March 18, 2021

Day 113

Toll 302

#FarmersProtest

Defence

A few weeks back, an old Sikh on the Singhu border said, ‘I am really thankful to Pakistan and China.’ When asked why, he said, ‘They have not started war with India. Else Panjab would have had to fight both countries.’

When you try mentioning this to ansoojeevi, bhakt, right-wing sitting in TV studios or cushy drawing rooms who label Panjab and Sikhs as anti-national, they do not get it. I hope they would get these figures by their own minister recently in the Parliament.

Here is the contribution of various states to the Army – rank and file. In the graphic, I single out states that contribute over and above their percentage of the nation’s population. Rest all states, contribute below their population. I hope that settles the debate on anti-nationals.

Not that, and I repeat, serving in the Army is the only criteria to determine nationalism. There are many professions one can take on to be good citizens and that to me is enough.
In fact, this government has drawn the biggest wedge between the Jawan and the Kisan, the soldier and the farmer. Now look at another statistic – of resignation from para-military forces.

In the last five years, over 40,000 central forces personnel sought voluntary retirement and 6,529 resigned.

Do these figures tell you something about how our para-military views our government? Does that tell you something about the farmer protests? I hope they do.

Meanwhile, last evening, Ranjit Singh, the young man who was brutally stomped on by police came out of prison on bail.