New Delhi: Cautioning India against outside players who will try to weaken “Modi [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] and the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party]”, Rashtriya Swayamsevak mouthpiece Panchjanya in its editorial said “foreign interference cannot be ruled out not only in the elections of these five states but also in the general elections to be held in 2024”, questioning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Uzbekistan in this backdrop.
The RSS, the ideological fountainhead of the BJP, was referring to this month’s assembly elections in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram and the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in the coming year.
According to the editorial published in Panchjanya Tuesday, events happening outside the country can be connected to the attempt by outside forces to “create a sense of despair and apprehension among the people of India before the elections”.
“Consider it a matter of logic, or perception, the indication is that the possibility of foreign interference cannot be ruled out not only in the elections of these five states but also in the general elections to be held in 2024,” read the editorial.
The editorial also made a mention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Uzbekistan last month, stating: “In this backdrop, the timing of Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Uzbekistan raises serious questions. When the election campaign is going on for five states in India and Congress is at least the main rival in all the five states and Rahul Gandhi is definitely the top leader in Congress, then can it be considered a mere coincidence that Rahul Gandhi is visiting Uzbekistan at the same time?”
Although the “world realises that it is not possible to defeat Modi and the BJP in India, this realisation will not stop outside players from trying to weaken Modi”, said the Panchjanya piece. It also pointed out that the task has been made difficult owing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “firm stance in protecting Indian strategic interests and his refusal to bow to Western pressure”.
Referring to Gandhi’s Uzbekistan visit, the editorial said, “Did it feel more important to travel? Especially because at the same time, an American official was also present in Uzbekistan, who is a part of the quartet creating political instability around the world.”
The piece further stated that while it was not important to get into the “details of that person. Everything is self-evident. Perhaps this is a ‘powerful’ indication of what may be happening behind the scenes and beyond the country’s borders”.
Referring to events like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations on 18 September of a “potential link” between agents of the government of India and the killing of Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada earlier in the year and Pakistan opening fire at the border in Jammu — injuring two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel — the editorial spoke of “anti-India activities”.
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‘Need a supportive government in Bangladesh’
Referring to diplomatic developments in the past few months, the editorial said, “First Canada accused India [in the Nijjar killing case] and then America joined the controversy by making reference to ‘Five Eyes [an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States]. When India retaliated diplomatically, Qatar sentenced former naval officers to death. Meanwhile, Pakistan opened fire on the border and suddenly incidents of ‘target killing’ started in Kashmir which was becoming peaceful and progressive.”
Days after Trudeau’s allegation, David Cohen, the US ambassador to Canada, had said, “Shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners” was the basis of Trudeau’s accusation of India.
The article also referred to Qatar sentencing eight former Indian naval officers to death “on unspecified charges” in October and incidents of “unprovoked firing” by Pakistan along the border with India the same month.
The Panchjanya piece went on to mention the presidential elections in Maldives in September, and the coming to power of purported “pro-China” forces, following which the country initiated talks with India on the removal of Indian soldiers posted there.
“On the other hand, there was a change of power in Maldives. And there was talk of removing only a few dozen Indian soldiers. The fact that the person who wins the elections in Maldives gets the full support of some Islamic countries for winning the elections is such an open secret that no one considers it necessary to even discuss it,” claimed the editorial.
It went on to say that “it has come to light that Sheikh Hasina’s government [in Bangladesh] is being continuously and openly threatened by foreign powers. Incidentally, the Indian media has not made any mention of this either,” it said.
According to the Panchjanya editorial, “[we] cannot ignore the fact that for all the anti-India activities that are going on or have been going on by Christian missionaries in the North-East of India, it is an essential requirement for them to have a government of their choice in Bangladesh. Same is the situation of the ISI [Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence] network, various types of smuggling gangs and drug mafia in the North-East. They also need a supportive government in Bangladesh.”
The piece also touched upon Nepal, saying that India could not ignore the pressure that big powers are trying to put on Nepal.
“Is it just a coincidence that Nepal’s Foreign Minister is summoned first by China and immediately followed by America? Obviously, the aim of all such exercises is India’s elections. To put it bluntly, many powers are trying to create a feeling of despair and apprehension among the people of India before the elections. The public can counter such efforts only on the strength of its self-confidence,” it said.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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