Forging cohesiveness in polity

Hari Jaisingh

India’s first Chief of the Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat (third from
the left) with new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj
Mukund Naravane, Naval Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of
Air Force Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria. It is gratifying that General Bipin Rawat has been appointed by the Modi government as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) – a position which is meant to enhance the quality of military advice based on integrated tri-service inputs to the political leadership. We must thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling his four-yearold promise to give the country a tri-Service chief, CDS.
I was, however, very much disturbed by General Rawat’s earlier political statements on “arson and violence” against the backdrop of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and agitating students of universities and campuses. This did indicate that General Rawat wished to show his political loyalty to the ruling class at the helm of national affairs in New Delhi.
To recall, on December 26 he said: “leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions, as we are witnessing in a large number of universities and college students, the way they are leading masses of crowds to carry out arson and violence in our cities and towns”. This statement was tilted against the Opposition leaders.
His “political” statement was apparently meant to draw attention of PM Modi towards himself. In any case, he was the front-runner for this prestigious position.

We wish General Bipin Rawat all the best for his high-profile assignment. He is a four-star general with the same pay and perks like the three chiefs, who will have full operational control over their forces for three years.

Be that as it may. One question that agitates me is: why India cannot function in a more cohesive manner as one nation? Why does the polity get divided on issues and non-issues on caste, communal and narrow political lines? Why do people lack basic feelings of nationalism? These queries surfaced sharply on CAA, NRC and NPR. Videos of the violence that implicated both sides with police constraining the space for peaceful protests which underlined the danger of grievances manifesting as violence grew. Actions like booking of 1,200 people at Aligarh Muslim University for a candlelight protest were disturbing. Equally disquieting was shooting deaths of 21 persons in UP alone. It showed police excesses.

It is clear that a trust deficit gap has emerged under the Yogi Adityanath government. It also underlined students’ misery, chaos and economic ruin. The point which needs to be emphasized is the magnitude of India’s economic slowdown ought to have been taken seriously by the Central leaders. What India needs is faster economic growth, the generation of jobs for the youth and not police actions selectively on communal lines.

The problem is that though we talk of nationalism and secularism, we make the worst kind of comprises with forces of obscurantism. This has been the bane of lthe country’s social and political life.

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad I wish to recall here what Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, one of India’s greatest Muslim leaders, said in his autobiography (India wins Freedom): “It is true that Islam sought to establish a society which transcends racial, linguistic, economic and political frontiers. History has, however, proved that after a few decades, or at the most after the first century, Islam was not able to unite all the Muslim countries into one State on the basis of Islam alone. This was the position in the past and this is the position today”.

Osama bin Laden It needs to be graciously acknowledged that large sections of Muslims are actually afflicted with insecurity and anxiety that feed a religiosity which is in tune with the Ulema world-view. For any change to become possible, it is necessary that social and political leaders, along with educated liberal Muslims, get involved in community welfare and uplift. Otherwise, we would see more of the likes of Osama bin Laden.
Ironically, the fear of “minority alienation” and “vote bank considerations” have made most of our political parties either underplay or give up secular-nationalistic objectives. Even the goal of national integration is often not pursued so seriously.

Unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru was well aware of Indian complexities as well as possible wayouts. In his address to the Aligarh Muslim University students, he declared: “I have said that I am proud of our inheritance and our ancestors who gave intellectual and cultural pre-eminence to India”.

Jawaharlal Nehru and Narendra Modi Unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru was well aware of Indian complexities as well as possible wayouts. In his address to the Aligarh Muslim University students, he declared: “I have said that I am proud of our inheritance and our ancestors who gave intellectual and cultural preeminence to India”.
He asked the students. “How do you feel about the past? Do you feel that you are sharers in it and inheritors of it and therefore, proud of something that belongs to you as much as to me? Or, do you feel alien to it?”
There has never been a definite answer to this question. Here it will be worth recalling the words of Nehru. He states: “conversion to other faiths does not deprive one of his heritage”, and gives the examples of Greeks and Romans who after their conversion to Christianity did not lose their pride in the mighty achievements of their ancestors.
The issues, however, are not simple as Nehru has put them. They are complex. And the problem here is one of the mindset of Muslims.

Manoj Mukund Naravana Here, the main challenge before the leadership is how to widen and consolidate our polity’s secular base as well as commitment to common causes, including the fight against terrorism. I am glad that the new Army Chief, General Manoj Mukund Naravana, is clear about his objectives.

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore says we can buy true place in the world only with our inheritance, not with inheritance of others. Surely, this is not possible with the present ambivalence of our past.
It must be noted politics and politicking have created new mental barriers and suspicions in the polity. Still, there is scope for cultural synthesis and common causes like the fight against terrorism that could be part of the Indian spirit encompassing all communities. In fact, basic essence of Indian tradition can be inculcated without religious intolerance. It must not be politicized.

Here, the main challenge before the leadership is how to widen and consolidate our polity’s secular base as well as commitment to common causes, including the fight against terrorism. I am glad that the new Army Chief, General Manoj Mukund Naravana, is clear about his objectives.

Warning Pakistan, he says India reserves the right to preemptively strike at cross-border sources of terror if it does not stop “state-sponsored terrorism”.

Significantly, General Naravane has also said that the Army would enhance capabilities along the border with China. I welcome General Naravane’s thinking on the Northern border.



		EDITOR'S MAIL EDITOR'S COMMENT PARLIAMENTARY INSTITUTIONS VOICES FROM THE VALLEY NEW CHALLENGES INDIAN MILITARY REALPOLITIK ARMED FORCES STUDENT POWER FRANKLY SPEAKING DELHI ASSEMBLY POLL ECONOMY KERALA POINTERS POLITICS IN KARNATAKA POLITICS IN BIHAR ANDHRA PRADESH CHANDIGARH DIARY HP LAND REFORM WAR OF WORDS HITS & MISSES BOOK BAZAAR KASHMIR HERITAGE SIGNS OF THE TIMES CHURCH POINTER COLOURFUL CAREER ART OF LIVING Issue:Feb' 2020 Subscribe Now	NEW CHALLENGES Forging cohesiveness in polity Hari Jaisingh India’s first Chief of the Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat (third from the left) with new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Naval Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of Air Force Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria. It is gratifying that General Bipin Rawat has been appointed by the Modi government as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) – a position which is meant to enhance the quality of military advice based on integrated tri-service inputs to the political leadership. We must thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling his four-yearold promise to give the country a tri-Service chief, CDS. I was, however, very much disturbed by General Rawat’s earlier political statements on “arson and violence” against the backdrop of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and agitating students of universities and campuses. This did indicate that General Rawat wished to show his political loyalty to the ruling class at the helm of national affairs in New Delhi. To recall, on December 26 he said: “leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions, as we are witnessing in a large number of universities and college students, the way they are leading masses of crowds to carry out arson and violence in our cities and towns”. This statement was tilted against the Opposition leaders. His “political” statement was apparently meant to draw attention of PM Modi towards himself. In any case, he was the front-runner for this prestigious position. We wish General Bipin Rawat all the best for his high-profile assignment. He is a four-star general with the same pay and perks like the three chiefs, who will have full operational control over their forces for three years. Be that as it may. One question that agitates me is: why India cannot function in a more cohesive manner as one nation? Why does the polity get divided on issues and non-issues on caste, communal and narrow political lines? Why do people lack basic feelings of nationalism? These queries surfaced sharply on CAA, NRC and NPR. Videos of the violence that implicated both sides with police constraining the space for peaceful protests which underlined the danger of grievances manifesting as violence grew. Actions like booking of 1,200 people at Aligarh Muslim University for a candlelight protest were disturbing. Equally disquieting was shooting deaths of 21 persons in UP alone. It showed police excesses. It is clear that a trust deficit gap has emerged under the Yogi Adityanath government. It also underlined students’ misery, chaos and economic ruin. The point which needs to be emphasized is the magnitude of India’s economic slowdown ought to have been taken seriously by the Central leaders. What India needs is faster economic growth, the generation of jobs for the youth and not police actions selectively on communal lines. The problem is that though we talk of nationalism and secularism, we make the worst kind of comprises with forces of obscurantism. This has been the bane of lthe country’s social and political life. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad I wish to recall here what Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, one of India’s greatest Muslim leaders, said in his autobiography (India wins Freedom): “It is true that Islam sought to establish a society which transcends racial, linguistic, economic and political frontiers. History has, however, proved that after a few decades, or at the most after the first century, Islam was not able to unite all the Muslim countries into one State on the basis of Islam alone. This was the position in the past and this is the position today”. Osama bin Laden It needs to be graciously acknowledged that large sections of Muslims are actually afflicted with insecurity and anxiety that feed a religiosity which is in tune with the Ulema world-view. For any change to become possible, it is necessary that social and political leaders, along with educated liberal Muslims, get involved in community welfare and uplift. Otherwise, we would see more of the likes of Osama bin Laden. Ironically, the fear of “minority alienation” and “vote bank considerations” have made most of our political parties either underplay or give up secular-nationalistic objectives. Even the goal of national integration is often not pursued so seriously. Unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru was well aware of Indian complexities as well as possible wayouts. In his address to the Aligarh Muslim University students, he declared: “I have said that I am proud of our inheritance and our ancestors who gave intellectual and cultural pre-eminence to India”. Jawaharlal Nehru and Narendra Modi Unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru was well aware of Indian complexities as well as possible wayouts. In his address to the Aligarh Muslim University students, he declared: “I have said that I am proud of our inheritance and our ancestors who gave intellectual and cultural preeminence to India”. He asked the students. “How do you feel about the past? Do you feel that you are sharers in it and inheritors of it and therefore, proud of something that belongs to you as much as to me? Or, do you feel alien to it?” There has never been a definite answer to this question. Here it will be worth recalling the words of Nehru. He states: “conversion to other faiths does not deprive one of his heritage”, and gives the examples of Greeks and Romans who after their conversion to Christianity did not lose their pride in the mighty achievements of their ancestors. The issues, however, are not simple as Nehru has put them. They are complex. And the problem here is one of the mindset of Muslims. Manoj Mukund Naravana Here, the main challenge before the leadership is how to widen and consolidate our polity’s secular base as well as commitment to common causes, including the fight against terrorism. I am glad that the new Army Chief, General Manoj Mukund Naravana, is clear about his objectives. Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore says we can buy true place in the world only with our inheritance, not with inheritance of others. Surely, this is not possible with the present ambivalence of our past. It must be noted politics and politicking have created new mental barriers and suspicions in the polity. Still, there is scope for cultural synthesis and common causes like the fight against terrorism that could be part of the Indian spirit encompassing all communities. In fact, basic essence of Indian tradition can be inculcated without religious intolerance. It must not be politicized. Here, the main challenge before the leadership is how to widen and consolidate our polity’s secular base as well as commitment to common causes, including the fight against terrorism. I am glad that the new Army Chief, General Manoj Mukund Naravana, is clear about his objectives. Warning Pakistan, he says India reserves the right to preemptively strike at cross-border sources of terror if it does not stop “state-sponsored terrorism”. Significantly, General Naravane has also said that the Army would enhance capabilities along the border with China. I welcome General Naravane’s thinking on the Northern border.