The trouble with India-China comparisons, tracing C K Raut’s politics and more – Southasia Weekly #20
This week at Himal
This week, Abha Lal takes a close look at C K Raut’s journey from scientist to separatist movement leader and eventually mainstream politician. Lal unravels the mythology surrounding Raut, offering a window into the ethnic and regional tensions within Nepali politics over the past few decades, offering essential insight into how the Madhesh matters in Nepal today.
Yasser Ali Nasser writes about the long history of India-China culture exchanges, while noting that there are inherent failings in attempts to draw neat comparisons between the two countries. In this essay, Nasser argues that comparative studies must more carefully attend to questions of power.
From 1 - 8 July, we’ll also be screening Sramik Awaaz (Workers Voices), directed by Mohammad Romel and Chaumtoli Huq, as part of Screen Southasia, our monthly online screening of Southasian documentaries in collaboration with Film Southasia. If you’d like to receive the screening link, sign up here.
This week in Southasia
India exports explosives to Israel amidst bombardment on Gaza
This week, reports revealed that India has been exporting rockets and explosives to Israel amidst its brutal bombardment on Gaza. At least two cargo ships from India did not enter the Spanish port of Cartagena after pro-Palestine protesters called on authorities to inspect the cargo. Documentation revealed that more than 39 tonnes of explosive material was being exported to Israel, including rocket engines, propellants for cannons and rockets with explosive charges. At least one Indian company is reportedly exporting rocket motor engines to Israel. A lack of transparency on India’s transfers has helped these shipments slip under the radar.
While India has in the past tried to walk a diplomatic tightrope in terms of relations with Israel, ties have deepened after prime minister Narendra Modi was voted into power. Meanwhile, criticism has been growing of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, with the UN Human Rights Office saying Israeli air strikes may have “systematically violated the laws of war” requiring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure last week, and with over 37,000 Palestinians reportedly killed. In 2018, Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israel’s Elbit Systems inaugurated an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) complex in Hyderabad, with UAVs reportedly exported to Israel, although an Adani representative said they have only been used for non-combat operations.
Elsewhere in Southasia 📡
Pakistan approves launch of counterterrorism operation aimed at quelling surge in violence in past 18 months, with attacks mostly claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
Apple manufacturer FoxConn has been excluding married women from assembly jobs at flagship Indian manufacturing plant citing “issues” including potential pregnancy, high absenteeism
Bangladesh’s deadliest executioner, former prisoner Shahjahan Bhuiyan dies
Delhi’s water minister Atishi admitted to hospital five days after beginning a hunger strike to draw attention to city’s water crisis
Twenty-three people arrested in northwestern Pakistan after tourist killed for blasphemy allegations, with at least 80 killings reported since 1990
UN report flags 16 banks in 7 countries, including India, processed transactions linked to Myanmar junta’s military procurement over past two years
Maldives’ Home Ministry says around 400 juveniles have links to gangs, discusses increased police powers, plans to take young offenders to a dedicated island for ‘rehabilitation’
Farmers in east Bhutan raise concerns about low auction prices for their potatoes due to rainfall, competition with India
Myanmar’s military junta says it faces challenges in curbing opium production, months after UN says the country has become world’s biggest producer of the narcotic
At least 1072 people across Nepal infected with H1N1, better known as swine flu since January, according to National Public Health Laboratory
Sri Lanka reaches USD 5.8 billion debt restructuring deal with bilateral creditors including Japan, France and India as it grapples with economic crisis
Germany meets resistance as it considers deporting Afghans, Syrians to third countries, amidst rising backlash against refugees after stabbing of a police officer
Maldives' environment minister Shamnaz Ali Saleem arrested reportedly on sorcery charges, police refuse to confirm reason for arrest, conducting criminal investigation
Only in Southasia
This week in Sri Lanka, schoolteachers and principal's unions launched an islandwide strike over salary anomalies, hosting protest marches that were dispersed with tear gas and water cannon by police. This week also saw President Ranil Wickremesinghe begin campaigning for upcoming elections, with posters proclaiming 'Subha Aranchiya' (Good news) popping up all over Colombo as Sri Lanka signed a deal with some of its bilateral creditors. The ad also appeared in media outlets in all three languages. One news outlet snarkily chose to insert the ad into a news report about the school teacher's and principal strike, with images of tear gas and water cannon suddenly disrupted by a cheery voiceover and Wickremesinghe's campaign slogan. As some pointed out, the juxtaposition seemed intentional, reflecting the government's rosy projections and realities surrounding Sri Lanka's economic crisis.
From the archive
The 'good governance' problem (January 2021)
25 June 1975, Abhinav Sekhri’s piece is worth revisiting. Sekhri reveals how the arguments for extending Emergency rule often came from administrative rather than political considerations. He notes that post COVID-19, Indian administrators may remain similarly unwilling to renege the extraordinary powers invested in them.