Disturbing

There was an interesting but disturbing news item in TOI recently.

The newly elect Maldives President is mulling on buying up vast tracts of land in India to settle his people in case his country is inundated by rising sea due to global warming. He cited the Israeli precedent as his model. Ofcourse Sri Lanka and Australia are also possible options according to him which may be a red herring.

This is very alarming. We know what followed Jews' buying of land in Palastine. Sovergnity followed. Wars followed. Forcible occupation of territories in neighbouring countries followed. Palastinians are reduced to refugees in their own lands. Bloodshed is still regular.

India has already lost a lot of its territory through partition, forcible occupation and squatting. Pakistan and Bangla Desh were legal creations. Pakistan and China occupy large areas in Kashmir illegally. China has taken over thousands of square miles in NEFA. It has its eye on Arunachal now. We have ceded an island to Sri Lanka. These are cent percent territorial losses with no hope of retrieval.

in addition we have various secessionist movements. Tamils may have given up demand for Dravidastan. But in North East insurgency is a fact of life. we dont know what future holds in store.

Lakhs of Bangla Deshis have infiltrated and squat with all documentations. Likewise Tamils from Srilanka. From Nepal too. Pakistanis come with valid visas only to vanish in India.

This loud thinking from Maldives reveals what opinion even insignificant countries have about our will to uphold our territorial integrity. Indias's statecraft and especially our foreign policy has never been ruthless, determined nor, if I may say, patriotic. Our soft belly is ever exposed. We beg for approval from all and sundry.

India, whatever is left of it, must be for Indians - atleast now.

Our Government should take serious note of Maldives intent - may be only intent now -and send strong signals and keep a vigilant eye on land transactions. There is no room for complacency.

...ponder