WaPo Reports More Details On RAW's Assasination Attempt Of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun; Modi's Goes Aggressive On SC/ST Issues And Minorityism

WaPo Has It Wrong

Washington Post editors have chosen to publish today a report that considerably adds to Narendra Modi's muscular image when it comes to national security.

In their latest report the publication makes several unconfirmed allegations about RAW's operations - particularly about RAW's alleged assassination attempt of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in US soil.

What today's WaPo report says: The paper says the operations to target anti-Indian separatists had been authorised from the highest levels - i.e RAW chief Samant Goel and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

• Doval's critic and former RAW Chief AS Dulat has liberally offered quotes on RAW's alleged inner workings to the publicaiton.

• Dulat's antipathy towards Doval is well known in the national security circles.

• US intel agencies, the report says, had earlier this month tipped off the government in New Delhi about Washington Post's impending publication of more details.

What the Washington Post misses: In liberally quoting the known terrorist Pannun and not discussing Sikh separatist violence against civilians, the publication has consciously picked a side.

• The RAW officials the report alleges to have taken part in the alleged assassination attempt have not been charged by the US prosecuting agencies.

• Revealing the lengths to which RAW will allegedly go to eliminate anti-Indian terrorists will act as a deterrent for anti-Indian operations.

• The report also confirms that 11 anti-Indian terrorists have died in the last two years in Pakistan. Washington Post wants us to believe these 11 were eliminated by RAW.

• Is any of this bad news for PM Modi?

For those interested: Washington Post has chosen to not put this report behind a paywall. Those with jingoistic views on national security policy will possibly like this report!

PM speaks on all hot button issues

The PM's answers on questions related to Karnataka and SC/ST related topics made for an interesting read in his latest interview to the Times of India yesterday.

400 seats to protect reservation. In his answers the PM speaks at length about how his government and party will protect reservations.

• His answers come in response to opposition attempts to portray BJP's target of 400 seats for the saffron alliance.

• "For us, one of the main reasons we want to win 400 seats is to protect the rights of SCs, STs and OBCs in our country."

• He then flips the accusation and says the opposition wants to take away SC/ST, OBC reservations and give it to their 'vote banks'.

• "We want a thumping majority so that the evil designs of the opposition to take away their reservations and rights, and give them to their vote bank are foiled"

Modi's Karnataka offensive: The Prime Minister's answers include attacking the Congress government in the state on the recent murder of Neha Hiremath by Fayaz Khodunaik, terror attacks and profligacy.

• "Look at what all has happened in Karnataka. Bomb blasts, brutal murder of a daughter, attack on people doing bhajan-kirtan... During bomb blasts, the state govt tried its best to mislead people. "

• He took a jab at the Congress party - the gruesome murder victim Neha Hiremath's father was a Congress party office holder.

• "He is from Congress party, but still he is not getting justice. If this is not appeasement, what is it?"

• He also went after religion based reservations.

• "...the Congress wants to reduce the reservation provided to SCs, STs, and OBCs across the country and give it to minorities"

Other topics: The PM also answered at length on One Nation One Election, Rahul Gandhi's threat of 'x-ray' across country to measure wealth

• Waqf properties will be NOT taken away but other communities' will be

• "Our constitution protects the property of all minorities. This means that when Congress talks of redistribution, it cannot touch the properties of minorities, it cannot consider Waqf properties for redistribution but it will eye the properties of other communities"

Against minorityism: Amidst bashing the Congress on pandering to religious minorities he reiterates that his government would serve all - just that nobody will be special.

• "Our govt doesn't design policies to benefit a majority, we do not make policies that will benefit majorities, we make policies that benefit our nation and its 140 crore citizens without discrimination."

All in all, a combative interview in which he didn't pull punches on 'communal' issues.

- Amar Govindarajan