Nina Bares America's Underbelly

Nina Davuluri has created waves. Waves of  euphoria. Waves of extreme discontent. Tiara of Miss America has graced the head of an American of Indian origin.But unfortunately, the pageantry was followed a racial tirade against Nina. Some labelled her as a Arab. Some called her a terrorist. Strangely, Nina's crowning has laid bare the cracks and crevices of American society. It has also brought to the fore the multiculturalism  of the American society.

America has voted that dusky is divine. In a predominantly white society, to crown a brown Asian is a strong social and political statement. America has made that without fear or favour. Maybe it will make us accept that black is beautiful a wee bit sooner.

The bollywood dance talent show of Nina has made her Btown entry more forthcoming. Nina's comment refreshingly lacked the pretensions normally associated with beauty queens. She was quite frank about her career goal. That she wanted to pursue a career in medicine. The prize money will go in funding her studies.

On the flipside, rascist comments has laid bare the fears of America. 9/11 bloodshed is still haunting the nation's psyche. Nina was offhandly dubbed as an Arab and an Al-Qaida person. That's about quite as worst a deeply troubled mind can name a seeming 'outsider.' Xenophobia has taken a heavy toll on multiculturalism of America.

It is strange that how a dainty, beautiful Ms.America has laid bare the underbelly of America.

ADVANI'S CHANGE-OF-GUARD

Paens of praise from the mouth of Lal Krishna Advani for Narendrebhai Modi has surprised all. Speaking at a public function near Korba, Madhya Pradesh, Advani was all praise for Modi. This volte face seems to have happened overnight. It was just a few days back that Advani had criticized the selection of Advani as the prime ministerial candidate of BJP. So people have tried to read between the lines of Advani's statement.

One school of thought is that it is a tactical retreat of Advani. Feeling cornered and isolated, he chose to publicly paper up the differences. A subtle shift in the balance of power in the BJP Parliamentary Board must have also dictated his change of stance.

Also, he didn't want to be seen as a spoilsport of a poll-ready BJP.

It is fairly plain that an enimity of so many months can't dissolve away overnight. The overnight change in guard of Advani, hence, forebodes a strategic footwork. It can also indicate regrouping of Advani and Company to fight a protracted battle.

TINDERBOX OF WESTERN UP

Muzzafarnagar riots could well be turning point for the race of 2014. The communal cleavage which has surfaced in the communal clashes doesn't augur well for Samajwadi Party. There is a seeming disenchantment of Muslims with SP. The old-guard act of Mulayam Singh and company seems to have lost its stage appeal.

Muslims groups of the region have come together to rally against the apparent criminal somnolence of police and administration. Some say it was well-thought off. The way the whole episode was handled was a flashback to the omnious 80s when the state bled blood and the Provincial Armed Constabulary dipped its bayonet in the Muslim blood and psyche.

Today the social fabric of Western UP is torn and tattered. On the surface affulence reigns . From beaneath caste, class, and communal talons try to rip this apart. Earlier the conflict was between Jat and Jatavs. Jatavs mainly dealt with leather in its livelihood. Jats were led by Chaudhary Charan Singh and later now by his son Ajit Singh of Rashtariya Janata Dal.

SP and BSP carefully cultivated the Muslims. Muslims are a prosperous community here. They mainly deal with copperware. Their affluence and the political patronage they attract seems to have created jealously and insecurity amongst the Jats.

Thus there was a simmering caste, class and communal discord brewing. The flashpoint may have been whatever, but the tinderbox was ready to be ingnited.

One school of thought is that Mulayam had schemed it all. It allowed the social divides to simmer and then hiss. All this to rule Delhi. Well, in that sense it didn't surprise many when he called Congress to abdicate power.

UN SIDELINED - SYRIA IMBROGLIO

An seemingly off-hand comment by US Secretary of State John Kerry has, for the time being, defused the potentially explosive situation. Obama has been constrained from initiating an attack on Syria.

As if on cue, Russia had grabbed the policy initiative from Kerry's comment, and had formulated a plan of action. It held that Syria should allow its chemical weapons' stockpile to be monitored and destroyed by a UN sactioned team.

Which means that Syria will have to sign in with CWC. Then it would have to allow Organization of Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW to inspect, and destory the chemical weapons, if it finds it them.

Uptill now, seven nations including India, US, Japan, Russia, Libya have signed themselves into this agreement.

If, and when Syria signs on the dotted lines of CWC, it will mean an tacit acceptance of pandering to chemical weapons. A charge that it has denied uptill now.

The policy initiative has saved Obama from being a cornered in a tight spot. The Nobel Prize Winner President has been spared from action that would have taken from him a wee bit of pacifist sheen. Also he would have faced domestic resistance, from a war-fatigued nation.

The Senate action has been put off till now. This has given manoeuvre space to Syria and its allies. But a lingering of concrete action can offer Syria a chance to freeze the status quo. Which the world ill affords.

The sad part of the whole episode was that UN was humiliatingly sidelined. Now boldened by the move UN has asked for stern action against Syria. ( if the charges are proved ).

Deja Vu in Muzzarnagar

Uttar Pradesh lives on a tinderbox. A flint of communal tension can spark off a violent string of clashes. The recent riots in Muzzaffarnagar, it is being argued, burst off as much spasmodically, as from a grand design. For riots have now become a part and parcel of the state's time-flow. Since 2012, 27 cases of communal violence has been reported in the State.
The response are predictably the same. Oppostion parties are blaming each other. Sonia, Rahul, Home Minister Shinde are charestically mum. Manmohan Singh has sighed a condolence. The oppostion has demanded Government's resignation. It's deja vu.

SLOW GO OBAMA

Diffidence of Obama to strike at Syria lays bare his dilemma. At a time when the world is watching US closely to see how and how fast it reacts to the Syrian crisis, the President is going slow and unsure in its action.
Obama has put the ball in the court of the Congress. Put this in contrast to the Bush's 9/11 stance - Either you are with me or with the terrorist.
The bite has gone of of the US and how.
It can be argued that domestically the President has too much on his plate. That his agenda is primarily that of the Homeland, and that war just distracts from it.
Also, after Afghanistan, the US is war weary. It has found out that it has a penchant for getting stuck in war zones. The cost on the home front of such misadventures are costly. Obama wants to avoid it. Remember, the elections are near.