The beginning of this year has not been great. As the days pass, concepts we often invoke—such as the ‘rule of law’, ‘human rights’, and ‘women’s rights’—feel increasingly hollow. Those who claimed to have created these norms are now the first to demolish them. The killing of over 70,000 innocent people in Gaza by the Israeli regime has never received genuine condemnation in Europe or the USA. It was not surprising to see the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, presiding over a UN Security Council meeting. Never has a global body looked so hopeless and pathetic.
We are told that Melania Trump is deeply concerned about children. After the Anchorage summit in Texas between President Donald Trump and President Putin, the First Lady wrote a letter to President Putin about missing Ukrainian children, to which he responded positively.
Western Hypocrisy Over Human Rights Stands Exposed
Yesterday, at the Oscar Award ceremony, Javier Bardem declared proudly and with conviction, “No to War” and “Free Palestine.” This was not a sudden outburst but the stance of a man who has persistently spoken about the rights of the Palestinian people. Standing alongside him was India’s Priyanka Chopra, who looked visibly uncomfortable. Subsequently, social media trolls began targeting her. As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she has spoken about children’s welfare, but perhaps this concern does not extend to the children of Dalits and Adivasis in India or those in Gaza. In her capacity as a goodwill ambassador, she could have raised these issues, but it seems she is not expected to.
Bollywood’s Timid Silence vs Hollywood’s Bold Stance
Hollywood itself often functions as a propaganda tool for the Western elite. However, as I have mentioned before, it is still far better than the Brahmanical Bombay cinema; at least in Hollywood, one can see some diversity. Can you imagine Dalits or Adivasis occupying the front rows at any Bollywood event or award ceremony? Can you picture any Indian star speaking out against a policy of the Indian government? No, they are not expected to. Even without speaking against the government, they could at least celebrate India’s immensely diverse cultural heritage. But they lack the courage.
The point, however, is not to draw a comparison between the two industries. The real problem is that Western human rights discourse is largely applied in a subjective manner to serve corporate interests. Melania Trump may speak about missing Ukrainian children, yet she remained shamelessly silent on the killing of 170 schoolgirls in Iran. The United States and Israel have consistently bombed civilian areas, schools, hospitals, Red Cross facilities, and residential complexes to ‘achieve’ their goals. Have you seen the response from any of these ‘civilised’ governments? Most of them ‘condemned’ Iran for its retaliation, blaming it for firing on civilian targets. Look at Rishi Sunak, who is asking the British government to go to war in the name of achieving peace.
Given this context, Priyanka Chopra cannot be like Angelina Jolie, who has the courage to speak truth to power. Americans are already saying that ‘Indians are good actors’. I need not elaborate further.
Now, does Donald Trump want to take over Cuba? The brave people of Cuba are facing immense hardship, struggling to survive as electricity and other essential services have collapsed. Life has become miserable, yet the people continue to resist and endure these hardships. Is Donald Trump following Israel’s Gaza model by imposing an economic blockade? The reality is that all internationally recognized rules and norms have now collapsed, precisely because these ‘democracies’, ‘liberal’ nations, and ‘civilised’ states have violated them the most to protect their own interests.
I have always maintained that the world was safer and more protected when it was bipolar, or when the Soviet Union was a major power. During that time, Western powers dared not invade Cuba again. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, they embarked on their favorite projects: dividing nations and redrawing boundaries. We must remember that they do not like ‘big’, powerful countries. Attempts have been made to encircle Russia, and when that proved impossible militarily, economic warfare began. Other countries that are not militarily powerful face the consequences. Cuba stands as a symbol of global resistance against imperialism. Why is Donald Trump, or the American administration, so afraid of a tiny island like Cuba?
India Must Reclaim Its Strategic Autonomy Now
India must understand this. The Indian elite believe that their interests lie with the West. Nobody denies that India should have a relationship with the West, but it cannot be at the expense of our farmers and common citizens. Our security concerns are paramount and must remain independent. India must have the courage of its convictions and stand tall on this principle. We were among the first to recognize Palestine and stood in solidarity with its people. We stood with the Global South. Today, however, we remain silent on the killing of innocent people. We stayed quiet when the President of Venezuela was kidnapped in violation of all international norms. We remain silent on Cuba, an old and steadfast friend. We failed to condemn the killing of a head of state in Iran. Remember, Iran is fighting a war that threatens its very existence.
All talk of nuclear disarmament is bogus and hypocritical as long as major powers maintain massive stockpiles of nuclear arms, while those without them can be punished at the whims of any madman who happens to be ‘democratically elected’. Democracies will have to redefine themselves. Majoritarian, hate-mongering postures will lead us nowhere. In this respect, our constitutional forefathers were visionary; they understood where our national interest lies. The policy of non-alignment was a well-thought-out strategy to preserve our strategic autonomy and strengthen our ties with the Global South.
The global order is changing, and multipolarity is inevitable. But before that, the world will witness numerous upheavals. It is time for true internationalism. Civil societies, social movements, people’s movements, and public intellectuals must all join hands and stand up against war—war that threatens to punish everyone beyond the physical boundaries of the nation-states involved. Secondly, why should schools, hospitals, residential complexes, and civilian infrastructure be targeted? This is the greatest challenge since the Second World War, and all countries must come together to address it. The days of global imperial hegemony are over. Attempts to preserve it will only backfire and destroy the very order they created.
