The other day I asked a bunch of college students – What is your view about Jinnah? Is it right on our part to blame him entirely for the partition?? The answers I got were - ‘That we really don’t know’…how does it matter now…But the most interesting answer out of all of them was ‘History is a boring subject and we all hated it in school’.
History is a funny subject. It not only gives an understanding about geographies but also creates social & political characters which ironically shape the future our polity. But the problem is that in more than one case, it is ultimately ‘one act’ which ‘makes’ or ‘breaks’ the image of historical characters. Little know Mangal Pandey became a hero after 1857 mutiny, Bhagat Singh became an icon of the freedom struggle after he was hanged by the British. ‘I Have a Dream’, the famous speech of Martin Luther King, Jnr, made his legacy immortal. Historians have always preferred to paint history in black & white. There are glorified heroes & evil ‘villains’ with no place for humans with grey shades. So if Mahatma Gandhi is the hero of independent India’s history, the one who steered us to freedom, history had to find a villain for this story as well!!! And that is Mohd Ali Jinnah, the man who is considered the mastermind for the partition.
History can never be accurate because selective facts are used by the author to supplement his/her interpretation of history. So if the history we studied in school considered ‘Jinnah’ the main culprit for the partition, our peers in Pakistan have been fed with history stating that Nehru- Gandhi were not concerned about Muslims and they would have suffered at the hands of the majority Hindus.
So let’s not get fooled by history which changes color from region to region. There is no harm in seeking the truth, but what is important is to realize that all protagonists of history were human beings. They also possessed grey shades & made mistakes at various stages. The partition was also a result of mistakes committed by leaders on both sides. Jinnah, Nehru, Patel were all humans and possessed grey shades. Their greatness cannot be undermined based on one incident. The fact still remains that all of them fought for the same cause and that was freedom. Had they all not stood together probably we (including Pakistan) would still be saying ‘hail the queen’. So the years of turmoil they all went through, including ‘Jinnah’ prior to independence cannot be discounted by India. Similarly Pakistan cannot discount Nehru’s role, who was instrumental in India’s freedom struggle
History is the best text to draw lessons & ensure not to commit mistakes in the future again. But alas, politicians still like digging the past to reap electoral benefits for power. They don’t understand nor do they want to understand history. It all depends as to which segment of the society are they catering to- Ambedkar for Dalits, Sarvarkar for RSS, Shivaji for Shiv Sena, etc.
So when Jaswant Singh not only tried to undo the ‘history’ of the BJP but the history of India, there was bound to be fireworks. Politicians normally enjoy most privileges but one of the few things that they are not entitled to do is to ‘retrace’ history because the ramifications are severe unless one is a LK Advani. It took Jaswant Singh’s one book to turn his political career upside down and create a havoc in the BJP. Seeking the truth is strictly prohibited for politicians because that can actually disturb the balance of our politics. Their history is determined by vote bank politics. But on the brighter side, as long as intellects including politicians like Jaswant Singh do remarkable scholarly work by exploring the possible realities hidden by many historians, the subject of history could become interesting for at least a few if not all in schools & colleges.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
THE GREAT GAMBLER
Manmohan Singh loves to flirt with gambling. Look at his track record.
Gamble 1: In 1991 he was severly criticized for adopting the open market economic model. Many from his own party were against his decision to move from a socio economic model to a much more rightist capitalist driven economic model. It was then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s staunch backing for Dr Singh’s bold vision that helped him push those reforms. And rest is history as they say. Today India is the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world. And thanks to the booming economy, India’s reputation as a global power has bolstered.
Gamble 2: In 2005 he played his next big gamble by striking the nuclear deal with the US. This was strongly opposed by the Left & the BJP. Sonia Gandhi’s support this time & some smart political manovering helped the government survive the trust vote in July 2007 & also sealed the deal. Was the deal good? India has joined the elite nuclear club but the real answer will be known only after a decade or so if India is able to generate enough ‘power’ to meet the demand of a growing nation & still retain its foreign policy independence.
Gamble 3: This time he has played the biggest gamble of all. Peace with Pakistan is something which no leader has achived in the past 62 years.Post 26/11; the anti-Pakistan rhetoric is on its peak. But the PM’s meeting with Yosuf Raza Gilani (Pakistan PM) & his controvertial joint statement has put Dr Singh again in the spot.
Critics think that he has given the advantage to Pakistan by ‘delinking terror with the peace dialogue & including Balochistan’ in the statement.
The positives of this gamble:
1) Engaging Pakistan: Dr Singh knows that by taking a monolithic stand of not talking to Pakistan will not take them any where. Pakistan will stick to its stand of asking for more evidence against the likes of LeT & no action will be taken.By appreciating the concerns of Pakistan that encompasses talks on Kashmir & discussing India’s involvement in Balochistan, Dr Singh has made the right move. Engaging Pakistan is the only way to make some concrete progress
2) Two to Tango: It is foolish & impractical to assume that Pakistan will adhere to all conditions of India. For the dialogue to move forward both sides will have to be aprreciate each others concerns and above all act upon them. If India wants terrorists of 26/11 to be brought to justice then India will have to respond to Pakistan’s query of RAW’s involvement in Balochistan. Post the Sharm-el-Shaik meet between the two PMs the immediate results are interesting. For the 1st time since the attack Pakistan has accepted that Ajmal Kasab is indeed a Pakistani national and also arrested 26/11 mastermind Zakhiur Rehman Lakhvi.
3) Less reliance on USA: It is imperative for India to be in a position to push Pakistan to take some tough action. By taking a rigid stand India will have to rely completely on international pressure & especially on USA to pressurize Pakistan.USA’s main concern is Afghanistan not India-Pakistan.
Negatives of the Gamble
1) Gilani is no Musharraf: Trusting Gilani’s quest for peace is not the problem but his ability to deliver is the worrying factor. Army is the biggest player in the state of Pakistan. So even if Gilani wants genuine progress he would need the support of General Kiyani led Pakistan army. It was much more productive to do business with the enigmatic Musharraf who controlled both the army & the government .But for political parties to act themselves is virtually impossible in Pakistan. So will the army support Gilani to take this dialogue forward with an open mind is a big worry
2) Unstable Pakistan: The biggest risk for Dr Singh is the uncertainity attached with Pakistan. History is a testimony that the democractic structure of Pakistan has always remained vulnerable. 3 dictators have ruled the country. So even if some concessions are made by India they back fire if some rightist dictator comes to power in Pakistan.
3) Dismantling terror infrastructrue: Will Pakistan & the ISI eliminate fundamentalist group which were created by the ISI. Unfortunately the groups’ that were nurtured & used by the army during the proxy war against India have become monsters. Any move to dismantle them can cause major casualty to Pakistan itself. So does the state & army have the willingness to cut the giant tree which has deep roots?
Like his previous gambles, Dr Singh is again looking at the long term picture & wants to do business with Gilani. His intentions are very result oriented but the road to achieve that goal is going to be a huge task. Playing with fire is a great spectale but if not handled properly it can casue major injuries. So will the most apolitical PM of India crack the most complex political matrix??? Even the most seasoned gamblers will find it difficult to predict this one.
Gamble 1: In 1991 he was severly criticized for adopting the open market economic model. Many from his own party were against his decision to move from a socio economic model to a much more rightist capitalist driven economic model. It was then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s staunch backing for Dr Singh’s bold vision that helped him push those reforms. And rest is history as they say. Today India is the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world. And thanks to the booming economy, India’s reputation as a global power has bolstered.
Gamble 2: In 2005 he played his next big gamble by striking the nuclear deal with the US. This was strongly opposed by the Left & the BJP. Sonia Gandhi’s support this time & some smart political manovering helped the government survive the trust vote in July 2007 & also sealed the deal. Was the deal good? India has joined the elite nuclear club but the real answer will be known only after a decade or so if India is able to generate enough ‘power’ to meet the demand of a growing nation & still retain its foreign policy independence.
Gamble 3: This time he has played the biggest gamble of all. Peace with Pakistan is something which no leader has achived in the past 62 years.Post 26/11; the anti-Pakistan rhetoric is on its peak. But the PM’s meeting with Yosuf Raza Gilani (Pakistan PM) & his controvertial joint statement has put Dr Singh again in the spot.
Critics think that he has given the advantage to Pakistan by ‘delinking terror with the peace dialogue & including Balochistan’ in the statement.
The positives of this gamble:
1) Engaging Pakistan: Dr Singh knows that by taking a monolithic stand of not talking to Pakistan will not take them any where. Pakistan will stick to its stand of asking for more evidence against the likes of LeT & no action will be taken.By appreciating the concerns of Pakistan that encompasses talks on Kashmir & discussing India’s involvement in Balochistan, Dr Singh has made the right move. Engaging Pakistan is the only way to make some concrete progress
2) Two to Tango: It is foolish & impractical to assume that Pakistan will adhere to all conditions of India. For the dialogue to move forward both sides will have to be aprreciate each others concerns and above all act upon them. If India wants terrorists of 26/11 to be brought to justice then India will have to respond to Pakistan’s query of RAW’s involvement in Balochistan. Post the Sharm-el-Shaik meet between the two PMs the immediate results are interesting. For the 1st time since the attack Pakistan has accepted that Ajmal Kasab is indeed a Pakistani national and also arrested 26/11 mastermind Zakhiur Rehman Lakhvi.
3) Less reliance on USA: It is imperative for India to be in a position to push Pakistan to take some tough action. By taking a rigid stand India will have to rely completely on international pressure & especially on USA to pressurize Pakistan.USA’s main concern is Afghanistan not India-Pakistan.
Negatives of the Gamble
1) Gilani is no Musharraf: Trusting Gilani’s quest for peace is not the problem but his ability to deliver is the worrying factor. Army is the biggest player in the state of Pakistan. So even if Gilani wants genuine progress he would need the support of General Kiyani led Pakistan army. It was much more productive to do business with the enigmatic Musharraf who controlled both the army & the government .But for political parties to act themselves is virtually impossible in Pakistan. So will the army support Gilani to take this dialogue forward with an open mind is a big worry
2) Unstable Pakistan: The biggest risk for Dr Singh is the uncertainity attached with Pakistan. History is a testimony that the democractic structure of Pakistan has always remained vulnerable. 3 dictators have ruled the country. So even if some concessions are made by India they back fire if some rightist dictator comes to power in Pakistan.
3) Dismantling terror infrastructrue: Will Pakistan & the ISI eliminate fundamentalist group which were created by the ISI. Unfortunately the groups’ that were nurtured & used by the army during the proxy war against India have become monsters. Any move to dismantle them can cause major casualty to Pakistan itself. So does the state & army have the willingness to cut the giant tree which has deep roots?
Like his previous gambles, Dr Singh is again looking at the long term picture & wants to do business with Gilani. His intentions are very result oriented but the road to achieve that goal is going to be a huge task. Playing with fire is a great spectale but if not handled properly it can casue major injuries. So will the most apolitical PM of India crack the most complex political matrix??? Even the most seasoned gamblers will find it difficult to predict this one.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
CRICKETERS V/S POLITICANS: THE POLITICS OF CRICKET
Board Cricket Control of India (BCCI) is the most potent, independent & influential sports body of India. Its influence is not restricted only to India, but across the cricket world. Therefore it’s comes as no surprise that today a plethora of politicians & cricketers are standing in the fray to be a part of this magnanimous cricket body. But their reasons are enitirely different.
Ironically, post independence there has been 21 BCCI presidents, but only 3 of them have played Ranji cricket. Till the 1980’s, politicians didn’t display much enthusiasm in cricket adminitration. Madhavrao Scindia was the only exception. It’s only in 2005 that political heavy weight, Sharad Pawar dived into the politics of cricket. Arun Jaitley (BJP) is one of the VP’s of BCCI, while Union Minister & former chief minister of Maharshtra Vilasrao Deshmukh (Congress) recently became the VP of the Maharashtra Cricket Association.
It’s only in the last decade or so that the politicans have suddenly started displaying enthusiasm in cricket administration. And why not, when there is an opportunity to control or partially control a body that earns more than 100 billion rupees a year & at the same time has the ability to influence the world of cricket in any fashion it wants. Sharad Pawar known for his shrewdness spotted this opportunity much before his other collegues. In the past 5 years he was much more effective & potent as the President of BCCI (Even after Shashank Manohar took over from him) compared to his stint as the Union Minister of Agriculture. And now every other politician wants to be associated with cricket administration. Lalu Prasad Yadav, Vilasrao Deskmukh, Arun Jaitley are just a few examples. There will be many more politicians jumping into the fray very soon. In an era of twenty 20 cricket they realize the potential of cricket as an enterprise. Power & money are two factors that are entising our politicians.
On the other hand our cricketers who have always remained apprehensive of running for the top administrative posts have also started eyeing those postions. But the reasons for them are very different. History is a testimony that post retirement irrespecive of the startdom & stature any crickter might have achieved it’s his connections with the top bosses that determines his future role in cricket. The best epitomes of this are Sunil Gavaskar & Kapil Dev. Both legends of Indian cricket played togther & enjoyed the almost same degree of success. But post retirement their stories were completely different compared to their playing days. Gavaskar has been a regular member on various committees set up by BCCI & ICC including the post of ‘chairman of the ICC cricket committee. His controvertial remarks which have rubbed other cricket nations the wrong way have not curbed the support he has enjoyed from the BCCI for all these years. On the other hand Kapil Dev never got the same kind of treatment from the BCCI post retirement.He did become the coach of the Indian cricket team in 1999 & also served as chairman of National Cricket Academy. In May 2007, Kapil joined the breakaway Indian Cricket League, which led to his removal from the NCA. But through out Kapil Dev has shared a turbulent relationship with the BCCI.
Sourav Ganguly & Mohammad Azharuddin also faced unfair treatment from the BCCI which sealed their cricket careers. Azhar was banned for life after the 3 member BCCI probe committee found him guilty of match fixing with out any concrete evidnece. Ganguly had to cut short his cricket career after been continously dropped from the squad, even after making one of the strongest comebacks in world cricket. Both cricket legends realized that the only way they can contribute meaningfully to Indian cricket is by taking the ‘political’ route.
Ganguly has made it public that he is interested in running for the post of CAB (Cricket association of Bengal) president. And if he does win, there is a chance for him to run for the post of BCCI president in 2013!!! It would be too naïve to start assuuming that Ganguly would become the BCCI president so easily, but it is a possibility if planned properly. On the other hand, Azhar who was lying low all these years after his life ban suddenly resurrected his cricket prospects by getting elected to the Lok Sabha. And look at the immediate ramifications; two members (Kamal Moraraka & KM Ramaprasad) of the BCCI probe committee that banned Azhar for life now want the life ban to be lifted. It won’t be long before the life ban is lifted given the political clout he now enjoys. And been a cricketer with the tag of a politician has made his position very strong. Probabaly the ban should have been lifted much before, but the only way to make it possible was to take the political route. Ganguly has Azhar as a prime example to plan his future.And he has already got on to the task. The battle between the politicians & cricketers is brewing. For the love of cricket, let’s hope that the cricketers win this one.
Ironically, post independence there has been 21 BCCI presidents, but only 3 of them have played Ranji cricket. Till the 1980’s, politicians didn’t display much enthusiasm in cricket adminitration. Madhavrao Scindia was the only exception. It’s only in 2005 that political heavy weight, Sharad Pawar dived into the politics of cricket. Arun Jaitley (BJP) is one of the VP’s of BCCI, while Union Minister & former chief minister of Maharshtra Vilasrao Deshmukh (Congress) recently became the VP of the Maharashtra Cricket Association.
It’s only in the last decade or so that the politicans have suddenly started displaying enthusiasm in cricket administration. And why not, when there is an opportunity to control or partially control a body that earns more than 100 billion rupees a year & at the same time has the ability to influence the world of cricket in any fashion it wants. Sharad Pawar known for his shrewdness spotted this opportunity much before his other collegues. In the past 5 years he was much more effective & potent as the President of BCCI (Even after Shashank Manohar took over from him) compared to his stint as the Union Minister of Agriculture. And now every other politician wants to be associated with cricket administration. Lalu Prasad Yadav, Vilasrao Deskmukh, Arun Jaitley are just a few examples. There will be many more politicians jumping into the fray very soon. In an era of twenty 20 cricket they realize the potential of cricket as an enterprise. Power & money are two factors that are entising our politicians.
On the other hand our cricketers who have always remained apprehensive of running for the top administrative posts have also started eyeing those postions. But the reasons for them are very different. History is a testimony that post retirement irrespecive of the startdom & stature any crickter might have achieved it’s his connections with the top bosses that determines his future role in cricket. The best epitomes of this are Sunil Gavaskar & Kapil Dev. Both legends of Indian cricket played togther & enjoyed the almost same degree of success. But post retirement their stories were completely different compared to their playing days. Gavaskar has been a regular member on various committees set up by BCCI & ICC including the post of ‘chairman of the ICC cricket committee. His controvertial remarks which have rubbed other cricket nations the wrong way have not curbed the support he has enjoyed from the BCCI for all these years. On the other hand Kapil Dev never got the same kind of treatment from the BCCI post retirement.He did become the coach of the Indian cricket team in 1999 & also served as chairman of National Cricket Academy. In May 2007, Kapil joined the breakaway Indian Cricket League, which led to his removal from the NCA. But through out Kapil Dev has shared a turbulent relationship with the BCCI.
Sourav Ganguly & Mohammad Azharuddin also faced unfair treatment from the BCCI which sealed their cricket careers. Azhar was banned for life after the 3 member BCCI probe committee found him guilty of match fixing with out any concrete evidnece. Ganguly had to cut short his cricket career after been continously dropped from the squad, even after making one of the strongest comebacks in world cricket. Both cricket legends realized that the only way they can contribute meaningfully to Indian cricket is by taking the ‘political’ route.
Ganguly has made it public that he is interested in running for the post of CAB (Cricket association of Bengal) president. And if he does win, there is a chance for him to run for the post of BCCI president in 2013!!! It would be too naïve to start assuuming that Ganguly would become the BCCI president so easily, but it is a possibility if planned properly. On the other hand, Azhar who was lying low all these years after his life ban suddenly resurrected his cricket prospects by getting elected to the Lok Sabha. And look at the immediate ramifications; two members (Kamal Moraraka & KM Ramaprasad) of the BCCI probe committee that banned Azhar for life now want the life ban to be lifted. It won’t be long before the life ban is lifted given the political clout he now enjoys. And been a cricketer with the tag of a politician has made his position very strong. Probabaly the ban should have been lifted much before, but the only way to make it possible was to take the political route. Ganguly has Azhar as a prime example to plan his future.And he has already got on to the task. The battle between the politicians & cricketers is brewing. For the love of cricket, let’s hope that the cricketers win this one.
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