Smt. Indira P Gandhi & Sri Narendra D Modi- A comparison : Lalit k kaul

 

Smt. Indira P Gandhi & Sri Narendra D Modi- A comparison                  

                                                    Lalit K Kaul

In coining phrases Sri Modiji is not second to late Smt. Indira Gandhi. Indiraji coined many phrases in accordance with the aspirations of the masses and her most popular- yet much maligned one- slogan was Garibi Hatao. Likewise, Modiji comes up with many slogans in line with the aspirations of the masses and his most popular one has been “Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas Sab Ka Vishwas”.

Indira P Gandhi Tenure as PM:

In Indiraji’s time, India was a nascent Nation State confronted by many intractable problems within and threat to India’s integrity from without what with Pakistan and China ever scheming to truncate her geo-political boundaries; yet it must be said to her credit that she gave India- as a Nation- a new face that told the world powers that India was capable of changing the geography of South Asia. Indeed India emerged as a Nation State which could not be taken lightly. Most memorable acts of hers were to abolish Privy Purse, nationalize banks and make TV stations available across the length and breadth of our country.

Her act of relegating the PM of J&K to that of CM in 1966 and her subsequent success in making Sheikh Abdullah, the first PM of J&K, accept the Chair of CM in 1975; buried Article 370 down to the depths of Pacific Ocean. Sheikh, thereafter, in a public meeting said “Art 370 was not as important as development of state”.

Her standing up to Sri Richard Nixon just before Bangladesh war was a subtle declaration that thenceforth India would talk to a world power on equal footing and take decisions that would meet with her geo-political requirements. Under her leadership she brought out a National Science and Technology policy, 1975 that endeavoured to transform India from a state of self-sufficiency to that of self-reliance; and all that she did without any fanfare. Though she didn’t publicly proclaim her concerns for Kashmiri Pandit community in Kashmir Valley, but she took enough measures to ensure that they were safe and secure in the Valley.

Had she been the PM in the year 1990 what would have been her response to the obtained situation may be a moot question to ponder over, but anybody familiar with her working style and her ruthlessness, would unhesitatingly say that she would have dismissed the rats into their respective holes- not alive, but dead- to be covered with mud so that stink doesn’t spread out and the Pandits wouldn’t have been thrown out of the Valley. She didn’t survive Operation Blue Star to continue to be PM and the way she handled Punjab was her singular failure in her very grand political tenure.

Narendra D Modi Tenure as PM:

Modiji took over as the Prime Minister of India at a time when our Nation was passing through very difficult times insofar as internal and external threats to her very integrity were concerned because of the 10 year Italian rule.

Whatever standing Indiraji had obtained for our country in the comity of Nations, the Italian demolished it all to the extent that India never mattered in international political and geo-political dynamics. During Italian’s rule, bomb blasts occurred every next day across the length and breadth of our country; manufacturing sector in India was demolished only to hand it over to China on a platter; the NIA and other investigating agencies had been made defunct; military requirements of our country were given a go bye and no infrastructure was developed along LAC because Italian had signed a pact with China Communist Party (CCP). It was declared in the Parliament that India was no match for China and hence there was no need to develop infrastructure to counter China. China succeeded in ceding chunks of Indian Territory without any resistance from the Indian army. The terrorists operating in Kashmir and elsewhere were given a free run and in fact they were declared as innocents- Ishrat Jahan is just one example.

Modiji changed all that and brought India into center stage of international politics as a much revered Nation; established open ties with Israel and promoted digital transactions that ensured that funds allocated for the needy went directly into their accounts; gave free hand to annihilate terrorists within and without J&K with the result that bomb blasts ceased to be across length and breadth of our country. In Kashmir too, the terrorists were/(are being) targeted with laser like precision. Not only economy grew at a faster pace than during Italian rule, the needy got their due share in making their day to day life easier and hygienic. Chinese were shown their place in Dokhlam and Galwan Valley and that enhanced Indian standing to such an extent that the world powers rallied behind India to counter expansionist designs of China; not to forget the air and surgical strikes against Pakistan. And the role India played during Covid time, the whole world appreciated; the way huge population of India was subjected to minimum possible damages was yet again listed as an example for the rest of the world, despite negative role played by the opposition parties who tried their best to sabotage the programme.

The reorganization of erstwhile J&K state into two UTs was a master stroke that shook both China and Pakistan as it sent across the signal that enough of political chicanery in J&K and interference by Pakistan and China.

The “make in India” endeavour tended to revive manufacturing sector in our country; the beginning for which was done under 5 year plans of Nehruji. It’s beginning to show results in defense and other sectors.

The Master Slogan: Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas Sab Ka Vishwas

Modiji was indeed seeking support from all sections of the Indian society, but its central aim was to bring larger chunk of Muslim community into the mainstream of Indian growth, development and politics. If that was to happen then the Muslim children while learning about Islam in madrasas had also to be imparted modern education so that they can directly play a significant role in growth and onward progress of the Indian society. So, a phrase was coined: Aek Haath Mein Computer, Aek Haath Mein Quran! But then, the response from the political and religious leaders of Muslims was to plan Ghazwa 2047 and rouse communal passions whenever an opportunity afforded it; so almost every Hindu religious procession; religious festival, etc. were targeted as one has been knowing from the print and electronic media reports. Modiji sure recognizes that an ordinary Muslim citizen who sweats it out day in and day out to sustain his/her family – like any other religious community members- was/is not a threat to India’s integrity; it is their political and religious leaders- appreciable in numbers, if not all- on whom screws need to be tightened and put in their deserved place (prisons) till they are brought to justice for their anti-India agenda; the same treatment need be meted out to their Communist friends and other non Muslim “secular” leaders.

The Grand Failure:

Like Punjab for Indiraji it is Kashmir for Modiji, when it comes to singular failure. Both are very sensitive Border States because of their respective geographical locations. Punjab problem didn’t arise due to secessionist tendencies, whereas Kashmir imbroglio was/is due to such tendencies, as is evident from the recent history of these states.

 Militancy/ terrorism couldn’t succeed in Punjab to the extent of wholesome ouster of Hindus because, 1) Hindu population is comparable to Sikh one, and 2) the National consensus was not for converting Punjab into a homogeneous Sikh State.

Militancy/ terrorism succeeded in Kashmir to the extent of wholesome ouster of Pandits because, 1) Pandit population was/is miniscule in comparison to Muslim one, and 2) the National consensus was for converting Kashmir into a homogeneous Muslim State.

The alleged war against Indian State led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was decimated by conducting Operation Blue Star – the attack on Golden Temple- and which culminated into assassination of Smt. Indira Gandhi; followed by terrorism which was eliminated in a span of a few years.

The war against Indian State led by “Separatists” covertly supported and backed by “mainstream”, at the behest of Pakistan is still going on, no matter how low the intensity as compared to the one in its beginning.

The remedy for the Kashmir insurgency was found in reorganization of the erstwhile state of J&K into two UTs and bringing in new Domicile law. The claim of abrogation of Art 370 (non-existent as on 5^th Aug, 2019) and subsequent introduction of new Domicile Law not in keeping with such laws as are applicable to all hilly regions including Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu) gave birth to the phantom/ghost of demographic change and “snatching of identity of Kashmiri Muslims” and for which the BJP and its leadership Modiji and Amit Shah including RSS haven’t yet thrown up a counter narrative. While Abdullah, Mufti and others of their ilk may churn out such bogus narratives for their diabolical political plans, the BJP doesn’t seem to have a team that could meet with Kashmiri Muslims to scientifically explain to them what demographic change is all about and how new Domicile Law is not going to change population ratios in a way to relegate Muslims to a minority status in the Valley. That politics based on falsehoods never yields right dividends; Kashmir history is the best and uncontestable example.

So, started the targeted killings; how many shall security forces kill and how many shall take up to arms nurturing fear of demographic change; only Time shall tell, but the tragedy of Kashmir shall linger on – courtesy Kashmiri Muslim politicians who always excel in the art of political chicanery; and the Pandits shall wander in wilderness for want of their Homeland within Kashmir Valley.

The Himalayan order challenge for Modiji is bullet less Kashmir and a safe and secure Homeland for Pandits in the Valley. Hope that Modiji doesn’t fail the way Indiraji failed in Punjab.