All For One, None For All: On The Political Fringes

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8 EDITORIAL DELHI
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019

THE HINDU
All for one, none for all

The marginalisation of Muslims has been appropriated to serve the BJP’s nationalism outreach
vernment’s formal official res from the RSS’s rather known posi pered at the national level. This ar
ponse towards Muslim backward tion on Muslims. He relied heavily gument evolved as political rhetor
Prisoner of procedure ness, especially with regard to the

Sachar Committee Report; and the
on the controversial distinction
between ‘Indian religions’ and the
ic in the mid1990s to underline
Hindu subjugation.
The in-house panel resorted to its power nature of the BJP’s informal anti religions that originated outside to The Modi government, it seems,
Muslim discourse, which in a way define Indianness in strict Hindu has rediscovered the idea of Mus
at the cost of fairness to the complainant Hilal Ahmed constitutes the basis for its own terms. lim marginalisation for a radically
version of nationalism. This inside/outside binary is ac different purpose. Unlike the Con
I
t was a test of great import that one of India’s great
institutions failed. The main question was whether tually linked to the second core gress/United Progressive Alliance,
T
he attitude of the Bharatiya Minority welfare element of contemporary nation the BJP government does not show
the Supreme Court would live up to the standards of
Janata Party (BJP) towards The BJP’s 2014 poll manifesto re alism: ‘territorial security’. The any interest in highlighting the
AFP
fairness it expects of all authorities while inquiring into Muslim communities in the cognised Muslim backwardness as proBJP media reconfigured the achievements of the Ministry of
a former woman employee’s complaint of sexual ha last five years is seen in two very an important political issue. It ar tions of the Sachar Report are ack old rhetoric of ‘foreign enemy’ so Minority Affairs. Nor does the par
rassment and victimisation against the Chief Justice of different ways. The rhetoric of gued that it would take care of nowledged. as to legitimise its elusive search ty overplay the ‘Muslim support’
India, Ranjan Gogoi. An ad hoc committee, following an ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas (with Muslim concerns — such as moder This selective treatment of the for internal ‘enemies’. Terms like card. It simply keeps the issue of
informal procedure, has concluded that the allegations everyone, everyone’s progress)’ is nisation of madarsas, protection Sachar Report by the BJP is not ‘jihadists’ for Muslims, ‘urban Nax Muslim underrepresentation alive
have “no substance”, but the findings will not be made often invoked, particularly by pro of Urdu and streamlining of the surprising. The BJP has never been als’ for human rights activists and for three possible political strate
BJP commentators, to argue that Waqf Boards. Most importantly, it interested in the Sachar Report, ‘sickular’ for secularists were em gies.
public. The report cannot be reviewed judicially. No
questions related to Muslim margi was promised that the party especially on the question of the ployed simply to reestablish the First, the party often invokes
one else, not even the complainant, knows what evi nalisation/representation should would ‘ensure a peaceful and se inclusion of Muslim and Christian hegemony of the Hindutva version Muslim marginalisation to legiti
dence was examined and who else testified apart from not be raised at all. The govern cure environment, where there is Dalits in the SC category. However, of nationalism. mise its inclusiveness and accom
herself. All that is known is that she was heard, and ment is committed to ‘develop no place for either the perpetra despite this highly critical posi modating approach. After all, Sab
questioned, at two sittings. She later withdrew from the ment of all and appeasement of tors or exploiters of fear’. tion, the Modi government not on Use of marginalisation ka Saath is still a slogan of the
inquiry, saying she was denied the help of a lawyer or a none’ and it will take care of Mus Although there was no mention ly recognised the Sachar Report The demands posed by this exclu party, which has been recently re
representative, that she found the questions from a pa lim concerns as well. This argu of the Sachar Report in the 2014 but also submitted a fully worked sionary nationalism for Muslims, phrased as “development with dig
ment is used extensively to justify manifesto, the Ministry of Minori out Action Taken Report. however, can also be read rather nity” in the 2019 poll manifesto.
nel of three sitting Supreme Court judges quite intimi
every form of lawlessness, includ ty Affairs accepted it as an impor Does it mean that the Modi go differently. In the last five years, Second, Muslim marginalisa
dating, and that she was not clear how her testimony ing the lynching of Muslims in the tant reference point for all its vernment is also involved in what Hindutva forces have experiment tion is also appropriated to de
was being recorded. There is no doubt that the commit name of Hindu reaction. schemes and programmes. The BJP leaders, including Mr. Modi, ed with at least five issues that monstrate Hindu benevolence and
tee remained impervious to the power imbalance in the government also went ahead with often call ‘Muslim appeasement’? were directly related to Muslims: generosity. BJP leaders have used
situation. Perhaps she ought not to have pulled out The background the postSachar Evaluation Com ghar wapsi, love jihad, cow protec this strategy during the National
from the probe, despite these grievances. The panel’s On the other hand, there is an mittee and persuaded it to submit Link to nationalism discourse tion, triple talaq and a Ram temple Register of Citizens (NRC) and the
conclusion would have been even starker had she been equally straightforward secular its report in September 2014. The government’s delicate posi in Ayodhya. Despite launching a Citizenship (Amendment) Bill de
narrative of Muslim victimhood, The Ministry still recognises the tion on Muslims as a marginalised/ highly sustained and organised bates to make a case for privileging
present to hear how Justice Gogoi defended himself;
which reminds us that the BJP is a 15 Point Programme introduced by underrepresented community is campaign on each of these issues, Hindus and other nonMuslim mi
and who among the court officials, if any, answered her communal Hindutva party con former Prime Minister Manmohan inextricably linked to the media the Hindutva forces actually failed norities living in the neighbouring
specific and documented charges about the administra trolled by the Rashtriya Swayam Singh for the welfare of minorities driven discourse of nationalism to provoke Muslim communities country. In a sense, it is a con
tive harassment she was put through following the al sevak Sangh (RSS). The landslide as guiding principles to deal with which has been carefully pro into any collective action/ reac scious attempt to produce a grand
leged incident of sexual harassment. The most relevant victory of the BJP in 2014, the argu the exclusion of minorities, in duced in the last five years. tion. Hindu identity at least in South
parts of the complaint were the transfer orders and dis ment goes, has given the RSS an cluding Muslims. In fact, a study This nationalism has two core This failure has forced the BJP Asia.
ciplinary inquiry against her, the role of the court admi opportunity to target Muslims was commissioned by the Modi go elements. First, it aims to recreate establishment to reorganise itself Finally, the relationship bet
nistration in dismissing her, and that of the Delhi Police simply to create a Hindu Rashtra. vernment in 2016 to evaluate the a new collective selfperception of to produce a Hindutvacentric yet ween Muslim marginalisation and
Establishing a link between vio impact of these 15 points on mi Indianness. Evoking the old Euro antiMuslim discourse of national underrepresentation is exploited
in arresting her on a complaint of alleged bribery and
lence against Muslims and declin nority communities. peanstyle ‘onelanguage, one cul ism. The Muslim underrepresenta to evoke the fear of Muslim separa
initiating disciplinary action against her husband and ing number of Muslim MPs and These technicalprocedural as ture, one nation’ framework, it is tion in various fields actually be tism. This is exactly what the BJP
his brother, both police personnel. It is not known if MLAs, we are told that the Naren pects of governance, however, established that celebrating Hin comes an important point of has been doing with regard to the
any of these officials were examined. dra Modi government is primarily should not be exaggerated. The dutva (not Hinduism) in public life reference in this schema. debates on Article 370. The at
The manner in which the court dealt with the com antiMuslim. ‘Action taken Report’ submitted by must be treated as a precondition It is important here to remem tempt of the party to polarise the
plaint on the administrative side has been less than fair. No one can deny the fact that the Ministry to Parliament with re for patriotism and Indianness. ber that the term ‘Muslim’ has Jammu and Kashmir regions on re
It is true that the inhouse procedure devised in 1999 we live in a communally polarised gard to the implementation of the Since Hindus have been the main emerged as a legitimate political ligious lines is a revealing
environment, in which Hindu vic Sachar Report in 2018 categorical addressees of this project, Mus category in the last two decades. example.
envisages only a committee of three judges to deal with
timhood is systematically nur ly rejects a few crucial and politi lims are nowhere in the picture. This process began in 1993 when It would be interesting to ob
allegations against serving Supreme Court judges. The tured by invoking antiMuslim feel cally sensitive recommendations. However, this strange absence of the National Commission for Mi serve how this relationship bet
fact that a special law to deal with sexual harassment at ings in the name of nationalism. For example, the Action Taken Muslims is used to create an im norities defined Muslims (and oth ween nationalism and Muslim
the workplace is in force since 2013 appears to have However, there is a serious need to Report does not accept the inclu pression that the patriotism of er religious minorities) as a nation marginalisation survives after the
made no difference. The court could not bring itself, go beyond this polarisation so as sion of Arzal (Dalit) Muslims into Muslims needs to be probed. al minority. This move, in a way, 2019 general election.
even in the interest of appearing fair, to adopt a formal to systematically analyse the con the Scheduled Castes (SC) list. It al RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s strengthened the already worked
procedure or allow the complainant to have legal repre tours of the BJP’s nationalism with so refuses to create the proposed three lectures on Hindutva deli out idea of a ‘Hindu majority’. It Hilal Ahmed, an Associate Professor at the
regard to Muslim communities. allIndia cadre of officers for the vered in September 2018 are a had now become easier for the Centre for the Study of Developing
sentation. For all its judicial homilies on fairness, when
One may unpack the contem State Waqf Boards and Central good example. Despite claiming Hindutva essentialists to argue Societies, Delhi, is the author of ‘Siyasi
it comes to dealing with its own the Supreme Court has porary moment of Hindutva at Waqf Council. However, the other that ‘Hindutva without Muslims is that the minorities, especially Muslims: A story of Political Islams in
come across as a prisoner of procedure and displayed two levels: the Narendra Modi go ‘noncontroversial’ recommenda meaningless’, he did not deviate Muslims, are appeased and pam India’
an alarming propensity to mix up its institutional repu
On the political fringes

tation with an individual’s interest. “The abuse of great
ness is when it disjoins remorse from power,” wrote
Shakespeare. The decision by the ‘inhouse committee’
is an egregious instance of a hallowed institution abus
ing its own greatness by letting its power speak, and not The exclusion of migrants from the electoral process reveals the caste- and class-driven nature of mainstream politics
the compassion for which it is renowned. Yet, we know very little about the or their affiliates mostly meet the problems such as water and sani
way migrants engage with politics, travel expenditure for upper caste tation. Rather, their primary con
Now there are two especially in elections. How do mi
grants ensure that they remain
and other backward caste mi
grants, Dalit migrants are motivat
cern revolves around macroissues
such as employment, inflation and
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
As the poll process enters the home stretch, politically relevant in the villages ed to travel at their own expense poverty. Dalit migrants are trou
they leave behind? What roles do and participate aggressively with bled by castebased discrimina
desperation and exhaustion are evident Manish K. Jha & caste and identity play in their vot the clarity of caste identity and tion, exclusion, atrocities and re
ing preferences? political affiliation. servation, which in turn
I
n the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, just 51 Ajeet Kumar Pankaj
seats across seven States went to the polls, but its In a city, migrants rely on sup determine their political choices.
At the receiving end port from relatives, friends and fel They often say, “we shall align
outcome could be critical to the fortunes of the BJP.
W
hile political commenta Despite it being a significant con low migrants for accommodation, with those who speak for us”,
It had won 39 of these seats in 2014, and its allies two. In tors have been busy ana tribution to the growth and deve employment and to negotiate wag which conveys their preference.
fact, the BJP’s hopes of retaining power at the Centre, lysing voter preferences lopment of cities, migration is per dia. The process of ‘othering’ of es. Through these interactions, Many of them are candid about
and therefore the Opposition’s hopes of defeating it, in the general election 2019, one ceived as a problematic migrants produces heightened an migrants build social networks their support for the Bahujan Sa
hinge a lot on their respective performances in the fifth segment, namely migrants, conti phenomenon. Poor migrants of xieties, and this ‘manufactured an and political connections. Region, maj Party. One has often heard the
and the next two phases. As with the previous four nues to be overlooked. ten find themselves at the receiv xiety’ is deployed for political religion, village and the caste iden line, “Yadavs stay with the Samaj
phases, the voter turnout was similar to that in 2014; in The Election Commission of In ing end of ‘nativist’ politics. They gains. tity of migrants play a crucial role wadi Party and the Rajput aligns
dia (EC), on February 21, clarified are projected as a ‘problem’ for in these processes. These ele with the BJP; as we are exploited
itial estimates were that the cumulative turnout for the
that NRI voters cannot cast votes the local population around issues In the city ments of ‘identity’ contribute to we cannot go with them and
51 seats was 63.26% on Monday, compared to 61.75% in online, and that an NRI who holds of employment and unemploy Mostly working in the unorganised the mobilisation of migrants in the hence our place is with the BSP”.
2014. One of Indian democracy’s big successes has been an Indian passport can vote in his/ ment, use of place and space, sector and drawing meagre wages, city to tackle hostility as well as The manifested political articu
the high number of registered voters who exercise their her hometown after registering as identity and political affiliation. migrants often find it difficult to vi participation in politics. For exam lation of migrants often makes
franchise; and as turnouts remain healthy, old theories an overseas voter. But the roughly The physical threat and verbal sit their home States to cast their ple, migrants from Uttar Pradesh mainstream political parties un
about the incumbency or antiincumbency potential of 60 million people moving across abuse that migrants experience vote. In cities, they find it challeng and Bihar form various social or comfortable, which then label
such turnouts have crumbled. What, however, conti the country as migrant workers can be gauged in the numerous ing to make their presence felt ganisations, such as the Uttar them outsiders as obstacles for de
find it difficult to cast their votes statements of leaders of various during elections. For example, a Bhartiya Mahasangh, the Uttar velopment and let their votes drop
nues to be the hallmark of Election 2019 is the sustained
because their voting rights are political parties. References to mi group of NGOs (Aajeevika Bureau Bhartiya Mahapanchayat and the in the electoral process. The exclu
attempt by the BJP to prevent the campaign from being mostly at the place from where grants often include terms and and its partners) found that as one Jaiswar Vikas Sangh, to deal with sion of migrants from the electoral
about its own record of five years in office. In an un they migrate. The scale of lost phrases such as ‘infiltrators’, of moves from panchayat to Vidhan migrant issues. Of these, the Jais process, in a way, reveals the
seemly and controversial statement ahead of the fifth votes due to migration is large. It those who ‘need to possess a per Sabha to the Lok Sabha elections, war Vikas Sangh is exclusively in caste and classdriven nature of
phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raked up the Bo may not be an exaggeration to say mit for work’ and ‘lacking in va the participation rate comes down itiated by Dalit migrants and con mainstream politics.
fors controversy with an uncharitable reference to that there seems to be a general lues, culture and decency’. Such by 10.5% at each step. Unlike the fined mainly to the issues of Dalit
former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He followed it up agreement to let the votes of dom allusions are in contradiction to family and kinship association in a migrants in Mumbai. Manish K. Jha is Professor at the Tata
with a challenge to Congress president Rahul Gandhi to estic migrants go missing in the the provisions in the Indian Con panchayat election, caste and Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Ajeet
electoral process. Migrants remain stitution that allow freedom of community affiliations are the Key issues Kumar Pankaj is Assistant Professor at the
debate Rajiv Gandhi’s term in office, three decades ago.
a political issue despite their po movement by ensuring the right to driving force in Assembly and Lok Contrary to received wisdom, mi Indira Gandhi National Tribal University,
Mr. Modi also used the campaigner’s pulpit to liken verty, vulnerability and insecurity. reside and settle in any part of In Sabha elections. While candidates grants seldom bother about civic Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh
crossborder military operations undertaken by Indian
forces during the Congress regime to “video games”. In
turn, the Congress charged Mr. Modi with double stan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
dards as he had earlier sought to place the armed forces
beyond scrutiny and accused those who raised ques Election and the EC unacceptable. It did not Investigation, to name a respectful conduct. The a real danger that the top 25, 1983. The striking picture
tions on their performance of being unpatriotic. While the jury is still out on move to take note of the few. But what is worrying is fourth pillar too should do court may no longer claim to still finds a place in sports
who the victor will be in the explicit oversteps of the a recent addition to the list likewise by keeping its be the sentinel qui vive. publications and television
Politicians, dead and living, are legitimate subjects of
general election of 2019, the ruling party until it was — the judiciary (Editorial moral standards above D. Nagasaila, documentaries, as a new era
public scrutiny as much as armed forces and the secur loser is, without much rapped on the knuckles by page, “A miscarriage of reproach. Ram Siddhartha, was born in Indian cricket
ity establishment, particularly during elections. But thought, the Election the Supreme Court. Even justice”, and OpEd page, A. Michael Dhanaraj, Chennai that day. There are only a few
such debates must be conducted in a civil tenor and Commission of India (OpEd after being reminded of its “The Supreme Court Coimbatore moments in history when
within limits — and in a manner that informs pressing page, “The Election own powers, it did not find belongs to everyone”, both Cricket and a nation sport spills into cultural and
matters of governance. It is unclear whether Mr. Modi’s Commission must act it fit to act. The Model Code May 7). Never could one ■ The very serious charge The photograph (Standalone political life. One thinks of
statements would have helped the Congress in Amethi tough”, May 7). In the eyes of Conduct exists only on have imagined in one’s levelled against the Chief picture, ‘Sport’ page, how the rainbow nation was
of the people, its credibility paper. The EC should wildest dreams that there Justice of India is a case in “Reliving the golden born out of the 1995 Rugby
and Rae Bareli, constituencies from which Mr. Gandhi
as a neutral umpire in the reinvent its role. would be a complaint of which the institution itself moment”, May 5), of Kapil World Cup. In a sense, the
and his mother Sonia Gandhi, respectively, are contest respected exercise of Dr. D.V.G. Sankararao, sexual harassment against was on trial and which Dev posing with the 1983 1983 win was a moment of
ing and which went to the polls in the fifth phase. Mr. elections has been dented, Nellimarla, Andhra Pradesh the Chief Justice of India. At demanded the highest World Cup Trophy during his equal magnitude for India.
Modi has also tried to create a wedge in the Opposition largely due to its own a time when most political standards of fairness. An recent visit to Lord’s, R. Sivakumar,
making. While it deserves Blows to the frame leaders and the executive exparte inquiry, after instantly brought back fond Chennai
by repeatedly stating that Bahujan SamajParty chief
Mayawati was the victim of a conspiracy between her to be appreciated for It is cause for concern that have fallen from grace, the denying the woman memories of the more letters online:
alliance partner and Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh carrying out the there are negative reports only bastion of hope is the employee legal assistance, unforgettable image of June www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
humongous task of about highly respected judiciary. It is frightening to has belied the expectations
Yadav, and the Congress. The BJP’s resistance to any fo corrections & clarifications:
conducting elections constitutional bodies such think of the pillars of of the people. To top it all,
cus on issues of livelihood and liberty has put the bur Editing error: In the Business Review page interview, “We ex
efficiently, its lenient as the Election democracy crumbling one making the procedure pect prices to rise over time” — with Dipak Haksar, CEO of ITC Ho
den on the Opposition parties to pull public discourse approach in checking the Commission, the after the other. If opaque by not releasing the tels (May 6, 2019), the second deck headline erroneously referred
back towards policy, something they have managed excesses of political parties, Comptroller and the democracy is to survive, all findings of the committee to him as MD.
with varying and often dismal degrees of success. especially those of the Auditor General, and the the wings should display raises questions about the The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
ruling party, is Central Bureau of exemplary behaviour and right to information. There is E-mail:[email protected]
CM M ND-NDE
https://t.me/SSC4Exams
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https://t.me/TheHindu_Zone_official
THE HINDU
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019
DELHI
OPED 9
The National Register of Cruelty Surveillance wars in space
It is horrific and undemocratic for a nation to be putting the onus on citizens to prove their Indianness Mission Shakti is a giant leap for India, but only a
small step in the world of counterspace
is. So, here is problem one: Officials
have been working hard for over pionage. In times of war, the intent could
three years to create a ‘fair and tran even be to capture or disable a rival’s space
sparent’ process that is blind to an assets in orbit.
applicant’s faith, language and eth Some say that the U.S. and Russia have al
nicity. They have made lakhs of ways had some counterspace capabilities in
Raju Rajagopal housetohouse calls and pored over their over 60yearold space race. But this
6.5 crore personal records dealing Madhumathi D.S. century, they have reportedly developed
with birth and marriage, citizenship deadly armouries that can be either un
Fear writ large in his eyes, Shaukat and refugee status, family trees, land leashed into or from space.
Ali knelt suppliantly on the pave and tenancy, banks and LIC, and so The dust and furore kicked up by India’s An Loud concerns have been raised over ren
PTI
ment, surrounded by a hostile crowd on, often going back to the original tiSatellite Missile (ASAT) test on March 27 is dezvous and proximity operations (RPO) in
demanding, “Are you Bangladeshi? Is issuers to authenticate them. But yet to settle. Critics have not stopped worry space. The actor countries neither acknow
your name in the NRC [National Re now, even before their mammoth ef ing about the potential harm that floating de ledge nor discuss such activities and give
gister of Citizens]?” Reports said that fort is complete, the BJP has thrown bris may cause to other satellites around that them other names. In an RPO event, one
Ali was beaten up for allegedly sell cold water on them by promoting the band in the sky. Years after Russia, the U.S., country sends a satellite that clandestinely
ing beef and was forced to eat pork, idea that some illegal immigrants are and China (referred to here as the Big Three) sits next to one of its own (or another coun
an act of ultimate humiliation for a more welcome than others. That no made a mark in this area, India too has try’s) orbiting satellites. The motive could be
Muslim. Fortunately, Mr. Ali escaped tion corrupts the very spirit of the shown that it can hit back at enemies attack to inspect and assess the target’s nature, ea
relatively unharmed, but when the NRC, and can hardly be deemed a ing from space. vesdrop on it, or even subvert its functions.
mob finally went home, he had lost success. Military experts say that possessing the The fear is that in extreme cases, the target
his livelihood of three decades. highly difficult capability to conduct such a may even be ‘abducted’ or taken control of.
That image from the streets of As States will push back test is important and essential for ensuring Fortunately India is not there — for now.
sam in April was disturbing in itself, Problem two is the assumption that national security in space. Mission Shakti, as
but its import for the future of a sec “It is premature to declare the NRC a success in Assam and push for its the Assam experience can be readily it is called, has earned India a place in an ex Loitering in orbit
implementation in other States.” Those whose names were left out of the draft
ular India was even more chilling, as replicated in other States. But in real clusive club of ‘space defenders’. However, a Satellites of each of the Big Three has been
NRC collect ‘claim’ forms in Morigaon district, Assam in 2018. RITU RAJ KONWAR *
we witness a dangerous new inter ity, the NRC in Assam is a direct res peek into counterspace, the world where caught loitering in orbit at different times,
section of beef, faith and citizenship ponse to its unique history as a bul such dangerous space activities are practised and the victims have cried foul. In Septem
on the ruling party’s electoral road NRC, an uphill task given the sheer As per the government’s own ad wark against illegal migration, which covertly by the Big Three, shows that while ber 2018, French Defence Minister Florence
map. scale and complexity of the exercise mission, the tribunal process has not resulted in the promises of the As Mission Shakti is a giant leap for India, it is Parly was reported to have charged that Rus
at hand. Under these circumstances, gone well in the past, prompting the sam Accord of 1985. Naturally, a ma only a small step in that world. The new mea sian satellite LuchOlymp was lurking too
An unwise proposal it is premature to think of the NRC as Supreme Court to call the whole pro jority of Assamese have been more sure of space supremacy lurks in counter close to — and spying on — a FrancoItalian
As if on cue, just one day later, the a success in Assam, and it is unwise cess a “joke”. For example, of the than willing to submit themselves to space now, and not so much in planetary ex military communications satellite, Athena
BJP vowed to implement the NRC all to push for its implementation in oth 46,000 declared foreigners since the rigours of the NRC. But there is cursions and astronauts’ outings. This is why Fidus, in 2017, that is, the previous year.
across India. The party has referred er States before assessing the fallout 2015, only four were actually deport no such history nor affinity to the the Big Three have been relentlessly pursu The U.S. has reportedly had its share of
contemptuously to illegal immi in Assam. ed, and only 2,000 are currently in NRC in most other States, which are ing for decades activities that enable them to RPOs and other acts. In the foreword to the
grants as “termites... eating our detention. As for where the other dealing with many more pressing rule space militarily, for offence or defence CSIS report, U.S. policymaker Jim Cooper
grain... and taking our jobs”. Un What is the endgame? 44,000 went, even the government problems than illegal immigration. purposes. says, “Every nation’s satellites face increas
mindful that such reckless rhetoric is No one can predict how many clai does not seem to know. In the end, notwithstanding the ing threats... The risk of a space Pearl Harbor
an invitation to street violence, the mants will ultimately succeed in get The court is very conscious of this mandate of the Citizenship Rules of Playground for confidential activities is growing every day.” He cautions that today
BJP has added fuel to the fire by pro ting on to the final NRC, but what we reality and has been urging the go 2003, millions of poor and marginal According to academic reports, policymak countries depend so much on their satellites
mising a path to citizenship to almost do know for sure is that there is no vernment to explore more humane ised communities may simply be un ers and those tracking the military space, for that “cripple our satellites and you cripple
all but Muslim illegal immigrants. In clear plan for what happens to those alternatives to prolonged detention. able to comply with the onerous de several years now, the space between 600 us”.
short, the party is seeking to weapo who don’t make it. If one were to But unfortunately, every suggestion mands of the NRC, triggering a km and 36,000 km above the earth has been Countries are also honing nonkinetic,
nise the NRC even before the project take the BJP’s manifesto seriously, from the court as well as from retired needless humanitarian crisis. As this the playground for such secret activities. electronics and cyberbased methods to pre
has fully played out in Assam — a pro nonMuslims would get a reprieve, bureaucrats and police officers has reality sinks in, States will surely Most people have no idea about what is hap vent satellites of other countries from spying
position that has been quickly re while Muslims, possibly including been summarily dismissed. That in start to weigh the social costs of the pening up there. on their regions. Cyber attacks can destroy,
buffed by many in the Northeast. many Indian citizens who are unable cludes proposals to grant them ‘refu NRC against its murky endgame, and Around the time Mission Shakti took steal or distort other satellites or ground sta
The ground reality is that the NRC to produce the right documents, gee status’, or give them work per they are bound to push back hard. place, the Center for Strategic and Interna tions. The attacker gains control of the space
in Assam has only recently entered would be deemed stateless. Thereaf mits, or release them under sureties, Setting aside all other considera tional Studies based in Washington, D.C. and asset.
its most sensitive phase of adjudicat ter, they may get a hearing at one of or with ankle bracelets, and so on. tions, the very idea that a nation the Secure World Foundation came out with “No one will declare that they are pursu
ing claims and objections, involving the hundreds of Foreigners Tribu All of this, unfortunately, lends a cer should be putting the onus on every reports detailing counterspace capabilities ing these kind of technologies but all are do
thousands of senior government of nals yet to be constituted, and if they tain amount of credence to sceptics citizen to prove their Indianness 72 that different countries have today and their ing it, all have to do it, specially major
ficers and data experts, with numer fail, they could be destined for the who claim that some of the intracta years after Independence is at once sense of threat to space assets. The reports players,” says Dinesh Kumar Yadvendra, dis
ous companies of Central police dozens of detention camps that are ble problems of our times remain un horrific and undemocratic. This is a document that satellites have been launched tinguished fellow at the Centre for Joint War
keeping peace. More than 90% of the yet to be built. To quote Aman Wa resolved only because of their poten proposition that must be vigorously to sidle up to other satellites in the same or fare Studies, a Delhibased think tank of the
40 lakh people who were excluded dud, a Guwahati lawyer: “A foreigner cy as political wedge issues. scrutinised and debated before there bit. Satellites with robotic arms or handles Ministry of Defence. In times of war no one is
from the final draft have filed ‘claims’ can be deported only when the coun The court, however, seems unde is any attempt to implement the NRC have touched or nudged their siblings in or spared, and a country must be ready with its
for reconsideration, and 2.65 lakh try of origin accepts them… When In terred in seeking to end what it has beyond Assam. bit. Mother (or nesting) spacecraft have gone countersecurity tactics, he says.
‘challenges’ have also been filed, dian citizens are declared as foreign called “external aggression”. It has up to ‘deliver’ baby spy satellites in orbit. Sa What could India’s people in military
questioning the inclusion of others. ers for hypertechnical reasons (lack been aggressively questioning the go Raju Rajagopal was a volunteer Civil Society tellites have sneaked up to high perches to space have up their sleeve? It is most unlikely
The Supreme Court, which is super of documents), they can never be de vernment about what comes next af Outreach Coordinator for UIDAI. He now see, overhear and sense all that happens in that they will tell us.
vising the entire process, has set a ported… The result is indefinite ter the final NRC, but as of now, there shares his time between Berkeley, CA and space and on the ground. The intent of being
hard deadline of July 31 for the final detention.” is little clarity on what the endgame Chennai in counterspace is thus surveillance and es [email protected]
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SINGLE FILE FROM ARCHIVES
Belt and Road 2.0 FIFTY YEARS AGO FROM THE ISSUE OF MAY 9 AS THERE WAS
NO ISSUE ON MAY 8
With the second Belt and Road Forum, Israel produces atom bombs

a paradox is now apparent at the Israel has become the world’s sixth nuclear power and has
heart of the initiative built atomic bombs, with French help, at a secret plant deep in
the Negev Desert, according to the West German News Maga
Dhruva Jaishankar zine Der Spiegel. The magazine, in its latest issue, said at least
Six years after it was unveiled, five, and possibly six 20kiloton bombs had been produced at
China’s Belt and Road Initiative the closely guarded plant, near Dimona. Security was so strin
(BRI) assumes another avatar. In gent that a damaged Israeli jet fighter which strayed into the
its initial form, it was all things to Dimona area during the 1967 June war with Arabs was shot
all people, a catchall for China’s down by an Israeli Hawk missile and the pilot killed, it said. Is
international engagement. But rael was already capable of delivering its atomic bomb with its
in fact it had multiple, layered A4 Skyhawk jets, it said, and added that Israel would receive
AP
objectives. The first concerned the first of 50 American built F4 Phantoms this autumn. In

domestic economics: exporting surplus industrial capacity Cairo, the U.A.R. officials said that the U.A.R. would produce
and cash reserves overseas to keep China’s economy hum its own atomic bombs if Israel developed a nuclear weapons
ming, its industrial output flowing, and its employment le capability.
vels high. The second concerned domestic politics: a signa
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO MAY 8, 1919.
ture foreign initiative to associate with Chinese President Xi
Jinping. The third concerned security: stabilising Western
provinces and the Eurasian hinterland. And the fourth con
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Constable Shooting Case.
cerned strategy: leveraging China’s newfound economic DATA POINT
heft for political objectives in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Mr. Swinhoe, Chief Presidency Magistrate [Calcutta], resumed
Indian and Pacific Oceans, and creating new standards and enquiry today [May 7] into the circumstances connected with
institutions in a bid to challenge U.S. leadership. the alleged shooting of constable Seepujun Sing. An applica
But Beijing may have moved too soon and too quickly. As tion was made on behalf of the constable for process against
the second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) concludes, a para Sergeant White. The Magistrate referred it to the second Ma
dox has become apparent at the heart of its ambitious initia gistrate who fixed the 14th instant for hearing. Another appli
tive. On the one hand, there has been a strong backlash. The cation was made for an adjournment of enquiry which was re
economic viability of Chinese projects is now viewed with fused at which counsel appearing for the constable retired.
considerable scrutiny. In capitals around the world, the port Mr. J. Cohen, Honorary Magistrate, who recorded the state
of Hambantota in Sri Lanka is being described as a warning ment of the constable at hospital examined said that the con
sign. The BRI’s sustainability is called further into question stable had stated he was struck by a sergeant, but he could not
as Chinese debt, especially that held by stateowned enter say whether he was struck by a bullet or knife. Three doctors
prises, mounts. Additionally, security concerns have begun from hospital who attended the constable deposed that the
to predominate as far afield as in the European Union, the wounds could not have been caused by a bullet from a revol
South Pacific and Canada. The role of China’s state in its bu ver.
siness dealings is being deliberated openly. China’s military CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
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base at Djibouti has injected an overtly military element to
its external engagement. And political pushback to Beijing is POLL CALL
also discernible, whether in Zambia, the Maldives or Brazil.
Yet, despite these obvious deficiencies, the allure of the Proxy
BRI remains strong. Many countries still see China as an at Service voters are members of the armed forces of the Union
tractive alternative to slowmoving democratic bureaucra or States, or members of forces to which provisions of the Ar
cies and tedious lending institutions. There are also political my Act are applicable, or those who are employed under the
motivations at play: a minor agreement on the BRI is a useful Government of India and are outside the country. Such voters
tool for Italy’s Eurosceptic government to send a strong pol are entitled to appoint any person as their proxy to cast a vote
itical message to the EU. Beijing has also become more flex on their behalf and in their name at the polling station. The
ible, the tone of this year’s BRF less triumphalist. Chinese proxy must be an ordinary resident of that constituency. He
overseas financial flows have slowed since 2017, and the fo or she need not be a registered voter but must not be disqual
cus has shifted away from massive infrastructure projects to ified to be registered as a voter. The provision for voting
realms such as digital technology. through proxy is valid till the person making the appointment
Given these contrasting trends, the future of the BRI is is a service voter. Once appointed, the proxy will continue un
more uncertain than ever. For India, which boycotted the til his or her appointment is revoked by the service voter.
BRF for the second time on grounds of both sovereignty (the
ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor traverses Pakistanoccu CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
3
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pied Kashmir) and unsustainability (particularly in the In
dian Ocean), it means continuing to monitor China’s inter MORE ON THE WEB
national engagement closely.
Srivilliputhur’s dying art form
The writer is a Foreign Policy Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s India
Center http://bit.ly/templeparrot
CM M ND-NDE
https://t.me/SSC4Exams
YK https://t.me/Banking4Exams https://t.me/UPSC4Exams

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2019