The Choice in 2019 Elections

A feeling of desperation and panic is clearly palpable in the BJP. One can sense it in the shrill outbursts of their spokespersons on TV, the angry rants from their trolls and Bhakts on social media, and the repeated resort to “what about…” of the Congress era dating back to Nehru, when they are asked about failures of the Modi regime.   

It also manifests in the increasing resort to gimmickry (e.g. main bhi chowkidar), abusive name-calling of the disgusting sadak-chhap variety, high-decibel pseudo-Nationalism, and dubbing all who question Modi as anti-National and Pakistani agents.  

Chowkidar Modiji himself is leading this muscular response, fully aware that constant harping on National security, Balakot, ASAT etc alone can divert attention of the voters from the acute farm distress and unemployment problems, as well as the uncomfortable questions about various scams, including Rafale.   

BJP has cleverly intimidated the visual and print media into brazenly toeing its line. So, Nationalism is stoked and people’s problems are sidetracked. Likewise, the RSS and BJP have succeeded in dousing the clamour for the unfulfilled Ram Mandir promise, on which emotive issue it rose to power. It has thus been able to control the narrative substantially.

But, do TV debates and social media interactions really sway voters significantly in this age of 24/7 media bombardment? People’s minds are already made up, and the shouting bouts on TV serve only as amusement. Social media interactions on the other hand have become too toxic even between family and friends.

Elections are decided not by the urban middle class, but by millions of poor and under-privileged people, for whom everyday existence is a struggle. So, will the poor farmers overburdened with unpaid loans, or millions of unemployed youth really feel ecstatic and enthused when Modiji talks about his great achievements in Balakot and the ASAT launch? It might stir up their patriotic fervour for a few moments, but soon their hopeless situation in the ‘real world’ would engulf them again.

The Nation also carries deep scars on its psyche due to polarizing hate-mongering by the rioting, lynching and moral-policing cadres of various outfits under RSS tutelage.  Countless victims as well as millions of passive, but outraged observers too will now have an opportunity to give their verdict as to what sort of a Nation and society they want.  

I therefore feel this is going to be a landmark watershed election. Do we want a pluralist, secular and equitable society that our Constitution guarantees, or do we want a rabid majoritarian polity, an ever-increasing gap between the rich and poor, where the rich and the powerful subvert the rule of law and all institutions that are supposed to protect individual rights and dignity?

I BELIEVE THE CHOICE IS CLEAR.

State of Defence Preparedness

ASAT is indeed a technological milestone. Geopolitically too, it sends a signal worldwide.

It was inevitable that Chowkidar Modiji, with his penchant for usurping credit, would unabashedly grab Media Headlines, the EC's Model Code of Conduct notwithstanding.

But, despite all the hoopla and boasts about Modiji's so-called "muscular" approach to National security, almost all Strategic thinkers and experts point out the following serious failures or deficiencies on his watch.

1. Modiji ceded strategic space to Xi at Wuhan and gave too many concessions, without any matching response. China's intransigence on Masood Azhar, opposing our entry into NSG, and its continuing inflexibility on the border issue, especially on Arunachal go to show that Xi outsmarted him. 

2. Pakistan continued to sponsor terrorism in J&K despite Modiji's overtures to Nawaz Sharif. Pathankot, Uri, Amarnath Yatra, Srinagar etc showed that we were caught napping and reacted quite haphazardly. 

3. Despite the surgical strikes of 2016, Pakistan's terror sponsorship in J&K only increased and culminated in the Pulwama carnage. 

4. If Balakot was meant to send a signal, Pak signalled back with greater alacrity by sending its fighters across the LoC. We lost a MiG unfortunately, and even the episode of Pak returning our pilot let Pak derive great mileage in the eyes of the world. 

5. To the world, this exchange also showed the gaps and limitations of our so-called conventional edge over Pak, in air power at least. 

6. Conventional wisdom dictates that one should never boast if one has no intention or capability of following through. So, why thunder to a cheering electoral audience, "Ghar main ghus kar marenge", when a single message from Trump (which any strategy expert would tell you was bound to come) leads you to simmer down and back off like a "bheegi billi". 

7. There have been very serious Intelligence lapses over past four years, including the recent smuggled RDX used for Pulwama carnage. Yet, NO accountability has been fixed. It seems Doval is indispensable for Modiji, not for his primary Intelligence and National security duties, but for other 'political' purposes.

8. Modiji's policy on Defence is oriented more for Global consumption, and image-building abroad, than upon strengthening our Defence forces at home, which have very critical gaps in modernization and capacity-building.

9. These gaps have actually INCREASED on his watch with the Defence budget being reduced progressively in real terms over past four years. 

10. The much-delayed restructuring and reforms recommended by a host of committees like K Subhramanian's KRC, the GoM, and Naresh Chandra Committee have been put on the back-burner. Another very dangerous trend is the politicization of the Armed Forces, especially in hand-picking pliable officers for senior positions who will not question the Netas and Babus. 

11. It has been the misfortune of our Defence Forces that they have invariably gone into battle ill-clad (1962) and ill-equipped as compared to our adversaries. Yet, they have always carried the day with their valour, though at a terrible cost to lives and limbs. It is acknowledged worldwide, "it is the man behind the gun that matters". And yet, Modiji's RM, Chowkidar Seetharaman seems hell-bent on wrecking the morale and self-esteem of our soldiers in her numerous policies - all of which have gone against Faujis vis a vis civilian Babus and CAPFs. It is widely believed among the Defence personnel that she has the tacit approval of Modiji and Jaitley, both of whom are not favourably disposed to Faujis for various reasons. 

12. With all of the above, the damage to the Armed Forces in terms of HDM, defence modernization, infrastructure and morale is far too serious to ignore. The public, which is very empathetic and supportive, is unfortunately not aware of all this. Since all citizens are stakeholders in National security, they MUST RAISE THEIR VOICE, and call upon the Govt to arrest, and reverse this dangerous slide. Surely, the Nation cannot afford another 1962 like debacle.

AG Recovers the “Stolen” Rafale File Overnight

If it were not a very serious matter of National security, all citizens would have laughed out loud at the farce being enacted in the Supreme Court since last week. The Attorney General argued before the SC that the Petitioners could not cite the Rafale documents published in The Hindu article, as those were from the Secret file that had been stolen from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). When questioned, he nonchalantly stated that an internal investigation was on, but no FIR had been lodged. Quite aghast, the Chief Justice directed him to file details of the loss and the actions taken at the next hearing.

Print and visual media, in obsequiousness to the Govt’s sensitivities, reported this in an uncharacteristically toned down matter of fact manner even though it was a bombshell, given that the Secret file pertained to the scam-tainted Rafale deal. Social media however went berserk, with alarmed citizens questioning how an ultra-sensitive Secret file could go missing from the MoD. Coming soon after the massive intelligence failure that led to the Pulwama carnage, people questioned the cavalier manner in which the Govt was treating National security. Irate citizens called for action against the Defence Secretary as the head of MoD, and the resignation of the RM.

Obviously, there was consternation in the Govt and Party circles. But, lo and behold, the very next day the AG discovered that the file was NOT STOLEN after all. It had merely been photocopied and leaked to The Hindu. As if photocopying of a Secret MoD document was any less serious or alarming a crime. It seemed as if the AG was mocking the SC Bench, and belittling the intelligence of the learned Judges.

Notwithstanding his advanced age, it is unlikely that a seasoned legal eagle like the AG would have committed a faux pas. Apparently, bumbling bureaucrats in the MoD have led him up the gum tree with their shoddy efforts to cover the tracks, primarily to save their Master, Modi Ji from the burgeoning Rafale scandal. It will be interesting to see if the Bench takes serious umbrage at this volte face. This is even more necessary since the Bench is already adjudicating the far more serious issue of the Govt misleading the Court with an unsigned affidavit that had several false and inaccurate statements.

Even to the most ardent BJP supporters it will be clear that there is much more to it than meets the eye. With its shoddy handling of the Rafale issue, the Govt has indeed strengthened the suspicions of even unbiased observers. It is an acknowledged axiom that the numerous attempts to cover up an original crime end up being far more lethal. Perhaps, the Modi Govt could have learnt a lesson from Dirty Dick’s fate in the infamous Watergate scandal.

NSA Overseeing Military Operations

It is outright bizarre that the NSA is overseeing active military operations and the Service Chiefs report to him. True,entrust that he has the status of MoS but the PM's decision to trust him rather than Service Chiefs during operations is absurd.

He has no expertise in military warfare, in which the Service Chiefs have 40 years of intense training, combat experience, and professional handling of such a large force. For a person who is not adept at his own job, and on whose watch so many intelligence failures and terror strikes (even as recently as Pulwama), it is inexplicable why would the PM put him in overall charge during such a critical time.