India Vs Pakistan: Enemy Vs Patriotism Vs Cricket!

What happened in Pahalgam on 22nd April, 2025 is beyond words that can condemn the terrorist act enough. It rages through your blood stream, it tortures your mind and infuriates you with helpless wrath. India mirrored that rage through Operation Sindoor, striking the terrorists' hubs inside Pakistan. The Government of India mentioned time and again that the Operation was aimed at destroying terror, and that it was not a strike against the country or its people. And the Indian Army did exactly that. 

The problem is that the terrorists there have always been proven to be actively in league with the Pak army and this unholy alliance controls and directs effectively the Government policy and political strategy. An elected government technically represents the people and therefore the people of Pakistan need not necessarily think about India any differently than their government, and this means that the Indian fury cannot get limited only against the terrorists. It encompasses the whole of Pakistan as an enemy state and normal relations are never maintained between enemy countries. Normal relations definitely have to include sports which includes cricket too. 

Therefore, although people to people relations or thoughts may not emit enmity of the highest order, as two neighboring but enemy states India and Pakistan cannot maintain cricket relations either. In fact, it has been India's strategy to stop all bilateral cricket matches since 2008 after the horrific Mumbai terror attack. The situation becomes complex in regard to international tournaments where there is no choice to choose your rivals--either you play per the schedule or don't participate at all. As a major cricketing nation of the world India cannot possibly stay away from the ICC tournaments: first, the competitive international ranking and position issues; the ardent fans of both the countries who constantly rue the fact that there haven't been many matches between the celebrated archrivals; and last but the most crucial is the big money involved in these sought-after encounters that the two cricket boards and the ICC too cannot afford to miss out on.

A solution to the issue was found through the concept of neutral venues where the two rivals can meet and the millions of fans can also enjoy on their TVs/Computers/mobiles and the cricket boards can rake in the dough. However, in the ICC World Cups the host nations, whoever that may be, must have all the teams playing there; and in fact, Pakistan came to India in 2023 and played all their matches including against India while India never went to Pakistan since 2008 which is due more to the security concerns there than the enmity between the two countries. Thanks to the same concerns the ICC had to shift Ind-Pak matches in the Champions Trophy-2025 to neutral venues even as the host nation Pakistan fretted and fumed. Our point here is that there'd always been a way out to hold the encounters between the archrivals. 

The Pahalgam carnage changed all that. Fury gave rise to a sense of poignant and almost a jingoistic patriotism that shows zero tolerance to any sort of relations with Pakistan including cricket, seemingly riding over their own cricket fandom. The patriotism got reflected in a cricket league recently where the Indian cricketers refused to play with the Pak players. 

And yet, the cash-powered Indian cricket board, BCCI, decided to go ahead with the India-Pakistan matches in the upcoming Asia Cup-2025 with the host nation India judiciously selecting UAE for the tournament. Accordingly, the media has taken up their usual practice of hyping up the matches with spicy promos and all that. In recent years we often came across ads/headlines describing Ind-Pak matches as 'War' or even cricket 'World War'. But at this delicate juncture the Indian fans are not at all reacting to this kindly or with spirit.

Opposition against the archrivals' matches has been rising to a crescendo among the public in India: the BCCI is being condemned and shamed; divisions being created across cricketers & veterans; and the Indian fans threatening to boycott the whole tournament. 

It is often felt that politics and sports should never be mixed up. However, as we argued earlier, the feelings in India are far from being any part of their country's politics. It's the hurt and the patriotic fervor that's been driving them to vehemently shun what they like most under tolerably normal circumstances. So, we feel the sentiments of the people should be respected, and the BCCI must act accordingly, looking away from the 'big-money' angle for once or the Indian Government must come into the act forcing the autonomous board to comply. We also hope Pakistan sees sense in moving away from terror permanently, thus paving the way for normal relations in the near future. 

And in case, the Asia Cup 2025 does unfold as scheduled, it'd be immensely interesting to observe if the patriotic fans do finally manage to go ahead with their boycott threat or fall prey to the high-voltage 'war' of cricket. As if the Trump Tariff madness were not enough! 

North East: Ambit Of AFSPA Reduced In Three States, Final Triumph For Irom Sharmila!

In a historic move today the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has announced a reduction in the ambit of the dreaded Armed Forces Special Powers Act-1958 (AFSPA) in three North Eastern states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. As per the details of the announcement the AFSPA has been removed in 23 districts of Assam, in 7 in Nagaland and in 6 districts of Manipur (under 20 police stations). The home minister said that this decision is made following a drastic improvement in the security situation of the insurgency-infested states and a palpable progress in moving toward peace and development. He claims the move as a credit for the devoted commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No doubt, the present Chief Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, after defecting from the Congress, had led BJP (ruling Bharatiya Janata Party) to victory in Assam in 2016 and in 2021, and has contributed immensely in establishing dominance of the BJP in nearly all states of the region. So then, some credit is obviously due to the ruling party and a positive move like this is always welcome despite the others on the contrary.

 

The AFSPA has, for the last few decades, always been bitterly contested in the three North East states and in Jammu and Kashmir for its draconian provisions of allowing the army and paramilitary forces to search or arrest or detain any property or individual without any warrant and also the right to shoot anyone on justified or mistaken doubts while enjoying full immunity against prosecution. Massacres of civilians have been happening in all these states over the decades and the Act has been consistently opposed on human rights violations. The United Nations had also questioned the constitutional validity of the AFSPA in view of basic human rights.

 

The AFSPA comes into force whenever the Government of India decides to declare a certain area as ‘disturbed’ due to the failure of local administration to control law and order or to carry on the counter-insurgency operations effectively. Once the AFSPA becomes operative the local police lose their powers to prosecute anybody and have to ask for the approval of the central military forces to go ahead. The killing of 14 civilians in Nagaland in December last year by paramilitary forces had ignited strong opposition against the Act one more time. In 2016 the Supreme Court of India made filing FIRs compulsory for any extrajudicial killings irrespective of whether the victims were common persons or terrorists. The Court was giving this verdict after examining the petition filed by the families of the victims of extrajudicial killings in Manipur seeking justice for the alleged fake encounters of 1528 civilians since the enforcement of AFSPA.

 

History was created in the protests against the AFSPA in Manipur in November 2000 when a massacre of 10 civilians at Malom convinced a young lady of 28 of the state to undertake a fast unto death. The massacre happened on 2^nd November and the lady started her hunger strike on 5^th November, vowing to not eat, drink, comb her hair or even look into the mirror. Three days after her strike the police arrested her on the charge of trying to commit suicide and remanded her to judicial custody. And her hunger strike continued for nearly 16 long years during which she got repeatedly arrested and released briefly every year while she was nasally force-fed (nasogastric intubation) in jail to keep her alive in custody. The lady is Irom Chanu Sharmila, called the ‘Iron Lady of Manipur’ and Mengoubi (the fair one), who came to be known as the ‘world’s longest hunger striker’.

 

Irom Sharmila has been an icon of public resistance and a human rights activist, widely acclaimed nationally and internationally. She came into contact with all crusading national and international leaders and also a few Nobel laureates. As the AFSPA continued to be in force in all her years of fast Irom got increasingly disillusioned and finally ended her fast on 9^th August 2016 with the objective of entering politics to carry on the fight more effectively. Declining offers from several parties she formed her own political party and fought the Manipur assembly elections in 2017, but lost miserably that made her give up all hope for her own people and land.

 

She then married her longtime fiancé Desmond Coutinho, a Goa-born British national, and left Manipur to live in Tamil Nadu and then in Karnataka. Fortunately for her, although there had been much discontent and rage among her supporters after her decision the Supreme Court verdict contributed to some extent in reducing AFSPA excesses. Today, Irom Sharmila’s astounding sacrifices have got some rewards at last and we salute the Iron Lady of Manipur at this historic moment.

 

Assam Chief Minister today has addressed the media expressing his gratitude to his central leadership and welcoming the decision while saying that the presence of the central paramilitary forces in Assam has become insignificant now and is set toward near-full removal with only three districts remaining under AFSPA after the decision. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh who just got his second term wholeheartedly welcomed the announcement and hoped that this would enable the state move fully in the path of peace and development. We also hope for the complete removal of the dreaded Act in all the states including Jammu and Kashmir in the near future while, at the same time, fully understanding the compulsions of the Government to carry on its counter-terrorism operations effectively.

India: A Notorious Gangster Eliminated And Doubting Thomases!

It has been observed throughout the world at various times that when a criminal kills a cop the case assumes an altogether different dimension, and the elimination of the said criminal becomes a priority—by any means. Whatever connections or clout the criminal might be having with politicians or influential persons or even the police become secondary, irrespective of the elections the criminal might have fought and won with tickets of whatever political party. In the case of Vikas Dubey, a notorious criminal of Uttar Pradesh in India since the early nineties, as many as eight cops were killed on the 3^rd of July 2020 when a police party went to arrest him in Kanpur, and the police party was reportedly ambushed by Dubey’s goons, supposedly on a tip-off from inside the police, resulting in the brutal killings of eight policemen including a DSP (Dy. Superintendent of Police). The fate of the gangster was sealed then and there, and his elimination was only a matter of time.

The first crime against Vikas Dubey or Vikas Pandit was registered in the early 90s and over the decades more than 60 criminal cases were registered including murders, particularly of a minister of state in 2001. Several times he got arrested during the period up to 2017, but due to his political connections he got acquitted all the time. Yet, he remained a most wanted criminal in the state.

Now, it is a common fact in India that every political party in existence here is used to maintain private armies consisting of goons on direct payroll for the dirty work like arm-twisting rival businessmen or rival political leaders or garnering votes by intimidation during elections. Every locality, particularly crucial ones, of the northern states of the country has a ‘Bahubali’ (Strongman) who reigns in the area like a parallel government. SuchBahubalis are recruited by various political parties and at times, through negotiations areas get assigned to a particular strongman of a particular political party. They even have moles in the state police forces. The point being made here is that the allegation of a political nexus of a criminal cannot be made only against a particular political party, because in the case of Dubey he had been enjoying political patronage of various ruling parties over the decades. A huge quantity of movies and television films have been made on this ‘Bahubalinexus’, and we have to admit that some reality has to be there to justify so many reel-works including a few artistically serious projects.

After the July 3^rd escape Vikas Dubey roamed free for six days traveling through four states and finally landing up in Madhya Pradesh. On the morning of 9^th July 2020, the dreaded gangster visited a most famous temple of the city of Ujjain to offer prayers. A shopkeeper selling flowers recognized him and tipped off the temple security. On interrogation by temple security men the criminal became violent following which the security called the police. The police came immediately and marched him off to the local station, and in the afternoon handed him over to Uttar Pradesh police. There had been allegations by opposition political parties and the media of a ruling party nexus that created an intelligence failure and allowed the criminal travel undetected. However, in view of his links with various political parties and his ‘friends’ even in the state police force we cannot be too sure on the veracity of such allegations.

The doubting Thomases became berserk. Although the media had been criticizing the government relentlessly over the six-day ‘intelligence failure’ this action, supposedly a success, did not get any thumbs-up from them, but only created more doubts for them: had this been a ‘staged arrest’ or a ‘meek surrender’! Debates raged over this throughout that day and night. Nobody seemed to remember that the criminal killed eight cops, and that after that why would he surrender only to get encountered!

As was inevitable, early morning on the 10^th of July 2020, the dreaded gangster was killed in an encounter while he was transported to Kanpur in a police convoy. The police gave their version of having to kill him since he managed to snatch a gun from one of the policemen and tried to fire at them trying to escape. The doubting Thomases in the opposition political parties and the media again became berserk criticizing the police for a ‘staged encounter’ or an extra-judicial killing. From a logical point of view the opposition has no business to criticize another political party because of the simple reason that Vikas Dubey enjoyed political patronage from almost all the parties considering his ‘career’ over the decades. That the society has been freed from a dangerous criminal failed to get any attention from them. Of course, it is not considerate or even safe to support extra-judicial killings in a democracy; but exceptions must be considered in view of the circumstances like those brutal killer-rapists eliminated in a similar fashion in Hyderabad in 2019.

Ideally, we feel criminal-politician-police nexus must end as soon as possible. However, it is highly unrealistic to expect any change in the time-tested doctrines and ways of the largest democracy of the world in near future. Influence, clout and corruption go hand in hand in a democracy like India. Even the biggest ever crisis faced by humanity, the COVID-19 pandemic, has not yet been capable of uniting the country in its fight against the killer virus. Here too, tragically, the doubting Thomases are seeing a ‘scam sold to the world by the Chinese’ conspiracy angle! And, whenever elections are around everything falls into a set pattern, unfortunately, generating more redundant debates. 

India: Something’s Not Right!

When you log in to your Gmail account and it is not working properly then Google promptly tells you ‘Something’s not right’! It keeps on popping up till order is restored. I think Google should consider adding this tag to ‘India’ whenever any reference is made to this country! However ruefully, you must admit such a necessity particularly after what you’ve witnessed recently over the most successful Surgical Strikes executed by India on Pakistan.  

I thought at least the anti-terror sentiment was universal, but not in this country. For some people of this country terrorists are also human beings and therefore their ‘human rights’ are of paramount importance. These same people don’t utter a word about ‘human rights’ when soldiers and cops are slaughtered brutally, but in case of all kinds of criminals they become extremely vocal. They consider doing or saying anything under the sun as their ‘democratic right’. There have been so many instances in recent times in India when such people openly supported terrorists just by way of trying to assert their democratic right. Great thing about India is that such condemnable acts are being tolerated. And, these are the people who condemn our society or country as intolerant. This peace-loving land called India tries to keep on the peace & dialogue track despite all odds and even at the cost of being labelled as ‘soft’, particularly in view of ceaseless ceasefire violations and killings of Indian soldiers by Pakistan. When evidently Pakistan sponsored terrorists killed 19 soldiers at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, India said enough was enough and acted tough which was completely unexpected for our neighbouring country.

Like they did earlier in Myanmar, India, with the Indian Army, executed the tremendously effective Surgical Strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir on the wee hours of 29^th September, 2016, eliminating around 40 terrorists preparing to infiltrate into India along with a few Pak army personnel. The sheer unexpectedness of the act almost paralyzed Pakistan, unable even to give a reaction initially. However, as is usual, they got into their time-tested ‘denial mode’ and dismissed it as just another skirmish, a violation by India this time, across the Line of Control. It was not at all difficult to guess the turmoil in their mind—how could India do it! And, how desperate they possibly were to get the video of the Indian strategic strike!

And then, our terror-friendly great ‘democratic’ leaders got into the act of helping out Pakistan. They asked the Indian Government to prove the Surgical Strike! They asked the Government to make the Surgical Strike video public! Any layman would know that such videos should never get released in public obviously for strategic internal security and defence reasons. One political leader went to the extent of calling it a fake! Who are they actually—terrorists in disguise or plain simple traitors or political strategists of the lowest order?  What right they have to discredit the sentinels on our border and the brave soldiers who fight relentlessly, defying increment weather, only to protect our country and us? What India failed to do over the decades this government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally achieved it through strategically fool-proof planning with the Army, and therefore, along with the brave soldiers the ruling government has to get some of the credit. Are these political leaders, just because they are in opposition, so naive as not to understand this simple fact? They should also have the knowledge of distinguishing a weak government from a strong government.

Positively speaking, even after this ridiculous aftermath of the Surgical Strike the Indian Government is going strongly ahead to isolate Pakistan and neutralising their terrorists constantly trying to infiltrate and do brutal attacks on Indian soil. Yes, if something’s not right then it should be set ‘right’ pretty soon. The menace of terror emanating mostly from Pakistan should be eradicated completely, only then the common people of both India and Pakistan will feel safe. More surgical strikes should be planned and executed till the last terrorist is neutralised. Further, when something’s not right between two countries nobody should ever expect normal things to go on as if nothing’s the matter. Terror must be rooted out, come what may, come what some people would say. A strong government can always accomplish that. Jai Hind! 

Narendra Modi Vs Nawaz Sharif: New Hope On The India-Pakistan Horizon?

Prime Minster Narendra Modi is never predictable and that is a huge positive quality in his leadership. Today, the 25th of December, 2015, he made media persons go tizzy and hyperactive all on a sudden. On 23rd December PM Modi left for a two-day visit to Russia and Afghanistan. Today he was to return home and pay a visit to former Prime Minister and legendary BJP leader Atal  Bihari Bajpayee on the latter's 91st birthday observed as Good Governance in the evening. 

However, while in Afghanistan PM Modi tweeted that he would go to Lahore to meet and wish happy birthday to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the latter's invitation. Action followed quickly. The Indian Prime Minister arrived in Lahore to be greeted by Sharif at the airport. Both the leaders exchanged warm greetings and later proceeded to one to one talks. 

A lot of positive developments have been happening of late between the two neighboring countries which rather defied protocol and age-old practices relating to war of words, ceasefire violations and a constant sense of betrayal. As far as the people of the countries are concerned this rejuvenated and inventive bilateral diplomacy is generating lot of hope for the most sought-after understanding and achieving the mirage of a lasting friendship. Whatever the opposition, particularly the Congress says, people of both countries must welcome such positive initiatives. Let us hope for the best. Let best sense prevail in both countries.   

Inhumanity Unlimited: End Of The World?

The still raging mystery of the Sheena Bora murder case is just another reflection of the modern society. It brings out again the erosion of morals, the degeneration of cultures and the fast spreading malaise of depravity, inhumanity and perversion. Ironically, Indian television serials have been decried by many including this writer for portraying devilish characters of grandmas and mothers, but now, these soaps stand vindicated by seeming to show the ‘realism’ in our society. Today’s criminals could be your next door neighbors or people who are a part of your day-to-day existence, and you are at a total loss to anticipate their vile moves that could endanger lives all around you at any moment of time. This is relevant not only to India, but to the whole of modern society across the world. Of course, India with its uncontrollable population and accompanying unemployment is at a far greater risk. 

Of particular concern is the fact that today’s adolescents are emerging as the most dreaded criminals—raping, murdering and plundering. Their mindset has become so atrociously wrong that even terrorists can invade their innards and enroll them as cadres at will. This evil has become so pervasive in India that the Government had to ponder consider and change juvenile laws. However, the menace can no longer be controlled by mere promulgation of laws or rules. They are the largest chunk of India’s population and instead of promising to be the future they are busy destroying the enduring fabric of the country.

Maybe keeping with the degeneration terror has also undergone basic changes in terms of inhumanity and barbarism. It has ceased to be operating on specific targets, but has taken over the charge of annihilating innocent unsuspecting people all over the globe including countries that have no record of terror strikes ever. If we were trying to wish over the horrors of 9/11 by Al-Qaeda or the 26/11 Mumbai attack by Pakistan terror outfits we were not being realistic enough. More lessons in the annals of barbarism had to be learnt with the Taliban ravaging Pakistan and Afghanistan. And then to the most dreaded terrorist organizations, the Boko Haram and the ISIS—the very names inspiring fearful chills down your spine. The US did in fact kill Osama Bin Laden, but even deadlier monsters than Laden have multiplied in the meantime. 

All limits of inhumanity or barbarism are being crossed nonchalantly creating milestones of cruelty at every step. Who could forget the massacre of innocent children in Peshawar making it the worst terror strike ever to happen in Pakistan? Who could forget the massacre of innocent people including women and babies in Assam—a state of North Eastern India? And the horrific details of the ISIS or the Boko Haram, unfolding every moment? A monstrous competition seems to be raging on trying to break the records of barbarity set by one by others. And just imagine, some people in our society are ready even to welcome such depraved deeds by demons.  

Some say that the mythical Kalyug or the age of downfall is at its last phase and that demonic acts are only likely to worsen leading to the shattering climax. So then, is the end near? There is no end of forecasts setting date after date for the Armageddon and the resulting total destruction. The end of the world soon? 

India Vs Pakistan: Warring Neighbors Share Peace Nobel!

If you feel angry, disgusted, exasperated, and indulge in a spirit of jingoism at the repeated and persistent ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LOC) in the state of Jammu and Kashmir you rightfully have a bewildered look of amusement and hope at the unique happening on Friday, the 10^th of October, 2014. While you relish and celebrate the news that took you unawares you still wonder how. You know little about one and less about the other. The only conclusion you finally arrive at is the perfect timing of this wonderful news.

Child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi from India and child rights plus women’s education campaigner Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan have been jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on that historic day. The 60-year-old Indian has been fighting relentlessly for freeing children from the slavery of child labor, trafficking and other traps for the last three decades and the 17-year-old Pakistani school-girl has been campaigning for right to education and women empowerment since she was just eleven. The Indian has been a silent crusader and is little known in the country till yesterday afternoon. The Pakistani had hit the headlines worldwide when she got a bullet in the head from the dreaded Taliban in October, 2012 and survived. The Nobel committee has been forthright in selecting an Indian and a Pakistani for the Peace Prize saying that they are recognizing the dedicated struggle of both for a noble cause. The Committee finds it a significant point that a Hindu and a Muslim from two conflicting neighboring countries dedicate themselves for a common struggle. The perfect timing could just be coincidental at this juncture when Pakistan continues its unprovoked firing across the LOC. Even after the unique achievement yesterday the neighboring country kept up with its ceasefire violations today.

Kailash Satyarthi thanked the Nobel committee for recognizing the need for freeing millions of children from modern slavery and dedicated the award for the cause. He also hoped to join Malala Yousafzai to carry the movement forward. Malala while expressing her gratitude to the Nobel committee said that India and Pakistan should focus on peace and development and has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief to be present when both of them formally receive the award.

India has produced a Nobel laureate for Peace for the second time. Pakistan has also proved that it is capable of having a Nobel laureate for Peace too. Then Pakistan must understand that it is inherently capable of achieving peace with its neighbor who has consistently showed generosity  and tolerance after every outrage over the years.

Why not give Peace a second chance? At this wonderfully poignant and fulfilling moment!