Going through the news currently grabbing headlines, one is bewildered as to how fluid the situation is in many cases. There's a sense of uncertainty, a case of brute use of power - and in a democracy, it's absurd because today's rulers could be the opposition in no time - and yet another instant case, the narrative is slowly being given a differing spin to slink away from the actual problem. In fact, short term expediency seems to be the favoured mantra!
1. The India-China Face off.
The two armies are on an eyeball to eyeball confrontation all along the LAC. The Indian Army has been deployed all along the northern front and from the present outlook it looks that the deployment is gonna be for a long duration beginning from now. The Chinese Army as well as Xi Jinping's government are yet to get over the shock of the Indian Army's capturing of key heights in eastern Ladakh. Till now, it was the Chinese Army that used to do acts of perfidy while the Indian Army tried to peacefully sort out the issue. They used to, literally, advance by 5 km and when asked to withdraw, drop back by say, 3 km and thereby grab our land in the bargain! It's this aspect that has undergone a sea change when we took the offensive action.
The Chinese president must be desperately wanting to have a one on one with our Prime Minister to sort out the issue, especially, the banning of the 254 odd apps. What he seems to have forgotten is that our Prime Minister had met him about 18 times over the last few years, developing sufficient bonhomie between them to expect the two countries to forget the setbacks of the past and to live together on a 'live and let live' policy. The Doklam incident of 2017 had jolted it for a while but the Chinese mischief was thwarted after a 74-day face off between the two armies. The Galwan incident in March, this year, only increased the distrust between the two countries and it's slowly dawning on us that the Chinese cannot be depended upon as a friend!
While talks could continue to end the stalemate, having got out of the '62 syndrome, India should maintain the pressure and show the Chinese that our writ must run and we won't tolerate any unilateral change of status quo of the LAC.
2. The Tamasha going on in Maharashtra.
It all started with the Palghar lynching case. Arnab Goswami and his Republic channel went hammer and tongs, investigating the brutal murder of the two Hindu monks, coming out with key observations that showed the Maharashtra government in bad light. Soon after, started the channel's investigation of the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide(?). The channel brought out that it was not a suicide but a planned murder preceded by the actor's manager, Disha Salian's death on similar lines.
Arnab was able to make a convincing case that the two suicides were indeed murders and the incidents are now being investigated by the CBI. The investigations must be on the right track because the Maharashtra government has been harsh on Bollywood actress, Kangana Ranaut - she had brought out the story in an interview by Arnab on his channel - tearing down her office space and putting the Republic Channel's reporter Anuj, behind bars for five days, through a weekend. A sad state of affairs indeed!
Today, the state Assembly, has sent a breach of privilege notice to Arnab Goswami for his actions, thus far and he has promptly said that he wasn't gonna apologise as he has done nothing wrong.
What Udhav Thackeray and his team mates, the NCP and the Congress don't seem to realise is that firstly, their's is a fragile alliance and secondly, they could soon end up sitting in the opposition minus the trappings of power. They are using power and the administrative machinery against Arnab Goswami and his Republic when they're poised to dig out the chief minister's son's involvement in the shenanigans. When will they realise that truth has a mysterious way of popping up at the most (in)opportune moment much to their discomfort and that all their muzzling and cover up were futile?
3. The Kerala Agitations.
Over the past five days, the opposition parties have been out in the streets demanding the resignation of the minister, KT Jaleel, who has been questioned by the ED and the NIA in connection with the gold smuggling case (Thousands of copies of the holy Quran were brought in from the UAE, through the diplomatic channel, around the same time when the gold was smuggled in.
To take the heat of the investigation off the government's back, the chief minister has said that it is a case of the opposition going after a particular community! Now, that's a serious charge! The agitation, however, has gained momentum and doesn't seem to be coming under control!
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the washing machinex of bed linen - despite it being a rainy day - and was ready by a quarter to 10. It was a hectic day and my director was in need of assistance; time just flew and consequently, couldn't follow up with my telephonic interaction with friends.
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