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Op-Ed                                                                   OCTOBER 01, 2021  |       The Indian Eye                          16



               Congress tussle, Quad issue





                                 and the China factor





                  Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media




              hough the G-23 leaders                                                                                    thE CoMMUNAL dIvIdE
              have not spelt it out clear-
       Tly, their real target is Ra-                                                                                        he British sucked India
        hul Gandhi, who they feel does                                                                                      bone-dry by manipulating
        not have the necessary qualities                                                                             Ttrade policies and wring-
        to lead the party. They privately                                                                             ing farmers beyond redemp-
        maintain  that  the  Sidhu  fiasco                                                                            tion. They systematically de-
        has vindicated their stand.                                                                                   stroyed Indian agriculture and
            It is no secret that Rahul and                                                                            industry, progressively leaving
        Priyanka were instrumental in                                                                                 the  Indians  impoverished  and
        appointing Navjot Singh Sidhu                                                                                 destitute. However, the British
        president of the party’s Punjab                                                                               were  in shock. For  once,  Indi-
        unit despite stiff resistance from                                                                            ans passed over their differenc-
        his bete noire, Amarinder Singh,                                                                              es of caste, creed and faith and
        or Captain, as he is popularly                                                                                rose as one against East India
        called.  Sidhu,  however,  persist-   rahul Gandhi speaking at the foundation ceremony for aimEr Business     Company rule.
        ed with his strident attacks on         School at markaz Knowledge City, in Kozhikode on Wednesday (ani)         The trauma of the 1857 up-
        Singh and eventually prevailed                                                                                rising forced the British to think
        upon the Gandhi siblings to  pect to the distinction between  ically and militarily. However, it  of new devices to perpetuate
        show the Captain the door. But  AUKUS and Quad that has not  is clear that this is a battle India  their empire. They carefully ze-
        act two of this drama unfolded  received adequate attention. It  cannot fight alone. Apart from  roed in on the fault lines within
        on 28 September, when Sid- centers around the concept of  the fact that China’s economy  Indian society. The easiest to
        hu abruptly resigned as Punjab  an Anglosphere, a grouping of  dwarfs that of India, Beijing is  manipulate  were  Hindu-Mus-
        Congress chief in protest against  English-speaking countries.           today a world leader in technol- lim relations marked by blood-
        several appointments made by            It is not a coincidence that  ogy and international trade. An  shed spanning over a thousand
        the new Chief Minister, Cha- the one country truly miffed  isolationist India that has re- years.
        ranjit Singh  Channi.  Needless  by the creation of AUKUS has  treated into its shell will suit Chi-              Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was
        to say, this episode has left the  been France, a traditional rival  na admirably. What will not suit  picked by the British for the
        Gandhi siblings red-faced.           of Britain. It is also no coinci- it is an India that has entered  job of weaning Hindus and
            The question is, where does  dence that the US and UK are  into a strategic relationship with  Muslims from each other. The
        the Congress go from here?  willing to offer nuclear tech- countries that have similar vul- pre-1857  unity  between  the
        And this is not just about Pun- nology for defense purposes to  nerabilities. The Quad is as yet  two communities was fresh
        jab.  Will  it  be  business  as  usu- Australia but have so far shied  an untested investment in the  and  fragile,  too  weak  to  stand
        al or will more party members  away from making it available  future involving India, Australia,  against wily British machina-
        join the 23 leaders to press for a  to India and Japan. The West’s  Japan and the US. It is Asia-fo- tions. During the 1857 uprising,
        change in the party?                 alliance with Japan remains  cused and technology-focused,  Sir Syed remained loyal to the
           -- Anita Katyal, The Quint        warped by the memory and leg- but will probably have an arms- colonial masters and won their
                                             acy of World War II. India is in a  length relationship with the  trust. He set up a string of Mus-

               QUAd vs AUKUs                 league of its own when it comes  Aukus  military  grouping  that  lim educational institutions, in-
                                             to  defining  her  equation  with  seeks to challenge China’s bid  cluding Aligarh Muslim Univer-
              he debate on whether the  the Anglosphere.                         to  control  the  Indo-Pacific.  In- sity (AMU), which eventually
              creation  of  AUKUS, a                  -- Sanjaya Baru,           dia is understandably cautious  emerged as a fountain head of
       Tdefense partnership be-                     The Times of India           about over-committing itself to  Muslim separatism.
        tween Australia, the United                                              anti-China blocs because it is                 -- Balbir Punj,
        Kingdom and the United States,        CoMPEtING wIth ChINA               the only country with which Chi-            The Indian Express
        strengthens or weakens Quad,                                             na has a common and disputed
        the Quadrilateral Security Dia-         ndia has so far resisted  border. The longer-term ap-                     Every week, we look at what
        logue between Australia, India,         the bait and, consequently,  proach to national security must
        Japan and the US, will rage on. Iearned China’s displeasure  involve rapid capacity building                     the top commentators in the
        Proof of the pudding, as the En- in different ways, including mil- on economic and military fronts.            Indian media are talking about
                                                                                                                           and bring to you a slice
        glish are wont to remind, will  itary pressure and the encour-                  -- Swapan Dasgupta,            of their opinions and comments
        lie in the eating. There is an as- agement of Pakistan, diplomat-                  The Telegraph


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