Will the MFN promote or curb terror in India?
By Dr Pravin Togadia
After Bharat to Pak, now Pak has declared Bharat as MFN (Most Favoured Nation). There is a big ho hoopla that with this status Bharat will get to do trade and business with Pak of around 6800 products as compared to earlier 1900 products and Pak has yet kept Bharat’s 1200 items in the ‘Negative List’ that cannot be traded with Pak. Bharat’s GDP growth has been pegged 3 years low at 6.1 per cent in the 3rd quarter of the financial year which was 8.3 per cent last year for the same time. To come off the huge fall in GDP Bharat found only Pak to export things or Pak found Bharat a soft target for al takia – temporary show off friendship with the ulterior motive to finish the ‘associate’? Whatever! The fact of the matter is Pakistan has been openly targeting Bharat as an enemy, sending Jehadis regularly to destroy Bharat’s economy, people, democracy and systems, tying up with another open enemy of Bharat that is China, advocating Kashmir as Pakistan in all international fora, waging open war against Bharat and yet both are MFNs to each others! Understandable that Pak gives Bharat an MFN status to show off but why Bharat is forced to reciprocate?
This is Unholy Alliance. Such unholy alliances happen these days very often. From corporate to politics and from academics to medicine – many alliances have been shocking Bharat and the world off late. Some have profit as a goal and some – power. Without gains there are no alliances. In Bharat’s culture, 2 families are tied in a pious alliance that is marriage and its sanctity is maintained as much possible by both partners. Traditionally, there are certain rules and expectations in this. But socially, financially and politically when alliances are made they are obviously either for some material gains for both.
When this article will be on the stands, Uttar Pradesh election results will be already out and most probably some political alliances will shock the nation. I will not guess anything but it is an open secret that for political power any political party ties up with any other party off late – mostly compromising on their long time ideologies. Rather, ideology is just a bait to attract the fish– that is voters who are committed to that particular ideology. Mostly such alliances shock the voters. When in 2009, to make the Government at Centre, left parties tied up with Congress, the left voter was utterly shocked and this shock reflected in finally them losing Bengal. It is not only consistency but the credibility with voters at stakes. Usually for the short term gain that is for a state’s corporation or even Centre’s power, such unholy alliances are done, their long term impact is stronger than expected. Especially in Bharat, where the average voter now is youth, the thinking and reflecting capacity and therefore the CQ (Credibility Quotient) has become important. In the fractured mandate scenario that has become common now, such unholy alliances have been taking place further alienating original big voter base to most political parties. I understand the limited logic: To survive in politics and to gain or retain the power it is essential to tie up with anybody and it is up to the lead party to see that such a partner does not become bigger than his / her boots. I have heard this logic from many these days.
True, may be but the voter does not understand it. This means if 50 to 60 per cent Uttar Pradesh voted this time, the unexpected alliances that may spring up can shock such a huge number of common people because while begging for votes all political parties showed off one or the other ideology. If a party counts on Hindu votes promising Hindu well-being then the same party’s tie up with Muslim League shocks and hurts its large base of Hindu voters that reflects in other elections and a general perception and loyalty shift. I am not even getting into the long term price that the society, nation and the party workers pay due to such top level unholy alliances but they help gain power for short term hurting core vote base for long term.
Bharat had horridly watched an international unholy alliance when despite being a founder member of Non Alignment Movement (NAM), Bharat was overtly close to Palestine few years back due to some personal interests. It kept Israel away from Bharat for long while Bharat should have strengthened its alliances with all those who had been fighting Jehadi terror. Same happened with America and Bharat. America’s blow hot, blow cold policy with Bharat always kept Bharat on tenterhooks when Bharat gave up strong stand that whatever and whoever is against Bharat’s long term interests – no alliances with them. China, Pakistan and even Iran were out of alliance circle for Bharat. Then came the logical fallacy that if you keep your enemies in good humour, then they will not attack you. ‘Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai’ fiasco is well known. Pakistan’s Jehadi war against Bharat is felt severely by common people and army daily. Bharat’s own security agencies have been warning about International Jehadi terror modules working hand in hand with local Jehadis in Bharat. Yet internationally and nationally many alliances are taking place that shock the nation. After a nuclear test by Bharat during NDA time, Bharat’s common people were happy that Bharat will soon become self-sufficient in energy needs and also in border safety. But America and Europe snapped off Bharat. The same people are now tying up with Bharat for the same Nuke energy plants! Meaning, if Bharat does it itself, No No; but Bharat buys it from them at exorbitant prices aiding their crashing economies, then Bharat is a great friend! When there are double standards at any level, any alliance – be it national, international, social, financial or personal – it is an Unholy Alliance.
Using the alliance partner’s convenience and ideologies, many political parties give up their own ideological promises given to voters. Using international compulsions countries like America, Pak, Arab Nations, Europe etc keep on changing commitments and loyalties. Change is inevitable; but such change that raises questions about credibility, integrity, honesty and sincerity is mostly the last straw on camel’s back. If a Hindu witness of Godhra Train carnage in which 59 Ram Sevaks were burnt alive, ties up for a business with an accused of the carnage terming it a Ram Rahim Business Model, then not only the families of those 59 Ram Sevaks but also majority Hindus get shocked, hurt and alienated from all those who won due to their votes! When Bharat’s young PM is killed in a terror attack, it hurts all in Bharat; but when his daughter meets the convict in the jail, it hurts Bharat’s sentiments more. Some political alliances or relations cannot and should not over ride nation’s self respect. Coming to terms with the death, forget and forgive, tolerance etc are nice words but not for nation’s safety and never for ideological commitments. Big, internationally and nationally clichéd words like these and the equally baseless sponsored / managed tweets following such words are mere excuses for unholy alliances.
Majority common people in Bharat follow the civilisation that believes in not immediately expressing everything in words but to keep own feelings close to one’s heart. While many social and political leaders fought and went to jail in Emergency, common poor people in Bharat remained silent and expressed all their shock, anger and hurt in their votes. In 2004 too Bharat remained silent while national media oblivious to the real pulse of Bharat’s majority, flashed big misguided surveys surveying some 12000 people (what a dismal percentage of Bharat’s population!) claiming an overwhelming victory of some.
Unholy Alliances cost societies, economies, nations, political parties and corporates dearly. Forget politics, we know how EU is struggling to be together! Synergetic alliances in sync with the core ideology or long term policy or strong customer base of all these work wonders.
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