Manekshaw, National Anthem, *my musings’

I couldn’t wait posting this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-tgRl_VK_Q). The clip from 2:00, where Manekshaw is describing an interview he gave to a young woman Journalist. One may or may not take everything that he says on face value, but one has to admit, that today, nobody can dare to be so figuratively correct and politically incorrect. Today, the elites and the influential strata of the society may have people from business, politics, bureaucracy but none can match the charm of old war horses of the army of the yore.

Also today, I watched the reception given to Modi at FICCI by women entrepreneurs. Well, they were all well done up for the occasion, at times one wondered whether it was a Business Leaders meet or a modern day Ladies Sangeet  (I am referring to the ladies who received him). Never mind that… one could have given that a miss but what irked one was when national anthem played out, some had their hands wrung out, some with hands clasped, some were busy dealing with their wardrobe malfunctions (could they not put on a safety pin to account for the solemnity that dans a the playing of National Anthem) and some went to the farcical extent of clearing the face off the hair falling over. Some were trying to sing as if they were singing a chorus in an Antakshri Game show, some could hardly lip sync and then there were the smartest, who kept their lips sealed. Hope my comments are not misconstrued as misogynist for my comments would have been of similar nature or rather harsher, had I observed men not keeping up with the spirit of the National Anthem. It’s actually not about men or women it’s simply about we know something has to be done but we have forgotten the essence of it. We’ll play the anthem and we’ll stand up.. that’s not where it ends. I took the national anthem to my heart for sure, heard it and sung it all along for every day of my school. I still feel my hair stand on one end when I hear the old form of it. I don’t know what was the need to fiddle with the original version by bringing in various singers who lent their own hue and tune to something that was supposed to represent unity.

Coming to Modi… It doesn’t reflect good on the governance when one sees strong regional leaders making convincing argument using erroneous solutions. He reduced the MEA to the ministry of trade and suggested that every state must be linked to one foreign mission. In his opinion, such a measure would boost and ease international trade, for all the trade or investment finally goes to a particular state. Now on the face of it, all sounds fantastic but if this approach were to be put in practice, then with my limited foresight I could see another bickering point among the states, over who should be allotted which mission. When states start interfering in foreign affairs, then things only get messy.

We already have the example of TN-LTTE in front of us, where the GOI had a lot of trouble in deciding what course of action should or shouldn’t be taken against Sri Lanka. Though it goes to the credit of GOI that they maintained their friendly relations with SL and also firmly put across their unpleasantness over the treatment of Tamils in SL. This step would indeed  prove it’s worth if GOI can keep SL from warming up to China. In the current environment opportunities are indeed given to IAS cadre officers to work in MEA and foreign missions. So far the PM Dr. Singh, has done a commendable job at Foreign Policy, the best since Mrs. Gandhi. In the times of Coalition politics he stood his ground and let the domestic politicians know that foreign affairs is his turf where no one is allowed to interfere or ‘intervene’. Be that during the Indo-US nuclear deal or the Indo-US air exercise in Bengal. PM issued a stern warning to the Bengal government, when communists said they may not be able to control the people’s sentiments for protesting against the exercise. PM in his right wisdom let the Communist govt. know that defence of the realm is the responsibility of the center and if the state government were to be incapable of maintaining law and order in the state, the defence preparedness would stand hampered and then the center would be within its right to impose president rule. What followed was an assurance and full support by CPI (M) for the said exercise!