Outlook English - Print Subscribers Copy Outlook English, 11 June 2018 | Page 6

letters
as Touchstone (May 28). First, I, on
behalf of Outlook readers, present
a bouquet of red roses to welcome
the new editor. The aftermath of the
Karnataka election reassures us that
in spite all the misdeeds of politicians,
a real dem­ocracy cannot be made
‘Opp­o­sition-mukt’.
Dividing The Margins
CHENNAI M.Y. Shariff: I write in
resp­onse to the cover story on the
BJP’s new caste politics to divide the
OBC quotas to their own electoral ben-
efit (The Caste of Poll Saffron, May 21).
After playing the Hindutva card to att­
ract, hijack, galvanise and consolidate
the large Hindu votebank in Uttar
Pradesh and elsewhere, this ‘quo-
ta-within-quota’ plan of the BJP aims
to give more space to groups other than
the dominant ones of Yadavs and Jats.
The BJP has targeted non-Yadav OBCs
and non-Jatav Dalits and succeeded in
getting their votes so far, but there is
discontent brewing within OBCs and
Dalits, forcing the party to rethink
caste equations and extend benefits to
those who were denied due privileges.
This is a dangerous game—in already a
fragile state of caste equations that we
live in, with more and more groups
demanding reservation, injudicious
tinkering with these matters can invite
great social disturbance.
Northern Sally
ON E-MAIL Lal Singh: My letter is
apropos the article on Modi’s recent
visit to Nepal (Chinese Whispers in Old
Janakpur, May 21). Modi’s visit will be
noted for the use of religion and culture
as a source to deepen its ties with
Nepal. It shows the keen desire of the
neighbours to put behind them the
acrimony that ensued recently. Public
opinion in Nepal reac­ted adversely in
2015 to the Indian endeavour to set the
terms for framing its Constitution.
This perception and a trade blockade
sank Modi’s diplomatic investment in
the country. However, ties are on the
mend. Modi has tried to use the close
and unique civilisational ties that the
countries share. India has realised that
instead of playing to China’s strengths,
it should leverage its traditional link-
ages and convert them into modern
opp­ortunities. In addition, there is a
promise to respect the Nepali mandate.
6 OUTLOOK 11 June 2018
INBOXED
For Compactness
ON E-MAIL Rakesh Sharma: This
is about the column on India’s def­
ence management (The Cart Can’t
Pull The Horse, May 28). No country
can prosper today if its defence
forces lack in requisite deterrence.
In India’s, or other countries’, con-
text, the enemy’s threat perception has to be seen in the light of their capabili-
ties, rather than displayed or perceived intentions. A two-or
two-and-a-half-front war, if we include an out of control J&K, has to be und­
oubtedly our premise for defence preparedness. The military strategy must
logically flow from the national security as well as the national defence strat-
egy. With future warfare scenarios being of a more integrated n
­ ature, with
technology as one of the key ingredients, and including the p
­ ara-military and
intelligence assets, press and civil society, in addition to armed forces, there is
an urgent need for creating new doctrines. Only manpower superiority in
terms of numbers is no longer a winning proposition. China has already
started pruning its manpower in favour of a tech-driven military. Deterrence
is a necessity, so irrespective of diplomatic actio