Political atmosphere in the country rapidly changed after 14th Feb Pulwama terror incident. Warlike situation emerged and war mongers had a field day. War hysteria was created in Pakistan as well as India. There was air strike on terrorist training centre of Jaish-e-Muhammad at Balakot by Indian Air Force. Next day, Pakistan too launched air strike crossing Indian territory. Indian Air Force pushed it back. In this engagement, one Indian pilot was captured in POK. Under diplomatic pressure, Pakistan had to release him. Though, there is no further escalation in tension between the two countries, the politics of war-hysteria and jingoism continues unabated. Narendra Modi has said, “Pilot project is completed, real mission is yet to be accomplished.”
Opposition parties started saying that they were proud of Air Force and stood firmly with Modi government on the issue of national security. Some well meaning people have started saying that there should be national consensus on national security, this has been our tradition and there should be no politics on it. However, the fact is , that it is either the issue of national security or war against other nation, it can’t be without politics. The famous saying goes that “war is continuation of politics by other means.” The opposition parties alleged that BJP and Modi are doing politics on the martyrdom of soldiers.
It is natural on the eve of Lok Sabha election what BJP will do except the politics. It is the opposition, particularly Congress should tell the nation what is its conception of national security, on issue of Pakistan and Kashmir. How it is different with the politics of Hindutva on these issues? How is It possible that RSS- BJP will practise authoritarian Hindutva politics internally and they would support a democratic policy in external affairs. Foreign policy of a country is only extension of its domestic policies. Had there been a national consensus on national security after independence, Gandhiji would not have been killed. After all he was killed, being declared an agent of Pakistan. For RSS, India is only a map, where people and their will does not matter. They wish to own and control the territory of Kashmir even at the cost of sacrifice of any number of soldiers or the people of Kashmir. Even, they don’t bother about the views of Mahbooba Mufti who was their partner in government for about 3 years. They are not prepared to listen the voice of Shah Faizal on Kashmir, who was IAS topper in 2009. They are adamant on removing 35 A and Section 370 of the Constitution. They never bothered to talk to all stakeholders in Kashmir in the last 4 years nor do they find it necessary even today.
It is their habit to destroy the democratic institutions in the country. It is their nature to suppress pluralism and dissent. RSS, ideologically and politically, never accepted Pakistan as a nation. It is not only war cry of some war mongers, journalists of media houses, of weapon merchants and others to eliminate Pakistan from the world map; in fact, it is concrete ideological understanding of RSS that Pakistan should be balkanized and annexed to India, thus giving birth to Akhand Bharat .
Modi told about the completion of Pilot Project but he didn’t enlighten the nation about the role played in it by US and Saudi Arabia. But it is in public domain that the US President had already promised about good news of de-escalation between India and Pakistan, much before Pakistan PM’s declaration about releasing the Indian pilot. The warmongers and the Sangh are happy that Pakistan is now globally isolated, even the countries of OIC (Organisation of Islamic Co-operation) are not with them. Rather they invited India as a guest of honour and our Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed her views there. But, instead of celebrations, here too, one needs to learn something. In 1991, India, too, did not have money for repayment of foreign bills. And we had to go into the lap of World Bank and IMF. As a result, foreigners gradually captured Indian market.
Suicides of farmers deprived of resources and market as well as joblessness of youth are well known facts. Today, the prosperity in India is based on the loot of tribals, toiling masses, youth and workers of unorganized sector. There is no need to boast on its sustainability.
India, too, is undergoing deeper economic crisis. The politics of war may benefit the arm’s merchants, but it will ruin the common man. India’s strength lies in its market given to Corporates and multi nationals. The day we reclaim our markets and assert independently in world politics, coming out of the US influence, the hollowness of our so-called emerging friendship with US, Europe and Saudi Arabia like countries will be exposed.
Certainly, Modi government is free not to talk to the Pakistan government, if it so wishes. But, it must enlighten the countrymen as to how, without taking Kashmiri people into confidence, it proposes to deal with Pak diplomacy and the terror outfits. Treading the path shown by Israel, Modi government does know that despite all barbaric aggressions of Israel, Palestine, still exists. Summing up, one can say that there is need of consensus in the country, not for war politics of Hindutva but for people’s politics against it.
Akhilendra Pratap Singh, Member, National Executive,Swaraj Abhiyan
Courtesy: Counter Currents