Alienated People and an Overcautious state in China’s Xinjiang

The People’s Republic of China continues to give out contradictory signals on the question of ethno-religious identity among its minorities. While its desire for economic prosperity in Xinjiang may be achievable, it has not seemingly found any solution to the sense of alienation felt by the local Uighurs. In yet another instance that demonstrates this dichotomy clearly, the provincial authority in Xinjiang has advised some sections of the ethnic Uighur Muslim citizens of the province, including Party cadres, civic officials and students, to “eat properly, study and work” during the holy month of Ramadan. This order remains in place in Hotan and Kashgar, which had witnessed ethnic violence in the recent past. The instruction proffering this advice also goes on to clarify that it is only a directive and that the authorities are not forcing the people to eat during Ramadan. However, other reports suggest that a statement in this respect urges the “party leaders to bring "gifts" of food to local village leaders to ensure that they were eating during Ramadan”. As showcased by this instance of misplaced care of the Chinese state for its citizens, there is ample reason to argue that China’s Xinjiang policy itself is misplaced at multiple levels. In the year during which China wants domestic stability more than ever before as it prepares for a power shift at the highest level of the party and as it faces tensions in its immediate neighbourhood, such a move could possibly backfire and only add to China’s problems in the restive northwestern province.

Gist of my Commentary on the IDSA website. Continue reading here.

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Civil Military Relations and Media

In India, civil military relations have been strained in the recent past due to a couple of instances. First, it was the date of birth controversy about the serving Chief of the Army. It involved a few missing documents and a legal tangle. Even as it was solved with all honours retained, other set of controversies seem to have emerged. These new controversies perhaps have been blown out of proportion, probably because the DoB controversy was still fresh in mind. During this second phase of the controversy, corruption, under-performance and under-preparedness came into picture. However, the icing on the cake was the whole supposed coup expose by the Indian Express. Figment of imagination, undoubtedly at its worst, was at play in creating a script that would crate yet another dud like Agent Vinod! Has the media been mature on reportage and expose? Its one thing for a letter to be leaked, but its completely different for the media to publish it without even giving it a second thou

संयुक्त प्रगतिशील गठबंधन की विदेशनीती: आत्मविश्वास का अभाव अविनाश गोडबोले 2009 मे हुए चुनाव के बाद फिर एक बार कॉंग्रेसके नेतृतवमे संयुक्त प्रगतिशील गठबंधन ने सरकार बनाया . इन चुनाओमे वामपंथी दल और समाजवादी पार्टी जैसे भूतपूर्व साथियोंको भारी नुकसान हुआ और UPA मे कॉंग्रेस का स्थान मज़बूत हो गया . इसका यह परिणाम अपेक्षित था के नयी सरकार एक सकारात्मक विचारधारा लेकर आगे चलेगी और देशके भविष्य के बारेमे दिशा दर्शक काम करेगी . 1996 से 2009 तक भारतमे बने हरेक सरकार मे मुख्य पार्टी कमज़ोर रही है और प्रादेशिक अथवा वैचारिक गठबंधन डालो की स्थिति मज़बूत और निर्णायक रही है. परिणामी सरकारोँकी नीतीयाभी छोटे दलोँके हितअनुसार बदलती रही है. जब 2009 के चुनाव मे कॉंग्रेस ने सबसे ज़्यादा सीट्स पाई थी. तब यह अंदाज़ जताया गया था की उसकी मज़बूती उसके आत्मविश्वास मे परिवर्तित हो सकती है लेकिन पिछलेएक साल का विश्लेषण करतहुए भारतीय विदेशनीतिमे ऐसा कोई बदल या ऐसी कोई घोषणा दिखाई नही दी है. 26/11 के हमलो के बाद पाकिस्तान पर दबाव डालकर वहांके सरकार क

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