REALITIES - GREAT BLUNDERS BY PRIME MINISTERS
The gloves are off in the campaigning of 2022 elections with rivals indulging in ‘cheap allegations/barbs’ against each other. But, what are the realities, particularly the performance of the Prime Ministers? After all, the present status of India in the comity of nations has been shaped by the strategic decisions/blunders by the Prime Minister!
When viewed free from prejudice and bias, few among them keenly pursued "personality Cult or ICONIC" for eternity as opposed to service to "We the People", particularly poor, and national security interests.
Consequently, they committed “Great Blunders” which are responsible for India's today myriad challenges and also sordid/vicious state of politics on grand display with utter disregard to national security interests.
Nehru was the first Prime Minister for over 16+ years - 1947-1964. In his Book "Nehru's 97 Major Blunders published on 06 August 2016, Rajnikant Puranik has detailed them under various heads to include: Pre-Independence Blunders (1-9); Integration of Princely States (10-23); External Security (24-38); Foreign Policy (39-48 ); Internal Security (49-53); Economy 54-60); Misgovernance (61-73); Hubris, Ill-Treatment of Others (74-90); Dynacracy (Dynastic Democracy) (91-97). Also, added 14 Even More Blunders.
Out of the 97 Great Blunders committed by Nehru, the key ones include: Setting Jinnah on Path to Pakistan; Refusing J&K Accession when Offered; Internationalization of the Kashmir Issue; Article-370; Erasure of Tibet as a Nation; Not Settling Boundary Dispute with China; The Himalayan Blunder: India-China War: Politicization of the Army; NO to Nuclear Arms; Indus Water Treaty; No to India's UNSC Membership; Advocating UN/UNSC seat for China; Neglecting the Northeast; Ignoring Illegal Proselytization; Throttled Industrialization; Neglect of Agriculture; Debilitating Babudom & Criminal-Justice System; Corruption in the “Good” Old Days; Neglect of Education; Messing Up the Language Issue; Neglect of Sanskrit; Rise of the Parasitic Leftist-‘Liberal’ Class; Distorted, Self-Serving Secularism; Dynastic Politics - Democracy or Dynacracy?, and so on.
Next, Shastri squandered the glorious opportunity to retain the conquered territory of URI Bulge including the Haji Pir Pass that today is the center of raging controversy with Indian forces firmly entrenched on the Ichhogil Canal opposite Lahore.
Similarly, the list of blunders committed by Indira Ghandy (15-years: 1967-1971, 1971-1977, 1980-1984)includes: Congress Party split, Nationalization of Banks, insurance, coal & oil industry, Alignment with CP and JNU, Emergency, Shimla Agreement, Judges Appointments, Corruption, Sanjay Gandhi -Dynacracy, Promotion of Bhindrenwale, Minority Status to Aligarh Muslim University, Attack on Golden Temple, and soon.
Next, the list of blunders committed by Rajiv Ghandy includes: 1984 Sikh genocide, Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Shah Bano case, Ayodhya Case, minority appeasement, allegations of using Navy warships to go on joyrides, IPKF interference in Sri Lanka, Bofors case and so on.
Not to brush under the carpet is Vajpayee’s Lahore Bus Yatra and the failed Agra Summit, Also, Manmohan Singh’s peace foray at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt and galloping-gargantuan corruption.
Finally, Modi’s unscheduled visit to Lahore to felicitate Nawaz Sheriff’s domestic events, Demonetization, flip-flop on Farmers Laws and so on.
In sum, the reason for the stunted growth of India is attributable to "Blunders" committed by all Prime Ministers prior to Modi. What is worse is that the social fabric has been irretrievably divided on caste, and religious lines.
And, the poor state of education and health infrastructure is also attributable to their woeful shortsightedness.
If economic status is also poor, the fault lies with socialism and "License Raj" until the 1990s and corruption. Even modernization of agriculture infrastructure particularly persisting with old cultivation technologies is yet another root cause for poor economic growth.
Most importantly, if the defense forces are grossly ill-equipped and mostly dependent on imported combat systems, the fault lies at the door steps of the Congress Party.
On the external affairs front, the current stand-off with China and Pakistan in perpetual conflict mode is the consequence of rank bad strategic wisdom among the political leadership – idealistic Nehru, Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
In retrospect, other than Lal Bahadur Shastri and Gulzarilal Nanda, others lived in "Grandiose Royal" style at a great cost to the tax-payer. Nanda died in absolute poverty in a single room.
Nehru’s strategic intellect, more aptly, strategic bankruptcy was real. In 1947 he stated “Rubbish, total rubbish, we don’t need a defense plan. Our policy is non-violence. We foresee no military threats. Scrap the Army. The police are good enough to meet our security needs”. A few days later the tribal invasion on J and K by Pakistan on 20 October 1947 fortuitously saved the Indian Army enough to meet our security needs”.
Nehru is squarely responsible for creating the LOC by going to the UN when Indian armed forces were driving the Pakistani invaders out of the present POK. Even the Chinese border dispute is a patently flawed approach towards China based on “China-India Bhai-Bhai” obsession.
Lal Bahadur Shastri squandered the opportunity at Tashkent to capitalize on the gains made in Uri Sector - Haji Pir Pass.
Indira Gandhi lost the opportunity with 90,000 Pakistani prisoners in her bag to sign the Shimla Accord without final settlement of the core issue of J & K.
Rajiv Gandhi is to be faulted for Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) misadventure - withdrawal in 1990 – a la Vietnam debacle. The IPKF was sent in 1987 to keep peace between Lankan government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The IPKF was to disarm the rebel outfit. Instead, the IPKF earned the dubious distinction of “Innocent Peoples Killing Force” from Sri Lankan Tamils.
Ram Jethalmani stated “India's Sri Lanka diplomacy under Rajiv Gandhi turned out to be his fatal misadventure; a thoughtless military intervention under the guise of peace keeping that brought great humiliation and loss to our Army, before taking his own life.” Natwar Singh, former Minister of External Affairs of Rajiv Ghandy regime, stated “He was badly advised… Rajiv Gandhi sent troops to Sri Lanka without telling the Cabinet. Sri Lanka policy led to his assassination”.
Be that as it may, India as nation suffered the worst possible humiliation When Rajiv Ghandy, the Prime Minister of India, while inspecting the guard of honor at the airport during the ceremonial send off, was assaulted by a naval rating (sailor), who reversed his rifle and attempted to hit Rajiv on the head with it, but the rifle struck Rajiv a glancing blow on his shoulder.
In sum, to gain a balanced perspective, all budding elected political leaders including Rahul Ghandy must read the "Great Blunders" committed by other Prime Ministers like Lal Bahadur Shastri, Morarji Desai, V P Singh, Deve Gowda, A B Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Modi.
"Shooting from the Hip '' out of political desperation may end in exposing their intellectual bankruptcy.
Media and intellectuals must provide a deep insight into the achievements and failures of various Prime Ministers, sans myopic eyes/views, so that the Aam Admi (We the People) too gains in depth insights to the root causes for their present intriguing situations afloat.
1 Comments
A truly brilliant write-up by Brig. Reddy
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