Shobhaa De | A taste of Tibet at Nathu La and it's not chilly momos

What can be worse than Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar Jail? Err… Arvind Kejriwal out of jail. The jhaadoowala is sweeping popularity polls after the dreaded ED (worse than any secret police) declared to the Delhi HC that the incarcerated CM is “prima facie guilty” of money laundering. The ED opposed any relief and insisted on describing Mr Kejriwal as the “kingpin” and “key conspirator” of the Delhi excise scam in collusion with “Delhi ministers, AAP leaders and other persons”.

Naughty Arvind! Never mind the fact that there are far, far naughtier netas running around making scads of moolah, stashing unaccounted money in secret accounts across the world, flashing their ill-gotten wealth without the slightest shame, stripping forests, destroying mangroves, denuding mountains, grabbing what they can, bagging lucrative contracts… and getting away after brazenly looting the nation. I have zero sympathy for the muffler man, mind you, he is cleverer than most. But by jailing him, a counter-culture hero has been created… a martyr in the making, a victim who is doing time like a common criminal in a cell that isn’t exactly the Ritz-Carlton. The man has been allowed a blanket from home, and meals from his own kitchen. The twist in the saga is the wife who has arrived on the scene. Sunita Kejriwal may replace her husband as CM, say political pundits, reminding one of Rabri Devi replacing Lalu Prasad Yadav as chief minister. Well… Sunita is ably running Arvind’s PR campaign, reminding voters that two crore people of Delhi are standing behind him. Getting a spouse to smoothly occupy the CM’s kursi sounds absurd in a democracy. It’s like a stand-in actor taking on the hero’s role in a blockbuster movie and hoping to create a box-office record. Let’s see what happens. Till then, I’m relishing Eggs Kejriwal at the club.  

Meanwhile, sweetie pie S. Jaishankar, external affairs minister, is talking tough with the Americans and Germans, telling them to back off and not interfere in India’s internal politics, calling such attempts “bad habits”. He called for countries to respect “maryada” (huh?) and warned of giving it right back with a “very strong reply” if such interference continued. His show of belligerence is noteworthy, especially when it comes to China’s recent attempts to rename a few places in Arunachal Pradesh, which he labelled “senseless”. His advice? “By all means have your views about the world, but no country has the right to comment on another country’s politics…” Umm… maybe we should learn to practice what we preach?

My short visit to Sikkim recently was an absolute eye-opener.  Sikkim is a key state in the neglected Northeast, with a population of just 6-7 lakhs. But it is attracting top retail brands, with a mushrooming of luxury hotels like the Taj Group running multiple, exquisite boutique properties. What do the ever-smiling, gentle and industrious Sikkimese people really want? For starters, they want a cleaner and healthier way of life. Sikkim is India’s first and only organic state which has banned open air defecation. It is also India’s third richest state by per capita income and hosts the third highest mountain on earth. With the majestic Kanchenjunga protectively looming over the tiny former kingdom, one wonders why connectivity remains this backward? The nearest airport at Bagdogra is a good five hours away, through mountainous roads that frequently get blocked due to landslides. “Pahad gir gaya”, said one local, while another insisted it was an unruly election rally. We were stuck in a hideous traffic snarl for a good two and a half hours. My bladder was about to burst, and my throat was parched, but I didn’t dare drink any more water. Surely, more public loos and pit stops can be constructed on this busy route? A railway line is planned and there is a government-run helicopter service from Gangtok to Bagdogra, but most of the time it’s a chance one takes, the weather being so unpredictable, leading to last-minute cancellations!

My main mission was to make it to Nathu La Pass, a good three-hour drive up to 14,150 feet, with a stopover at the semi- frozen, glacial Tsomgo Lake. Thanks to a very dashing Army friend (Maj. Gen. Raj Sinha, VSM, Retd, from 5^th Gorkha Rifles), all it took was one phone call and I was on my way to a destination that has always been of great strategic importance. The mountain pass reopened in 2006 after being diplomatically sealed in 1962. Border tensions have been at an all-time high since the 2020 skirmishes.

This was exciting! What I was not prepared for (apart from the biting minus five degrees Celsius cold and icy winds), was going eyeball to eyeball with a Chinese soldier -- no exaggeration -- the two outposts at the LAC enjoy a terrifying proximity! While I shot pictures of the tall, strapping Chinese soldier, standing less than 20 feet away on the China- controlled Tibet side, our faujis laughed at my discomfiture, saying the Chinese had returned the favour by photographing me! Okay… so now I am a part of the Chinese database! Interestingly, both sides stick to a “no drones for 2 km” agreement, and are in daily touch. Frosty, civilized, cultural exchanges take place six times a year, as Chinese officers walk across for a casual “çhai pe charcha’’, watch a bhangra performance, enjoy a desi meal and go back armed with back presents. Baisakhi celebrations this year will be less chummy, because of the Ladakh situation.  Our men also go across to attend ceremonial Chinese celebrations. In case something of a more serious nature surfaces, discussions are held at the Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw conference room on the first floor of our “hut”. There’s also a Field Marshal Cariappa room on the ground floor for interactions with visiting dignitaries. From this vantage point at Nathu La, it’s possible to see four countries -- Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh -- on a clear day. It was a thrilling moment to see our faujis literally on top of the world, dealing calmly with daily provocations. If the Chinese side instal six loudspeakers, we respond with eight immediately. At one point, there were 24 loudspeakers on both sides! Our valiant jawans remain on high alert, ensuring the safety of pilgrims headed to Kailash Mansarovar.

So far, zero election fervor in Maharashtra, but with plenty of dramabaazi, what with the stealth attack posed by Ajit Pawar’s missus, Sunetra, jumping in to challenge sister-in-law Supriya Sule in Baramati. If Supriya loses, it’s game over for Sharad Pawar. Ditto if Rahul Baba loses from Wayanad. One hears bags are packed and ski holidays booked. Annie, get your gun!