Neo Liberal Rabble Rousers

This past week, the US president, George W. Bush’s visit to the subcontinent led to tumultuous events. While Laura went about visiting the sets of a cartoon movie-in-the-making and George tip-toed from clinching the nuclear deal to admiring buffaloes, there were protests on the streets led by the communists and the Muslims. The Muslims were protesting against the affront to their religion while the communists were protesting against ????????????? well! they were just protesting; its their job.

To some extent the anger demonstrated by India’s largest minority was understandable. They were protesting against the GWB who had invaded Afghanistan, Iraq and was now threatening to train his guns on Iran. He is deemed as an enemy of ‘Islam’. Surprising though that these people were also attributing the cartoon controversy to GWB. You could blame Bush for all of the above, for being the gunslinger and invading Muslim lands, for being a sympathizer of Israel but the cartoon controversy was a “European”, specifically a Danish phenomenon.

No one has the right to make a mockery of someone’s religious beliefs in the name of “freedom of speech”. Similarly no one has the right to impose the will of any particular sect on another in a secular, democratic country. The role of the “neo liberal rabble rousers” needs to be examined in this context.

“Saleibrities” (oh! Thatz NOT a spelling error) like Ms. Arundhati Roy and her ilk take to the streets every now and then for every conceivable, doctored or manufactured “liberal” issue. We Indians must know what is in our national interest. We could make our displeasure of Bush’s policies known. We should also remember the fact that this man was invited by the Government of India. No matter how much we detest it, we would be wise to remember that this is a UNIPOLAR world. Do we like it that way? Hell, NO but it remains a fact nonetheless.

There are stark realities staring us in our face:

1) We are sandwiched between hostile nuclear states (China and Pakistan)

2) We have border disputes with both of them

3) Both of them are proliferaters of WMDs and Nuclear Technology

4) We share thousands of kms of open borders with states which are fostering terrorism in our country (read Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan)

5) We have a tiny neighbor racked by communism and where the mafia/underworld and the ISI have made significant inroads (read Nepal)

6) We do not have to AGREE with everything the US of A dictates but we do not have to DISAGREE with everything either. Let us pick whatever is in our interest and discard the rest.

7) The largest and most advanced country, technologically and economically, wants to be friends with us for its own national interests. We need to find out what our national interests are and meet at a common place.

Finally, I cannot agree with the forcible shutting of shops, rioting, looting or engaging in violence. These are despicable acts and need to be condemned. There are much better ways to protest as a large majority of protesters have shown. And by the way, the UP minister who issued a fatwa against the Danish cartoonist is SICK and DUMB at the same time.

Which brings us to the point: The Islamists have a reason to protest after all. What about the “habitual protesters”: The communists? The statements coming from some “commie” quarters read as if they are more concerned about China than India. At one of the conventions, one of their very knowledgeable leaders said “This deal is harmful for China” … sic.

I was also shocked to learn that the great “commie” leader EMS Namboodripad thought China’s aggression in 1965 was legitimate. Well it might have been for all you know, but Mr. EMSN I tend to disagree. Why? Call me a nationalist or an emotional fool.

P.S: Ms. Arundhati Roy, why don’t you write another book since you have so much time. BTW, thatz much more profitable you see .. or is it that the ideas are just not clicking…. Take to the hills … Nepal, shall I suggest or Chittagong, Bangadesh.