US gestures on Diwali adds 'more responsibilities' for Indian Govt
New Delhi:
The biggest ambassador of India's Soft Power image has been Mahatma Gandhi whose teachings on non-violence made global impact in the 20th century.
This year's Hindu festival of Light and Sound brought added enthusiasm to celebrations as the US lawmakers made a move to declare Diwali a federal holiday.
Diwali symbolizes the spiritual victory of Light over darkness, Knowledge over ignorance and Good over evil. Essentially, it has been a Hindu festival and at best sometimes taken more as a pan-India national festival
However, in circa 2021, the essence of Diwali seems to have changed. It has assumed almost a global respectability if not acceptability. And, there is less of the religious element in it.
Religious minorities such as Christians and Muslims too have been celebrating the fest here.
But the US gestures wherein President Joe Biden has led his nation into celebration by lighting lamps in Hindu traditions has brought in 'some more responsibilities' for the government of the day in India.
In the past, arts, culture, music, philosophy, sports and even cuisine were made use of as Soft Power tools,
but more in a subtle manner.
But now things are more open. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party link these to emergence of a macho Hindu only India.
However, there has to be a crucial line of cautioning for the incumbent political dispensation
in Delhi. 'Soft Power' tools by themselves cannot achieve major Foreign Policy Goals.
"The acceptance of India's Soft Power tools would have greater say provided the political
leadership in India learn to behave more responsibly. Acceptance of Diwali in west or in middle
east now makes it mandatory to ensure that Christians and Muslims should not feel aggrieved in
India," says political observer Vidyarthi Kumar.
"Our goals are not supposed to be opposed to the interests of these minorities or the national interests of
some of these countries," he adds.
Agreeing with him, Christian leader A C Michael told UCA News: “The move in the US to declare holiday on
Diwali is a great decision. This reflects the liberal attitude of that country’s politicians unlike the ones of
our country who chose to declare Christmas as Good Governance Day and compelled government
staff to report to work on 25th December".
The Modi government made December 25 - Good Governance Day in honour of the Prime
Minister's senior colleague Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was Indian PM between 1998 and 2004.
Diwali as a festival has a strong religiosity element as the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the
Hindu lunar calendar, it is believed that on this day Hindu God Ram had returned 'home' at his kingdom
Ayodhya from a 14-year-long exile.
Legends go that citizens in the Kingdom welcomed their virtuous prince back home
as his exile too was self-imposed to uphold the family honour as was promised by his
father.
Even religious minorities and non-Hindus have been taking part in Diwali celebrations.
"As an Indian, I have been celebrating Diwali since my childhood. It makes me feel proud that
the world’s largest democratic country, the USA, has made our country’s biggest festival a holiday in
their county," says Michael, an eminent Christian leader in Delhi.
'Soft Power' is also not a new phenomenon to Indian culture and history.
Theatre personality Peter Brook produced the Hindu epic Mahabharata with a universal cast in the 1980s.
The great Indian epic became much popular in the far corners of the world.
The international media coverage of Khumbmela is also a testimony to the
admiration of Indian culture by people overseas.
India also houses all major religions of the world. Four are homegrown: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism
and Sikhism; and notably, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam came from overseas and have flourished.
Now, in 2021, from US President Joe Biden accompanied by his wife First Lady Jill Biden:to Speaker
Nancy Pelosi everyone celebrated the festival of Light and Sound.
There were reports of enthusiastic celebrations in Muslim-dominated nations such as UAE and Malaysia
as well.
To top it all, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney from New York and some of her colleagues have got into
a new found mission to get a new draft law that would declare Diwali as a federal holiday in the US.
After Yoga, which has got United Nations recognition, we now have Diwali – the much popular 'Hindu festival'
emerging as a symbol of India’s Soft Power.
In the last century, India's Father of the Nation,
Mahatma Gandhi had his overwhelming influence when he made 'non-violence' a major tool to fight for India's
independence from the British colonial masters.
In the 1960s and the 1970s, hundreds of Americans disillusioned with their westernised and 'heavily materialistic'
Hippi cult,used to throng to India for Yoga and Meditation powers.
These were too 'soft powers'.
However, unlike what is happening now, in both these instances, the Government of India
had very little to do with their propagation of Soft Power measures.
While Mahatma Gandhi's emphasis was also seen as a good synthesis of teachings of Buddha
and Jesus Christ - that the meek shall inherit the earth or give the second cheek, in the contemporary
settings the government of the day and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are than keen to use
these as tools of global influence.
In 2016, the third year of his stint, a Hindu zealot leader Modi had said: “We (Indians) can make contribution
(of India’s soft power) only when we ourselves feel proud of our culture. But if we continue to curse ourselves,
then how will the world look towards us. The world is not only united by concerns of economic growth,
but also by human values and India can play a vital role in it.”
Even the UN recognition of the Yoga power to declare June 21, as the International Day of Yoga since 2015,
had come after the Government of India pressed for such a resolution at the UNGA.
In April 2017, yet again the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) issued 10 stamps on 'Yoga Asanas' on a single sheet
to mark International Day of Yoga.
One reason for such importance given to the Hindu-majority India and Indian culture and philosophies
is geo-politics.
In the fast emerging multipolar world, the 'largest democracy' India is bound to be a major player.
Moreover, from geo-strategic and foreign policy machinations, India has moved closer to several key world
players including the likes of the US, Israel, France, Japan and Australia. It has good friends in Russia and Brazil
and along with Brazil, Russia, South Africa and China, it is part of BRICS grouping that is expected to do
well in the economic realm in the decades to come.
So, we have a situation wherein no important global player can ignore India. Secondly, Indian diaspora
has assumed important size in countries such as the US and millions of them are now being wooed
by leaders such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
In fact, it was Democrat, Obama, who first started the tradition of lighting the entire White House, the seat of
strongest executive power under the sky, during Diwali fest in 2009.
Well, that was five years ahead of Modi coming to power.
In the political sense, of course, the Congress-led coalition regime in India led by Dr Manmohan Singh did not
give as much importance to religiosity. Thus even Obama had lit the White House, there was no hype
or media build up back home in India.
Modi's regime firmly believes in the power of macho-Hindu Rashtra (Hindu only nation) concept. And thus
recognition of Yoga and now enhanced importance being given to the Diwali festival suit Modi's Bharatiya
Janata Party politically.
But someone like Virendra Sachdeva of BJP's Good Governance Cell says: "The motive of building a
predefined narrative against Hindu festivals and rituals has been discounted. It is more than religion
and enjoyment. Diwali has made a mark globally as a festival of share and care. People do charity work
at orphanages and old age homes and this became more relevant in post-Covid world".
Others say there are merits in the Hindu rituals and practices.
"Bursting of firecrackers is a matter of concern certainly. But this is when things are overdone. Otherwise, the
timing of the Diwali festival in between autumn and winter is not something to be lost. The light and sound
kill some seasonal bacteria in the air. People see merits in it. Dengue problem declines with the onset of winter and this
coincides with the post-Diwali season," says Varanasi-based Tushar Bhadra.
In the US, President Biden is now seen as someone inching closer to the Asian Americans, especially
Indian American representations.
He has appointed Neera Tanden as a White House staff secretary, one of the highest positions
in the White House and also he has named Dr Vivek Murthy to serve on his cabinet as a Surgeon General.
The slogan 'Abki Baar Trump Sarkar' was coined by the Republican Hindu Coalition, which had openly
supported Trump and campaigned for him among the Indian-Americans.
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New Delhi:
A senior diplomat from the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs on Mondaym Nov 8, 2021 and a "strong protest was lodged" on the incident of unprovoked firing at Indian fishermen by Pakistan side.
Sources said, the "Pakistani agency" fired upon an Indian fishing boat ‘Jalpari’ on 06 November 2021, resulting in death of an Indian fisherman and serious injury to another fisherman in Maharashtra.
"The Government of India condemned this deplorable action by Pakistani agency of firing at an Indian fishing boat and causing loss of life which is in contravention to all established international practices and bilateral understandings," the source said.
It was reiterated that the authorities in Pakistan consider the issue of fishermen as a humanitarian and livelihood matter. "The Government of Pakistan was also called upon to conduct an inquiry into the incident and to instruct its forces to refrain from such acts of unprovoked firing".
Reports from Maharashtra said, a 32-year-old fisherman from Maharashtra was killed. The incident occurred around 4 pm on Saturday.
A fisherman from Thane near Mumbai who was on a fishing boat 'Jalpari,' was killed after the Pakistani Maritime personnel opened fire on him and other crew members.
Stage set for NSA level meet on Afghanistan, Doval to chair
New Delhi: Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai P. Patrushev and Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani¸ Secretary, Supreme National Security Council of Iran wouldamong others attend the 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan' on Nov 10.
To be hosted by India, the crucial meeting would be also participated byKarim Massimov, Chairman of National Security Committee of Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan's Secretary of the Security Council Marat Mukanovich Imankulov,Tajikistan Security Council Secretary Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, Charymyrat Kakalyyevvich Amavov, Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on Security & Secretary, State Security Counciland Victor Makhmudov, Secretary of the Security Council of Uzbekistan, sources told 'Organiser'.
The Delhi meet would be chaired by National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval. The first two editions of the Dialogue were hosted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2018 and 2019.
"The Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan will witness an expanded participation of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, who will all be represented by their respective National Security Advisers or Secretaries of the Security Councils," an MEA statement said.
The high level Dialogue will review the security situation in the region arising from recent developments in Afghanistan. "It will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability".
India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with the people of Afghanistan and has called for a unified international response to address the security and humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan. The forthcoming meeting is a step in that direction, the statement said.
A few days back, it was learnt that invitations have been extended to China and Pakistan too.
"However, Pakistan had indicated through the media that it will not attend," an informed source has said.
The source categorically maintained that - "Pakistan’s decision is unfortunate, but not surprising. It reflects its mindset of viewing Afghanistan as its protectorate."
Pakistan did attend the two previous meetings of this format in 2018 and 2019 also.
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