बिहार वह राज्य हैं जहाँ हमलोग सिर्फ और सिर्फ अतीत में जीते हैं। अशोक, आर्यभट्ट, चाणक्य, महात्मा बुद्ध, राजेन्द्र बाबू , शेर शाह सूरी, और न जाने कितने ही इतिहास के नायक है जो अनायास ही हमारे ज़बान पर आ जाते है, जब हम अपने राज्य का बचाव करते हैं किसी बाहरी व्यक्ति द्वारा की गई आलोचना से। हम याद दिलाते है उन्हें नालंदा विश्वविद्यालय के गौरवशाली इतिहास की, पटना विश्वविद्यालय के उन सैकड़ों आईएएस की जिन्होंने पूरे देश मे अपनी प्रतिभा का लोहा मनवाया। लोकतंत्र के संरक्षक के रूप में हम उन्हें जेपी के बिहार आंदोलन के बात बताते हैं, तो वही जब किसानों के हक़ की बात हो तो हम स्वामी सहजानंद सरस्वती के संघर्ष का अहसास कराते हैं।
इसी अतीत के बूते हम पिछले कई दशकों से अपने आप को , अपने समाज को और अपने राज्य को सांत्वना देते आये है। हम भले ही उन ऐतहासिक नायको की बात करे, मगर हकीकत में हम उनके विचारों को कबका तिलांजलि दे चुके। जाति और धर्म की राजनीति के आगे हम अपने सामाजिक और आर्थिक विकास की हमने कभी बात ही नही की। उद्योग और प्रद्योगिकी तो छोड़िये हमने शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य जैसे बुनियादी मुद्दों पर भी सवाल करना छोड़ दिया। अपनी लोकतांत्रिक आवाज़ को दबाकर हमने सत्ता तंत्र को पीढ़ी दर पीढ़ी हमारे सम्मानपूर्वक जीने के हक़ को नष्ट करने दिया।
हम पूरे देश और दुनिया में जाकर हर तरह का काम करने का माद्दा रखते हैं, unskilled से लेकर हाइली स्किल्ड लोग हम सप्लाई करते रहते है, नहीं करते हैं तो बस अपना , अपने राज्य का विकास। हमने गरीबी, भूख, पिछड़पने और जाति को ही अपनी नियति मान लिया हैं। हम TINA phenomenon में पूरी तरह यकीन करते है, क्योंकि अपनी भ्रष्ट और विकृत राजनीति बुद्धि से हमने ही इस ‘there is no alternative’ वाली साइकोलॉजी को गढ़ा है।
क्या अभी जो हम अपने राज्य के लोगो के साथ होता हुआ देख रहे है , वह हमारी आत्मा को झकझोरेगा ? क्या हमें अपनी गलती का अहसास होगा ? क्या हम दूसरे राज्य के लोगों के मज़ाक का पात्र बनना बंद होंगे ? ऐसे बहुत से सवाल हैं, मगर बदलाव की उम्मीद बेहद कम।

(2020 में कोरोना बंदी के समय लिखा गया।)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has two extreme choices to make. He can either be “Chamberlin” who appeases Putin further or he can be “Kaiser William” who gives blank cheque to Ukraine.

Threading cautiously, Germans have till now walked a tightrope. Probably, Scholz realises that hundred years later another intervention in “Slavic affairs” could again provoke a pan European war.

But this time it’s “Sam Mama” who’s hell bent on reviving the old wounds.

Apart from Libya, probably Syria is probably the only country in which multiple global powers are competing for influence.
Ten years down the line while the Assad regime has been saved and supported by Russians and Iranians, it has faced multiple assaults time and again from the side of Israel and Turkey.

With new plans of invasion by Turkish President Eardgon, another “slice” of Syria is set to be cut. This may bring Turkey in cronfrontation with both US and Russia.
On the other hand, a possible sale of “Iron Dome” to Ukraine, could again escalate tensions between Israel and Russia in the Syrian territory. At the same time, cornered Iran may also try to increase its influence over this territory.

If this is not “Scramble of Syria”, than what it is ? Are the classical days of colonial warfare back ?

While the Americans have been able to strengthen their influence over Europe, the Ukraine crisis has thoroughly exposed their standing in rest of the world. Outside Europe, barring Japan, South Korea and Australia, no other major power has joined the “sanctions” of Biden administration.

While countries like India and China were largely expected to sit out, the US has got a rude shock from its allies like Turkey, Israel, UAE and the Saudi kingdom. They too have refused to sanction Russia.

This rise of “independent foreign policy” in countries outside Europe is noteworthy. It’s going to shape the new world order.

The Ukraine war seems to be a desperate attempt by Biden administration to hold on to its influence over the “white” Europe. Haunted by the Afghan fiasco, the Americans needed something to maintain their relevance in the “white world.” An “afraid” Europe is key to its foreign policy.

Before the war, the French and the German leaders talked of independent foreign and defence policy of EU. The war has changed all that. Europe has become increasingly dependent on US, especially the smaller nations of Eastern Europe. All are now running after the American arms. At the same time, Germany and France have rapidly lost the goodwill of East European nations. This is no doubt a short term strategic victory for the US.

With the landslide victory of Boris Johnson in the UK General elections, Brexit drama will hopefully come to an end now. Whatever be its positive or negative effects , at least the chaos which it had created not only in UK but across Europe will cease to exist.
But beneath this victory there’s are larger message given by the British public, which is very much indicative of the public mood globally. This Christmas elections were fought largely on the issue of Brexit. Conservatives under Johnson were quite clear on what they want, moving out of EU at the earliest- either with or without any deal. The Labour on the other hand were confused till the very end and had made a case of second referendum.
While it is true that Britain suffered from a voter fatigue and that public gave massive majority to Johnson to get out of this mess, it also means that British public has ratified that its 2016 referendum was not a judgement of error on its part. In fact endorsing Boris Johnson (an imitation of Trump) is indicative of further consolidation of far right in the Kingdom.
Now consider the global electoral math in the last couple of years. Barring Justin Trudeau who returned to power this November in Canada, all the major powers have either seen re-election or further consolidation of the far right. While Germany is witnessing the resurgence of AfD both in the provincial and the EU elections, France under Macron has been rattled by the Yellow Vest movement since the last one year, which of course is motivated by far right ideological leanings. This historic victory of vocal Brexit supporter Boris Johnson will further embolden the Eurosceptic far right, National Rally (France) and Alternate for Germany thus threatening the very idea of liberal, inclusive European Union.
Back in Asia, the historic return of Narendra Modi, with a renewed focus on its core ideological issues such as Article 370, UCC, Ram Mandir, NRC and CAB, backed by huge public support has nothing but added to the global rightist assertion. Its neighbouring Sri Lanka, with the return of openly majoritarian Rajapaksa’s promises an imitation of Indian model in the cultural sphere.
Further in West Asia, the military adventurism of Erdogan in Turkey and the controversial decisions of Netanyahu, which in fact has till now ensured his survival further adds to the growing clamour for far right.
The similar sentiments can be seen across the Atlantic with the victory of regressive strongman Bolsonaro in Brazil, who cares little about human rights and even less so for the environment. Up north in US, Trump continues to be popular among his core voters and the democratic infighting coupled with their ideological extremity in form of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, only gives hope to Trump for a return in 2020. The democratic position in US is somewhat similar to the extreme left stand taken by Corbyn in Britain and the NGO like campaign run by Rahul Gandhi in India, the results both of which are quite visible.
Given the way the global right has established itself and conquered new forts so rapidly, it seem to stay for a longer duration and the liberals like Corbyn, Sanders and Rahul Gandhi are only supporting their cause in a way.

(This article was previously published on the website youthkiawaaz.com with the title Is The World Taking A Far- Right Turn With Hard-Line Nationalists Leading The Way ? )

Unlike the West, politicians in India hardly go against the party line and speak their mind. Much of it can be attributed to the lack of inner party democracy in India, while lack of knowledge, talent and critical faculty is also responsible to some extent.
People like Arif Mohammad Khan, VP Singh and more recently Saryu Rai did speak up against the party line on crucial issues but ultimately landed up resigning from their respective parties. Prashant Kishor on the other hand has till now hold on to his position of Vice-President in his party, even while differing with his party on crucial issues such as NRC-CAA.
PK as he is popularly known has in the last two weeks very openly come out – both on Twitter and on TV media, criticizing the Modi government on NRC-CAA, much against his party JD(U)’s support for the bill in Parliament. Not only did he criticize but even went on to ask the opposition ruled states to desist from implementing the NRC.
In fact this is not the first time that he has spoken against the party line or the ruling coalition. Earlier this year, one of his interviews created a storm in which he said that Nitish Kumar should have gone for a fresh mandate after ditching RJD in 2017. The statement drew sharp criticism from the senior rank and file of the party and even Nitish Kumar was said to be upset about it.
Besides he has time and again stood up for liberal values in these exceedingly conservative times, which is again quite rare among the leaders of ruling alliance.
Although being associated with Mr Kumar’s party which is in alliance with BJP, he has shown the guts to work as election strategist for the Congress, TMC and AAP. Such an open display of “independent path” is a kind of unique phenomenon in Indian politics where party loyalty is everything. This however, maybe a calculated strategy of Nitish Kumar, to use PK in order to keep BJP at bay, but nevertheless that doesn’t takes the credit away from PK.
Even if we compare PK to the likes of Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh he stands apart. Tharoor and Ramesh seem apologetic of their party line inspite of having their own independent view, primarily because of their party structure which owes utmost loyalty to the ‘family’.
PK thus stands out as a rare breed among Indian politicians who have the guts to speak their mind and chart their independent path. However, how long he survives the anti-PK sentiment within the senior leaders of his own party such as RCP Singh and Lalan Singh, remains to seen.

(This article has previously been published on website youthkiawaaz.com with the title What Happens When An Indian Politician Takes A Stand Against His Party Ideology)