EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
DELHI THE HINDU 8 EDITORIAL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The great Indian political shift The Ambedkarite, Lohiaite and Dravidian parties are visibly moving to a politics without ‘othering’ happened at three levels. First, at most episodic. In fact, the tone cal rivals. The BJP has singlehand the symbolic level, wherein the and tenor of the Mahagathband edly taken the politics of ‘othering’ founding fathers were pitted han in Uttar Pradesh, particularly from the episodic to incessant le Healing touch against each other. Second, at the regarding the SP (Lohiaite) and the vel wherein the everyday life of the societal level, wherein the socio BSP (Ambedkarite), signify the be people is systematically fused with Kashmiri students elsewhere must be economic interest of one section ginning of a phase of ‘politics with the constitution of the ‘other’ and reassured of their personal safety Sajjan Kumar was shown as being unaligned out othering’ at the normative le its perpetuation. This has taken with that of sections signifying the vel. In their formal press the form of communalisation of he Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition ‘other’. conference announcing the grand everyday lives, as refl ected in the seeking directions to educational institutions to he 2019 general election is Third, at the political level, alliance, both Mayawati of the BSP instances of cowvigilantism and Tprotect Kashmiris in the face of harassment and being seen as a test of the wherein idiom, metaphor, popu and Akhilesh Yadav of the SP re moblynching. Besides, the demo intimidation in various parts of the country after the Tparties opposed to the Bha lar slogan and appeal were delib ferred overwhelmingly to class nisation of Nehru by pitting him ghastly terror attack in Pulwama on February 14. Hun ratiya Janata Party (BJP)led Na erately sectarian, exhibiting a and occupational identities, and against other founding fathers has dreds of Kashmiri students, primarily from Dehradun tional Democratic Alliance in forg ‘friendenemy’ simile. It was ar only a passing reference was made reached a hysterical level. ing workable preelection fronts, gued that popular politics was GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO to Other Backward Classes and Da At a time when the emerging in Uttarakhand, have already returned home or moved and of the BJP in deepening its about speaking for diff erent However, when the SP govern lit identities. In marked contrast to centrality of agrarian issues has to Delhi or Jammu seeking safety. Amid these reports , electoral coalitions. But it is inter shades of subalterns, who consti ment came to power in 2012, it se their position during the Mandal led to the shrinking cultural space the Union Home Ministry had on Saturday issued an ad esting to scan the changing politi tuted the majority, thereby pro lected another set of villages un phase of the early 1990s, they wel for privileging religious identity in visory to all States and Union Territories to ensure the cal landscape before the campaign jecting the politics of ‘numbers der a new village development comed the 10% reservation an southern, western, central and safety of Kashmiris. The Jammu and Kashmir police too for the Lok Sabha gets truly under and othering’ as necessary to scheme, Ram Manohar Lohia Sa nounced for economically weaker some parts of northern India, the have set up helplines. It is to be hoped that these mea way for changes in the ‘politics of serve the ideals of equality and magra Gram Vikas Yojana, and of sections. BJP as a compensatory move is sures will be strengthened, especially with the Supreme othering’ that has so far defi ned freedom. However, this mode of fi cially labelled them as ‘Lohia vil Whether these shifts indicate shifting its politics of othering most Indian parties. Or in other politics infused a great deal of bit lages’. The replacing of Ambedkar the return of Congressism — a eastward, in West Bengal and the Court now hearing the issue. It needs to be made clear words, are nonBJP, nonCongress terness in the societal realm by by Lohia had another dimension. mode of politics without any ‘oth Northeastern States. In essence, by the State and Central governments that there will be parties adopting Congressism? treating the ideals of ‘fraternity’ as While the Ambedkar villages were ering’ — is yet to be seen, but cer this is an attempt to shift the core no compromise on the State’s responsibility to ensure subservient to ‘equality and free inhabited by signifi cantly large tainly it indicates a process whe space for communal othering to the wellbeing of citizens. Equally, there needs to be Episodic othering dom’. numbers of Dalits, the Lohia villag rein the Congress does not seem to east and Northeast India, as seen, stern action against the mobs that harassed and tried to The enumeration exercise by the The manifestation of this three es had a majority of nonDalits, be the only claimant of the dis for instance, with the politics over frighten Kashmiris. The Uttarakhand police arrested 22 colonial ethnographic state since fold othering was seen in the polit particularly the Other Backward course of Congressism. Rather, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. students on Tuesday for trying to have Kashmiri stu the late 19th century brought to ical culture across India since Classes. more and more parties which rose This explains why a party that the fore the politics of ‘numbers’, 1990s in an entrenched way. The This threefold othering had its on the plank of antiCongressism championed the ethnic sentiment dents expelled from their college, but there have be en thereby reshaping society into the popularity of slogans in Uttar Pra parallel in the southern and North are adopting the discourse of of ‘JatiMatiVeti’ in Assam was des other similar instances. It will be a cause for lasti ng binary of ‘minoritymajority’ desh and Bihar, emanating from eastern States, which was refl ect ‘nonothering’. perate to pass the Citizenship Bill shame if young people studying in diff erent parts of the along caste, religion and ethnic Ambedkarite and Lohiaite dis ed in the BJP’s slogan ‘JatiMatiVe that privileges the religious country were sought to be isolated, and their ethnic lines. By the 1920s, the political course, while championing an ti’ (identity, land and resource) in The BJP exception identity. identity headlined to make them targets of majoritarian discourse in India, barring that of egalitarian quest took recourse to 2016 during the Assembly election However, there is one radical con mobs looking to avenge a terrorist attack. Law and o r the Indian National Congress, in castebased ‘othering’ that com in Assam, privileging ethnic identi trast to this emerging trend. While A litmus test der must prevail, and the students must be given haled the politics of ‘numbers’, peted with the religious ‘othering’ ty, and in the controversy over the Lohiaite, Ambedkarite and Dravi Barring Hindutva, the emerging enough confi dence that they can return to their educa which seamlessly metamorphosed of Hindutva. separate fl ag during the Karnataka dian politics are embracing the fra trend of parties that emerged from into the politics of ‘othering’. This This entrenchment of ‘othering’ election in 2018. mework of nonothering, the Hin the Dravidian, Ambedkarite and tional institutions and studies without fear. took various forms under parties could be seen most clearly in Besides, going against the ideals dutva discourse led by the BJP is Lohiaite discourse moving to the However, occurrences such as these, of communally such as the AllIndia Muslim post2000 Uttar Pradesh when the of fraternity, the fact that any polit still caught in the oldmode of ‘oth politics of ‘nonothering’ is a mo charged attacks, cannot be forgotten with the mere re League, the Akhil Bharat Hindu acidic political rivalry between the ics of ‘othering’ becomes a politics ering’ even though its electoral ment of celebration. A liberal de turn to a semblance of normalcy. No group of Indians Mahasabha, the Justice Party, etc. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the of exclusion by default underlines slogan appears to be allinclusive. mocracy needs competing and should be allowed to be isolated by blamecalling mobs, By the 1950s, against the back Samajwadi Party (SP) manifested the need for a politics without In fact, it is BJP that has taken contested politics along diff eren and the situation demands a strong, politicallyled in drop of the domineering discourse itself in their governments’ poli ‘othering’. Therefore, the question the politics of ‘othering’ from the tiated socioeconomic interests itiative to end the intimidation and reassure the victims. of Congressism, which was a polit cies as they pitted two social jus is, can India witness a ‘politics of old episodic level to the incessant without letting it slip into the ‘pol ics without ‘othering’, India wit tice icons, R.M. Lohia and B.R. numbers’ (pragmatic electoral level. By dint of a disproportionate itics of othering’. The 2019 elec Given this, it is regrettable that members of the Naren nessed the emergence of four do Ambedkar, against each other. For compulsions) that doesn’t neces investment in an army of dedicat tion will be a litmus test of how far dra Modi Cabinet have either been in denial or have in minant political threads: Lohiaite, instance, the BSP government by sarily metamorphose into a ‘polit ed team pollsters indulging in hair Indian democracy has come in fused ambiguity into their statements of reassurance. Ambedkarite, Hindutva and Dravi 2012 had brought almost 19,000 ics of othering’? splitting profi ling of the electorate this regard. Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash dian, championing the faultlines most backward villages under the Something may be changing. contingent to preexisting prejud Javadekar, for instance, on Wednesday said outright of caste, religion and ethnicity, Ambedkar Village Scheme. The of The frequency of ‘othering’ in the ice, anxiety and aspirations, the Sajjan Kumar is a political analyst. He is that there had been no such harassment. Equally dis thereby practising the politics of fi cial signboard designated them political discourses of Lohiaite, party has seamlessly employed associated with Peoples Pulse, a research turbing, he prefaced his remarks with a reference to “a ‘numbers and othering’. as ‘Ambedkar villages’ qualifi ed Ambedkarite and Dravidian polit multiple modes of ‘othering’ si organisation that specialises in fi eldwork The constitution of the ‘other’ for special developmental funds. ics is declining, and is now at the multaneously to trounce its politi based political study tremendous reaction of anger in the country about the Pulwama incident”. The fact is that many Kashmiris have already fl ed Dehradun, and some of them have shared their stories. Mr. Javadekar, as HRD Minister, Picking sides in West Asia should address their feeling of insecurity, instead of be #70929 ing dismissive about it, and in the process allowing the India could fi nd it diffi cult to maintain a ‘balancing’ approach between diff erent West Asian powers mobs a free pass. Moreover, the fact that antiPakis tan its geopolitical interests in the re ments in India over the next few rael, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE is sloganeering can so easily slip into antiKashmiri rhe gion. years, including a plan by the Sau not a riskfree move. Iran conti toric must bother civil society and politicians of a ll Geopolitically, MBS and Abu di Basic Industries Corp. to ac nues to exercise much infl uence in hues. Even if the attacks are isolated, the counterargu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed quire two LNG plants. West Asia and can help shape ment must come from across the political spectrum, bin Zayed (MBZ) have over the past events in Afghanistan by shoring and in one voice: that all Kashmiris enjoy all protections few years escalated their battle Iran’s stake up the Taliban against the U.S. Mo and rights available to them as Indian citizens. Harsh V. Pant & against political Islamist groups, In contrast, Iran’s support for Isla reover, Iran’s Chabahar port re Hasan Alhasan including the Muslim Brother mist militancy, not least by trans presents a strategic investment for hood. Most notably, this material ferring advanced missile technolo India which hopes to use the facil ised in their support for Egyptian gy to Islamist groups and militias ity to connect with the Interna
Half-measures ver the past few years, the President Abdel Fattah elSisi’s ta GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO in Lebanon and Syria, has led to an tional NorthSouth Transit Corri It is good the ‘angel tax’ has been moderated, course of India’s relations keover of power in Egypt from the dia with valuable intelligence on increase in tensions with Israel, dor (INSTC) that extends to Owith Israel, Saudi Arabia, Muslim Brotherhood in 2013, and Pakistani positions during the Kar which responded by conducting Central Asia and to bypass Pakis but its arbitrary nature remains intact and the United Arab Emirates in their dispute with Qatar, a key gil war. More recently, India and air strikes against Iranian targets tan en route to Afghanistan. fter the uproar among startup investors in the (UAE) suggests that under Prime regional backer of the group. Natu Israel have collaborated on a $777 on Syrian soil in January. Although Yet, as tensions rise in West Minister Narendra Modi, India fi rally, this brings them closer to Is million project to develop a mari the simultaneous attacks that Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the last few weeks, the Centre on Tuesday decided nally appears to be moving away rael, which faces a growing threat time version of the Barak8, a sur claimed the lives of 27 members of UAE have coalesced more closely Ato ease the conditions under which investments from its traditional “balancing” from Islamist militant groups, in facetoair missile that India suc Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps against Iran under the U.S.spon in startups will be taxed by the government. According approach to West Asia. The Modi cluding Hamas, Hezbollah, and cessfully tested in January. India and 40 members of India’s Central sored Middle East Security Al to the new rules, investments up to ₹ 25 crore in compa government has in practice de Iranianbacked forces in Syria. has also reportedly agreed to pur Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are liance (MESA). Concurrently, re nies that are less than 10 years old and with a total tur monstrated a preference for work The campaign by Saudi Arabia chase 54 HAROP attack drones for likely to bring India and Iran closer cent escalation between Iran and nover of less than ₹ 100 crore will be exempted from the ing with the three regional powers and the UAE to curtail the in the Indian Air Force and two air together against Pakistan, it is Israel on the Syrian front suggests new angel tax. Further, investments made by listed rather than Iran, a trend likely to fl uence of political Islamist groups borne warning and control sys doubtful that the occasion would that tensions are unlikely to drop be reinforced after the visit of Sau also draws them closer to India . tems (AWACS) worth over $800 generate much momentum in bi soon. Amid competing demands companies with a net worth of at least ₹ 100 crore or a di Crown Prince Mohammed bin During his visit to New Delhi, the million from Israel. Due to its lateral relations. from West Asian powers for India total turnover of at least ₹ 250 crore will be fully exempt Salman (MBS) and the proposed Saudi Crown Prince hinted at the technological sophistication and From an economic perspective, to take sides, India might fi nd it from the tax; so will investments made by nonresident trip by Israeli Prime Minister Ben attack by vowing to “cooperate in warm relations, Israel has become U.S. sanctions have turned Iran in diffi cult to maintain a “balancing” Indians. When it was fi rst proposed by the Centre in jamin Netanyahu to New Delhi. every way, including intelligence one of India’s top suppliers of mil to an unreliable economic partner. approach even if it wanted to. 2012, the angel tax was justifi ed as an emergency mea sharing”. In recent months, the itary technology. Despite obtaining a sixmonth For now, the Modi government sure to prevent the laundering of illegal wealth by Regional realities UAE has also ramped up its secur Economically, the ability of Sau waiver from the U.S. in November seems to have taken its pick. Hav means of investments in the shares of unlisted priva te Since the 199091 Gulf War , India ity cooperation with India, extrad di Arabia and the UAE to mobilise on energy imports from Iran, In ing practically abandoned a “ba companies at extraordinary valuations. But the adverse has offi cially adopted a “balanc iting at least three suspects wanted investments despite low oil prices dia is shoring up plans to fi nd al lancing” approach, the Modi go ing” approach to West Asia, which in relation to the A gustaWestland is a huge asset in their relations ternative sources as the waiver vernment has, in eff ect, placed its eff ect that it has had on investor confi dence has forced some view as a legacy of nonalign case. with India. Investments have in reaches its term. Meanwhile, In bets on Israel and the Gulf monar the government to ease the stringent rules. The easing ment. Although this approach has cluded a $44 billion oil refi nery in dian investments in Iran, includ chies, relegating relations with of the outdated angel tax rules will defi nitely make life allowed India to eschew involve Defence and energy needs India by Saudi Aramco and the ing the Shahi d Beheshti complex Iran to the side. easier for startups, which are in desperate need for ment in regional disputes and de Meanwhile, India’s defence and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company at Chabahar and the Farzad B gas capital to fund their growth and other business require hyphenate relations with regional security partnership with Israel in partnership with an Indian con fi eld, have languished for years, Harsh V. Pant is Director, Studies and ments. Further, since the new rules are set to be ap rivals including Iran, Israel and has already proven useful to its se sortium. During his visit to New refl ecting the severe constraints Professor of International Relations at plied retrospectively, many young companies that have Saudi Arabia, the policy has also curity and military modernisation Delhi, MBS said he foresaw up to on doing business with Iran. King’s College London. Hasan Alhasan is a constrained India’s ability to press drive. In 1998, Israel provided In $100 billion worth of Saudi invest However, India’s tilt towards Is PhD candidate at King’s College London received notices from the Income Tax Department in the last few years will be relieved by the latest tweak in LETTERS TO THE EDITOR the rules. Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. There are, however, a few other issues with the new rules that could still cause unnecessary headaches to Employment test States. In the public sector, ■ Going by the growth growing exponentially. A a teacher or the ‘chalkand Rajagopalachari’s letter young startups. Companies wishing to make use of the The data on employment, the pronounced tilt towards trajectory in the past few major aspect of the 4IR will talk’ method; Google is the It was riveting to read the latest exemption, for instance, will fi rst need to be regis or their lack, are there for privatisation is cutting off decades, it is illusory to be to change the way we guru and Skype has started item “Hinduism and Sea all to see (Editorial page, opportunities for educated expect any government to work, as there will be the replacing ‘dreary’ classroom Voyages” (‘From the tered with the government as startups. To be classifi ed “The employment test”, youth. “vacate the stage” if it has increased automation. learning. In this digital Archives’, February 20), as one, a company needs to attest to conditions such as February 22). Regular G.B. Sivanandam, failed to generate Experts claim that mayhem, passion towards where the principles of that it has not invested in any land unrelated to the busi employment opportunities Coimbatore employment. There has been automation will sound like a teaching is rare. It is ironic solutions to confl icts have ness, vehicles worth over ₹ 10 lakh, or jewellery. Th ese appear to be a thing of the little diff erence in the recipe for a worldwide that educational institutions been splendidly presented. requirements, while probably aimed to prevent money past, with employment on a ■ The employed category in economic policies of the disaster, as it will put people are run by the rich who have These are sure to help laundering, can lead to considerable bureaucratic de contractual basis and daily several sectors, both Congress and the BJP, which out of jobs, have labour political backing. ‘Teaching national unity and progress. lays and rentseeking. Also, the new rules for the angel wages becoming common. government and private, is have remained probig unions, or what is left of is a service and not a This should be the ‘lingua tax, though less stringent than before, can cause the The now infamous promise overburdened, evident in business. The alleged fudging them, striking and cause transaction’, is what the franca’ of India. of the government, of the the banking and information of offi cial data may indicate political upheaval. Is India writer feels, but are there G.T. Sampathkumarachar, same old problem of arbitrary tax demands for compa creation of two crore jobs technology sectors. that we have not lagged prepared for this? such teachers today? Mysuru nies that do not fall under the defi ned category of start every year, was an Mental health issues are also behind in graduating to a R. Subramaniam, E.S. Chandrasekaran, more letters online: ups. The taxes to be paid are still supposed to be calcu important reason why it on the rise. It is time the posttruth society. Bengaluru Chennai www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/ lated by the authorities based on how much the sale came to power in 2014. government enacted suitable Manohar Alembath, corrections & clarifications: price of a company’s unlisted share exceeds its fair mar Lakhs of jobs have been statutes to regulate the Kannur, Kerala On teaching In the story on resident certifi cate issue in Arunachal Pradesh ket value. It is impossible to know the market value, let lost, mostly in the informal workload and targets. It may It is pathetic to note that (Feb. 21, 2019, some editions), there was a reference to a rally ■ alone the fair market value, of shares that are not open sector, and because of be possible to fi nd more job It is amusing that the writer those who take up teaching addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Chowna Mein. He is actually demonetisation. opportunities for the has tried to link it to the do so to escape the Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. ly traded in the marketplace. So tax authorities with ul Thousands ofyouth from unemployed if available jobs Narendra Modi government. unemployment, resulting in terior motives will still possess enough leeway to harass A report headlined “Vishnu Prasad ridicules Ramadoss” (Feb. faraway parts of the north are evenly distributed. As One wonders what the mediocrity in the 21, 2019, some editions) talked about the incarnation of former startups with unreasonable tax demands. Unless the and Northeast are now welfare is not money alone, writer’s line would be in the educational system (OpEd PMK MLA Kaduvetti J. Guru in jail. It should have been government can address the arbitrary nature of the an working in the south as this is an area for focus. context of the Fourth page, February 21). That incarceration. P.G. Mathew, gel tax, the damage to investor confi dence may remain. there are fewer Industrial Revolution, or 4IR, apart, the modern Ekalavya The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300; opportunities in their Kochi where technology use is does not need to depend on E-mail:[email protected]
CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 OPED 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
YES, NO, IT’S COMPLICATED After the terrorist strike in Pulwama, is war even an option? YES because of the destruc measures to prevent fu ing in the ‘pistol gun’ mode to des with PGMs, launched from a stand Our conventional deterrence has failed. It is tive power of modern ture terrorist strikes be troy bunkers on Pakistani army off range on the Indian side of the necessary to initiate strong military measures weapons, war is no lon ing launched from Pakis posts on the LoC with minimum LoC is also a viable military option. ger a viable option un tani soil. These measures collateral damage; and Smerch and As long as the international boun The terrorist attacks in Pulwama, kistan’s proxy war. The aim should less the most vital inter should be carefully calcu Pinaka rocket and missile strikes dary in Punjab, Rajasthan and Guja Pathankot, Uri and Nagrota, among be to raise the cost for Pakistan’s ests of a state are lated to minimise the risk with precisionguided munitions rat is not crossed by Indian Air others, are part of Pakistan’s lowin deep state — the army and the Inter threatened. of escalation and must (PGMs) on brigade and battalion Force aircraft, escalation by Pakis tensity limited war on the Line of Services Intelligence (ISI) — for wag The object of defence avoid collateral damage HQ communications centres, logis tan is unlikely. Control (LoC) since 194748 and its ing its proxy war, with a view to preparedness of an appropriate le to the extent possible. tics infrastructure, ammunition 30yearold proxy war to bleed In eventually making the cost prohibi vel is to deter war and, if deterrence The military’s aim should be to dumps and key bridges on major Covert operations Gurmeet Kanwal dia through a thousand cuts. tive. The response should be pro breaks down, to fi ght and win. infl ict punishment on the Pakistan rivers. Counterproxy war operations is former Director, portionate and multidisciplinary in Since the victory over Pakistan in army deployed on the LoC and ter TransLoC attacks by troops should be supplemented by covert Centre for Land Proportionate reaction approach, comprising diplomatic, 1971, the Indian armed forces have rorist training camps and related should be limited to raids by special operations. Since the remaining Warfare Studies, India should resist a kneejerk emo economic and military measures. It succeeded in deterring a major war, infrastructure in Pakistanoccupied forces and border action teams like roots of militancy are now in Pakis New Delhi tional reaction to this grave provo should include overt and covert ac with the exception of the localised Kashmir (PoK). For each new act of the surgical strikes launched after tan and PoK, and Pakistan is not in cation, which unquestionably tions. Kargil confl ict of 1999. statesponsored terrorism, the the Uri military camp was hit in clined to bring to justice the leaders crossed its threshold of tolerance, What if miscalculation on either However, India’s conventional scale and the intensity of the pun September 2016. Brigadelevel at of terrorist organisations like the to satisfy an enraged public. In side leads to war? Military theorist deterrence has failed to deter Pakis ishment infl icted should be in tacks or larger infantry attacks LashkareTaiba and the JaisheMo stead, the response should be part Carl von Clausewitz theorised that tan’s proxy war and statespon creased by an order of magnitude. must be avoided at least to begin hammed, terrorists they call ‘stra of a comprehensive longterm, na war is an instrument of state policy. sored terrorism and it is now neces Military operations should in with. The employment of fi ghter tegic assets’, they must be neutral tionallevel strategy to counter Pa Today, some analysts believe that, sary to initiate strong military clude artillery strikes with guns fi r aircraft, particularly those armed ised through covert operations.
We have been spending next to nothing on would have been real. is not backed by anyth deterrent to war from our side. We a free hand. War is an act of politi NO But we have been spend ing. Despite boastful also have a nuclear umbrella. I cal intent. The army fi ghts wars. It strengthening our defence forces ing next to nothing on claims to the contrary, don’t see China trembling and say does not decide whether or not to strengthening our de we do not have the mate ing India is a nuclear country, we go to war. That decision is a politi The point is not the message which tion to support 10 days of war with fence forces. We are in rial capacity to fi ght a must not do anything to provoke it. cal one, and this has already been is to be sent, but whether we are Pakistan. We are supposed to have defi cit in every aspect. twofront war. Not only The nuclear issue is not an issue. made for us. It is made every year capable of an eff ective and sus 42 squadrons in the Air Force, but Wars are not fought by must we be prepared to when we announce our Budget and tained campaign. You cannot wake have 33 which are operational, of men alone in the mod fi ght a twofront war, we The decision is political make miserly defence allocations. up one fi ne morning and decide to which there are nine that should al ern age. Of course, we have men must have the capacity to prevail in The capacity to prevail in a con Today, even where we talk about go to war. You have to prepare for ready have been phased out, which out there who are willing to fi ght such a war. Only then does war be frontation is an issue. If that is ab specifi c acquisitions, these would Ajai Sahni war. means they are being pressed into and are willing to take all the risks come an option. You can’t decide sent, talking of going to war is a only partially meet our require is Executive Director of service well beyond their shelf life. they are told to take. But that after a terrorist strike that you will waste of breath. Political leaders ments of 15 or 20 years ago, not our the Institute for State of preparedness So, we have roughly 24 squadrons doesn’t mean they will prevail. go to war. You have to prepare for are running an electoral campaign, requirements today. So, how is war Confl ict Management, Last year, the Parliamentary Stand when we should have had 42. There Let’s suppose we declare war. war. Then, if a situation like this ar and by striking manly postures, even an option? Of course, if we are New Delhi ing Committee on Defence noted are comparable defi cits across the China is clearly with Pakistan and ises, without boasting about it, you they think they will win votes. But forced, the armed forces will fi ght, that 68% of our equipment in the board in all the armed forces. That even if they just start massing declare war. they are only going to be exposed. but they would have to do so with defence forces was in the ‘vintage is the state of our preparedness. If troops on our eastern borders, Of course, there is this whole ar Nowhere in the world does the ar both hands tied. category’. It also pointed out that we continually invested in the de what will we do? We have a two gument that Pakistan has a nuclear my decide to go to war. Political we do not have suffi cient ammuni fence forces, the option of war front war doctrine on paper, but it umbrella. But I don’t think that is a leaders do not say, we give the army As told to Anuradha Raman
IT'S If we consider war, we must think rationally dians on and off . though it has professed ests override every other argu addressing the economic and social COMPLICATED its strategic partnership ment. The answers to the other realities of India. about its impact and the desired end result Issues to consider with India, has made its questions are governed by the fol Four basic issues have to exit from Afghanistan its lowing facts. If escalation occurs Some years of peace Is the terrorist act in Pulwama an writ, could be termed an act of war be taken into account fi rst priority. It needs Pa through kinetic action, there would So, is war an option? Of course it is, act of war? Is it akin to the 2001 at because its sheer audacity makes it for taking a decision. kistan in its talks with the obviously be a loss of human lives — with the above points rationally tack on Parliament, which, being a strike on India’s pride as a sove First and foremost, what Taliban and hence there and India needs to be prepared for thought through. Once the govern an attack on India’s symbol of de reign independent nation. is the desired end state: are limits to its support. that. Here, the red herring of the ment decides to go down the kinet mocracy, was considered as one Nations cannot be reformed but destruction of the Pakistan army, Russia, too, has its own interests in nuclear factor needs to be re ic path, the armed forces are ready. and Operation Parakram was managed. Germany and Japan are which wields real power, or an ac Kabul, especially after the Ameri moved. In terms of economic costs, The ‘reformation’ of Pakistan visà Manmohan Bahadur launched? In one sense, the attack exceptions, but it took World War tion that buys a greater duration of can exit, and hence requires Pakis the 1999 Kargil confl ict made India vis India is not possible but this may is retired Air Vice in Pulwama may not be an act of II, tens of thousands of lives, and peace? Second, if war is the solu tan as an intermediary. Thus, geo poorer by many tens of thousands get us some years of peace. The Marshal, and war because, though the number of trillions of dollars to make them de tion, what would be the economic politically, Pakistan has the upper of crores (no offi cial data are availa peace dividend can be elongated by Additional Director brave Indians lost was far too many mocratic entities. The shrill cries and social impact on India? Third, hand in pulling the power strings. ble and estimates vary greatly). managing our diplomacy with oth General, Centre for Air (and even one life lost is one too for emasculating Pakistan so that it India has international support Finally, should cold, calculated log More importantly, we lost 527 brave er countries so that subsequently Power Studies many), Parliament carries an indel stops aiding terrorism from its soil now, but would that be the case in a ic decide the future course of action Indians trying to retake those hills. their acceptance of India’s just posi #70929 ible signifi cance of India’s nation are not grounded in reality. This al longdrawnout aff air? China will or should public pressure and elec Diversion of monies (and they tion serves as a deterrent to Pakis hood. However, the attack, if seen so does not mean accepting the sta never dump Pakistan due to its toral calculations be the catalysts? would be substantial and long tan’s inimical stance towards India. as a dare to India’s military power tus quo of the past decades, with large economic and geopolitical The answer to the last question is drawnout) towards fi ghting eff orts and to the Indian government’s Pakistanaided terrorists killing In stakes in Islamabad. The U.S., simple, though vital: national inter would denude fi nance required for Views are personal
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC SINGLE FILE FROM ARCHIVES Holding a mirror to war FIFTY YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 22, 1969 President Ayub not to seek re-election The technology of warfare has President Ayub Khan of Pakistan today [February 21, Rawal evolved, but grief and loss remain pindi] announced that he would not seek reelection as Presi dent when his present term expires this yearend. In an un Anjali Thomas scheduled broadcast from Radio Pakistan, he said his decision was fi nal and irrevocable. President Ayub told his 100million In the aftermath of the suicide bomb people that they would be free to elect a person of their choice ing in Pulwama district on February as his successor. If his current eff orts to resolve the p olitical 14, which killed 40 Central Reserve crisis through which the country was passing with the help of Police Force personnel, war seems to all Opposition leaders and independents failed, he would soon be on the collective mind of the na introduce constitutional changes before the National Assemb tion with some baying for blood and ly so that elections were not delayed. President Ayu b denied others cautioning restraint.
PTI that through the political order he had introduced in the coun Few words in the English language try 10 years ago he was seeking to perpetuate his rule. evoke such powerful emotions: patriotism and glory, lo ve and hate, fear and anger, hope and despair. For cent uries, A HUNDRED YEARS AGO poets have borne witness to the strife that humans have in FEBRUARY 22, 1919 fl icted upon themselves since the birth of civilisation. Just as Bangalore Shooting Incident. the technology of warfare has evolved from spears to drones, the tenor of war poems has changed too. The Iliad, one of the oldest war poems, glorifi es heroes. It CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC The following is published in the ‘Daily Post’ in conne ction with the shooting incident on Neelasundra Lines [in Ban ga begins, not with the abduction of Helen that sparked the DATA POINT battle of Troy, but with the wrath of Achilles. It ends, not lore] on Wednesday [February 19] during musketry training. A with the rape of Troy, but the death of another hero, Hector. number of recruits of the 280th Infantry had to underg o in In ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade,’ Alfred Tennyso n fl ogs struction on the Musketry parade ground and there were the motif of heroism in the 1854 Battle of Balaclava: as the ca twelve squads of men thirty yards apart aiming at targets with valry rides into the valley of Death knowing that someone dummy cartridges. One recruit named Achtya is stated to have had blundered, theirs was not to reason why, “theirs but to applied to the Naick in charge of arms for cartridges be fore do and die”. this parade and was told to take one or two clips of ten c ar World War I poetry began on a patriotic note too, but sol tridges which were lying on a box and he presumably took dierpoets — half buried in the trenches and witness to the away a clip of loaded ones. The diff erence between loaded and slaughter that their generals had sent them to — began to re dummy cartridges is very slight but the dummies have a few volt. Wilfred Owen upended the Roman poet Horace’s view holes bored in them. The instructor on such a parade is sup of patriotism: “My friend, you would not tell with such high posed to examine the ammunition before the men commence zest/To children ardent for some desperate glory,/The old to practise, but this man states that the recruit Achtya was not Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori [It is sweet and fi t in the ranks when he went round. ting to die for one’s country]”. Even for the triumphant, the battlefi eld is a place that CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC births nightmares. In the poem, ‘The King Speaks to t he Scribe,’ by Keki N. Daruwalla, Emperor Ashoka contem CONCEPTUAL plates the cost of his victory at Kalinga: “The battlefi eld Commitment device stank so that heaven/had to hold a cloth to its nose . I trod/ Sociology this plain, dark and glutinous with gore,/my chariotwheels squelching in the bloody mire.” This refers to any choice made by individuals in the present in By World War II, the instruments used in battle had order to prevent themselves from making impulsive mistakes changed. Planes and submarines provided distance from in the future. It is believed that commitment devices can force the violence, drowning out the agony of the dying. Tod ay, people to stick to their original hard decisions without waver drones have dehumanised war into video games. The he ing from such decisions under distress in the future. An indivi roism and horror in war poetry has given way to cynicism, dual wishing to lose weight, for instance, may choose to buy a satire, and alienation. yearlong membership at the gym instead of a weekly or One emotion, however, remains unchanged: loss. monthly membership as a way to force himself to go to the Achilles mourned the death of his best friend. The Worl d gym regularly. Making one’s commitments or goals public to a War I poets mourned the loss of innocence. Sarojini Naidu, large group of people is another common example of an eff ec in her 1915 poem, ‘The Gift of India’, gives voice to the moth tive commitment device that can help people achieve the ir erland who grieves for the soldiers that have been torn from goals. her breast to the “drumbeats of duty sabres.” Hatre d may fuel a war, but what remains is loss and grief. Our failure to CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC acknowledge this by allowing the narrative to be taken over by an army of trolls is a disservice to the nation. As Mr. Daru MORE ON THE WEB 3 walla writes in ‘At War’: “...haven’t we enough on our plate/ without having to think of war/and bloodstained jehad?” These Red Sea coral reefs may just survive climate change
The writer is with The Hindu’s Bengaluru bureau http://bit.ly/RedSeaCoralReefs
CM A ND-NDE YK