Rafale : Chimera or Brahamastra ; The Dunning Kruger Effect

 Rafale : Chimera or Brahamastra ; The Dunning Kruger Effect

The Media blitz and the kerfuffle that ensued over the last four days about the flight of first five Rafael ac from France to India numbs not only the mind but the innards and sinews as well. There is no denying that Rafale is a potent strategic multi-role jet fighter that will bolster India’s defence and combat capabilities against its hostile neighbours, Pakistan and China. Yet our Media with its penchant for going overboard by its virtuous sciolism and ignorance was soon ensnared by the Dunning-Kruger effect - a cognitive bias in which people wrongly overestimate their knowledge or ability in a specific area.

The game changer, the Brahamastra, the ultimate Beast that has not only changed the balance of power in Asia but overnight elevated India to a superpower status, were part of the initial volley. With all the information culled from ‘’Sources”, known only to them and the Satan, the Media were ready with a worthy panel of experienced veterans to bombard the public and give them first-hand experience of the apocalyptic powers of the Hydra.   

 Even before the ac took off from France there was a bevy of senior retired veterans and experienced Fighter pilots lined up to read the fine print and cull out through virtue of their experience every big or small, known or unknown bit about the ac. Many panelists overwhelmed by their maiden exposure to the arc lights fell hook, line and sinker to the anchor’s machinations and conveniently mired in the miasma of professional verbosity, tying it up in Borromean knots that caused loss of simple, robust and irrefutable facts.  Much of the Unknown unknowns ( a la Donald  Rumsfeld ) touted about the lethality of the ultimate beast, capable of annihilating China and Pakistan together in one fell swoop were a revelation to Dassault, the manufacturer.

While China and Pakistan are trembling in fear and suffering sleepless nights, the Frenchies, who till two days back were reveling in their world beater technology and business acumen for selling a fourth gen plus ac, after a hard toil of two decades, were peeved at being short changed and conned by India for a pittance, Rs 59000/- crore for 36 ac. (compare to the present cost of a SU – 30, approx. Rs 550 cr). To their chagrin, Indian media and the domain experts had identified and extolled on virtues of Rafale hitherto unknown to Dassault.

The manufacturer, sudden victim of  the profundity paradox, which it find hard to reconcile, is dazed at the inadequate knowledge it had about the apocalyptic powers of the Beast it handled for 30 years, which Indian media unraveled in two nights. They now regret undervaluing the Lord of the skies, the saviour, the Brahamastra, the panacea to overcome all territorial disputes with China and Pakistan, and selling it at a pittance to India.

 President Macaron will do well to declare a two days national mourning in France to overcome the guilt of losing the goose that will lay golden eggs aplenty (the Scalp, the Meteor, 12 tons of ordnance et al) to ameliorate Indian border troubles  for next forty years. A sentiment duly endorsed by the Raksha Mantri, "If anyone should be worried about or critical about this new capability ... it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity,'' he wrote on Twitter.

 In the frenzy to get first past the post, the Media conveniently forgot that this is not the first induction of a front line fighter in the IAF. In 1953 that India acquired its First Fighter Jet, Ouragan also known as Toofani from the same company Dassault which now delivered the Rafale. Wonder if a common man heard about it. It was perhaps known to the MoD and Air Hq and all others associated with the ferry.  Similar was the case with the induction of Hunters, Canberras, MiGs, Jaguars, Mirages, MiG 29 and Su - 30 over the years. Why these inductions didn’t create such brouhaha? Perhaps the Media was far saner without the urge of “Breaking News” every 30 seconds and everybody in the then India minded his own business.

Now that the first lot is in, one hopes that Media  and veteran domain experts will give breathing  time to the boys to settle and prepare for further inductions and training. There is much to be done before attaining the requisite op status for op deployment and engagement. 

Wonder how many of us remember the bottle in the picture below. Well that's the mighty"Thunderbolt Rum"bottled by Mohan Meakins in 1982 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the IAF. Brar sir, the architect, curator n conductor of the magnificent harmony of nine ac in close formation,"Thunderbolts", that painted the Indian n foreign skies in various hues would certainly remember cos the Rum was named to celebrate the exploits of his team of magnificent men in their flying machines, Hunter ac.  I was in AFA then and all Offrs were allowed to purchase 12 bottles packed in two cartons of six each. Having extinguished all my desire n capacity to imbibe the elixir of joy n goodness over three and half years in Chabua, be it  Skipper, Bhutan, Golden Bell,Sea Pirate n of course the venerable Hercules I was least inclined to take  another plunge in the pool of Roger Uncle Mike coming my way. Whilst I was toiling with the dilemma of "to be or not to be" an uncanny thought xed my mind, why not take it n use it for the daughter's wedding, who was barely an  year old. Command decision was immediate "to be" n without informing the Homemaker, much to her chagrin, that multiplied with every posting, 12 bottles were procured to be aged and used may be 25 years later. Packing for postings, those years, especially collectors items, would inevitably result in debates(duels), far more charged up than what you see in Arnab shows. So one  carton (six bottles)became a casuality in 15th year of it's life at  a party n was walloped by all including the Barman. The second one lived another 26 years and was opened in 2008, to keep up the promise,at my daughter's wedding. One bottle survived the onslaught as by then many Scotch brands invaded our Canteens n were preferred over the rustic Rum.That one bottle  survived till yesterday when my brother in law, a hard core Rum aficionado visited us with two of his friends n relished the 36 years vintage"Thunderbolt Rum". The empty bottle was confined to the Trash Can for disposal n that's when my daughter, at whose motivation it was procured 36 years back, advised me to keep the empty, take pics n share with the cronies of yore for that tinge of nostalgia.

comments on Ajai Shukla's Article

Sorry, the comments did not publish in the last post . Here they are :-

While Shukla's patriotic fervor deserves appreciation, he somehow divorces himself from realism about the capability of our DPSUs, especially HAL. Almost 50 years in standing, it has 19 Production Units and 10 R&D Centres in 08 locations in India and employs perhaps the highest number of employees wrt any contemporary aircraft manufacturing facility on planet earth. And pray what have they given us in these fifty long years? Hyperboles of accomplishments, which truly were/are pain, pain and more pain with billions of dollars spent on foreign trips and collaborations. Some of their products that attained moderate success, courtesy the IAF, as no one else found them suitable, like HT-2,Kiran(HJT16) and HPT32,all Trainers were direct ripoffs from the Chipmunk, Jet Provost and Bulldog respectively. Among fighters the HF-24 designed by Dr Kurt Tank, a German, limped its way through in the IAF for want of a suitable engine.The others claimed to be manufactured by HAL like the MiG 21,Jaguar,Hawk and Su30 are either assembled or manufactured under license with over 75% imported components. The much touted IJT and the LCA have been in the making for 30 years and are yet to reach anywhere near oprationalisation. While the LCA was hurriedly given op clearance by Mr Antony in December 2013, just before CAS Browne retired, as per conservative estimates it will take at least five years before it is fully ops in the IAF. The prototype IJT that flew in the Air Show at Yelahanka in 2005 crashed in 2010 and nothing has come on line since then even in prototype form, when will it reach the IAF, if ever. 

So that brings me to the two most disingenuous and unviable suggestions made by Shukla. Rescind the Rafale deal to save one lakh crore and do the following: (a) improve the serviceability of Su-30s to 75% to get additional 95 ac online. Well said and highly wishful, but do remember all Su-30s are assembled at HAL leaving much to be desired in the finished product and costs the IAF close to Rs 500 crore besides being heavy on maintenance. In addition, 20% of the holdings go for MR&SOW. To achieve 75% serviceability of the remaining 80% , effectively 92% serviceability would need an uninterrupted continuous flow of product support, which is well nigh impossible because the IAF depends on HAL/Roseboron, who depends on foreign vendors, who never oblige.

 Anyway, being ex Army Shukla will not find it hard to corroborate, as the serviceability rate of a soldiers common weapon is dismal, forget about the heavy eqpt like TANKS, BMPs and Arty Guns etc. 
(b), mould the LCA Mk 2 on the lines of Gripen E and acquire the Aerospace Division of SaaB for the “change” left over after operationalising the LCA Mk 2 so as to promote aviation ecology and ancillary units in India. First of all SaaB is a billion $ co with worldwide presence whose annual turnover is ten times that of HAL.So I wonder if it can be bought off with the small change. And then the product Gripen E. Saab has signed a deal on 18 Dec 2013 with Brazil to supply 36 Gripen E for USD 4.5 billion. The first ac will reach Brazil in 2019 and the last in 2023. So there is no way we could persuade them to sell their holdings for the change till 2023. SaaB is yet to integrate the AESA Radar on the Gripen , a must for modern fighters.
 Wonder if the HAL has even thought of this Radar for LCA Mk 2. So could HAL replicate the Gripen Model on LCA Mk 2 is anybody’s take. Regrettably Shukla’s suggestions besides being incoherent smack of utmost ignorance on affairs Air Force, Aerospace and Air Power. If Mr Jaitely, in his wildest nightmares, were to ever implement these, he will do yeomen service to DRDO /HAL by filling their overflowing coffers with another one lakh crore – FOR NOTHING.

Ajai Shukla: Promoting 'swadeshi' in defence | Business Standard Opinion

Ajai Shukla: Promoting 'swadeshi' in defence | Business Standard Opinion

Slugfest India - 2014

A former British prime minister once said: “Public opinion is a compound of folly, weakness, prejudice, wrong feeling, right feeling, obstinacy — and newspaper paragraphs.”

While the politicians of all hues packed all kind of punches in an effort to capitalise this human abberation, a hardened Administrator and an astute campaigner from Gujarat, Narendra Modi, mesmerised the masses with his agenda of development and won the hearts and minds of young India.

As the nation celebrates and gloats over the unprecedented triumph of the NDA/BJP led by NaMo, I too feel vindicated and proud that my prediction was somewhat true. In my last blog posted on 11 May, I had indicated that they would get 308 to 318 seats. That they outwitted me by another 20 is indeed a miracle. One needn't be an astrologer or a psephologist to sense the mood of the nation. It's a piece of cake if you trust the fundamental decency, civility and good sense of the people.

However, the moot question is  what was this election all about?

As the common man understood, it was about development, anti corruption and good governance. But from the day the BJP anointed NaMo, the epitome of all three, as their PM candidate, the Congress and their poodles like Pawar, Mulayam, Lalu and Mayawati changed tack to the oft beaten track of pseudo secularism. All their efforts to demonise NaMo as a divisive figure with the fading brush of Godhra came a cropper.

In addition the Congress had a larger agenda, to promote an undeserving delinquent, Rahul Gandhi, bereft of any ideas or accomplishments, as the future PM of India, forgetting that what counts is the grey matter enriched by education and experience and not by inheritance or entitlement. In the bargain they ruined the unblemished credentials of a saint, Manmohan Singh, and turned the 185 year old Congress into an "anachronistic", "sclerotic" and "myopic" Party whose leaders and spokespersons rattled homilies and spewed venom against NaMo to defend the indefensible. Much that I am tempted to compare the two, NaMo and RaGa, the vacuity displayed by RaGa precludes a sane comparison.

Experience of the last five years proves that UPA 2 was nothing but a fractious and dysfunctional cocktail of corrupt egomaniacs that hung petty thieves (Babus) and retained the greater ones in public office. Their rule weakened the country’s capacity and resolves to cope with complex challenges, so much so that the country has almost disappeared as a serious player in the region and the world.

That’s where NaMo filled the chasm by sticking to his agenda of inclusive development, "sab ka vikas, sab ke sath". On the other hand, most unfortunately yet quite predictably, RaGas needle was stuck on alluding to dysfunctional Rights, the NREGA, MNREGA, RTI, Food Security etc conveniently forgetting that in civil society there is a network of implicit, unwritten rules, which sustain the entire social edifice, which, regrettably disintegrated under the UPA regime.

Well, the results are there for all to see and certainly dispel the myth and gloom spread by the opposition to demonise NaMo as the satan. Devlopment in Gujrat during the last 12 years of his rule certainly gives hope and reinforces Modi's claim of "Achhe din aane waale hain".Though I am not young but for the youth of India I quote these lines from Wordsworth at the start of the French Revolution: “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven”.

The Indian Carnival (elections) its Outcome and Post Script

Kudos to NaMo. The BJP under his able leadership and astute campaigning will win 308 to 318 seats.

However, the battle has just begun as they inherit a humongous responsibility to fulfill the aspirations of 1.2 billion Indians and deliver them from ignorance, corruption, oppression, poverty and exploitation. Misgovernance, malfeasance and pseudo secularism of various Congress led / supported governments has denuded the nation of all that was good, and destroyed the national fabric.

It is a recorded fact that all ills of a poor nation afflict India. But what is most alarming and ominous is that today Indians live in a moral vacuum without a national identity. Parochial loyalties and communal fanaticism, encouraged by self serving politicians, are the order of the day. We are all individuals and not the citizens of a cohesive society. 

Perhaps, India was waiting for a leader like NaMo, who will make it relearn the moral values and inculcate in the people a sense of responsibilities that fall on every citizen of a free society.
Therefore, to begin the recovery and reconstruction the first and foremost task for NaMo is to build a national identity, pride in nationhood - Indianness, amongst all citizens. Investment in human resources, not the self consuming MNREGA and NREGA schemes, but meaningful education to enable everyone to be a good responsible citizen to realize their true potential should be the first priority. Easily doable by inculcating a sense of pride in the "Teacher" and minor tinkering with the current curriculum in School and Colleges where every child is taught to tell the truth, to stand erect and never to stoop, to stand in line and never to push or pull, to share, to read with care, to give thanks, to hold hands, to smile and to respect their Teachers and senior citizens. A sure recipe to create bonhomie, pride, sense of belonging and self discipline, the essential prerequisites for growth.

The second critical issue, which has been conveniently ignored in the recent past, is population control. A must for India, the second most populous country with millions impoverished, condemned to living in penury and deprivation. Our numbers overwhelm every system and utility and the burgeoning population severely dilutes any economic growth. Though any such proposal will face serious objections from vested groups, it is an inescapable need of the hour. 

Regrettably, everything related to nation building especially noble human endeavour has taken a huge tumble in the last decade. We are well aware of the endless list of maladies that face us and need no repitition.

Many, especially the opposition who fail to see their own inadequacies see the rise of NaMo as ominous and Orwellian. My view, he has the ability to impart confidence, inspire and push people to do things they hadn't thought possible. I am sanguine that through his prudence, foresight, fortitude, temperance, sense of justice and high octane passion for perfection he will provide good governance to steer the nation to glory.

Contrasting Contradictions and Convictions

Last Saturday, watching  Rahul Gandhi’s interview on Headlines today at 2100 hrs and thereafter the QA session of Narinder Modi in Aap Ki Adalat at 2200 hrs I was reminded of the  Husband’s Night, the once an year party hosted by the ladies for all members of the Officers Mess of an Air Force Stn in the Indian Air Force. The interview with RaGa was like the much hyped “Punch,” a trumped up concoction of various soft drinks and juices, at times lined with some whisky/rum/brandy/vodka, served as a welcome drink. Since ladies generally refrain from drinking alcohol, the untested concoction despite the hype and a magnanimous helping turns out to be an avoidable insipid cocktail.

Once in the party, one is free to have a drink of his choice, in abundant measure to one’s satisfaction. And that’s what happened at 2200 hrs when I started watching the Aap ki Adalat with NaMo.It  was like what I enjoy the most, a “single malt”, nice, crisp and heady served with abundance of ice to cool the frayed nerves and sinews after the ”Punch”.

RaGa, although he acquitted himself far better than what he did with Arnab, seems to be wedded to the eighth deadly sin, a soch, a vichar, as he refers to the Congress’s ideology for now and forever. In his not so illustrious political career he seems to have mastered the art of dealing in ambiguity by paying pious lip service to various “Rights” that he repeatedly alludes to in all his interactions. He was heavy on rhetoric and light on analysis, long on emotions and short on reason. That there was no mention about numerable issues that plague the nation like, eradication of corruption, population control, unemployment, poverty alleviation, lack of infrastructure, healthcare, education etc, reflected the well scripted and duly edited questions that were put forth..

On the other hand, Modi who possess a different level of national consciousness, than any congressman, was able to connect well and handle every question and retort from the Anchor and the public with the flourish of a magician. It is his grasp over the essentials, culled from the experience of Gujarat, that enable him to express himself with clear conciseness and lucidity. He reflects a creative mind with high octane passion for perfection.

Comparing the two would be nothing short of sacrilege. I therefore leave it to the judgment of millions who watched both the programmes. But one thing is certain, Congress will have many years, after 16 May, to mull over their follies and misdeeds,the most outstanding being the culture of subservience and sycophancy that compelled them to project an unworthy delinquent against a statesman.

Moral Decadence, Congress sinking faster than the Titanic

Celebration time for India as it’s for the first time that the country is voting with its head and conscience to elect a workable Govt. Major Upheaval in voting pattern, driven by ruffled sentiments, was seen on two earlier occasions. Once after the emergency in 1977 and later due to the sympathy wave generated by the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984. Willy nilly the Congress was in the eye of the storm on both occasions. This time again the Congress is responsible for generating a tsunami of people’s anger due to its malfeasance, malgovernance, stupefying misinterpretation of reality, partisan delusion and apathy for the common man.  The self inflicted injury has generated the” Modi wave”, which has galvanized the youth and the educated to get over their stupor and use their right to vote for a workable Govt led by someone  who will be firm, live by his word and honest deeds. Development, accountability and all else that comes with good governance will follow.

  I really wonder where to start with the sorry state in which the Congress leaves the nation. Suffice to sum up that it was Opera bouffe, of the tainted UPA 2, led by the Congress steeped from head to toe in the self generated swirling currents of rampant corruption. Blatantly they unleashed unviable and unworkable Schemes like MNREGA, NREGA, JNNURM, and Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana etc that debilitated the nation by squandering billions and denuded the exchequer engendering Mass unemployment, abject poverty, lack of education, health care and basic infrastructure. Over 700 million people live an impoverished life in this country.  

 Unfortunately for the 1.3 billion Indians their Govt, as revealed by Sanjaya Baru, was led by a stooge, mercilessly driven by the Machiavellian manoeuvering of a wily lady chasing the chimera of a single point agenda to elevate the heir apparent to his rightful position. The consequences to by borne by hapless billions who placed their faith in this group of baboons, the Congress.

Despite the Herculean efforts made by Diggy and his acolytes to hide RaGa under the veneer of a Vice President of the party, his ineptness, naivety, incompetence and disconnect from reality are so vivid that even a blind can sense them from miles. So why is the entire Party treating him with a deference that borders on obsequiousness? What happened to the scores of intellectuals and highly experienced politicians like Shashi Tharoor, Mani Shankar Iyer, Jairam Ramesh and Abhishek M Singhvi? Why were they hesitant to call a spade a spade (a dud, an underachiever an underwhelming over pampered and ignorant brat) and allowed the anchorless ship drift towards obscurity.  All that one heard, 24/7, from the likes of Jayanti Natrajan, Renuka Choudhary, Oza (empowered group of women; the favourite tag line of RaGa) was “Rahul Jeeeeee” has great ideas, is very hardworking etc etc.

Writing is clear on the wall .There is no place, in the Congress, for leaders with a foresight, vision and integrity. They belong to a distant past. It is proposed to be a one man show irrespective whether the ship sails or sinks. Given the outstanding antecedents of the Shehzada, the Congress has already hit the depths of despair? Post elections it will achieve obscurity much faster than the Titanic did in 1912.

Congress’s Modi Obsession and Brainless Rhetoric.

  Two epoch making events are unfolding simultaneously on two different ends of the globe.  The days of unchallenged Pax Americana and its role as the self appointed monitor of the world are getting numbered after Putin’s occupation of Crimea. His move  without fear of any reprisal has not only become a nemesis for the American hubris but also elevated Putin to the level of a President who must be taken seriously because he does not mince his words nor does he shy away from taking an objective action that favours his country, no matter what the cost.

At the other end a third grade drama, a watershed event is unfolding in the most populous third world country; elections in India. At times it seems like Halloween, the way most political parties are playing the tricks or treat game with impunity, by blending credibility with ambiguity, in an attempt to woo the gullible voters.

In this entire milieu the most outstanding feature is the way Namo mania or Namophobia has struck the Congress. Modi as per them is the embodiment of all evil and Congress”the centre of all virtue.” The impatience displayed by Diggy at the mere mention of Namo revealed the Congress’s obsession with Modi. Interestingly, their silky tongues can no longer mask their desperation or their apoplectic rage in spewing uninterrupted vitriol against Modi; he's a brute, an insensitive megalomaniac, a Hitler who will break the country etc, all the familiar demonization for anyone who not only doesn't kiss Congress’s derriere but actually has a few suggestions on what the Congress can do with itself and its policies.

Congress is in a piquant situation, the more they know their rhetoric won’t work more desperate they get. The anti Modi arrows left in Congress’s quiver are getting smaller, rarer and more amusing all the time.  After failing to capitalize on the purported humiliation meted out by the BJP to a sulking Advani, a teary eyed Jaswant Singh or a saddened Sushma Swaraj they let loose their cohorts/poodles like Sharad Pawar, Mulayam, Lalu and Mayawati to denigrate and sneer at Modi. Cool as a cucumber, Modi tosses the rhetoric right back, reminding the Congress and its allies about the pathetic fig leaf of secularism used by them to cloak their two-faced nudity.

Congress’s glee at BJPs fatal error to choose Modi as the Prime ministerial candidate was their biggest mistake. Their vain attempt to conjure up a specter of apocalypse if Modi comes to power seems to be back firing. To their chagrin, Modi with his measured articulation and a deep sense of commitment absolutely delights the masses who had become depressingly accustomed to inaction, policy paralysis (inconsistent and incoherent policies), rampant corruption and nepotism.  One cannot help but deplore the Congress’s hemming-and-hawing about MNREGA, NREGA, RTE, and RTI etc etc.

 In the end, as the opinion polls indicate, Modi will prevail and the UPA will fret and fume and apply its hypocritical double standards while warning about threat to secularism. 

Shaming the Shameless

  

 

Roughly 800 million people, more than the populations of the US, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia and Bangladesh combined will be eligible to vote, making the upcoming election the largest since Independence in 1947.Fervent hope of every common man/woman is to elect representatives who have the fundamental virtues that are essential for a statesmen: integrity, courage, perspicacity, vision, empathy etc. Regrettably all political parties, especially the major ones, playing assiduously by the rules of realpolitik, throw up candidates whose antecedents are far from desired, yet they get elected.

 These stalwarts are that special breed of turncoats, the Aya Rams Gaya Rams, whose singular aim is to stay in power or close to the seat of power, whatever the cost. They bloom during the election season and have no compunctions in party hopping, like honeybees in a garden, for the political nectar. The end result is that more than 35% MPs in the current Lok Sabha were tainted with charges ranging from murder to rape, theft, misappropriation of public money etc. They turned our Parliament into a “nest of crooks”, where lies are considered truth and truth is considered seditious.

 

 Given the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of such leaders, the craft of governing well has been forsaken and disrespected and replaced by scams, indecision and unethical compromises. No one can deny the truism that the political standards have been falling over the years. But the yawning holes which the decline has opened up indicate the dearth of their cerebral and ethical caliber.

The country has for years been ruled by this small clique of pettifogging, wire pulling, self centered and opportunistic political elite, who have yet not developed in the people a sense of true citizenship in which national identity trumps any other allegiances to religious, ethnic, or tribal identities nor they have succeeded in tackling the underlying political, economic, and social challenges the country faces.

Now that the ever growing deficiencies of our political elite are out in the open, one wonders whether the popular elections, which we are so proud of, an adequate criterion to judge our country’s commitment to democracy. What is the way out for a country of 1.3 billion people from the machinations of the likes of Jaswant Singhs, Jagdambika Pal and Sabir Alis et al who having been denied ticket by the parent party (whose virtues, ethos, policies and programmes they eulogized 24/7) suddenly become unbearable and abhorrent to them. Wonder what their patriotic values are and the small price they will extract to sell their country to the enemy? Should they ever get into the Parliament is what every Indian needs to introspect.

Henderson Brooks Report - The Shame of 1962

A Report that lay in the never dusted and dingy cupboards of MoD for over six decades has been finally revealed, ironically by a foreign journalist, Neville Maxwell. Tens of Defence Ministers,Defence Secretaries and their acolytes must have read it out of sheer curiosity, but most regrettably kept it hidden from Indian public and the Indian Army as it was classified "Top Secret". 

How bizarre that after knowing the truth of the catastrophic debacle it never occurred to any Indian Govt, over the last 60 years,to face the truth and redeem the prestige of one of the top rated Army's in the world, the Indian Army,that was humiliated in a crushing defeat due to the ineptness and alter ego of the Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and the maniacal stupidity of the Defence Minister, Krishna Menon. Entire political class, who has been at the helm of affairs for last six decades, is answerable to the Indian nation and its people, for their skulduggery in hiding the truth that sharply contradicts the popular version floated by the successive Govts, "India as the aggrieved party".

 As revealed by Maxwell, the McMahon Line is not a legal boundary; it is an Indian claim line which was never recognised by the Chinese.Yet, as Maxwell says, the Chinese were willing to negotiate with Indian Govt  and perhaps, ratify the same as a recognised boundary between the two countries.But then Nehru took this nonsensical absurd approach: “I won’t negotiate, I’ll tell them where the boundary is. Tell them “That’s our boundary. There’s no question about it, there’s no dispute, it’s non-negotiable. You must accept it.” This no brainer was most unfortunately followed by the ill conceived ‘forward policy’ which precipitated the dispute - a lasting curse for both countries. An act of great personal folly for which Nehru was not excused by Mao who said,"Since Nehru sticks his head out and insists on us fighting him, for us not to fight with him would not be friendly enough;courtesy emphasizes reciprocity.(Henry Kissinger in his book "On China")

Well, that is history now,but what about the successive Govts, who because of their unwillingness to accept the truth and share its lessons with the nation took a holier than though approach towards China, "the aggressor"and continued to shape their policy as a victim of China's wrong doing. On the other hand, having known the facts of 1962 and historical truth of McMahon, Caroes’ alignment, could our Govts have taken a more measured/nuanced and mutually acceptable, practical and rationale approach towards  resolving the boundary dispute with China.This would be possible if custodians of  peoples faith and hopes, the politicians, unremittingly look out for the country's interests above all else.

Deniable,Despicable and not Desirable

                        The cacophony preceding the elections is growing shriller by the day. Nothing unusual at such times except that the Electronic media is more ubiquitous than ever before as it is freely engaging in games of rhetorical brinkmanship with each other and the political protagonists. In doing so it is also trying to retain its niche and self declared freedom, which at times is jarring as it defies decency and morality. 

Is it, therefore, possible, that to curry favours, some media houses operate a hidden agenda, to promote someone/ some cause, in  the oft contrived and fascinating headlines, as suggested by Arvind Kejriwal. Most have taken a strong exception to AKs remark that owners of such media houses and their journalists, who act as mouthpieces for a price, would be jailed if his Party came to power. Some among the not so "holy media" driven by their intrinsic guilt have unleashed a tornado of controversy and 24/7 vitriolic against the audacity displayed by AK in stating the obvious. 

My take is that AK is bang on target and is fearlessly chartering his anti corruption agenda, with concessions to non. What seems to pique the media, the most, is some kind of perception/remorse/call of conscious that they may have created a Frankenstein by promoting AK and his AAP. Needless to say that, what the media did was not gratis and no favours were showered on AK as the media was paid in full, enough and more through the TRPs they garnered by covering every small/big action of his.

It is for all to see that the Media was totally supportive of AK till Delhi elections. Soon after that, just prior to formation of his Govt the media began to sing the BJP's and  Congress's tune to decry the AAP for shirking its responsibility in not forming a minority Govt. After formation of the Govt for the next 49 days, in concert with the BJP and Congress, it was constantly bickering and relentlessly hounding the AAP for immaturity, ineptness, irresponsibility et al. Neither the Media nor the BJP/ Congress attempted to seek any accountability from the Govts in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh that were formed along with the AAP Govt in Delhi. Isn't that a partisan and prejudicial approach of the media? 

AK is not wrong in calling media to account. The domineering ,know all attitude displayed by ,almost all anchors to pursue their agenda, at times totally biased and partisan, is abhorrent, unethical and unpatriotic. To retain its edge and to be eulogized the way it wants to be, the media would have to stay neutral, above board and totally non partisan. Failing which, they should not grudge the nation if it seeks accountability from them and brings the defaulters to book.The Media must not forget that Freedom can not last long unless it is coupled with Order. Order can exist without freedom, but freedom can never exist without order.

Maoism/Naxalism, India's Achilles Heel

The all too familiar headlines On Tuesday read “Naxalites/Maoists kill 15 security personnel and a civilian in the restive Bastar region near Tongpal in Chhattisgarh. The incident took place just four km from the spot where rebels had targeted a convoy of Congress leaders in May 2013, killing key party functionaries”.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of a large number of Naxalites in the area, a team of 40 troops from the 80th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Chhattisgarh police left Tongpal on a search operation on Tuesday. When the team reached Takwada, about three km from Tongpal, it came under heavy fire.

What is irreconcilable and inexplicable is that this was a pre planned search operation. How come it ended in such a shameful failure of the establishment and the boots on ground, where sixteen innocent lives were lost? The alarming regularity with which we face this de javu is becoming depressingly predictable like our crime films - direct pick offs from an Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie blockbuster. Regrettably, true to their style the Central Govt, the State Govt and the bigwigs in CRPF, who planned and executed these ops, are conveniently passing the buck. Why haven’t any heads rolled so far, who is accountable?

 Common lament of deprivation and exploitation of locals, based on caste and class is sighted as the primary driver for their isolation and motivation to take up arms against the State. This is a social problem requiring pragmatic policy formulation and implementation to overcome the same. Unfortunately the Centre has, over the years, only papered over the hard truth than face it squarely. Wonder when will they get their act together and understand the dynamics at work, stop crony capitalism and integrate the masses in the main stream?

On the other hand attempts at fighting and eliminating Maoism/Naxalism in the cavalier manner that the Home Minister, Shinde suggested have ended in a dismal failure and the rot of Maoism/Naxalism  has spread in more than 250 districts of India, termed as the” red corridor”. Yet we continue to undertake these ill conceived half hearted ops to prove that we mean business and will not accept the people’s right to resist/challenge their exploitation.

Why didn’t the CRPF mount surveillance ops prior to sending in the troops? They could have asked the IAF for UAVs to gather the requisite ISR to locate any surreptitious movements. However, if the policy is to eliminate Naxalism/Maoism then why not equip the troops appropriately, to combat such situations. UAVs carrying Synthetic Aperture Radars and hyperspectral imaging that detect objects underground, especially the IEDs, and state of the art personnel weapons should be inducted in the Central Para Military Forces assigned with such tasks.

The lame duck UPA, which has faltered and failed the nation on every count over the last five years, is not expected to do anything other than churn out incendiary rhetoric. One can only hope and pray that the next Govt would give this burning issue the due consideration and move  ahead to resolve it amicably with the affected people, rather than take up arms against its own citizens. 

Admiralty immortalized or sacrificed.

Headlines in the print and the electronic media immediately after the resignation of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) read, “Taking moral responsibility for the accidents and incidents that have taken place during the past few months, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral DK Joshi today resigned from the post”.

In the days that followed the CNS,s resignation, lot has been said and written about the nobility and rarity of such action based on ones dictates of conscience, loyalty, integrity and a deep sense of service before self. Though being from an earlier genre I subscribe to such values, I am inclined, rather convinced that contemporary India finds them hollow and untenable. All this divinity may have influenced the India of late 50s and early 60s. But post the demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri and the machinations of Indira Gandhi, to come to power and stick to it, the entire moral fabric of this country has been soiled and shredded to smithereens by our self serving politicians and continues to hurtle downwards in an irretrievable abyss.

 Would it therefore, be too contrarian to assume that the  moral high ground taken by Admiral Joshi in claiming responsibility for acts which were neither of his own omission or commission was premature, ill conceived and dismally unproductive.

What was the end state that the Admiral had in mind while resorting to such extreme action? Would it set/refresh the intellectual and moral tone among Indians or make them true and devoted citizens of the country giving them the vision and the knowledge of what the Navy and the Defence Forces are all about, thereby enhancing the virtues of patriotism, responsibility and devotion to duty. Or would it in anyway help the future Defence Commanders penetrate the impregnable labyrinths of bureaucracy and political chicanery.

 Or was there no end state and the decision was intuitive driven by sheer desperation, helplessness and cognitive decapitation in the face of recurring adversities that afflicted the Navy in the recent past. Only Joshi knows the truth.

But one thing is certain his sacrifice will make no difference to anyone but himself.

 The immediate aftermath of his resignation caused some ripples in Indian media and gave them enough fodder to garner TRPs for two days. It certainly caused a sense of discomfort, discontent and consternation, against the political class and the bureaucracy, among the Armed forces, especially the veterans. Yet nothing concrete has been heard or read about how the MoD, controlled by the all powerful bureaucracy, feels about the accident and the resignation of the CNS. The political class, of course, found another chance to exercise their vocal chords and indulge in polemics of blame game, to earn few Brownie points prior to the forthcoming general elections.

Wonder when will they understand that it is the function of the civilian policy makers (NSA, NSC,MoEF and the MoD) to determine the ends of national policy and to allocate the resources which the military needs to achieve those ends. Has this ever been done to the satisfaction of the Armed Forces? It doesn’t require Solomon’s wisdom to understand that India faces constant threat from two hostile neighbours, which could lead to a two front war and that we have to guard a 7500 km long coastline besides our well spread out Island Territories?

I hope I am wrong, but with the frenzy that is gripping the nation prior to the elections, national focus will be shifted by the Media ,for easy pickings, to Misa Bhartis, Ram Kirpal Yadavs ,Lalu Yadavs, Rakhi Sawnts et al. In the milieu that ensues, Joshi’s resignation will amount to no more than self – flagellation. Regrettably, he has prematurely become a part of unsung veterans who sacrificed everything they held dear in the interest of the nation. I wonder if he ever read these lines by Francis Dan Quall,

God and Soldiers men like adore,

When at the brink of danger, not before

Danger past alike are both requited

God is forgotten and soldier slighted.

Given the very nature of the Armed Forces and their tasks, accidents/incidents will continue to occur and not stop because someone chooses to resign. Two incidents in the last two days at Mazagaon Docks, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam prove the point. So was Joshi singularly responsible and accountable for the various accidents in the Navy over the last ten months. No. His immediate subordinates, in the line of succession, Vice Chief of Naval Staff( VCNS), Vice Admiral Dhowan,FOC in C, Western Naval Command,Vice AdmiralShekhar Sinha and FOC in C, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Chopra are equally and directly responsible and accountable .So who succeeds?

 It would be in fitness of things that the PMO recognizes the high moral standard set by Joshi and reinstates him. This will not only help overcome the present impasse but also send an ethical message to the country and equally cover the UPA in some glory that has deserted them over the past years.

                            

The Prince Can't Dance Sa--------.

Then there was the Prince  - an analysis of  how to acquire and maintain power, created by Machiavelli,  and now a Prince was to be coronated by the Congress, who, despite popular demand  had managed to hide him from a public debate. However, a persistent Arnab Goswami managed to rope him in for an interview. What humongous efforts went into prepare for this encounter would never be known, what is known is that the interview was a personal disaster for the man and an ominous sign for the Congress gravely upsetting  it's Apple Cart.A famous movie song says it all,
                                                           bund ho muthhi to lakh ki,
                                                           khul gayi to phir khak si 

That RaGa proved that every word above is worth its weight in gold is a foregone conclusion. Though he claims to be M Phil from Oxford, subject not known, wonder if he ever laid his hands on Machiavelli,s treatise, considered a guiding beacon for those who want to rule. If he had he wouldn,t have missed these golden lines,
                                He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, 
                                   sooner effects his ruin than his preservation.

I m not going into the nuances of the questions in the interview.However, the outcome is gratifying as it confirmed that political naivety can be an asset when one promotes fresh ideas .But political stupidity can only spell doom and gloom; not only for the perpetrator but the entire brood that supports such ignominy.The Congress party finds itself slam bang in the eye of such a controversy stirred by the heir apparent.

 The "Interview" expected to be a three pointer (slam dunk) moment to elevate the Yuvraj on the national center stage and strengthen Congress's moorings, turned out to be a Snowden/Gorbachev moment for the Congress, not only causing indefensible embarrassment to the Party, the same that happened to US post Snowden revelations, but also signalling a disquiet, divergence and ultimate split in the UPA on the lines of what Gorbachev's Perestroika did to the erstwhile USSR.

The extant political edge that the UPA enjoyed will quickly erode after this interview. Condemned to manage the  faux pas, all by itself,  the Congress men and women, deeply consumed by their subservience to the Family, continue to eulogise about the great virtues of truth, candidness, boldness and courage displayed by the Yuvraj. Unfortunately, he only stated the obvious, about 1984 carnage which, has been in the public domain for the last thirty years.  The fact of the matter is that he has disturbed the "Beehive", unleashing  volleys of queries to establish accountability of the then Govt and the Congress men involved in that genocide.

Wonder if the Congress's DT Deptt and the Think Tanks ever imagined the outcome to be so damaging as it is turning out to be. But having been in existence for almost 130 years and led the nation to ruins, lagging way behind in every human development index, it had to, one day, face its Waterloo, especially when it is trying to promote the most unworthy to lead the nation.

 Arnab deserves kudos for arranging the occasion for the Yuvraj (Prince) to exercise the Samson option, and also deliver an appropriate obituary  that his Party truly deserves  for its machinations, malfeasance, corruption and political expediency. That it was delivered  so magnificently, for fifty minutes,by its own creation, the heir apparent, is a wake up call for all  political parties trying to promote dynasties, however inept, incompetent and unsuitable they may be for the job. 

A Presidential Vision or a faux pas

In his customary Republic Day address the President made two highly loaded statements."The Govt is not a charity shop and "Populist anarchy can not be a substitute for governance and elections do not give any person the license to flirt with illusions.Those who seek the trust of voters must promise only what is possible".

Presidential addresses so far were generally predictable, cliche ridden drab monologues, largely aimed at promoting the cause of the ruling party by sweeping their ills and failures under the carpet and blowing minor successes into accomplishments of gigantic proportions. However, Mr Mukerjee  embarked on a new adventure by exposing his political leanings/ likes and dislikes, which, under the given circumstances, have the potential to give it a controversial twist.

What could be the drivers of such an outburst? Was it an omnibus message to all parties or a wake up call for select few. He also spoke about corruption and there is no denying the fact that without dealing with the cancer of political corruption blighting the country and robbing it of revenue from mineral resources, through corrupt politicians receiving bribes from investors, the country shall continue to have the worst poverty levels globally.

Yogendra Yadav of the AAP displayed astute statesmanship when he deflected the whirlwind by saying that the President meant the Economic policies of the UPA, where Mr Mukerji was once a Finance Minister. A clever repartee indeed.

AAP  has a tough road ahead. It's growing political  interests at national level require it to step up its campaign to harness  those interests.  But when it does so, it is often accused or perceived as "anarchic, indiscreet and assertive," as it  challenges the status quo and the turf of the Congress and the BJP. So whatever AAP does will draw criticism. Thus, the best option for them to avoid heartburn  is  to ignore it, as they did in the instant case. It will augur well for the nation and its political climate if political parties were to avoid partisan polemics and diatribes that are coarse and crafty.

Regrettably being  past masters at the politics of decadence, it is well nigh impossible for the old genre politicians to reconcile to the new thoughts and nuances behind the emerging aspirations.It may seem anarchic and revolutionary to them, but this is not an isolated case. Frustration of the people against governance of doles and high handedness is manifesting the world over. Ukraine, Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain are few examples.

While it does not behoove well for the President, the custodian of the Constitution, to air  his political preferences ,India will do well to maintain its resilience and ignore such faux pas.

Republic Day Celebrations,Pride hounded by Prejudices and Archaic Mindset

Arvind Kejriwal's utterances about the futility and worthlessness of Republic Day celebrations drew tremendous media  attention and criticism from his detractors.Was he utterly wrong, when the media was trying to hound him for sabotaging the Republic Day Celebrations, and he said "Republic Day does not mean people enjoying tableau at Rajpath... it means the rule of people. Or " what is the point of celebrating Republic Day when women are getting raped in Delhi ?

Prima facie nothing unparliamentry,derogatory or disrespectful, especially when the onus to bring about a rapprochement and end the impasse(Dharna) rested with the Central Govt. But then, true to their style, to garner a few brownie points, at whatever the cost to the nation and its homogeneity, the opposition and the media went hammer and tongs to project it as the most blasphemous, sacrilegious and anti national comment made by any Indian.The likes of Prakash Jawadekar,of BJP, in order to influence the most apolitical organisation in the country, the Armed Forces, went on to term it as an insult to them.  Did Arvind say anything about the Armed Forces? No, nothing! So shouldn't such derelicts(PJ) be tried  for sedition when they try to arouse and inflame the passions of uniformed men against a Chief Minster ? Equally untenable and incoherent were the statements made by almost all the spokespersons of other political parties, displaying intellectual bankruptcy that obtains amongst the political class.

Why as a nation are we so hackneyed, intolerant and apathetic to discuss or question some archaic practices. Shouldn't we change with changing times and environment or continue to be stuck in a time warp? 

 Let us examine the rationale for the pride that we take in the jamboree that occurs on the Raj Path on 26 January. What is it all about? What are we trying to showcase? Is it our Military Might  through military hardware,more than 90% of which is imported, or the impeccable demeanour,discipline and commitment of the Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces marching ever so smartly, in inclement weather, to the patriotic melodies of various bands. Or by parading  the few gallant men who have earned the highest gallantry awards over the years. Regrettably both are conveniently forgotten by the evening of 26th and remembered and revered only when a calamity strikes the nation. Or Is it the colourful tableau's of various States, which are getting so predictable and jarring over the years. 

So what is the message conveyed and the end state achieved by the mega bucks and time spent to host this event.Wonder if anyone has ever worked out the cost/benefit analysis, not economic but cultural,national unity, national pride etc etc.

Can a nation whose 70% of the population lives below the poverty line,toiling relentlessly for two square meals yet dying an impoverished death afford such extravaganza. How proud are we of the fact that many die on the streets of Delhi for want of a shelter in extreme cold yet our Head of the State lives in a 340 room mansion in a estate sprawling over 330 acres, with a repertoire of almost 2000 staff. Or does his travelling in a cavalcade of 20 vehicles led by an entourage of horse riding military men(a battalion of whom is housed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan) down the Rajpath, an imperial legacy inherited from the Viceroys, on 26 January arouse a sense of pride and nationhood in us.

 But then he says Govt is not a charity shop.Wonder who is living on charity?

 Is Arvind wrong when he questions the status quo and the living prejudices trained against the common man and wants to set them right ? Do we too need some answers or are we going to continue with the blinkers on, reveling in the dreams that the Media, Movies and self serving Politicians sell us.

Anarchy,Brinkmanship or Wake up Call

What happened in Delhi on 21 and 22 jan was a  shame,a crying shame for this country. Not because of what Arvind and the AAP did but the way the Central Govt, the political parties, womens welfare organisation and particularly the media acquitted themselves over the last two days.It was not anarchy unleashed by AAP as pronounced by Mr Shinde but brinkmanship of the lowest order unleashed by the practitioners of our archaic political and social system.

 Occupation of Rail Bhavan lawns by AAP volunteers occurred after a couldn't careless response by the Home Minister of India, Mr Shinde, to the complaint lodged by the Chief Minster, against dereliction of duty and misdemeanour by some personnel of Delhi police. Consequent blockage of traffic and suspension of Metro services to the heart of Delhi  causing inconvenience to the commuters in the central vista of Lutyen's Delhi was a small price paid to highlight the rot that has set in the functioning and administration of Delhi police. 

Travails and trauma suffered by the common man to get a favourable response from Delhi police, to their complaints against hooligans,rapists and drug peddlers are well known. As is the well known fact that the police is in cahoots with the criminals and connives with them to ensure a steady, uninterrupted business. Yet, despite decades of dilly dallying and Supreme Court intervention, no effort has been made to pass the police reforms or make Delhi Police accountable to the CM of Delhi.

So when the Law Minister of Delhi, Somanth Bharati, responding to peoples complaints against a flourishing drugs and sex racket,asked the police to  raid the colony,Kharki extension, they blatantly refused to help. Not only they failed to perform their duty but declined any plea by the Minister to raid and arrest the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Inevitable fallout was the Chief Minister, who justifiably has no love lost for the police, was piqued by their misdemeanour and failure to perform a legitimate function.So he requested  the Home Minister of Govt of India, Mr Shinde,the custodian of Delhi Police, to suspend the Police Officers for dereliction of duty  and order an inquiry, who, true to his form did not respond leaving the AAP no choice but to protest.

And then the Opposition, the intelligentsia, the womens organisations and the media went berserk, and without a shred of evidence pandered every possible homily and insult on hapless Mr Bharti and the AAP seeking immediate removal of Mr Bharti from the Law Minister's post.Things came to a head when Arvind, in the given circumstances, made small change of the Republic Day celebrations.Was he wrong in what he said is a subject of deep introspection based on realism.I will come back to it some other day. 

 However, it gave ample opportunity to the hoity toity, the beneficiaries of the existing political disposition, to project their holier than though attitude and fire their illogical, illegitimate and unintelligent salvos against Arvind and the AAP. Every cliche in the political,social and media's lexicon juxtaposed on the half understood provisions of the Constitution,Law and environmentally governed social norms was unleashed to castigate Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues and the Party.So much so that some disgruntled elements, unable to measure up to the exacting standards set by AAP, like Kiran Bedi, Beany, Capt Gopinath and Tina Sharma, wanted nowhere else, found ample time and space on the ever pliable media to air their ignorance and stupidity.

But what was most disturbing was a concerted attempt by the Media and the Women Organisations to turn the episode into a racial and gender issue,where non existed. Regrettably all these self styled well wishers forgot the men and women on the spot, the residents of Kharki Ext.The daily ignominies,lawlessness and high handedness of the Police and criminal elements they endure has no meaning for these wannabes.What matters the most to them is to flout their half baked  pseudo concepts of governance,social conduct and welfare.The country be damned!Pakistan and other smaller neighbours of India can sleep in peace because India is hurtling down the chasm in self atrophy mode set by these pseudos.

India, time has come  to wake up from the reverie of pseudo secularism and hypocritical democracy based on Class,Caste and Religion.The unproductive and adjustable norms have unleashed rampant corruption, promoted  "chalta hai" attitude and set us back by half a century.Time has come  to restore a degree of accountability and transperancy in  the political and administrative class.