To rule India, history of our geography vital tool

Does geography have a history? Yes, it does. It’s political geography: of maps and atlases, covering the globe. Political geography maps, accurately drawn in meticulous detail, depicts the world we live in. Naming and numbering all countries, islands, oceans, seas, mountains, the physical topography, and the rulers and the ruled in each of those pages, along with economic figures. It shows the evolution of geography of demography through the ages. Hence, it’s important for aspiring, or established, leaders to have fair idea of the history of the geography that they represent, rule or reign.

In the context of the vast demography of South Asia, the learning process is all the more important for potential leaders because India has always been volatile, susceptible to internal discord and violence, thereby resulting in frequent changes of political geography maps. So much so that it’s a reality of the history of South Asian geography that the Indian ruling class traditionally proved utterly myopic, being unable to see beyond their noses, thus resulting in their chronic failure to unite the vast, diverse elements of the countryside. The history of Indian geography thus, as seen from the changed/ changing maps, stands as a mute, yet profound, testimony to this sordid scenario. The ruling class has always liked to fight among its own spectrum and colour. Little wonder that this collective band of the disparate ruling class inevitably ended up facing, and invariably fading, before foreign invaders. The tradition goes on, as can be found from the 21st century aggression by the Communist Party of China ( CPC), on whom some Indians still seem to have abiding trust, faith and confidence to mutually turn the “Line of Actual Control” into a “border area” resolution, from foreign soil, as was catastrophically done, at the behest of a third party arbiter, in 1966 at the high table of Tashkent.

One would like to suggest that the reader go through the 376 pages of “A Historical Atlas of South Asia”, published in 1978! To understand better; as to how fragile and fractious has been the map or geography of India, through the vicissitudes of history. Should it not, therefore, be obligatory for each and every aspiring Indian ruler, from all corners of the country, irrespective of his or her political colour, to learn a lesson or two, and study the atlas of the history of India’s geography along with the Constitution of India? Today, for example, Delhi’s geography is at the crossroads. Isn’t the ominous signature on the horizon visible?

Indeed, five critical geographical areas, which this writer perceives as the “red zones” of India, are fast emerging under the Chinese Communist Party’s active short to mid- term action plan. All indications point to its deep thought, firm belief and definite action plan. From the Belt and Road Initiative, to the CPEC, through Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The CPC think tanks are focused on breaking/ destroying India through the creation of a new geography of “Greater” countries, cutting through India’s topography.

To reiterate what I have written earlier in these columns, I firmly believe that India’s entire political class and its diplomats cannot match the cunning, deception and deceit of the Han Chinese in the international arena. Hence, the Chinese have managed to go rogue globally, undoubtedly helped by the lack of ideology of the post- Mao People’s Republic. Given the congenital blunders made by New Delhi and its failure to tackle the Dragon for the past 70- plus years; there is nothing to indicate that the contemporary mandarins of Lutyens’ Delhi will be able to out- match or reverse the evil designs of the Dragon any better than their predecessors or anytime soon. I sincerely hope that I am proved wrong about this.

To start with, India needs to start preparing to face the worst, with an ultra- defensive mechanism: first identify the areas which the CPC is targeting, and study and analyse its past record of action. As they say, to be “forewarned is forearmed”.

There are five “Greater” geographical zones where the Chinese are planning to target India – and the action on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh is just the start. The five emerging areas are: Greater Pakistan; Greater Nepal; Greater Burma; Greater Bangladesh and “Greater China”: with Beijing hoping to turn Bhutan into another Xinjiang owing to its tiny size and dearth of demography! These five might become reality mainly through indirect, invisible and divisive CPC machinations. Not necessarily through the visible CPC- controlled PLA militia, but through unethical operations undertaken, at times reluctantly or under duress, by some of India’s neighbours.

The tell- tale signs are already visible. Can’t most of India see the Dragon- inspired defiance by Nepal, making bizarre claim over India’s territory? Has anyone gone through some of the claims being articulated by mass- circulating Nepalese media, with Dehradun and Nainital being openly claimed by some elements in Kathmandu. The “Greater Nepal” campaign is already on. What will be claimed next – from Himachal Pradesh to Sikkim?

Nepal is neither a Muslim- majority nor a Christian- majority country. It’s an overwhelmingly Hindu nation, which earlier used to be the world’s only Hindu kingdom, before the monarchy was abolished. Now Beijing has managed to turn this landlocked nation against Hindumajority India.

Look at India’s West Bengal state. The Communist influence there was once all- pervasive, with China’s Chairman Mao an icon to many. The first salvo was fired on May 24, 1967 across three police stations — Naxalbari, Kharibari, Phansideoa? It took an Indira Gandhi to tackle the CPC’s “malevolence and perfidy”, douse the Naxalite fire and save India. The CPC learnt its lesson, and didn’t mess around with India’s iron lady, more so after her triumph in the 1971 Bangladesh war.

“Greater” Pakistan has taken shape, with Pakistan- occupied Kashmir already in place, and “Greater” Bangladesh and “Greater” Myanmar will automatically follow if the “Greater” Nepal movement turns into a hydra- headed monster that will impact Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Geography will automatically navigate the foreign demography to cut down India’s topography. Make no mistake, most of India’s Northeast will be targeted by a “Greater” China, with some adjacent irredentist areas marked for Dhaka and Rangoon. Will India wake up in time to see through the Dragon’s designs?

The five emerging areas are: Greater Pakistan; Greater Nepal; Greater Burma; Greater Bangladesh and “Greater China”: with Beijing hoping to turn Bhutan into another Xinjiang owing to its tiny size and dearth of demography!

The writer is an alumnus of the National Defence College. Views expressed are personal.