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Jaishankar’s problem is stark – no amount of external PR can cover up India’s truth

Freedom House and V-Dem are no gold standards of democracy rating. But Jaishankar must know that just pointing out Western hypocrisy won’t cover India’s reality.

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S Jaishankar has an unenviable task. He has been handed over the job to give a liberal gloss to a government that cannot spell l-i-b-e-r-a-l. More than manage external relations, he is here to manage external public relations, to ensure that the Narendra Modi government doesn’t get a bad international image. Now, that’s manifold more challenging than managing domestic media, mostly darbari if not outright sarkari, with a handful of carrots and sticks. So, you shouldn’t blame the hon’ble Minister of External Affairs if he occasionally botches it up.

As he did last Saturday at the India Today conclave.  He was asked about India’s downgrading by two of the leading democracy rating agencies. The US-based non-government organisation Freedom House released a report that classified India as “partly free”, down from “free” earlier. Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute has categorised India as an “electoral autocracy”. Jaishankar was aggressive in his response: “It is hypocrisy. We have a set of self-appointed custodians of the world who find it very difficult to stomach that somebody in India is not looking for their approval, is not willing to play the game they want to play. So they invent their rules, their parameters, pass their judgements and make it look as if it is some kind of global exercise.”

Now, Jaishankar is an educated man. He must know some basic logical fallacies that any intelligent argument must avoid. Usually, at the top of that list is ad hominem, Latin for “against the man”. This happens when someone replaces logical argumentation with criticism based on personal characteristics, background or other features irrelevant to the argument at issue. One variety of ad hominem is called “tu quoque”, Latin for “you too”. It distracts from the argument by pointing out hypocrisy in the opponent. This is a logical fallacy and does not prove anything simply because even hypocrites can tell the truth. When an otherwise intelligent and educated person uses this type of argumentation, you know he is really short on logic and facts.


Also read: Modi’s India loves global praise, but turns angry Vishwaguru at slightest criticism


This is not to dispute Jaishankar’s charge of hypocrisy. Of course, Europe or North America is nobody to distribute certificates of democracy. Not just because their certificates are inevitably linked to their foreign policy and economic interests but also because their own democracy is deeply flawed. The list of autocracies that the US has spawned and supported is too long to be enumerated. Besides, Freedom House and V-Dem are no gold standards of democracy rating. Actually, there is no gold standard in this field. Any quantitative measurement or categorisation of democracy is inevitably a subjective exercise open to challenge. All rating agencies invite experts who inevitably bring their own values. There is no way to have a completely objective rating of democracy. But subjective is not arbitrary and values are not necessarily biases. If long literary essays can be evaluated in terms of quantitative marks in an examination, the same holds true for democracy.


Also read: India’s State institutions are failing citizens because they were built to control, not govern


India craves world rankings

S. Jaishankar would know that the Freedom House and V-Dem have not invented democracy ratings or categorisations to damn his government. They have been publishing annual democracy ratings for most countries of the world for a fairly long time. He would also know that besides these two, there are other ratings such as Democracy Index by The Economist. There is also Press Freedom Index. Besides, there are reports by Amnesty International and UN Rapporteur on Human Rights. He would surely know that of late India has consistently fallen in each and every rating of democracy and has been severely indicted in human rights reports. These reports happen to have given a number and a name to what anyone who knows anything about India knows so well.

No doubt, each of these ratings is from a Western liberal understanding of what a democracy is. Yet it would stretch one’s credulity too far to suggest that all of them are into a grand conspiracy against India. It was rich of Jaishankar to claim that India was not looking for approval from the West. Facts suggest otherwise. No prime minister before Narendra Modi has held melas outside India to promote his image. No head of government was as keen to please an American president as Modi was to Donald Trump. No government has made such a song and dance about a routine Ease of Doing Business Index as this one did, a ranking that landed in a manipulation controversy. Never have Indian government officials preferred International Monetary Fund (IMF) data over India’s own statistics as during this government. No one in the world has tried to claim credit for a high score on severity of lockdown index as this government’s enthusiasts did. Ever since gaining Independence from colonial rule, no Indian government has been as craven in its need for Western certificates as this one is.


Also read: This is no Emergency. Modi and Shah are using democracy to subvert democracy


Facts, not verbiage

The only honest and intelligent way of questioning such ratings would be to counter them with facts. Jaishankar had only one fact to offer: that in India, everyone including the defeated parties accepts election results. But he forgot that the main target of this much-needed punch was Trump who was recommended to the American electorate by Modi himself. Besides, this fact only proves the fairness of counting and, at best, electoral process. It does not disprove widespread anxiety about the worsening state of civil liberties, capture of democratic institutions, erosion in the freedom of media, judiciary and other watchdogs, attack on political opponents and criminalisation of dissent in today’s India. In fact, the whole point of calling India an “electoral autocracy” is this: elections happen more or less fairly, but the country is non-democratic in between two elections. Unwittingly, Jaishankar has conceded this point.

The only other option would be to come up with an alternative way of measuring democracy. A news report says that the Ministry of External Affairs might support an independent Indian think tank to do an alternative global rating of democracies. At any other time, this should have been welcomed as an instance of the kind of intellectual ambition non-Western democracies must show. In today’s context, it is more likely to be another version of Colonel Gaddafi’s Green Book that sought to challenge the hegemony of Western political philosophy through some verbiage.

Mr Jaishankar’s attempt to clothe up the current state of Indian democracy is stark: The Emperor is naked. And no amount of words can dress it up.

Yogendra Yadav is the National President of Swaraj India. Views are personal.

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76 COMMENTS

  1. Very well written article and what a scathing indictment of this government’s duplicity! Yes, they do love to talk about their UNESCO certificates and Ease of doing business rankings. The sad part is that these people do not care one bit about democratic values and freedom of expression, what with their brainwashing in casteist ideology which teaches them to oppress and marginalise the weak and look at power as a zero sum game. I’m afraid that much of India is blind to injustice, illiterate in constitutional morality and simply ethically bankrupt. People like you are beacons of light in this pall that has descended over our democracy. But the horde of sycophants, hypocrites, ignoramus and power hungry bigots are difficult to keep away now that the Pandora’s box has been opened since 2014.

  2. Regardless of what he said, they said, one fact is undeniable. Indian North Indian media created a phrase called Vishwa Guru. It sounded nice, it has never been used before and it is something Modi will approve. And so, there it goes, day in day out Vishwa Guru is mantra uttered daily in the print media regardless of any one giving a rats ass what they are talking about. Lacking its popularity, the originators of this phrase should have toned it down. But no!! it becomes then : I get no respect. Yet another whine that is equally popular in India. Sheesh, what a bunch of characters.

  3. The truth is that your own PR efforts are waning. You have been hallucinating for a long time and it seems you are living in an alternative reality. You need serious counseling.
    Jaishankar is saying things bluntly that India won’t take nonsense. He is clearly saying he doesn’t care what think-tank from the West thinks. He is talking against the mobs who are attacking Indian embassies abroad (which you have been slyly encouraging). Where is the PR in it?
    Even if I support the farmers your presence and approach is actually making me think twice. The farmers need to disassociate from you or lose credibility increasingly. I want all or nothing approach is making things worse and is intended to keep yourself employed. Let the farmers talk with the Government. I’m sure they will figure it out if people like you stay away.

  4. Why does one have to oppose Prof. Yadav? After all, even without being involved in any debate, he can describe a situation at length. Fantasy is his forte. Let us recognize it. Some days ago, it was with farmers and now with Freedom House and V-Dem. Maybe tomorrow, you will find him in Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Delhi has thrown him out. Kerala may not entertain him. Other states do not matter to him.

  5. Thoroughly enjoyed Yogender Yadav’s article. Brutally honest, hard hitting and cuts through all the lies of the ruling dispensation.
    On one end, we rejoice at Pakistan or China getting a verbal lashing for their actions, but when it comes to India we yell, shout and scream that it is a planned attack on our nation by jealous countries.
    Guys, grow up. What you sow, so you will reap. This is 21st Century and we can not have a brazenly right wing religious fascist party, trampling on every human right and Institution and still wait for the world to applaud, no matter how badly wevwant to be praised.
    Forget FDI, even our own companies refuse to invest in these turbulent times. Back to Hindu Rate of growth of 3-4% and tens of millions will continue to languish below poverty line.
    Cry my beloved country.

    • This is 21st Century really? Then shouldn’t we throw into fire relics of earlier ages such as Turban, hijab, Niqab, kurta, pyjama etc. and dress like modern men like the way Chinese do? . The fact that it has not happened shows that we are not in 21 century, at least in India, we are still in 10th to 19th century, so cool down and stop your RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION.

      Indians, particularly minorities, ruin other countries when they move there with their primitive dressing and chaos. Just see any foreign airport with flight connecting to India and see chaos like one see in Delhi bus station. Indians can do whatever they please in their own country, but not in other places.

      • Harry: What is wrong with wearing a Sikh turban, a Jewish kippah, a Muslim cap or any other religious or national attire when one is outside India? Is that illegal in any modern democracy anywhere in the West? And who decides what people should wear or not wear ? The all-knowing, Hindutva spouting Harrys of the Vishwaguru ?

        For sure, some countries have passed laws against veils, niqabs etc. that cover the face. And users of such attire should comply with local laws. Additionally, cultural connotations and messages sent by your attire should be respected, particularly when one is outside one’s country. Thus, one does not wear party clothes to a funeral or a bikini to a wedding.

        But the point you are making is that everyone should:

        “.. throw into fire relics of earlier ages such as Turban, hijab, Niqab, kurta, pyjama etc. and dress like modern men like the way Chinese do .. Indians, particularly minorities, ruin other countries .. with their primitive dressing and chaos ..”

        Well, Harry saab, you are well within your rights to be enamoured of the dictatorial, genocidal Chinese, mass murderers like Babu Bajrangi, Josef Göbbels, Josef Mengele, Mayaben Kodnani, BJP intellectuals like Tejaswi Surya, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and so on.

        But you have no bloody right to dictate to Indians anywhere in the world on what they should wear. Indeed, even the right-wing groups in places like the UK, US, Canada do not go as far as you do. UK, Canada, Germany, US etc. even allow policemen and soldiers to wear the Sikh turban.

        Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh wore a turban when he went outside the country; PM Modi wears a traditional Indian dress when he travels; Ms Nirmala Sitharaman wears a sari when she travels; former PM MS Indira Gandhi always wore a crisp cotton sari during her official visits and so on. Indeed, even the current Defence Minister of Canada, Harjit Singh Sajjan wears a turban. Were these people wearing “primitive dressing” Harry saab?

        And then how do Indian minorities “ruin” other countries due to their dress choices? Care to elaborate on how turban wearing Sikhs have “ruined” UK? Or Canada? I find it particularly shocking that Hindutva fanatics like you not only scapegoat minorities in India but also extend your hatred to minorities even when they have left India !

        Harry saab: Your hate-filled, pathetic and spectacularly dumb posts remind me of a quote from the Greek philosopher Plato:

        “Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.”

        • “Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.”

          This really applies to you Kili Mopla. You keep writing pages & pages of nonsense because you have to say something.

        • “For sure, some countries have passed laws against veils, niqabs etc. that cover the face. ”

          France has done that. French realize that it is suffering from Indian disease. But unlike Indians, they are planning to take action, as Islamo-leftist alliance is threatening French way of life.

          Higher Education and Research Minister Frédérique Vidal was asked whether or not she agreed that “Islamo-leftism is plaguing universities”. Her response was instant and shocking: “Islamo-leftism is plaguing the entire society,” she declared.

          She went on to say: “I am going to call for an investigation into all the currents of research on these subjects in the universities, so we can distinguish proper academic research from activism and opinion.”

    • A brilliant, hard-hitting and very apt comment Mr Harinder Singh !

      Indeed, you hit the nail on the head when you describe Modi’s party as a religious fascist party trampling on human rights and destroying every institution that thwarts its objective of becoming a one party state. But such niceties of democracy do not matter to die-hard Modi bhakths like Mr Harry for whom Führer Modi can do no wrong. They want more totalitarian rule believing that the medicine India needs

      And as you rightly point out, Indian investors and business houses prefer to invest outside the borders of the Vishwaguru. Indeed smart Indians, including the very bhakth types and NRIs who praise Modi to the skies do their best to siphon cash out of the country and keep it anywhere but in India.

      The economic distress that has been inflicted upon India due to foolish policies such as demonetisation, GST, ban on cow slaughter and so on was completely manmade or shall we say Modi made. The relatively well-functioning and sound economy that Dr Manmohan Singh bequeathed to Modi was wantonly wrecked at the very instant it was poised to grow – China was reeling from export restrictions to the West, oil prices were low and many countries were courting India as a possible alternative to China for investments.

      Ofcourse, useful idiots like Mr Harry shout patriotism from rooftops, completely oblivious to the fact that Modi and his crony capitalists have taken them for a ride !

      Reading the jingoistic comments of people like Harry who do not accept that they are on the Titanic and the iceberg has hit them. To them, the Titanic is unsinkable. But then, as French philosopher Voltaire once said:

      “It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere”

        • Your counter-argument – if any – Harry saab? Or they perhaps didn’t teach yout to argue in your shaka but only abuse?

          As the British newspaper editor George Jacob Holyaoke (1817-1906) would have said of people like you

          “A mind uninformed is better than a mind misinformed.”

  6. It requires a rank low level brain to write an article like this. A fellow who tries to change his english accent while talking to BBC wouldn’t have any self respect as a native. A fellow lacking in self respect would surely be devoid of any logic too. These western ‘research’ institutes give out half baked & motivated gibberish-es as findings & it is our duty to stand up for our country without trying to change ‘accent’. Lets take one by one. Can they prove or at least give instances to establish that our judiciary stands compromised? Could they prove their claims of EVM frauds? Even Govt’s enactments on triple talak is pursuant to the diktat from the Supreme Court. Repeal of Art 370 has been on the cards for over 50 years across part lines, in any case, it was meant to be a temporary provision. With J&K being an integral part, would any Indian agree special status being granted to a particular state except for compelling national security reasons? Due to long pampering & untardy management, previous Govts had allowed ground situation & sentiments to go against integration with India. Therefore, repeal of special status is bound to give rise to increased violence & terrorism with supports from across the border. It becomes a national security issue to impose restrictions as deemed fit to bring back the errant mobs. Which sane person would disagree with that? People outside India such as BBC who address J&K as ‘Indian administered Kashmir’ due to past UN resolution that have lost relevance due to subsequent development, may view internet curbs & social restrictions as ‘human rights violations’ – whereas we indians know how essential those curbs are in integrating J&K with India. Here your views depend on whether you are Indian or outsider. Any indian talking like an outsider would be an anti national logically. As for CAA, these exact provisions were sought across political spectrum by Congis as well as Commies. NRC has been mandated by SC. If it can be right for one state, why not for all states? Media including Print is able to publish even absurd articles like this & survive in the country. And there is an array of them facing no restriction at all in their outpour of vitriol. Viewing all these, if at all anyone wants to blame India & its present Govt, it should be only for too much of democracy. JaiShankar was absolutely right in brushing aside those external reports as childish.

  7. What an ass! Why people like him are waiting to dump on India? He is a traitor and should be treated as such. He lies, twist facts and cannot accept that majority of Indians selected Modi and BJP to rule India. These fake farmers, traveling in BMW, are fighting for their control and could not give a dam about the poor farmers. They will sell the country to the foreign vested interests to get their name printed in papers and for a few silver. Shame on them

    • yes – what an ass. you looking yourself in the mirror. Actually read the article atleast you can understand what is ‘ad hominem ‘

  8. Yogendra Yadav….you speak and write very well, very articulate! I grew up watching you talking about election results and I was a fan of yours. But, the day you started your political agenda, I came to understand the real Mr. Yadav.
    YOU HAVE NO CREDIBILITY.
    You are fit to dance with the rodents in a garbage dump….monkeys will feel insulted if you dance with them.

    • Mr Shibam Roy: Angry and yet unable to refute Mr Yadav’s excellent article, you bray:

      “.. monkeys will feel insulted if you dance with them ..”

      No wonder Mr Yadav does not want to dance with you !

  9. Ghisa Pita vaampanthi logic kitni baar padhenge. Koi vyaapaar chalu karo aur logon ko kaam do. Kyon sabka samay barbaad kar rahe ho.

  10. GUJARATIS & RSS DECIDE INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY – NOT JAISHANKAR

    It is more pertinent to ask the question whether External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has any real authority in the BJP government. His predecessor Ms Sushma Swaraj (RIP) was in effect demoted to becoming a glorified bureaucrat and simply carried out orders issued to her. Her role was solely tactical – issuing visas, organising evacuations and carrying out other run of the mill administrative work. Ms Swaraj chafed at her figurehead role but could do little about it. Foreign governments knew for a fact that in the highly centralised, autocratic Modi machinery, Ms Swaraj was a mere cog and that the real levers of power were in the hands of the Gujaratis. Thus, the utterances of Modi and Amit Shah were and still are parsed a lot more carefully in foreign capitals than the communiqués of Ms Swaraj or Mr Jaishankar. I don’t envy this poor chap Jaishankar who has had to smoothen ruffled feathers in many countries when his shaka educated Gujarati bosses, steeped in the RSS notion of Akhand Bharath shoot from the hip without comprehending the consequences of their utterances.

    Thus, when Amit Shah thundered in Parliament in August 2019 that India would re-capture all of PoK and Aksai Chin, China was predictably incensed. Jaishankar had to fly out to Beijing to convince his Chinese counterpart that Amit Shah wasn’t being serious and Akhand Bharath was all hot air.

    Likewise, when Jaishankar refused to meet the American House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) as long as Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (Democrat) was in HFAC, he was quickly snubbed. HFAC Chairman Eliot Engel simply cancelled all meetings with Jaishankar. Additionally, there was consensus among leading US lawmakers that India had no business determining the composition of US Committees. Worse still, the move was interpreted as an attempt by India i.e. Modi to remain a Trump ally and denigrate Trump’s domestic opponents i.e. Democrats. As Ms Jayapal tweeted:

    “.. “We’re rapidly entering a world where it’s not only acceptable but encouraged for foreign governments to shun the president’s domestic political opponents. This isn’t a situation in which a coherent foreign policy can be developed ..”
    Ref: bit.ly/3tB3DPi

    In another tweet, Ms Jayapal writes:

    “The cancellation of this meeting was deeply disturbing. It only furthers the idea that the Indian government isn’t willing to listen to any dissent at all”
    Ref: bit.ly/3bZEUOv

    Now connect all these dots to the Freedom House & the VDem reports that quantify the slide of democratis values in India.

    I am pretty sure that the career diplomat in Mr Jaishankar would never have committed this diplomatic blunder. Many a professional diplomat has expressed surprise at Jaishankar’s behaviour. But then, as we all know, the Gujaratis and RSS tell Jaishankar what to do. I am pretty sure that the career diplomat in Mr Jaishankar would never have committed this elementary diplomatic blunder. But then, as we all know, the Gujaratis and RSS tell Jaishankar what to do. And he does that faithfully, even when he knows that it is not in the best interests of India.

    Sad, but true.

    • it is good that Gujaratis & Tamil Brahmins are deciding India’s foreign policy and not stupid Keralites, glorified peons, or Kashmiri pandits. These misfit gang couldn’t shoot straight and lost Tibet to China and large part of Kashmir, including strategically important Gilgit & Baltistan to Pakistan.

  11. The freedom house reduced on three items the India’s score. First compromised judiciary. Second compromised Media and thirdly incorporation of religious test in some laws like triple talaq and CAA. Now government cannot comment on compromised judiciary. The MPs from this government dd not go for removing the CJI but opposition but I have not seen any proof the justice system favors one way or other. I think if you consider the US judiciary is starkly more political than any other and they have six conservatives judge who will most likely favor republican. So I am not sure this is something a PR is needed but government cannot do anything on Judiciary. With much of the media mostly in opposition hands like NDTV (Left), Sun( DMK), AsiaNet( LDF) and few right wing this government cannot stop one way or other who owns the media. The government advertisement always goes to the media that is favorable because that is the audience it want to reach- ( simple business and media logic). Thirdly religious test and CAA and NRC. The truth is all countries have religious test including USA. The refuge law itself is based on religious test from 1960. All the subcontinent countries have the NRC and photo ID including Afgan, Pak, Bangladesh, Nepal and Lankan. 162 countries have it. So the truth is US always uses the freedom house, free speech and human right to coarse the countries but the best approach is we plan our destiny on our own.

    • > The MPs from this government dd not go for removing the CJI but opposition but I have not
      > seen any proof the justice system favors one way or other. I think if you consider the US >judiciary is starkly more political than any other and they have six conservatives judge who >will most likely favor republican. So I am not sure this is something a PR is needed but >government cannot do anything on Judiciary.

      Supreme court hasn’t taken up a CAA/NRC laws even after wide spread protests and petition. Retired CJI got upper house seat right after ayodiya verdict. SC was quick to give bail to a famous right wing “journalist”. However may students who protested against the govt, journalists who spoke up in the left are still languishing in jail. The signal from govt always been give us favorable results we do you favors after retirement.

      >With much of the media mostly in opposition hands like NDTV (Left), Sun( DMK), AsiaNet( >LDF) and few right wing this government cannot stop one way or other who owns the media. >The government advertisement always goes to the media that is favorable because that is the >audience it want to reach- ( simple business and media logic).

      So you yourself agrees if the media doesn’t tow the line it won’t get advertisement from the government? How many left-center journalists are in jail? How is this not erosion of democracy?

      >Thirdly religious test and CAA and NRC. The truth is all countries have religious test including >USA. The refuge law itself is based on religious test from 1960. All the subcontinent countries

      False USA does not have religious test. If they did modi won’t be able to fill the stadiums with his fan boys and have them sing “har har modi”. If you have a chance read the 1964 civil rights act, immigration and nationality act, it did away with all religious/country discrimination from the legal system.

      shame on you for trying to defend an indefensible government.

  12. As usual none of the commentators have been able to post a cogent rebuttal to YY. Mere name calling and insults is all we see to get from the bhakt army and their leaders in the govt. It is almost as if they are falling over themselves to actually prove YY right. One wise guy even used precise terms like ad hominem. First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they get angry, then you win! Perfect example.

  13. I was reading and getting amused by the comments on Yadav’s accurate depiction. I liked especially his taunt to the excellent career diplomat his argument was flawed. That is humiliating. Jaishankar will be supported by the rabble, which is trained is abuse and defending the indefensible. Comments are saying they don’t care about western certification. Very amusing! When the certification is positive, they can’t hide the glee. They run to western universities for degrees. While praising Vedic sciences, they rush for modern treatment. All quackery is being practiced in the name of traditional medicine. Good ayurveda is following modern science rather than separated from it.

  14. After 2014, you have always criticized this government that it has the mandate of only 31 percent. Once it is winning everywhere then you criticize as Autocracy. You always criticize without any facts, logic or reasoning. By the way I heard that your farmer rallies in West Bengal have attracting huge crowds. At some venues the turnout is almost 200 to 400 people. Lage Raho Yogondra Yadav!!!

  15. Parjeevi is jack of all trades and can talk on any topic under the sun. Not sure if “The Print” pays this guy for this crap or this guy pays “The Print” to publish this crap. Either way its a loss making proposition.

  16. Mr. Yadav is so high on rhetoric and so low o specifics. Just like the western lordships whose point of view he endorsing. Of course I must be a brain-dead bhakt or andh-bhakt to say so!

  17. Mr. Yadav is so high on rhetoric and so low o specifics. Just like the western lordships whose point of view he endorsing. Of course I must be a brain-dead bhakt or andh-bhakt to say so!

  18. Mr. Yadav is so high on rhetoric and so low o specifics. Just like the western lordships whose point of view he endorsing. Of course I must be a brain-dead bhakt or andh-bhakt to say so!

  19. It is surprising that honorable author does not know or pretends NOT-KNOWING that Government that was deft at procuring GOOD-CONDUCT CERTIFICATES from western Christian NGO s has been voted out in 2014 itself. Western world is full of such type of organizations , NGOs , elite clubs who usually issue GOOD CONDUCT CERTIFICATES to their clients , mainly of POOR COUNTRIES or of persons of POOR-MENTALITY , for QUID PRO QUO. So there is no need to shed tears by leftists if some western left-oriented NGO issues a Bad character certificate to Modi Government. Modi govt. and BJP too can secure good character certificate from some of its friendly NGO. Will that be O.Kay ?
    But main thing that matters is evaluation by the voters of India. The honorable author had been claimant of an authority on the subject of PUBLIC MOOD . Had he found by and large adverse PUBLIC OPINION against Modi Government ? Can he say that Modi/BJP government will be voted-out in 2024- or in 2029 ? Answer is known to every body who has a little sense of gauging the MOOD OF NATION .. Modi /NDA government will always be evaluated on its performance on its CORE AGENDA .The country is no longer ready to accept sub-standard performance and then ask for votes in the name of Socialism, Secularism, Minority appeasement , regional languages and sub-nationhood. etc. No amount of high sound bites in the name of CAA opposition or so-called RICHIE-RICH liquor-gushing farmers protests lacking economic logic and Manadi s Dalals , is going upset common man s political judgment . when time for voting comes in next rounds in 2024 or in 2029 , RESULTS will surprise persons like this author.

    AS FOR AS ON HEADLINE OF THIS ARTICLE—Jaishankar’s problem……. HE KNOWS HIS JOB WELL AND BE ASSURED–JOB WILL BE DONE PERFECTALLY .

    • Appropriate analysis,of course. Political Fortune Tellers like YY have one thing in common and i.e coining Words to satisfy their inflated ego. Yesterday it was win through garnering only 31% vote share, today it is Autocratic Democracy ( because 31% vote share does not hold good) tomorrow some different conotation, all to demonize Modi govt. Do they really matter to influence the majority of citizens? Answer is big NO.

  20. Now that Pakistani Talk Shows have started gleefully quoting this author and this publication, they must decide whether to laugh or to cry !
    Such ‘honours’ could turn out to be. ‘the kiss of death’. Remember the prominent anchor of a well known Luteyen TV channel, who got praisesed by HAFIZ SAEED of LeT and then what was her fate !

  21. Bang on , and the best article you’ve written in some time. The thing is that we desperately need people like you to hold up a mirror to this regime, but the it is frustrating to see you diminish your credibility by seeming to want a political role for yourself. Please do not end up like Swapan Dasgupta . We need the writer in you , not the politician.

  22. Shooting the messenger is a well known right wing tactic, perfected by constant practice. Logic, after all is the No.1 thing that can bring about their downfall!

    The emperor craves foreign recognition. The Man Friday though, keeps screwing it up with verbal gaffes, riots,
    and pictures of giant nails on highways against peaceful farmers whose only weapon is their jugaad tractors!! The emperor might wonder if it’s all being done on purpose, but since he agrees on the need to win national elections, even if by ripping the cohesive fabric of the nation, he has no choice, but to play along.

    Now, Jaishankar is so scared of screwing it up further, that he refuses to step out and face the music. He tries countering the brickbats by making lame statements from a safe distance. He once called a person names when she invited him to answer factual questions with factual answers in the US Senate – you can’t ask for a bigger platform to express your views. That person is now the VP of the United States, and Jaishankar is now looking at the world from a ditch of his own digging.

    Of course, it’s not entirely his fault. He takes his cues from his boss. The emperor must know that you can’t manipulate the world like you can the andh bhakts. To become great, you must do great things. Appearing to be great, while actually acting like a mean old despot is not the way!!!

    • Freedom House and V-Dem are no gold standards of democracy rating.

      What is it? Is it virginity test for democracy?

      India should show middle finger to such fanatics as liberated women would show their middle finger to fanatics demanding virginity test. India needs to tell such fanatics that we don’t care for your god, we like your Satan, more you condemn us stronger we get.

      We don’t need investment from such type of people running Freedom House and V-Dem. Tell them to take their business somewhere else like Pakistan or Turkey.

      • Harry saab: You bray:

        “.. Freedom House and V-Dem are no gold standards of democracy rating .. India should show middle finger to such fanatics ..”

        Well, turns out that international relations and diplomacy work in entirely different ways. The lessons you learnt on the laps of your mentors Mohan Bhagwat & Babu Bajrangi are completely worthless.

        Most countries react to bad publicity, especially when they come from influential publications, the press or even other countries. India is no different and the GOI has actually issued a rebuttal of the Freedom House report – affirming in effect the fear that such reports could further tarnish the image of India, the up and coming Vishwaguru (ref: bit.ly/3c5Il6x).

        India needs FDI flows, membership of the QUAD – the so-called alliance of democracies, tourist footfalls and so on. The knee-jerk Hindutva inspired and jingoism driven reactions your ilk bats for has been roundly and soundly rejected Harry saab.

        • “Most countries react to bad publicity, especially when they come from influential publications, the press or even other countries. ”

          They are small helpless countries, basically at the mercy of superpowers, not Giants like China, India, US, Brazil or Russia. If for some reason US disappears these countries will be overrun by China, Russia, etc. in no time. Lion don’t give a damn about barking dog.

          Jaishankar did the right thing of showing middle finger to your fellow Keralite Jaypal. living in US.

  23. I get a feeling that 130.99 crore Indians do not share this view. That is democracy. When the “aim” as professed by this activist is to defeat the BJP, National issues and interests obviously does not feature in his scheme of things. If the target is BJP (as stated by this activist himself) I suggest he fight the BJP as a politician and not as an activist, which is the prudent and honest way to go. We will support him.

    He has no right even as an “activist” to reduce the self esteem of my Nation.

    Just to recall, India is a diverse country where historically it has been recorded that most battles and wars, including diplomatic ones, (from the times of the epics, Alexander and after) have been lost because of a traitor in the ranks

    The impression is that The Print is “Making amends” for rightly criticing this author earlier. Peer pressure is stark.

  24. Well, Mr. Yadav is a very clever man. By overtly dissecting Mr. Jaishankar’s “logical fallacies and argument flaws” and Latin Logical techno-jargon, he feels that his own position’s logical flaws can be concealed.

    What Mr. Yadav is most guilty of is not that he doesn’t present valid arguments. He mostly does. It’s that his arguments are unsound and that he deliberately messes up with necessary and sufficient conditions. He is usually guilty of embellishing and missing valid premises (adding which would result in different conclusions), tries to prove too much, “demolishes” strawmen he conjures etc.

    The real issue is that his ideology instructs him to espouse only certain conclusions and facts sometimes come in way, so he argues with propositions that suit him – as they say, “you can not make a man believe something if his livelihood depends on believing otherwise”

    (Note: Above is not Ad Hominem. One personally feels Mr. Yadav is a brilliant, gentlemanly and overall a very sweet human being – it is his tactics that one is disappointed by. )

  25. Yoya, cherry picking details, using sweeping generalizations, and conveniently ignoring details that go against the narrative being created by these reports should be pointed out to what it is. Because if you look at everything that transpired and the over exaggeration that is done, its pretty pathetic.

  26. There is another source of worry at work here. Normally, a politician Minister and bureaucrat Secretary bring different world views and skill sets to bear on important issues, harmonise them in pursuit of the national interest. When the two roles blur, an EAM who has been FS enunciates a Doctrine, clearly guided by political expediency, that binds his former colleagues. All their expertise, experience, institutional memory will defer to this new source of power and authority. Visualise a retired CDS being appointed Raksha Mantri in future. Which is why when challenges like Ladakh arise, sometimes a stray doubt arises if the intellectual preparation for it within the system were of the required level.

  27. copy of my letter to PMO of Bangladesh
    Dear Mrs PM of Peoples republic of Bangladesh,

    I have not received any reply to my previous letter from you.
    Look forward to erradicate differences and live in harmony as good neighbours. The identity , heritage, education are the basic pilars.

    The confusion arises when one is bestowed the title Begüm in a new nation instead of the bengali word Srimati. The word Begüm hails from Turkey in the Otoman period, the leaders were Bey and their wives Begüm.

    Bangladesh has little common with Turkey, far less an empire being a Republic but the Bangladeshi PM is a Begüm. A brick difficult to swallow. A country with majority Saudi names and the PM a turkish Begüm (?)

    The Turks are Muslims with turkish names, they have their national identity. The majority Bangladeshis have Arabic names. Did you know the Saudis donot allow their men to marry a Bangladeshi or Pakistani ?

    Suggest bilateral contacts and opportunities for mutual respect without second thoughts. History of Bengal cannot be trashed and replaced by arabic names or turkish titles.

    Cheers,

    A. Ray

    • Atlease Bengali Muslims coying the Muslim brethen, what about the last name of your Hindutva jome minister with the last name SHAH which comes from Muslim countries? Does he feel inferior of that? Oh and them what about the most important PM of India JWAHAR? Or for that matter try speaking urdu(Hindi) without Arabic and Persian words, you will stay dumb all your life. From our understanding Arabic and Muslims culture is already well integrated and very much sub-continents so get a chill pill and get our of your inferiority complex and remember animals are not gods.

    • Care to check the number of words with foreign origins in Bengali language you ignorant bigoted bhakt ? You won’t be able to have a conversation if you were able to magically wipe out all, “foreign origin” words. This is a characteristic of almost every modern language. Sensible people accept history and learn from it. But, hey, when did, sensible and bhakt go together?

  28. Verbosity
    At its worst
    ‘Prof’ YY
    President of a party with not a single seat in any elected body down to Village level
    Wonderful for our democracy

  29. This crook refuses to learn the new rules of politics in 21st century India. He continues to follow the politics of activism based on lies and falsification similar to AAP’s Kejriwal. Today’s India wants political leaders speak truth and talk about their vision. Hating Modi and nationalist Hindus will only destroy their political future. They can even save their deposits.

  30. Manage external relations vs external public relations … 2. Started the day with a troubling statistic. Since 16th January, India has exported 5.84 crore doses of vaccine, while administering only 3.48 crore doses to its own citizens at home. Amidst a raging pandemic, why should something like this be done. 16% of the world’s population has cornered 70% of the available supply. Some like Canada are being greedy, selfish. America has tied up an extra 100 million doses with J & J. Aise waqt mein global Santa Claus bannne ki kya zaroorat hai. The only answer that suggests itself is that it gives the Foreign Office some bragging rights. An endless stream of tweets showing consignments of Indian vaccine being airlifted to 70 countries. Diplomacy should always get the balance right between icing and cake.

  31. So the farmers agitation has run its course and Shri Yogendra Yadav is currently unemployed. Hence now to a topic.

  32. We should always take those ratings seriously which have economic bearings. Why to bother about others. We can not do well in all the areas. If we achieve prosperity, other issue will be OK.

  33. Mr. Yadav at his hard-hitting best!!! I wonder if Mr.Jaisankar was asked (in the Conclave) about a report prepared by a GoM of which he was a member and which apparently discusses neutralizing and color coding journalists.

  34. It is time to junk this lazy application of the word ‘Liberal’ by the one and all especially media.

    Liberal is one who is literally liberal in every sense. He/she is open to all ideas, hears all opinions, ready to compromise in pursuit of greater national goal.
    So take the case of Yogendra Yadav. Has he been liberal in his ideology? politics?

    These people have been the most ‘Rigid’ since 2014 in their biased view of Modi & BJP. For this, they can put aside/override/diminish/tarnish the achievements like Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, GST, Nal Se Jal, Toilets, road & house constructions, the most corruption-free government since Independence, resolution of long-pending abrogation of Article 370, Ram Mandir, ban of Triple Talaq , stabilty of macro-economic indicators, North-East region development, Auction of coal mines, reforms in farm laws, labour codes, Change the course of national discussion from unsuccessful socialism to privatisation, stopping of appeasement politics, efficient use of MNREGA, border infrastructure development, provide the much-needed arms and ammunitions to defence forces, Stable government for two successive terms, bring fresh energy into jaded and old Congress politics, turn people against dynastic politics and so many others not mentioned.

    Modi Government have been listening to people and open to ideas/projects even if they are from opposition. Best example is Aadhaar, GST etc.

    Mr. Yogendra Yadav, you are the one and most illiberal person. Still there is time for you to be a true liberal in your remaining life.

    All good or bad Karma always follows you. Remember it.

  35. Andolanjeevi at it again!!
    Maligns India internationally through opposition to laws that are meant to liberate the farmers. Then croaks about the negative publicity that India gets.
    Also, in the article, he doesn’t place the two foreign institutions highly yet relies on S Jaishankar’s comments about them to write in support of them.
    Batting on both sides as usual!!
    Keep barking – that man Modi is going all out for development of the poorest. He is least concerned about comments from someone who has yet to successfully contest a panchayat election.

    • Vagga: You bray:

      “.. that man Modi is going all out for development of the poorest ..”

      Really Vagga? Didn’t know that Ambani, Adani and other Gujarathi crony capitalists who finance the Gujarathi Prophet were “India’s poorest” !

      • Yes Modi is going for development of poorest with help of big business and making nouveau poor out of leftists & secus, so you are barking like junkyard dogs.

  36. “Facts, not verbiage”, this Commentator writes! What facts has he collected in all the years he has been an aandolanjeevi? His support for the fraudulent, unprincipled “farmers protest” , which in reality is nothing but a drama orchestrated by the rich farmers and their cronies by misleading and lying to the real poor farmers, is most immoral and opportunistic ever. If he is expecting rewards by the likes of Congress, he is much mistaken. Congress is there only for the dynasty!

  37. You are a compulsive lier Mr Yadav. You and your ilk won’t won’t accept the truth when they are uncomfortable, such as when voter choose Modi, not once but twice. Now you go around discrediting the election process as it doesn’t suit you any more. To make it worse, you would go around building alternate realities like the VDem report. Your lies will not become truth just because you keep screaming about it, so yes thanks for setting up the third term for Modi.

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