Remembering January 26, 2021 : Capitol to (Almost) Capitol.

I had written this piece right after the seditious events transpired on Jan 26, 2021.

This week was a particularly somber one given the shameful ruckus, rather a sacrilege- in our temple of democracy, which was painfully reminiscent of the anarchy rife on our 72nd Republic Day. This piece is in the remembrance of the same.

Capital to (almost) Capitol.

On the 26th of January 2021, India stood at the risk of witnessing her 'Capitol moment'.

Almost, because the success of every insurrection is contingent upon the amount of chaos it wreaks and the disunity it amplifies. (This connection was also established via the Ministry of External Affairs' reply to the US State Department when it expressed its concerns regarding Internal Matters of India)

And that is the principal difference between America and India. The United States emerged Divided and the Republic of India emerged United- at her zenith.

I don't know where to start.

Whether to start by eulogizing the somber, dark, and woebegone visuals witnessed by the citizens of this glorious Republic on it's day of reverence and jubilation- of Republicanism, of Democracy, the spirit of which was crushed worse than Free Speech being suppressed by Authoritarian China- or whether to channelize my deep anguish into vitriolic instagrammable discourses.

The latter would do no service to the already volatile temperaments and the deep entrenched distrust vis a vis the illegitimate so-called demonstrations- would grow further, therefore I intend to delve into the 'Anatomy of the Insurrection'

The need of the hour is to draw lessons from the Honorable Delhi Police and the Government of India who exercised maximum restraint and refrained from answering to the Tractors with Tanks, although with a massive cost on our men in khakis and public property.

January 26th 2021, was far from an ordinary day-  firstly it served as a living testimony to the spectacular success of 71 years of being a Republic, despite 5 major wars, 2 mini-Wars, hundreds of Terrorist attacks, thousands of Maoist Insurrections, and a continuing threat of a collusive two frontal potential war, with 50000 soldiers seeing eye to eye.

Secondly, it was the first occasion in 55years sans a Republic Day Chief Guest owing to still rife and raging existential epidemiological threat to the whole of humankind- The Wuhan Virus.

Thirdly, it was arguably the most important Republic Day so far in the history of our Republic- owing to the sheer potency of international ramifications that it is bound to generate.

We still are at loggerheads with the Dragon and our august Armed Forces are working overtime to achieve the institutional edification and capacity building with the tactical interoperability amongst the Tri-Services and efforts to bolster our glorious boots on the ground to enable them to thrive and fight even in this grueling dark winter for the nation.

The point that I'm trying to make here is that the occasion has a direct impact on the international image of our country and in coalition building to take on the Yellows; especially at a time when we have the Biden Administration's pivot to the so-called 'liberal internationalism' and moral policing; moreover, parts of the admin in Washington have been critical of the Indian Government in the past over issues that were purely our internal affairs and our own sovereign business.

The Insurrection and Riots at the capital must not, and cannot, and we must let them not serve as a regressive factor in the bilateral relationship with the United States and other Regional and Extra-Regional in the periphery, especially at a time when Europe has again chosen Economy over Sovereignty, which is on the journey to hoist the flag of ignorance on the summit of parochialism. (Especially at a time when France and Germany-led EU has signed a trade deal with the PRC regime, overlooking the strategic commitments vis a vis the Future, a.k.a the Asian Century led by India and her allies in the Indo-Pacific)

Fourthly, having mentioned the hoisting of the 'flag' of Ignorance by Europe it brings me to that very Flag which inspires and evokes feelings of Positive Nationalism and Sacrosanct Patriotism- हमारा तिरंगा!

If at all, any citizen of this Sacred Civilization of ours calls herself/himself considers being privileged enough to harbor these aforementioned sacrosanct Feelings, then s/he must deter, combat and excoriate every Sacrilegious act aimed at denigrating the values, morals and the civilizational pride that we have, so assiduously cultivated and fostered for posterity and in the effort of making Bharat a Vishwaguru after all.

And this could only be done by calling a spade, a spade.

So the next time, one sees a protest which starts deviating from it's essence, from peace, from legitimacy, from reasonability, from civility, from respectability to outright, desecration, sacrilege, dishonour, and an appalling degree of contumaciousness toward the Unity and Harmony of this Astoundingly Refined and Potent Civilization- one must preemptively exercise 'Emotional Rectitude', thereby not getting carried by the pretentious charade like that of the Farm Protests- and this in the true sense drawing a line between Dissent and Desecration.

Moreover, ask yourself, after spending 57Bn Dollars for our Nations Defense(3rd largest in the World), and ambitiously auguring our 'Comprehensive National Power' to steer the imminent Asian Century, by steadfastly detering all external unbalanced disruptive forces- would it be in the National Interest to tolerate such divisive, anarchist, lawless and disruptive elements more than we already have?

Would it not be Patriotically prudent to shed the dichotomy between the left and the right at the boundary between Politics and our National Interest?

The same dichotomy and frivolous propaganda in the form of these so-called protests by so-called farmers - which has till date cost the nation of a rough estimate of 2 lakh 18 thousand and 200 crores, one death, over 300 of our Bravehearts injured, a woman constable beat up on Camera and of course hoisting and waving cessationist flags, and most importantly the substantial dissolution of the cultural sanctity of a former UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thus I conclude by exhorting and lamenting at the same time that -

The anarchist acts which followed the Glorious Republic Day Parade magnificently manifesting our nations' strength, culture & unity in diversity- were nothing less of a pre-meditated act of terrorism- an assault on this very culture; a culture that brings together friends and foes alike- an act of subservience to our National Symbols.

In this spirit of humility, we must invoke the Late Hon'ble Former PM of India Atalji Vajpayee by modifying what he said 'विभाजनकारी ताकतें आएंगी और जाएँगी, लेकिन देश एक रहना चाहिए!'