INDIA'S AFGHAN TROUBLE

United States have been engaging in peace talks with Taliban, as NATO formally withdraws from terror-stricken Afghanistan in 2014.  Taliban early this month inaugurated their office in Qatar capital Doha for felicitating Peace talks with the International community. Taliban used the name ‘Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan’ for its new office, which was the name used by them during their regime, and placed Afghan flag which drew ire from Afghan president Hamid Karzai. As NATO withdraws from Afghan there is every chance of another militancy growth in the soil which will eventually turn against India.

Taliban has deep routed nexus with banned outfits like Leshkar-e- Toeba, Al-Qeada and Haqqani network who is responsible for growing militancy in Kashmir. Therefore, return of Taliban will hurt India and with the help of Pakistan intelligence ISI there is very chance for more terrorist activities across the nation. Indo- Pak cross border tension will increase and could destabilise the current peace pacts. There is still chance for China’s Afghan expedition soon after the withdrawal of the troops, eyeing the mineral rich mines of Afghan. Afghan may see further increase in Human Rights violation as these banned outfits bats for re-implementation of Sharia’ laws.

As, United States negotiates talks with Taliban, governments of both India and Afghanistan are worried as return of the extremist groups will surely damage bilateral ties between two nations. What India can do is to pressurise US and NATO to withdraw from peace talks and to provide military aid to Afghan government. US, in order to keep the growing trade link between them and INDIA, should address India’s queries and help India to expose ISI- terrorist links to the world nations. Going ahead with peace pacts will result in repeat of events like 9/11 and 26/11 which will promote terror and fear in the globe....

THE KITE RUNNER : LIFE IN A WAR FED KABUL

Only few authors can take their readers to those interstices where they penned their words, Khalid Hosseini is one among them. His first novel, The Kite Runner is one of the great classics I have ever read in my life. The Kite Runner tells the story of a young boy, Amir from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, whose closest friend Hassan, his father’s young Hazara servant. The story develops with vibrant events like Fall of the Monarch, Soviet military intervention, massacre of Hazaras, refugees fleeing to Pakistan and America, and the rise of Taliban, which shifted the country’s face in front of International community.

Amir was a Pashtun boy, whose father was a wealthy merchant whom he referred to as Baba. His friend and Baba’s servant Ali’s son was an ethnic-minor Hazara boy, Hussan. Baba loved both the boys but he was more sympathetic to his son, as his son Amir was weak and didn’t like football. The boys played Kite Fighting and enjoyed their days in the peaceful town of Kabul. Amir used to write stories and Baba was not interested in it. But Baba’s friend and business partner Rahim Khan encouraged him. Hassan who didn’t know to read anxiously waited to hear Amir’s story. They used to play in the big ground of Baba’s mansion. But soon everything changed.

Russia’s military intervention made Baba and Amir flee to Peshwar, Pakistan and then to California. He who lived in posh house in Kabul lived in a small apartment and Baba went to a gas station to work. Amir went to a community college to improve his writing skills in English; he fell in love with an awesome lady Soraya Taheri and married her. His father passed away. Soraya and Amir settled, later on they came to know that they cannot have children. Later, he came to know the fate of Hassan and Ali. But what really surprised Amir was the fact that Hassan was his half-brother. Hassan was massacred  by Taliban and his all Hazara neighbours were killed. He had a son who was spared and his name was Sohrab. Amir later went to Kabul in search of sohrab. He kills a Taliban leader. Later found Sohrab after a lot of mischievous events and returned to California to adopt him...

The novel discusses lots of events which begin from Soviet intervention and then the creation of Taliban which later on created civil war. Taliban protected the interest of ethnic majority- Pashtun and used to suppress Minorities like Hazaras, who were basically Shia’ muslims.  Sharia’ rules were implemented and strict punishments were given to people especially women. The civil war destroyed the economy of Afghanistan, creating millions of refugees and people even children dying of hunger. In one context of the novel it is said that, In Afghanistan, obtaining death certificate for civilians is impossible as people does not even have a Birth certificate. After seizing Kabul in 1996, Taliban established Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan even though Islamic state of Afghanistan was internationally recognised. The Taliban was created with the aim to fight Soviet Union but later on the hardcore terrorists wanted power to suppress people’s voice as the group rejects the idea of Democracy.

war fed afgan

It is an open fact that Taliban is supported by Pakistan Intelligence and ISI, along with other organisations like Haquani Network or Lashkar-e-Toeba. They use it as a tool to destabilise nations Including INDIA, Afghanistan and Iran. They oppose to the idea of equality and want to impose sharia’ rules. They oppose worship of other Gods. They blasted Lord Buddha’s Statue in HinduKush with dynamite. It started the war against minorities and people were either massacred or forced to leave the country. Their multi-culture system was foiled and there didn’t exist something called harmony. In Kabul, children were taken away by Taliban police and  they were given training to become militants. Sometimes suicide bombers. Children of Afghanistan seems to have no hopes nor dream, they may not get proper education and nutrition rich food. They cannot become entrepreneurs, nor seek jobs. But to run after NATO drones and Taliban rockets...........................

WHILE #NaMo, #SuMo AND #NiKu TRENDS....

 The week has seen major political realignments, different trendsetters, ruckus and chaos within Sangh and few regional parties dreaming to form a government at the centre on its own, without a national party or a national leader. All that amazed is the way twitter showed its ‘ trends’, it seemed to be a “Gangs of Wasseypur” part 3 for me a the list contained names of all major political leaders of  Bihar. What i felt sad is the way net-isens treated Lal Krishna Advani when he submitted its resignation from all the party posts. Social Media was in a sense relieved and they all stated waiting for a #NaMo era soon after #LK leaves the party. Nitish Kumar and the other Modi from Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi trended for almost a week, the day from news spread that Janata Dal (UNITED) wanted to diverse Bharatiya Janata Party, on the name of high morality and something called “ SICK-ULARISM” which #NiKu realised only after 17 years of alliance and that too after occupying Chief Minister’s seat. Now he finds 15% Muslim vote more important than a party which gave its 91 MLA support.

The biggest jolt for this separation is for the poor people of Bihar, Lalu’s smiling face following the breakup will give frightening nightmares to them.  Because of the great-good-lolly governments of LALU PRASAD YADAV and his wife RABRI DEVI, Bihari people never knew what Development really was, what the government offered them was nothing but poverty, law-lessness and political goond-giri. Things finally came to an end when National Democratic alliance won the elections in the year 2005, while #NiKu became CM, #SuMo beame Dy CM. They had a great honeymoon together for almost 8 years of proper governance, now it’s over all in the name of one Leader NARENDRA MODI.

Intellectual English medias call #NaMo a Fakir, he polarises your both options and opinions. For self-calling secularism it’s all about preserving minority vote banks, whether it be Mulayam, #NiKu, Naveen Patnaik, Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee. They has always been an M-Y effect, literally MUSLIM-YADAV votes. Mulayam and his party SP has been relying on these factor ever since the day of its creation. #NiKu too wears SKULL CAPS AND TILAK, as he once mocked #NaMo. The problem for them is the rise of #NaMo as a Hardcore Hindutva figure and as an OBC leader. He will definitely energise the rural voters and the urban voters will never drift away from him. Thus leaving no signs but to put all flirty names on #NaMo. Self-portraited secularist wizards like  Digvijay Singh and great gandhians supporting the dynasty have been calling him, “bhasmasur”, “ Raavan and many more, thank God, they still remember names of Hindu gods and these are the same people who never use the term ‘Hinduism’ in public to prove that they are ‘secularists’ by birth..

Going back to Bihar, it is going to be an all out battle between #Niku and #SuMo, separated by their ideologies and political calculations. I find no reason why Bihar would perhaps think of voting against #NaMo and #SuMo. As, the two parties will contest separately there will be no space for Lalu’s Rashtriya Lok Dal and Ram Vilas Paswan’s lok Jan Shakti Party and the game for congress is over in the state. Muslim vote may well shift to #NiKu and RJD and Congress will have to bear lose this time. Hindu upper caste and OBC  votes would prefer #NaMo and the saffron party, Urbanised areas may still rest with BJP and JDU will  have to pay for its decision of pulling out from the 17 year old alliance, in the name of nothing but personal interest and self-branding. Interestingly they find Advaniji secular and #NaMo communal and still there is no mention why he continued in NDA after post-Godhra riots and why he didn’t resigned from the post of railway minister when the unfortunate incident of burning the train occurred. His party finds problem with Sangh’s Ram Temple issues. #NaMo has never talked about ram temple issues in public, he never propagates sangh’s philosophy he never discriminates people whether he wears a skull cap or tilak.

#SuMo finds the scenario suitable for him; he can implant himself to the CM’s chair, post assembly elections-2015. As for now, he would try to strengthen grassroots of party even organisationally it is functional than that of JD(U) and that of RJD. These developments will surely result in reverse consolidation and BJP will definite benefit for that. Also is BJP-SENA-SAD alliance can bring 220 seats altogether, all these secular allies will gather like fishes creating a same scene from the year 1998 when Atal Bihari Vajpyee managed to run a coalition government with 24 parties. Interestingly, bother NDA and UPA are lacking alliance. UPA has got only one powerful ally, NCP but still it survives due to the effective use of tools. A mere possibility of third front is what #NiKu is eyeing at, but if regional parties unite who will lead them? Can #NiKu become PM and face a Deve Gowda experience of 1996? It’s great to see #NaMo-#SuMo getting united, they should do a rally at patna at this point of time, this is not a show off time but to live party’s prospectus for the 2014 and to spread the wave across the nation...

FORESEEING A WATERLOO: IMPENDING DESTRUCTION OF CONGRESS

With Lok Sabha (LS) elections just one year away, you can expect no party across the globe to sit idle and curse its own fate, but Indian National Congress who has served Independent India for almost 50 years and made this nation incredible with ‘secularism’, has lost all its ground to address itself as a front runner for 2014 LS polls. 9 years full of scams and economic mismanagement has made United Progressive Alliance (UPA)’s face dirtier than before. They might have survived the Emergency period, the anti-Sikh riots and Bofors scam. But this time the party is expected to face high wave of anti-incumbency and the anger of frustrated Indian youth who wish to see India as an emerging power. INC is expected to face anger even in hard-core Congress states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. As the assembly elections are scheduled for 5 states later this November, is there any chance for congress-revival? Can high command manage the grass root politics? Will Rahul Magic work this time?

Let’s start with my own home state, Kerala; here politics is all about flirty people alleging opponents of having extra marital affairs and so called Secular nostalgia. National politics have no space in this part of country. UPA’s agenda or corruption issues may not amuse people here. All it matters here is the communal division created by Congress led United Democratic Front which includes a party called Muslim League, which is addressed as the most secular party in this great nation. Congress for keeping this ally on board even declared a cold war against Nair Service Society (NSS) which is a body comprising Hindu Upper caste. They also teared into Sree Narayana Dharma Parishad (SNDP) which is the organisation of Hindu Caste called Ezhava. Communist Party of India(Marxist) is expected to get majority among 20 lok sabha seats. Bharatiya Janata Party, who haven’t even opened its account in state is expected to give a tough fight in two Constituency, Thirivananthapuram and Kasargod. Narendra Modi effect is expected to polarise Hindu votes. The political strategy of NSS and SNDP has got its importance. Muslim and Christian votes may consolidate with Congress. Hindutva politics may see an uprising in the state as there is a feeling among the majority community that the Congress government is forgetting the theory of equality while dealing with them. Social media is less likely to play a role in rising youth’s voice. Rahul Gandhi may have his impact on minorities might 

Majority will review him as a tragic figure.

In Maharashtra, the entire politics is going to witness a “Paribartan”, a dramatic change. People are amused with Narendra Modi effect and this time a combo of BJP-SENA-MNS-RPI is expected to bag 30 of its 48 LS seats. This is interesting as the state is heading to assembly elections later this year. Raj Tharkarey will find no problem in forming alliance with Shiv sena as Raj is an admirer of NaMo and branding himself as a Hindutva mascot. The state is expected to shift back to its Maratha-manoos politics which Bal saheb Tharkarey had promoted. The state congress will have to pay for all corruption issues including Adarsh Flat scam, and the chaos they created at the centre. As the state has substantial amount of Urbanised population, this will favour BJP and NaMo magic will energise the whole alliance, here secular issues may not amuse people but development, GDP and Share Market issues will. The urbanised population prefer to see NaMo as a man capable of developing the entire nation. Muslim vote consolidation may rest with INC-NCP. But recent ‘urine’ comments made by Sharad pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar might well spoil the pie for the alliance. Recent water shortage issues and Gujarat’s successful water management model can help NaMo. Bombay, later Mumbai has witnessed many communal riots, thus polarising politics can well favour the saffron party.

In Delhi, Chief Minister Shiela dikshit is expected to be on losing side this time. She won 3 times consistently, but this time there is a certain amount of anti-incumbency. Delhi always represent national mood and people connect over internet will find it really hard to vote for INC. Aam aadmi Party is expected to remain silent this time. As Anna Hazare is not amused with Kejriwal’s party and Baba Ramdev, Kiran Bedi favouring NaMo, AAP will secure few votes, but cannot become gamechangers. Polarisation is less likely to happen as Communalism may not have relevance on the national capital, development is the single best thing people may vote on and this is the single best place where congress people failed to deliver. In Andhra Pradesh YSR congress may get the number but TRS might form alliance with BJP as NaMo supports telengana state formation. Communal divisions caused by MIM may result in reverse consolidation and TRS-BJP alliance can bring some seats and increase its vote share.

Thus “congress-ified” states may spoil all the prospectus of Indian National Congress or United Progressive Alliance. States other than Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra gives no hope for congress. In Karnataka, BJP can get it all right in Urbanised areas but if BJP get Yeddyurappa on board things may change and it will result in revival of saffron party.  Rahul magic will fail yet again and he will be branded as a failure of all times. He does speak about changing the system. Fine! But when it comes to doing, he fails. Even when congress-ruled-states fail to deliver, he seems helpless. He finds no answers for those serious questions raised on UPA’s failed 9 years. What his party lacks is “DEMOCRACY”, the biggest dictator of all times, COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA replaces President over a period of 10 years, but INC has got a serving president who has been ruling the party for almost 15 years. But yet it is called democratic. INC’s fundamental stones seem to be weak and for this they will have to pay a price, sitting in the opposite cupboard for 5 years and cleaning up their own system........................