Home Blog Page 273

New born Hamro Party sweeps Darjeeling civic polls

Sadiksha Waiba
-
0
New born Hamro Party sweeps Darjeeling civic polls

Darjeeling’s civic poll results have surprised the political pundits. The newbie political entrant Hamro Party (Our Party), a three month old local party won 18 of 32 seats in the Darjeeling Municipality. Results of the civic polls in Darjeeling were announced on 2 March 2022 at the Darjeeling Government College. Hamro Party is now all set to form the board of commissioners and take over the administration of the Darjeeling Municipality.

Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) came second in the race winning nine seats followed by TMC who won two and Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM) won three seats in Darjeeling’s civic body. The GNLF-BJP alliance that had been victorious in the last Bengal Assembly elections failed to capture even one ward this time in Darjeeling.

Interestingly, Ajoy Edwards president of the winning Hamro Party and probable candidate to be the Darjeeling Municipality Chairman lost in his own ward by five votes. However, in an interview later Edwards said that “The chair was never the goal, the message was. To that reason, I also accept my defeat in Ward 22 with humility.” He further said, “I learned many things about Darjeeling during this campaign— I’m more convinced than ever that we’re a good and decent people, that democracy matters and that what our hills have always stood for is worth fighting for.”

Ajoy Edwards further explained that though the state government cannot be taken as an “enemy” as the Darjeeling Municipality comes under the purview of the Bengal Municipal Act, however, the citizens of Darjeeling will now no longer be puppets in the hands of anyone and it will now be an “era of diplomacy, diplomacy and diplomacy”. He spelt out some of their short term development projects like ‘garbage management’, opening of diagnostic centres, apart from solving the issues of water scarcity, traffic jam and bringing revenue back to the Darjeeling Municipality.

Ironically the Darjeeling municipality in the 1970s was known to be one of the richest municipalities in the state. Over the years it has been deprived of funds from the state government and also whatever little comes is inept to deal with day to day civic problems. The party won the hearts of the citizens of Darjeeling and they are now ready for a new beginning in the hills.

Soon after the results were announced chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that she “welcomes the Darjeeling civic election results” and said that the state is interested in conducting the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration elections soon and the Panchayat elections too. The last Panchayat elections were held in 2000 in the hills. The hills unlike the rest of Bengal have been given a two tier panchayat rule. Three-tier Panchayat system in Darjeeling district exists only in the Siliguri sub Division.

This region, which is North Bengal, Terai and the Doors areas, and it’s Nepali speaking community have been demanding a separate state of “Gorkhaland” outside the state of West Bengal but within the Indian ambit for a long time. The territory is one of the most juggled territories. Perhaps, it was the proximity of this region to Kolkata that after India’s independence the region was made a part of Bengal though “having no history with the state and later now became a district under it”.

The people thus have been part of the rise and fall of the demand for a separate state and this movement reached it’s peak in the 1980s and again in 2007. These movements have been a manifestation of relative deprivation of the people of the hills, lack of basic needs like water, poor health facilities, unemployment among the youth, degeneration of the tea gardens, absence of “need based policies”, unfulfilled assurances that were  promised to the people of the hills. Most of the policies of the state government so far have been appeasement policies.

The question of identity of the Indian Nepalis and a political space for the legitimization of that identity is central to the Gorkhaland movement. Until and unless there is a resolution, or questions of the identity and rightful representation of indigenous hill population are not rightly addressed the agitation even though sporadic in nature will continue and the tranquility and harmony of the hills will be at stake for years to come.

What does Imran Khan want to talk to Modi?

Prof. K.N. Pandita
-
0
What does Imran Khan want to talk to Modi?

An interview with Imran Khan before his departure for Moscow was released by the media soon after his arrival in Moscow. He was on a two-day visit at President Putin’s invitation. Pakistani newspaper the Dawn of 24 February wrote that Khan would like a televised debate with his Indian counterpart on India–Pakistan relations. Russian foreign minister Lavrov had visited Pakistan nine years ago and a Pakistani Prime Minister would be visiting Moscow after twenty three years.

Seasoned and serious leaders when intending to talk on sensitive issues do not talk publicly. That is a deskbook rule of international diplomacy. However, sometimes an issue is talked about by them publicly if it is of global significance and concerns a wide spectrum of international community. For example, the Coronavirus when at its peak did call for timely interaction among the top leaders. Even then it remained accessible to a restricted audience.

By deviating from the accepted norms, and asking for a televised debate with the head of the government of a neighbouring country against which Pakistan has been nursing ill-will, animosity and hatred ever since its creation sounds bizarre. What does Imran Khan want to talk to Modi?

For the PTI government headed by Imran Khan, Kashmir is made the sum and substance of Pakistan’s foreign policy — “the jugular vein”. Pakistan’s Kashmir policy is chartered by the Pakistan Army and ISI both drawing strength from the home-bred jihadist militant organizations. PTI or any government in Pakistan survives as long as it has the goodwill of the army. Therefore, PTI has to play the card that stimulates maximum sensitivity and euphoria among the jihadists. Kashmir issue bandaged in religious padding serves Imran’s political purpose.

Therefore, Imran Khan has the compulsion to build Hitler, Mussolini, Genghis Khan et al out of Modi. He has the compulsion to raise the hoax of a tyrant, an extremist Hindutva ideologue, a far right-wing dictator for Modi, the Indian leader to whom the vast Indian majority vote has sent to power for the second time and now eyeing the third stint in 2024 as well. Hence, what Imran Khan is unwittingly pursuing with all his intentions and compulsions is an ideological war camouflaged as the clash of religions. He has the compulsion of painting Modi as the biggest threat to the survival of the Muslim community in India despite constitutional and administrative guarantees for safety and security, and he (together with the Saudis) has the compulsion of giving a clean chit to China for demonizing two crore Uyghur Sunni Muslims of Xinjiang. 

For the last two years, Imran Khan has added a defining clause to its hate-India canard, viz. “persecution of the Muslims of Kashmir and India by Modi government”. This compound lament has become integral to the prayer of Pakistani diehard anti-India and anti-Hindu jihadists in mosques, at shrines, in homes, offices, public places, at graveyards while offering fateha to the dead or on occasions of celebrating a feast in remembrance of a saint or Sufi. 

Victimhood is a facet of taqiyya meaning the ‘covert strategy’ in Islamic jurisprudence. The intensity, with which Pakistan has woven the Kashmir mesh into Pakistan’s religious-political narrative, makes its factual refutation difficult and hideous for a large democracy that had allowed the separatists to stay back and live as Indians while successfully slicing traditional India into three.

What does Imran Khan intend to talk to PM Modi in a televised debate? This is an interesting question. Imran complains that India does not respond to his overtures since he thinks outstanding issues can be resolved by dialogue. Here lies the dichotomy which Modi is not going to buy while his predecessors did. Modi’s standpoint is that talks and terror do not go together. The world knows that at one time Pakistan feigned ignorance about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden as the ‘martyr’ (in the words of Imran Khan) hid in the backyard of the GHQ for years at end and finally the US Marines finished him.

Finding that India was tenaciously holding on to its stance of “talks and terror not going together”, and that the world largely found sense in Modi’s argument, Pak Prime Minister offered ceasefire along the LoC in February 2021. He wanted to sell his “good boy role” to his detractors and above all the FATF, which showed no inclination of removing Pakistan from its grey list.

Is it Imran Khan’s sincere conviction that a ceasefire along LoC would serve to put a halt to the clandestine infiltration of jihadists? No, not at all. The ceasefire agreement does not contain any clue to Pakistan putting a halt to clandestine infiltration across Kashmir. It has not been stopped and thousand of jihadists have assembled in camps close to the LoC on the PoK side. Pakistan offered a ceasefire because it knew it had raised the jihadist training centres in the deep forests along the borderline in J&K, streamlined anti-India and anti-Hindu brainwashing campaign among the Kashmiri youth and provided them enticement for enrolling in various jihadist organizations’ branches in Kashmir.

He wants to tell his beneficiary (meaning China) that he is soft and resilient towards India with whom his country’s relations are strained ever since Pakistan launched a proxy war against India on 22 October 1947 to wrest the J&K State from the Maharajas control. This is another facet of victimhood syndrome.

Pakistan wants to blur the vision of the world and hence a televised debate. But one is to ask, when Pakistan sponsored, abetted and guided the invasion of tribal lashkars on J&K in 1947, the then Pakistan PM did not even inform or consult his cabinet colleagues leaving aside the people and the international community. What is more, Pakistan has been denying all these seven decades and half that she has anything to do with the Kashmir issue as it is the “insurgency of Kashmiri people against India”.

If Pakistan has nothing to do with the Kashmir issue, then why ask for a televised debate? Whom does he want to convince? Of course, the Kashmiris, who, in the process, have been hunting with the hound and running with the hare. They are enjoying the best of both worlds out of victimhood syndrome. One more facet of victimhood syndrome very well suiting Kashmir valley separatist leaders is “money from India and guns from Pakistan”.

Imran Khan has manufactured all possible canards and falsehoods to carry the product called taqiyya to the world market and find customers. He is projecting Modi as the enemy of the Muslims. He is presenting Indian and Kashmiri Muslims as persecuted and oppressed. They understand he is invoking taqiyya, not for any general good of the community but self-aggrandizement only. It is not important whether the world accepts what he says. It is important to keep track of what his people say about his method of taqiyya.

Pak Army Major abducted Hafeez Baloch: BSC

News Intervention Bureau
-
0
Pak Army Major abducted Hafeez Baloch: BSC

Research scholar Hafeez Baloch was abducted after months of being threatened and harassed by a Pakistan Army Officer, claimed Baloch Students’ Council (BSC)- Islamabad. According to the BSC-Islamabad, Hafeez Baloch was abducted by the Pak Army after being threatened and harassed for several months by Murtaza, a Major in the Pakistan Army.

Hafeez Baloch belonged to the Khuzdar district of Balochistan. He was an M.Phil student at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad.

The Baloch Students’ Council -Islamabad said that Hafeez Baloch was constantly receiving threats and was being summoned to meet Major Murtaza, however, due to some personal engagements he couldn’t meet the Major.

Major Murtaza allegedly travelled all the way to the Quaid-e-Azam university in Islamabad to intimidate and harass Hafeez Baloch, said the students of Quaid-e-Azam University. They further explained that Major Murtaza also scanned the profiles of Baloch students who were studying at the institution under the pretext of conducting research.

According to local sources, Hafeez Baloch was forcibly abducted by the Pakistani forces while teaching at a private academy in Khuzdar on 8 February, 2022. Speaking to a press conference, the students of the academy said that a protest against the illegal abduction of Hafeez Baloch was recorded by the Baloch Students Council Islamabad on 13 February 2022 in front of the Islamabad Press Club. Three peace walks were already held inside the Quaid-e-Azam University and a three-day protest camp was also set up. Despite all the struggles, neither the university administration or the government officials gave any information regarding the illegal abduction of Hafeez Baloch.

FATF’s soft-pedalling is emboldening Pakistan

Nilesh Kunwar
-
0
FATF’s soft-pedalling is emboldening Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s admission that “when you talk about militant groups, we still have about 30,000-40,000-armed people who have been trained and fought in some part of Afghanistan or Kashmir”, once again proves that Pakistan remains the most favoured sanctuary for terrorist groups involved in cross border terrorism. Accordingly, Pakistan was grey listed by the international money laundering and terrorism financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force [FATF] in June 2018. It comes as no surprise that Pakistan continues to remain in the FATF grey list for more than two and a half years.

However, rather than take corrective measures to curb terror financing, Islamabad has [as is its wont], been blaming New Delhi for its grey listing by FATF without furnishing any credible evidence to substantiate this bizarre allegation, which expectedly haven’t cut any ice with the international community. Yet, Islamabad is still happy since this preposterous assertion has found traction with its citizens indoctrinated into believing that India is an existential enemy responsible for all problems plaguing Pakistan. As such allegations work wonders when it comes to diverting public attention from the government’s own failings, they are used frequently.

While Pakistan has been maintaining that it has been working assiduously to comply with FATF action plans, its performance on this account is far from satisfactory. Last year, when it was retained on FATF’s grey list for not fully complying with two action plans, ministers and government officials assured the people that Pakistan would be able to resolve the outstanding issues in no time and thus certainly exit FATF’s grey list in its next meeting scheduled in February this year. However, certain developments since the last FATF plenary concluded do not present a very optimistic picture.

For one, while Islamabad hurriedly convicted and jailed senior members of Lashkar-e-Taiba [LeT], a designated terrorist group proscribed by UNSC just before the 2021 FATF meeting, curiously, three key LeT operatives were acquitted soon after Pakistan’s continuation in FATF’s grey list was confirmed. Secondly, with a Pakistani court issuing an arrest warrant against Jaish-e-Mohammad [JeM] chief and a UNSC designated terrorist Masood Azhar, Pakistan Army’s brazen attempt to protect this ‘strategic asset’ by falsely claiming that he wasn’t present in Pakistan has badly backfired!

Just a few days ago, US Federal Reserve Board [FSB] and the New York’s Department of Financial Services [NYDFS] imposed a whopping $ 55 million penalty on the New York branch of National Bank of Pakistan [NBP] for blatantly violating international anti-money laundering laws that could be easily exploited by terrorist groups. Islamabad’s willingness to “resolve the matters described herein [in the ‘Consent Order’] without further proceedings”, is a univocal acceptance of its intentional complicity in facilitating money laundering activities.

The strange thing here is that this isn’t the first time that a Pakistani bank in the US has been accused of violating anti-money laundering rules. In 2017, Pakistan’s the New York branch of Habib Bank, which is Pakistan’s largest bank was fined $ 225 million for several major lapses such as having:

  • “Facilitated billions of dollars in transactions with a Saudi private bank, the Al Rajhi Bank, with reported links to Al-Qaida, without adequate anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing controls”.
  • “Allowed for at least 13,000 transactions that potentially omitted information adequate to properly screen for prohibited transactions with sanctioned countries”.
  • “Improperly used a ‘good guy’ list- a list of customers who supposedly presented a low risk of illicit transaction- to permit transactions by an identified terrorist, an international arms dealer, an Iranian oil tanker, and other potentially sanctioned persons and entities”.

Despite struggling desperately to keep its economy afloat, Pakistan, has readily been giving its consent to “resolve the matters [related to noncompliance of anti-money laundering laws] … without further proceedings”, and paying million of dollars as fines rather than contesting the charges levelled against it. This clearly indicates that the lapses on its part weren’t unintentional or oversight but very much premeditated and the fact that the same illegal actions occurred twice in just a matter of five years and clearly reveals a complete lack of commitment and abject irresponsibility on Pakistan’s part in curbing terror financing.

However, Islamabad doesn’t consider it necessary to make amends, knowing fully well that it won’t be put into the dock or held answerable for sponsoring and nurturing terrorist groups that furthers Pakistan Army’s ‘shadow war’ against its neighbours. Au contraire, patronising terrorist groups has turned out to be a very profitable business proposition for Islamabad.

That Rawalpindi hosted the UNSC proscribed Taliban which was fighting US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan for two decades is no secret. Yet, instead of being taken to task for violating UNSC mandate and aiding America’s enemy number 1, Islamabad ended up receiving billions of dollars in aid from Washington. This is evident from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2018 tweet- “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan . . .  .”!

It’s also abundantly clear that the Pakistani military establishment had provided Al-Qaida founder and 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden a safe sanctuary in an Abbottabad compound since being just a stone’s throw away from Pakistan Military Academy, this location was safe from prying eyes. Since Islamabad consistently claims that Pakistan Army’s premier spy agency ISI is the best in the world, it’s difficult to digest the lame excuse of being unaware of Laden’s presence in Abbottabad. Yet, the international community let Pakistan get away with such barefaced falsehood and doing so, indirectly encouraging Islamabad to nurture and harbour terrorists.

Therefore, both FATF and the international community needs to be far more stringent while dealing with Pakistan because measures like imposing fines on Pakistani banks for not implementing anti-terrorism funding don’t seem to be working. Needless to say, terrorism has today acquired the status of a global pandemic due to international apathy and thus, any soft-pedalling while dealing with errant countries like Pakistan will only make the world a far more dangerous place!

India must work towards unified Pashtun homeland

Prof. K.N. Pandita
-
1
India must work towards unified Pashtun homeland

It has been almost six months since Taliban came back to power in Afghanistan. The regime is stabilizing itself steadily and with patience. It’s initial appeal to world powers for formal recognition did not receive favourable response. The past history of Taliban regime was a hindrance. But soon the world powers will voluntarily announce the recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

The history of past two decades of fighting and the dramatic end of the war in August last year has changed the oft-repeated notion of the “graveyard of big powers” about Afghanistan. The Afghans had never seen the miserable exodus of its people in thousands following the fall of Kabul nor had they witnessed economic and financial crisis overtaking the country in such a frightening manner.

Economic crisis forced Kabul regime to appeal to the world community for succour to wriggle out of impending disaster. At the same time, the Taliban mounted pressure on the US to order release of its assets in foreign banks. Both developments show that the Taliban understand the importance and reality of inter-dependence of states in modern times. Inter-dependence also means conforming to fundamental norms and criteria of bilateral and multilateral relationship generally enshrined in the charter of commitments made. Understandably, no regime can live in isolation.

Taliban regime in Kabul will be accepted by the world fraternity sooner than later. Indications are already visible. The US is mulling the de-freezing of 50 per cent of Afghan assets of nearly US$ 7.0 billion which is about US$3.5 billion. There are some technical hitches in how to utilise the available funds for the welfare of the Afghan people.

Pakistan has played a distrustful role in the Afghan conundrum. From the very beginning it focussed on two objectives. One was to see that India’s footprints are no more to be seen in Afghanistan and the second was to gain strategic depth westward. Although Pakistan pretentiously said that strategic depth westward meant reducing the impact of Indian pressure on the eastern border yet it actually meant exploiting and exposing the warrior Afghan nation to the dynamics of Islamization as a joint bulwark against India.

But what has been unfolding in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover needs to be analysed objectively. India had maintained contacts with the Taliban even when the Afghan-American strife was at its peak and later when secret talks began in Doha. Yes, at one stage the Americans, misled by Pakistani interlocutors, did bypass India. They created an impression that India’s role was not very significant in resolving the Afghan crisis. But the astute Indian foreign office refused to be intimidated.

India knows very well that the Haqqani network alone does not matter in her broad-based dealings with Afghanistan. The Afghans know, and for that matter even Pakistanis know that India is on firm ground in Afghanistan for the simple reason that India owes a historical debt of gratitude to Afghan nation. During the great Indian struggle against the colonial rule, Afghanistan gave protection to so many of our freedom fighters and saved them from being arrested by the British rulers. When our supreme soldier of freedom struggle Subhash Chandra Bose escaped from India to avoid arrest, he went to a safe haven in Afghanistan. We Indians are ethnically, historically and morally bound to Afghan nation.

Superseding the adamant outlook of many world powers, India air lifted tons of essential medicines to Kabul to replenish the depleting medical stores in hospitals. Humanism and the aching heart for the needy were the motivation for India to take the bold step. This was followed by India’s announcement of a gift of 50,000 metric tons of wheat for the famished Afghan populace. Pakistan brought in politics and soured bilateral relations as the pretext for refusing to allow passage of Indian truckloads of wheat through Pakistan to Kabul. Afghan foreign minister had to remonstrate with his Pakistani counterpart on disallowing passage of humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered Afghans.

Expression of warm thanks to Indian government by the Taliban leadership must have served a bolt from the blue to the fanatical Pakistani policy planners. It has certainly dashed to the ground their hopes of Taliban giving them overt or covert support on Kashmir issue.

But the crucial factors that will inject fresh blood into the friendship veins of the two countries are firstly India’s subtle diplomatic manoeuvres of convincing big powers that the Taliban regime has to be given recognition as a step contributing to the peace and security in the region. Secondly, India must make a categorical statement that she will in all circumstances uphold indivisibility of the Pashtun homeland. India can go a step further and propose to the international community to draw a development package for the Pashtun homeland. If peace and security are to be secured in the region and in Asia, development of Pashtunistan is the key. India should be the first to announce a hefty financial contribution to the development package under contemplation.

India need not wait for the formal recognition of Taliban regime by world powers for resumption of trade relations with Afghanistan. The connectivity through the Iranian seaport of Chahbahar needs to be streamlined. New Delhi must mount attention on removing bottlenecks in Indo-Iranian Chahbahar deal if any. It has to remain the India-Iran-Central Asia link and of vital importance. The rail link from Chabahar to Kabul and then to Afghan-Turkmenistan border is of great significance to India, Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Connectivity enhancement in these sectors will also contain the dangerously increasing influence of China in the region through its Belt & Road initiative. If the US $3 trillion worth mineral resources of Afghanistan are to change the destiny of the entire Afghan nation (Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks and all other constituent groups) then the rail and road connectivity through Helmand basin should become most urgent priority of the international community and funding agencies.

BJP won initial battles in Punjab through deft moves

Jaibans Singh
-
0
BJP won initial battles in Punjab through deft moves

On 16 June 2021, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Delhi became the venue for a unique function; six Sikh personalities from Punjab joined the party in the presence of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, General Secretary in-Charge Punjab, Dushyant Gautam and State Unit President Ashwani Sharma. Those who joined included the author of this piece, Colonel Jaibans Singh, a well known media personality; Harinder Singh Kahlon, former President of AISSF; Kuldeep Singh Kahlon, former AISSF leader; Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Kashi University; Jagmohan Singh Saini, a lawyer by profession and President of Farmers’ Intellectual Front (Patiala) and Nirmal Singh, a Mohali-based lawyer. The joining was facilitated by a senior BJP leader and national spokesperson of the party, Iqbal Singh Lalpura.

New people joining or leaving political parties is a normal ongoing process. However, this was a joining with a difference since it heralded the first major move by the BJP to reach out to the Sikh community in Punjab post its break-up with the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).

At that point in time, the BJP was also reeling under the onslaught of the farm agitation and was being looked upon as an anti-Sikh, anti-Punjab, anti-Farmer party due to the massive disinformation campaign launched by the Farmer Unions and the political rivals of the party, mainly the Congress and the SAD(B). On 12 October, 2020, Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma was attacked by a violent mob in Hoshiarpur. On 27 March 2021 BJP MLA from Abohar, Arun Narang, was attacked by a mob of so-called farmers, his clothes were torn, his face was inked and he was thrashed mercilessly. In other instances, many BJP leaders were surrounded by violent mobs and tons of garbage was thrown outside their houses.

In deciding to induct the six Sikhs who were described as “prominent Sikh faces of Punjab” by the media, the party heralded its policy of reaching out to the Sikh community. Those inducted were not active politicians but were looked upon as “opinion makers, achievers and influencers” who would send a message of the party’s policy direction in the state.

These “prominent personalities” were well aware of the environment but convinced that only the BJP could check the downward slide of Punjab. They took a dynamic decision at a time when sentiment of the Sikh community of Punjab was very much against the BJP. They were ready to take on the brickbats that did come their way from the society and even their family members, but they held onto their decision.

Despite the challenges, the joining came as a game-changer for the BJP in Punjab. It galvanised the outreach efforts leading to more and more Sikhs joining the party. The next batch in August,  2021, saw Amanjot Kaur Ramuwalia daughter of former Union Minister Balwant Singh Ramuwalia of the SAD and many leaders of the SAD joining the BJP.

On 19 November 2021, the auspicious day of Prakash Purab (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision of his party and his government to repeal the three farm laws. In taking this dynamic decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi upheld the highest traditions of democracy and exhibited his respect and love for the farmers.

While declaring the decision during the course of his address to the nation on the occasion of Gurpurab, the  Prime Minister was humbleness personified in admitting that “Tapasiya Mein Kuch Kaami Reh Gayi.” This apart, a few days earlier, on 17 November, the union government also reopened the Kartarpur Corridor that had been closed due to COVID restrictions. The two decisions were of great consequence in bringing the BJP closer to the Sikh community in Punjab. The trust deficit continued, but not to the degree seen earlier.

The Punjab unit of the BJP worked hard to create the necessary infrastructure required to fight the forthcoming state assembly elections in all 117 constituencies of the state. The general impression of the party being irrelevant in the political spectrum of Punjab did not deter it from its goal. Unrelenting support from the centre did a lot to build the morale of the party.

With new faces, especially Sikhs, coming in, the capacity of the party to hold its own in television media debates increased tremendously. The effect on the party cadre was electrifying and a feeling of confidence started emerging. Many within the Sikh community of Punjab, especially those belonging to the white collared segment, realised that the BJP was the only option available for taking Punjab out of the morass that it was mired in. This led to a spate of joining; among those who joined were senior retired officers of the rank of DGP and Army Chief. Soon the political class also gravitated towards the party and joined after leaving its parent organisations.

The political environment in Punjab witnessed an unprecedented twist due to the “political Hara-kiri” committed by the ruling Congress party by ousting Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The senior leadership of BJP was already in talks of an alliance with the SAD (Sanyutk). The break-up in the Congress gave to the BJP another option of allying with the like-minded political dispensation for Punjab floated by Captain Amarinder Singh in the form of a political party called the Punjab Lok congress (PLC).

Thus, despite having created with herculean effort, the requisite wherewithal to fight the elections in all 117 constituencies on its own, the BJP decided to go in for a strategic alliance with PLC and SAD (S). Distribution of seats on the basis of winnability led to a seamless coordination between the three partners. A significant point in the alliance was that the BJP retained a senior and dominant position with 65 seats; PLC got 37 and SAD (S) 15. Thus, the BJP, in a single move, catapulted from a junior alliance partner in Punjab to a senior partner.

The distribution of seats within the BJP was also a path-breaking exercise. Nearly 30 seats out of the 65 that the party was to contest went to members of the Sikh community. Thus, the myth perpetrated by the opposition that the BJP in Punjab was essentially a Hindu-centric party was broken forever.

The beginning of election campaigning witnessed a negative media response to the BJP with most opinion polls predicted a complete drubbing of the alliance in the electoral battle. This did not deter the alliance from continuing with its campaign with all honesty and dedication.

A vibrant information structure was created with the active assistance of a very dedicated and proficient core team that came from the centre. It resulted in enhanced presence in the print as well as the social media to augment the already dominant presence in television news debates. The information campaign was built on a well conceived agenda based structure. More and more leaders, both local and national, came in to take the message to the people.

Within a few days, political analysts started commenting that the earlier prediction of miniscule seats for the BJP+ alliance merits revision. The new analysis predicted for the alliance a very big leap in electoral presence. The build-up received further traction by the three rallies in Punjab addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that had a momentous positive impact on the morale of the cadre.

The BJP has, within the span of a single election campaign, managed to elevate itself from the level of a junior partner in a debilitating alliance to a strong party with a pan-Punjab presence. While there is all hope of a positive result in the counting scheduled for March 10, the ground reality is that the BJP has already won the battle even as the war continues.

It is quite evident that Punjab is poised to regain its old glory as the most vibrant state of the country economically, socially and culturally and that the BJP will get the opportunity to, most humbly, move the region onto the desired path of progress.

Emerging security concerns in Kashmir need constant assessment

Prof. K.N. Pandita
-
0
Emerging security concerns in Kashmir need constant assessment

Kashmir security situation needs an everyday assessment. Pakistan has accelerated anti-India propaganda to an international scale focusing on human rights areas. Pakistan has succeeded in her mission to some extent. The U.N. Secretary General, besides the Rapporteur, has issued a chastising statement indirectly castigating India for what they consider violation of human rights.

India is countering the canard wherever it can and in whatever way it can. But the human hearts always melt for the victimised people. Pakistan propaganda machinery has gained expertise in the creation of victimhood syndrome. This has been part of Islamic history as well.

In the summer of 2021, the Taliban of Afghanistan began gaining an upper hand in many sensitive provinces of Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban had made inroads into the segments of Afghanistan National Army through intimidation and tricks up their sleeves. ISI was an accomplice and drawing the roadmap for them.

The message of Taliban on the verge of capturing Kabul had exceeded the actual date of capture. The non-state actors in Pakistan and their organizations fighting a proxy war in Kashmir had also got a wink of it. It served a strong morale booster to the jihadists fighting in Kashmir.

Pakistan had worked out the plan of offering ceasefire to India along the LoC for two important reasons. One was that Pakistan wanted a temporary de-escalation of tension on her border with India (especially J&K) leaving her space to attend effectively to the emerging scenario in Afghanistan. Her anticipations were not mere figments of imagination. The second, and perhaps more important reason was that Pakistan army/ISI had, in close coordination with the state/non-state militant organizations, raised well defended training camps in the forests recesses and sequestered locations of Kashmir close to LoC. The next step in their renewed strategy was to influence and alienate the Muslim villagers living close to the LoC and well conversant with the topography of the forest ranges. Thus, we find that in Shupian, Kupwara and Poonch (Surankot) sectors, a good number of locals had shifted their allegiance from the Indian army to the over-ground activists affiliated to the jihadi groups.

Hindsight will show that since the past one year or more, very few Pakistani nationals have been reported to have infiltrated and take the command of the Kashmiri gorillas. The ISI is convinced that the Kashmiri militant cadres have come up to their expected level of planning, commanding and executing terrorist plans and programmes.

However, the activity of stone pelting or bringing out crowds on streets to protest the killing of a terrorist commander or staging massive dharanas, etc., have almost come to a halt. The reason is the implementation of All Out operation plan by the military and the quantum of freedom given to the security forces of handling critical ground situations arising everyday.

There is a visible shift in the security scenario in the post –Taliban period not only in Afghanistan but in the entire volatile region of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kashmir. This is a Sunni dominated region with Wahhabist epicentre in Punjab province of Pakistan. This province is in great turmoil on account of the religious ferment that kept simmering due to political, military, feudalists, bureaucrats, fanatical mullahs and anti-India frenzied elements. Deobandis and Barelvis are at loggerheads and each wants to supersede the other in whatever social segments it can.

In this fluid situation, the Kashmir Islamic terrorists have lost single command direction because the jihadist organizations feel they must manage to be in the eyes of the Taliban of Afghanistan. Therefore, both premier jihadist groups, LeT and JeM send their volunteers to Afghanistan to receive training in new but highly lethal weapons left behind in Afghanistan by the fleeing Americans. Some of them have managed to get hold of the American sophisticated weaponry and sneak into our side of the LoC in J&K. The Indian army commander with the Northern Command did say  that some sophisticated American weapons, which India does not have, have been brought to Kashmir by the infiltrating jihadist.

Our security commanders and forces are abreast with these developments and for them it is nothing unexpected. Rather more serious developments can be expected on the Kashmir front. But what creates anxiety is the hardening of the denial-oriented attitude of valley Muslim leadership and the dubious silence of the otherwise vocal lobbies. No valley leader is prepared to exhibit even the smallest happiness over what the Modi government has delivered; all they remember and go on parroting about is the loss of freedom, rights, Kashmiriyat, jobs, land and such like meaningless and senseless complaints. We say meaningless because the complaints pertaining to these areas are baseless. Who has taken away the Kashmiriyat, who has taken away the land or jobs? No economist in Kashmir is prepared to tell something about the developmental works done and the percentage of people who are the beneficiaries of these new enterprises. This is the path of thankless people.

The Gupkar gang gives out intermittent laments quite loudly. There are no listeners. Their listeners, foremost of all, should be the people of Kashmir. But they are not nor do they want to be. A dispassionate study will show that the entire turmoil is actually directed against the valley leadership, one and all — the old guard National Conference and the new guard of PDP. The Hurriyatis do not count anywhere except the Indian intelligence chapters. 

Hence, we are convinced that Kashmiri Muslims of the valley are not in a mood to talk to the government authorities to sort out their grievances if any. They are focused on one and only one expectation —- that a war will be fought between India and Pakistan and Pakistan will emerge victorious and hoist Pakistani flag atop Hari Parbat and declare the omnipotence of Islam. This day dreaming has been there with them for the last seven decades and half. Centuries will fly by and the dream will linger on without getting realized. The best we can wish for the valley people is God grant them strength and light to look 1500 hundred years ahead and relegate the 1500 years of past history to the backyard.

India unhappy with Ukraine’s politicians but not with Ukrainians

Prof. K.N. Pandita
-
0
India unhappy with Ukraine’s politicians but not with Ukrainians

After the implosion of the Soviet Union in 1991, the western powers began nursing the misconception that the entity now named Russian Federation may not deserve to be given the appendage of a super-power. The Americans were pleased not only for their proxies — Afghan Mujahedeen and Pakistani non-state actors — forcing the invading Russians out of Afghan territory but also for having raised a lawless fighting force of Islamic fundamentalists in a very sensitive region that would not allow the communist ideology a foothold south of the Badakhshan Mountain range.

Owing to ingrained prejudice against the Marxist-Leninist ideology, the western powers have not even to this day understood or acknowledged the Herculean task which the Soviet Union performed in pulling the vast Eurasian sub-continent out of the morass of backwardness and medieval stereotype. This is the reason why the republics which seceded and announced their independence from the federation or those that agreed to remain within the federation, could not wash away the deep ideological and social impact of the Leninist ideology.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1990, 12 of the 15 states, excluding the Baltic States, initially formed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and most joined the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The crux of the CSTO was that the separating state will not allow its territory to be used for anti-CIS activities.  

In the political language of Russia and some other post-Soviet states, the term “near abroad” (Russian “blizhnee zarubezhe”) refers to the independent republics – aside from Russia itself – which emerged after the extinction of the Soviet Union. Increasing usage of the term in English is connected to foreign assertions of Russia’s right to maintain significant influence in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the region to be a component of Russia’s “sphere of influence” and strategically vital to Russian interests. The concept is reminiscent of the Monroe Doctrine.

Since 2014, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republic in far eastern Ukraine claimed their independence. All of these unrecognized states depend on Russian armed support and financial aid. However, before its annexation to Russia in March 2014, which is not recognized by most countries, Crimea had briefly declared itself an independent state.

This is the ground situation and legal jurisprudence of the two regions of contention, namely Donetsk and Luhansk between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Ukraine is not prepared to be reconciled to it. This has led to tension between the two countries.

Moscow contends that Ukraine has been violating the CSTO and acting against the interests of the Russian Federation. It further claims that if the people of these two regions desire to be part of the Russian Federation, they are free to do so and no breach of law or precedence is involved.

The fact is that the Western bloc led by the US and UK combined have been misusing their access to Ukraine through trade and commercial channels. For example, for quite some time, rumours are afloat that Ukraine is going to join NATO. Moscow considers such a step highly detrimental to the security concerns of the Warsaw Pact. The Russian border with Ukraine could become vulnerable.

President Putin is reported to have tried to convince the Ukrainian leadership that the desire for independence among the people of the two contentious regions could not be suppressed and that there was a large chunk of the population eager to be part of the Russian Federation. Even when Russian military action against Ukraine began on February 24, the Russian Defence Ministry deployed dozens of helicopters only with instructions of the spare pounding of unimportant and non-strategic targets. Military action was widened only when resistance from the pro-Ukrainian government forces intensified.

The Biden administration and its European allies called it naked aggression on Ukraine that violated international law and human rights charter. Strong anti-Russia media hype was launched across the western world. The US called for an emergency Security Council meeting where a resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine was tabled. India, besides China and UAE, abstained though the resolution was passed. The US has imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia and the example has been followed by the European Union. The EU has ordered no air space for Russian planes. Australia and Japan have voted in favour of the resolution against Russia.

On the ground, Russian land forces have captured Kharkiv, the second-largest city of Ukraine and they are headed towards Kiev, the capital. The fall of Kiev is imminent.

As the fighting proceeds, the Ukrainian President has accepted the offer of President Putin for a meeting somewhere on the Ukraine – Belorussia border. The outcome of the meeting is not known till the time of writing this report.

Some quarters in India are asking the question as to why India abstained from voting in a serious humanitarian issue of aggression by a powerful state on its smaller neighbour. Ukraine has never been friendly towards India. To be precise, it has always been used by its western benefactors as a stick to beat India with. In 1998, India under Atal Bihari Vajpayee conducted an underground nuclear test in Pokhran. The UNSC met in an urgent meeting to consider India testing the nuke. Ukraine was the first to move a resolution of censure against India. Ukraine had demanded punitive action of imposing economic sanctions on India. On Kashmir’s question, Ukraine has always opposed India’s stand. Ukraine never hid its hostility toward India whenever any matter came up for discussion in which Indian interests were involved. All this shows that Ukraine has been used by the western powers hostile to India as India-basher and their proxy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a frantic appeal to Prime Minister Modi for intervention in the conflict and persuading President Putin to stop the aggression in Ukraine. India has deputed two teams of senior bureaucrats, politicians and lawmakers to each side of the live border and they are engaged in easing the tension.

It has to be noted that taking recourse to qualitative statesmanship, Prime Minister Modi’s decision of India abstaining from voting in the anti-Russian resolution in the UN Security Council and also in the proposed resolution in the General Assembly is not motivated by rancour or ill-will against Ukraine; far from that. He has been in regular contact with the Ukrainian leader and is using his good offices to bring a halt to killing and destruction. He is pained at the loss of innocent lives. India may be unhappy with the politicians of Ukraine but not with the Ukrainians. This is what President Biden expressed in his recent statement that India’s abstention at the voting should not be construed as an anti-act.

Finally, while India joins the world community in supporting the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and strengthening democracy, it is also true that the Westminster type democracy has degenerated in some of its aspects and a drastic reform in the existing democratic module has to be considered seriously. Western democracies are facing an internal challenge and they must rise to the occasion. Europe is beset with a game-changer.

US slaps $55 million fine on National Bank of Pakistan for money laundering

News Intervention Bureau
-
0
US slaps $55 million fine on National Bank of Pakistan for money laundering

The Federal Reserve Board of America and the New York State Department of Financial Services have fined the National Bank of Pakistan a total of $55 million for violating money laundering prevention regulations.

The Federal Reserve Board has imposed a fine of $20 million, while the New York State Department of Financial Services has fined the National Bank of Pakistan $35 million for repeated violations. The National Bank of Pakistan and its New York branch have agreed to pay $35 million, the agency said in a tweet.

The Federal Reserve Board’s decision states that the National Bank of Pakistan, which operates in the United States and whose headquarters is in Pakistan, will pay a fine of $20.4 million for anti-money laundering violations. The Federal Reserve Board has directed the National Bank of Pakistan to formulate a programme to prevent money laundering.

The Federal Reserve Board’s decision said the National Bank of Pakistan did not develop an effective system for implementing laws to prevent money laundering for its operations in United States. The Federal Reserve Board’s decision is in accordance with the actions of the New York State Department’s Financial Services. The Federal Reserve Board wrote in its order that on March 14, 2016, the National Bank of Pakistan and its branch in New York met with the Reserve Bank and the New York State Department of Financial Services to address shortcomings in the anti-money laundering program. The Federal Board’s decision said a recent investigation has revealed that the implementation of all provisions of the agreement was not made untimely.

In order for the National Bank of Pakistan to continue its operations, it will have to develop a program to implement the regulations to prevent money laundering within two months of the Federal Reserve Board’s decision.

US cheers ‘The People’s Convoy’ led by American Truckers

News Intervention Bureau
-
0
US cheers ‘The People’s Convoy’ led by American Truckers

Inspired by the Canadian Trucker’s protest against Covid-19 restrictions the American truckers on February 23, 2022 launched ‘The People’s Convoy’, a peaceful and unified transcontinental movement. The convoy of vehicles started from the Adelanto Stadium in Southern California at 10:00 AM (local time) and is headed towards Washington DC.

The Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) President Dr. Pierre Kory and Godspeak Church Pastor Rob McCoy were among the top participants who encouraged the group to move ahead. The People’s Convoy has support from all segments of the American society, which includes nurses, doctors, investors, county workers, teachers, engineers, sanitation workers, professors, cashiers, flight attendants and pilots, among several other white and blue collar workers.

This convoy is about freedom and unity: the truckers are riding unified across party and state lines and with people of all colors and creeds.

The People’s Convoy started from the Adelanto Stadium in Southern California on February 23, 2022. (Photo: The People’s Convoy)

Like the Canadian Trucker’s “Freedom Convoy”, America’s “The People’s Convoy” is a peaceful show of strength with demands that US must now lift Covid restrictions. “We demand the declaration of national emergency concerning the Covid-19 pandemic be lifted immediately and our cherished constitution reign supreme. We are the people of the United States of America and we stand together under the banner of freedom – freedom is the one thing that unites us all.  Liberty flows through all of our veins,” said the The People’s Convoy in its press statement.

The two years of Covid-19 restrictions has crippled the average American worker in all aspects, especially on the economic front. American Truckers driving towards Washington DC under the banner of “The People’s Convoy” urged that with declining Covid-19 cases, Americans need to jumpstart the economy by getting back to work in a free and unrestricted manner so that they can pay off their rents and mortgages.

“….it’s time for elected officials to work with the blue collar and white-collar workers of America and restore accountability and liberty – by lifting all mandates and ending the state of emergency – as COVID is well-in-hand now, and Americans need to get back to work in a free and unrestricted manner,” reads The People’s Convoy press statement.

A People’s Convoy car urging good people to support their cause for freedom. (Photo: The People’s Convoy)

The People’s Convoy is being assisted by retired military personnel and security experts who are spearheading logistics so that the truckers convoy would be peaceful and safe.

Canadian Truckers’ “Freedom Convoy” has been highly successful in raising awareness against needless Covid restrictions imposed by the Justin Trudeau government on people. Justin Trudeau had to invoke Emergency Act with draconian provisions to crush a peaceful movement.

However, Trudeau failed miserably as Canadian Truckers continue to inspire freedom movements across the globe. The Romanian-born Canadian trucker Csaba Vizi even after surrendering peacefully was being viciously attacked by the Canadian Police in a bid to crush the Freedom Convoy demonstrations. “They broke my body a little bit, but not my spirit,” Csaba Vizi said after being beaten up by Canadian Police. Vizi’s inspiring words have galvanized people from all walks of life to resist the unreasonable Covid restrictions.

America’s ‘The People’s Convoy’ is receiving massive support en route to Washington DC with people waving American flags and cheering the convoy stretching several kilometers.

1...272273274...486Page 273 of 486

News Intervention is the new age digital media platform that has news analysis, opinion pieces, news briefs, news videos and documentaries.
News Intervention raises all those issues that may have been overlooked by big media houses or have been deliberately buried to serve vested interests. We firmly believe that each life matters and every individual regardless of religion, nationality, race, caste or creed must have the right to live life with dignity.

Contact us: editor@newsintervention.com

© Copyright - NewsIntervention