Waiting for the Muslim Martin Luther - Shazia Ilmi?

Martin Luther the German monk turned professor isnt the best role model to prescribe for a much needed reformation within Islam.  He was rabidly anti-semitic and no doubt contributed to the persecution of Jews.

But he did play a vital role in jolting Christianity into confronting its degeneration under the catholic church where entrance to heaven was sold by the clergy - all sins forgiven. 

Islam is in need of just such a jolt.  External forces can only go so far in defeating Islam's fanatic edge.  An edge that strangely occupies a large swath of its Ummah. 

Islam is a religion for men, by men, of men.  Men enjoy lopsided, disproportionate privileges under Islam - 4 wives, permission to divorce on a whim with no need to pay alimony or child support, take non-muslim women as sex slaves, rape children under the guise of a legalized marriage, etc.

Most of these privileges come at the cost of women.  If a husband, as happened with Mohd. Shami, decides to treat his wife as an equal, the Ummah quickly gangs up on him to make him an example and dissuade other more moderate elements in the community from following his example.

This is not an isolated case.  A celebrity like Shami, living in a non-Muslim country can stand up to the pressure. But what about the poor and middle class Muslims who dare not challenge the orthodoxy in their community.

Another factor in his favor is that his wife belongs to a wealthy muslim family from Bengal and can hope to draw support from those quarters. 

Her less privileged sisters enjoy no such latitude.  A Muslim women living in a Muslim ghetto or even a middle class Muslim neighborhood dare not violate norms set by her community.  


But a ray of hope has emerged from these centuries old record of oppression.  The world is changing at a pace that none can fathom.  

The information age has exposed every last doctrine as the world continues to crowd source the dissection of divine claims and holier-than-thou grand standing.   

Given its isolation, Islam has remained insulated from these global shifts.  But it hasnt remained immune.  

Exhibit A:  Google searches for the most degenerate sexual practices emanate from Pakistan/Afghanistan 

It would be a fair assumption that we would witness a similar behavior out of Saudi Arabia if restrictions to web access were relaxed in that kingdom. 

Bottomline:  Information is seeping through.  Muslim women are witnessing how their counterparts in more liberal societies can live freely and enjoy their most fundamental, god given rights.


Most tightly knit doctrines have this weakness:  Tug at one thread and the entire fabric starts falling apart.  The decline of Christianity can be explained by just such a dynamic.  

In contrast, despite its many short comings, Hinduism's laissez-faire model helped it survive multiple assaults both internal and external.  

For Islam to follow the same trajectory toward reform, a vocal segment from within its ranks would have to find the space to rise up and challenge Mullah's Islam.  

Indian Muslim women may represent that vocal segment.  The space and freedom available to them within a predominantly Hindu society helps shield them from sinister designs of Mullahs in their community. 

83% of Indian Muslim women supporting a ban on triple talaq represent the canary in Mullah's coal mine.  

Never before have so many Muslim women raised their voice and stood up to orthodox forces within their community.

This silent majority is a force waiting to be harvested.  But it must be done judiciously and with great sagacity.  Such a confluence of favorable factors may not emerge for a generation if frittered away.

First and foremost this emerging revolution needs a sootradhar - a leader who can shepherd the reformation by navigating through the deep and wide shark infested waters.

Just as NaMo emerged as the right leader at the right time who could piece together a perfect coalition, Muslim reformation movement (MRM) will need a female Indian Muslim woman possessing the right qualities.

Here's a preliminary list of those qualities:  

1. Educated
2. A practicing Muslim 
3. Courageous
4. A staunch nationalist
5. A brilliant communicator
6. Relatively young - this will be a long drawn out battle
7. Adequately knowledgeable on Islamic scriptures and history
8. A supportive and equally committed family

One individual who fits this bill is Shazia Ilmi.  A further analysis on her credentials is needed but early vetting makes her a front runner.  

The biggest question is this - Is she willing to put everything on the line to win this war for the soul of Islam?

Demonitization - The Aftermath - Class & Clean Politics and.....Hindu Unity

Several years back a US based friend visited his home in Delhi and joined a group of old college buddies for a round of golf.  His friends came from well heeled backgrounds.  Most took their families on annual international holidays, lived in the best neighborhoods and belonged to what we could call the 1% club - those Indians who want for nothing.  

Upon finishing their round, my friend gave his caddy a couple of hundred rupees.  The caddy was delighted and wouldnt stop thanking him. 

My friend's buddies were furious with him.  He was 'spoiling' the help, they protested.  This was India not, the US.  

My friend pointed out that he made (even in dollars) far less than most of those who had enjoyed that round of golf in Delhi's obnoxious heat and left it at that. 

When he narrated this incident to me, we both shared our shock at how India's elite viewed their servants and those they considered 'below' their level.  

Social divisions in India are sharply pronounced and wealth seems to sharpen them further.  India's poor are invisible to most of us and their disdainful treatment is such a part of our dna that both rich and poor have found a way to internalize and rationalize it. 


But the poor never forget nor forgive.  Every 5 years they throw up  mandates that shock us - Bihar's most recent state elections being only the latest example. 

While media pundits and economists have argued over the sociopolitical impact of PM Modi's demonitization drive, two variables of far greater value seem to have been ignored.

Read on.

It was John Edwards who first coined the slogan 'There are two Americas' to highlight the growing disparity between haves and have nots in American society.

In a country as diverse as India, this disparity is perhaps the only constant.  1% Vs. 99%.

Consider this:  

Mukesh Ambani owns a billion dollar home but only 1% of Indians can afford a home costing more than Rs. 10 Lakhs.   

And in cities like Mumbai even a slum dwelling costs more than 10 lakhs. 

India's wealth disparity and the conspicous, in-your-face  consumption of its elite (Rs. 500 crore Reddy wedding is only the latest reminder) has long driven a steak through the hearts of those 99% Indians who live pay check to pay check and can only dream of having a secure financial future.  

This imbalance has long offered an ideal breeding ground for anti-establishment politicians such as Laloo and Mayawati.  Even the original Indira Gandhi understood this dynamic and exploited it to the hilt.  This constituency abandoned her party and took refuge in caste based identity largely due to Congress' failure to deliver on 'garibi hatao' and other pie in the sky promises. 










Demonitization seems to have hoisted PM Modi into the position of social warrior.  And he seems to have achieved this feat by uniting Hindus not dividing them. 

Demonitization is seen (by the 99%) more as a socioeconomic crusade and less as a financial clean up operation.  It isnt that the poor are enjoying the hardship experienced by the rich.  Instead they are enjoying the spectacle of an honest, upright chaiwala single handedly destroying the high and mighty who for long have exploited their networks to rig the system into benefiting their cronies.

Much as Dalits and Yadavs enjoyed watching Maya and Laloo stick it to non-backwards by flaunting her ill gotten wealth and power, India's 99% are celebrating the crusade launched by one of their own.  A 99 percenter taking on the high and mighty and winning.  



Immediately after the surgical strikes on POK based camps, I had postulated that PM Modi has entered a political orbit of his own and it would now become increasingly difficult for his opponents to catch up - 

http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2016/10/surgical-strike-real-reason-behind.html


Demonitization has the potential to take him a step further into an orbit that will make him India's Lincoln or Lee Kuan Yew - leaders who in their life time could not be challenged.  Leaders who became larger than life and their connect with people was such that even their imperfections and mistakes were overlooked by voters.  

The chaiwala has now become the champion of the poor.  Move over Mayawati, Mamta, Sonia, Mulayam.....or even Kejriwal.  In one swift stroke PM Modi has replaced them as the true icon of the have nots.  

In one stroke he has separated himself from not only his competitors but also his party (more on the dangers of this to the BJP later in this piece).

The second variable.

Since its inception RSS has moved heaven and earth to establish a modicum of Hindu unity.  To even a casual student of Indian history, it is fairly obvious that Hindu unity has yielded victories and prosperity.  

From Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to India's freedom struggle, a united India has always defeated her enemies.  

But said unity has been ephemeral at best.  Achieved against great odds, typically in dire circumstances when Hindu survival is at stake.  

In post 1947 India, the much needed threshold of Hindu unity has been achieved twice: 
1. During the Ram Janma Bhoomi Agitation 
2. During LS 2014 campaign for NaMo's election to PMship

Demonitization has the potential to flip the script so that Indians unite based on economic issues and not caste/region/language/religion based ones.  

This is of vital importance.  If Dalits/Yadavs/Marathas..etc. see themselves as economically disadvantaged and not socially disadvantaged and vote for the most honest and competent parties, BJP can best its opponents well beyond 2019.  

By uniting Hindus based on economic class, Demonitization and the larger anti-corruption crusade may dilute caste/regional identities vis-a-vis electoral importance and bring about Hindu unity as an unintended consequence.

Imagine an India where Hindus unite because they trust a leadership driven by exceptional qualities and not the caste/regional identities.

PM Modi has worked to well thought out plan to achieve just such a shift in Indian politics.  He has created a league of extraordinary men and women.  

His cabinet is filled with highly competent leaders whose integrity is impeccable.  

Most importantly, where ever possible, he has picked state CMs (Fadnavis being a great example) who share the same traits - Clean, competent, hardworking.

He has refused to buckle under caste pressures be it Jats, Marathas or Patels.  

Demonitization has place BJP and PM Modi in an almost invincible position of being on the right side of class and clean politics.  

By over emphasizing class as a unifier, demonitization may have rendered caste a less efficacious factor in Indian politics.  

It's too early to tell if these shifts will hold. But there's no denying that this shift is underway and the more PM Modi targets the corrupt system the more support he garners from India's unwashed masses aka voters.

But BJP needs to be very careful.  Not much good will won by PM Modi is rubbing off on the party.  

Excluding a few leaders, the party is seen as a lesser evil.  The party must carry out an internal purge at the opportune time to garner more of this magic political dust. 

Failure to mold itself in the image of PM Modi could cause severe damage in a post-NaMo era. 

Analyzing: Maneka's game plan and OROP

Maneka's Game Plan:

A question doing the rounds across social media is the intriguing moves being made by Maneka and her son. 

Consider the following:

1. Forming a Whatsapp with known anti-NaMo presstitutes
2. Making secular noises through her ministry
3. Welcoming World Vision deep into her ministry

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed and her new sickular friends have responded in kind by providing her son and her very favorable coverage in their channels.  

It is too early to suggest that Maneka and son are the sickular flavor-of-the-month, but the process is well underway.

So what explains this?  

The answer is rather elementary.  As Sonia's Gandhi dynasty begins to fade thanks to her corruption and Pappu's failure at procreation, a vast political space is likely to open up. 

Two prerequisites are imperative to fill this space - Dynasty and sickular credentials certified by India's old guard - media, academia, leftist libtards, etc.

Clearly the dynasty part is covered, but the sickular certification is pending and she's working towards achieving just that.

Maneka plans to eventually take over the Congress party.

The recent 'honey trap' controversy should be seen in this light.  Alert members of BJP have understood this game plan and the controversy was a preemptive strike to ensure that Gandhi dynasty doesnt get reinvented in a new form.  

Pappu and Cousin should be the last dynasts India will ever see.

  

OROP:
 
The #OROP controversy is another example of a desperate opposition doing all it can to prevent PM Modi from running away with Indian politics for the next 5-10 years.  For a more detailed analysis please read - http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2016/10/surgical-strike-real-reason-behind.html

But what explains the 'arrest' of Pappu and Aloo?  

As argued in the past (http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-pm-modi-allowed-kejriwal-to-win.html) Team NaMo is doing all it can to 'promote' as many PM claimants for 2019 as possible.  

A cabal of competing egos will find it very difficult to form the one opposition that could hurt PM Modi in 2019 - The Maha Gatbandhan or a Maha Gatbandhan lite. 

Just as Pappu had begun fading, the NDA govt. does something to bring him back from the dead.  As of today there are 6 likely PM aspirants: 
Pappu
Aloo
Nitish
Mulayam
Maya
Mamta 
(Amma if she gets healthy)

Team NaMo is playing to ensure that none of them become strong enough to form a fulcrum but not weak enough to leave political space open enough for someone else to jump in. 

p.s. Progress on corruption cases against Sonia may have to wait till 2020 

Marathi Women Challenge Islamic Orthodoxy

What do these names have in common:

Zakia Soman
Lubna Choudhary
Noorjehan Niaz

They are the women leading the charge against Triple Talaq and in favor of a Uniform Civil Code.  

The pleasant surprise in their revolution is the shear courage and audacity with which they present their arguments.

They are shoving gender rights down the throats of their mullahs.  Who seem befuddled by the aggression.  An aggression rarely seen in the ranks of Muslim women. 

Another common thread binds these women.  They are all Muslims from Mumbai and belong to (as their surnames and accents suggest) the konkan coast of Maharashtra. 

Sadly the best known Konkani Muslim is Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.  But this community has always held on to their Marathi identity and as late as the 1920s and 30s were begging Hindus to bring them back into the Hindu fold (that caste considerations prevented their return is a different issue). 

Konkani Marathis in general are a tribe that fueled the rise of not only the Shiv Sena but also Mumbai's underworld.  All three major Mumbai Dons (and their armies) from the 80s came from this stock. 

This community has a unique mindset that is often misunderstood by not just non-maharashtrians but even Marathis from other parts of the country.  

In a strange way they exhibit shades of the same intransigence that one associates with orthodox Muslims.  

It is no wonder than that the two communities have been a loggerheads even in contemporary India. 

The banner of revolt against gender discrimination raised by Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan must be seen in the backdrop of the konkani marathi antecedants of the two founders.

Maharashtra has been blessed with a stellar gallery of social reformers.  That a Kunbi (OBC) Maratha could rise to become an Emperor by galvanizing Hindus across castes/class was a natural outcome of the vibrant social reforms initiated by several saints since the 1200s


These Konkani Muslim women are continuing this long tradition of social reform.  The courage and brazen audacity on display can only happen with women who are willing to risk life and limb to bring a revolutionary change to their community. 

This is only the latest chapter in a tradition of reformists who have challenged orthodoxy.  No religion or doctrine has survived their onslaught. 

Muslim Law Board is merely the most recent victim.

Why China Needs India more than Pakistan

China is going to great lengths to corner India.  From investing $50 Billion in Pakistan to keeping India out of the NSG, China has adopted a single point agenda to oppose and stop India. 

Though this may seem antagonistic China cannot push India beyond a certain point.  Economically and militarily India is no push over and any war (even a limited one) will hurt Chinese economy at a time when they can ill afford it. 

But beyond India's capability China has a strategic compulsion to prevent India from being irreparably vanquished. 

Imagine the following scenario:

India loses a two front war and has to concede Kashmir to Pakistan or as an independent state. 

The green crescent i.e. Islamic rule from Arabia to Indonesia would be close to fruition.  China would then come face to face with a billion strong muslim Umma right across its West and Southern border. 

India serves as a buffer that bears the brunt of Islamofacism.  Take away this buffer and China will have to deal with a hungry Islamic horde ready to take back Xinjiang across a 1000+ mile stretch of its border.  

America would salivate at the prospect of reactivating old assets in AfPak to do to Beijing what Jihadis did to Moscow in the 80s.

Surely Beijing understands this dynamic.  Their reluctance to push India beyond a point is reflected in their continuing neutrality on the issue of Kashmir.  

No sensible power in the world wants another Islamic state to come into existence.  Much less on its own restive border. 

So folks China will jab and poke at India to defend and extend its economic and military lead but it wont reach for the right upper cut for a decisive KO.

China needs India more than it needs Pakistan.

p.s. Hope Indian strategists have factored in this imperative into their calculations.  The trick lies in not trying to befriend China into working against Pakistan but instead to have the average Pakistani to turn against China. 

 

Jai Shri Ram & Triple Talaq and why BJP Should Eschew Mandir Politics

Perhaps it is a combination of factors driving BJP's latest flirtation with the RJBM movement. Local free lancers, core constituency and old timers looking to relive the heady days of that epoch making movement.  It doesnt matter.

What matters is that given current political scenario, dipping in this political well would prove, at the very least, a damaging strategy for the BJP.  Both within UP and beyond.

BJP has played its cards perfectly on the issue of secularism.  Most importantly the triple talaq conundrum has pushed sickular libtards into a cul-de-sac which seems increasingly like a dead end.

BJP now occupies the moral high ground on the issue of gender rights and liberal values.  Even their most stringent critics on the left will be forced to support both banning of the triple talaq and the inevitable fall out into support of the UCC that is bound to follow.

Add to this fortuitous turn of events the expertly executed surgical strike by the Indian Army and you have the makings of a new BJP that would be ideologically very difficult to defeat.  Certainly on the issue of secularism.

Most importantly, triple talaq has the potential to engender deep doubts in the minds of mullahs across India.  Do they trust their women to vote on traditional vote bank lines or will an electorally significant segment of muslim women break ranks and vote for the BJP behind the anonymity of voting booths.  That question may prompt mullahs to sequester their women folks at home.

Either way BJP wins.  

Additionally BJP benefits from the halo effect of unabashedly supporting gender justice.  Non-muslim women will see BJP favorably in the years ahead if it successfully bans triple talaq and pushes for a UCC.

Congress and its many clones are now caught between a rock and a hard place.  If they go against UCC/Triple Talaq they will alienate the larger Hindu and woman vote.  If they support it they will lose a dedicated, belligerent vote bank.

By introducing RJMB into this mix, BJP dilutes this equation while accruing only minor political gains.  

Moreover, they unite the sickular votebank and hands some of the hard earned gains back to BJP's rivals.

Surely Lord Ram would support a temporary suspension of the campaign to build a grand temple in his honor.  

It will after all go a long way in saving his beloved Sanatan Dharma.

We Owe PM Modi an Apology

Dear Fellow Right Wingers,



Lets face it we dont deserve a PM like PM Modi.  Go back to the first two quarters after BJP took over in June 2016 - the first 6 months and review the anger and vitriol spewed by his 'supporters' on and off social media.



It was then that I wrote this post - http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-pms-dilemma.html - explaining the insidious traps and barriers left in place Sonia's Congress and her evil empire. 



Clueless supporters demanded instant results.  UCC, bloody nose for Pakistan, economic liberalization, Sonia behind bars.....should have been delivered faster than it takes for Maggie noodles to be cooked and served.



As PM Modi approaches the half way mark, we all owe him an apology and a debt of gratitude. 


When some of us Bhakts began supporting him over 10 years back, none could have predicted his rise to the highest office and the items on our agenda which would be placed on his plate.


And he has delivered or close to delivering on every single one of them.


Here's a brief list:


- End corruption (high level corruption in central govt. has ended)

- Place Pakistan on path to destruction (my personal favorite)

- Economic liberalization (5+ PSUs identified for divestment)

- UCC - Debate initiated

- Abolition of Triple Talaq now on its way

- Modernize Indian military and make it self reliant

- Massive development of transportation infrastructure (Railways, Roadways, Waterways)

- 24 x 7 Power (on track to be delivered by 3rd quarter 2017)


So folks, bow down and apologize your PM.  He's a leader like on other and if he has one flaw it is us - his followers who want him to deliver on an unrealistic timeline.


Your truly


Bhakt #1



 

Surgical Strike - The Real Reason Behind Kejriwal, Nitish and Pappu's Heartburn

Dhirubhai was once asked how he dealt with contemporaries who were deeply envious of his meteoric rise.  His response was something to the effect that one must alter one's orbit.  As you graduate to higher orbits you leave your contemporaries behind and they come around to accepting your ascendance.  

PM Modi's clinically planned and executed, multi level surgical strike has placed him in an orbit of one.  

For an India which gave him an overwhelming mandate this was evident from day one.  But Kejriwal, Nitish and Pappu remained under the delusion that they were the PM's equals.  Perhaps it were the Delhi and Bihar state elections that gave credence to this misconception or it was just that their fragile egos were pumped by their respective supporters into believing the same.  

But the surge of support for PM Modi post Sept 29th has rattled these individuals to their very core.  

Even their own die hard supporters have come out publically in support of PM's multipronged strategy and its resounding success.

This trinity has rightly calculated that if allowed to go unchecked, PM Modi will transcend to an orbit where none could rival him.  Much as it happened in Gujarat, PM Modi will now come to be singularly synonymous with India.  PM Modi is now the sole representative of Bharatiya asmita. 

India is NaMo and NaMo is India.  From now onward every attack on the PM will perceived as an attack on India and her citizens.

This is the fear that has driven them into going down a suicidal path of questioning India's most venerated institution and its unprecedented success vis-a-vis Paki terror machine.

This is their last chance.  From now until 2019 and beyond, PM Modi will only go from strength to strength.  And they know it.   

We're now at a point of no return.  

PM Modi could remain in office till 2024 and beyond.  

How PM Modi has played Pakistan to Perfection

In the eyes of many a right wing supporter PM Modi had committed the ultimate sin by inviting Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony.  I was one of those right wingers.  

For someone who had expressed a desire to 'seal the border' with Pakistan (http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2013/01/seal-border-zero-contact-with-pakistan.html) Sharif being invited to foot on Indian soil was a betrayal.  And for that invitation to come from a PM we had all supported with such passion and devotion was particularly painful.  

But one thought kept gnawing at me "This was NaMo - the second coming of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj".  

And suddenly it made all the sense.  Upon further analysis I wrote the following post:  "The PM's Dilemma"
http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-pms-dilemma.html (see : "Friendship with Pakistan and China")

As India's response has unfolded since the attack at Uri, PM's strategy has finally come to light.  




(earlier post:  The Modi Doctrine)
http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-modi-doctrine.html


The invitation to Nawaz, attending his grand-daughter's wedding, making peace with Bangladesh on border issue, etc. they were all part of a larger strategy, knowing fully well that Jihadi Pakis would never change their colors. 

That PM did all this despite stinging rebuke from friend and foe alike is another feather in his cap.  

PM needed to demonstrate to liberal global leaders from Obama to Merkel that he had exhausted every avenue to initiate and sustain peace in the sub-continent.  

His early personal interventions have left no room for any country to complain that Modi's India has fallen short of taking a genuine shot at bringing peace to the sub-continent.  

As 4 out of the 7 SAARC countries decide to boycott the upcoming summit, we can only marvel at how well PM's strategy has worked.  
His tireless efforts on the foreign relations front have borne fruit with only a handful of countries willing to remain neutral, much less speak on behalf of Pakistan.  

If implemented expeditiously (and there's no reason to think it  wont) water management infrastructure on Indus rivers has the potential to permanently hold Pakis by the balls.  

Pakistan doesnt manufacture much, with agriculture being a key export and foreign exchange generator (the other being begging/charity).  

All India has to do is delay the release of water by a few weeks and Pakis will be on their knees.  Every future Uri, Pathankhot could attract severe reactions from India.  

Moreover, few future govts. (BJP or sickular) will be willing to weather the wrath of Indian voters by not leveraging this asset. 

In one stroke, PM Modi has brought Pakis to their knees.  Youtube Paki media clips on this issue and see the frothing at their collective mouths to view the impact this strategy is having on Pakis.

Pakis could react in one or several ways:

1.  Appeal to International community
- No one wants to support the protectors of Osama Bin Laden.  Pakistan will find very little traction even in Europe

2. Get China to build structures on rivers originating in China
- This is a non-starter.  When India doesnt currently exploit even the 20% allocated to it, what impact will this have on India.  Besides Pakistan wants the water to flow through on be stopped.  
Secondly, only small parts of these rivers originate in China.  These rivers gather most of their strength from the melting snow on Indian territory

3. Bomb the water management structures
- Any such attack will give India an opening to bomb all kinds of assets in Pakistan (from power plants on CPEC to dams and canals)

The Indus Water strategy allows India to control Pakistan by playing within the constraints described here (http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-modi-doctrine.html)  with minimal loss of life or threat of blow back. 


Pakistan is screwed......and I'm loving this.

Arnab Goswami and the reinvention of Indian Right Wing

Arnab Goswami may be on to something.....read on

For a news junkie such as yours truly, Arnab represents a brand of news anchoring that is unprecedented within any media landscape, but most certainly within India's incestuous media club.  

While Indian print media has a few leading lights who present the right of center pov, electronic media has remained immune to conservative arguments.

Step in Arnab Goswami.  

Perhaps Arnab's right wing leanings are part of a carefully crafted strategy to fill a vacuum that was visible to even the most casual media watchers. 

Perhaps he is truly a patriot whose heart aches for the dismal state of India's defense preparedness.  

Regardless of his motivations, Arnab may have stumbled on to something that could alter the way India's fledgeling right wing discourse is shaped in the years to come. 

As I have mentioned in earlier blog posts, the information revolution unleashed in the early 90s has driven a rethink across opinion makers across the free world.  If you have access to information, chances are, your worldview is likely to tend toward a 'global citizen' mentality, with tolerance as the center piece.  What was once a liberal affectation is now a core belief even amongst the more conservative leaning citizens.  

This dynamic plays out most commonly with younger folks (and Indians are amongst the youngest demographic).  But even older groups have shown a remarkable change of heart, particularly on social issues. 

These evolving social transformations are most evident in the West.  Given the efficient nature of western institutions this is to be expected.  From electing the first Black Head of State in any western nation to approval for gay marriage, America has delivered social changes unthinkable as recently as George W's election campaign in 1999.

India cannot remain insulated from these global changes.  This wave of tolerance is nothing new to Hinduism.  Access to information has allowed people to access historical facts and form or update long held opinions.

On a personal note,  my visceral hatred for Hindu casteism stems from gaining access to historical evidence of the degrading treatment meted out to Hinduism only truly Hindu King - Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Google the history behind his coronation)

Social changes engendered by the information revolution have created a (electorally significant) new segment of voters that is uncomfortable with social conservatism.  But at the same time this segment tends to take an ultra conservative view on terror and positions that are perceived as being 'soft on terror'.  

In short, there's now a liberal wing of the conservative movement which hates Pakistan and terror as much as (say) a Shiv Sainik.

This segment is comfortable with western attire, music, culinary preferences but clings to (even celebrates) its Indianess. 

This segment supports PM Modi but wont go to bat for a Togadia. 

Arnab's ratings triumph suggests this segment is growing and the younger lot in particular are only swelling its ranks.  

BJP needs to find a way to connect with this segment.  For 2019 and beyond.

How and Why UPA could 'Win' in 2019

PM Modi's Pre-Uri (According to latest Pew survey) approval rating is at an unprecedented 81% (down from 87%) at the half way mark.

The honeymoon seems to be going strong.  Other surveys have indicated a landslide 300+ seats for NDA if elections are held today.

But we must guard against complacency which seems to have crept in, if BJP's recent actions (or 'inactions') are any indication.

India's sickular/pseudo liberal evil empire has been hard at work.  From the minute 2014 exit polls were announced, UPA and their carefully cultivated force multipliers went to work to probe PM Modi's defenses.  They failed miserably for the first few months.  But they have learned from these failures, tweaked their strategies and regrouped for a final assault.

They have come the following conclusion: 
A second landslide for PM Modi would mean the beginning of the  end of sickular politics practiced since before 1947. 

The strategy is as follows:

1. Divide Hindus 
2. Unite sickular forces under a single united front - UPA or UPA+

Objective:  A defeat for the PM does not have to translate into an outright victory for UPA.  In 2004, BJP had 3 more seats than Congress, but NDA lost big and that is precisely what Sonia is aiming for in 2019.  Bring BJP' tally under 200 so that even if NDA3 comes to power it shackles PM Modi and leads to rampant corruption (for starters) and dilutes PM's anti-Sonia, anti-corruption crusade.

The first part of the strategy seems to be working spectacularly (with a little help from BJP and the larger Sangh parivar)

It was first tested with Jats in Haryana.  The level and intensity of caste riots surprised many an observer (me included).  Clearly the 'agitation' was orchestrated and its success seems to have unleashed three additional pressure points.

Dalits, Patels and now Marathas.

Notice how each of these castes have huge numbers in their respective states and have tasted power.  Galvanizing them behind a caste based non-BJP formation would be relatively easy.

Mayawati - UP
Patels - Congress/Hardik
Marathas - Pawar/Congress

The biggest loser of this caste based consolidation would be PM Modi and his BJP.

The second part of the strategy (uniting sickular opposition) is a bit trickier.

BJP seems to be complacently enjoying the goings on within opposition ranks - whether is Nitish Vs. Laloo in Bihar or Cong Vs. Kejriwal in Delhi.

The thinking seems to be "these jokers can never unite, we have nothing to worry about"

Moreover, with regional satraps like Mamta and Amma likely to emerge as the single largest regional entities in the next Parliament, the number of PMship claimants would grow exponentially.

Currently, there are 6 - Mamta, Amma, Kejriwal, Nitish, Netaji, Rahul...with Pawar lurking (as always) in the background

Additionally, several key components are fiercely divided at the local level, fighting over the same regional turf - DMK vs. Amma, Mamta Vs. Cong, Maya Vs. Mulayam, etc.
 
 But they dont need to unite into one happy family.  

They dont need to.  Even a limited coalition, restricted to key states of Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Delhi would hurt BJP in a big way.  The Ammas, Mamtas, etc. could be added post elections.

Even if UPA3 doesnt come to fruition, said alliance could siphon of 70-80 seats from BJP's current tally, bringing it exactly where sickular want it - at the 200 seat mark.

And therein lies the danger.  

BJP seems to be asleep at the wheel.  

Another key factor is that PM Modi seems to be using the same template he used to win in 2014.  Though key elements of that template will remain relevant and crucial in 2019, caste and coalitions may end up playing a bigger role. 

If Bihar could usher in jungle raj 2.0 with this strategy, UP could be next.  A SJP+Cong alliance could take away 2-30 seats from the BJP for instance.

BJP must address these caste divisions right now before its too late.  
 Caste cannot be confronted in 2018.  It must be addressed right away.

A two pronged strategy must be adopted to address demands for caste based reservations:
 
1. Constitute a committee to look into these demands at the national level and push the SC to decide on the constitutionality of these demands.  This will at the very least, buy NDA time

2. Turn the Hindu Vs. Hindu fight on caste reservations into a Hindu Vs. Minorities fight (Clearly Owasi would jump at this opportunity).  By highlighting religion based reservations as a threat to all reservations, BJP can put sickulars on the back foot and create a temporary stalemate.  Which should hold till after 2019. 

We can reassess this problem then.  Hopefully, initiatives such as 'Make in India' will begin impacting local economies, raising demands for labor, thus eating into cries for reservations.

 

People Vs. St. Teresa and the White Man's Burden

Reactions to the Canonization of Mother Teresa have fallen in two categories - She was a proselytizing demon Vs. she was a flawless saint who saved a god forsaken people.

There's a 3rd facet to this issue - "The White Man's burden"

Several years ago a Chinese friend had pointed out this phenomenon that transcends Western foreign policy and infuses itself in various aspects of Western narrative even influencing Hollywood's portrayal of non-Western peoples.  Particularly those that are racially considered non-Christian, non-White. 

Mohd. Ali on the Church - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtxfTEyJZg4

Consider how this narrative played a central role in older comic heros - Tarzan, Phantom...to name two who were white men who knew more about the African jungles than the natives and who did not inter racially mate with the locals but from generation to generation (The ghost who walks) took only white spouses.

This is not to suggest that native cultures did not have their own evils or flaws.  Sati (however infrequent it may have been) was an undeniable fact.  But so was witch-hunting.  The argument is that non-Christians did not assume the smug onus to think they needed to save other cultures from these flaws. 


Once a country was converted to Christianity, even if poverty, crime and social issues persist, this narrative was toned down.  (Compare the portrayal, for instance, of India's 'Rape Culture' with the widespread and decades long problem of rape on American College campuses or problem with human trafficking across Latin and North America.)

Saint Teresa is an almost perfect epitome of this narrative.  A white, christian woman sacrificing her all to live with and serve a wretched, god forsaken people who have no willingness or ability to serve their own.

Saint Teresa makes white folks feel good about themselves.  Though Teresa is a global brand, the same dynamic is implemented at local levels through Churches and the many social services offered.

A little known fact is that even in America, the Church is the second largest (after the government) provider of Educational and Health services.

This has allowed the Church to serve as a force multiplier for western nations.

This perfect union, persisted till the early 2000s.  But two events  severely dented its influence within Western Societies (and has continued to have a spillover effect on a global scale).  This has led to a crisis from which Western Christianity may not recover and may survive (in the West) as an ornamental cultural paradigm devoid of the influence it has exerted for the past 2000 years.

The first event was the dawn of the information age.
The second was the widespread, global child rape scandal across the Catholic church and the shameful cover up executed by the Pope (Ratzinger) himself.

The information age has brought younger generations of Christians face-to-face with the blood soaked history of the Church.  As Islamofacism grows by each passing day, Christians are coming to terms with their own similar and equally genocidal history.

This realization has led to the phenomenon of 'White Guilt' which flies in the face of the aforementioned (and centuries long) phenomenon of "White Man's Burden".

Consider the following gut-wrenching story of how the Jesuit order at Georgetown University owned and traded slaves

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/us/georgetown-university-search-for-slave-descendants.html?_r=0

Stories such as these have seen the light of day, thanks to the information age.  As younger White Christians are confronted by their sordid religious, cultural history their faith has been irreversibly shaken. 


The centuries long global genocide of native people in the Americas, Australia and the Asia, led and sponsored by the Church has received renewed scrutiny in the aftermath of the child rape scandal.

As victims came forward to recount these life-decimating events and the sinister role played by the highest authorities in the Church, Western smugness at 'helping' non-whites by saving them from their own cultural deficiencies took a beating.

On race, gender roles, slavery, child abuse Western Christianity has had a abysmal record that is worst than that of any of the native cultures violently uprooted and replaced by the Church.  

ISIS is a twin brother to the Church circa 1500 A.D.

This is not to suggest that the West has been all evil.  But it can be convincingly argued that the rise of rational thought (as against religion) that jettisoned religion to a peripheral role has played a pivotal and central role in the meteoric rise of Western societies over the past 4 centuries.

Note:  Even as late as the 1800s, India and China accounted for 40-45% of global trade.  Western domination is relatively recent.

Also, if Christianity was the reason behind Western success, how do you explain the abject poverty across south America and countries such as Philippines which have been Christian for several centuries.

Though Canonization of Mother Teresa may serve as a much needed boost to the Church in countries like India, Western Christianity has been in a terminal decline.  And will continue this trajectory.  

The way to counter Saint Teresa is not to demean her but to highlight the likes of Baba Amte and Amma and to adopt Western (not Christian) values such as separation of Church and state.

We dont want to emulate the Church when its own approach has been tried, tested and rejected by its original followers.  

The rapid spread of Eastern philosophies such as Yoga and Veganism, are evidence that economically prosperous Western societies have once again stolen a march on their Eastern counter parts - extract the good, ignore the irrelevant and suppress the bad.

Societies like India dont need to ape the Church, they need to honor and emulate movements that emerged from within - such as Sikhism. 



 
 

Chinese Acquisition and Balkanization of Pakistan

China's motivation in Pakistan is multifaceted.

The first two are well known
a) Corner India
b) Build a shorter, alternative route to middle eastern oil resources

But its more sinister objectives are less understood.  When we understand these motives, we come to one simple conclusion - 

The balkanization of Pakistan is well underway

Here's why:

 China's Xinjiang province was once a majority Muslim state.  As they did with Tibet, China used infusion of Han Chinese as a strategy to affect rapid demographic change so that muslims are now a minority in Xinjiang (45%).

 China has poured billions of dollars into raising the standard of living in this natural resource rich territory which also happens to be China's biggest province.

But the economic imbalance between Han majority north and Muslim (Uyghur) dominated south is stark.  

This Uyghur south has the potential to become China's Kashmir.  A small yet motivated minority demanding a separate state based purely on a religious identity.

Clearly Chinese strategists have woken up to the threat radical Islam poses to this resource rich region.  Surrounded as it is on 3 sides by states actively promoting radical, militant Islam.

China has assiduously maintained a neutral position in the war between the West and Islam, hoping perhaps to emerge as the predominant global super power from the resulting detritus much as USofA gain global preeminence in the aftermath of the 2nd world war.

Regular albeit infrequent terror attacks in Xinjiang have provided constant reminders to Beijing of the ulcer festering within its own territory, one which could be used by external powers to drag China into this war.

This realization seems to have dawned on Beijing in the aftermath of the 2011 attacks. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/world/asia/02china.html?_r=0

(Chinese authorities make a direct reference to training received by terrorists from across the border in Pakistan.)

Even a firm dressing down by their counterparts in the Red Army failed to persuade ISI from furnishing Beijing with a much needed reassurance that Pakistan's territory would not be used against Chinese interests.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor must be seen in the backdrop of these dynamics.

China's calculation is 3 fold:

1. Make Pakistan economically dependent on China 
2. Position substantial Chinese military assets within Pakistani territory so that terror can be handled at the source
3. Create a buffer zone on the Pakistani side of the border (i.e. Gilgit-Baltistan) which help insulate Xinjiang from direct Jihadi factories based in Pakistan

All three objectives are now close to being accomplished.  

In corporate lexicon, Pakistanis view CPEC as an alliance where as the Chinese see it as an acquisition.

Much as a corporate raider takes a 5%-9% stake in a company before launching a bid for a majority stake, China has nibbled at the border districts with a definite plan to acquire more pieces if and when they become available.

Chinese acquisition of strategically significant pieces of Pakistani territory is in effect balkanization of Pakistan.  

Another factor that buttresses this theory is this: 

Pakistan's ruling Punjabi elite has funneled much of China's proposed $46 Billion investment through Punjab.  Very little is being given to other regions.

It is likely that apart from pipelines and other energy related assets, very little will be invested in the other 3 Pakistani states (Balochistan, Sindh and FATA).  

Is it possible that the Sharif family and the other 20-30 ruling clans of Pakistan have come to the conclusion that Pakistan will cease to exist sooner rather than later and they need to grab as much as they can so as to fortify their positions to deal with this eventuality.

Perhaps China has sensed this nervousness within Pakistani Punjabi ranks and is acting accordingly.  

The $46 billion is unlikely to show up in its entirety.  A country which cannot attract a cricket team to play a month long series is unlikely to attract investments with a decade long investment horizon.

Even the Chinese would be wary of investing in a country where a 15000 strong military unit has to be raised with the sole purpose of protecting commercial interests.

The cost of maintaining CPEC would be so high as to make the entire endeavor cost prohibitive in the long run.

The Chinese establishment understands this and views CPEC as a bait-and-switch strategy.

They dangle the carrot of investment and get both the Pakistani army and its ruling elite to give up key assets (Gawadar Port and Gilgit-Baltistan).  

China gets a naval base right in the heart of Arabian sea at a very strategic location.  If Americans blockade South China Sea, Chinese naval assets at Gawadar can be leveraged to target American oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.

What Pakistan has failed to recognize is that their strategic surrender to the Chinese has made it party to anti-Chinese strategies being developed across jittery western capitals.

Drying up of American military and economic aid must be seen in this light.  

In fact President Obama's treaty with Iran should also be seen in this light (will blog about this in a few weeks).

But the bottomline is this:

In the grand game between super powers, there's only one certain loser i.e. Pakistan.

Media Vs. PM Modi

In the run up to 2009 elections, at a meeting with BJP supporters, Mr. Arun Jaitley was asked about media's anti-BJP bias.  A clearly irritated Jaitley dismissed it as a factor of little to no consequence. 

But before we chalk it up to Mr. Jaitley soft corner for his carefully cultivated media coterie, let me remind you that the larger Sangh & BJP leadership including Mohanji, PM and Amit bhai share the same view on media and media management.

  "We have won many an election with full weight of the media raged against us.  Media doesnt matter".

The unimpeachable personal integrity of PM Modi serves as a shield that protects BJP from media's relentless onslaught.
While this is a fair argument, what Team NaMo needs to realize is that media has upped the ante.  
The sinister role played by well known media hit men and women in helping flame recent disturbances in Kashmir Valley is an obvious example.

With the PM and his team controlling hot heads within the party and taking swift action against the usual suspects, media and their CONg masters are finding it difficult to sustain the 'intolerance is rising' narrative peddled ever since BJP took office.

In absence of any real issues, media is now manufacturing lies.  Last week's absurd case of sedition filed against a Congress MP 'Ramya' by a Congress government in Karnataka as a consequence of a PIL filed by a Congress member was run by various media houses as another case of BJP's high handedness. 

What we're witnessing is a dangerous escalation of media's war on the BJP and PM Modi.

Couple this escalation with the heartburn caused by PM's vocal support for Balochistan within India's left liberal media ranks and you have the makings of a massive war facing BJP in the months/years ahead.

So how does this new found media aggression hurt BJP:

1. It divides Hindu society (Though Dalit grievances may be legit, sudden media attention suggests a clear plan to break the Hindu social coalition that brought BJP a clear majority)
2. Takes attention away from the stellar performance of Team Modi
- Prices of key commodities (Dal, onions, vegetables) have collapsed across the country, largely due to the efforts of the PM (Maharashtra's abolition of parts of the APMC act is one such measure)
3. Allows India's external enemies to reinforce their lies across global communities by citing Indian media reports as evidence against India's position
4. Establishes a 'fact' trail that can be strung together in run up to 2019 to prove India is intolerant and undemocratic under the BJP
5. But most importantly it angers certain communities - Patels, Jats, Muslims, Dalits, other minorities who can then be instigated to act against the state so the media can then claim "we told you so" on the intolerance debate.

There's simple cure to these media claims.  Another 'Radia' like expose will permanently destroy whatever is left of Indian media's credibility.  

Surely IB and other agencies have enough dirt of key media houses.  Have the govt. release the same through non-state actors, sit back and enjoy tamasha.

The timing should be sooner rather than later.  A controversy of this size will need to be affected 2 years prior to 2019 elections, i.e.  some time around early 2017.  

The accompanying social media storm will drown out media's anti-BJP, anti-PM hit jobs.  With 2 plus years to hammer MSM, the message would percolate across the nation which would work to BJP's advantage as it launches campaign season for 2019.

Balochistan: The Target is China

One week is a lifetime in politics, so goes the adage.  Between India and Pakistan it is 69 years.  Two deftly targeted statements by Indian PM have set off alarm bells in Islamabad.  By including Balochistan, Gilgit and POK within the Kashmir issue, PM Modi has altered conventional talking points on both sides of the border.

Most Indians (baring the usual sickulars) have welcomed his statement (and the signaled strategic shift) with a sense of awestruck elation.  "This should put Pakistan in its place" so goes the collective wisdom of both casual watchers of Indo-Pak.  

Needless to say Pakis have gotten their collective britches in a twist.  (Watching Paki media is perhaps the best entertainment you'll find you youtube)

Two years of almost uninterrupted international diplomacy is finally bearing fruit.  PM Modi is a highly disciplined politician.  That he has chosen the time and place to open a front on Balochistan suggests the following:

a) All preparations to follow-up on his statements have been made

b) He has laid the ground work and won allies across the globe to play this card

c) Pakistan's days as a geographically coherent entity may be numbered

But lost in the euphoria and noise is a key piece that most pundits seem to have missed.  

PM Modi's Baloch arrow attempts to kill several birds with one stone.  The biggest bird isnt Pakistan, it is China.

China's audacious sea grab across the South China Sea (SCS) is unparalleled in recent international history.  Even beyond such high profile theaters, China is following a policy of modern day colonization.  Chinese aid to impoverished African nations is a stark reminder of the Red Dragon's nefarious intentions.  

http://www.cnbc.com/2014/12/30/recolonizing-africa-a-modern-chinese-story.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-18901656

But back to China's gamble in the South China Sea.  

To the Chinese its bold gambit makes sense.  A bulk of China's energy imports are routed through South China Sea.  So are a bulk of its exports and imports.  

Choking this 'narrow' inlet could severely deplete China's leverage in International affairs.  As economies of neighboring countries such as Vietnam (with whom China has recent history of armed conflict) and the Philippines improve, they could exert their own claims over resources and access provided by SCS.

China's funding of Pakistan CPEC is an attempt of create an alternate route for middle eastern energy assets to reach mainland China.  

A desperate Pakistan has walked itself into a trap by inviting China to build this corridor without recognizing the international fallout of becoming a defacto satellite state of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Balochistan gambit introduced by PM Modi should be seen in this light.  Clearly, it has the blessings and tacit support from DC.   

By openly supporting independence for Balochistan PM Modi has set out to achieve multiple objectives:

a) Bring Paki army's human rights violation into international focus

b) Offer a moral and legal umbrella to the Balochi freedom fighters to target CPEC

c) Permanently eliminate discussion of LOC as a default international border

d) Engender doubts in the mind of Chinese strategists vis-a-vis the sagacity of funding CPEC to the tune of $48 Billion

e) Tie up Paki military in an unending battle with well funded internal forces

f) Bring into question Pakistan's very legitimacy as a nation beyond its Punjab centric core

g) Scare away international investors

Even if the Indo-US partnership is unable to stymie China's quest for an supplementary route for energy resources, the Balochistan card will cause irreversible damage to Pakistan.  

We may witness another partition of Pakistan within 10 years. 

But for India to ensure this outcome, PM Modi must win a second term. 

The Modi Doctrine

"Modiji Badalgaye....PM Modi has changed."  "We asked for a Putin, we got an Obama".....even some die hard Internet Hindus have voiced similar sentiments in recent days/weeks.  Pathankot, Wani aftermath, lunch with Sharif.....the list of transgressions seem (in RW eyes) to be endless.  With little to show in terms of tangible progress on the ground.

The growing frustration perhaps says as much about Hindus as it does about the larger problem facing India in Kashmir.  Whereas both Christian and Islamic forces have taken a millennial view to their rein, Hindus, despite their ancient origins tend to be more short sighted.  But I digress.

To even the most deft international players with a strong economy and military to boot, Kashmir and handling Islamic terror would be an uphill task.  Just ask President Obama or the French Hollande.

Here's a list of factors PM Modi has to consider before he makes any move:

1. FDI and International investor sentiment
2. India's own Islamic population and the terror cells it most certainly harbors
3. Lack of dependable domestic military hardware suppliers
4. Global governments controlled by liberal leaders from Germany to France and the United States
5. China
6. Need to prepare for a two-front war
7. Pakistan/China's 10 year head start achieved under UPA 1 & 2
8. India's internal 'Aman ki Asha' 5th column
9. International Islamic sentiment for their brethren in Kashmir
10. A divided Hindu family
11. The need to deliver key promises for 2019
12. Demographic changes making Hindus a minority in key regions of India
13. ........

Given these constraints PM Modi has had to tread a thin line.  He's clearly executing a well thought out plan (and if impatient Internet Hindus would give him a chance they could see it come to fruition in the years ahead).

Task #1:  Isolate Pakistan within the Islamic world

Task #2: Leverage threat posed by China to its neighbors to create a strong coalition to maintain status quo on India's eastern border

Task #3:  Build a strong domestic military supply chain so as to significantly reduce India's dependence on foreign governments and their own strategic imperatives

Task #4:  Rebuild India's shattered economy so as to attract foreign investments which in turn would help create a global constituency of pro-India business leaders - from Jeff Bezos to Warren Buffet

No doubt sight of young Indian soldiers being butchered by Jihadi bastards makes our collective blood boil.  But it is a price India will have to pay to sustain a long term and (god willing) a permanent solution to the Kashmir problem.

As explained here - Pakistan is screwed - http://inflextionpoint.blogspot.com/2015/06/pakistan-is-screwed-heres-why.html

There's no need to escalate a conflict with Pakistan (even a limited one) and bail Pakistan out.  

PM Modi's actions must be seen in the backdrop of these emerging variables.  By appearing to be 'friendly' and docile toward Pakistan, PM Modi is taking away Pakistan's biggest foreign policy leverage i.e. Portraying India as a regional bully 

Coupled with Pakistan's now well established credentials as a rogue terrorist nation, this docile attitude allows India to further hasten the process of de-hyphenation.

So my fellow RWingers calm down and support your PM.  He needs all the help he can get.  Trust him.

Countering Priyanka

Congress' first political obituary was written in 1971, but much like the cat with 9 lives, Congress and the Gandhi parivar seem to find a away to survive.

Priyanka's introduction to active politics as the face in UP is being touted by some as the party's last ditch effort and others as too little too late.

Most RWingers see her as political dead weight.  But much as the same crowd once overestimated Rahul, they are now underestimating PV.

In almost any political contest, countering a woman, particularly one with brand recognition and no direct taint is an uphill task.  With Congress viewing her as a do-or-die effort, BJP would be well advised to prepare a careful strategy.

That PV is a far better politician than her brother is a given.  The street corner paanwala is a better politician than her brother.

But PV is blessed with a key attribute.  She appears to be very patient.  Not prone to making wild statements, not prone to reacting to every event.

Her carefully cultivated image of a loyal sister, daughter and wife will be difficult to dislodge.

So how should the BJP counter Priyanka.

1. Define her early and reinforce the image
For starters BJP members, leaders and spokespersons must start referring to her as Priyanka Vadra and not Priyanka Gandhi.  This subtle change will reinforce her image as part of the most corrupt family in India.  Every Vadra scam should be pinned on her.  Not by direct proclamation (more on this later) but through an indirect mode.

2.  Do not attack her directly.  It will only open space her to play the female victim card.  Much as a mother as a selfless widow was able to hood wink India, PV could play the 'wronged' wife card to gain sympathy

3. Pit Smriti Irani and other BJP women leaders against her.  Ms. Irani is age appropriate and has the skill set to match PV.  More importantly she draws a stark contrast between a self made woman and a dynast.

4. Use non-BJP actors on social media and other entities to bring into question Vadra's family history.  The death of multiple Vadra family members due to unnatural causes should be a talking point across media channels.

5. Define PV's appointment as face failure of the collective Congress party.  Make her the symbol of failure and not of a new hope

6. Make this a AAP Vs. PV contest.  This way AAP becomes  contender against Congress and Congress' profile is lowered to that of a small regional party

7.  DO NOT CALL Priyanka a housewife or mock her in any personal way.  There's plenty of ammunition to go after her politically.


.....To be continued

Understanding Extremism - How and Why Westernized Muslims turn to Terrorism

Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump has gained a mass following by calling for a blanket ban on all muslims till America can figure out why seemingly ordinary Muslims turn to terrorism.

What follows is an attempt to help answer the question that many Americans are struggling with "Why do they hate us?"

Americans continue to struggle with this question.  Trump has recognized this fear of the unknown and cut through political correctness to attack the heart of the issue.

But for those of us who have experienced Islamic intransigence the answer is rather obvious.

To much of the world Hitler was an atheist who perpetrated the worst genocide in Human history.  

Hitler's so called atheist antecedents fail to explain his Jew hatred.  What victors of WW II have successfully whitewashed is the fact that the holocaust was a culmination of 2000 years of Jewish persecution sanctioned and encouraged by the Catholic church.

For centuries Catholic indoctrination came with a heavy dose of Jew hate.  Jews being blamed for betraying Christ which led to his eventual crucifixion.  

This bit of history was used to paint an entire group of people as 'evil' and their rights curtailed and severely restricted.

Jewish ghettos and anti-jewish pogroms were a regular occurrence across Europe much before Hitler's rise in Germany.

It was this swamp of hatred which allowed/encouraged the rise of Jew-hating Hitler.  The leap from Jewish persecution and hatred to the Holocaust was short and swift.  The ground had been prepared over centuries.

It was only in the post WW II era that the western world and the catholic church curtailed their Jew hatred.  Even as late as the 60s and 70s America harbored Country clubs where Jews were banned.

Islam represents a very similar dynamic today.  But instead of hating Jews, Muslims from a very early age are taught to hate all things non-Islamic.

This hate takes two forms:
a) the obvious - other religions/doctrines - Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism.....Communism, etc.
b) Practices which are considered unIslamic - Music, free mixing of sexes, free speech, etc.

In addition, loyalty to faith above all else is enshrined as a central tenet and preached through very subtle but highly effective channels.

The practice of nurturing an animal during the month of Ramadan and slaughtering as tribute to Allah servers multiple purposes.  It teaches Muslims to sacrifice something they naturally will come to love (an animal they have nurtured) and teach the average Muslim to wield a saw to butcher an animal.

Children as young as 4-5 are taught to enjoy the spectacle of ending an innocent life.

Furthermore, Muslim children are fed on a heavy dose of Islamic supremacy and apocalyptic predictions of the eventual triumph of the Islamic way of life.

Defeat of Islamic forces whether at the hands of the Crusaders or the Marathas are either glossed over or explained as temporary setbacks.

I have known highly westernized, educated Muslims who in an occasional bout of candor have confessed to this self-belief "Triumph of Islam is inevitable".

These combined practices and carefully nurtured beliefs serve to create an primordial soup of hate and disdain for the 'other'.

The 'other' being anyone who does not follow Islam or chooses to stray from its prescribed path.

Much as Hitler was primed to make the leap from Jewish persecution to the Holocaust, Muslim terrorists have been fed on a healthy diet of hatred and supremacy to take the plunge toward martyrdom.

Without understanding and addressing this correlation, combating Islamic terror is impossible.

For the so called moderate Muslim has been exposed to the same levels of toxic hate ideology and detecting the tipping point from hate to terror is impossible.

To fight Islamic terror we must first attack the source of the hatred.  The Islamic Supremacist doctrine.