Tag: India Politics

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-51

About: the world this week, 15 December to 21 December 2024: the wars; death of a tabla titan; Top Gun honours for Tom Cruise; India – State and Parliament; Test Cricket, and a fabulous Indian spinner retires.

Everywhere

The Wars

A top Russian General accused of using chemical weapons on the battlefields in Ukraine was killed in a bomb blast in Moscow early Tuesday-an attack swiftly claimed by Ukraine.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces was killed, along with an assistant, by a remotely detonated bomb planted in an electric scooter outside an apartment building. This came a day after Ukrainian prosecutors sentenced Kirillov, in absentia, for Russia’s use of banned chemical weapons in the ongoing war.

With Hamas down but not out, Hezbollah almost out, and Syria staring a grim possibility of returning to the Stone Age, Israel turned its sights on the Iran-backed Houthis of Yemen.

This week, the Houtis launched a ballistic missile into Israel’s Tel Aviv damaging a school, but no injuries were reported. The missile was intercepted by Israel. Within hours, in a quick response Israel completely paralyzed three Houthi-controlled Ports in Yemen during airstrikes, targeting capital Sanaa for the first time. Dozens of fighter jets, along with refuelling aircraft, hit targets up to 2,000 km from Israel.

Wonder how Israel plans to deal with the ‘Mother Ship’ – Iran.

On another front, news floats-in that hostage deal negotiations between Hamas and Israel are nearing conclusion. As part of the deal, Palestinian terrorists convicted of murder will be exiled to Turkey and Iran. Discussion is ongoing regarding the names and sentences of the Palestinian prisoners who will be freed as part of the deal. The deal being worked on would consist of three phases. The first phase, which would last 45 days, all Israeli civilians and female soldiers being held hostage in Gaza would be released and Israel’s troops would withdraw from the centre of cities, coastal roads, and an area along the Gaza-Egypt border. In addition, residents of northern Gaza would return to their homes. In the second phase, the remaining hostages would be freed, and the Israel would complete its withdrawal from Gaza. The third phase would be a permanent ceasefire and the end of the current war. Will it work out this time?

Wah Ustad!

This week Zakir Hussain Allarakha Qureshi the legendary tabla virtuoso and global ambassador of Indian classical music died, aged 73, in San Francisco, United States. His death was due to health complications. Besides being a percussionist, Zakir Hussain was a music composer, music producer, and film actor.

The tabla-a pair of drums used in Indian classical music-is historically viewed as an accompaniment to the main performance.

Think Tabla, and Zakir Hussain flashes across the mind with those trademark long curly locks of hair, which danced to his fingers that made music in the iconic Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea advertisement, of the 1980s. Taj Mahal Tea was a premium Indian tea brand launched in 1966.

The advertisement opens with Hussain seated against the backdrop of the beautiful Taj Mahal, effortlessly playing the tabla. Later, he sipped on a cup of Taj tea. When a voiceover praises him saying, “wah ustad, wah” (Wow Ustad – as skilled musician- Wow!) he responds, “Arre huzoor, wah Taj boliye!”( Come on-annoyingly- sir, praise the Taj). This exchange, though brief, became iconic, drumming itself in the collective memory of Indians. At a time when television was still a novelty in India, the advertisement resonated with viewers for its simple yet impactful message and Zakir’s humble charisma. The television commercial portrayed the perfection in playing the tabla as the result of hours of dedicated work, just like the work of a master tea blender. Wow indeed!

Zakir Hussain was the eldest son of tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi. Two of his brothers Taufiq Qureshi- a percussionist-and Fazal Qureshi-a tabla player-are also in Indian classical music. He spent his early days in Mumbai training, under his father; studied at St. Michael’s School Mahim, Mumbai; and graduated from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. He moved to the United States in 1970, where he lived and ‘played’, up to his death. And kept the long hippie locks!

Zakir Hussain was a child prodigy and collaborated with Indian classical icons like Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma and global musicians like John McLaughlin and George Harrison. His journey, from a child prodigy to an internationally celebrated percussionist, is a masterclass in balancing tradition and innovation.

Hussain played on George Harrison’s (lead guitarist of the famous Beatles) 1973 album ‘Living in the Material World’ and John Handy’s 1973 album ‘Hard Work’. He also performed on Van Morrison’s 1979 album ‘Into the Music’ and ‘Earth, Wind & Fire’s (an American Band) 1983 album ‘Powerlight’.

Hussain joined Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead(an American Rock Band) to create the special album ‘Planet Drum’, featuring drummers from different parts of the world including Vikku Vinayakram (known as the God of Ghatam) from India. The first Planet Drum album, released in 1991 and went on to win the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album – the first Grammy ever awarded in this category. In later years the same team came together to make the album ‘The Global Drum Project’, which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st Grammy Awards Ceremony in 2009.

Awards came by the beat to Zakir Hussain. He won a total of four Grammys over his career. India awarded him the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan besides the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for contributions to Hindustani Classical Music.

Hussain composed, performed, and acted as Indian music advisor for the Malayalam film ‘Vanaprastham’-a 1999 Cannes Film Festival entry, and won awards at the 2000 Istanbul International Film Festival, Turkey; 2000 Mumbai International Film Festival in India, and 2000 National Film Awards, India.

He has composed soundtracks for several movies, most notably ‘In Custody’ and ‘The Mystic Masseur’ by Ismail Merchant. And has played tabla on the soundtracks of Francis Coppola’s ‘Apocalypse Now’, Bernardo Bertolucci’s ‘Little Buddha’, among other films. He starred in several films specifically showcasing his musical performance both solo and with different bands, including the 1998 documentary ‘Zakir and His Friends’. Hussain co-starred as Inder Lal in the 1983 Merchant Ivory film ‘Heat and Dust’, for which he was an associate music director.

In 2016, Hussain was among many musicians invited by President Obama to the International Jazz Day 2016 All-Star Global Concert at the White House.

Eight years after Zakir Hussain moved to the US, he met, dated and married Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and teacher, who was also his Manager. They have two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. Anisa graduated from UCLA and is a film-maker. Isabella is studying dance in Manhattan. The story goes that Hussain married Antonia without telling his mother who had rigid views, and Hussain was the first to marry outside his community. But his father was there to marry him off. And took on the responsibility to explain to his mother to bring her on-board. In later years his mother met Antonia and grew to like her.

Hussain’s life revolved around rhythm from the very beginning. He leaves behind a timeless legacy that will inspire generations.

Top Gun Cruise

Tom Cruise, 62, was awarded the US Navy’s highest civilian honour for outstanding contributions to the military with his screen roles. The Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to Cruise during a ceremony this week at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey. Tom Cruise expressed his gratitude for the ‘extraordinary acknowledgement’.

Cruise happened to be around in the neighbourhood, working on his next film, ‘Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning’, due for release in May 2025.

Tom Cruise’s lead role as a young naval aviator. Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, a in the 1986 smash hit ‘Top Gun’ shot him into celebrity status, and the film’s record-breaking success spiked military enlistment. The Navy thanked the action hero, who it said had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform”. The movie Top Gun was so influential that the Navy even set up recruitment tables in theatres screening the movie.

Tom Cruise reprised his role as Lieutenant Pete Mitchell in the 2022 sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, which the Navy said ‘reinvigorated’ military interest from younger audiences.

The prestigious civilian honour was previously awarded to Academy Award winners Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for their work in the World War II movie ‘Saving Private Ryan’.

Cricket, Rain, and Ashwin

The Third India versus Australia Cricket Test Match played at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, had a third force trying to get in to bowl, bat, keep, and howl. Rain wrecked havoc throughout the match, and ultimately had the final say. The Test ended in a draw, which saw India struggling at one point way behind Australia. And defeat was staring down on them. Thanks to the rain, ‘they escaped jail’.

Then there was a fourth force, well actually an announcement. India’s ace spinner Ashwin Ravichandran, 38 called it quits and announced retirement from International Cricket. Ashwin is widely regarded as one of the greatest spinners of all time. He represented the national team that won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy-where he bowled the match-winning final over. He plays for Tamil Nadu and South Zone in domestic cricket and for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

First, some mind-boggling statistics.

Ashwin took 537 wickets in 106 tests with 37 five-wicket hauls; made 3,503 Test runs with six centuries and 14 half centuries. He Played 116 ODIs and took 156 wickets and 65 T20s with 72 wickets. He was the fastest bowler to reach 300 test wickets in terms of number of innings. He is one of the only three players to have scored 3,000 runs and taken 500 wickets in Tests. As of September 2024, he is the highest-ranked bowler in the ICC men’s player rankings and the highest rated Indian bowler ever in Test cricket.

He played as a right-arm off spin bowler and a handy lower order batsman. Ashwin started as an opening batsman but dropped down the order due to limited success and turned into an off-break bowler. He made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu in December 2006 and captained the team the following season. In 2011, Ashwin made his Test debut against the fiery West Indies and became the seventh Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul on debut.

He had greater success with the turning tracks in the Indian subcontinent. He won the ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year awards for 2016. He has been named five times to the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year and was named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Decade 2011–20. In 2015, he was awarded the Arjuna award by the Government of India.

In his bowling, Ashwin produces several variations and flights the ball, thereby giving it more chance to spin and dip on the batsman. In addition to his normal off-breaks, he produces an arm ball and the carrom ball, the latter of which he uses frequently in the shorter formats. In IPL 2013, he bowled leg-breaks and googly as well. He evolved his carrom ball from the soduku ball, a finger-flicked leg-break used in tennis ball cricket on the streets of Chennai. However, he refrains from bowling the doosra as it requires him to bend and straighten his arm, which he finds difficult to do.

Ashwin resides in Chennai Tamilnadu. He married his childhood sweet-heart, Prithi Narayanan in November 2011, and the couple have two daughters.

I get that creepy feeling that Ashwin has placed his himself above the country. He could have waited till the end of the India-Australia Test series to announce his retirement. His Dad said he was humiliated, but Ashwin quickly called for it to be ignored. Whatever, good luck to him.

India Melange

State

There was outrage in Tamil Nadu, which saw the funeral procession of a convicted terrorist S A Basha attended by a huge crowd, with 2000 to 5000 police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel being deployed in Coimbatore City! SA Basha was sentenced to life for the 1998 Coimbatore Bomb Blasts.

On 14 February 1998, bombs went off at 12 locations in Coimbatore city, just ahead of BJP leader LK Advani’s visit, killing 58 people and injuring another 200. Basha was found guilty by the Courts and was sentenced to life imprisonment along with 12 others in 2007. Fundamentalist organisations including the Al-Ummah founded by Basha, the All India Jihad Committee, and Islamic Defence Force, were all held responsible for the 1998 bombings.

Basha founded Al-Ummah after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on in December 1992. As ties between Muslims and Hindus in Coimbatore and elsewhere became increasingly strained, Al-Ummah was able to radicalise young Muslims.

Basha was granted parole recently for undergoing medical treatment for an illness and died when he failed to respond to treatment.

It was a shame to see political parties such as Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) an Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Seeman, alongside many Muslim and Kongu leaders vying with each other to ‘condole the death’. These parties has earlier demanded the release of those sentenced for the 1998 blasts.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the state government for granting permission to Basha’s funeral procession, accusing it of ‘minority appeasement’.

Centre

India’s Parliament is working its Winter Session and conducting business has become a heated job with the Opposition Parties shouting-down the Government and disrupting proceeding over finicky issues. The Government introduced the ambitious ‘One Nation One Election Bill’ and promptly sent it to a Parliament Committee for more discussions.

Journalist Tavleen Singh (who I follow on X) described a controversy over a supposed insult to Ambedkar-architect of India’s Constitution-as nothing to do with him, but a juvenile high jinx more suitable to a rowdy school yard.

Towards the end of the week it became bloody with the Leader of the Opposition – Rahul Gandhi-accused of pushing a senior BJP MP leading to this fall and admission to Hospital.

India’s Parliament is a place to watch when in session: guaranteed entertainment. They seem to discuss everything, except what matters for the country.

More top-gun stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Stay with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-24

About: the world this week, 9 June 2024 to 15 June 2024: Israel Rescues; EU Elections; G7 Meets; Terror in India’s J&K; India swears-in new governments; Kuwait fire tragedy; and the French Open Tennis concludes.

Everywhere

Israel’s Operation Arnon

In a heroic rescue mission in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Central Gaza, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) rescued 4 hostages who were kidnapped on 7 October 2023, by Hamas terrorists from southern Israel: Noa Argamani, age 26, Shlomi Ziv, 39, Almog Meir, 22, and Andrey Kozlov, 27. All four are now back and safe in Israel. The stupendous Rescue Operation was renamed ‘Operation Arnon’ after the IDF Officer who was killed during the rescue.

The hostages were held in two residential homes by local civilian families, in Nuseirat, where the IDF does not operate. It is called a camp, but in reality it’s a bustling town. The IDF special forces, YAMAM, entered the neighbourhood, which includes a large market, in civilian vehicles with Gazan registration numbers and raided both houses simultaneously. Meanwhile, the military created confusion by attacking other Hamas locations in the area. Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora was critically injured during the initial raid and later succumbed to his wounds. On the way out, the forces came under heavy rocket and machine gun fire from hundreds of terrorists who swarmed the roofs and streets of Nuseirat. A truck carrying three of the hostages was damaged and became stuck. To rescue the stranded forces, the IDF moved major forces into the market, including helicopters that came under enemy missile fire. The helicopter which rescued the stranded troops and hostages landed near the American pier in Gaza while the trucks, now with armoured escort, reached the sea and were taken back to Israel on more helicopters.

Over 270 Palestinians were killed during the rescue operation, which caused an instant outrage from the world. There are still over 120 hostages, in captivity for over 240 days, waiting to be rescued.

This operation was the third successful hostage rescue operation completed by the IDF since the start of the war, and without doubt the most spectacular one. One of the hostages, Chinese-Israeli Noa Argamani returned just in time for her father’s birthday.

European Union Elections

In the European Union (EU) elections, people in EU countries vote for Members to represent them in the European Parliament (MEPs). Elections take place in all 27 EU countries, every five years. The last elections were held in May 2019. This year, the Elections were held between 6th June and the 9th June. As the only EU institution directly elected by voters across 27 countries, it connects European citizens to the two other big institutions: the EU’s executive branch – the European Commission – and the European Council, which is made up of ministers from governments of EU member countries.

The European Parliament shapes the direction of EU laws and policies by making laws and deciding on international agreements, and the kind. It must endorse the EU’s annual budget, and it can ask the Commission to propose legislation.

MEPs do not sit in Parliament according to nationality. Most of them join ‘Political Groups’ that share similar political values and objectives. A Political Group must have at least 23 MEPs from seven EU countries. Members cannot belong to more than one Group; alternatively they may choose not to join any Group and remain ‘not-attached’.

With this year’s Election results out, the ground beneath the feet of EU leaders has shifted after voting across the EU delivered a clear turn to the right, shaking up governments in member states and leaving mainstream groups at a crossroads.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen claimed victory after her centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) won the most seats of any single group-190 seats out of 720 – tightening its influence in the European Parliament.

Traditionally, the two biggest Groups are the centre-right EPP and the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)- who won 136 seats. But other groups have become increasingly significant, such as the Renew Europe Group with 80 seats, the European Conservatives, and Reformists Group with 76 seats. Until now, the centre-right has tended to work together with the centre-left but the EPP will come under pressure to seek new allies.

Far-right parties having rattled the traditional powers in the European Union, dealing an especially humiliating defeat to French President Emmanuel Macron. Undoubtedly, the star on a stunning electoral night was the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen, which dominated the French polls to such an extent that Macron immediately dissolved the France’s national parliament and called for snap elections. It was a massive political risk since his party could suffer more losses, hobbling the rest of his presidential term that ends in 2027. Le Pen was delighted to accept the challenge. “We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration,” she said, echoing the rallying cry of so many far-right leaders in other countries who were celebrating substantial wins.

With the EU palpably shifting to the right, Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni more than doubled her seats in the EU Parliament.

The move to the right could put the brakes on plans for new climate and sustainability laws and influence social or economic legislation. The EU’s strong backing for financial and military aid for Ukraine could also be affected.

The Group of Seven

Italy is hosting the annual summit of leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies from 13 June to 15 June. The summit is being held in Borgo Egnazia in the southern region of Puglia – a luxury hotel with a Michelin starred restaurant tucked inside.

The G7 comprises the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The European Union participates in all discussions-represented by the Presidents of both the European Council and the European Commission.

The host country traditionally invites ‘outside guests’ to join some of the sessions. This year, Italy welcomes Pope Francis, the King of Jordan, leaders of Ukraine, India, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Mauritania – which holds the presidency of the African Union.

This Thursday, the G7 agreed on an outline deal to provide USD 50 billion of loans for Ukraine using interest from Russian sovereign assets frozen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in 2022. This was the centrepiece of the opening day and was attended, for a second successive year, by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He signed a new, long-term security accord with US President Joe Biden after signing a 10-year security accord with Japan, which promised to provide Ukraine with USD 4.5 billion this year -underlining continued strong backing from the West.

Calling the frozen asset agreement a ‘significant outcome’, Joe Biden said it was “another reminder to Russian President Vladimir Putin that we’re not backing down”. The G7 plan for Ukraine is based on a multi-year loan using profits from some USD 300 billion of impounded Russian funds, the bulk of which are blocked in the EU.

The G7 may have a very different complexion next year. Biden faces an uphill battle to win re-election in November, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak looks certain to lose power in a national election next month, while French President Macron dissolved his country’s parliament on Sunday after his party was trounced in the European vote.

However, the display of unity was undermined late in the day, when Macron clashed with the anti-abortion Meloni over a push by Italy to remove any direct reference to abortion rights in the final communique.

The ‘outside guests’ will join the discussions on Friday. Pope Francis is due to speak about the risks and potential of Artificial Intelligence.

India: All Eyes on Reasi

India’s Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) State is returning to peace, for sure, but the sporadic acts of Islamic terror is worrisome and seems to be on an upward trend, especially during Hindu pilgrimages. It’s a tails-up situation for India and perhaps some kind of deadly action is required to prevent further acts of terror.

On 9th June several unidentified terrorists opened fire on a 53-seater Yatri passenger bus carrying Hindu pilgrims from the Shiv Khori cave to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra, Reasi, in J&K, causing it to lose control and plummet into a deep gorge. Nine people were killed and 41 were injured. The ambush, by armed terrorists firing between 25 and 30 gunshots indiscriminately, happened at about 6pm in Teryath village. The driver was struck by gunfire leading to the loss of control. Even after the bus fell into the gorge, the firing continued. Ten people, including a two-year-old and a 14-year-old, were killed and 33 were injured. The victims were from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. At least ten victims had gunshot wounds and empty cartridges were recovered at the scene. The ambush happened about an hour before Narendra Modi took the oath as Prime Minister for a third term.

Two days later, the J&K Police released a sketch of a terrorist involved in the ambush and announced a INR 20 lakh reward for information leading to his capture.

India’s New Governments: Centre & State

India’s new ‘coalition’ Government was inaugurated on the 11th June with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking oath of office along with his cabinet colleagues. Also during the week, new Governments in the States of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha began work.

N Chandrababu Naidu took oath as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time. Despite having a majority on his own, he gave away the Deputy Chief Minister Post to Pawan Kalyan, the founder of the Jana Sena Party. His is an interesting story.

Pawan Kalyan is an Actor, primarily working in Telugu cinema, known for his unique acting style and mannerisms. He has a large fan base, a cult following, and is one of the highest-paid actors of Indian cinema. Kalyan has been featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list multiple times since 2013. He is a black belt in Karate and trains in various martial arts, which he depicts in his films regularly. Kalyan is referred to as Power Star by his fans and in the media. He is the founder of the charity, Common Man Protection Force.

Pawan Kalyan entered politics as the youth wing president of his brother, Actor Chiranjeevi’s political venture, Praja Rajyam Party, but he left after it merged into the Congress party. He founded the Jana Sena Party in March 2014.

The Jana Sena Party has contested 140 constituencies in the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections. Kalyan has contested two constituencies and lost in both to candidates from YSR Congress Party. His party was able to win from only one seat – the first ever in an election.

The Jana Sena Party contested 21 constituencies in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, with Kalyan himself contesting in Pithapuram constituency. He won by a margin of more than 70,000 votes; Jana Sena Party won in all the contested 21 constituencies and 2 Lok Sabha seats.

In the state of Odisha, four-time MLA and tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi, 52, was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of the State in Bhubaneswar. Outgoing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, 77, who ruled from March 2000 to June 2024, showed up for the ceremony, in a fabulous gesture of smooth transition of power. He was one of the longest serving Chief Ministers in India’s history.

Kuwait Fire Tragedy

This week 49 people, 45 of who were Indians, were killed in a fire tragedy in Kuwait’s Mangaf area. About 50 sustained injuries. The Indians who died were mostly from the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. The others were Pakistanis, Filipinos, Egyptian, and Nepali workers.

The fire originated in a kitchen of a building, housing 195 migrant workers employed by NBTC Group-an engineering and construction firm. The majority of fatalities were caused by smoke inhalation. Some died after jumping from the building, which was on fire. 93 people managed to escape unharmed. Kuwait’s Fire Force has determined that an electrical short circuit was the cause of the fire.

The NBTC Group is partly owned by an Indian, KG Abraham, 69, who is the Managing Director. Established in 1977, the company operates in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Incidentally KG Abraham co-produced a film called ‘Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life ’ that depicted the challenges faced by a worker from Kerala in Saudi Arabia. KGA is also the founder and Chairman of the KGA Group a company that deals in engineering goods manufacturing and exporting. He also owns the Crowne Plaza, a five-star Hotel in Kochi.

The fire is the worst ever Building fire in Kuwait’s history and threw the spotlight on poor safety standards. Calls was made for action on landlords and company owners who violate the law to house large numbers of foreign labourers in extremely unsafe conditions, to cut costs.

The fire is the second largest fire disaster in Kuwait in terms of the death toll. In August 2009 a woman, angry over her husband getting married a second time, had set fire to a wedding tent killing 56 women and children.

Later in the week, the bodies of the 45 Indians were brought back to Kochi, India, by a special Indian Air Force plane and handed over to the families for final rites.

French Open Tennis

The 2024 French Open is a Grand Slam tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It was held at the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, France, from 26 May to 9 June 2024,

The men’s singles title was won by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final to lift his third Grand Slam title. He also became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam across three different surfaces.

World No 1, Poland’s Iga Natalia Swiatek successfully defended her women’s singles title by defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the final. It was her fifth Grand Slam title and her third consecutive French Open trophy.

Iga Swiatek only recently turned 23 years of age. She hails from Poland that had never produced a singles Grand Slam Champion – until she came along. Young by many standards, and improbable by some others, every vintage of the Polish juggernaut’s tennis is somehow better than the previous. In the finals last Saturday, Swiatek’s dominance bubbled over as she powered past Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, 6-2, 6-1 to become the first woman to win three consecutive women’s singles titles since Justine Henin in 2007.

With the victory, Swiatek becomes the youngest player in history to claim four Roland-Garros women’s singles titles (the only player to do it before turning 25), and the sixth youngest woman in history to claim five Grand Slam singles titles. In 2020, Swiatek won her maiden title in Paris, becoming the lowest-ranked champion in Open era history (at No.54 in the rankings) and the youngest champion since Monica Seles since 1992. Four years later, she continues her reign as the world’s top player – and most formidable on the Parisian clay – by notching her 21st consecutive victory at Roland-Garros. That’s formidable!

More interesting stories playing in the weeks ahead. Watch the world with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2023-12

About-the world this week, 19 March to 25 March 2023: Sikhism and Khalistan, an Indian Member of Parliament is disqualified, and it’s not all right to be Gay in Uganda.

Everywhere

India: Sikhism and Khalistan

Sikhism is a religion, which developed from the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak who lived between the years 1469 and 1539. He is the founder, the faith’s first Guru, and was followed by nine Sikh Gurus. Guru means a spiritual and intellectual Teacher. The Tenth Guru, Gobind Singh who steered Sikhism between the years 1666 and 1708 named the Sikh Scripture called the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ as his successor. This brought to an end the line of human gurus and established the Scripture as the Eleventh and the last eternally living Guru-a religious, life-guide for Sikhs.

Guru Nanak preached a new concept of God as, supreme, all powerful, truthful, formless, fearless, without hate, the sole, the self-existent, the incomprehensible and everlasting creator of all things. He taught people that the ‘One God’ dwells in every one of his creations, and that all human beings can have direct access to God without the need of any rituals or priests. Setting up a unique spiritual, social and political platform based on equality and fraternal love. He rejected the path of renunciation, laying emphasis on family life.

The Guru Granth Sahib opens with the ‘Mul Mantar’, a fundamental prayer about one God. The core beliefs of Sikhism, articulated in the Scriptures, include faith and meditation in the name of the one creator; divine unity and equality of all humankind; engaging in selfless service; striving for justice for the benefit and prosperity of all; and honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder’s (family) life. Sikhism rejects claims that any particular religious tradition has a monopoly on absolute truth. Sikhism also emphasises the remembrance of the teachings of the Gurus, which can be expressed musically through ‘kirtan’, or internally through ‘naam japna’ -meditation on God’s name- as a means to feel God’s presence. It teaches followers to transform the ‘five thieves’, lust, rage, greed, attachment, and ego to achieve ‘wealth’ in life.

The Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, initiated the ‘Khalsa’ (pure) tradition, which refers to the community that considers Sikhism as its faith, as well as a special group of initiated Sikhs. Upon initiation, a Khalsa Sikh is given the titles of Singh (male), meaning lion, and Kaur (female), meaning princess, and is sworn to a behavioural code of conduct of the Sikh faith.

Guru Gobind also introduced the ‘Five Ks’ in Sikhism, which he commanded Khalsa Sikhs to wear at all times. They are: Kesh – unshorn hair and beard as a respect for the perfection of God’s creation; Kangha – a comb for the Kesh, usually wooden, to comb the Kesh twice a day; Kara – a bracelet, usually made of iron or steel as a constant reminder that whatever a person does with their hands has to be in keeping with the advice of the Gurus and to symbolise God as never-ending; Kachera -an undergarment, short breeches, with a tie-knot, to be quickly ready for defence or battle; and Kirpan- a small curved sword of any size, shape or metal, used to defend others. The Kesh was to be contained in a Turban, to clearly and quickly identify Sikhs, among other symbols.

The City of Amritsar in Punjab occupies a significant position in Sikhism, with it being, not only home to hundreds of thousands of Sikhs but also the chief pilgrimage destination for Sikhs living elsewhere in India and abroad. The principal focus for pilgrims is the Golden Temple and its complex of several adjacent buildings located around a central tank. Situated on the west side, facing the causeway to the temple, is the Akal Takht, the chief centre of authority of Sikhism and the headquarters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Supreme Akali Party), the main political party of the Sikhs in Punjab.

Sikhs have been living predominantly in the Punjab region of India. Before its conquest by the British, the region around Punjab had been ruled by a confederacy of Sikh Misls – Cavalry based armies – founded by Banda Bahadur. The Misls ruled over the entire Punjab from 1767 to 1799, until their confederacy was unified into the Sikh Empire by Maharajah Ranjit Singh from 1799 to 1849.

At the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, the Sikh Empire dissolved into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab. ‘Religion-nationalist’ movements emerged in response to British ‘divide and rule’ administrative policies to counter religious conversions and a general belief that the solution to the downfall among India’s religious communities was a grassroots religious revival.

The Akali movement was started in 1920 by the Central Sikh League’s political wing, the Akali Dal, which was founded in Amritsar in December 1920. The term Akali derives from the word Akal (timeless or immortal) used in the Sikh scriptures. The movement was named after the Akalis, a Khalsa militant order from the time of Guru Gobind Singh which had risen to prominence under Akali Phula Singh, one of the commanders of the Sikh Empire.

The Akali movement, also called the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was a campaign to bring reform in the Gurdwaras (the Sikh places of worship) in India during the early 1920s. It led to the introduction of the Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The Akali Dal assists the SGPC.

As the British Empire began to weaken in the 1930s, Sikhs made their first call for a Sikh homeland, called Khalistan (land of the pure). The Khalistan movement was started as a separatist movement seeking to establish a sovereign state of Khalistan in the Punjab region. The proposed state would consist of the territory which currently encompasses Punjab in India, and Punjab in Pakistan, with Lahore as its capital.

Meanwhile India was set to be partitioned on religious lines as Hindu and Muslim States.

During the pre-partition talks in the Lahore Resolution of the Muslim League one of the demands was that Punjab be made into a Muslim state, which the Akalis viewed as an attempt to usurp a historically Sikh territory. In response, the Sikh party Shiromani Akali Dal argued for a community that was separate from Hindus and Muslims. The Akali Dal imagined Khalistan as a theocratic state led by the Maharaja of Patiala with the aid of a cabinet consisting of the representatives of other units.

Following the independence of India from British Rule in 1947, the Punjabi Suba movement, led by the Akali Dal, sought the creation of a province (Suba) for Punjabi people. The Akali Dal’s maximal position of demands was a sovereign state-Khalistan-while its minimal position was to have an autonomous state within India.

As the religion-based partition of India led to much bloodshed, the Indian government initially rejected the demand, concerned that creating a Punjabi-majority state would effectively mean yet again creating a state based on religious grounds. However, later India was divided into States, for administrative purposes, mostly on a linguistic basis. And Punjab (as partitioned between India and Pakistan) became a State in India.

Ever since the movement gathered force in the 1980s, the territorial ambitions of Khalistan have at times included Chandigarh; sections of North India, including the whole of Indian Punjab; and some parts of the western states of India.

In 1940, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in a pamphlet titled ‘Khalistan’. With financial and political support of the Sikh diaspora, the movement flourished in the India’s Punjab, continuing through the 1970s and 1980s, and reaching its zenith in the late 1980s. This period also saw the rise of militant-minded Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a leading figure of the Khalistan movement.

With the Shiromani Akali Dal failing to win respectable seats in Elections to the State and Central Legislatures it came up with a list of demands called, ‘The Anandpur Sahib Resolution’ in 1973 to improve its prospects and galvanise the Sikhs. The resolution declared its goal was to establish a State for Sikhs with quasi-independent status, leaving only the powers of Foreign Relations, Defense, Currency and General Communications subject to the jurisdiction of the Central Government. The then Prime Minister (PM) of India, Indira Gandhi, viewed the Anandpur Sahib Resolution as a secessionist document and refused to accept it.

The Anandpur Sahib Resolution reached prominence in the 1980s when the Akali Dal and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale joined hands to launch the Dharam Yudh Morcha in 1982 in order to implement the Resolution. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands. This included a larger share of water for irrigation, the return of Chandigarh to Punjab, which was shared with Haryana State, and of course, the idea of a Sikh Homeland. The movement turned militant and Punjab went into turmoil with terrorism becoming the order of the day.

In 1982, Bhindranwale and his militant cadres occupied the Golden Temple complex and made it his headquarters and later fortified the Akal Takht. During this time Bhindranwale ruthlessly killed many of this opponents including a former Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Pratap Singh. The killings were brutal to inspire terror such as chopping off the breasts of a female opponent named Baljit Kaur. Bhindranwale went on to establish what amounted to a ‘parallel government’ in Punjab settling cases and resolving disputes, while conducting his campaign for Khalistan.

With Bhindranwale growing to become a menace, in June 1984, PM Indira Gandhi ordered Operation Blue Star, which was carried out by the Indian Army to flush out Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the Golden Temple Complex. This resulted in hundreds to thousands of deaths including that of Bhindranwale. And the crackdown on militancy in Punjab brought back a semblance of peace in the State.

Then in 1984 PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh Bodyguards in a revenge action, which led to riots targeting Sikhs in northern India for being responsible for the killing.

In the 1990s, the insurgency petered out, and the movement failed to reach its objective for multiple reasons including a heavy police crackdown on separatists, factional infighting, and disillusionment from the Sikh population.

Now enter the year 2022 and 2023.

Amritpal Singh, 30 a self-styled Sikh preacher and separatist began reviving the idea of Khalistan in Punjab state, which has stoked fears of violence and brought back painful memories of a bloody insurgency that killed thousands. He was relatively unknown until the death of actor and activist Deep Sidhu in 2022.

Sidhu backed the country’s year-long farmer’s movement and founded Waris Punjab De-a group established to protect Sikh rights.

Waris Punjab De mobilised farmers and activists – many of whom were Sikh – against the Government of India’s attempt to modernize the country’s agricultural sector with the introduction of new Farm Laws, Farmers feared the changes would push prices lower. In a rare retreat, the laws were repealed in November 2021. But the Waris Punjab De continued its campaign to protect the Sikh religion and Punjab’s culture.

Sidhu was killed in a car crash in February 2022 and Amritpal Singh took over the reins, leading marches and giving impassioned – often provocative – speeches, building a large following and gaining popularity.

The popularity proabably went to his head and about a month ago he stormed a police station in Punjab along with his gun and sword-wielding gang of supporters to release an imprisoned fellow follower. They shouted pro-Khalistan separitist slogans and Amritpal Singh said he does not accept India as a nation. He likened himself to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The police quietly watched him whisk away his devotee.

Then the Police ‘found their guns’ and piled up charges on him for attempted murder, obstruction of law enforcement and creating disharmony in society.

Early this week, Punjab Police and central agencies launched a massive crackdown on Amritpal Singh and over 110 of his associates were arrested. However, he is still on the run. Internet was suspended in Punjab for a few days. Police say that Singh was in contact with the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence(ISI) and received funds from Pakistan. Furthermore, Singh was creating a private army in the guise of an anti-drug drive and de-addiction centre.

Following the crackdown, official Indian Government establishments in London and San Francisco were attacked. Singh’s supporters vandalised the Embassies, tearing down the Indian flag and replacing it with the Khalistan Flag.

The Khalistan movement is outlawed in India and considered a grave national security threat by the government – a number of groups associated with the movement are listed as ‘terrorist organizations’ under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. But it continues to evoke a level of sympathy from some Sikhs, particularly in Canada, United Kingdom and Australia, which is home to sizeable Sikh communities, many of whom fled Punjab following independence in search of better economic opportunities. A small but influential number of those Sikhs support the idea of Khalistan, with referendums periodically held to reach a consensus to establish a separate homeland within India.

Rahul Gandhi

Late this week a Court in India’s Gujarat State, convicted Rahul Gandhi, a Member of Parliament representing Wayanad in the state of Kerala, and a leader of India’s grand old party – The Congress- for his comments in an Election Rally about PM Narendra Modi’s surname. He was found guilty of criminal defamation and handed down a two-year jail sentence. However, the same Court allowed him a 30-days bail, suspending ‘only the jail sentence’, to allow him to make an appeal. Rahul was present in Court to ‘receive the award’!

In the year 2019, during an Election rally in Karnataka State’s Kolar, Rahul Gandhi said, “Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?” In his speech, he went on to name fugitive Indian diamond tycoon Nirav Modi, banned Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi, and PM Narendra Modi.

The case against Rahul Gandhi was brought by Purnesh Modi a former Bharatiya Janata Party Minister in Gujarat State, on the premise that ‘Modi’ being an Other Backward Class (OBC) Community, Rahul has insulted and defamed the entire community by comparing them with thieves. Modi is a common last name for many in Gujarat.

Following the conviction Rahul Gandhi was (automatically) disqualified from his Lok Sabha membership. This was based on a 2013 Supreme Court order, which decreed that a lawmaker convicted in a crime and sentenced to two or more years in jail stands disqualified from the Parliament with immediate effect.

This is a fabulous case of democracy working in India and the Law of the Land taking its course.

Uganda

People who identify as gay in Uganda risk life in prison after parliament passed a new bill to crack down on homosexual activities. It also includes the death penalty in certain cases.

The debate around the bill had led to fear of more attacks on gay people and blackmail. People were receiving calls on the lines of, “if you don’t give me money, I will report that you are gay”.

The bill is one of the toughest pieces of anti-gay legislation in Africa. Homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda but this bill introduces many new criminal offences.

Amnesty International has called the bill, which criminalises same-sex between consenting adults, appalling, ambiguous, and vaguely worded. It has also been condemned by both United States and the United Kingdom.

The bill will now go to President Yoweri Museveni who can choose to use his veto to overturn the bill or sign it into law. He has himself made several anti-gay comments, in recent weeks, and also criticised Western countries for putting pressure on Uganda over the issue.

Same-sex relations are banned in about 30 African countries, where many people uphold conservative religious and social values.

More homeland stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Stay with World Inthavaaram. Fight another day.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2023-08

About-the world this week, 19 February to 25 February 2023: The US in Ukraine; a melting Thwaite Glacier; a canal dry Venice; Israel’s Supreme Court; Trains and Tunnels; Canada’s Super Pigs; Two leaves, and a Bow & Arrow; and Japan’s roll with an iron Ball.

Everywhere

This week United States (US) President Joe Biden made a surprise dash to Ukraine to walk with President Zelensky on the streets of Kyiv, hear the air-raid alarms, deliver bear-hugs, show solidarity, and announce additional support and aid. That should be morale boosting for Ukraine. This is Biden’s first visit since Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago and it comes almost on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of 24th February. Biden said the US would stand with Ukraine ‘for as long as it takes’ and praised the heroic fight-back. He then went on for a three-day visit to neighbouring Poland, where he declared that Russia will never be able to capture Ukraine.

Meanwhile, European Union (EU) foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss how to make sure Ukrainian forces are supplied with enough ammunition to keep the war going.

And in Russia, President Vladimir Putin made his state of the union address, where he recycled the same lines about his rationale for invading Ukraine; and he outlined no vision of how the so-called ‘special military operation’ he launched might end. But Putin did offer at least one headline, announcing that Russia is suspending its participation in the ‘New START’ (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), the US-Russia bilateral agreement on nuclear arms reduction. Putin repeated the same baseless claim that Russia had no choice but to use force against Ukraine. And he doubled down on blaming the West for the conflict. “I want to repeat: it was they who unleashed the war,” Putin said. “And we used and continue to use force to stop it.” Wow, what an inventive, foggy reason!

Doomsday could arrive sometime in the future and Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, also nicknamed the ‘Doomsday Glacier’, may drown many parts of the World on a probably irreversible path. Over the years, this unusually broad and vast Glacier, about the size of Great Britain, alone has contributed to 4% rise in global sea levels. Thwaites is melting rapidly and all the Oceans being connected, a full melt-down could result in a 1 to 3 metre rise in sea levels all across the World.

Presently a floating ice-shelf called the Thwaites Ice-Shelf braces and restrains the eastern portion of the Thwaites Glacier. In recent years, this ice sheet has been steadily disintegrating and Scientists predicated that it is likely to collapse within a decade from 2021. The Thwaites Glacier itself acts a natural dam for enormous ice lakes sitting behind it. They will slide down the mild slopes of continental Antarctica and into the sea once Thwaites collapses.

The Glacier is named after Fredrik T Thwaites, a glacial geologist and Professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

What would be the effects? Think, major cities such as New York, Miami, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Tokyo would be inundated. And low-lying Island nations such as Maldives (Indian Ocean), Kiribati (Central Pacific Ocean) and Tuvalu (South Pacific) may be swallowed up.What can we do? Some have suggested building of underwater walls with robots, and others have suggested enormous cooling tunnels under the ice to cool the slightly warmer water beneath the Glacier, which chips away at the ice.

Whatever, the impacts of melting glaciers can always be mitigated depending on how we humans respond in the coming decades. And there is no reason to panic. Maybe we should never use the word ‘Doomsday Glacier’ as it gives the inaccurate impression of something inevitable?

Meanwhile, in yonder Italy, the City of Venice would certainly do with lots of water. Its iconic canals are running dry, making it impossible for the city’s famous gondolas and water taxis to navigate the waterways.

This follows weeks of dry winter weather with the Alps having received less than normal snowfall. A combination of factors are to blame, including lack of rain and unusual low sea tides.

Imagine, Venice built on over 100 islands and crisscrossed by 177 canals, which was once at the risk of drowning, is now starving for water!

Israel has a problem. It’s about judicial reforms which aim to overhaul the country’s legal system. Its Supreme Court (SC) has remained supreme, may be too supreme and the Government brought in reforms to curb a ‘dictatorial streak’. The changes would limit the SC’s power to rule against the legislature and the executive, giving the Israeli Parliament – Knesset- the power to override the SC decisions with a simple majority of 61 votes out of the 120 seat Knesset. Another change proposes to do away with the SC’s authority to review the legality of Israel’s Basic Laws, which function as the country’s constitution.

Supporters agree with the changes. Opponents think it would threaten’s Israel’s democratic nature and may lead to majoritarian rule. People are out on the streets to protest the changes. Others say there is more than meets the eye, and the conflict is not about the role of judges; rather it is over different visions of Israel. May the best vision win?

We have often heard of stories of tunnels being made and to speed up the process -the digging erroneously begins are the two ends. And how they fail to connect due to a wrong alignment – and you either find a way to connect them, abandon them, or get two tunnels.

Now leaving the tunnel alone, there is a story in Spain of how new commuter trains were ordered that could not fit the non-standard tunnels in the northern regions of Spain’s Asturias and Cantabria. However, the mistake was spotted before the trains could be actually pushed into production.

Spain’s Rail Operator Renfe ordered the trains in 2020, but the following year the Manufacturer realised that the dimensions it had been given for the trains were inaccurate and ‘on a hunch’, stopped work.

The rail network in northern Spain was built in the 19th Century and has tunnels under the mountainous landscape that do not match standard modern tunnel dimensions.

The Government launched a joint investigation to find out how the error could have happened and fired a Renfe manager, and the head of track technology, over the blunder. The botched order cost nearly USD 275 million.

Looks like it’s the season of ambitious wide-bodied thinking failing to fit into our straight-jacket world.

Farmers in Canada wanted to breed large-bodied pigs that are far more resistant to cold so that they are able to survive and reproduce at temperatures that would have killed off other types of livestock. Hence, they came-up with and made a new hybrid species –The Canadian Super Pig-by mating domestic pigs and wild boars. Though they initially lived in captivity, a decline in the market for Pigs and Boars led to many of them being freed.

A group of these Super Pigs are now travelling down from Canada to the Northern US and pose a serious threat to native wildlife and humans alike, by spreading disease, and gobbling up crops. These Super Pigs are considered to be incredibly intelligent, learning as they eat and find their way around new places. The fear is that these pigs, swine, hogs, boars – whichever name you give them – these omnivores are poised to wreak havoc on the environment in both Canada and the United States.

In India, two State level political parties have been fighting over control of their parties after the death of their respective charismatic leaders and after a few years of ruling the State in their light and shine.

In the first, in the Western State of Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena founded by Bal Thackeray saw the majority of the party led by Eknath Shinde break away from the family-faction led by the son Uddhav Thackeray. And collaborate with the Bharathiya Janata Party (BJP) to form a Government, with Eknath Shinde becoming the Chief Minister. This week India’s Election Commission (EC) ruled that the faction led by Eknath Shinde is the real Shiv Sena and awarded it the Party Symbol – Bow & Arrow – and associated Offices. The decision was challenged in the the Supreme Court of India, but the Court sided with the EC’s decision. Later, the Election Commission awarded a ‘Cone Ice-cream’ Symbol to what was left of Uddhav’s party, which was anyway melting away into oblivion.

In the second, in the Southern State of Tamil Nadu, following the death of Supremo Jayalalithaa, two leaders Ottakarathevar Pannerselvam (OPS) and Edappadi Karuppa Gounder Palaniswami (EPS) teamed-up staying true to the ‘Two Leaves’ Symbol of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). And ruled as Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister respectively for a while, only to lose the last Assembly Elections to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). But the EPS led AIADMK gave a decent fight, and he went on to become the Opposition Leader. Then the bickering and fighting began and the dual-leadership model broke down, and it became awfully tough for the two leaves to stay on the same stem. Single Leadership seemed to be the best option to take on the ruling DMK and the growing-by-leaps-and-bounds BJP. After many a run to high and higher courts with, you-lose-some, I-win-some games, this week the SC ruled that bye-laws brought-in to make EPS the single leader are legal. This makes the way for EPS to be formally elected General Secretary and undisputed Leader of the AIADMK, graduating from being the ‘interim’ General Secretary.

Parties should choose symbols carefully: A bow cannot wait to dispatch an arrow. And two leaves on a stem cannot stem the growth of more leaves!

Oh Buoy!

This week Japan was rattled when a rusty metal sphere, about 1.5 metres wide, washed up on a beach in Hamamatsu. Could it be a Godzilla egg (the effect of watching too many movies), a Dragon Ball, something from outer space, a spy ball… a mooring buoy? This was in the background of the Chinese spy balloon saga, and a hostile North Korea pumping test missiles into the Sea of Japan.

The area was cordoned off and by the Police and even a bomb squad was sent to check out the object. Then it was X-rayed, declared safe and picked-up for disposal.

Turns out it was a hollow sphere, a steel mooring buoy, used to carry instruments or act as floating markers. The buoys can break free from their anchorage in the sea, either in a violent storm or from being pulled by a big fishing vessel. The objects can float in the ocean for decades, and can lose their markings and get rusty when they wash ashore.

Many Japanese were embarrassed that they could not recognise a buoy in a sea of thoughts.

More fighting, melting, wide-bodied stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Stay buoyed-up and afloat with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2022-25

About: the world this week, 19 June to 25 June 2022; edge-of-seat, pot-boiler politics in India’s States; Afghanistan shakes; Election results in France, Colombia, and Israel; and a new President-in-the-works for India.

Everywhere

During this week, the International Day of Yoga was celebrated with gusto, with the ‘all walks of life celebrities’ piously seated on a Yoga mat, twisting, turning, and bending backwards and forwards, showing-off their precious moves, highlighting the benefits of the wonderful practice. However, in the Maldives, Islamist protesters stormed and disrupted a yoga event organised by the Indian High Commission in the capital Male. The protesters also brandished placards proclaiming that yoga was against the tenets of Islam. That’s twisting things too far!

Meanwhile, a friend whose Company supplied the T-Shirts to the United Nations for the yoga twists & turns, snaked into my Home to invite me to his son’s Wedding. A fortune-teller had warned that if his son is not cooly ‘married off’ within the year he may face the heat of a marriage draught lasting at least six years – women melting away-blame it on climate change. He googled, quickly latched onto a bride, got his son to nod in agreement – the son was bewildered to discover that she was a childhood bench mate- and fixed the Wedding for August this year. ‘Fortune’ favours the brave!

Moving over: in France, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party lost majority in Parliament, two months after he fought hard to comeback as President. Now, he has to find a way to create alliances and constantly scratch-up the support of other parties to get work done. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and former opponent called the election results a ‘seismic event, while Macron’s own party called it a ‘democratic shock.’

On Sunday, Colombia elected its first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement. He won more than 50% of the vote, beating a prominent businessman. Gustavo has promised to stop new oil exploration and to raise taxes on the rich. His running mate, Francia Marquez, also snagged a first. An environmental activist and single mother, she will serve as the country’s first black vice-president.

Meanwhile, Israel may get a new Prime Minister as the country is headed toward its fifth election in four years after announcing plans to dissolve parliament. Israel has a way with its Elections!

In Ukraine the fighting continues in the eastern part and the situation is described as extremely difficult. Russia has been using its superior artillery strength to make gains. On the ‘good news side’ the war-torn country has been approved as a European Union (EU) Candidate at a EU Leaders’ summit in Brussels. Ukraine applied days after the Russian invasion, and the process has since moved at a record speed. Ukraine’s President Zelensky called it a ‘unique and historic moment’. Candidate status is the first official step towards EU membership – but it can take many years to join and there’s no guarantee of success. So near yet so far?

Late this week in the United States of America (USA) its Supreme Court overturned the 50 years old Roe versus Wade Case that legalised abortion rights, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion in the USA. This is a death blow to woman’s freedom. And a huge step backwards. More on this, next week.

Afghanistan Shakes

The horror in Afghanistan refuses to abate. The Taliban shook it like never before and then nature too joined the shake.

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 ‘moment magnitude’ killed about a 1000 people and left thousands injured in Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktika provinces. The earthquake’s tremors were felt over 500 kilometers by people across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Mountainous Afghanistan and the larger region of South Asia along the Hindu Kush mountains has long been vulnerable to devastating earthquakes with a similar incident, but of lesser damage, happening in 2015.

India’s Maharashtra State: A Quiver-full of Arrows

In the Maharashtra State Assembly Elections held in the year 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 122 seats in the 288 seated Assembly and came to power entering into a relationship with the Shiv Sena (SHS), which itself won 63 seats. Previously, the highest the BJP could muster in Maharashtra was 46 seats. BJP’s handsome leader Devendra Fadnavis became Chief Minister, enjoyed a ‘relationship honeymoon’, and went on to successfully complete his term.

Building on the snug togetherness, the BJP & SHS decided to take their relationship to the next level – love each other, mind the distance, and probably get married in the next Legislative Assembly Election, which was held on 21 October 2019. After a 61.4% turnout in the election, the ruling BJP and SHS pre-poll alliance won a majority with 106 and 55 seats respectively, on Wedding Day. However, the first night (and day) probably wasn’t good as the just-married couple started squabbling over dowry. The SHS said it was promised an equal share – Chief Ministership for half the term – which was quickly denied by the New Delhi uncles of the BJP saying nothing of the sort was agreed upon. A political drama then kicked-in. The SHS walked-out of the marriage and the BJP, desperately hunted for a coy-bride in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to fill the gap, and found one. This barely lasted three days-could not be consummated-and the new Bride was disowned by her parents – the NCP. The coy Bride returned to her parent’s home and the SHS groomed themselves for a live-in relationship with the NCP’s 53 and the Congress Party’s 44 members, forming the government called the Maha Vikas Aghadi Government (MVA) with their support.

The Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray went on to become Chief Minister without himself having contested the Elections, but later qualified, by becoming a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). That’s the first part of the story. Now, the second part, where a wronged and ditched groom gets his revenge?

This week the Shiv Sena live-in began to fail with MLAs (Member of Legislative Assembly) of the SHS probably realising they are living in sin. A major chunk lead by Eknath Shinde – nobody heard of him much, before this – broke away, probably emboldened by the come-hither, stunning looks of the BJP. Nobody knows for sure. They caught a flight to the State of Gujarat and from there, a flood of MLA’s – near about 40 of them – flew to Guwahati in the State of Assam, which was suffering one of its worst ever floods caused by incessant rain. This is obviously to prevent ‘political poaching’ – a hunting game-theory Indian Politicians specialise in.

That’s a rebellion in a party founded and run by family members where the family is left behind and the members have stolen the party, possibly beating the Anti-Defection Law which says tow-thirds breaking away is acceptable.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray vacated his official Bungalow and moved to his family home, suitcases, et all. The Government is back on the drawing board.The third and probably the final part of the story is expected to unfold in the upcoming week. The Shiv Sena’s logo is a bow and arrow and Party name itself means, ‘Shivaji’s Army’. They will need all of that, and much more, to stay relevant.

… And Tamilnadu: Two Leaves Leaving

Not to be left behind and catching the whiff of things, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which is the main Opposition Party in the Southern State of Tamilnadu, created its own drama.

Ever since the death of its charismatic leader Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK has been working in a ‘dual sim-phone’ mode – Dual Leadership – with Ottakarathevar Panneerselvam (OPS) and Edappadi Karuppa Palanisamy (EPS) being joint Leaders, kind of, the two leaves of the AIADMK. Both of them have been Chief Ministers for periods of time.

EPS successfully steered the AIADMK as the recent Chief Minister of Tamilnadu – did a fine job – in completing his term, ended up losing in the next Elections, but with a respectable number of seats, reinforcing his leadership.

Over a year in the opposition, the dual leadership wasn’t working well, especially with the BJP’s Tamilnadu President Annamalai stealing the narrative, firing on all guns, and working magic in Tamilnadu as if they were the real Opposition Party. With the AIADMK party cadre wanting a single leadership, to be quick on the draw, they resolved to meet to discuss resolutions made and iron-out bumps in a General Council meeting this week. But it turned into a mid-summer night’s dream. The Courts stepped-in saying they must stick to resolutions agreed upon before the Meeting; all resolutions were rejected; OPS and his supporters walked out; and the Meeting was put-off to another day with new resolutions to kick-in including that of Single Leadership.

No one knows what happens next. Must be looking at direct flights from Chennai to Guwahati to get flooded with new ideas.

Indian politics works in mysterious ways and the edge-of-the-seat suspense, twists & turns can be intriguing, mind-boggling and awfully thrilling. Airplanes and 5-star Hotels gain lots of revenue, the media drives into top gear, and the State gets paid its Goods & Service Taxes.

The New Would-be President of India

Over the past weeks the media was pregnant with speculation on who would be India’s ruling Party BJP’s choice for the President of India, given that the current President, Ram Nath Kovind’s-He did a magnificent job of being President- term expires on 24 July 2022.

This week the choice was made. Droupadi Murmu, 64, a former Governor of the State of Jharkhand was chosen and will be the first person from the State of Odisha, and the first tribal woman leader to occupy the presidential post if elected. She will also be the first President, to be born after Independence. That’s a lot of firsts!

The Opposition had earlier announced Yashwant Sinha – a former Finance Minister in the BJP and one who deserted the BJP ranks – as its candidate The poll is slated for July 18. And the numbers are stacked in favour of the BJP.

Droupadi Murmu, is a tribal woman born in the Santhal community of the remote Mayurbhanj District, Odisha. Her father and grandfather were Village Heads under the Panchayat Raj System. She started out a teacher before entering politics after earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Ramdev Women’s College in Bhubaneswar. She worked as a junior assistant in the Irrigation & Power Department for 4 years before becoming a teacher at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur.

Then she decided to swing into the world of Indian politics. And began her political career as a Councillor in Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat in 1997, and as Vice-President of the BJP’s Schedule Tribes Morcha. She became MLA, twice on the BJP ticket, from Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj in 2000 and 2004. She rose through the proverbial ranks to become a minister in the BJD (Biju Janata Dal)-BJP Alliance Government in 2000 handling the portfolios of Commerce & Transport and Fisheries & Animal Husbandry. And became the Governor of Jharkhand in 2015. Murmu could hold on to her assembly seat in 2004 even when the BJD had snapped ties with the BJP weeks ahead of the state elections, which were swept by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s BJD party.

In her personal life she has seen much tragedy, losing her husband Shyam Charan Murmu to a cardiac arrest in 2014, and one of two sons in 2009, in mysterious circumstances, and the second in a road accident in 2013. She has a daughter, Itishri Murmu who works in a Bank and is married to Ganesh Hembram – a rugby player. There is a young grand-daughter in her arms.

The would-be President has struggled every millimetre of her way to get here, has seen personal tragedy- inheritance of loss, fought depression, and has managed all of them with Himalayan resolve. I’m sure she will make a wonderful President. The best is yet to come!

More native, bow & arrow leaving stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Stay safe with World Inthavaaram.