Look In Your Own Backyard too, Sir!

What you see on the surface is not always like that. Behind the curtain, many stories unfold... many conspiracies are hatched.

Over the past week, several issues have been weighing on my mind. I analysed them deeply and many concerns arose. The tariff war was already there, but now India has been placed in the list of countries accused of producing, selling or serving as a transit route for drugs. Meanwhile, another report is gaining traction that nearly 120 US soldiers have secretly reached Bangladesh.

Will Bangladesh really succeed in setting up a military base on St Martin’s Island? Another concern is why Saudi Arabia, which we consider a friend, has entered into a major defence agreement with Pakistan? So I thought of discussing all these issues in this column. And in the end, we will also talk about cricket!
Let’s start with the pervasive scourge of drugs. The White House of the United States has prepared a list of 23 countries and sent it to the US Congress. These countries are accused of being involved in the drug trade in one way or another. Along with Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, India’s name also figures in this list! The question is, when India itself is battling the international drug cartels, with drugs being pushed into India from all sides, how can our country have any role in this trade? The White House, while adding India’s name as a drug transit country, has played a clever trick.

At the same time, it has praised India’s strict action against drugs. So the question is, if you acknowledge India’s strict actions, why did you add its name in this list? Let me tell you that such a report is issued when the US President has to take some action under a particular law. Adding its name means some larger conspiracy is being hatched against India. What’s surprising is that America refuses to look in its own backyard. In cities like New York, drugs are sold openly. In 22 US states, the sale and consumption of marijuana are legal. Not to mention Canada and Mexico, where the drug trade is thriving.

There is another issue related to the United States. About 120 US soldiers suddenly arrived in Bangladesh and secretly checked into a hotel in Chittagong. It was so secret that nothing was entered in the hotel register, but thanks to those spies who made the news public. After that, the US and Bangladesh said the American troops had come for joint military exercises and to train the Bangladesh army. If that was really the case, why was there such a high level of secrecy? If you start linking one fact to another, the conspiracy becomes clear. For a long time now, the US has been trying to establish a military base on St Martin’s Island in Bangladesh. St Martin’s Island is also known as Narikel Jinjira (coconut island) and Daruchini (cinnamon) Island. Look at the map and you’ll understand that the island sits in a location from which the US can easily keep an eye on India, Myanmar and China. The US applied a lot of pressure on the Sheikh Hasina government to get this island but she refused to yield, and it is believed that this was one of the reasons why her government was toppled. Muhammad Yunus is playing into US’ hands. Pakistan is already on board. In other words, a deadly troika is in action and a covert effort is underway to hand over St Martin’s Island to the US. If that happens, the situation will be extremely serious. The US would effectively be sitting on our heads. Our government knows everything. The Indian Defence Research Wing has already exposed this conspiracy.

Now let’s turn to the news about what’s cooking between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The two countries have signed a defence agreement which simply means that if one country is attacked, it will be considered an attack on both! The question is, when India has such deep ties with Saudi Arabia, why did it align with Pakistan? Will Saudi Arabia stand against India in the event of an India-Pakistan war? I don’t think that would happen. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a very old strategic relationship. Back in 1998 when Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests, Saudi Arabia’s then defence minister Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud visited Pakistan and was even taken to the nuclear test site as well as the nuclear and missile bases. Normally, no country shows its nuclear facilities to foreigners. That is why the development had given rise to the question whether Saudi Arabia funded the nuclear tests? Now, with this new agreement, Pakistani forces will undoubtedly receive substantial amounts of money from Saudi Arabia and that money could be used against India. But in my view, the real reason for the agreement is the US. Due to the growing unreliability of the US, Saudi Arabia -- like other Gulf countries -- must be wondering whether the US would really protect it in a time of crisis. This agreement is, in fact, a search for an alternative. The matter could very well tilt towards China.

And finally, let’s turn to cricket. Several of my Pakistani friends said that Indian players disrespected the spirit of the game by refusing to shake hands. I simply told them: “Sir, when the hearts themselves are not in sync, why even talk about shaking hands? We played with you because the rules required it... otherwise, there was no need to play at all?”.

The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha.