Questions I did not ask our Defence Minister !
Abracadabra By K. B. Ganapathy, Columns

Questions I did not ask our Defence Minister !

March 7, 2019

Whoever said that ‘politics is an art of possibilities’ should be given an award. I guess with 70 years of Democracy without any break, except for the aberration of 1975-76 Emergency, our politicians have mastered this art and made what appears to be impossible, for ordinary mortals like me, quite possible. Otherwise, how could BJP local politicians get the Defence Minister of India Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman for three not-so-important functions, at this time of engagement with Pakistan terrorists, organised by them as part of pre-Parliamentary election campaign.

Manthana Mysore, claiming itself to be an Intellectuals’ Forum, had organised all these three functions under its auspices and in a meticulous way. The first one was held at J.K. Grounds where she addressed the leaders of the BJP Shakti Kendras (Power Centres). The next one was at the Hotel Pai Vista where she released a book titled Facets of Terrorism in India authored by R.N. Kulkarni, a retired Intelligence Bureau (IB) Officer. The book’s publication seems to have strangely coincided with the Pulwama terror attack that took place on Feb.14 and India’s retaliatory fighter-plane attack on terror camps inside Pakistan. Apparently, Defence Minister releasing the book gains significance and importance.

The whole of India knows that she is a good speaker. However, she did not display her virtuosity of oration because the occasion did not require it. All the same, she spoke befitting the occasion.

Her third and last function yesterday was at Hotel Southern Star, where every seat was occupied and people were seen standing around. It was showcased as a meeting of Defence Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman with the intellectuals of our city.

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I was surprised that the intellectuals gathered there appeared to be either BJP members or BJP sympathisers. Let it be. It is understandable. Since I was requested by our MP Pratap Simha for this meeting, I decided to attend. But on learning that there would be an interaction, I decided to prepare a few questions. In a hurry, I prepared five questions. However, on finding many in the audience raising hands to indicate that they wanted to ask questions, I selected just one question with a prelude:

‘I regret that some people who live in India continue to speak the language of Pakistan’ — Modi said this according to an article in The Hindu newspaper.

QUESTION: Is there a Fifth Column in India? If there is, will the Government identify them and take action  as per law?

Apparently she was a bit flummoxed, but in a measured way responded saying that she won’t be able to say anything about this in public. What kind of action should be taken is a matter for the Government and the Military to decide. She could only say that whatever it takes for the security of the country would definitely be done.

Be that as it may, in case my readers are curious to know what are the other questions I wanted to ask her, I am producing them here. For answer, it is a case of GOK.

1. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee wrote in 1973 that the Congress party’s Pakistan Policy was only an extension of Congress party’s Policy of Muslim appeasement.

QUESTION: From the utterances of the Congress President against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies, specially with regard to Rafale and the lateral comments on Pulwama retaliation strike on Pakistan terrorist camps, do you think that the Congress party’s Pakistan Policy remains the same since 1973 as stated by A.B. Vajpayee?

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2. Modi Government tried to hold bilateral dialogue with Pakistan (as per Simla agreement, I guess) in 2014, the very year he was elected as the Prime Minister. But it was cancelled when Pakistan High Commissioner began meeting the Separatists.

Again in 2015 when Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff met at Ufa in Russia, they agreed to hold talks about terrorism beginning with the meeting of National Security Advisors (NSA) of two countries in Delhi and then take it forward to the Prime Ministerial level. But the Pakistan Army thwarted it saying that the Kashmir issue should also be included in the NSA talks.

QUESTION: Why then the Congress President and the Opposition are blaming Modi for not initiating a dialogue with Pakistan?

3. QUESTION: Now that the Pulwama terror attack, which killed our 40 jawans, has been avenged using our Air Force killing over 300 Pakistan terrorists, should India accept the invitation of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for a dialogue?

4. P. Chidambaram wanted more autonomy or greater autonomy to be given to J&K under Article 370.

QUESTION: What is the role of Mr. Dineshwar Sharma, who was appointed in 2017 as new Government of India Interlocutor for J&K in the matter of Article 370 and 35-A?

Jai Hind

e-mail: [email protected]

8 COMMENTS ON THIS POST To “Questions I did not ask our Defence Minister !”

  1. Manava says:

    “.. how could BJP local politicians get the Defence Minister of India Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman for three not-so-important functions, at this time of engagement with Pakistan terrorists, organised by them as part of pre-Parliamentary election campaign”
    In answer to the above,there is a bit of background here.When Mrs Sitharaman was appointed as the defence minister, thanks to her assiduous effort to befriend Sushama Swaraj, as a female minister at the level below the cabinet rank, and Arun Jaitley the finance minister who was holding the defence portfolio as well. That effort resulted in her appointment as the defence minister. That was a token appointment of a woman. Her main job has always to the Party as she is mainly the Party apparatchik. Hence, her address in Mysore. It appears somebody else, does the hard work of defence . What the country needs is an effective defence minister, may be a strong ex-army general with knowledge on Pakistan.
    QUESTION: Is there a Fifth Column in India? If there is, will the Government identify them and take action as per law?
    The recent Pakistani-based terrorist attack in J and K which killed many BSF personnel demonstrates that India lacks the kind of intelligence service, Israel has. When China attacked and occupied Indian territory, the Nehru government was taken aback, again the ineffective intelligence. With 200 million Muslims that India has, from where the Fifth Columnists likely emerge or they may operating already, the poor intelligence quality which did not anticipate the above terrorist attack, will be unlikely to identify them.

    • Rao says:

      Under Modi, there is little left for others to perform their duties. What qualities did Modi saw to make Nirmala sitharaman as Defence Minister?
      Full time work for Nirmala Sitharaman is and was to praise ‘Modi’ wherever she goes.
      She should thank her stars to have become Defense Minister having no clue around it.

      • syed matheen says:

        To Praise Modi and to Please Jaitley.

        By this article it is very clear that KBG is sympathizer of BJP and influence voters towards BJP.
        hence his news will not be credible perhaps he it will PRO BJP.

        • Singhaal says:

          You realized this very late!!
          KBG and by extension SOM have become the BJP mouthpiece.
          As usual when money gets involved it can corrupt anyone and this paper and its editor are perfect examples.

  2. Kannadiga says:

    Kannadiga says: March 8, 2019 at 8:50 am
    ಭಯೋತ್ಪಾದಕರಿಗೆ ಬೈದರೆ ಮುಸಲ್ಮಾನರಿಗೆ ಬೇಜಾರು ಆಗತ್ತೆ ಅಂತ ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡ ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಯವರಿಗೆ ಧನ್ಯವಾದ
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಉಗ್ರರನ್ನು ಕೊಂದಾಗ ಸಂಭ್ರಮಿಸಿದರೆ ಎರಡು ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಒಳಗೆ ವೈಮನಸ್ಯ ಎನ್ನುವ ಮೂಲಕ ನಮ್ಮ CM ಯಾರನ್ನು ಉಗ್ರರಪರ ಎನ್ನಲು ಹೊರಟಿರುವುದು?!
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

    ಕುಮಾರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ:— ಯುದ್ದಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಸೈನಿಕರು ಮೋದಿಯಲ್ಲ….
    ಮಂಕ:—ಸಾಲಮನ್ನ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಬ್ಯಾಂಕಿನವರು ನೀನಲ್ಲ…?
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯವರು ತಾವೇ ಯುದ್ದ ಮಾಡಿದ ತರ ಸಂಬ್ರಮಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಸರಿ..
    ನೀವು ಯಾಕೆ ಸತ್ತ ಉಗ್ರರೆಲ್ಲ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಕರ ರೀತಿ ಉರ್ಕೋತಾ ಇದ್ದೀರಾ 🙄
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸೇವೆ ಮಾಡಲು ನನಗೂ ಒಂದು ಅವಕಾಶ ಕೊಡಿ ಎಂದು ಕೇಳುವ ನಿಖಿಲ್ ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ.. ಸೇವೆಮಾಡಲು ರಾಜಕೀಯನೇ ಬೇಕಿಲ್ಲ.
    ಸೈನ್ಯಕ್ಕೂ ಹೋಗಬಹುದು ಅಲ್ವೇ?
    {ಅದು ಎಲ್ಲಿರಬೇಕೋ ಅದು ಅಲ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ.. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗೋಲ್ಲ. 🤪}
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಪಾಕ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಇಮ್ರಾನ್ ಖಾನ್ ಅವನನ್ನು ಹೊಗಳುತ್ತಿರುವವರು ಬೇರೆ ಯಾರು ಅಲ್ಲ, ತನ್ನ ಅಪ್ಪ ಸದೃಢನಾಗಿದ್ದರು ಪಕ್ಕದ ಮನೆಯ ಅಂಕಲ್ ನನ್ನು ಅಪ್ಪ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುವವರು!
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಮಸೂದ್ ಅಜರ್ ಖಾಯಿಲೆಯಿಂದ ಬಳಲುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ: ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನ
    ಹಾಗಾದ್ರೆ ಭಾರತಕ್ಕೆ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿ “ಆಯುಶ್ಮಾನ್” ಯೋಜನೆಯ ವಿಮೆಯಿಂದ ಚಿಕೆತ್ಸೆ ಕೊಡಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ!
    🤔
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಮೌನ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಇದ್ದಾಗ, ಸೈನಿಕರು ಮೌನವಾಗಿದ್ದರು,
    *ಒಬ್ಬ ಚಹಾ ಮಾರುವವನು ಪ್ರಧಾನಿಯಾದ, ನಮ್ಮ ಯೋಧ ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಚಹಾ ಕುಡಿದು ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ!*
    #56″💪
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಪ್ರತೀಕಾರ ತೀರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದು ಸೇನೆ, ಮೋದಿ ಅಲ್ಲ: ವಿರೋಧ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳು
    ಆ ಲೆಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡಿದ್ರೆ, ತಾಜ್ ಮಹಲ್ ಕಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು ಮೇಸ್ತ್ರಿಗಳು, ಶಹಜಹಾನ್ ಅಲ್ಲ!
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಅಂದು ಕಾಶ್ಮೀರಿ ಪಂಡಿತರ ಮಾರಣಹೋಮವನ್ನು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೇಸ್ ತಡೆದಿದ್ದರೆ,ಇಂದು ಕಾಶ್ಮೀರದ ತುಂಬೆಲ್ಲಾ ಬಂದೂಕಿನ ಸದ್ದಿನ ಬದಲು.ವೇದ ಮಂತ್ರಗಳ ಘೋಷ ಮೊಳಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು🙄
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ,ನಮ್ಮ ದೇಶವನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸುವ ಸೈನಿಕರ ಜೊತೆ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೇಳುವ ಜನರಿರುವ ಏಕೈಕ ದೇಶ ನಮ್ಮ ಭಾರತ.
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಇವತ್ತು ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ ನಂತಹ ಬಲಾಡ್ಯ ದೇಶಗಳು ನಮ್ಮೊಂದಿಗಿವೆ!
    ಇದೆಲ್ಲ ಮೋದಿ ವಿದೇಶ ಪ್ರಯಾಣದಿಂದ ಹೊರತು ಮೊಮ್ಮಗಳ ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಜ್ಜಿಯ ಮೂಗನ್ನು ಕಾಣುವವರಿಂದಲ್ಲ!
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಇಮ್ರಾನ್ ಖಾನ್ ಅಲ್ಲಿಯ ಎಲೆಕ್ಷನ್ ಮುಂಚೆ ತಾನು ಮೋದಿ ತರ ಕೆಲ್ಸ
    ಮಾಡ್ತೀನಿ ಅಂದಿದ್ದ….
    ಗೆದ್ದ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಾಕೋ ರಾಹುಲ್ ಗಾಂಧಿ ತರ ಆಗ್ಬಿಟ್ಟ.
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಪಾಕ್ ಇನ್ಮೇಲೆ ಚೈನಾವನ್ನೂ ನಂಬುವಂತಿಲ್ಲ.
    ಈಗ ಅದರ ಬೆಂಬಲಕ್ಕಿರುವ ಒಂದೇ ಒಂದು ಆಸರೆ…ನಮ್ಮ ದೇಶದ ಗಂಜಿಗಿರಾಕಿಗಳು.
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಅಭಿನಂದನ್ ಬಂದಿಸಿದಾಗ ಮೋದಿ ನೇರ ಹೊಣೆ..ಅಭಿನಂದನ್ ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನ ಬಿಟ್ಟಾಗ ಇಮ್ರಾನ್ ಖಾನ್ ಶಾಂತಿಪ್ರಿಯ ನಾಯಕ..ಭಾರತದ ಕೆಲವು ಗಂಜಿ ಗಿರಾಕಿ ಗಳ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಜಿ ಟೊಮೊಟೊ ಬೆಲೆ 300 ಆದರೂ ಅವರು ದೇಶದ ಜೊತೆ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ, ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಪೆಟ್ರೋಲ್ ಬೆಲೆ 2ರೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾದರೆ ಬೀದಿಗೆ ಬಂದು ಬಂದ್ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ದಾರಿ ತಪ್ಪಿದ ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರು ಐಸಿಸ್ ಸೇರುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ
    ದಾರಿ ತಪ್ಪಿದ ಹಿಂದೂಗಳು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್
    ಸೇರುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ..😂
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಸೋನಿಯಾ ಗಾಂಧಿಯ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಭವಿಷ್ಯ ರೂಪಿಸಲು ಹೋಗಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸ್ವಂತ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಭವಿಷ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಅಪಾಯ ತಂದುಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಡಿ!
    *#ಜಾಗೋ ಮತದಾರ ಜಾಗೋ*
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಕಿ.ಮೀಟರ್ ಹೋಗಿ ಎಣ್ಣೆ 🍻 ಹೊಡದೆ ಎಂದು ಬೀಗಬೇಡ,ಬಾರ್ಡರ್ ದಾಟಿ ಕಾಫಿ ☕ ಕುಡಿದುಬಂದಿದ್ದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದಿನಿ.💪ಜೈಹಿಂದ್ 🇮🇳
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    ಅಭಿನಂದನ್ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ
    ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದ ಪಾಕ್ ಹೋರಾಟಗಾರರು.
    ಪಾಕ್ ಸುಪ್ರೀಂ ಕೋರ್ಟ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಅರ್ಜಿ.
    ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯವಾದವನ್ನು ಕೆಲವರು ನೋಡಿಕಲಿಯಲಿ
    ▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
    *ಮೊದಲೆಲ್ಲಾ ಭಾರತ ಶಾಂತಿ ಬಯಸುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಈಗ ಪಾಕಿಸ್ಥಾನ ಶಾಂತಿ ಬಯಸುತ್ತಿದೆಯಂತೆ.*
    *ಇದು ನಿಜವಾದ ಅಚ್ಚೇ ದಿನ್…*

  3. Prakash. R says:

    “Barbaad gulistan karne ko bas ek hi ullu kafi tha
    har shaKH pe ullu baiTha hai anjam-e-gulistan kya hoga”
    This is the true definition of the modi government !
    India is back to 1947 intern of development, Hindu Muslim hatred , women empowerment ! Today we can’t even grieve If a fellow Muslim is killed in a military or police action!
    Our hear can’t bleed for any Muslim killed in Kashmir!
    NO DEVELOPMENT, JOBLESSNESS AND DESCPRIMINATION IS CAUSING MANY YOUTHS TO BE ATRACCTED TO STONETHROWING AND ARE GETTING KILLED,
    60 years India was peaceful and in the right direction! The only deaths we heard was MIG fighter plane crashes in training exercises! A nation which practiced tolerance in 26.11 became an aggressor for the whims of a dictator!

    • Rao says:

      Dictator riding on a very highly enthusiastic, Fake mastery, Hate Mongering PR team.
      In 2014, other political parties had undermined effect of Social Media Platforms which benefitted BJP in big way.
      Now in 2019, things are different; every other Political party has a social media presence and following same tactics of BJP (hate mongering, Fake messages etc).
      So the 2019 results will never be on same lines as 2014.

  4. Afzal kassam says:

    Chor dictator Modi and the blind and stupid Bhakths will be headed for a huge disappointment in the next election

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