Barack Hussain Obama is not alone or his statement regarding minorities in India is not a flash in the pan, it is simply an ordinary tool of the complex toolkit operating against India and that too, as per a well thought out US policy. In diplomacy, one has to weaken its enemy without making its friend too formidable. That's why India was welcomed in such a grand manner and agreements regarding defence and technology transfer were made which was much needed to boost the American economy and which was essential for India as she is facing two diehard enemies at the same time. America is careful in technology transfer so that Indian self-reliance in defence, science and technology could be kept in check. India is wise enough to enter into these agreements with America as there was no alternative available. China's misadventure in Galwan Valley and the subsequent events left no option for India.
The toolkit operating against India would function with a vengeance to keep her defensive and demoralised. They will keep harping on those faultlines of Indian society which were created by our colonial masters and which could not be mitigated even after independence. The only solace is that these faultlines have weakened in the last nine years of good governance under Modiji and hence there is no taker of this disruptive statement in the country save and except those intellectuals who were educated in the American and European universities.
The left liberal ecosystem of Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge etc. cater to such vilification campaigns against countries like India which has a potential to rise to the occasion and fit in the shoes of Uncle Sam. The irony is that they also create problems for their own country to serve their political interests. They are supporters of illegal immigrants in America and political goons provide them all kinds of logistic and administrative support. The political patronage provided to Bangladeshi infiltrators, rohingyas etc. in India has a striking similarity with the American left liberals. In both the places, it is seen that they never raise their voice against China which blatantly tramples the rights of minorities. They do not raise their voice against the autocratic regime of China. They brand democratically elected governments as authoritarian if it does not serve their interests and have toppled democratically elected governments so many times in different parts of the world.
It is because China has surplus funds like America to invest in universities, intellectuals and media to buy and shape opinion as per its wishes. The Western universities are heavily funded by China. Several academic chairs in these universities have been established and run by the Chinese fund. America can not do so with China as it is a closed society. However, America does the same with Indian academia and media. The much hyped Indian universities never raise their voice against the authoritarian regime of China or the plight of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province as many professors receive Chinese grant for research and other scholarships. This is the reason there are several apologists of China and America. A renowned economist keeps working hard to demoralise the nation that its economy is in shambles. There are many people who keep advising that India is no match to China and it should be accomodative. Such people will play their role and it is the duty of Indian intellectuals to guard against them.
The situation is delicate and needs utmost caution and deft handling. The homegrown intellectuals need to work hard and attack and expose the American and western faultlines which are not difficult to find. This is a harsh world and one has to act accordingly. ' Shathe shathyam samacharet '.
The writer is a noted academician and political commentator. Views expressed in the article are personal.