Indian Lust for Power

(Dr. M Anwar)

While explaining the importance of human interaction and its impact on social relations to students of Cross Cultural Psychology in a public university at Islamabad, I was to elucidate the pattern of behavior of Indian community living in Liberia (Western Africa). Recalling my short stay in Liberia I was able to satisfy the general inquisitiveness of the students but deeper questions about Indian behavior spun my mind for a while. As I explained that Indians in Liberia represented a polite social group with good sense of compassion, the students a,sked as to why India can't be our friend. Why do Indians hate Pakistan? Why do they consider us as the enemy number one? Does Pakistan pose a real threat to India? Do Indians behave scornfully with Pakistanis when living abroad? Why Indians do not learn to demonstrate compassion for neighbohng country Pakistan? Why India is building military munitions to intimidate h~r small_l neighbors? Are Indians power hungry and over ambitious people? What constitutes the basis of their underlined tendency to avert / ward off Pakistan? I was simply reminded of the informal discussions held with the Indians in Liberia during hassle-free moments.

Indians in Liberia run hotels, restaurants, cloth shops, warehouses and own trading companies. They show respect and demonstrate pleasant manners while dealing with customers and handling business deals. Market associations, common interests in sports and security needs enhanced our mutual cooperation and interaction. We exchanged ideas, enjoyed the courtesy of neighbors and shared jovial feelings as well as some painful emotions. The stereo typed impressions and perceptions .changed due to simple exchange of pleasantries and mutual 'respect. With the passage of time relations became encouraging and th~ stage conducive to ask Indians as to why do they dislike and hate Pakistan? They express~d their' frank preference for Pakistanis while in foreign land but a politico-social compulsion forced every Indian to hate Pakistan while at home in India. It forced me to probe further the reasons for maintaining the double face and behaving elusively.

Heaving a moaning sigh and concealing signs of frustration, they explained that political tone in India was so synthesized that "hate Pakistan" slogan had rrecome a symbol of survival for every community in India. Hence people are forced to show acrimony for Pakistan to adore India. Defaulters are branded as traitors and physically eliminated, murdered, raped and burnt alive. The coercive politics, social arrogance and religious extremism compel people to hate Pakistar} and this explained the fundamental characteristics of Indian social order, culture and political traditions. Political activism is so strong that no one can afford to express dis!ent onl issues related to Pakistan. Thus Pakistan specific public opinion is directly controlled by the

state authority in India. Powerfully structured extremist elements force the government to follow their agenda. Indian Prime Minister's denial to have agreed with Pakistani Premier to de-link terrorism from peace process due to BJP's pressure at home is point in case. Political reaction by BJP to expel Jaswant Singh by canceling his party members-hip, for praising Pakistan's founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah and questioning the deionization of Jinnah whom Hindu nationalists blame for the partition of India in 1947 and Congress leaders prejudicial act of burning the copies of the said book, clearly reflect the insular mind set of Indian leaders towards Pakistal). Indian political leadership embodies classical example of extremism andjn their approach to hate Pakistan, they cannot stand the truth written by a Hindu leader (Jaswantl Singh) disregarding his claims to have undertaken the rigors of over six years' research work to write the said book.

In fact Indian politicians have coined "hate Pakistan" slogan to hide their inefficiency, mismanagement and corruption. Once in power they fail to address people's problems and blame Pakistan for every wrong that happens in India. They regard Pakistan as India's top enemy and are equipping the armed forces with sophisticated weapons. The effort may afford them personal advantages for striking defence deals with the foreign firms but it will be at the cost of poor living conditions of common Indians besides disturbing peace in the region.

dverwhelmed with their power motives India has developed the ambition to d1minate, South Asia and control major resources of the world. Recent launching of nuclear submarine in the Indian Ocean speaks volumes about Indian military designs. Symbolic arms twisting of her small neighbors in South Asia and explicit strategic cooperation with USA and western powers clearly reflect Indian political ambitions. Indian intellectuals contend that being a bigger country in the region India has diversified interests and hence, the justifications for her military build up. May we suggest to Indian politicians to rationalize her political ambitions and show respect regional realities. Insular approach with'traditional signs of animosity for neighbors would further tarnish the image of Indian state.