New Delhi: An editorial and a cover story published this week by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh mouthpiece, Organiser, accused the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), the Ashoka University, deceased former diplomat Mira Sinha-Bhattacharjea and popular Indian actors of developing a “pro-China narrative” in India over the years. The RSS is the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the attack came in light of this month’s skirmish between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh.
While its editorial referred to the RGF controversy over alleged funding from the Chinese embassy, the cover story, by Centre for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement chairmen Vijay Kranti, held Sinha-Bhattacharjea and students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and private institutions like Ashoka University, responsible for “peddling the Chinese Communist Party (CPC)’s narrative” in India.
Kranti also alleged that besides having visible influence over some old China study institutions and think tanks of India, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi has won the distinction of developing a significant impact over quite a few universities, especially some new private ones. One of the most visible cases has been that of the Ashoka University in the capital, which has suddenly emerged as yet another nursery of “China Experts”, he claimed.
“There have been allegations about the university and its flamboyant founder (the article took no names), who has been the focus of special attention due to his involvement in organising exchange visits of Indian and Chinese scholars,” he wrote.
The cover story also alleged that the ‘Sun Tzu’ influence in India percolated deep within the Hindi film industry and cited examples of how China invited many Indian stars, including Shahrukh Khan and Kabir Khan, to the Beijing International Film Festival (BIFF).
Sun Tzu was a Chinese strategist who believed that the “mantra of war is to win a war without fighting on the war front.”
“China demonstrated its success in breaking into the Bollywood club when it invited many Indian stars, including Shahrukh Khan (SRK) and Kabir Khan, to BIFF in 2019. Besides showcasing these Indian stars during the event, the BIFF concluded with a special screening of SRK’s film Zero. Similarly, China allowed actor Aamir Khan to screen the dubbed Chinese version of his film Dangal in many cities in China,” wrote Kranti.
Meanwhile, in its editorial, the RSS mouthpiece alleged that the incursion in Tawang on 9 December was a “diversion” tactic adopted by China to avert its people’s attention from the frustrating Covid-19 regulations in the country and the fire in Urumqi city last month, which reportedly killed 10 people.
“The CPC hurriedly announced nationwide loosening of Coronavirus restrictions, which was not enough to assuage the sentiments. Xi Jinping opted for a diversion like any other dictator — incursion in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh. Bharatiya soldiers gave a befitting reply and forced the Chinese to return to their post,” stated the editorial
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‘Intellectual infiltration’
The editorial went on to talk about the ‘intellectual infiltration’ adopted to build a pro-China narrative in India and blamed the Communist parties, RGF and the “Indian entertainment industry” for it.
“Though the situation in border areas has changed, the communist intellectual infiltration in our democracy still continues. From 1955 onwards, Nehru not only allowed a submissive policy towards China to creep in, but also allowed the CCP to build a pro-China constituency within Bharat. From standing and defending Maoist insurgency to creating awe about the so-called Chinese progress, this lobby successfully bats for Beijing. They will never utter a word against China regarding blatant human rights violations, but will not miss a chance to criticise the Bharatiya democracy”, it said.
The editorial further referred to leaders of Communist parties in India participating in the centenary year celebrations of the CCP, and stated that nobody questioned them on it. The piece also alleged that media houses in the country take full-page advertisements from the CCP and, in return, play (or promote) the Chinese narrative.
Moving on to the RGF and the Congress, the editorial claimed the foundation had accepted donations from the Chinese Embassy in 2005 and that the Congress had signed a consultative agreement with the CCP while being in power in the country in 2008, without giving any explanation to the nation. The film and entertainment industry has become a new investment ground for the CCP, and celebrities earning through that source take pride in mocking our armed forces, the editorial alleged.
Kranti too mounted a scathing attack on liberal institutions (like JNU and Ashoka University), claiming that the Chinese Sun Tzu doctrine has been able to percolate and invade the Indian polity’s mindscape.
“Loud cheering and applause by the JNU students for the pro-China Leftist student organisations and Islamist separatists of Kashmir when they openly danced on the tune of Bharat Tere Tukde Honge – Insha Allah, Insha Allah (Allah willing, India will be broken into pieces) in February 2016, was a clear indication of how far the Sun Tzu’s doctrine has inflicted India,” he claimed.
‘Pro-china ecosystem’
Apart from accusing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of providing a ‘pro-China ecosystem’, Kranti also claimed that during the period she served as a senior diplomat, Sinha-Bhattacharjea had a free hand in deciding the direction of research and opinion of Indian diplomats, researchers and media towards China.
“Pt Nehru surrendered every single existing privilege of India in free Tibet (1913-1951). These privileges included India’s consulate in Lhasa and two business posts in Tibet; India’s ownership of the only telegraph line in Tibet; and India’s right to maintain an armed garrison in Tibet,” wrote Kranti.
He added: “No wonder this pro-China environment in the Indian Foreign Ministry and also the PM Office in New Delhi were the right chemical medium for the Chinese government to synthesise its India policy and also groom the young Indian officer.”
Targeting Sinha-Bhattacharjea, Kranti wrote: “It is quite interesting to note that only four years after serving in the Ministry of External Affairs, the energetic Mira resigned and decided to devote herself to teaching Chinese studies in India. Over the years, she started the Chinese studies departments in Delhi University and later in JNU.”
The former diplomat died in 2009.
(Edited by Geethalakshmi Ramanathan)
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