Worshiping False Gods

                                              Firstly a book by an esteemed gentlemen known for his honesty and humbleness . In today's politically charged environment simple quotes comes under microscopic scrutiny and sometimes twisted to create political storms. Abuses are hurled freely with dangers of epithets to physical violence looms large. Nowadays people publicly brandishes their political affiliations and violently defend their beliefs and so,its best to refrain from commenting on social matters not out of conviction but safety. This book is a brave attempt to put past historical facts in public domain, no surprise author had to face wrath from certain quarters.

                                           This is a remarkable attempt to understand different ideologies at play during the long and tedious path of freedom struggle. In our zeal to make heroes and worship them as gods we often forget that the person we are idealizing is a mortal with all his flaws. Don't we have the capacity to accept a person with all his flaws as a hero ? Why doesn't we accept a simple truth that heroes can and may commit mistakes ? Does those mistakes make him a lesser mortal ?

                                           In the words of Dr. B R Ambedkar "Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship", hasn't few organizations with trademark victim hood card fallen prey to same ideology that Dr. Ambedkar warned us?  I can only summarize it by saying its a book worth reading without preconceived notions on author.  This book asks too many uncomfortable questions and too many excerpts with references that eventually helps understanding stalwarts by cleaning cobwebs. One of the finest book to read and understand the tussle and dramas inacted during the freedom movement of country

Cheer Haran

                                         In the prevailing vicious political environment of this country a worrying trend is emerging, only those tragedies are highlighted  that furthers ones political ambitions while feigning ignorance over others by politicians and media - a gruesome rape in Kerala is protested by some but conveniently ignored by others (http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/main-suspect-in-rape-murder-of-kerala-dalit-woman-arrested-by-police-report-2855899/). While a condemnable statement by ex-BJP Vice President of UP Dayashankar is grabbed by politicians and left/liberal media to denounce central government and create mass hysteria its lackadaisical attitude towards other numerous filthy incidents raises questions about its sincerity.

                                      Derogatory statements by politicians isn't new phenomenon in Indian politics (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o95x50Wi7nw). Many stalwarts across political spectrum have indulged in shameful rhetoric. The derogatory statement and sacking of Dayashankar by BJP doesn't seem to mollify mischief mongers . There seems to be a manufactured fury created by vested interests to continue the agitation keeping UP elections in mind . The irony is, the sensitive question of insult to a woman is being hijacked to trash BJP while identity politics in this case "Dalit" is being superimposed for political gains trivializing the bigger question of women's honor and dignity.

                                    Politicians jump in fray when its politically convenient to them and unfortunately it belittles the otherwise serious topic of women dignity. The political prism of current day politicians is narrow . It only divides people and perpetuate hate. The victims and crimes are nowadays segregated on the basis of identity, castes and religious. Identities are re emphasized , flimsy excuses are given and conspiracy theories are woven. Nurturing political ambitions isn't sin but shielding criminals in the garb of fake victimhood emboldens the perpetrator by blunting law through smokescreen, thus negates the will  to confront the crime. The allegations and counter allegations defeats the resolve to fight burning issue of women respect and dignity making it more about identity slugfest.

                                       In this case , the support from media and social condemnation by all encouraged Mayawati, who tried to evoke community emotions by calling it an insult on "Dalit" women across India( apparently she even compared herself to living deity of oppressed ). Unfortunately the actual topic of insult to women was given castist turn and in the ensuing protests BSP workers went overboard crossing all limits of human decency. They openly called for the mother, wife and 12 year old daughter (7th grader) of Dayashankar to be delivered to them all for sex and to teach them a lesson. Even more bizarre is the justification of Mayawati in her own words ‘Dayashankar’s family should realize (through the statement of her party men) that how insulting it is when a woman is referred to as a prostitute’.

                                   There shouldn't be any discrimination while dealing with serious issue of women modesty. Perpetrators shouldn't be left off because of his identity or political compulsions. When media ask for strict action on Dayashankar for deplorable comments then why doesn't it displays the same outrage when Congress’ Sanjay Nirupam  ask Smriti Irani to do thumkas, Nilamoni Sen Deka call her ‘Modi’s second wife’, Sharad Yadav for telling her “I know what you are” and JDU’s Ali Anwar claiming Irani has been given the textile portfolio to ‘cover her body.’ Why is the hypocrisy of selected outrage ? As long people doesn't unite and raise voice on social evil of defaming women irrespective of caste, religion etc all tall claims about women empowerment will only sound hollow and erroneous.

                                    It is morally correct to denounce any lewd comment made against women whether she's in public domain or otherwise but calling to rape family members with tacit approval from political boss is equally condemnatory. There shouldn't be any double standards employed by media to defend perpetrators when honor of a women is at stake. The victim and crime shouldn't be seen from the atrocious narrow prism of vote bank politics if India wants to save vulnerable daughters from the appalling emerging scenario .

1962: The War That Wasn't

“Avenge our unplayed lives, redeem the unredeemable  sacrifice,
       In freedom and integrity, let this be your inheritance, and our unwritten epitaph.”

Extract From The Book :-  “At the time when rest of the world was exhausted from the Second World War and attention was focused on the Cold war, Chinese supremo Mao Tse-Tung (Mao Zedong) pulled off one of the greatest real estate coups of all time. The Chinese played their cards in such a manner that the Indians lost what should have been at best a defensive war by not fighting it at all.”

                                     Since Indian independence we have fought five major wars four against Pakistan and one with China. While we successfully defended and won wars against Pakistan the battle in the high Himalayas in October-November 1962 left India humiliated and psyche scarred till now. 

                                        1962: The War That Wasn’t by Shiv Kumar Verma is an extraordinary attempt to unravel truth about Indo-China war fiasco, that till now is shrouded in myth and mystery, for the only official inquiry, the Brooks-Henderson/Bhagat Report on India’s catastrophic defeat in the war, has remained locked away, seen only by  very few in the military hierarchy over the past 50 odd years (media reports).

                                     This incredible book should be broadly divided into three phases, complete lack of understanding of the problem coupled with nepotism of narcissist PM and cowardly display by incompetent top military commanders who weren't chosen on merit . The incompetent politicians J.L Nehru(PM) and K.Menon(Defense Minister) who scuttled any positive attempt by Army to assert its authority by taking independent decisions. By humiliating Top military brass and replacing them with incompetent puppet officers with total lack of credentials were the genesis of defeat. In the end, the cowardice of those chosen few with bizarre military decisions on ground led to the worst defeat India faced despite exemplary courage shown by soldiers.

                                     So obsessed was Nehru for his image as leader of "Third World" and statesmanship that he supported China on all international forums despite China’s annexation of Sinkiang (Xinjiang) in 1949 and Tibet in 1950. When General KM Cariappa brought to Nehru’s notice in early 1951 that some Chinese troops were apprehended with maps showing parts of the North East Frontier Agency as part of China, he retorted, “It is not for the Army to decide who the nation’s likely enemies would be.”

                                       Despite total lack of infrastructure, no winter clothing, food to sustain, forget artillery support there's no basic ammunition to fight yet our soldiers on ground fought valiantly. Without providing the additional resources required, handing over the borders to the army was a meaningless gesture.” writes Verma. 

                                        In the end over 4,000 were taken prisoners of war by China , and an entire division of over 15,000 ill-equipped was routed in the face of the massive Chinese onslaught. While Chinese officially admit to 2,419 casualties (722 dead and 1,697 wounded) on their side. In my opinion this book is a must read, as it was not only ill preparedness but total collapse of decision making process at higher level .We must all debate and learn from mistakes and take decisive measures to prevent any catastrophe in future.

USA - An Apartheid Nation ?

                                         USA is always at the forefront of protesting and publicly giving decrees against governments around the globe when it comes to human rights.   Uncle Sam portrays himself the harbinger of good and just causes while denouncing and sometimes putting sanctions with or without UN approval on governments not obligatory to their whims. The U.S. State Department issues a report on human rights in other countries around the world. The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices have been an annual tradition since 1977 . Any country not towing the set parameters laid down by selected group led by US, is denounced and smudged with shadow of punitive sanctions always lurking . US projection of global watchdog is hypocrisy since human rights violations within US are increasing  alarmingly but is conveniently ignored.

                                       America of today is passing through a social turmoil with least regard for human rights violations. Most of the news emerging out of US points towards burgeoning social unrest, unabated violence, mass gun deaths, racism, racial profiling and police  brutalities on black population and minorities . The most disturbing uptrend is the police brutal killings of hapless black people in cold blood.  African-Americans are being marked and targeted for racial profiling, for arrest,for brutality and outright murder by law enforcement agencies. The escalating division inside the US between law enforcement agencies and the African-American as well as other linguistic or religious minorities is astonishing.

                                   The escalating brutal crackdown of law enforcement agencies on innocent  African-American community is only a small piece of problem, the growing intolerance towards religious minorities and racial  profiling without any remorse or shame is another. The shallowness of rhetoric on respect for human rights by US can be gauged from the fact that it supported Saudi Arabia candidacy to lead UNHRC, a country known for blatant human rights abuses. The uptrend in violence of one community towards people from other races has reached alarming proportion now and efforts to silence voices is proving futile. The high-profile police killings of black men, mass gun violence and targeted killings of police officers, testifies the worsening civilian unrest in US.

                                           There's no denying the fact that gun violence,racial tensions are at their worst in USA with abuse of power by the police is only making environment murkier by the day. Under the present scenario it is but natural to compare present day America with South Africa of past. The comparison is baffling with figures are worse when compared . The United States incarcerates a higher proportion of blacks than apartheid South Africa did. In America, the black-white wealth gap today is greater than it was in South Africa in 1970 at "the peak of apartheid". According to reports that whites in South Africa owned 15 times more than blacks in 1970s, while the current ratio for the United States is 18 to 1. The gap in household income, the ratio of unemployment, and the number of children going to segregated schools have all remained roughly the same. The disparity in incarceration rates has gotten worse.

                                    It wouldn't be wrong to question US for deteriorating human rights abuses and coerce government to initiate steps to restore sense of equality and justice among disadvantaged vulnerable groups, who are at mercy of trigger happy law enforcement agencies.Under present circumstances its naive to consider sermons seriously from US unless it sets his house in order and take meaningful steps to address the growing social unrest in its backyard. It is high time for the US government to face its own human rights problems with courage and give up the unwise practices of applying double standards on human rights issues.