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OPINION MARCH 26, 2021 | The Indian Eye 19

Bengal, Delhi, Kabul and chaos at ashoka

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

n any case, with the evapo- Carter to discuss the ongoing
ration of Left and Congress, peace efforts with the Taliban.”
IBJP is now a principal pole of
Bengal politics. As seen in Bihar, aimal faizi,
Odisha, UP, Andhra Pradesh The Print
and Telangana, in whichever olitical meddling has in-
state a regional party displaces deed eroded the autono-
Congress and Congress then va- Pmy of public universities
cates the opposition space, the
vacuum is invariably filled by but some of the damage was
BJP. The trend of rising commu- self-inflicted. Well-intended but
nal politics in Bengal seems un- ill-conceived rules stifled inno-
vation. Patron-client relations
stoppable whatever the election trumped talent and ability. Su-
outcome. premely mediocre faculty mem-
At the heart of the Bengal
battle is the charismatic per- bers were promoted on grounds
sonality of Mamata Banerjee of ‘seniority’. Mutual esteem
whose own subaltern image and trust frayed away into fac-
keeps her popular. Itinerant ger journey in both Houses. It ing to the Afghan people, and tionalism. When good faith gives
required thorough deliberation, assist peace efforts. The US-Tal- way to suspicion, collegiality to
BJP leaders from Delhi, jour- even referral to a Select Com- iban agreement signed last year barbed remarks and backbiting,
neying to Bengal to address mittee, as demanded by mem- is, at the outset, a deal between when faculty meetings become
rallies in Hindi, are facing
meagre crowds in contrast to bers of the Opposition. That Washington and Islamabad. Pa- a minefield, the institution los-
her packed meetings. She is this did not happen speaks of kistan is temporarily gaining the es its esprit de corps. We can
an opposition stalwart, and if the hubris of the central gov- geopolitical advantage it has al- try and craft perfect rules but
ernment, and draws attention, ways sought in the region. It is how do we restore our shared
she manages to defeat BJP’s again, to its disturbing tendency now pushing to align all major identity and sense of purpose?
mighty machine, resist anti-in- of using its majority to steamroll players in this power game to Perhaps the answer to this
cumbency and neutralize the contentious Bills — the farm support the US peace plan for is to be found in my feelings
criminalized ‘don’ image of lo-
cal TMC chiefs, it’ll be her sin- laws, just before this — through Afghanistan. when I was asked: Well, you will
gle-handed achievement. Parliament. It also shines light Iran’s foreign minister Mo- also leave, won’t you? What an
The question is, is Bengal on the volte face by the BJP, hammad Javad Zarif, in a meet- odd question, I thought. Just
whose championing of Delhi’s ing with Pakistan’s special envoy as when the Modi government
anymore in the mood to retain quest for statehood dates back for Afghanistan Mohammad came to power and someone
its once-famed Bengali excep- to at least 25 years. In fact, as Sadiq Khan, has said the “estab- said, I can’t live in this country
tionalism, vote for the Bengali Home Minister, LK Advani in- lishment” of peace in Afghani- anymore. At that time, I drew
identity and shout Jai Bangla?
Or is Bengal happy to join the troduced the Delhi State Bill stan is “an important priority”. strength and comfort from my
gathering chant of Jai Shri Ram?” in Parliament in 2003. Is it not The two countries also held a circles of comrades and friends.
revanchism that when relegat- number of meetings in which Af- And at this time, I am inspired
sagarika ghose, ed to a distant runner-up in two ghanistan was on the agenda in by my students and colleagues
The Times of India successive elections to the Del- October last year. It is said that at Ashoka. This university is
hi assembly, the BJP uses its Pakistan’s special envoy’s call on worth fighting for. And those
ess than 10 days after it majority at the Centre to push Iranian officials, ahead of the who are striving in their own
was introduced in the Lok legislation that requires Delhi’s Moscow conference, was aimed ways to uphold the integrity of
LSabha, the Government AAP government to seek the at securing Tehran’s agreement the institutions that they work
of National Capital Territory of L-G’s sanction for every admin- on a power-sharing government and believe in will recognize the
Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 istrative action?” in Afghanistan. After the meet- value of this endeavor.”
has got the approval of both ing, quoting unnamed officials,
editorial,
Houses of Parliament. Surely, The Indian Express a Reuters report, said that both amita baviskar,
The Wire
a piece of legislation that pro- Russia and Iran have agreed on
poses far-reaching changes in ecent developments the creation of “an interim gov-
the National Capital Territory’s once again show that ernment” in Kabul. Earlier this Every week, we look at what
administration, drastically un-RPakistan is key to the im- month, senior Pakistani mili- the top commentators in the
dermines the powers of Delhi’s plementation of Washington’s tary and intelligence officials Indian media are talking about
elected government and virtual- new strategy on Afghanistan. met their Afghan counterparts and bring to you a slice of their
ly upturns a landmark Supreme As an influential neighbor, it in Bahrain with the UK’s Chief opinions and comments
Court verdict, warranted a lon- can both cause war and suffer- of Defense Staff Gen. Nicholas

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