Thursday, September 29, 2016

Post 18 Sept I said sometimes ago, Wait and Watch - Now The Measures of India are Unfolding

It was exactly 5 days ago when I had said that we the armchair pundits (and warriors) should hold our horses and let the government, who has many options, do thrir job (http://harshad-datar.blogspot.com/2016/09/rabble-rousing-is-national-hobby-but.html). It did predict that many soft options would be used by the government against or westernly neighbours.

 I must concede though that I did not expect hard measure of surgical strike will be unfolded by the government at this speed. Uri Attack happened on 18 Sept and today in exactly 11th day from the attack government used the measure of Surgical Strike in such a short span. In fact, such a measure surely would need at least a week's preparation, a wild guess though and if that is correct guess, the decision was made by the government even before I wrote my last blog on this issue on 24 Sept suggesting to leave the action against the rough neighbour to the government.

In these last 11 days, there has been a blitzkrieg of measures by the government, diplomatic ones (UN and SAARC, Demarches to Pak High commissioner, etc), political ones (Indus Water Treaty) and may be Quasi military (Heightened security). Surgical Strike was always a option but looked unlikely given record of this nation, of being patient (a nice word to disguise the soft approach) for many decades.

This time there were many dots. Some I could join like Pak suddenly cancelling PIA flights to Pak Stolen (why call this part of Kashmir "occupied" when it is actually stolen by them at the height of confusion during partition) Kashmir with increased PAF activity in that area.

Another dot was the PM''s statement that perpetrators of Uri would not go unpunished. Yet another one was DGMOs  public statement that we have capability of surgical strike and we would use it at our time and place of choosing. Frequent meetings of senior ministers with PM and PMs meetings with service chiefs though the reasons were always something else. Something was brewing but I could not join the dots (well I am not a astrologer but just a student of Strategy).

The cat though was out of the bag little earlier than the DGMO press brief. When CCS meeting clippings were shown on TV when DGMO and Army Chief were shown as part of the meeting, it looked that something big has happened. What has happened, could not predict.

Now that Surgical Strike has happened, the game has increased in tempo. Many things can happen, more strikes, escalation or may be deescalation (high hopes!), cooling down and many such things. But normalcy is unlikely for immediate future as our neighbour is unlikely to forget the insult (they think they are martial race and Indians are not) despite they being "so called" ready.

Best that is being done and continued to be done is to make sure that their forces remain on high alert thereby suffering mass movement from western border to this area, fatigue (and there are already signs, in public domain, of their Airforce already in that state) and loss of will. Even it does not happen, the economic cost can not be borne by them.

Let the events unfold but as a nation we should prepare for losses and still maintain unity and not start berating the government. 

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Pink - The Bright Flag of Women's Fight for Dignity

Pink, the movie is different. In this nation obsessed with Male driven notions of what is right and what is wrong , for Women in their family and also in the society, this movie is a whiff of Fresh Air. a new paradigm. 

It may be so that some of us may have  our own standards of morality, generally for women and not so much for men but that does not give us a right that any one, women particularly, who do not conform to our standards (mind you, they are our standards and not theirs) are either fallen or out of virtues.

If we think so, it is us who need psychiatric consultation, not them. This is also true that some one not meeting our standards are Not, repeat NOT free for all. This is the core message of the movie. If it is No from a girl or a woman, accept No as the answer and not anything else. No means only that, No.

The plot is well crafted. The storyline is well balanced and crisp. The acting is outstanding. The King of Acting, Amitabh Bachchan is grand but also credit to these three girls, Tapasee pannu, Kirti Kulahari and Andrea Tariang who have acted equally bright. It is not a easy task to act when Doyen of Indian CInema Acting, Mahanayak is acting alongside you.

The plot of this movie is something that can happen in the cow belt of India including major cities of cow belt (not to say it can not happen in rest of India, just that probability is marginally low). there is nothing unusual in such a story line.

 What makes Pink stand out is the courtroom action where Mr Sehgal (you know who) demolishes prosecution's case against these three girls (and one is convinced even before the case that it has to be fabricated one) and the fortitude with which these girls fight back supporting each other, overcoming the fear of spoiling their name in the society. The courage of these three girls, their faith in Adv. Sehgal and his belief that he is on the side of right carries the day and turns the table on accusers.

The movie should be watched by all, It is not a must watch movie for those men (and boys) who accept No as a No, it is a "can watch" movie.

For all other men and boys, their is (this extremely good)  movie, PINK.

Go and watch it.


Monday, September 19, 2016

पाकिस्तान को मुहतोड जवाब - Rabble Rousing is National Hobby but Leave the Action to the Government

I remember it vividly.During hijack of IC 814, the Vajpayee govt could not exercise any option but to release the terrorist, primarily because of chest beating (literally and figuratively) of friends and relatives of the passengers in front of every forum including PM house. I grant it to them that emotional response is expected but such massive public demonstration of such emotions brought the govt to one single option.

The other spectrum is every (armchair) expert is talking about surgical strike, as if that is very easy and simple option. Some others talk of this nation learning from Israel, really? Do we as citizens are anywhere near Israeli citizens? Do we have that kind of emotional response, control and will to sacrifice. Israel has had "No negotiation with terrorists" policy. Their countless citizens have died but the nation stood with their government.

We have seen the spectacle many times in the past and recent past where the government is hauled on coals for something where perpetrators should actually be kicked hard. Remember JNU? "Bharat Tere Tukade Honge" was not anti national for a select class for whom it was freedom of expression.

Pallet guns were a effective method of control of unruly crowd. Yes it is true that some innocent did suffer but most were not innocent. But for the pallet Guns, many would have died by bullets of normal guns. More importantly these guns are used by police and CMPF whose charter is crowd control. Not only they were castigated even pretensions were made that it is army that uses it and AFSPA should be removed. That is when most people saying so were doing so under the shelter of the lap of same police. And of course, the usual suspects across India were always there to support that section. Today then say they are with army and revenge must be taken. Massive change of heart looks like.

Some people say they will live without onions or every thing else but we must fight a war. Let onion price reach Rs 50 per kg when it is off season( when new crops are yet to mature to reach market) and see the fun. Within no time there will demonstrations and "hi - hi" all over the country, this does not matter  that this seasonal phenomenon is every year occurrence.

Many are talking of Army action as if it is game of "Chor - Sipahi" that we used to play in the childhood. Army action is a action by a nation, supposedly taken when all else fails. If that is done, most will stand by the government but some (read my blog Vultures and the Blank Cheque) would still demonstrate, even if very few cities are bombed by the other nation in retaliation.

We are a sheer emotional nation and while dams on the Indian rivers may hold lot of water, our emotional dams burst at the smallest opportunity. Sometimes in favour of the government and most times against it.

Does that mean I recommend usual restraints which have been hallmark of the nation and a very beloved virtue of Mahatama Gandhi who stretched Amhinsa to a unrealistic level. May be a Saint like him could follow those ideals but it is not expected to be followed in state craft..

I do not recommend restrains. All I recommend is leave the government on its own. They have many options other than military (remember, it is said that military is the last option). They may be soft options, diplomatic options, direct actions or many more other options. They are also thinking like all of us but the difference is they are well informed about situation and options (and the consequences of them) unlike us who are expert in everything without adequate inputs and resource.

Haven't we routinely advised Tendulkar or Sehwag or Nadal, sitting opposite TV screens, how to take a shot or play a ball, etc. It is alright to do so there but this is a different matter. Leave it to government. Stay calm. If one is too keen to know what is being done (impossible to know everything) watch news space,, Indian and the neighbour's, for few months to come.We would never know even partially though but there may be some "crumbs" of information or dots which may or may not connect into a big picture. But that is the statecraft I guess.  Remember the Big Stick policy also called U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy of "speak softly, and carry a big stick". We have been talking softly thus far and as big stick, I guess we have many of them of all kinds..

Wait and watch. One thing we can surely do. Pray for our Brave Soldiers, (who have lost their lives in this attack) families  and second thing is wait and watch please.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

TraveLore: Coorg - A refreshing monsoon gateaway

If my readers want to transform themselves from their Arm Chairs or sofas to a trip of Coorg, instantly, they should read the blog whose like is provided. This a low cost, 5 minute option for a Coorg trip withput any, yes, any expenditure of time and energy. Enjoy reading.



TraveLore: Coorg - A refreshing monsoon gateaway

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Most Popular Current List of Exotic Excuses

Dear Readers,

All of us went through schooling. All of us (except most sincere among us) sometimes wore un-ironed uniform, sometimes did not do home work and sometimes went to school late or remained absent for one or two day.

Also, almost all of us had a standard list of excuses like for not so good uniform,  sir (or madam as the case may be) The Dhobi did not come yesterday, uniform did not dry till night, etc. For not doing homework first is I forgot to do it, my notebook went missing, my friend took it and did not return and finally I did it but forgot the notebook home (if one has good reputation with the teacher, this formula always worked, any doubts? For me it worked for almost all classes from the time I became wise).

There were (and still are, may be better ones from modern generation) similar excuses for various other infringements that we did in school. Those were our young days and offering excuses was our (at least of lazy and naughty children) birth right.

While the trend at schools may be continuing but the people giving excuses are children and they can be excused. But giving excuses from a standardized list of excuses (and I am not sure if the list has been authorized by government) and upgrading them with each passing day by adults is now a fine art and the practitioners are many.

Some follow a standard one item list. Whatever happens, he has only one excuse. I was wondering how come during deluge at NCR and for transgression by his party member he forgot to use his item no 1 (and only there is one item in the list) of excuse list to give excuse. Else like a parrot repeating just one line, he also repeats just one line.

For one person (have serious doubt if gentleman is appropriate uses or not) a heinous act by some non-men (real men just can not do it and eunuch are not capable of doing it)  on hapless women is not a crime to be investigated (though he had a change of heart and said it must be investigated) but a political conspiracy.

Other list of Standard Excuses is as follows (to be utilized when a FIR is filed for corruption  or a CD of sting or a objectionable CD of that individual is found or he is arrested for braking public order):-

1   The allegation is false.

2   The CD is doctored.

3   It is not me in the CD.

4    It is a political conspiracy to spoil my reputation.

5  I am being Fixed.

6 I belong to D----, M-----, O------ or So and So Community hence I am being targeted.

7  It was a donation for ----fund not a bribe.

8   and finally I am innocent and time will prove it (with a good track record of cases going to logical conclusion may be by next birth).

Well I don't claim sole intellectual right on this matter, hence there may be some more items which can find their place in this list. All that I would like to say is the nation is progressing. Whether any thing else (including charging socket of mobiles) would be standardized or not at least we have achieved standardization in this matter. Some achievement and it gives us hope that routine things like Height of railway platform or gap between the railway coach and platform, mobile charging pin on mobiles, etc may be standardized in future.

However, the sequence of uses of the excuses is yet to be standardized.