View: https://youtu.be/Arb-PKN4ErE?si=o-Wa3s5ovqdGCOVx
Extremely animated & explosive podcast hosted by Shoma Chaudhury featuring ex Ambassador TCA Raghavan & Bharat Karnad.
What struck me most about this podcast was not the diametrically opposite positions both the guests took , which was mostly on expected lines but the way the hollowness of Raghavan's & by extension the foreign establishment's outdated position comes across quite clearly pitched as it is against Karnad's brutally honest if ambitious pragmatism.
To all the Millenials & Gen Z guys here the former's position is what guided not only our foreign policy but also our world view for the most part of our ~ 80 years journey including during ABV's tenure & the initial part of present incumbent's term . Some out here would argue it still does.
More to the point it was the accepted norm whereas Karnad's position was always greeted by sneers , charges of adventurism & hawkishness besides being the target of ridicule in the past . I'm glad to report that what he suggests now or even suggested earlier ( in that manner he's been remarkably consistent ) is no longer viewed as outlandish or impossible at least by this generation .
Raghavan's frustration was evident given the many contradictions in his position was exposed ( he's actually admitted there's little we can do about Paxtan which is another way of saying let's move on after 26/11 & focus on the economy . At another point he says the abrogation of the IWT is good coz it sends a message even if we can't do much on the ground to change the situation given our geographical disadvantages & so on ) & which used to be unquestioned earlier including in this podcast where he got away lightly .
Tells one a great deal about how & why the Congress completely lost the plot in the 10 years they were in power on a lot of issues especially Paxtan .
Must watch episode IMO !