Voice from the Rooftop

War with Pakistan is possible. After Pulwama terrorist attack where 40 or more CRPF jawans died there was demand for action against Pakistan. On 26/2/2019 around 3.30 a.m. Indian Air Force planes entered Pakistan and bombed Jaish-e-Mohammed camp at Balakot. On 27/2/2019 Pakistan attacked India. In the fight that followed India downed one F-16. One Indian plane was damaged. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman ejected and landed on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and is a Prisoner of War.
India claimed Balakot raid was non-military and pre-emptive. Pakistan claimed its action was not retaliation but demonstration of what they are capable of.
There was one video in circulation which Pakistanis claimed was of Indian pilot caught by them. That was soon proved to be fake because one person spoke Kannada. It was of Surya Kiran crash in Bangalore.
There was #JaisheSagarika trending on Twitter attacking Sagarika Ghose. Anti-Modi journalists were targets of pro-Modi people.
Journalists wanted to interview Abhinandan’s father retired Air Marshal Simhakutty Varthaman. He refused. His colony’s gates were closed. Later he issued a message thanking friends and God and expressed hope that Abhinandan returns safe and sound.
There was trending of #Abhinandan, #BringBackAbhinandan, #GiveBackAbhinandan #AbhinandanMyHero and #WingCommanderAbhinandan.
Some tweeted #SayNoToWar. For some time there was #SayYesToWar.
Some countries expressed concern about India and Pakistan bombings and advised de-escalation and restraint. It is strange for USA, UK and France to advise de-escalation. These countries pick up wars with far off countries that have done them no harm. They destroyed Libya. They attacked Syria which survived because of Russian help. They supply arms to Saudi Arabia and UAE to devastate Yemen. USA wants to attack Venezuela to depose Nicolas Maduro.

Narendra Modi called attempts by opposition parties to form grand alliance as grand adulteration. Now his party is on similar path.
BJP did not show self-respect by allying with Shiv Sena which has humiliated it many times. Uddhav Thackeray referred to Modi as thief. Many times Shiv Sena MPs sided with opposition. BJP had done well without Shiv Sena in 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections. May be Modi is not sure of victory in Lok Sabha elections after losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections. Those elections are not harbingers of things to come. In 2003 BJP had won in those states and lost Lok Sabha elections in 2004.
BJP’s alliance in Tamil Nadu shows it is ready to play junior partner to AIADMK and PMK. AIADMK is controlled by BJP. Its state government is work of BJP. Last time BJP had alliance with some parties but they did not do well. BJP won one seat. AIADMK under Jayalalitha won 37 seats. Now AIADMK does not have a leader like Jayalalitha. This time there is talk of Modi contesting from Tamil Nadu in addition to Varanasi. A candidate should not be allowed to contest from more than one constituency.
Last time TDP was an ally of BJP. Andhra Pradesh did not get special category status so TDP quit BJP-led NDA.
BJP does not have a strong ally in Jammu & Kashmir after it parted company with PDP.
Nitish Kumar is not a reliable ally. BJP conceded his demand for equal seats to contest in Bihar. It was Modi’s folly.
Modi’s dream of Congress-Free India shattered after Congress victory in Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Congress deprived BJP of Karnataka by support to JD(S). Supreme Court cut short time of 15 days given to B. S. Yediyurappa by Governor and he had to quit. Subsequent attempts by BJP to topple H. D. Kumaraswamy government were unsuccessful.
Opposition parties have various permutations and combinations. BJD does not want any alliance. TRS does not want to be part of any alliance with Congress. SP and BSP have an alliance with UP. Congress does not want alliance with AAP. Congress and TMC alliance in West Bengal is doubtful.
The strong man is strongest when he fights alone. Modi could have decided to contest all 543 seats by BJP. Alliance is a zero sum game. If BJP gets less than 272 seats, it is open to threats by allies.

A minority community is one which is less than 50% of the population.
Article 29 of the Constitution of India gives a minority the right to conserve its distinct language, script or culture.
Article 30 gives minorities based or language or religion the right to establish and administer educational institutions.
National Commission for Minorities recognises Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs and Zoroastrians as religious minorities. Bahais, Jews and tribal religious communities are not included. Linguistic minorities are not mentioned.
On 11/2/2019 Supreme Court bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna asked National Commission for Minorities to decide in three months whether Hindus in states where they are a minority should get benefits for minorities and should minority status be at state level rather than national level. This was in response to a petition dt. 17/11/2017 seeking minority status for Hindus in states where they are a minority.
As per 2011 census Hindus are minority in Arunachal Pradesh (29%), Jammu & Kashmir (28.44%), Lakshadweep (2.5%), Manipur (31.39%), Meghalaya (11.53%), Mizoram (2.75%), Nagaland (8.75%) and Punjab (38.40%).
Supreme Court should have asked Central Government to decide about the matter. It is the Government of India notification dt. 23/10/1993 notified Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Zoroastrians as religious minorities and notification dt. 27/1/2014 notified Jains as religious minority.
National Commission for Minorities can reply it has to be an executive decision by Government of India that can decide on minority status at state level.
In states where Hindus are a majority, Hindus who are a linguistic minority claim minority benefits. In Karnataka, Hindus who speak Kodava, Konkani, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Tulu have minority educational institutions.
At national level any linguistic community can claim to be minority because the number is less than 50%. In a state all religious or linguistic communities can be minorities. As per 2011 census all religious and linguistic communities and Arunachal Pradesh are minorities.