Kanhaiya Kumar can get the Congress some traction but what next?
Kanhaiya Kumar, former JNUSU president, can be an asset but why is the Congress busy collecting assets when it has no strategy to use them. Kanhaiya’s move from the CPI to the Congress indicates that Bihar’s Leningrad is getting bored with just slogans and wants more. Of what, even Kanhaiya won’t know.
With the Congress woefully short on motormouth Hindi speakers ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections and the larger 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Kanhaiya Kumar looks like a gain for the Congress which he joined in the presence of Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. Gujarat Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mewani, who was with Kanhaiya, voiced his support for the Congress agenda though he did not formally join it citing Assembly rules since he is an independent MLA. Kanhaiya is a good speaker and a livewire who can keep people entertained and hold his own against hectoring by either the centrists or by the right. That too with elan and good humour to bat away attacks. There are many good YouTube videos as evidence, one just needs to do a cursory search.
Kanhaiya can do all this in Hindi, and English, without missing a beat or a wink or being caught in unsure pauses that several Congress speakers resort to, Rahul Gandhi included, and are often parodied by the media for their inability to speak the language and what-not. If Rahul Gandhi is a load and shoot rifle, Kanhaiya is the KK-47 and therein lies the rub because like all assault rifles, can the Congress suffer the heat a speaker like Kanhaiya can generate?
As well-documented, Kanhaiya was a Communist Party of India member and had been president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union on the ticket of the CPI’s student wing. He had also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election for the CPI from Begusarai, Bihar’s so-called Leningrad, and lost to Giriraj Singh of the BJP, the original go-to-Pakistan man.
आज इस देश को भगत सिंह की वीरता की जरूरत है, भगत सिंह के साहस की जरूरत है, अंबेडकर की समानता की जरूरत है, आज इस देश को गांधी जी की एकता की जरूरत है: श्री @kanhaiyakumarpic.twitter.com/PQyPdnjlhH
This is possibly where Kanhaiya realised that revolutionary slogans were fine to enthuse the youth, both rural and urban, and the poor, predominantly rural, but power was not for the taking so easily for the CPI (seen as a Bhumihar party) anymore. Unlike the CPI and its allies, the ultra-left CPIML Liberation won 5 seats in the Bihar elections. Possibly, the masses of Bihar didn’t trust their own boy, now a big Delhi man spouting slogans of aazadi for everyone, including Kashmiris.
This is what will weigh him down, and by extension, the Congress. The pre-spring 2016 sloganeering in JNU of aazadi is still the smallest thorn that can be used to prick the otherwise impregnable wall of rhetoric and common sense that Kanhaiya can raise in a debate. The BJP has had a measure of him in Bihar and he can be easily read by the party there. That’s the right-wing point against him.
The centrist remembers that Kanhaiya kept his distance when the dadis of Shaheen Bagh put out quilts and shamianas to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act-NRC-NPR. Unlike his comrades from JNU who came and kept a low-profile, Kanhaiya has almost no profile when Shaheen Bagh stood out as an example of citizens holding the State to account for being crass and despotic, even when the media sided against them. Further, Umar Khalid still continues to be in prison under the draconian UAPA but Kanhaiya has largely kept quiet.
The silence on his part is emblematic of the way the Left has of coming apart like the Titanic after hitting the iceberg of caste and privilege. The original Communist Party, the CPI, formed in 1925, had lost its spunk post-1950 after it toed the Soviet Union line not to disturb the Congress. What else could it do as the global fountainhead of Communism was not keen on antagonizing Nehru and his daughter?
Unhappy with this line, the alleged hotheads formed the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) as the differences between the Soviets under Khrushchev and China under Mao Zedong, who had the same big ideas as the now-dead Stalin, divided the communist world. The Marxists, meaning the CPM, as the Communists (i.e. the CPI) would derisively call the newer and more vibrant party, would see another split, leading to the birth of the ultra-left Marxist Leninists.
The CPIML would turn away from parliamentary democracy and take up arms, beginning in Naxalbari in 1967. The State, under Indira Gandhi, cracked down hard and destroyed that violent left turn with far more violent suppression of human rights. Many of those killed in pursuit of spring thunder were young men and women high on the ideas of revolution and low on the realities of the rural hinterland, policing and the generous use of extra-legal force. For a cinematic depiction, check this trailer.
So why is the Congress party bent upon getting Kanhaiya to join it. When his mere presence can become a huge negative? The Congress is stumbling from one crisis to another; just when the Punjab front was healing, Navjot Singh Sidhu ripped open a new fracture by quitting as PPCC chief.
The answer possibly lies in the fact that Kanhaiya is a champion at raising the esprit de corps among the Congress grassroots, which needs tending and protecting from the harsh lure of money and influence that the other side offers.
As someone said on social media, the Congress POV on the Ram Mandir doesn’t leave it much to hope for in terms of regaining Muslim votes, but Kanhaiya’s avowed aazadi stance could help swing a few of them, not to speak of Dalit votes pan-India, for among the many things the aazadi slogan seeks liberation from is Manu-wad.
It is significant that both Kanhaiya and Jignesh Mevani are turning away from the CPI and the CPM, respectively. The waning of the Communist-Marxist parties across the Hindi heartland, with the RSS-led BMS snatching away even its trade union constituency, the sign of the times is dispiriting for the mainstream Left.
It would be amusing to see Kanhaiya Kumar and Congress leaders like P. Chidambaram share a table at a discussion. The hope that verbal flourish can give the Congress a fighting chance for more seats in the Lok Sabha is worth a gamble with avowed leftists, to overcome the charge of soft Hindutva.
The Congress, it has been said so many times, encompasses both the left and the right. But can the centre hold? Especially when dissent is eating it away from the inside.
Then, there’s always the Trinamool Congress for Kanhaiya
Nawaz Sharif urges Shehbaz Sharif to pursue diplomacy over aggression against India
Nawaz Sharif has advised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to avoid aggression and focus on diplomacy following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
In a significant development amidst escalating regional tensions, former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged his younger brother and current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, to adopt a diplomatic approach rather than an aggressive stance towards India.
During a meeting in Lahore on Sunday evening, Shehbaz Sharif briefed Nawaz Sharif about the government’s recent actions against India, following India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) after the Pahalgam attack. The Pakistani government, in response, had closed its airspace for India and reportedly stepped up its readiness to counter any hostile moves.
Sources indicate that Shehbaz Sharif expressed concerns about India’s suspension of the water-sharing agreement, warning that it could escalate tensions dangerously in the region. He emphasized Pakistan’s preparedness to respond strongly if necessary.
However, Nawaz Sharif, founder of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), advised a more measured path. He recommended using all diplomatic avenues to de-escalate tensions and restore peace with India. Nawaz Sharif stressed the importance of avoiding any aggressive actions that could worsen the situation.
In a related move, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested the formation of an international commission comprising representatives from countries like the United States, Russia, China, and Britain to investigate the Pahalgam attack, seeking broader international involvement in addressing the conflict.
The ongoing situation between India and Pakistan remains delicate, with calls from within Pakistan’s leadership for calm and dialogue to prevent further deterioration.
Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for his provocative “blood will flow” remark after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, highlighting the tragic consequences of terrorism.
AIMIM leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly rebuked Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over his controversial statement following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Owaisi reminded Bhutto of the tragic assassinations of his mother, former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and grandfather, former President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Bilawal Bhutto, who was Pakistan’s Foreign Minister till 2023 and remains an influential figure in the ruling coalition, had issued a provocative warning after India’s decision, reportedly saying, “The Indus is ours and will remain ours – either our water will flow through it, or their blood.”
Responding to these remarks, Owaisi said Bhutto should reconsider his words, recalling how terrorism claimed the lives of his mother and grandfather. “Forget about such childish talk. His mother was killed by terrorists. He should not speak in this manner,” Owaisi said, stressing that terrorism must be condemned universally and not selectively.
Owaisi also criticised Pakistan’s leadership for threatening India with nuclear weapons, highlighting the brutality of recent terror attacks. “If you enter a country and kill innocents, no nation will remain silent,” he said. He compared extremist elements to the Khawarij and ISIS sympathisers, known for their radical ideologies.
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi in December 2007 has long been linked to extremist groups, though the case remains unresolved.
Bilawal Bhutto’s comments have sparked wide condemnation across India’s political spectrum. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri suggested that Bhutto should undergo a mental health evaluation, while Congress MP Shashi Tharoor labelled the remarks “inflammatory.” Tharoor warned that any aggression from Pakistan would be met with an appropriate response, asserting, “If blood is going to flow, it will possibly flow more on their side than ours.”
India inks Rs 63,000 crore deal for 26 Rafale-M jets to strengthen naval fleet
India has signed a ₹63,000 crore deal with France to acquire 26 Rafale M fighter jets, strengthening the Navy’s capabilities aboard INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
India has finalized a major ₹63,000 crore agreement with France for the acquisition of 26 Rafale M fighter jets, enhancing its maritime strength significantly. This government-to-government deal, signed on Monday, includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater trainer variants, with delivery expected by 2031.
The deal not only covers the procurement of the jets but also includes comprehensive fleet maintenance, logistical support, and training for Navy personnel. In a notable boost to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, indigenous manufacturing of several components will be undertaken under offset obligations.
The Rafale M, currently operated only by the French Navy, is renowned for its superior capabilities among naval fighter jets globally. It features Safran Group’s reinforced landing gear, folding wings, and a robust undercarriage designed to endure the tough conditions of carrier-based operations.
The Indian Navy plans to deploy these new Rafale-M fighters aboard its aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, replacing the ageing fleet of MiG-29K aircraft. This move is expected to significantly bolster India’s maritime defense capabilities, especially amid rising security challenges in the Indian Ocean region.
In December, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi emphasized a strategic shift to “negate” any infringement in India’s operational areas, highlighting the preparedness to counter threats from neighboring regions.
India’s Air Force, which already operates 36 Rafale ‘C’ variant jets from northern bases, will also benefit indirectly through upgrades to systems like the ‘buddy-buddy’ aerial refueling capability, allowing fighter jets to stay airborne for extended missions.
Looking ahead, the Navy is also progressing toward the induction of indigenous fifth-generation, twin-engine deck-based fighters, being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). These fighters will complement the Air Force’s upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), further strengthening India’s air and maritime security architecture.
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