Indian Jews: The Forgotten Diaspora

Which country will not boast of its pervasive Diaspora around the world? Strong bonds with Diaspora always strengthen a nation’s ability to exert diplomatic pressure over rest of the world, just as Israel did it beautifully, by getting hold of Jewish votes in United States.

Yes, there is only one nation on the Earth which denies its allegiance with people of its own origin- India.

 India hasn't been as reluctant in recognizing Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Jain, and Buddhists of Indian origin living all across the world, as it has been for acknowledging more than 80 thousand Indian Jews living in Israel since decades.

India not only denied establishing diplomatic relations with Jewish state, but cut off allegiance with thousands of Indian Jews, who migrated there during 1950s-60s, after Israel opened its citizenship (Aliyah) to all Jews around the world.

Millions of Jews migrated from Europe, North and South America, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq and India to land of three religions as it opened its border for them wholeheartedly after independence in 1948.

Most of Indian Jews lived in Cochin and Mumbai for more than thousand years since there exodus began 2000 years ago first by Christian crusaders, then Islam.

Wherever they fled for asylum around the globe, curse of anti-Semitism didn't stop them following for millennia, and the place where Jews found actual solace, where they never faced a single instant of anti-Semitism till to date is none other than India.

Major groups of Indian Jews, which comes under category of Sephadi Jews, include Cochin Jews, Bene Israel, Jews of Goa and Baghdadi Jews.

Cochin Jews (Spanish, Portuguese, Paradesi and British Jews) settled in Kerala as merchants and traders, whereas Chennai Jews arrived at Madras during 16^th century following their expulsion from Liberia.

Jews of Goa include Portuguese Jews who fled to Portuguese Goa after the commencement of the Inquisition in Portugal.

The Jews arrived from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan around 250 years ago settled in Surat, were called Baghdadi Jews.

Meanwhile, Bene Israel lived in Karachi, Sindh and Punjab region of undivided India. Many of them moved to Mumbai following partition, while others to Israel after 1948.

After 1948, Indian Jews, settled in different parts of Israel, flourished and assimilate with migrants of other nationalities. Most of them settled in Katamon in Jerusalem, Beersheba, Ramla, Dimona, and Yeruham.

Indian food, language, art, and culture, despite of huge cultural amalgamation, did find recognition in the land of migrants.

It has been India's too much infatuation for Arab countries and Indian Muslims, that no Indian administration, politician or social group ever tried to connect or communicate with Jews with Indian blood.

Indian National Congress, known as hardcore pro-Arab/Muslim Party, deliberately didn't extend any relations with Jewish country to safeguard their innate vote bank, whereas some efforts had been initiated by Hindu Nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party between 1998 and 2003 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. 

Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, tried to further its affection for Israel and Jews since Israel’s Independence, but could not make it as political agenda, due its insignificance in Indian scenario.

Present government of Bhartiya Janata Party, backed by Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as its ideological backbone, again in a mood to romance Hindu-Jewish unity, as they there common enemy.

With Modi's visit to Jewish state (First by an Indian Prime Minister) on 4^th and 5^th July, Indian Jews in Israel and India hopes for reviving their historic connection with their country of origin.

On 5^th July, Modi is going to address more than 10,000 Indian Jews in Tel Aviv, to trigger a spark a new Indo-Israel and Hindu-Jews relations.

2 Years of Modi: 'Branding India as a Global Master'

Rise of Modi or India

Keeping aside all statistical affirmative indicators of India's growth, in last 2 years, the present government has unquestionably been successful in framing Nation’s image as an emerging lumbering Elephant in South-East Asia.

Not to mention the accomplishments and actions may differ from promise, nevertheless New Delhi, so far, drew worldwide attention as an unfolding economic power. 

It can undeniably be a unique coincidence of emergence of BJP government, which completes 2 year in power on 25th of May, 2016, and surge of global crisis.
© Times of Israel

Rise of ISIS, China's de-accelerated economy, Western stagnancy and fall of global oil prices, complimented the incumbents, who came with full majority for the first time Indian electoral history (Only party after Congress), to stage an optimistic image of Country at international stage.

Besides emergence of new era of terrorism, fall of regime after regime in Middle East and refugee/migrants crises in Middle East, North Africa and Europe have been focal point of global discourse.

Meanwhile, India kept itself occupied in scaling the length and breadth of economic world.

Mapping the East and West

Less than 2 years of his tenure he scaled world form Magnolia in Far East to far Seychelles off East Africa, where no Indian premier ever paid attention. He led India emerge as a mediator power between western and eastern power.

Modi, not only took lead in aligning the far eastern countries like Magnolia, Seychelles, Indian oceans island countries Mauritius, Fiji, and Central Asian countries etc, which although do not have significance on world map, but do play keyhole in shaping India's aspiration of permanent member of UNSC.

After new premier swept to power in 2013, China embarked itself in eradicating deep rooted corruption in bureaucracy, intensifying cracked down on public and media outrage, while, Obama administration could not heed beyond sanctioning Russia’s re-conquest of Eastern Europe,  and unbalancing Arabian peninsula by tabling the nuclear agreement.

On one hand, Putin invested most his energy in reviving SOVIET legacy, US has been successful in inundating former SOVIET stronghold Cuba, most of the world discourse remained between migrant and UK's realignment from EU.

On the other hand, sensing the vacuum in global dias, Modi slated himself as a joining link between East and West, emerging as a leader with influential and decisive power.

Balancing the Middle-East

Since mid 2014, as Saudi's oil dominance has been on downhill, and Iran's nuclear deal imbibed another kind of contention in Arabian Peninsula. At the same, time, Modi, not only successfully balanced China and USA, but Shia and Sunni along with Jewish State, with recent his visits to Saudi Arabia and Iran, and foreign minister’s Israel visit.

Even he has been successful in mapping the largest landlocked part of world, central Asia, and with Chabahar port agreement with Iran, Modi assured India's opening in Central Asia, which has been neglected from global arena after fall of SOVIET, even having a big chunk of natural resources there.

Last 2 years has seen far intensive foreign policy under Modi administration which India never seen before.

And, amid the entire furore Modi is going to address joint session of US Congress, the world’s most power full legislative body, which decided the discourse of world for decades.

However, even after making felt India's presence from Far East to West, Modi administration has been failed in countering not only Pakistan, but Nepal which is considered to be India’s little brother for centuries.

Although India has presence in African nations, but still very less aligned with Latin American nations, where still Indian needs to search grounds.

Paradigm Shift in Indian Polity

 
Anna, AAP and 2014 elections have transformed the Indian polity forever. 2011 Anna Anti-Corruption Movement, 2012's overnight rise of Aam Admi party (Common Man's Party) led by Arvind Kejriwal and Modi's solo elections 2014  have triggered a paradigm shift in the Indian politics as never before.

Well-coupled with social media, the rise of Anna Hazare, Aam Admi Party and Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party in past 4 years have threaten deeply all the erstwhile oligarchs of Indian politics.  Specifically, revolutionary rise of these two parties in 2013 and 2014 polarized the Indian politics drastically.

                                                           © elections.in

Such was the effect that some the political dynasties like Congress, SP, BSP, JDU, LJP were shaken out completely from waves of these parties, while CPI, CPM, were rooted out from their very roots in 2014 elections. Other regional parties also faced set back in different regional.

Amalgam of all these factors aired a new kind of political environment in India as never before. Almost all the political parties have appeared directly or indirectly as opposition to ruling party, in the vengeance of defeat.

Anyhow, this has given rise to profoundly strong but fragmented opposition against on party.

However, it cannot be ruled out that each and every political party have had their vote banks whether it is on sectarian or caste based. And almost all the political parties no matter national or regional Sectarianism and Casteism as their trump card for election. If Congress, CPI, CPM lured Muslim voted then, SP, BSP, JDU and LJP had casteism bank policy. But collectively all these parties have been pro-Muslim voters since their inception. 

On the other hand, BJP which has an image of Hindu nationalist cannot even won support of Hindu voters in India, due to its radical approach in previous elections.

However, a lot of research and wiring have been done on what I mentioned above. What naïve that I noticed in recent years is that, after being feared to protect their existence, all of these parties discovered another new and trivial kind of politics.

Political debates are necessary for sustaining the democratic values, but in such a trivial way was never a feature of Indian polity. 

The situation have become so worse, that even a single move of ruling party (BJP) or PM make their ears erect to exploit  it for political gains.

And amidst the war of rat and cats media plays a role of broker grabbing whatever both sides thrown on their mouth.  Moreover, advent of social media has given another tool for such political blame game.

As a common man, I am not taking side of any political party, but it is extensively true that such cheap political have never been part of India.

Common man is somewhat getting frustrated from such cheap polity of such intellectuals who are elected to shape their fate. These parties are creating communal hatred among people, which lives happily with each other.

These politicians must first consider themselves as Indian no matter what religion and beliefs they share, and stop dividing the people of India.  First British divided us on the basis on religion, cast and north and south and ruled and now these politicians have inherited those traits.

No country has copyright of any religion and their followers.  Not Saudi Arabia has copyright of Islam, India have Hinduism and Israel has Jews. All is first – 'Humanity'.

Indian Look East Policy

Indian Look East Policy 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 3 Country visit i.e. China, Mongolia and South Korea may be seen as East Asia Policy, but it may prove to major turning in India’s international relation with Asian Countries.

Indian Prime Minister’s visit to three eastern counties is certainly going to change the Indian outlook towards Mongoloid world forever. The Western world is keeping close eye on Indian relations with these countries as Modi’s Look East policy has raised their ears.

The Modi’s visit to China is certainly going be a turning point in international relation and cooperation of India with other western countries and Asia. While, first visit of any Indian Prime Minister visited Far East Asian country Mongolia, which does not hold substantial role in international politics, and South Korea is also good move towards look east policy and unitizing the Asian countries against America and Europe powers.

India proposed $1bn credit limit to Mongolia while Korea promised to incest $10bn in India in next 5 years. It will help India in reformation of railway infrastructure, ports and making start cities. China also declared to invest in India in development of Country.

Korea, which was at the same position half decade ago where India was after independence, a small country in South China Sea, suppressed by British rule then Chinese power,  how beautifully polished themselves in a way that it has become manufacturing hub of east with world largest Mobile Company like Samsung and Automobile Company Hyundai.

Indian prime minister signed MoUs with his Korean Counterpart to help to India to renovate ramshackle Indian Railway, (Largest Employer in World) modernization of dilapidated Indian cities and renovation of Indian outdated Indian military.

However, India which was in much more good shape then South Korea, but could not stand itself  in the race of development and lagged behind more than 3 decades from this country. And now the situation is such that India is bound to import technology from a country which is merely 1,00, 000 sq km even smaller than its state of Gujarat (1,96,000 sq km), with population merely 50 million .

It may me ironically that South Korea has made such development on their own and in their own language (Korea), didn’t need to  importing any foreign language for development just like India opted English as language of development, though it remained far most behind from English speaking Counters like Britain, Australia, Canada, United Stated of America or New Zealand.

When I tried to know what Korean people think of Indian India a Korean student residing in New Delhi said, “as capital of India, I thought New Delhi It would be like big cities like Seoul, Hong Kong, Beijing or Shanghai, but when I came here it appeared like third world country from of Africa country, with no traffic rules, no good roads, to proper transport system and lake of basic amenities. I can’t think of Seoul like this.” 

However, now it will be interesting to see how Modi’s visit to some many countries for the sake of investment, comes into reality and Modi’s dream of developed Indian come true.