Making the electoral process inclusive and giving voting rights to the maximum number of citizens is worthy cause to make our democracy better, says Col Anil Athale.
There are alternatives that are preferable to the octopus like Jan Lokpal being proposed. Extremism, whether the Gandhian excess of non-violence or obsession with environment at cost of everything else is dangerous in the long run, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
The allegation that the chief minister of Gujarat did nothing to prevent a 'series of orchestrated riots' in 2001 is indeed serious. This needs some deliberation and analysis since this has been the most frequently made charge against Modi, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale
It is entirely understandable and eminently sensible that we do not fall in the American trap of joining an anti-China front. But for this to succeed there has to be quid pro quo from the Chinese. If there is indeed some in the border deal that the two nations signed, it is not in public domain, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
The real worry is the apparent panic the army movement generated in the government circles. This shows a total breakdown of communications and atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
With the death of the terrorist mastermind, the emergence of a nuclear-equipped splinter group from within the Pakistani establishment looks disturbingly plausible, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
It seems that like in the late 1980s, Pakistan feels that its support to the IM is giving diminishing returns and they have decided to jettison them. It is not unlikely that an American nudge and pressure to do this has been a significant factor in all these happenings, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale
Colonel (retd) Anil Athale on how India can learn from the way many Muslim-majority countries in south-east Asia have protected their Hindu and Buddhist heritage.
The story of the 1962 war with China has all the elements of a dramatic historical event. Nehru's handling of the crisis and panic reactions were in marked contrast to the cool and confident Kennedy. The generous and prompt response by JFK made him an icon in India. But the US State Department, under pressure from Pakistan and with British support, scuttled the chances of a more lasting India-US alliance, say Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
It is time to free this great son India from the shackles of narrow regionalism, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
It seems that the West is sending a signal to India that it can return to old hostilities unless India toes their line on Russia. It is no surprise that India is being compared with Putin's Russia in terms of targeting 'dissidents' as the West calls these Khalistani terrorists, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Colonel Anil Athale (retd), the official historian of India's 1962 war with China, pin-points the reasons for the clash between the Asian giants 50 years ago and the series of blunders that led to India's military humiliation.
It seems that the government is deliberately playing down the role the armed forces have played in the relief of operations. Why is the state government reluctant to do so? Why is it also not ready to accept help from other states, asks Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
'The greatest blunder was to let the Pakistani army get away with its 'genocide' in Bangladesh. There is massive evidence of Pakistani army brutality in Bangladesh. The evidence is from Pakistani sources itself, the Justice Hamidur Rehman Commission Report. Some of the testimony in that report makes very chilling reading, even 40 years after the event.'
Colonel (retd) Anil Athale take a critical look at Jawaharlal Nehru's foreign and defence policy contributions and failures.
India has a great opportunity to act as go between Iran and the rest of the world, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
Given the importance of Vietnam and its perpetual fear of big brother China, India must improve its relations with all the ASEAN countries, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale.
Army chief General V K Singh has spoken recently of Chinese troops in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The impending American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the US-Pakistan divorce has the potential to destabilise the region. China may become more assertive in South Asia, feels Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale remembers the contributions of military historian S N Prasad, who turned 90 recently.
A chief lodging a 'statutory complaint' sends a very wrong signal to the rank and file of the service. Does India need a spectacle like this? Even more dangerously, this also signals the breakdown of communication at the highest levels of the defence ministry, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd)
Does the deportation of 26/11 prime accused Abu Jundal/Abu Hamza/Zabiuddin Ansari by Saudi Arabia signal a tectonic shift in India's Middle-East policy? Colonel (retd) Anil Athale tries to explain.
In the changed geo-political situation that India finds in the 21st century, defence issues and the armed forces both need careful nursing and due attention. One hopes we get a President who is competent to handle the duties as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
Is the Nyoma incident, where a group of army officers allegedly thrashed a jawan for alleged misbehaviour and then defied their commanding officer, an aberration? Or is the matter more serious than what the army is making it out to be?Colonel Anil Athale (retd) explains the origins of this Dabangg-giri.
Colonel (retd) Anil Athale says a crackdown on eve teasing, stringent punishment and quick justice can go a long way in preventing crimes against women.
It is the 'tolerance' of eve teasing and harassment of women that is the start point of 'social rapes', points out Colonel Anil Athale
The Abbottabad raid has raised many disturbing questions and the Indian armed forces must find answers to them, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
Three years after the event the country is still waiting for the answer to these questions. But instead what it is served is harebrained theories, half truths and downright lies to rope in 'politically correct' suspects to throw dust into the eyes of the public, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd).
Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd) on why AFSPA should not be repealed in parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The decline in society began when we reduced the message of Gita to fatalism. We are forever waiting for a messiah to come and rescue us as promised in Gita. But we have forgotten the central message of Gita to do our 'karma' or duty without the attachment to rewards and its fruit, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
The steps require the least amount of expenditure and can be implemented with existing institutional structure and laws, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
It is time Gen V K Singh forgets about his academic pursuits and joins politics to provide much needed leadership to the country starving for it. The political scene, both on the ruling and opposition side has never been so dismal in last 60 years. There is a terrible dearth of leaders of stature and capability, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
While these major changes are taking place in the US policies, India seems stuck in the old paradigm of wishing that somehow Pakistan will turn Gandhian someday, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
Colonel Anil Athale (retd) on the state of the judiciary in the country.
The whole approach of the civil society activists is legalistic, with an unbounded faith in laws as cure for all. In India we have a plethora of laws but very little law and order. It is essential that any solution for corruption must involve political scientists, management experts, administrators in order to work out laws and institutions that work, says Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
India has neither the intent nor the capability to pose a major threat to Pakistan. But the bogey of an India threat is kept alive in Pakistan mainly to help the military to ensure it relevance and dominance of the country, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd)
New Delhi's inaction on the grim situation in Manipur, whose people are facing untold hardship due to the economic blockade by Naga rebels, is shocking and can have disastrous consequences for India, warns Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd)
Citizens must remember that the job of the armed forces is to 'protect' democracy, NOT practice it. Neither is it the primary job of the Army chief or the defence minister to eradicate corruption. Their primary or the only job is to ensure that the armed forces of the republic are adequately armed and equipped to face the likely enemy and emerge victorious. Everything else is secondary and only in the nature of aim plus, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale
An open letter to Defence Minister A K Antony on the threat from China and the need for upgradation of our defence research and production by Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
A powerful campaign has been launched against Hazare and the movement he led. 'Anti democratic', 'Fascist' are some of the adjectives hurled at him. There is a less than subtle attempt to paint him a Hindu fundamentalist, writes Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
A powerful campaign has been launched against Hazare and the movement he led. 'Anti democratic', 'Fascist' are some of the adjectives hurled at him. There is a less than subtle attempt to paint him a Hindu fundamentalist, writes Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
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