Swaraat / Pattukkottai Balaraman
I was flabbergasted on seeing the vikatan’s cartoon depicting Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in chains in front of US President Donald Trump. My initial reaction was “appalling” , “unfair” and “insult to our Prime Minister”.
Let us gloss over the emotional reaction and ponder impartially on this. The cartoon is outcome of illegal immigrants in US being flown to India in US airforce flights, that too in chains: an inhuman treatment.
Minister of External Affairs Sri Jaishankar explained this as standard protocol. This appears to be a meek and timid response and appeared to be damage control. Yes, these were illegal immigrants and US has all legal rights to deport them, but they were not narcotics smugglers or terrorists who waged war against US, to be chained as if they were hardened criminals whose life was full of crimes.
US could have deferred this deportation till Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi had visited United States of America or at least not chained the deportees. It was a rank embarrassment for our PM and it seems it was meant to be. It is beyond comprehension how we can brag on foreign policy with USA at its height or Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi being close to President Mr. Donald Trump.
The facts are starkly different to the perception that is created. It is learnt that Mexico refused permission for the military flight to land. It is another matter that most of these illegal immigrants are Gujaratis and Prime Minister is ready to take back verified illegal Indians. Ready to take back, did we have a choice? The US wasn’t asking permission to deport illegals.
It is a joke that instead of cleaning up the systems of our country, Prime Minister goes Rajini’s way and bats for eradicating such sinister systems which facilitate illegal immigrants.
It is a gross insult as
A) Inhuman treatment meted out
B) The military aircraft entering into our territories
C) India meekly accepting without a sign of protest?
Of course so called trumpeters will come out with some fancy theory of diplomacy. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi represents the entire nation. Insult to him insult to us. But in this case, the insult is by US and not by media.The BJP is going after the arrow instead of the archer.
The crude display of cartoon is appalling but unfortunately conveys exactly what has happened. However, it is also a case of pot calling the kettle black when our TamilNadu Chief Minister Mr. M. K. Stalin, the DMK and its associated ecosystem preaches freedom of expression to BJP Government. The lid of the cooker can be closed but not freedom of expression.