It’s Sikkim’s turn now

China is now claiming a part of Sikkim. It is not even two years since the Nathu-La pass (which used to be the route responsible for all the trade with Tibet) was re-opened after several decades. China was assumed by India to have recognised Sikkim as an integral part of India, which it never did. Though we kept reassuring them about Tibet’s belonging to China, it never reciprocated the same on Sikkim. We were still dreaming that Sikkim was no issue of contention between us, only to wake up to China’s claim of a strategically important part of Sikkim referred to as ‘Finger Area’ by Indian Army.

China, as it is well established now, is building wide roads all along the Tibet-India border. This is a great threat to India, as China can very easily mobilise any amount of resources in case of a war. That is exactly what happened in 1962 war. India was in deep sleep; could never sense the construction of highways along the Arunachal border. And one fine day, Nehru was stunned by the Chinese attack. Bottomline: Highways and railways are extremely important modes of transport – in case of a war or otherwise, which India has never understood (Even today, many of the border areas are difficult to access).

And it is the same reason why China is claiming a part of Sikkim now. The ‘Finger Area’, as the name suggests, is a finger like projection into Tibet from Sikkim. This area is in the way of Chinese highway along the border. The highway has to pass through this ‘Finger Area’ to reach the other part of Tibet, since the altitude of the ‘Finger Area’ is same as that of the highway route and that, any deviation from ‘Finger Area’ will make the highway a costly affair.

See, how easy it is to solve its problem for China!

As usual, India is yet to react. Will let you people know if at all that happens. New Delhi has reacted, this time quite strongly! It has finally shown some spine by setting up permanent post in the area.

Bloody Bengal!!

While the main national parties, BJP and Congress(I) exchange allegations over handling of terrorism, the left parties are sabotaging the last remaining sembles of democracy in West Bengal. I read in the Times editorial today,

Two ministers of the Left Front government in West Bengal have gone on record about the arsenals their respective parties stock to fight political battles. RSP minister Kshiti Goswami regrets that his party has only hand bombs whereas CPM cadre carry light machine guns, muskets, revolvers and explosives.

Besides the weapons, the minister added, the CPM has the backing of the police and the civil administration. Abdur Razzak Molla, the CPM minister, didn’t deny his colleague’s allegations; he said that violent clashes were inevitable because it’s a turf war out there.[link]

The democratic election has taken the most modified meaning in the communist state where polls are treated on par with turf wars. Thirty people have lost their lives in the three phase polls with Murshidabad, bordering Bangladesh being the worst affected with 15 deaths. Just a few days back, the CPM cadre made a 28 year old woman run nude just because she did not agree to participate in their rally. They accused the CRPF Deputy Inspector General — known as one of the most efficient officers — of molestation ad an FIR was lodged against him by the local police on the behest of CPM. He was even ordered by the sitting CPM member of Parliament to remain in camp and not visit the affected areas. These are only few events that happened recently on the eve of panchayat polls. Lot more brutal incidents have happened, not to be mentioned.

The primitive non democratic policy of the state communists was all so apparent when the cadres of the CPM went and “reconquered” the “deviant” Nandigram into their fold. The communist government did not hesitate to use police to their favour when they required it. Then and now, the communists have taken after dictators like Stalin by repeatedly defeated all human and democratic values by murdering people and valuing the political gains over the lives of the people. And this is why they are still powerful and ruling (ruining) West Bengal.

With governments like these, who needs terrorists?