The Galwan Episode

Hello Readers

 

Hope this blog finds you well!

All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal!

-John Steinbeck

 

There are two news items which are hitting the stands and all channels of media.

 

One, of course, is the man-made disaster called the Corona Viral disease 2019, which is a result of man trying to over-ride nature, forgetting that nature has the upper hand and we are just particles in this universe.

 

2.The Chinese aggression in the Galwan valley 

 

What a flux of a situation, one hand you have a country which started a bio-war intentionally or unintentionally, maybe calling it a bio war may not be proved till now but, I call it a bio war. On the other hand, you have the same country who started border aggression without any provocation!

 

The First Skirmish

 

The Sino-Indian War, also known as the Indo-China War and Sino-Indian Border Conflict, was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962.

 

 A Chinese disputed Himalayan border was the leading cause of the war. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tibetan uprising.

 

When India granted asylum to the Dalai Lama. India initiated a defensive Forward Policy from 1960 to hinder Chinese military patrols and logistics, in which it placed outposts along the border, including north of the McMahon Line, the eastern portion of the Line of Actual Control proclaimed by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1959.

 

Chinese military action grew increasingly aggressive after India rejected proposed Chinese diplomatic settlements throughout 1960–1962, with China re-commencing previously-banned “forward patrols” in Ladakh from 30 April 1962. 

 

China finally abandoned all attempts of peaceful resolution on 20 October 1962, invading disputed territory along the 3,225 milometer- (2,000-mile-) long Himalayan border in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line.

 

 Chinese troops advanced over Indian forces in both theatres, capturing Rezang la in Chushul in the western theatre, as well as Tawang in the eastern theatre. The war ended when China declared a ceasefire on 20 November 1962 and simultaneously announced its withdrawal to its claimed “Line of Actual Control”.

 

Much of the fighting took place in harsh mountain conditions, entailing large-scale combat at altitudes of over 4,000 meters (14,000 feet). The Sino-Indian War was also notable for the lack of deployment of naval and aerial assets by either China or India. [credits Wikipedia.org]

 

The Galwan valley issue

 

In early May, “fist fights and stone-pelting” broke out between Chinese and Indian troops at two separate sites along their disputed border. India and China are no strangers to border incidents ­— even prolonged standoffs — so the skirmishes were newsworthy but not especially noteworthy.

 

By the end of the month, Indian and Chinese media had focused attention on several points along with the Indian territory of Ladakh in the western sector of the disputed border, known as the Line of Actual Control. 

 

In this sector, that official name for the boundary is a misnomer: There is no agreement on where any “line” is, nor is there a clear mutual delineation of the territory under “actual control” of either party.

 

That record of nonfatal confrontation collapsed on 15 June when simmering tensions boiled over and Indian and Chinese forces engaged in a brutal brawl in the Galwan Valley. Involving stones and nail-studded clubs but no firearms, this clash claimed the lives of at least 20 Indian soldiers — including a commanding officer — and an unknown number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces.

 

 It was the bloodiest confrontation on the Sino-Indian frontier in over half a century.[credits https://warontherocks.com/2020/07/indias-pangong-pickle-new-delhis-options-after-its-clash-with-china/]

 

The present situation

 

Prime minister Narendra Modi recently visited Ladakh which actually a politically stern move which motivated or boosted the morale of our warriors on the border.

 

My heartfelt condolences to the families of our dear soldiers. They were martyred in this cowardly and shameless unethical way of warfare of by the PLA.

Courtesy Google images

 

All important question

 

Can India survive without the dumping of Chinese goods, can we be independent and say a big no to Chinese goods?

 

Is this economically possible or viable? Well, they always say reality is better than flattery.

 

Realistically speaking, after doing some analytical and cumulative research, here are some findings which I could contemplate:

 

Anti-China sentiment has been on the rise in India since the fatal border clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

 

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in fighting at a disputed border site in the Himalayan Galwan Valley, prompting a swift and theatrical backlash on India’s streets.

 

• 12% of India’s imports across sectors such as chemicals, automotive components, consumer electronics and pharmaceuticals.

 

• 70% of India’s drug intermediary needs are fulfilled by China.

 

• Even though India has announced self-reliance on the pharma industry so, we still have a long way to go.

 

• The gadget industry- I mean just look around your room and count how much is your share of gadgets which are either direct origination from china or licensed produced in China.

 

• Mega smartphone manufactures like oppo, one plus, Xiaomi Huawei have a significant share in the market.

 

• Lastly, the entrepreneurial unicorns like, PAYTM, ZOMATO, BIGBASKET has huge funds pumped from china.

 The way forward

 

India’s domestic manufacturing sector can substitute as much as 25% of total imports from China, according to new findings from Acuité, a rating agency. This would lead to a reduced import bill of over $8bn in a single year.

 

Handicrafts, for instance, is a category where India imported $431m worth of goods from China in the 2020 financial year without any significant reciprocal exports.

 

But Mr. Bhandari of Gateway House says boycotting popular Chinese apps such as Tik-Tok might be more effective than boycotting physical goods in terms of value-added because there are multiple alternatives.

 

Conclusion:  in the present situation as the rest of the world is dependent on China even India is conditional, but we all should work together to gradually loosen our ties from them and increasingly become self-reliant as much as possible.

 

Hope this one was informative, will be back next week.

 

Thanks for your time.

Helios.

Job Wanderers

Hello Readers

 Hope you are doing well

 The work cycle is inevitable to all of us, whether you work in an apparel industry or a finance firm which is funding it, either you sell clothes or tally books! Finally it’s a job.

-Anonymous

 The word founder has been motivating for me because without a founder, there is no innovation or employment.

 You can work because someone thought that employment could be generated from a particular way to get money in exchange for the services they offer, and you are now a part of it because you possess that talent to work for them.

-Alan watts-Lectures on life and purpose.

 Well, that is the standard work cycle we are all aware of, because we were privileged and motivated by our parents or guardians and we chose the path of  knowledge through your curriculum, your schooling and whatnot.

 But have you released there is a support system which exists in whatever you have achieved till now? 

Blogger suggested reading:http://harishmurthy.blogspot.com/2019/09/we-can-think-because.html

 This support system starts from your family, continues with the society, and I think it keeps going and you will have that lamp post to rest when you require it.

 This hibernation phase of my life from three months due to a pandemic helped me think about certain classes of society who are really our support systems.

 Itinerant workers

We are all so excited about the infrastructure which is existent in our cities do we realise the amount of manpower which is involved in bringing these mega-structures into working wonders.

 Setting my premise to India here, did some basic research about how the sourcing is done for such hard physical labour, the Government has implemented the system of contracting and sub-contracting. There you see the migrant workers role, and the jobs they do is really mind-boggling, I found a report on the internet for the people who worked on the already completed phase of our “namma metro” in Bangalore.

 Only 12% were from Karnataka, and the rest were all migrants.

 Well, should  we brand the labour class in our home town and in our state as incompetent for the job.

 Or should I say the migrants work cheap, well I don’t want to be a judge on that for a simple reason that I can’t judge demography by reading a report?

 But I can tell you due to acute unemployment issues in the regions where the workers live they allow head hunters to choose them to whichever part of the country to whatever type of job is available to feed their family.

 They are brave men and women, they did not have the comfort of home quarantine like you and me because they are the revenue-generating turbines of their houses, if they stop there is no electricity.

Courtesy google images

COVID happened, and India was asked to stand still, and so were these workers. Initially, they were patient and tried to survive with their savings.

  The Pandora of problems opened up when they wanted to go back to their family and asked their salaries from their contractors who themselves were bankrupt.

 The Government too intervened in this problem, it was first of kind experience to them also, but I strongly feel they could have managed the issue in a better way.

 The migrants thronged streets in Mumbai, Delhi the news clips were terrifying to watch.

 No doubt we have handled the situation better than many advanced economies, but in the case of migrant workers, I feel definitely we could have done better.

 There is also a surprise element, some of the analysts in the media houses, back –seat analysts at home voiced opinions: “why are the workers feeling so restless, they are creating ruckus which may be   motivated by the opposition and so on.”

 I don’t know the authenticity of the last part but, leaving all the politics behind, just think you if were one among them just  realise how stuck  you  would be with your family in a far-away place who are waiting for their share to run your home.

 Metro constructions, all real estate constructions, road works, plumbing, painting, heavy stone lifting, delivery services and also dreadful jobs like manual  scavenging. I mean this list is endless and this what they do for us and are a prominent part of our support system.

 I respect each of those workers and urge the people in power to help these people who work for a living,  they do not segregate or are not picky about where they want to work and whom they want to work for.

Courtesy google images

 Let all of us as citizens be supportive and emphatic to them  and do our bit whenever we get an opportunity.

 Self–reliance is beautiful but often is an illusion.

 Thanks a lot for your time. Have a great Sunday and the rest of the week.

 Helios.

Felony and Lenity

Hello Readers

Hope you all are doing well.

I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.

-Steven Wright

Before we start, want you to keep this word in mind “Clemency” simply meaning mercy or leniency.

In this blog:

•     The recent brutal gang rape and murder in Hyderabad India and its after math.

•      The Rape accused in the 2015 Delhi Nirbhaya case commenting about Delhi pollution and his application for clemency to the honourable  president of India.

1   .  What happened in Hyderabad? On the 27 of November 2019.

A brutal rape and murder of a 26-year-old veterinary doctor in the wee hours by four miscreants posing to help her when she was back where she had parked her vehicle and noticed it had a flat tire.

This case is considered one of the brutal cases after the infamous Nirbaya case in Delhi.

I could post the whole story, which is going on in the media, but, everyone would have read and heard about it all over the media that is not my intention.

The summary of what happened is, a lady late in her twenties was on her way back home   noticed her vehicle Tyre was punctured and was lured by some lorry drivers who offered to fix her vehicle eventually assaulting her sexually, murdered her and burnt her!

What a sad state of affairs in India, are we in such a society that we can’t protect the dignity and safety of our women! Whom we worship as goddesses of different forms!

A famous Sanskrit quote:

"Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra Devata, 

yatraitaastu na pujyante sarvaastatrafalaah kriyaah "

 This famous shloka from Manusmruthi which means: where Women are honoured, divinity blossoms there, and where women are dishonoured, all action no matter how noble remains unfruitful.

This was the culture our elders had thought us, but I don’t know why everything contradictory is happening in India.

I sincerely do not believe by comparing the statistics of other country and feeling happy that we are better off, we should think about setting up an example not by comparing with others.

This incident took a different turn when police encountered the accused just a week after during a normal crime reconstruction exercise, when the accused tried to escape and also shoot at the police, in retaliation the police exterminated them!

While the whole country has different opinions about this, at one hand people saying it was a perfect thing what they have done, on the other side people saying that judicial procedure should have taken place! So that the accused could have their say.

Personally, if the people who were shot down were the real perpetrators of the crime, then they deserve to die! There is an enquiry going on the encounter hope the police come out clean.

2. The Delhi Nirbaya case: Clemency!

I was sipping my coffee one winter morning last week; I was amazed to read that the accused Akshay Kumar was seeking clemency!

One of the four men convicted in the 2012 Nirbaya rape and murder case has asked the Supreme Court to spare him the death penalty since life in Delhi is by default getting “short” due to air and water pollution. No, you read that right. This absurd argument finds a mention in a plea filed by Akshay Singh Thakur requesting the Supreme Court to review his conviction in the Nirbaya rape and murder case.

Akshay Singh Thakur -- the lone convict not to have filed a review plea -- has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a review of his conviction in the Nirbaya rape and murder case. The petition brings up points of law, argues that Akshay was incorrectly convicted and talks about capital punishment which is abolished in various countries.

At one point, Akshay’s review petition inexplicably brings up Delhi’s air quality. “... It is important to pertain here that Air Quality of Delhi NCR ( National Captial region)  and the metro city is burst and as a gas chamber... the water of Delhi NCR and the metro city is also full of poison... Everyone is aware of what is happening in Delhi NCR concerning water and air,” the petition says before asking a simple question.

“Life is short too short, then why the death penalty? [sic]"  

Courtesy: (https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/nirbhaya-rape-murder-akshay-singh-thakur-supreme-court-review-delhi-air-water-pollution-1627071-2019-12-10)

Can you believe a rape accused who has lost all his legal means to defend himself can talk like this!

Now about the clemency: We have a supreme court in India which is considered the highest body of the judiciary, but the accused still has a chance to apply to the president of India to grant him life imprisonment instead of hanging till death!

The law in India: Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution

Grant of pardon wipes off the guilt of accused and brings him to the original position of innocence as if he had never committed the offence for which he was charged. Under Indian law, the President of India and the Governors of States have been given the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence. The law governing the grant of pardon is contained in Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution. 

(courtesy: https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/administrative-law/power-to-pardon-an-analysis-law-essays.php)

This law is there only for the innocent who are framed wrongly, not for a convicted person who has committed such a brutal crime that humanity can't even imagine.

I strongly feel there should be a constitutional amendment to be made in this regard.

The provision should only be awarded for the accused who are actually innocent. I urge the honourable president of India to reject the petition at the earliest and order the accused to face the gallows.

The purpose of the law is to protect its people, and people created the law; therefore, corrections should be made when the law is not serving its purpose!

 

Courtesy: Google images

  

We talk about law, evidence, forensic study, proving who is guilty and the terms of the punishment, we should also think about the poor souls who were cut short of their lives and were used as a material forgetting all human values, and the pain they went through, all of their life ambitions just smashed because of such thugs, is not unfair?

Please let me know your comments on this post.

Thanks a lot for your time.

Helios.