Unlocked India – Week – 3

Unlocked India – Week – 3

Yesterday, June 21, was the close of week 3 of unlocked India. Corona virus, of course, remained a source of concern and worry as the deadly virus continued abated to take its toll.  India, as you know, has already reached number 4 in the world with regard to the virus with about 4.11 lakh positive cases, more than 13 thousand deaths and 15 thousand adding daily to the total numbers. We need to be careful and prepared to cope with the emerging situation. There is no early and easy solution in sight. More and better coordination among the governments and the authorities is needed with the much needed self control and discipline by the people to meet the challenge. Let us hope for the best.

The week under review remained a hectic and crucial time on many counts. China showed its true colours. I commented on China in my last blog on June 15, “India still hopes that the stand-off at the Line of Control in Ladakh will be sorted out through dialogue. Let us hope so but China is a cunning practitioner of deceit.” Unfortunately, it came true and in the intervening night of June 15-16 China inflicted on our armed forces a bloody assault in which 20 of our brave soldiers were martyred on the LAC in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. MEA rightly asserted in its statement on June 17, “While this became a source of dispute, the Chinese side took pre-meditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties.” We are to deal with this nuisance and highhandedness of China with a firm resolve unitedly. Both the government and the opposition should behave sensibly to support and strengthen our armed forces and practitioners of diplomacy to handle the hostile and unreliable and also a cunning neighbor, China.  It was a matter of satisfaction that India was elected to be a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a tenure of two years for the 8th time with a thumping majority. Obviously, with this, India will have a better say in the world body. It is gratifying to observe that today, June 21, is the International Yoga Day, a fine demonstration of India’s ‘soft power’ in addition to the International Day of Non-violence on October 2, birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. On these lines a good proposal on April 14, birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality is resting with the Ministry of External Affairs of the GOI. It will only be appropriate for the GOI to consider and get

April 14 as International Day of Equality. It will add to India’s ‘soft power’ and also yet another feather in the diplomatic cap of India during the tenure of India’s membership of the UNSC and a seat at the coveted ‘Horseshoe Table” in New York. As PM Narendra Modi in his message on International Yoga Day said, “Yoga enhances our quest for a healthier planet. It has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate. It goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and nations. Anybody can embrace Yoga.” It is equally true for the proposed International Day of Equality. India’s leadership ought to play a crucial role not only to address internal issues economic and social cohesiveness but also external issues of cross border terrorism, threatening postures of our hostile neighbours, international trade and also issues of national security. Unity in diversity is our inherent strength. Let us preserve and maintain it to our advantage and benefit.

This piece will not be complete, if I deviate from the usual path and don’t touch upon the lighter side of the Unlocked India:

We are to deal with China on diplomatic front. One of us has a gem of this tactical approach to that end:

आज मैंने बीजिंग की एक लड़की को फ्रेंड रिक्वेस्ट भेजा है।
चीन को घेरने के लिए ये मेरा पहला कूटनीतिक कदम है!

Yet another one to touch the funny bone as a commentary on the current relations with our neighbors:

एक पड़ोसी टिड्डी भेज रहा है!
एक पड़ोसी कोरोना भेज रहा और लद्दाख में टेंट भी गाड़ रहा है!
एक पड़ोसी मन मर्जी के नक्शे छाप रहा है!
श्रीलंका, भाई तू क्यों शर्मा रहा है। आजा तू भी रावण की मौत का बदला ले ले!