Aside from witnessing destruction of the global environment, there are two narratives occupying major focus on the world stage. First is the coronavirus let loose inadvertently by China, which Beijing tried to hide for many months before it wasn’t possible anymore.
Given China’s global ambitions and policy of ambiguity-deception-deceit and appalling distaste for morality, there is little reason to discount COVID-19 is China’s biological warfare experiment gone awry. Were it not so, there was no reason for Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang rushing to Wuhan when the casualty figures were small.
China’s actual COVID-19 casualty figures may never be known but the virus is spreading globally. Economies are getting hit in terms of tourism, oil prices and much else. Japan is shutting all schools. Many countries, including China, claim to have developed the antidote, which may or may not be complete. India must focus on developing indigenous antidote even though COVID-19 has not affected us largely yet and despite the US investing billions of dollars to fight this virus.
Second, is the issue of Islamic radicalism. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince admitted last year that Wahabism was spread globally on behest of the West during the Cold War to check spread of communist ideology. This still continues albeit through private Saudi channels. But take President Sisi of Egypt who replaced the radical Islamist Muslim Brotherhood installed by the West. He cracked down on Islamist radicals and summoned the clerics telling them bluntly that one billion Muslims cannot kill six billion non-Muslims in the world and vice versa. Having said so, he shut down many radical mosques and seminaries.
Few years ago, in reply to a question at an international seminar at Beijing, the Chinese, chairing a session, stated that India has somehow tied itself in knots over temples, mosques, caste, creed and religion. He forgot to mention reservations. But instead of saying somehow he should have mentioned by design since it suits vote calculations of all political parties, which remains so to-date.
Little wonder that with upcoming assembly elections, Bihar wants a census by caste. In this macabre race for power, lives don’t matter, especially of those described as ‘mango people who travel cattle class’ by a politico in the past.
So any amount of hate speeches can be made with journalists and media channels singing tunes depending on their mentors and affiliations. Yet, we are afraid to name who in the fourth estate are on ISI payroll and how much money is being poured into media channels by Pakistan. Naturally, Imran Khan is ecstatic about transporting trouble in the Valley to Delhi.
Where stone-pelting is a crime in Israel punishable with a maximum 20-year jail term, it is means to easy money-making in India. What have we learnt about crowd control over all the years of turbulence that we remain at the same point?
The trouble in Delhi started with the Shaheen Bagh blockade. Behind the hoopla about the right to protest and using women and children, the undeniable fact was ‘without permission’ made it illegal and doubly punishable for blocking the public road. Not removing the blockade led to similar protests elsewhere in Delhi and outside, eventually leading to the dance of death in northeast Delhi.
Before the 2014 general elections, a former Army chief went to lay a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti accompanied by 7-8 two- and three-star veterans. The Congress government brought in Delhi Police, firing water-canons, denying them the wreath-laying. Water cannons were also used against crowds protesting the Nirbhaya rape. Protesters at Shaheen Bagh could also have been warned and if not responding, subjected to water-canons on a cold night but political calculations of the BJP government forbade that?
It is difficult to believe that the build-up to the killings and rioting in northeast Delhi was unknown to police and intelligence agencies though our capabilities appear pathetic considering the Pulwama suspect has been let off on bail because NIA has not been able to establish requisite evidence and neither identified where the explosives came from despite one year of inquiry.
Surely, when bus loads of marauders were being brought into Maujpur and other areas from outside Delhi and arsenal being built up at various locations, the police and local intelligence knew what was afoot? Political parties are naïve to believe police action or inaction cannot be discerned by the public no matter which channel shows what visual.
The police will do what they are told or a section within them act on behalf of a political party for whatever reason. That is why some were seen breaking CCTV cameras during the northeast riots. If Delhi Police had shown half the ferocity it exhibited twice in baton-charging and manhandling military veterans peacefully protesting at Jantar Mantar, we probably would not have had 38-40 killed and over 200-250 injured in northeast Delhi. If proper appreciation had been done and additional forces deployed from day one, we would not have come to this situation. Those who have lost their kith and kin and properties and means of livelihood can hardly find solace in government announcements that situation is under control.
Finally, while the political slugfest over hate speeches continues, one can only hope for sanity — that we will not see repeat of the above anywhere in India. Our political parties (right-wingers, left-wingers, middle-wingers and whatever) could take a leaf from Sisi; what he did and said, especially that one billion Muslims cannot kill six billion non-Muslims in the world and vice versa. Hopefully, politicians will show mercy on the common man and not give cause to China and Pakistan to laugh all the way home.
(The author is veteran Indian Army. Views are personal.)
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