Ashwani Sharma
He was born on 17th September 1950. Three years after India attained independence with Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru becoming 1st Prime Minister of India and one year after China became ‘People’s Republic’ under Mao Zedong. Another three years, and on 15th June 1953 ‘Xi’ was born. In more ways than one, they were born in similar social and national circumstances. Battered and bruised, at a time when both countries were battling their current political scenarios under the shadow of being two glorious civilizations of the world.
Interestingly, they reached pinnacle of their political careers almost at the same time. Xi took reins of People’s Republic of China in 2013, just a year before Narendra Damodardas Modi (referred here as ‘He’) became 14th Prime Minister of India riding on a huge nationalistic wave coupled with anti-corruption sentiment all across. In more ways than one ‘He’ is building a legacy for India which can be described no-nonsense on military front and has been successful to drive the message home. Xi on the other hand is now riding a fully grown dragon with even much more aplomb than ‘Daenerys Targaryen’ of the ‘Game of Thrones’ fame. And expectedly Xi feels India as the biggest thorn in the foot before China can occupy the ‘Iron throne’ of the 21st century New World Order. The recent developments on our eastern front break the western myth that 21st century is going to be an Asian century led by China and India. China surely doesn’t think that way neither does Xi. For them Asian century means Chinese domination across Asia and if strategic experts can see far, right after world crosses mid-century China will lay their claim on the whole world. Anybody who sees Himalayan conflict right now at Laddakh as local and confined does not understand China, because tomorrow China will come after The Alps and The Rocky mountains too if today dragon’s tentacles are not clipped.
For far too long China has been working on its ‘String of Pearls’ strategy to encircle India. While other nations took their time to play in Chinese lap, Pakistan ever since its inception submitted willfully to Chinese subjugation. Its status to be declared as Chinese vassal state is a mere formality now. Of late Nepal has been giving Pakistan a run for her money in pleasing China by manufacturing conflicts with India at a drop of a hat. So much so that in order to gain territory from India on paper (The Lipulekh tri-junction), Nepal has surrendered its actual territory in Humla and Rasuwa districts and not even blinked about it. On top of that China has already altered courses of rivers flowing from COT (China Occupied Tibet) into Nepal thereby affecting agricultural activities done by common Nepalis. And Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli’s deliberate sense of oblivion will make him part of some infamous folklore and may give tough competition to Nehruvian blunders done by its western neighbor vis a vis China. Who can forget the infamous “Not a blade of grass grows there” statement? But Nehruvian blunders deserve a full article altogether and cannot be comprised into one paragraph. Apart, there are many pearls attached to this string beginning from Far East covering Indian Ocean while reaching Sri Lanka.
Coming back to China and its expansionist designs, Xi inherited the legacy at a time when China had become a super-power in manufacturing, industrial production with a huge market at the backyard. Also it had already arrived and conquered the world of sport with successfully organizing Olympics not too long ago in 2008. One must understand the importance of domination in world sports before you can declare a nation as Super-Power. But most important aspect still remains in the proven economic and military prowess of a nation which aspires to be a Super-Power. China clearly has under-achieved in military terms. The last war they fought was with Vietnam and got humbled there. What China show cases to the world in an intimidated fashion can be best described as Hollywood standard propaganda videos where its military gives perfect shots packed with drama and action. But China forgets what it exhibits as punch lines in their propaganda videos are in fact Core Beliefs of the Indian Armed Forces which they have been exhibiting on the battle ground for last 30 years on its western borders. What China misconceives as a reflection of its military prowess by bringing countries across continents under its debt trap can best be described as pawn broking (desi sahukari). Xi’s military theatrics by unleashing the dragon on our Eastern Frontiers is a monumental blunder which will crush his legacy fantasies. His legacy, at best, will be remembered as poor cocktail of Modern Technology with Medieval Expansionist ambitions.
If at all, Xi should have read history and learnt from it. Not too long ago ‘We The Dogras’ defeated Chinese fair and square at the very same place where current stand-off is taking place. The areas of COT (China Occupied Tibet) were very much part of erstwhile Dogra empire and has been well documented even on IOA (Instrument of Accession) signed by Maharaja Hari Singh Ji with Union of India and endorsed with Viceroy Mountbatten’s signature on it. If anything that should form the basis of current negotiations and otherwise border negotiations between India and China, it should be ‘Treaty Of Chushul’ between the then Dogra Forces and joint army of Tibet & China signed on 16th/17th September 1842. What better place to invoke ‘Treaty Of Chushul’ than Chushul-Moldo area where negotiations between Indian and Chinese Army are currently underway. Apart from being a strategic and diplomatic master stroke to dislodge the Chinese, it shall be a fitting tribute to Great Dogra General Zorawar Singh. So valiant was Genenral Zorawar and his ‘Fateh ShibJi’ (4 JAK Rif) battalion that they brought home Flag of the enemy as prized possession and called it ‘Mantalai Standard’ after they repulsed a midnight ambush. His mausoleum was built by same people he fought against in the vicinity of Taklakot and people till date revere this warrior extraordinaire.
This level of military diplomacy will ensure the legacy into chronicles of history no matter whether ‘He’ wants it or not. But who doesn’t want a legacy? Xi surely does. And It seems that legacy is going to fall apart because it has striking similarities to the one Hitler wanted to build in his Nazi Germany. Expansionist strategy, Concentration camps and very few allies.
He and Xi shared a bond not very long ago. They met Eighteen times, swung together, visited each other’s birth place, changed outfits & sipped tea. Still Xi made a futile attempt to outwit India disguising as friend so that ‘He’ can be discredited in his own country thereby creating political unrest in India over coming years which perfectly suit Chinese designs of expansionism. This was an old ploy similar to when after signing ‘Panchsheel’ agreement in 1954, India was punched in the face and stabbed in the back in 1962. Perhaps ‘He’ had anticipated the Chinese perfidy even after eighteen ‘Diplomatic Dates’ and responded in a manner Chinese least expected. “Humne tumko Budh diya aur tumne humko Yudh diya” perhaps sums up our emotions now every year when summer begins to set in and Chinese jostle to get in. Xi would have thought that his Chinese Apps as well as his paid Chinese Chaps will give him a winning lead as part of his propaganda machinery but the apps have been banned and Chaps exposed brutally. In the hindsight, why still many in India including some legacy filled opposition parties play Chinese Ruan is ‘A Million Yuan Question’.
Well, even after civilization oaths they must have taken during their eighteen encounters, He and Xi have finally fallen apart. Let us not guess who is more distraught with this break-up but surely our sovereignty is more important than any personal equation which ends up as an embarrassment. Surely ‘He’ does think that way and by visiting the forward posts on ground in Leh he has walked the talk at same time put his shoulder behind the Jawan who wrestled the Chinese on a Galwan hilltop on that fateful night of 15th June. And if it had to be a He, Xi Bye Bye swansong to achieve our geo-political goals in the region ‘He’ has made a decision in right earnest.
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