outfit that covers the entire body) and that they
should return home before dark. There would be Khap-panchayats (kangaroo courts) in villages passing diktats
on women attires and matters related to girls conduct in public places and marriages.
However enthusiasm and new dreams defined people's approach. This was exemplified by the players' performance
and the encouragement they got in the run up to the sporting extravaganza especially from parents and various
sporting bodies.
Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, an in service defence personnel, also comes from a little known village Khandra in
Haryana and his father has been a humble farmer.
There is also a paradox. Despite patriarchy issues and conservative social structure, in 2021, 25 percent of India's
athletes in the Olympics were from Haryana.
The state's population is little over 2 per cent vis-a-vis the national figures.
Another woman hockey player, Parasdeep Kaur, says people tell her father that she should be married off without
further delay. Little wonder, she is the only one pursuing the game from her village.
Bronze winner, boxer Lovlina Borgohain hails from a development-starved place called Sarupathar in
Assam adjoining Nagaland border.
Politically, the Congress has ruled India and the states for decades. The Leftists remained permanent self-styled
virtuous and efficient lots.
In states such as West Bengal, there was a serious job crisis for years and the answer was ‘Unemployment fees
(Bekar Bhata)’; they never bothered to consider sports as a viable alternative means to encourage youngsters.
2021 would mean different things to sports and Indian sports lovers.
ends
New Delhi:
(Is US still the global leader? In November, Chinese Prez Xi Jinping said, “It is playing with fire, and if you play with fire, you will get burned". The reference was US support to Taiwan.)
It has been the most frustrating year for Americans in the recent past, but the journey continues.
A regime change marked 2021 in the United States. But the transition of power
was not at all smooth and reflective of a healthy democracy.
Biden: Flanked by VP Harris, Secy of State Blinken |
Joseph Robinette Biden - a former Vice President Joe Biden - is the 46th President of the US who assumed office on Jan 20 this year.
"Democrats suggested they could charge President Donald Trump with “high crimes and misdemeanors” for inciting a mob that attacked the Capitol," reported 'The New York Times' , definitely adding to the shame of all Americans and their much touted claims over democracy.
However, at the end of the calendar year, Biden hosted virtually a Summit for Democracy trying to enlist the support of key global players including India and its charismatic leader Narendra Modi against the supposed hegemony of two authoritarian powers, Russia and China.
There is a paradox in it too as India has certainly inched close to the US over the years, while Russia and China
are closer between them. And of course Beijing maintained blow hot-blow cold relationships with both New Delhi
and Washington throughout circa 2021.
For Biden of course, the worst crisis and that hit America's global reputation was in the form of the Afghanistan
crisis. In simpler language, it was a 'botched up' withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan and the Taliban
took over Kabul on August 15, 2021.
Americans had themselves to blame for everything.
The so called 'Doha' assurances of the Taliban leaders
In the last few years came a cropper.
Of course, a few weeks after the August high drama punctuated with loss of face for Uncle Sam, India's
no nonsense External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar did some plain speaking.
"....When I say levels of concern, the commitments which were made by the Taliban at Doha, the US
knows it best. We were not taken into confidence on various aspects of that," Dr Jaishankar said
speaking virtually at the Leadership summit of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
Only on August 26, Biden's Afghanistan policy hit his country most.
At least 60 civilians and 12 US service members were killed as Islamic State
claimed responsibility for the dastardly Kabul attacks. It turned out to be the deadliest day for US
forces in a decade, subjecting President Biden to face sharper criticism.
The evacuation of western forces and others from Afghanistan plunged into a deeper crisis as
multiple explosions in Kabul killed scores throwing the entire world into panic.
Biden took a stand in his national broadcast and asserted:
“We will not forgive, we will not forget. We will hunt you down...".
But the truth was much bitter to be sweetened or otherwise by his rhetoric.
The Afghanistan debacle has done extreme damage to drive home the point that the
international community needs to understand that unlike the past - the US is perhaps no longer
the real 'leader' of the 'free world'.
Some skeptics said, America is now getting the taste of an increasing blow-back for pursuing bad policies over
decades in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the name of fighting the terror. Why it had to trust Pakistan beyond a point ?
On Nov 16, Biden to cut short on 'military engagement' with Beijing held the first virtual meeting with Chinese
President Xi Jinping for three and a half hours.
But the long meeting did not have much to give in substance.
A US spin was that the ice has been broken and the downward decline in the US-China relationship
would stop. Chinese President Xi even called Biden "an old friend"; but there was a categorical 'warning'
also about playing with 'fire'.
“It is playing with fire, and if you play with fire, you will get burned,” the Chinese readout quoted President
Xi as having stated over US support to Taiwan.
"Xi warns US over support for Taiwan secessionism," screamed a 'Global Times' headline.
But old timers say, American history is not quite new to such criticism and humiliation.
In the 1970s after Vietnam fiasco and mishandling of Iran, it had become fashionable
to portray the US as 'leaderless'. Then it was the erstwhile Soviet Union taking advantage of
the American 'weakness'.
But as they say, 'born again Americanism' was soon back under Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter days
were quickly lost in memories.
For the US policy makers, the year 2021 had begun with some of these refrains -
“If we are the people’s house, let’s do the people’s work and let’s vote to impeach this president (Trump)”.
But by August-September, some surveys claimed Trump was regaining his lost ground at the national level.
The 'Marketwatch.com' said in December, - Biden’s biggest challenges in 2022 would be to
convince Americans that ‘the United States is on the right track’ and of course winning the
economy battle.
Fight it every step, as the maxim goes.
ends
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