Much water has flown down to river Jhelam in Pakistan over last few weeks. The dictatorial President Musharraf clamped emergency fearing that the Supreme Court will set aside his election as the civil President. The emergency gave him an opportunity to bundle out Supreme court judges and he let judges of his choice roll in. The Supreme Court with new judges convened and declared that he was a constitutionally elected President. That was easy! In the next move, the same individual hangs off his military dress and takes over as the civil President of Pakistan for another term of 5 years. The US President Bush gleefully welcomes this step! Now President Musharraf is busy lifting emergency and declaring that elections are due soon.

This is simply a mockery of democracy! Democracy is not simply about casting votes and electing members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies (Senators and Representatives), it is about about building Institutions!

It is amazing that US is supporting this kind of perverted democracy in Pakistan. The simple rules dictate that military dictator Musharraf first undo the wrongs, meaning thereby to end the emergency rule and let the Pakistan go into elections. Not only that, he must restore the previous judiciary. How can a military ruler become a civil president overnight without getting a popular mandate (remember, opposition had boycotted the electoral process). Also, the elections to be held in January, 2008 are most likely to be rigged under his government machinery.
The US and EU and of course India (acting like a mute spectator does not be hove India as this is a matter of democracy) must pressurize Mush to restore democracy in a ‘democratic’ way.
PS: 12/12 I happened to listen to a radio-talk on NPR with Ahmed Rashid- a Pakistani journalist- about the current situation in Pakistan. This was a well-rounded talk and worth listening.

Pakistan’s dictator Parvez Musharraf has imposed Emergency in the country on saturday , November 3, 2007. This move was not totally unexpected, though! The worsening law and order situation in Pakistan could not have gone worse! The history of our neighboring country has been replete with the instances of military regimens and this is another addition to the chapter. USA’s ally in the war against terrorism (what a paradox), i.e, Pakistan, is itself in the grips of terrorism (notwithstanding the fact that it has perpetuated terrorism also).The loudest advocate of democracy in the world, that is USA, has so far not given a harsh indictment on this development in Pakistan.

India has no reasons to cheer on this development. India must not only show a great resentment to this move to throttle the democracy in Pakistan, it should exert pressure on the world community to bring Pakistan under pressure to come out of this blind situation (this may not be easy, though). An unstable Pakistan is India’s constant sore!

It may not be out of context to mention here that Newsweek magazine had brought a very timely issue on Pakistan’s stark realities! The October 29, 2007 issue of Newsweek brings out the cover story on Pakistan with the title: “The Most Dangerous Nation in World is not Iraq. It is Pakistan”. And the story moves on! It is ironic that religious fundamentalism culminated into the birth of a new country- Pakistan- and still there is no peace!

The news of attack on Taslima Nasreen- a Bangladeshi woman writer who currently lives in India is a shocking one. In Hyderabad (India), fundamentalist Muslims -led by 3 Muslim MLAs- tried to assault Taslima in a press meet. The MIM party’s MLA- Akbarrudin Owaisi- has reportedly said: ” We are not bothered about our MLA status. We are Muslims first. And its our responsibility to test those who have said anything against Islam in which ever way possible.”

What a shame! Not only these so-called Muslims bring shame to Islam, they are denigrating India also. These acts are contrary to the Indian values. India stands for pluralism, social harmony,religious tolerance and freedom of expression. Religious fundamentalism is already bringing disrepute to us. We want it no more!

The people involved in this shameful act must be brought to the book.

This week-end I visited the United Nations at New York. The guided tour took us through various chambers, notably Security Council Chamber, Trusteeship Council Chamber and ECOSOC (Economic & Social Council Chamber) and finally General Assembly Hall. In the Security Council Chamber, the guide- who was a young French lady- stressed upon the pivotal role being played by the UN in maintaining international peace and security. My mind reflected upon the role of UN vis-a-vis USA on these issues. Clearly in the era of American hagemony, the value of UN has been systematically eroded as far as international peace and security are concerned. Iraq’s case is in point. Today the US is highly conflicted over the issue of Iraq where it finds itself badly trapped. America feels that leaving Iraq at this juncture will result in escalation of the civil- war there. Whereas US dilemma may not be entirely misplaced, it is high time that the UN is more actively involved on this issue. The US army should withdraw in a gradual fashion and UN peacekeeping force should take over. Diplomatic efforts must also be increased by the international community to bring about peace in that country.

The news about British Kinghthood to Salman Rushdie- a British author of Indian origin- has sparked public protests in Pakistan and some other Muslim countries. The Pak parliament also passed a resolution deploring the Award. However, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Robert Brinkley said that Rushdie’s knighthood was a reflection of his contribution to literature and was not intended as an insult to Islam or the Prophet Mohammad. However Pakistan summoned Brinkley to protest against the Award. Britain’s envoy in Iran was also summoned.
Meanwhile protests are being witnessed in Afganistan also.

Thankfully, India has not done nothing so far ( It may be noted that India has a bigger Muslim population than the total Muslim population of Pakistan). That probably to some extent also derives for the fact that in a theocratic state -as Pakistan chose to be- the mills of religious passions and intolerance always keep on grinding, whereas a ‘secular’ democracy sets different types of tones and thus it becomes hard to sustain the religious passions!

The growing religious intolerance, particularly of Islamic world, is of concern to India. India is surrounded by Pakistan and Bangladesh (and Afganistan ) and as we know the first two were parts of undidvided India at one time. It is so painful to have lost territories of your country first on purely the flawed basis of religion and then see these countries engrossed in totally misplaced priorities. It concerns India beacuse we need peaceful neighbors. I have alwys maintained that we need friendly ties with Pakistand and Bangladesh and we need stable democracies in these countries. I abhor the way the two countries keep igniting the animosity and refuse to mutually resolve the issues (I am not trying to underplay the complexities of the issues, but we need to move ahead for sure) India must engage them diplomatically towards these issues. But the likes of current developments totally offset the hope that I have indicated in my columns.

Why Pakistan is acting as a custodian of Islam, more so of a militant Islam? Why were we divided? What went wrong with our ancient civilizationa and the oldest religion on the earth (read Hinduism) that preaches universal peace? Can cultural invasion (Mogul rule) put your identity at stake? Can same people -who speak kind of same languages, dress the same way, look similar, still share many cultural ethos, but are divided on the basis of religion – behave so differently? I am pained to say that an implanted religion on Indian sub-continent is drawing attention world-wide and for wrong reasons!

Meanwhile this article titled “The Real Problem With Pakistan” by Fareed Zakaria published in the June 25, 07 issue of NewsWeek tries to analyse the complexities of Pakistan. He rightly says: ” If there is a central front in the war on terror, it is not in Iraq, but in Pakistan”. And he concludes his article with these apt remarks: “Back in the 18th century, Frederick the Great’s Prussia was characterized as “not a state with an army, but an army with a state.” So it is with Pakistan. A complex reality”. Despite this, I would reiterate that a stable and democratic Pakistan should be the long-term goal for India and it must play its role in achieving this goal more responsibly, instead of uttering the usual rhetorics. India and US should see this as a common goal and should work in tandem to acheive this. However, the current Bush administration -who treats Pakistan as an ‘ally in the war against terror’- will have to revise its strategy and see the facts in a newer light.

The ongoing clashes between two communities in Rajasathan has once again brought to the fore the contentious issue of caste-based reservation in our country. The clashes erupted between Gujjars (who are demanding to be included in Scheduled Tribes category) and Meenas (who already enjoy the benefits of reservation) deciding to take law into their own hands and getting into clashes with Gujjars so as to oppose their demands for reservation. This has literally paralysed eastern part of Rajasthan. So much so that 17 MLAs (belonging to the Meena community ) of the ruling BJP in Rajasthan have threatened to resign if Gujjars are given reservation! On the other hand, Gujjars from across the country are rallying up to support their Rajasthani brethern. The caste-based solidarity is a well known trait which we all Indians seem to have in our genes and we never shy short of exhibiting that! So much for the nationalism!

This is yet another illustration as to how divisive the reservation issue has become. It is causing incalculable damage to the the fabric of our unity and we must find a way to end it over several years with an alternative mechanism for social justice taking over. The politicians have failed to show us the vision, but clashes and choas is also not a solution. The social scientists, the intelligentia and the public at large must take the initiative and compel our law-makers to do something regarding this. Catse- based reservation is also a reflection of inhumane way of classifying people, and thus clearly discriminatory. I donot know what were the merits of a class- based society in ancient times, but it is totally out of sync with the realities of modern times! Whereas the world is rising to the tides of a “global village”, it is time to shun this practice. And an official way of doing this is to get rid of caste-based reservation.

Al Gore in his new book “The Assault on Reason” has tried to reason out that dimensions the American democracy has taken, it is in danger of being hollowed out. An article worth reading. It has been published in “Time” magazine (may 28,2007). Its theme is much more relevant to Indian democracy where there is an increasing trend of muscle-power, money-power and lung-power. If we donot realize the perils, the democracy may become mobocracy.

In a very thought-provoking commentary, Peter Beinart says that in many countries that have embraced democracy since the cold war’s end, free elections haven’t reduced corruption, violence or poverty. Further, if freedom does not put food on the table, people will embrace tyranny. The article published in Time (May 21,2007) can be accessed through this link.

In response to this article, Jocelyn Fong from Phoenix comments in her letter to the editor that there is a fundamental relationship between economics and politics and adds: “but he (Beinart) also encourages readers to question the export of American democracy”. And that ” It is time for a shift from the Bush Administration’s vague, rhetorical emphasis on freedom to more concrete markers of democracy: human rights, peace and citizen participation.” Very apt comments, indeed! Though I am not sure, whether democracy has been a virtue patented by Americans only!

The UP Vidhan Sabha (assembly) election results are out and Maywati of BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) has risen to power, ending 15 years of coalition era in UP. Uttar Pradesh is the biggest state -from electoral point of view- and is said to heavily impact the future of who governs at the Center. The results at a glance: Out of 403 seats, results declared 402: BSP 206, SP 97, BJP 50, Congress 22.

The BSP victory is surprising , indeed! Although election pundits were predicting BSP as the fore-runner, no one envisaged that it wll emerge out victorious with a clear-cut majority (has won 206 of 402 assembly seats.

Whereas the ruling party – Samajwadi Party led by the Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav- was expected to lose, most surprising aspect has been that BJP has suffered heavy losses in these elections grabbing just 50 seats (sliding down from 88). Congress party has been able to retain only 22 seats (sliding down from 25) despite Rahul Gandhi’s extensive campaigning.
Thus what is the miracle behind BSP’s ascension to power? BSP as the name itself indicates is based upon an ideology of upper caste bashing and uniting lower caste Hindus. This plank of uniting all lower caste Hindus looks appealing on papers but practically it never paid dividens to the party. Thus Mayawati shuffled her ideological stance this time, and tried to make a rainbow coalition of all castes including upper castes (bahujan to sarvjan): this successful display of social engineering consolidated the votes for her party and infact muslim votes also went her way, thus ensuring absolute majority for BSP.

It is ironic that a party (BSP) based upon divisive ideology could bring all castes together mustering a clear majority , but a party (BJP) which ideologically represents all these ingredients (nationalism, Hindutva) could not succees in this experiment ! It is a point of great introspection for BJP because what should have been a natural result of BJP’s ideological manifestation, Mayawati actually enacted it . Why RSS backed BJP has failed to consolidate Hindu votes despite its nationalistic outlook! One reaosn is increasing ‘congressisation” of BJP. Of late, BJP has increasingly tried to polarize nationals of this country on the line of religion and has infact tried to woo minorities as a vote bank. Congress’s pseudo-secularism is for everyone to see, but BJP too has created a kind of environment wherein it treats minorities (particularly Muslims) as per its own convenience: bashing them at one time to wooing them at another time! It is high time that RSS- backed BJP come out with a sincere appel for nationalism and this will prevail upon sinister political strategies of polarizing people on caste or religion basis.

A word of caution for our worthy voters: Mulayam’s exit and incumbent Mayawati’s rhetoric that she would weed out corruption must be taken with a pinch of salt. Neither has a clean slate as far as transparency in governance is concerned! One corrupt politician is being replaced by another in a phenomenon called “revolving door democracy” which has come to establish itself in India. Remember Mayawati had almost strangulated Taj corridor for the lust of money and no one knows the exat magnitudes of this scandal. Similarly Mulayam Singh Yadav is leaving the corridors of power after building an empire out of tax-payers’ money!

On a good note however, it was interesting to see Election Commission holding its firm grip over the whole process of multi-phasic electioneering in UP this time and this left the ousted Mulayam Singh Yadav almost gasping for breaths! How immoral of him that in a free and fair elections, he is accusing EC of suffocating democracy!

Right to Information Act (RTI) has been hailed as a great leap forward for votaries of democratic rights in India. This link to 5thpillar organization provides a very simplified information on RTI and how one can use it!
The organization (www.5thpillar.org) seems to be doing a good job in fighting and creating awareness about corruption in Tamil Nadu. Corruption is a big issue for India and seems to have permeated through all walks of life. It has established itself as a irremedial virus and we are paying heavy prices.