Dr Sudath Gunasekara. (SLAS) Ex-Ministry Secretary and one time President Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 15.4.2013

Most political and economic analysts the world over like Samuel Huntington, the renowned Harvard professor who has predicted in his ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of the World OrderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (1997) ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have opined that tomorrow once again, as it had been in the golden past, belongs to the East and not to the West,

Among the leading countries in the east India and China have been identified by them as the two countries contending for the top slot. With its giant size, favourable geographical location with openings to the vast Indian ocean on three sides, and teaming billions India dreams to be the future leader of South Asia with the prospects of becoming a world power.

I am not trying to say that it will never happen. But looking at the divisive political undercurrents that have been active within India since early 1980 and the current political turmoil spearheaded by the racist EELAMISTS of Tamilnadu sweepingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  across the sub-continent and ethnic, religious, linguistic and tribal tension rampant all over India I would hesitate to concede to this view. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Instead of transforming in to a super power I wonder whether India is being transformed in to a disintegrated and weak country comprising a bunch of antagonisticƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ethnic, religious and tribal states fighting each other forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  boundaries, water and even blood in the South, North-west, North, North-east and all over the subcontinent.

If this trend is not arrested in time, and the arrogant foreign policy is not updated to suit the demanding geopolitical realities of the region it will mark the end of the self acclaimed supremacy of the Delhi government and also mark the Last Days of post British India. As my good friend Gamini Seneviratne in his excellent piece ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The ogre that is INDIAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sunday, 24 March 2013 has pointed out ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”this synthetic ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”StateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ created by the British and known as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ has much to brag about; it has all to do with greed for the wealth of its immediate neighboursƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s future survival as a regional power depends on a radical change in these self centred and ill-advised policies.

With regard to Indo-Sri Lankan relations whatever the sugar-coated diplomatic jargon might say the stark truth is that from the dawn of history or even prior to that, this country had been IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s craving. Invasion, tension and distrust had been the rule rather than the exception. It all started with RamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s invasion in the prehistoric times as depicted in Mahabarata. Thereafter Senagutika, Elara 2^nd C BC and Magha 13^th century AD in addition to minor invasions by India, more particularly South India have devastated this country in successive attempts to conquer it. More recently 1987 parippu invasion by Rajeev, LTTE training and financing and 13^th Amendment that virtually made the 1978 Constitution null and void via the Indo- Sri Lankan Pact 1987 imposed on us byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Rajeev-Dixith conspiracy attempted to establish the EElam combining the Northern and Eastern Provinces of this Island. All these events on the part of India were motivated by shear greed for territory, power and the wealth of this beautiful Island that was known the world over throughout history for its affluence. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The only isolated instance where this country had benefitted is the introduction of Buddhism, even if Dharmasoka had perceived it as an expansion of his Empire.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Since the British India was partitioned as India and Pakistan in 1947 it remained as two countries until the declaration of East Pakistan as Bangladesh. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However under the charismatic and able leadership of Nehru India got consolidated as one of the biggest democracies in the world. But since his death the political leadership in India had been gradually transformed in to a rudderless state and it had never been able to command the colossal respect and regard it once enjoyed under Nehru. Today it is run by a weak and wavering government that is manipulated by the imperial west through an Italian born woman at the center in Indian Politics on one hand and a mad communalist EELAMISt outfit in Tamilnadu in the south on the other. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Friction between the Union and the States has increased in the post Nehru period.

The appointment of Sarkaria Commission in 1983 and Punchhi Commission in 2007 clearly evince the recognition of this threat by those presiding over power in Delhi. M.M. Punchhi Commission in fact even argues for regional independence. As the Sunday Island editorial has pointed out Punchhi Commission makes it abundantly clear that India is now a failing state which cannot counter the centrifugal forces at play in the States. The Punchhi Commission in fact could be called a mirror image of what India that is today and perhaps what it is going to be very soon.

A serious problem facing India today is the lack of Charismatic and commanding leadership in Delhi acceptable to whole India that can keep the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Indian NationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ together across the length and breadth of India. It is true that Sonia wears an Indian saari and tries to behave as an Indian woman. But whether she has an Indian heart is the real problem that is been now openly questioned and debated all over India. Her allegiance to the west through her motherland is natural. But since the ghosts of Nehru and Gandhi are still vibrant and powerful in the minds and hearts of the average Indian the caravan seems to move on though rattling and unsteadily. The big question is how long this type of uncertainty could go on in the midst of political confusion and regional dissatisfactions and political agitation for self rule in Tamilnadu and many other parts of the subcontinent. In certain regions like Tamilnadu, Assam and Kashmir agitation for independence and self rule and socio-political tension has already reached uncontrollable proportions.

So much for internal confusion, there is also IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s problems with the countries in the periphery. She had antagonized all her neighbours in the periphery. Pakistan being the arch rival her relationship with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even Maldives are at the lowest level in history. Her relationship with the other Asian giant China is of course appalling.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In this scenario China appears to gaining acceptance as an alternative world power that is more reliable than India both in the political and economic fields. This situation is partly explained by IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s self centered narrow foreign policy and mainly by her arrogance and bullying attitude towards the neighbours. Today the Indian polity is controlled by the arrogant Brahamin bureaucracy and a foreign woman whose main concern is political power for the Congress at any cost in order to ensure that she passes it on to her children in time. These are the real challenges India faces today.

The best example that evinces IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s inconsistency in her foreign policy is Sri Lanka. Her inability to keep the Tamilnadu mad politicians in their right place and keep their foul mouths shut is a good example to illustrate DelhiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s inconsistency and weakness. Although Sri Lanka had been a separate independent sovereign state from the dawn of history India continues to behave as if Sri Lanka is another peripheral Indian State like Maharashtra, Madras or Bombay. In recent history she had done everything possible to destabilize the Sri Lankan Sate, though Sri Lanka has tolerated all that nonsense. Starting from training the LTTE on Indian soil for decades and proving them with money, artillery and ammunition and all other support including moral and intelligence she also allowed South India to operate as the launching pad for all LTTE activities against this Island Nation in violation of all civilized diplomatic norms. The latest is her supporting the USA sponsored motion at the instigation of Tamilnadu in the Geneva HR Council both last year and this year.

At the same time she continues to interfere with the internal politics as well as all socio-economic activities of this Island nation never realizing that there is a limit for any nuisance. India treats Tamis in Sri Lanka as if they are her own citizens; she is more concerned about Sri Lankan Tamils than the suffering millions in South India. But she is dead silent on discriminations to Tamils in other countries and all their anti Sri Lankan activities. This clearly displays her double standards foreign policy towards Sri Lanka and how self centered she is. It is a tragedy that India does not realize the danger of supporting anti Sri Lankan elements both abroad and within her own soil particularly Taminadu which is well known as the home of the EELAMist movement and the Dravidastan that stands as the biggest enemy of the hegemony, unity and territorial integrity of the Indian State. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ By the time India realizes its folly most of the present day politicians want be there to witness the tragedy of India. Sonia may go to her Motherland Italy and live happily among her kith and kin but India will be in shambles making it a one horse race for China for leadership in Asia. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Finally the present Delhi government headed by Sonia will go down in history as the one which destroyed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The Wonder that was IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

If India has any idea of emerging as a leader in Asia, besides her ambition of becoming a world leader of tomorrow, she should first settle her own internal problems and thereafter reconcile with her immediate neighbours, particularly in the SAARC region by treating them as equals and sovereign states so that the neighbours will accept her as a friend and not as a hostile and bullying aggressor. More importantly she should immediately arrest communal politics in Tamilnadu before it declares the EELAm in South India and set the pattern for the total disintegration of the subcontinent. If the Delhi Government fails in its duty by Mother Indian, the day India will end up as the Tragedy that is India is not very far.