top of page

By:

Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 9:59:04 pm

Cheap Shots

The continuing campaign to caricature Vinayak Damodar Savarkar says rather more about the impoverishment of India’s political discourse than it does about Savarkar himself. A recent viral video mocking him proffers the familiar spectacle of those who believe that reducing a complex historical figure to a punchline constitutes serious political argument. The most revealing aspect of the latest mockery is its casualness. It treats the man as though he were merely a political opponent from...

Cheap Shots

The continuing campaign to caricature Vinayak Damodar Savarkar says rather more about the impoverishment of India’s political discourse than it does about Savarkar himself. A recent viral video mocking him proffers the familiar spectacle of those who believe that reducing a complex historical figure to a punchline constitutes serious political argument. The most revealing aspect of the latest mockery is its casualness. It treats the man as though he were merely a political opponent from yesterday, rather than a revolutionary who spent years confronting the British Raj and endured the extraordinary brutality of Cellular Jail in the Andamans. The conditions of Kala Pani were marked by punishing isolation, hard labour, oil grinding and coir pounding, which were instruments of punishment designed to break prisoners physically and psychologically. The argument over his mercy petitions illustrates precisely this problem. Critics cite them as proof of capitulation while Savarkar’s defenders point to the circumstances in which they were written and reject the conclusion that they erase his revolutionary record. But even more telling is the erasure of the human cost borne by Savarkar and his family. In 1909, while he was in London, his four-year-old son Prabhakar died of smallpox. His brother Baburao was imprisoned and the family was subjected to severe persecution. Savarkar could not simply return home without exposing himself to arrest. At Brighton, amid this personal catastrophe and exile, he composed Sagara Pran Talamalala, a cry of longing for his motherland. One need not share Savarkar’s politics to recognise the human tragedy behind it. There is also a delicious irony in the selective memory surrounding him. India itself has never treated Savarkar as an uncomplicated historical footnote. It was the government headed by Congress scion Rahul Gandhi’s own grandmother - Indira Gandhi – that had issued a commemorative stamp bearing his portrait and the Cellular Jail. The country’s historical establishment has, at different times, recognised his place in the freedom struggle even while disagreeing profoundly with his politics. But today’s political class appears less interested in such complexity. Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders have repeatedly used Savarkar as a rhetorical punching bag, apparently calculating that attacking him is an easy way to attack the political tradition they oppose. A democracy does not become more liberal by making contempt its substitute for history. Savarkar does not need protection from criticism. It is Indian history that needs protection from intellectual laziness. The man can be debated and his ideas challenged. But what should not pass for political courage is the cheap denigration of someone like Savarkar, whose life was marked by sacrifice, imprisonment and extraordinary historical consequence unimaginable to his detractors. In fact, the real weakness of Savarkar’s detractors is not that they criticise him. It is that, so often, they seem incapable of doing anything more serious.

Fire at key refinery raises sabotage fears

Writer: Akhilesh Sinha
Akhilesh Sinha
Apr 22
3 min read

Concerns beyond technical failure with investigators probing possible targeted attack

New Delhi: The fire at the Pachpadra refinery in Balotra, Rajasthan, is no longer being viewed as just another industrial accident. It is increasingly raising a larger question in the national discourse: was this merely an unfortunate mishap, or does it point to something more deliberate? At a time when the world is grappling with volatile crude oil supplies, the outbreak of a fire at a key greenfield refinery in India, just a day before its inauguration, has inevitably fueled suspicion.


On Monday, a sudden blaze erupted near the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) of the Pachpadra refinery. Thick plumes of smoke and rising flames led to panic across the premises. Firefighting and rescue teams responded swiftly, bringing the situation under control without any reported casualties. However, preliminary assessments indicate that the refinery has suffered damage. As a result, the inauguration scheduled ON Tuesday had to be postponed.


Initial investigations suggest that a hydrocarbon leak may have triggered the fire, possibly from a valve or flange in the heat exchanger circuit. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has described the incident as an "unfortunate accident." Yet, the involvement of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other security agencies indicates that the matter may be more complex than a routine technical failure.


First Instance

The questions arise for another reason as well. This is perhaps the first instance in India's history where a crude oil refinery has caught fire before its formal commissioning. While refinery accidents have occurred in the past, in places like Mathura, Vadodara, Mumbai, and Haldia, most were linked to operational or maintenance-related technical faults such as gas leaks, valve failures, or system malfunctions. The Pachpadra incident appears to deviate from this pattern, occurring at a critical moment just before the formal launch of a strategically significant project.


The refinery is not merely an industrial installation; it is being seen as a cornerstone of India's energy security. Developed with an investment of approximately 79,450 crore, it has a refining capacity of 9 million tonnes per annum and includes an integrated petrochemical complex of 2.4 MMTPA. With a high Nelson Complexity Index of 17.0 and over 26 percent petrochemical output, it aligns with global efficiency standards. Beyond boosting fuel production, it is expected to accelerate India's push toward petrochemical self-reliance and broader industrial growth.


Terror Angle

The investigators are probing all the possible angle related with terrorism in this case. The arrest of several foreign spies within the country during March-April has deepened suspicions of a conspiracy. “They may have no direct connection to this incident, yet it compels the mind to contemplate deeper possibilities,” said a source.


In April 2026, Delhi Police arrested 11 suspects allegedly linked to Pakistan's intelligence agency, who were installing solar-powered CCTV cameras near sensitive military installations. Earlier in March, the NIA apprehended one American and six Ukrainian nationals near the India-Myanmar border on charges of espionage and providing drone training to extremist groups. Similar suspicious activities have been uncovered in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana.


While no direct link has been established between these incidents and the Pachpadra refinery fire, the broader pattern raises a legitimate concern: are India's critical infrastructures being systematically targeted? Security agencies are currently examining all possible angles, including technical faults, human error, and potential external interference.


The incident undeniably calls for a comprehensive review of industrial safety protocols and surveillance mechanisms surrounding critical infrastructure. If it turns out to be a technical failure, it highlights the need for strict safety compliance. If, however, any element of sabotage is established, it would represent a serious national security concern.


The fire at Pachpadra has not just delayed a project, it has raised pressing and unresolved questions. The answers to these questions will not only determine the truth behind the incident but will also shape the future of India's energy security and strategic preparedness.

Comments

bottom of page