Author: Awais Ali

More Weapons, More Military aid, and More battleships can never bring peace. Peace can only be achieved at the table, not on the battlefield. Bombs are raining on Ukraine, Russia intensified the attacks, and President Zelensky is not satisfied with American military aid and asked Europe to step up. President Vladimir Putin launched a furious attack on Ukraine on 24^th February 2022, to halt the advancement of NATO towards the Russian sphere of influence. The Western liberal-democratic world stood against Russia and currently, the situation is that both the democratic and the authoritarian world have sharply divided on the issue. The strategic war became the war of two ideologies; liberalism and authoritarianism. President Putin has defeated his rivals in the 2024 elections and again succeeded in holding the premier office, and now he is in a clearer and strong position to continue his policies of Russian resurgence. The Western world is vehemently supporting Ukraine and their support is making the situation worse and more complex. They consider Russia a tyrant state because of its hostile behavior in the region and also a spoiler of the existing (rules-based order) world order. Both conflicting parties have lost billions of dollars and the result is yet to be decided. The War is still going on. This war was inevitable because of three major reasons; firstly, the post-Cold War world order has brutally failed to address the political and economic problems of the modern world. Secondly, the World’s established democracies are facing severe ideological and identity crises for instance, Turkiye under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, India is under a severe wave of illiberalism and populism, and Americans are struggling with the strong illiberal and popular voices; White Supremacists. Thirdly, America needs stronger enemies to maintain and prevail American-led liberal world order. As John Mearsheimer stated, “It was America who actually provoked Russia to invade Ukraine.”

Ukrainians are resilient in nature and there is no doubt that they would survive this war but at what cost? the cost would be deteriorated socio-economic and political conditions at the domestic level and their sovereignty would be compromised entirely. On the other hand, Moscow would never step back until it achieved what it is striving for; non-NATO allies in the Russian near abroad. Russia is a prisoner of its geography and its skepticism towards Europe is indispensable because of bitter historical experiences. In modern world history, Russia was invaded twice by European States that’s why Russia’s fear and uncertainty towards Europe is not baseless. The European States, for instance, Belgium which recently agreed to give 30 F-16 Jets to Ukraine, France which is sending military instructors, and Spain; which are oiling and airing the fire of this animosity by extending their unconditional support to Ukraine; basically, are playing with their own peace, stability, and progress. European states have failed to survive ongoing food crises which are aggravating day by day, for instance, Ukraine’s grain production has decreased 29% and it is expected more decline this year. This war is disastrous not only for Russia and Ukraine but also for the whole of Europe. Apart from the European hemisphere, the war has its global repercussions, Ukraine, before 2021, was considered the largest exporter of wheat to most of the African and Asian states but the war ruined this supply chain.

At this critical juncture, where President Zelensky is again on the road to grab more military assistance to protect its country from Russian wrath there is a dire need for a grand peace dialogue. Brussels should deny military support to Ukraine and offer talks to get rid of the menace of war. Otherwise, Europe should be ready to pay the heavy price of this war. It is an onus on the European Community to discourage military support and to promote dialogue. If the war continues, Ukraine with 44 million people would become a long-term liability for Europe. European states must understand the fears of Russia regarding its security, why West is eager to incorporate Ukraine into NATO? The answer to this question may be that it is a matter of free choice of a sovereign nation. But how Russia can afford its arch-ideological rivals, accompanying military machinery, at its gates?  Russia can afford liberal democracy in Ukraine but can never accept NATO in Ukraine or Ukraine in NATO. In the entire scenario, America is just taking advantage of the turmoil milieu of the region and suppressing Russian influence in Eastern Europe.

The European States, for instance, Germany, Britain, and the European Union can play a significant role in this regard to draw some diplomatic channels and avenues to make peace between the conflicting parties. If Europe is thinking that Russia would withdraw without having clear assurance that Ukraine would not join NATO, then it is an ill-visioned dream of a fool provided the realities of global politics. President Vladimir Putin, after this election, became more powerful and is expanding the horizon of war to bring the European States to the table. Contemporarily, both Ukraine and Russia want to negotiate peace terms, based on a quid-pro-quo approach, but Western states are not ready to maintain détente between them because they are extraordinarily aggressive towards Russia just because of their ideological rivalry.

War should be stopped and the international community should pave the way for talks. The whole world is suffering from food shortages due to this war but some warmongers are advancing their adventures by supplying more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. The solution to this conflict only lies in the seriousness of European and American leadership. America is just extending and protecting its extra-regional vital interests in this war but at the expense of 44 million people of Ukraine, global food insecurity, and the peace of Europe. Therefore, the coming Swiss Peace Summit (fifth international meeting), planned to be held in June 2024, can become a ray of hope in this regard, and world leaders should take some concrete measures to solve the issue.

India, a state that is demographically explosive, religiously inflammable, ethnically diverse, politically strengthened but democratically perplexed, and economically it is the most unequal state in the world. Currently, India is going through a severe identity crisis, the BJP is practicing politics on the fault lines of identity and it is deeply affecting the pluralistic nature of Indian society. Every segment of society, except Hindu fundamentalists, is confused and bemused when it comes to their social as well as political recognition.

Indian culture was the amalgam of numerous distinct cultures after Indian independence it became an identity for Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, and multiple other ethnic and religious minorities.  India which was once considered as the largest democracy in the world, and known as secular, inclusive, and home to hundreds of different ethnicities. This sort of religio-cultural and ethnic diversity provided strength and resistance in the initial years of nationhood. However, in the contemporary scenario, India is losing its sources of strength one after another.  The state is under the rule of a strong, populist, and religiously hyperactive man whose ideology is staunchly socked in the Hindu fundamentalism, the Hindutva which has now become Moditva; a cult following.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is, nowadays, flexing his arms to grab his third tenure and he left no stone unturned to achieve political victory in the ongoing elections. He is pushing the state towards the brink of an identity crisis due to which there are a lot of ethnic and religious minorities, for instance, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Adivasis, suffering and are compelled to redefine their identities. The religious and ethnic minorities are discouraged to celebrate their religious and cultural commemorations, they are restricted and bound to follow what the majority, Particularly the BJP government, would decide for them. The BJP government has harassed, detained, surveilled, and persecuted several rights activists, lawyers, and journalists along with multiple religious and ethnic rights activists. As Meenakshi Ganguly, who is director at Human Rights Watch in South Asia, stated “The government has not only failed to protect Muslims and other minorities from attacks but is providing political patronage and cover for bigotry.” The BJP government has promoted violence, extremism, and fundamentalism at the state level. They not only tried to alter the mode of politics but also redefined the Hindu religions and forcefully Saffronized the Hinduism.

BJP is making India a Hindu-religious state but the version of their religion is mixed with materialist-corrupt ideas and practices which instead of creating peace and love it is spreading hatred against each other and becoming a severe threat to the identities of the Indians who have been living there for thousands of years. BJP, claims to be a party that is staunchly based on Hindu values but the political and social conduct of the Party is extremely destructive. It is segregating the people, promoting violence and anti-pluralism, supporting religious extremism and caste chauvinism. They categorized Hinduism based on the political affiliations of the People. Indians are living in very unusual times where a political party is altering and tailoring a religion that has been practiced there since the birth of Hinduism.

 

Apart from this, the crux of Hinduism is ‘Dharma’ which is generally designated as the right way of living and a path of rightness. It also includes universal moral laws, love and respect for humanity along with justice at social level to fulfill the rights and duties of fellow citizens. Saffronization is engulfing Indianization which would be fatal for the existence of the state comprising approximately 1.5 billion people. In addition to that, the Modi regime is not only playing with the religion but also amending the Constitution of the state to follow their extremist agendas.

The growing foundations of Moditva are destabilizing the existing foundations of Indian secularism. The Indian constitution, which was once considered as the custodian of Indian secularism, political inclusivity, freedom, liberty, and guaranteed the protection of the minority rights and their existence. After the rise of Moditva, the Indian Constitution has become a tool in the hands of the BJP administration and they are using it to sideline all the critical voices. BJP has violated the secular Indian Constitution multiple times and passed numerous controversial laws and Acts such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Sedition Act, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), a hijab bans and the list is going on. All these acts and bills were enacted to snub the minorities, harass their activists, exercise more control over society, to all majority to confiscate the properties of minorities, demolish the religious heritage, and lastly shrink the horizon of social freedom. As Article 14 of the Indian constitution says “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.”

The current regime of the BJP is not only a threat to the non-Hindu minorities but it is also contaminating the Hindu religious beliefs, they are eager to sideline all other identities except saffronization. They are altering the constitution and making it worse for minorities. BJP has dragged India into the identity crisis and politics of hate and harassment. The ongoing Indian elections will decide the future of the state, PM Narendra Modi has a firm belief in holding the Prime ministership for the third time, He is going to create history but at the expense of the State’s pluralistic ideology, inclusive politics, secular constitution and social homogeneity. If it wins, the BJP would close all the doors for minorities which ultimately led to civil unrest and economic decline. As mentioned by Indian political economist, Parakala Prabhakar, in his recent TV interview, “there would be no constitution if Mr. Modi returned to power.”