Disinformation Hindus Human Rights Media Misinformation Opinion

Ram Navami processions Reality, Myth & Propaganda

Citizens & Lawyers Initiative, a relatively unknown organization or forum of any consequence in a bundled voluminous report on ‘Ram Navami’ and ‘Hanuman Jayanti processions has the audacity to describe these festival marches that are in vogue for millennia as ‘Routes of Wrath’. Justice Rohinton Nariman, a former judge of Supreme Court of India has lent his name with the foreword to this ‘hit job’ of an ‘agenda driven’ report that’s full of falsehoods, half-truths and propaganda to drive ‘Hinduphobia’ globally and further divide an intrinsically sensitive socio-economic groups that constitute Indian society. Divisiveness is the narrative in this report. Agenda is to ‘criminalize’ the over one billion Hindus in India and elsewhere. Break the social fabric that’s delicately balanced and stir up communal divide apart from weakening India in perceptions and narrative battle waged by a few self-centered individuals, organizations and groups that are well funded, groomed and motive under question.

Fact Sheet Geopolitics Hindus Human Rights Leadership Misinformation

577

Majority Sikhs with India, against Khalistan

Western powers allowing handful Khalistanis to over their streets, resort to vandalism may be a way to pressurise India on Russia Neha Dahiya / New Delhi Barring a miniscule, vociferous and terror prone variety, majority Sikhs in India and elsewhere may not subscribe to the very concept of Khalistan. Silent majority may not have come out openly to say so. But, groundswell opinion of Sikhs may not be found in columns of print media, digital networks or TV shows that are beamed across. Whether Sikhs want a separate homeland called Khalistan becomes increasingly significant in wake of recent developments in Punjab and noisy, violent as well as aggressive protests being staged across world capitals. Also, for a research-based organization like Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies (CIHS), gauging the mood of Sikh society was important before making out a case on the issue. Ground inputs, media reports, publicly available intelligence suggests that there’s no popular support for Khalistan whatsoever either within or outside India. Violence and demonstrations orchestrated by Khalistani proponents is only to drum up support for their elusive concept of a separate homeland. There’s enough documentation in public domain to drive home the point that Khalistan and Kashmir (K2) were a project of Pakistan’s dirty tricks department, ISI to foment trouble in Indian Border States by propping up sub-nationalism, religious activities. Otherwise, Amritpal Singh, a small time businessman from Dubai is just a handle with drug lords that are pushing narcotics illegally from across the border. He’s a fugitive with no popular support and seen by some as a ‘robin hood’ variety. And, Amritpal is not a ‘preacher’ as made out by the Western media that lacks basic understanding of the issue. Otherwise, there’s no reason why Sikh leaders in India and abroad would dare come out against this fugitive on the run from law enforcement agencies in India. They are of the view that Amritpal and his outfit Waris Punjab De may have captured imagination of a few misled youth. But, publicly influential Sikh leaders hold the view that he has ruined dignity of the Sikh community and teachings of Gurus. On March 19, 2023, Khalistani protestors pulled down the Indian tricolour and made an attempt to storm the Indian High Commission in London. Prior to this, Khalistanis have had derided India and called martyr Bhagat Singh as a traitor or a terrorist, defaced statues of Mahatma Gandhi in western cities and did not spare Hindu religious places scribbling provocative, anti-India, anti-Hindu and Pro-Khalistan slogans on the walls of the temples. Silent majority in Sikh society have begun to speak out slow but cautiously. For instance, President of Takht Sri Patna Sahib managing committee Jagjot Singh Sohi condemned the incident of pulling down our national flag. It has sent the wrong message across the world. “We would request the London government to take strict action against those people responsible for this shameless act. There are few people living outside the country and engaged in such work. The people of the Sikh community are doing great work in the world, but time and again, such people malign the name of our community”, added Jagjot Singh Sohi. “No one else except Gurpatwant Singh Pannu — founder of banned Khalistani terrorist organisation — is behind this episode. He is a controversial person and keeps on doing such things. He has no followers in India, and he has only a handful of people supporting him”, Sohi said. There’s considerable underlying anger within the Sikh society on tactics, activities and posturing by the Khalistani elements. Insult to Indian flag has disappointed several prominent leaders that do not subscribe to Khalistan or dissociate from India for a separate homeland. Balgendra Singh Shami, a sikh community leader from Washington DC partly blamed the western media for the ‘hype’ around Khalistani activists violence unleashed in San Francisco and the American capital Shami said, “There are more than a million sikhs who live in North America and out of that only 50 show up outside Indian Embassy (San Francisco) to protest.” Sounding a word of caution and reconciliation Balgendra Singh Shami, “Whatever happened in Punjab is very unfortunate. I also condemn the violent incident that happened in the United Kingdom and the Indian consulate in the United States. As we are a democratic country, we have full right to protest, but it should be peaceful”. Another Sikh leaded Jasdeep Singh was quoted as saying “We condemn any violence that has happened outside the Indian Embassy in San Francisco or the desecration of the Indian flag in London. Everybody has a right to protest, but it should be peaceful & no violence or vandalism should happen”. Moderation has been hallmark of most sikh leaders in western cities. Interestingly, not many have even referred to Khalistan or even offered lip sympathy. Former president of Haryana Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak committee, Baljit Singh Daduwal, said, “We should not take any such step which will affect the sikh community across the world. Punjab needs peace, brotherhood and development”. Most sikh and Hindu leaders have pushed the development plank as a meeting point for larger peaceful co-living within and outside India. United Kingdom Member of Parliament, Bob Blackman summed up the violence in Western cities by a handful of Sikhs. Blackman said, “this (Khalistanis) is a very small, ultra-small section of the sikh community. Vast majority of sikhs in this country (UK) absolutely reject the Khalistani project. It’s not going to happen, as we know… My message is very simple to the police, when this (violence) happens; those people need to be arrested and dealt with properly.” President of Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal was more emphatic notwithstanding his party’s rejection in the last couple of state elections. Badal pointed out, “The people of Punjab do not know Amritpal. Media has built him up and media has created the fear that Khalistani sentiment is reviving and growing in Punjab. We Sikhs do not want Khalistan. We want a strong and

Geopolitics Leadership Policy

529

Tactical Power Shift

India & Japan for open Indo-Pacific, game changing bilateral ties define Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to New Delhi Prachi Mishra Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s two-day visit to India is part of on-going bilateral engagement between the countries agreed in 2006. Since then, Indian and Japanese leaders have consistently worked on strengthening ties and auguring a stronger and open Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Kishida’s visit signals growing influence of QUAD. It is also significant as India and Japan presently hold the G20 and the G7 presidencies respectively. Kishida’s visit comes in the wake of San Shinzo Abe’s tragic death. Prime Minister Abe is regarded as a great friend of India seeking to reconnect two classical civilizations. Kishida’s statements have pointed to a turning point with continuity in bilateral strategic relations. Highlight of his visit was to unveil a plan on Open and Free Indo-Pacific for which he committed US $ 75 billion. Japan and India have a long and shared history of bilateral relations, strategic cooperation, and a resolve to build a peaceful Indo-Pacific. Historical connect India and Japan share centuries-old relationship. Their ties can be traced back to the sixth century when Buddhism was introduced in Japan and adopted as a way of life in Japanese society. In 752 AD, Bharatiya Buddhist monk Bodhisena consecrated the Todaiji Temple at Nara. The towering Buddha statue at Tara has weathered many storms and stood the test of times. All through the last few centuries, India and Japan have never been adversarial towards each other and their relations have been free of disputes. In the recent past, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, and JRD Tata have been Indian cultural ambassadors to Japan[1]. In contemporary times, India and Japan signed a peace treaty after the Second World War which not only established India’s diplomatic relations in Japan but also uplifted morale of Japanese people who were recovering from the aftermath of the war. India also extended its iron resources to the war-torn Japan and helped immensely in its reconstruction. The first yen-loan was extended by Japan to India after Premier Nobusuke Kishi’s official visit to India in 1957. The two nations also find a lot of commonality in upholding democratic principles and rule of law. There have been umpteen trade and commerce deals between India and Japan. Set up in 1903, the Japan-Indian Association is the oldest global informal organisation in Japan. Economic and commercial cooperation Trade and commerce ties between India and Japan have steadily strengthened over last few decades. Both nations have a mutually beneficial relationship; Japan has tapped into India’s emerging and expanding market while India has relied on Japan for technology transfers and financial assistance. India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2011 is the most holistic agreement that not only facilitates movement of goods and services but also human resource, shared development of intellectual property, and custom processes. Japan has been the largest financial donor for India. Over the years, Japan has supported India in infrastructure and technological development in sectors like railways and roadways, power, and environment. The most recent and the most relevant projects are Ahmedabad – Mumbai High Speed Rail, Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, and the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was also facilitated by Japanese assistance. Table 1 lists items of trade between India and Japan. Table 1. Import-export goods in Indo-Japan trade ties. Imports from Japan to India Exports from India to Japan Machinery and instruments Petroleum products Transport equipment Chemicals and compounds Iron and steel goods Fish and by-products of fisheries Electronic equipment and goods Metal ores and scrap Organic chemicals Clothing, textiles, accessories Tools Iron and steel products During financial year ending March 31, 2022, India was the 18th largest trading partner for Japan. Concomitantly, Japan was the 13th largest trading partner for India. Also, Japan’s foreign direct investment has soared in the last few years, with India becoming the 5th largest investing country for 2021-22. India has seen a sharp rise in the number of Japanese firms totalling to 1455 that operate in India. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the value of trade carried out between the two countries since 2008. Fig. 1.Trade values of Indo-Japan trade. Source: Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Government of India. Ministry of Economy, Trade, Industry, Government of Japan. CIHS Analytics Fig. 2. Foreign direct investment from Japan to India in the last few years. Source: Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Government of India. Ministry of Economy, Trade, Industry, Government of Japan. CIHS Analytics. India has been the biggest recipient of the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans in the last few years. India receives these loans from Japan under the latter’s “Act East” policy and “Partnership for Quality Infrastructure”. Table 2 summarises Japan’s ODA towards India. Table 2. Japan’s ODA towards India[2] Loans 312.25 billion Yen 2021-22 Grants 5.12 billion Yen 2020-21 Technical Cooperation 8.5 billion Yen 2021-22 The two countries have strengthened their relationship by focusing on developing strong supply chains through the India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership. Both India and Japan have also been striving for environmental protection and reduction of greenhouse gases. Their Clean Energy Partnership which was formulated in March 2022 focuses on achieving carbon neutrality and working towards energy security. Along with the Japan-India Energy Ministerial Dialogue, it also aims for a strategic cooperation plan in the fields of hydrogen, ammonia, and LNG. Science and technology cooperation Both India and Japan have benefitted from their science and technology cooperation over last several decades. While Japanese firms have revolutionised the Indian technology market, Indian software engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and technologists have contributed immensely to scientific research and development in Japan. India and Japan signed bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement in 1985 to foster an era of scientific advancement in the Indo-Pacific. Subsequently, the India-Japan Science Council (IJSC) was set up in 1993 facilitated several advancements. Till date, it has[3] Over 550 students have attended exchange programs through a

Media

539

Explainer: Recognition of same-sex marriages

On March 13, 2023, Indian apex court transferred a plea for recognition of same-sex marriages to the constitutional bench. Justice DY Chandrachud, PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala listed the hearing from April 18, 2023. In an affidavit, Indian government has opposed the plea seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages. Indian government said that marriage is accepted ‘statutorily, religiously and socially’ only between a biological man and a woman. The affidavit argued that any deviation from this accepted form could only be voted by lawmakers and not ruled by courts.

Geopolitics Leadership Policy

543

Stability or chaos, What next in Nepal?

Rohan Giri Amid political uncertainty and bleak future, Himalayan former Hindu Kingdom, Nepal elected its new President in 78-year-old Ram Chandra Paudel. Paudel is a senior Nepali Congress leader and defeated Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist Leninist) backed Subas Chandra Nembang. In the 52,628 weightage-based votes, Paudel secured 33,802 and was anointed Nepal’s President while Nembang polled 15,518 votes. After Nepal Pratinidhi Sabha or House of Representative was in session for 64-days with 275 members, Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist Leninist) broke away from the ruling coalition alliance and the government. The break up in ruling coalition was triggered by reported disagreement on the presidential candidate. As per Nepal Parliament’s current status, a party or an alliance will have to muster the support of at least138 members to gain majority and continue in governance. Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist Leninist), the second-largest party in the coalition government with 79 members has recently deserted the ruling alliance. The alliance, however, does not appear to have suffered significant losses since the Nepali Congress Party has 89 members, Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Center) – 32 members, and Rashtriya Swatantra Party has 20 members. These three parties command a comfortable majority with no threat to the government as of now. Desertion of CPN (UML) is widely being attributed to Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, “Prachanda” violation of December 25, 2022 agreement put together to assume power by the coalition. As a consequence, eight CPN (UML) ministers including Deputy Prime Minister in the Prachanda-led incumbent government resigned en masse thereby creating a flutter. Previously, in 2017, the alliance between China’s front-man Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and Maoist guerrilla Pushpa Kumar Dahal fell apart. The churn in political coalitions demonstrates the potential for future uncertainties in Nepal. In an earlier report, it was predicted that the coalition would be difficult to survive as the co-existence of Maoists and Marxists influenced by China has seen about ten swearings-in and then thrown out of power in the last few years. To deal with such a situation, “under Clause 2 of Article 100 of the Constitution of Nepal, a prime minister would be required to seek a vote of confidence again if a coalition partner or political ally broke away or withdrew support from the government. In such a situation, Prime Minister will have to secure a fresh vote of confidence in 30 days. If the prime minister failed secure confidence vote by March 26 in the present context, Prachanda will lose office. Given the present numbers and assuming there would be no further cross overs or desertions, Prime Minister Prachanda is expected to sail through in the Parliament. Nepal, which established democracy in 2008 by ending the monarchical system of about 240 years, was successful in establishing democracy. However, with the change in the design, have they left behind their values as well? Nepal, a Hindu nation, has fallen into China’s trap. As a result, China’s debt has grown in the name of the country’s development, the leaders have become China’s puppets, and the path to instability is being taken in the name of disagreement. This mountain kingdom was different from that. The way to increase Nepal’s development and reduce instability will come from the nation’s own values, which are the Hindu values of a Hindu nation. Looking back ten to fifteen years, the contradiction between Hindu majority India and Nepal, which were very close, has grown. The Nepali leadership’s increasing closeness to the dragon is the only reason for this. So the actual cause for breaking the alliance is different from what we see on the information mediums; in reality, Beijing’s representative, KP Sharma Oli, wanted to take all the important political, economic, and strategic calls internally and externally but failed to do so. The following trust vote will decide who will lead Nepal and the next strategy. If the situation as it is now seen remains the same, then the current coalition can stay in power even further. (Rohan is a journalism graduate from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) New Delhi, and Manager Operations at CIHS.)

Policy Security Technology

486

India’s battle in the Skies: The Fight Against Pakistan’s Terror Drones

RahulPAWA | @imrahulpawa Recently, skies over India have become a battleground for an insidious new threat – terror drones. The severity of this menace was laid bare once again yesterday when Indian security forces detected a drone that had violated Indian airspace and was flying in from Pakistan near the international border in Gurdaspur district of the north Indian state of Punjab. In a swift retaliatory response, the Indian security forces fired upon the drone, causing it to retreat towards Pakistan. This incident follows a similar pattern from the previous month, where Indian security forces discovered a high-end Chinese-made DJI Matrice 300 RTK quadcopter in Gurdaspur that had infiltrated from Pakistan. The discovery of this sophisticated drone, valued at a staggering USD $13,700, is a sobering reminder of the growing use of advanced aerial technology by malevolent actors across borders. Moreover, not only Punjab has seen Pakistan-operated terror drones in violation of Indian airspace. Earlier this year, a drone was shot down in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar sector. Indian security forces recovered five packages of narcotics from the wreckage of that drone. In another incident of illegal cross-border drone droppings from November last year in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Samba district. The police recovered two unassembled improvised explosive devices with detonators, two Chinese-made pistols, four magazines loaded with 60 rounds, and half a million Indian rupees that were dropped by a terror drone controlled from Pakistan. With this recent uptick in Pakistan’s unmanned aerial vehicle activity, it is becoming incessantly clear that the incidents involving their terror drones in India are not isolated occurrences; rather, they represent a calculated and deliberate escalation of modern-day asymmetrical warfare aimed at undermining India’s security. The usage of such drones by Pakistan for activities like hostile reconnaissance, drug and weapon trafficking, and transporting explosives and ammunition into India has increased four times in Punjab alone since the beginning of this year. As a countermeasure, Indian security forces stationed along the international border states have ramped up their vigilance and intercepted more than a dozen terror drones from Pakistan in the past few weeks alone. It is no secret that Pakistan is deeply involved in the insidious practice of narco-terrorism. This is not mere hearsay but a widely acknowledged fact, confirmed by international organisations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL), and prominent forums such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+). The FATF’s demand last year for Pakistan to demonstrate concrete action against terrorism was a reminder of its precarious position on the FATF grey list. Recent scrutiny of Pakistan’s government-sponsored terrorism has also been directed towards its bid to revive a 2019 bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). There were serious concerns over using bailout funds, given Pakistan’s history of fostering secessionism and terrorism in India. Pakistan’s tumultuous past has been characterised by widespread criticism of its army’s rampant corruption, the government’s lack of developmental policies, and a blatant disregard for its citizen’s welfare. The country has been notorious for its efforts to cultivate jihadist extremism and sponsor terrorism against India, which has ultimately resulted in its downfall. Subsequently, a classic case study for the world to see as an example of how states that harbour and endorse extremism, sponsor terrorism, and lack coherent plans for their people’s growth and development are bound to fail. Concerningly, the increasing and escalating use of terror drones launched from Pakistan against India epitomises the mindset of the country’s deep state and army. Alarmingly, Pakistan seems to have decided to persist in diverting its valuable resources towards supporting terror, thereby continuing to nurture the monster of terrorism that it created, even though it has already bankrupted the country. By resorting to narco-terrorism, small arms smuggling and financing of terrorism by the use of terror drones with an aspiration to destabilise India, especially its youth. Pakistan is exposing itself to further repercussions at the hands of an able Indian national security apparatus and extreme scrutiny from its financial backers, organisations, unions and nations that greatly benefit it. Pakistan has active loans from international lending agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), among others. It is also a partner in the Paris Pact Initiative, which seeks to combat opiate trafficking, consumption and related issues along the Afghan trafficking routes. Pakistan benefits from Europe’s preferential tariff programmes, including the GSP+. However, Pakistan’s blatant support for organised crime, extremism and terrorism has seriously undermined its credibility. As a result, these agencies and entities have imposed new stringent rectification requirements on Pakistan’s support for terrorism and extremism to maintain their support. The country’s unwavering commitment to pursuing this treacherous path endangers regional stability and poses a significant threat to global peace and security. At this crucial juncture, the international community must recognise the gravity and implications of Pakistan’s “terror drones” deployment against India. Moreover, global leaders must take note of the nations that endorse and enable Pakistan’s actions. Pakistan’s long-standing ally, the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) led China, which boasts an unbreakable friendship with Pakistan, has become a source of concern. Recent findings of Pakistan-operated terror drones and weaponry recovered in Indian territory offer tangible evidence of Chinese technology, equipment, and weaponry being used for narco-terror and related terrorist activities in India. A considerable proportion of the drones used by Pakistan in cross-border operations in India are supplied by the Chinese firm SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. In December 2020, the US government listed DJI on a trade-restricted list due to concerns about its connections to the CPC government. Notably, some of the batteries that power these drones are manufactured by a company based in Karachi, Pakistan. Despite the CPC’s repeated claims of a firm commitment to combat international terrorism, doubts have arisen due to its continued support for Pakistan’s backed

Business Economy Media

591

Ajay Banga, right man for the moment

Climate finance, funding private entrepreneurship, rebuilding war-torn Ukraine apart from democratizing World Bank should be priority K.A.Badarinath Ajaypal Singh Banga, nominee of US President Joe Biden to head the multi-lateral World Bank, has his task cut out. Banga may not turn out to be a traditional banker in the sense like many of his predecessors. Nor does he have experience of the US treasury like the present incumbent David Robert Malpass who would complete his term by June end. But Ajay Banga, 63 and son of a former Indian Army officer has all the credentials to flaunt and take charge of the World Bank at a very crucial juncture on geo-political front and the world of finance, banking and markets. God willing and other stakeholders support, Banga will head the bank beginning July 1 this year. Banga does not mince words to say that he’s ‘made in India’ referring to his modest Indian origins. He’s for long been poster boy of the Wall Street and a brilliant mind who as a naturalized US citizen is considered ‘compassionate banker par excellence’ by the democratic White House. His eventful innings at Master Card, Citibank, KFC, Pizza Hut and Nestle provider the requisite experience to lead the World Bank that’s considered ‘a big boys club’ which is either inaccessible or provides limited linkages to the least developed or developing small economies. Democratizing leviathan World Bank may be a daunting task for even Banga who admits to making ‘easy friends’ all over. Biggest challenge may come from the most powerful industrial countries that are unwilling to let go of their strangle hold on this Bretton Woods institution of 1944 vintage which came into being as post-world war workhorse. Turning the World Bank relevant and expanding its footprint in today’s world of development finance sans apprehensions by humanity is a challenge which Banga may have to face once he occupies the corner room. Providing ‘humane development face’ to the institution largely regarded rudderless and seen as one that pushes the countries it engages into unsustainable indebtedness is yet another challenge. Reforms at World Bank that progressed at sluggish pace or rather not taken off must be hastened. These reforms and World Bank’s governance must get aligned to current realities where large developing countries like India emerged with formidable economic strength and on way to achieve $5 trillion size. Both voting rights and actual shareholding in World Bank institutions like IBRD, IDA, MIGA and IFC must reflect the change agent that the organization aspires to achieve lifting itself over narrow powerful coteries. India may not be the only country that would look for better foothold and say in World Bank’s governance. Countries like South Africa and Brazil have periodically aired their grievances. Toughest nut to crack for Banga would be to deny US the veto vote on World Bank board thereby delinking shareholding from vote share. Reformed World Bank should kick off restructuring in the other multilateral organization, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Yet another vintage institution that’s incorrigible and invokes more of fear and scare for countries seeking restructuring support rather than turning a helping hand without hassles. Litmus test for Ajay Banga will be when the war torn Ukraine seeks the support of World Bank and IMF to rebuild itself after having engaged in a conflict with Russia. Non-NATO forces are bound to resist World Bank support to Ukraine that may try and pick up pieces to build a new country. In case Russian side continues to veto proposals for ending the conflict, then rebuilding Ukraine may turn that much difficult as well. Committing World Bank to climate finance for countries that seek to go full throttle in energy transition and address climate change issues is something that Ajay Banga can take lead in. Financing technology development, transfers and providing cost-effective funds to facilitate this transition is something Banga can push big time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged the issue with finance ministers and central bank governors from G-20 group that met in Bengaluru recently. Countries like India will alone need a whopping $2.5 trillion in green finance to achieve national development goals and another $ 10 trillion by 2070 to achieve net zero emissions. Climate finance is huge business that cannot be foregone by World Bank under Ajay Banga. And, he has to gear up to meet the opportunity and challenges to finance greening of economies. Given his inroads into corporate world and private equity markets, evolving IFC as the largest financing avenue for both private sector debt and equity can be enlisted as a priority. (author is Director & Chief Executive at New Delhi based non-partisan think tank, Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies)

Disinformation Fact Sheet Hindus Human Rights Leadership Media Misinformation

536

NYT, BBC fall into the pattern

Anti-Hindu, India propaganda unleashed with intent, based on agenda. Their journalistic pursuits come under scrutiny It is not India’s proud tradition of a free press that is at stake. It’s anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda unleashed with impunity by certain media houses that has taken centre stage. First, it was the BBC that went whole hog against Hindus and India. Now, The New York Times has joined the bandwagon of some international media outlets that have been on campaign mode against India, Hindus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their whipping boy. If the NYT editorial board claims of ‘shrill Hindu nationalism’ being the culprit for anything purportedly to have happened to press freedom in India, it’s grossly wrong. The New York Times editorial board comment in its edition of February 12, 2023 on the issue of press freedom in India is completely flawed seeking to set a particular narrative. Sweeping remarks on purported ‘Intimidation, Censorship, Silence or Punishing independent news media in India’ is not factually correct, untrue and a figment of Imagination. India toeing an independent alternative line on issues different from left leaning self-proclaimed liberalists cannot be dubbed as anti-press freedom. Hindus worldwide and in India believe, profess and push for an open, transparent and clean diverse society governed sans corruption, nepotism and exclusivity. India celebrates oneness in its diverse amalgamation of cultures, religious faiths under the Sanatan Dharmic umbrella. Thousands of years of classical civilizational heritage is testimony to Hindus ‘all embracing’ nature and spirit. Not understanding Hindus from their perspective leads to a false notion of ‘shrill nationalism’ kind of narratives that are superficial and erroneous. Neither France based Reporters without Borders (RSF) has the means, bandwidth, methodology or credible data to prove that press freedom was at stake in India. NYT justifying its editorial comment on the questionable World Press Freedom Index report of this organization seems to be fuelled by anti-India and anti-Hindu agenda nursed carefully to meet its objective. If hitting at the famed growth story is the objective, then The New York Times should definitely know that India is invincible and the fake narratives may not work. Leave alone the downgrading India on Press Freedom Index, even the Indian map has been displayed wrongly by the Reporters Without Borders. NYT’s editorial comment is based on reports that depict Kashmir without acknowledging the illegal occupation by Pakistan and China’s occupation of Aksai Chin areas of the North Eastern Indian region. The New York Times editorial backed a BBC documentary that was aggressively anti-Hindu and anti-India in nature. This was called out by British Member of Parliament Bob Blackman who described the BBC documentary as ‘poor journalism, badly researched’. Leave alone The New York Times, even the BBC cannot deny its left wing bias and accept an alternative, independent philosophy of Hindus based on ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, world as one big family. BBC’s left wing bias is known to Britishers. In Margaret Thatcher’s government of ‘80s, several members of the British Parliament brought home this point. Conservative MP Tebbit had aptly described the BBC as ‘stateless person’s broadcasting corporation’. Another conservative MP Peter Bruinvels termed the BBC as ‘Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation’ pointing to Leftists control over the news coverage. To say that press freedom came under attack after 2014 following Narendra Modi’s ascent to be Prime Minister and Hindu nationalist shrillness is again grossly misguided and propagandist owing to a colonial mind-set of extreme nature. Late Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi had banned BBC from India coverage on two occasions owing to its ‘biases’ in its earlier documentaries also. Perhaps, NYT may not have a plausible explanation for such a ban in late ‘70s. The BBC was in trouble in India in the early 1970s. Even at that time, the Indian diaspora was outraged by BBC documentaries named Calcutta and Phantom India. Louis Malle directed French documentary mini-series Phantom India painted a biased picture of India by emphasising the underdeveloped regions as opposed to the developing ones. If Press freedom was under attack as propagated by BBC and NYT, how’s it that the editorial in The New York Times was not taken down? Thousands of stories filed by a strong network of foreign media professionals based in India that are critical of the government have hit the wires, newspapers and TV outlets freely each day. So, the charge that India, Hindus and by extension Narendra Modi have suppressed ‘free media’ is only agenda peddling by some media houses.

Disinformation Fact Sheet Insurgency Media Misinformation

552

Brief: Qaumi Insaaf Morcha Protests

The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha has been stationed near the Mohali Chandigarh border since January 7, 2023, in order to raise the issue of Sikh political prisoners who have purportedly fulfilled their sentences but are still incarcerated. The majority of detainees are Sikhs who were imprisoned during the 1980s and 1990s when Pakistan backed terrorism in Punjab was at its peak. The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha called for the nationwide release of all Sikh inmates as one of its demands. Other protestors, some armed with swords were also called in gradually by the group including select ed Nihang Sikhs. The protests eventually grew violent and the violent protesters attacked police officers who had been called to the scene for the maintenance of law and order. As per police statements, tractors were used to dismantle the barriers by the protestors.

Economy Leadership Policy

531

Pakistan flounders, Sri Lanka enlist allies

Virtual isolation of Pakistan makes its economic revival difficult while growing support may quickly get Sri Lanka on path to normalcy K.A.Badarinath It’s the tale of two South Asian economies that continue to provide jitters to analysts and policymakers alike. Pakistan and Sri Lankan economies facing tumult are pictures in contrast. The two Indian neighbours are on the verge of collapse on economic front. The two have also been struggling and desperate to get back on revival mode with very little headway thus far. The course taken by both these countries seems diametrically opposite to deliver what they set out to achieve as uniquely placed Indian Ocean small countries. Sri Lanka with an economic size of $ 84.52 billion has piled up a debt of $ 40 billion from bilateral and multi-lateral sources over last one decade that’s unsustainable. In contrast, Pakistan with a medium sized economy of $ 376.49 billion that had previously grown in double digits is in doldrums with virtually no savior in sight. It’s heading for virtual bankruptcy given that the Islamist country that believes in terrorism as a state instrument has piled up $ 274 billion debt that’s roughly over three fourths of its gross domestic product in January this year. Both the South Asian economies have landed in a big mess and it is their own making. While Sri Lanka’s misdirected reforms pushed the island’s fragile economy into chaos, its political churn and protests over last one year have added to the people’s woes. On the other hand, Pakistan’s unsustainable energy import bill, unserviceable expensive foreign debt stock, lack of investments and revenues coupled with huge spending on its untenable security establishment are clear culprits. Unwritten word is that huge unaccounted spending in exporting terror in particular to Bharat is a big expenditure head with no or rather negative returns. Highest common denomination factor in both cases is China where it pushed both countries into a huge debt trap by design especially the funding of infrastructure projects, belt and roads initiative. As per publicly available data, more than two dozen countries including Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been pushed into unsustainable debt contracts via the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), a pet initiative of President Xi Jingping and Chinese Communist Party. Apart from economic and strategic expansionism of China run by its oligarchy, global headwinds are not in favour of Pakistan and Sri Lanka given the looming recession in Europe and United States in aftermath of protracted conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Metamorphosis of this conflict into a big war cannot be ruled out given that the US and Germany apart from other NATO allies were sending in tanks and major military equipment to support the battered Ukraine. Over 60 per cent consumer price inflation in Sri Lanka has rendered millions of people jobless, without food and shelter. Moving away from traditional agricultural practices to purported organic farming without safety latches or back up plan has boomeranged on this beautiful island nation. The political uncertainty has also destroyed its famed tourism and hospitality industry that’s known globally for being very ‘inviting’. On the other hand, Pakistan that reported over 40 per cent retail inflation in January 2023 has made basic food items like wheat flour, oil, sugar, out of the reach for a large section of its population. Owing to massive corruption in both Pakistani army establishment and political leadership, most food items are either unavailable or retail prices unreasonably doubled or tripled. Hoarders and business cartels have had a field day in both Sri Lanka and Pakistan cashing in on weak political structures and greasing corrupt hands all the way. In this adverse situation loans or cash advances have been hard to come by for both countries. Both countries have burnt the midnight oil to keep their heads afloat. Sri Lanka has some advantage over Pakistan that has no friends in the region barring China. India has taken the lead to provide financing assurances to Sri Lanka if one were to go by external affairs minister Subramanyam Jaishankar to the island nation. In effect, outstanding debt can be paid by Sri Lanka on deferred basis. Also, Colombo can access fresh lines of credit in sync with debt restructuring proposal made by International Monetary Fund in which Bharat is actively involved as representative of South Asia. As an ally, Japan is also bound to follow suit. If these developments go as anticipated, Sri Lanka will be able to access $ 2.9 billion relief package from IMF. But, this will happen only when China as the largest contributor to most expensive debt Sri Lanka has availed agrees. As of now, indications are that China may extract its pound of flesh in terms of lucrative contracts and Colombo agreeing to approve its expansionist tantrums. While Sri Lanka has enlisted support of trusted allies like Bharat, Pakistan has not made any headway so far. Barring Saudi Arabia’s agreement to defer payments on oil imports, Pakistan has not made much progress thus far. Deferred payments proposal for Russian oil has not fructified till now. As per State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the country’s reserves have plummeted to $ 5.576 billion as of January 1, 2023. This means there’s every possibility of Pakistan defaulting on its repayments if immediate support is not enlisted. Even after businessman turned Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif buckled and agreed to tough conditions proposed by IMF for $ 6.6 billion bailout package, the multi-lateral lender is yet unconvinced on Pakistan economy’s unsustainability. As on date, IMF has not sent its team for negotiation though Pakistan requested for early conclusion of negotiations. Most significant is that it’s all weather friend and military equipment supplier China has not acceded to Pakistan’s request for deferment of its $ 6.3 billion loans. Only Saudi Arabia has hinted at deferring $ 3 billion repayments for Pakistan that matured in December 2022. Possible collapse of Sri Lankan and Pakistan economies collapse will have larger impact in South and

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