From 1947 to 2021: The War between India and Pakistan

 

When India got freedom in 1947, there was a grim situation that followed. The Partition. When Gandhi and Mohammad Ali Jinnah agreed to a partition with the British, they never knew what they were getting into. Even today, Gandhi is criticized for agreeing to the Partition, otherwise which India could have been a bigger nation. Anyhow, the Partition displaced up to 12.5 million people and shattered the uncountable lives of many. This resulted in the long-drawn enmity between India and Pakistan and of course, the fight for Jammu & Kashmir, which continues to date.

After Partition, Pakistan became a Muslim State filled with its own share of religious disputes and violence, and India chose to become secular. They believed that Hindus and Muslims are two entirely different religions with different thoughts and hence, can never be a part of one united country. The main reason for the division of India and Pakistan was religion and other reasons such British’s divide-and-rule policy etc. Ever since then, the India-Pakistan struggle has always remained the same. Never once has it become better nor has it been resolved.

After the Partition, there were no bounds to the wars and violence that ensued between the two countries. Two countries that could have been strategically helpful for each other became bitter enemies. They have engaged in several wars over various issues ranging from the infamous J&K issue to border issues as well. One year after Partition began the wars. In 1948, 1965, and 1971, India fought several wars that ensued military tension that has not died down to this day. The nuclear test in 1998 further created problems that are still far from over.

While there have been situations and times when both the countries have tried to work as one, such instance are very less in number. One such instance was where 1960 water treaty was signed. Another such instance happened when the nations resolved the border issues they had in Kutch. This happened in 1965. And finally, in 1998, after the nuclear tests, they decided to exchange their nuclear lists. The latter was a bilateral decision. However, the first was an ultimate result of mediation and arbitration.

Moving on the current scenario between the two countries, it doesn’t look like the problems between them are not going to get over anytime soon. In 2019, the Pulwama attack shook the nation of India. 40 CRPF jawans were killed in a suicide bombing by JeM, a Pakistani terrorist organization. Just two days later, India retaliated by hiking the prices of all imports from India to Pakistan by 200%. Also, in 2016, the infamous URI attack went down and as India’s direct response to the attack, we carried out ‘surgical strikes’ on suspected terrorists across the LoC in Pakistan Administered Jammu & Kashmir.

In the past, there have been several situations where both India and Pakistan have tried to address their issues and solve problems. But that has not worked out for both of them. Both nations have similar trouble spots that will always hinder them in achieving at least partial unity. Their relationship can be improved if dialogues are given a chance. That can, at the very least reduce the issues, if not completely remove them.

Peepli ALive OR Absurd Govt?

 

There’s a dialogue in the film that goes “Zindagi ban gayi hai bell-bottom aur khudkhushi ban gayi hai jeans pant.” Although it does not make sense to you now, it will by the time I finish with my blog. I’m pretty sure all of you would have seen the situation farmers of our country are going through today. Peepli Live showed us the satirical version of it. Released in 2010, Peepli Live tells is directed by Anusha Rizvi and produced by Aamir Khan. The movie tells the story of a farmer who is merely existing and ultimately has to suicide. It has brilliantly employed the use of media and politics to portray this area, this is, the increasing rate in farmer suicides.

We can see that there is a drop in farmer suicides in the country. But that doesn’t mean that the situations that farmers are facing have lessened. Look at the current scenario. A farmer’s law has torn the whole country apart. Is it actually a law or just another absurd government scheme?

In the movie, you can see how two brothers, who have lost claim to their ancestral land are told to commit suicide by a politician so that their family will get Rs 1 lakh as compensation. Let’s go back. Why are planning to suicide? Is it because they are done with life? Or is it for the money? The answer is the latter. Instead of having helped the brothers with some money to pay the bank so that they can reclaim their land, the opportunistic politician tells them to end their lives so that according to a Governmental scheme, they’ll be awarded Rs 1 lakh as compensation. Similar schemes like Baliraja Chetana Abhiyaan which was started by the Maharashtra Govt was also scrapped last year. This scheme sought to give counselling and financial help to distressed farmers, but did not see a decline in farmer suicides.

Coming to the movie and how they have portrayed the absurdity that the protagonist and his brother fall into, they fall in hard. As a by-election was proposed in the area that they live in, the news of the possible suicides of the brothers become a point of competition for the parties. One party tries to buy off one of the brothers, in the hope that that will push their party to victory. One part even goes to the extent of kidnapping Natha, the protagonist, so that he won’t suicide and create a ruckus. But little do they know that the circus has already begun.

As soon as the media gets a whiff of the news that the brothers might commit suicide, they come rushing to cover this. All channels have their own agendas, just like the crazy schemes that the Govt comes up with. Neither do the channels want to give up their exclusive stories, nor does the ruling party want to give up their power. The Govt works for their own good, introducing new schemes that will prove to be good for their party. But they do not realize that it is the common man that gets dragged into all of this.