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Varsha Bhosle

The H(indutva)-bomb

Frankly, Rediff has covered the H(indutva)-bomb so all- encompassingly that I'm convinced the darn editor wants to make us columnists redundant. It may seem an useless exercise for this notorious jingoist to add her militant mite to the coverage at this late stage (besides, my w-i-i-de Lucifer-grin must be quite evident to regular readers), but which true-blue hawk can resist crowing over the event? What to say? It's a five-times-over fait accompli which I've been rooting for since many columns (much to the ire of Mr Gaurav Kampani) -- and with it, the BJP alliance has accomplished a major item on its national agenda. Time for some capital chop-licking, methinks.

You know what really makes me happy? It's the reaction of the common -- the normal -- Indian, as opposed to the likes of the rabidly leftist Praful Bidwai who writes, "I am appalled... from the point of view of the nation it was disastrous. There was a movement building up in the country which believed in nuclear containment. And that momentum will be lost." Well, I got news for you, Mr Bidwai: The majority of your countrymen will think you're quite cuckoo...

Then, Achin Vanaik writes, "For the insecure and those suffering from frustrated nationalism, this will be a happy moment. This does not concern the ordinary Indian people in any way." It would seem most Indians are frustrated nationalists - the dailies, especially the afternooners, are full of positive reactions from ordinary people who are welcoming the explosions with nothing less than euphoria.

For instance, the overwhelming response to India's move towards joining the big league is evidenced by the Times-Indian Market Research Bureau Poll conducted on 12 May in 6 metropolitan cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore and Hyderabad). A staggering 91% approved of the nuclear tests, 82% responded that India should now build a nuclear arsenal, and 76% felt that India will go ahead and do so. The response to India signing the CTBT was "lukewarm" with only 39% approving. Net: I believe that the disapproving 7% all belong to the pen-pushing pacifist/leftist fraternity. And the don't-knowing 2% must belong in lunatic asylums...

And how unconcerned are the so-called ordinary people? Well, on the 12th, the BJP's Mumbai unit conducted a signature drive at the Churchgate railway station, in which many people -- those who travel not by cars -- affixed their signatures in *blood*. Ha!

I do wonder how the nationalistic BJP alone didn't get at least 80% votes in the elections -- considering the number of "frustrated nationalists" in India... When will these leftist bozos learn that when it comes to national security, normal Indians aren't brainwashed by their empty rhetoric and the propaganda of self- serving foreign powers?

There's more heartening evidence: Our industrialists, the elite, are unperturbed by the international economic sanctions which are bound to follow in the wake of the tests. It seems that the flow of aid, loans of multilateral institutions and even private capital flow were all examined and discounted by the government. And economists agree that concessional aid, in the form of bilateral official development (ODA) "had long ceased to play a determining role in India's economic growth." With the ODA not amounting to more than 1% of India's GDP, the impact of sanctions can be absorbed by the economy.

And what will Big Brother do -- call back Coke? Hell, even the already-sanctioned World Bank loans cannot be withdrawn. Net: If Iran can survive severe sanctions from the entire non-Islamic world for so long, can't India? Have a little faith, guys!

By the perverted token of these pacifists, it seems we Indians must always, very generously, wait to be the very last to wake up, even if there be a very real threat of the Ghauris and Ghaznis crashing onto our heads. Why are these bozos always moaning and groaning over any manifestation of India's strength and self- sufficiency? Honestly, I do NOT get it. And I'm sick and tired of trying to understand it.

Actually, I wouldn't at all be surprised if both said gentleman have something to do with some nuclear-deterrence outfit funded by foreign grants. I hear that at least sometime ago, M/s Bidwai and Vanaik were on a fellowship from a Norwegian organisation said to be backed by Greenpeace. I'm not being paranoid: This is how it almost always works in Third World countries -- scratch a vociferous nuke-nayer, find a foreign subsidy lurking in the background...

For example, about 20 years ago, there used to be a loony-bin organisation called the Moral Rearmament Force. Its members, led by chief spokesman Rajmohan Gandhi, preached that India should not think nuclear -- well, you know the whole holy rigmarole. The interesting thing is that grapevine reports of the CIA funding it were so strong that Mrs Indira Gandhi's government ordered a crackdown on the outfit. It exists no more. At least, not in its original avatar...

True patriots are cut from a different cloth than the befuddled, one-track-minded Hindutva-haters: Even as the noted Gandhian, Dr Usha Mehta, expressed happiness over the tests ("It is a good sign for the country. So far the world was thinking that we had only the capability but today's event demonstrated our strength once again"), Mr J B D'Souza quoth, "It's a disaster. The tests will start a nuclear race between the two neighbouring countries both of whom have a large population living below the poverty line." So far, so good. But then Mr D'Souza revealed his prejudice: "The prime minister will get undeserved glory." Oh, is *that* the real problem...? Sheesh!

My own opinion-meter has always been the "ordinary" taxi-driver; sometimes, I take an aimless cab-ride just to feel the pulse of the people. And it hasn't failed me yet. For instance, before the actual polls, I'd long realised with a sinking heart that the BJP didn't stand a chance in Bombay -- thanks to its alliance with the Shiv Sena: Almost all cabbies were mad at the strong-arm tactics of the local shakha goons. I'd thought that for once the cabbies could be wrong, but you know the results...

This time around, Bombay's cabbies are zipping with extra rev, and their thoughts are entirely Pakistan-centric. One such sage said to me, "Memsaab, agar desh hi nahi rahega to paise-latte ka kya thhikaana? Jab dekho to yahan khoon-kharaba karte hain, Kashmir mein humare log maarte hain. Jo hua, achchha hi hua" ("If there's no country left, where will our money and belongings go? They are responsible for murder and violence here, they kill our people in Kashmir. What happened, happened for the best"). I don't think I need another reaffirmation. It feels good to know that my "rabid," "shrill" and "hate-mongering" opinions are not so far removed from the national mainstream after all :)

I differ with Rajeev snookums when he focuses on China as the major threat to India. I feel that it's Pakistan we have to deter -- considering the non-stop proxy war on the Kashmir front. Perhaps, even the government thinks so -- Georgekaka's raving notwithstanding. We have no missiles that can reach the populated areas of China, whereas the Red Dragon has intercontinental missiles that can take even the US...

Actually, I have this sneaking feeling that we are being built up as an "alternate" nuclear power in Asia... As the Indian Express says apropos US reaction: "In fact, after the initial rap on the knuckles, administration officials were quite solicitous of the reasoning behind India's tests. James Rubin twice said that the US understood that India's attitude towards nuclear non-proliferation are strongly influenced by its security concerns." Too soft...?

And, there are too many people from the "undeclared" Israel in Delhi thesedays... Just wondering... Is international politics only that which is reported on the front pages...? Why was Murli Manohar Joshi moving to and fro from Washington and speaking to Republican think-tanks all the time last year? Why was he then given the science and technology portfolio? Should make one think a bit deeper on things other than those which appear on the surface. Can the international chess game be so simple as President Clinton mouthing that which he *must* mouth by US legislative requirement...? I think not. So stay cool under that collar, folks. Let's wait and watch.

About the Islamic bomb, we have to remember that Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharief's statement ("I think we can take our decision ourselves") stems from an attitude that has always existed there. They won't build a bomb *because* we may build one. Unlike India's, the bulk of Pakistan's budget expenditure has always gone into defence: they didn't shop for F-16s because we did or didn't have any. They have always been Kashmir-centric and India-phobic, and none of our actions affect them. It is better that India be safe than sorry.

Oh but I can't help it: In the end, I have to be typically Bhosle and invite all that yummy hate-mail. So here goes: You see, I, too, have an axe to grind with the BJP government... Why the hell did we waste the five nuclear explosions subterraneously? Why couldn't we test them on Islamabad instead...? Just kidding. And have a Happy Nukes Week, y'hear?

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