India needs to be at peace with its neighbours, particularly Pakistan
BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi is offered a lotus garland during an election campaign rally in Anand (Photo: PTI)
Never before in the history of our elections has the nation so anxiously awaited the verdict of the people as it does now. The casting of votes, along with vituperative and undignified personal attacks during campaigning, will end this week.
A nadir as never before in language and dignity by all sides was reached during campaigning. It began with Narendra Modi being dubbed “Maut ka saudagar” and an ogre. Mr Modi’s initial response was understandably personal against the one he referred to as “shehzada” and his family.
Finding that the persistent attack against “communal forces” was not yielding much, the United Progressive Alliance came down to a “Stop Modi at all costs” strategy. Even this is not making much of a dent in the Modi wave. Like a drowning person, the Congress has been clinging to straws to save itself and stop Mr Modi coming to power.
The straws have been a judicial commission for a so-called Snoopgate, lodging an FIR against Mr Modi, passing the buck for the Kokrajhar riots to Mr Modi and fielding the charm, style and talent of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as a replica of her grandmother, using a very emotive and spirited outburst.
Be that as it may, the Modi juggernaut seems irresistible. It is difficult to forecast the result of an election. Notwithstanding this, it appears certain that the National Democratic Alliance will come to power and the Congress will lose the elections. The only doubt is the extent of the NDA’s success and the quantum of loss likely to be suffered by the Grand Old Party.
In keeping with the old saying of magnanimity in victory and defiance in defeat, Mr Modi should be magnanimous and seek the Opposition’s co-operation in running our democracy. He also should allay the apprehensions of the minorities with development and good governance which will benefit all equally, irrespective of caste and creed.
He has wisely chosen to make development and governance the main plank of his campaigning, ignoring Hindutva. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s policy of first priority in development to Muslims, to build a vote bank, has to be replaced by justice for all and appeasement of none. Mr Modi has to deliver on his promise of development and good governance, winning the confidence of all.
Today the nation faces grave external and internal security threats in a very sensitive international environment. He must ensure the nation’s security at all costs. Standard of living is not more important than living itself or, to put it another way, being is more important than well-being.
Defence and development should be made complementary through good governance. It must be ensured that one does not unduly impinge on the other.
The external threats to our national security are from our two neighbours, Pakistan and China. The origin and history of Pakistan has been of relentless hostility towards India. The slogan of 1947, “Hans ke liya hai Pakistan, lad ke lenge Hindustan,” has been the main plank of Pakistan’s India-centric foreign policy.
They have also misread history. They consider themselves descendants of Central Asian Muslim conquerors of the Medieval Age who repeatedly conquered India. Their wrong notion based on this view of martial superiority over India received a jolt in Kashmir in 1947-48, and a setback in 1965 when Ayub Khan threatened that his tanks would be rolling down the plains of Panipat to Delhi.
In 1971, the decisive defeat of Pakistan, when its 92,000 soldiers surrendered at Dhaka, totally shattered that notion. Since then Pakistan has resorted to low-intensity conflict, particularly of “jihadi” terrorism, all over India. Our response has been pusillanimous.
No wonder Pakistan considers us a “soft state”. India needs to be at peace with its neighbours, particularly Pakistan. The problem is that we cannot shake hands with a country that persistently extends a closed fist. The Congress policy of appeasement, as at Havana, Sharm el-Sheik and Thimphu, will not work. Dialogue and terrorism cannot go hand in hand.
Our policy towards Pakistan should be on the basis of reciprocity and not what British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain attempted at the beginning of the Second World War. We must at all times maintain an edge over Pakistan in military strength for conventional war and a credible triad nuclear deterrent.
It is a pity that we ignored Chanakya’s Mandala theory of befriending the enemy’s enemy in 1947, and after. We should then have maintained close, friendly relations with Afghanistan, which had a bone to pick with Pakistan over the British-imposed Durand Line. This would have kept that border active, calling for Pakistan’s attentions.
Pakistan has been quick to follow the Mandala theory by developing close relations with China to force a two-front strategy on India. Today we need to have very friendly relations with Afghanistan, giving it all possible support short of our Army participating in the battle there.
China is the other neighbour which poses a great threat to our security. It betrayed us in 1962. Catching our military unprepared, it inflicted a humiliating defeat on us. Today China is far ahead of India in both economic and military strength. It has considerably enhanced its presence in Tibet.
On the other hand, we have been very lackadaisical and ignored the lessons of 1962. We do not need to enter into an arms race with China but we must build up our military capability in the north to deter a 1962-type military adventure by China. A nuclear triad retaliatory capability against China should also be built.
Prime Minister Narsimha Rao initiated a “Look East” policy, Atal Behari Vajpayee strengthened it and Dr Singh reached out to Korea and Japan. This policy should be continued with vigour to break China’s “string of pearls” strategy.
As for internal threats, since 2008 Dr Singh has been saying that Maoist terrorism poses the gravest threat to our security. Yet we have made little tangible progress in dealing with it. Five thousand people, including 2,000 security personnel, have been killed by Maoists.
Each chief minister of the six affected states, on the plea of state autonomy, wants to fight a private war against Maoists who are conducting coordinated operations against us across inter-state borders. There are repeated instances of lack of professional leadership at all levels and poor training in rank and file. This must be set right. Heads must roll for failures.
The writer, a retired lieutenant-general, was Vice-Chief of Army Staff and has served as governor of Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.
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