India funds the Taliban!

This really takes the cake. Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has accused India of funding the Taliban. Read this.

These are the very people who have been helping the Taliban. I believe there was an Afghanistan minister who said that there was an ISI hand in the recent Indian embassy bombing there. Pakistan is a state where the intelligence agencies and armed forces which are supposed to function under the executive have been exerting undue influence historically. The situation now is no different. Our first PM died in office in his seventeenth year in office. The first Pakistani PM was removed in a military coup. These are the people who are accusing us of funding the Taliban.

Funding the Taliban to destabilize Pakistan is something that could actually be done. Of course the source of the funding would probably have to be disguised from the Taliban (note the italicization of probably, one has to wonder if trigger-happy bigots differentiate between sources). However we might be creating a situation like the US did. It is a strange twist of fate that the terrorists that US had to "fight" have actually been created by the US itself, directly or indirectly.

They had created and armed the Taliban to fight against the Soviets during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. They were the people who created Osama bin Laden! The US supported Saddam Hussain against Iran before they decided he had to go in their quest against "weapons of mass destruction". The US is not exactly pro-Iran to put it mildly. The Islamic Revolution was directed against the Shah of Iran. He was put in place after a democratically elected Prime Minister was ousted with the help of the CIA. So one hopes that India will not repeat such mistakes. Some mistakes have habit of coming back to haunt you. In ancient India there is the tale of man feeding and taking care of a snake to only end up being bitten by it.

karpoora dhooli rachitaalavaalah kastoorikaapanka nimagnanaalah
gangaajalaih sikta samoola bhaalah sweeyam gunam munchati kim palanduh

Unless I am mistaken the meaning goes something like this - Even if it is coated with camphor, even if it is immersed in musk, even if it is washed with the waters of the Ganga will an onion give up its natural quality? I rest my case.

The Issue of Naxalism

The Home Minister has been calling for some tough action towards the Naxals and one does feel it is warranted. The Lalgarh case is taken as an example for the kind of action needed - flush out the extremists by force and hold the area for some time. However some basic things also need to be looked at.

First of all, the Naxalite movement started out against the unjust land holding situation in the country and had its origins in a sound reason. Now the government needs to see if this issue has been addressed. The actions of the Naxalites can't be justified per se, but if the basic reason for their agitation is addressed one can hope that some kind of sense will prevail. A second issue is the question of funding. Where exactly are the Naxalites getting the money to do whatever they are doing? Some of the avenues could be kidnapping ransom and protection money. Thus this is another area that can be addressed. You can surround an enemy fort, but a very important action that is needed is to cut off the enemy's food supply. The weakened enemy HAS to surrender to avoid death from starvation.

What the government wants to address right now seem to be the symptoms not the cause of the disease. The local population is already fed up with Naxal violence. In Gadhchiroli where Naxals had surrounded a police station and killed a number of policemen a number of casualties were members of the weaker sections of the society, the very people the Naxals claim to represent. Public disenchantment is also evident from organizations like the Salwa Judum. Now the government needs to address the basic reasons for Naxalism to have arisen and the sources of financing to curb this menace.

Yet Another Racist Attack

In another attack that smacks of racism 3 Indians have been attacked in Australia and this time by a mob of 80 people, including women. These attacks have happened in spite of the assurances given to the External Affairs Minister, SM Krishna when he visited Australia after the last spate of attacks. What credibility has the Australian government left?

India has been protesting against these attacks. But there does not seem to be much changing on the ground if the latest attacks are any indication. The latest attack cannot be wished away as a random attack where Indians happened to be incidental victims, as some previous arson cases have been. This is a clear cut case of racism as the mob was actually asking the 3 to "go back to India".

Unless I am mistaken some of the first Westerners to live in Australia were English convicts. The country has come a long way from those days. But now it seems to be intent on reclaiming the 'heritage' of its ancestors! Imagine what would happen if we pelted Englishmen with stones asking them to go back for what they have done to our country. It would seem stupid, would it not? What has happened to the 'enlightened' Western mind? Is globalisation good only as far as they Westerners the benefits? Don't they understand that this is a world of give-and-take, and not simply take-and-take?

The reaction of the Indian government needs to be examined this time. It would be nice if India actually takes some strong action this time. Issuing demarches to the Australian High Commissioner is okay, but this time probably recalling the Indian High Commissioner from Australia would put a little more pressure on the Australians?

A Few Thoughts on Black Money and The Commonwealth Games

The amount of money that Indians has allegedly stashed away in secret Swiss bank accounts was an important issue during the general elections. Advani had talked about this. Manmohan Singh has promised to bring back this money within hundred days if he was given a chance to form a government again.

For good or bad, the people of this country have brought back the UPA to power. Apart from occasional noises on this issue there does not seem to have been any concrete action on this issue. Does the Prime Minister accept the fact that he has been unable to deliver upon his promise? Was that simply a poll gimmick?

Now the Swiss banks have said that no data exists on Indian black money in Switzerland. In fact the country does not provide country level breakup of holdings in its banks. It has said that the article on which the entire debate was based was actually a fabrication and never was released officially. Is this the danger of trusting today's media blindly? So is there or is there not Indian black money stashed away in Switzerland? Will we ever know?

On a sidenote, probably based on media reports of unpreparedness the Chief of the Commonwealth Games Federation has written a letter asking for an audience with the PM. Mr Suresh Kalmadi is supposed to facilitate this meeting. I myself have seen a few sites for the games where no activity seems to be taking place. An added complication could be the occasional hiccups being faced by the Delhi Metro. This Mr Kalmadi has been in charge of our Olympics Association (and now the Commonwealth Games) for quite some time now. What has this guy been doing? I think it would be nice if we had a kind of performance appraisal for this chap!

Mr Manmohan Singh, get back all the black money immediately and spend it on the Commonwealth Games. We shall see how they will not start on time :P

By the way, the italicization of the word 'allegedly' in the first line is a take on the ToI's habit. This glorified tabloid which calls itself a newspaper has this habit of inserting this word in its articles. Very frankly I find this practice very irritating. This is a tribute to the paper and its editors.

Beware the Chinese Dragon

I read an NDTV article where it is mentioned that China has plans to 'dominate' India. India was the country which negotiated the Panchsheel agreement with China only to be backstabbed by it shortly. We have a general policy of maintaining friendly relations with all countries. Some countries unfortunately do not seem to believe in the principle of peaceful coexistence.

China has been working with India at quite a few levels. Recently a Chinese company CNPC offered India's GAIL a stake in a gas pipeline that it is building from Myanmar. India and China have agreed to work together at international forums like the one on climate change so that their common interests are served. There has also been an interest expressed in settling the long-standing border dispute.

At the same there are worrying issues. China is arming and training militants in the nort-east, especially in Manipur and Nagaland, I think. China has been a supporter of Pakistan in various ways. The Chinese have been making incursions along the border with India. There is also China's interpretation of the Tawang area in Arunachal Pradesh as part of China.

Today India and China are emerging Asian economies and thus are also competitors for the world's natural resources. China has already made enormous strides in Africa in its efforts to secure raw materials. Probably because of the government structure and the pragmatism of its leaders China has stolen a significant march over India. It is time for us to awaken to this situation. China seems to be a country which will cooperate with India as long as it is to China's advantage and then fully intimidate/explot the country. This is a factor that has to be taken into account in any kind of negotiations/dealings where China is involved.

A Dysfunctional Government

The government in Andhra Pradesh is literally at a standtill. Ministers, loyal to the erstwhile CM YSR and his son Jagan are refusing to work under the current CM Rosiah. Meetings called to discuss the flu situation and rising prices saw either muted or no participation from the ministers. The ministers' primary responsibility is towards the citizens of the state. Then come the loyalties to politicians. Sadly this is a forgotten issue. The Congress is notorious for its sycophancy. While this has been generally observed in favour of the Gandhi family this time it is being observed at the state level.

The Congress high command is a worried lot and has asked the chief supporter of the Jagan-for-CM campaign KVP Ramachandra Rao to stay put in Delhi. The fact of the matter is that quite a few of the ministers were chosen by YSR and hence their support for Jagan is a matter of survival as much as or more than their loyalty to YSR. However as usual the victim in this entire drama is the common man. Article 356 can be imposed if there is breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the state. I believe the current situation is a prime example for this, and for an internal emergency. But which party in power will use this power against its own government.

Also I think it is within the CM's power to recommend the removal of the non-functioning ministers to the Governor. But then again, who has the guts to do this? I don't think Rosiah can dare to do anything without the Congress high command's approval, for though he is a CM, he is but a member of a national party, where the major power is vested at the central level.

On a sidenote a recently released McKinsey report says that even if India maintains an expected 7.5% growth rate over the next two decades, it will still be among the most energy efficient economies of the world. On one side we have this kind of India just waiting to take its position among the great powers of the globe and on the other we have our politicians doing their every bit to further their self interests with no regard for the consequences of their practices.

Till when will this drama in Andhra continue? In a bigger sense till when will India be held hostage by politicians?

The Indian Elections and Their Aftermath - Part 2

Also what does the future hold for the opposition? I got the following tidbit of information from a TV channel, maybe IBN7 - in 2004, the NDA had an ultra-positive campaign in India Shining, this time it was ultra negative in Bhay Ho, neither worked. In 2004 the NDA was a poor loser stalling Parliament proceedings. I hope they behave better this time round. It is surely going to be a sorely demoralized lot. Advani has already said he is not interested in being the leader of the opposition.

I am also curious about the next general elections, which will hopefully be held only in 2014, not before that. Who are going to be the key players? Rahul Gandhi is declining a ministerial post right now. The Congress is (in)famous for its sycophants, one among who had once declares "Indrira is India". It is not beyond the 'Gandhi family loyalists' to exhort him to stand for the PM's position the next time round (he will be 43, Rajiv Gandhi became PM at 40). Manmohan Singh will probably be as old as Advani is now but will the Congress choose him over a member of the Gandhi family then? So it would seem advisable for Rahul Gandhi to take up a ministerial post, as we are sure that he will one day become the PM of this nation. But what about the opposition? Advani will not be in the picture. Modi does not have national acceptability now, I am doubtful about his acceptability in 2014. Is there another leader today in the BJP who has a mass appeal? I don't think so. There are potential candidates like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Shourie (a friend pointed out Yashwant Sinha and Jaswant Singh) but I cannot say for sure that there will be anyone who can compete against Rahul Gandhi, except Modi. And we are back to square one.

And what is up with Andhra Pradesh? I cannot claim to have followed even decently what has been happening in AP over the last five years. But from what I heard there was widespread corruption everywhere, missionary activites atop Tirumala hill (for the uninitiated Tirupati is the town and Tirumala is the actual hill where Lord Venkateswara's temple is located and the CM is a converted Christian) and rampant nepotism. Rajasekhara Reddy's (the CM) son has become an MLA this time round. He is a controversial figure in his own right, owns a paper, I forget its name. It has a pro-Congress tilt (obviously) and I beleive it was started to take on Ramoji Rao's Eenadu, which was highly critical of the COngress govt and which is pro-TDP. Another thing that I am aware of is that anything and everything is being named after either Rajiv Gandhi or Indira Gandhi, whether it be Hyderabad's new international airport (a Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad flight takes about 45 minutes, it takes an hour to get into town from the airport), a housing scheme or a health scheme. Someone please tell the CM that there were other leaders in the Congress leaving out those two. There is not even a mention of P V Narasimha Rao (maybe a stretch of a Hyderabadi ring road has been named after him) and this was the person responsible for giving us Manmohan Singh, for bringing India out of the risk of sovereign default and for providing the first stable government after Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

There was Chiranjeevi with his Praja Rajyam Party. I do not say he would make a great CM but at least there was an opportunity for a change. There was the ex-civil servant Jayaprakash Narayan with his Lok Satta Party promising clean governance. There were huge turnouts at Chiranjeevi's rallies. It was the same when Balakrishna (NTR's son) and Junior NTR (Balakrishna's nephew and NTR's grandson) campaigned for the TDP. Where were these votes? The TDP and the Communists had formed an alliance. The people ignored all of these and voted for the COngress! My father quipped that people get the government they deserve.

Forget for the moment the next general elections. What do the next five years hold for us? I would describe myself as an Andhra middle class liberal Hindu right-wing citizen of this nation, and these are my anguished thoughts.

The Indian Elections and Their Aftermath - Part 1

This is going to be a lengthy post, hence it is in two parts. The elections are over. What is up with the Indian electorate? I have not exactly understood why the UPA govt has been voted back to power and that too with such widespread support. One theory I have heard is that Muslims have voted unitedly for it this time which has caused this swing. But, does no one hold the government responsible for the spate of terrorist attacks that took place over the last 2-3 years? Or is everybody hoping that Manmohan will work his magic on the economy and bring it out of the slowdown? Do people believe the NREG scheme and the nuclear deal are wonderful examples of the UPA government's achievements? I don't know.

One question we have to ponder is that what is happening to us as far as terrorist incidents go. When the Mumbai attacks took place, there was national outrage? I do not see any manifestation of it in the electoral outcome. Have we become resigned to the situation? Do we believe we cannot do anything about this? South Mumbai where the attacks took place saw a voter turnout of 47% I think. What is happening here?

One good thing with the electoral results is that the verdict is not fragmented as it has been in the past couple of years. Regional parties do not seem to have a strangle hold over the govt that is to be shortly formed. So we can hopefully look forward to a decisive govt (consider the irony, the BJP was giving ads about a decisive govt). Now it remains to be seen if Manmohan Singh can stand by two promises he had made. Unless I am mistaken he had said in an interview that he would get India out of its slowdown in 100 days if the UPA came back to power. He had also said the same thing about bringing back Indian black money stashed abroad. Will he stand by his words or has he also learned the art of realpolitik? Will we have more farm loan waivers (God forbid)? Apart from the effect on the fiscal deficit of the country, I hate seeing the money that I as a middle class member pay going into farm loan waivers. I am all for helping farmers. But do it properly. Improve irrigation facilities, consolidate land holdings, improve seed quality. Sharad Pawar seemed to be as (or maybe more) interested in the BCCI as he was in the agricultural ministry. Will there be a repeat of this? Whatever one might say, I am happy that it is Manmohan Singh and not Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav or Mayawati that is becomming the PM.

The stock markets seem to have given a thumbs up to the UPA's victory, so much so that trading had to be halted! Does this portend good times to come?

India's elections

The EC set up a voting booth for just one person in Gujarat. This was for a priest in the Gir region.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/01/stories/2009050157680100.htm

This is probably what is meant by following principles/rules in spirit and deed! On the one hand we have our election commission which tries to have free and fair elections. On the other we have well, our own political parties. As I have mentioned earlier once somebody defined politics as "poly means many and tic are blood-sucking insects". One can only wonder at the power-hungriness and unprinciples nature of politics and India is a case in point. Next door in Pakistan we have an absence of democracy while here it is abused.

A lot of voters are poorly informed. A few years back a magazine carried a report. An old woman in some part of te country said she was voting for Indira Gandhi. She did not even know the woman was dead! Then there is general voter apathy. Appeals by film actors and the Mumbai carnage did not bring out voters in Mumbai. We curse our government all the time, are we not responsible for that?

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/2611_little_impact_on_voters.php

Finally we have our politicians, the less said the better. I have a confession myself though that I did not vote. I am registered in Hyderabad and I am in Kota. I am not Amir Khan to fly back to Hyderabad to cast my vote (like he came back from the US to India). I think some kind of provision must be made for people like me (if there is one, I do not know of it). A lot of people keep moving around for various reasons - job, education etc. Some provision should be made to allow these people to vote also. If I am not mistaken we need a postal ballot system like the one for the US military personnel stationed outside the US, or something along those lines.

India and the Oscars

The whole country went ga-ga when Slumdog was nominated for the Oscars and when it won various other awards. My question is, is all the hype justified? Rahman has won two Oscars, that's fantastic and there was Pookkutty for the sound mixing. But is the general hype justified?

As Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has said, this is not Rahman's best music. The movie is not Indian (remember, the movie got the best movie award, not the best foreign language film). The day we get the latter, we should really be proud. What was showcased to the western world was India's poverty and conditions in the slums. The movie did not even do well in India. What are we patting ourselves on the back for (other than Rahman obviously)?. A friend of mine put up his status message as Rah-maniac...that is one thing that actually seems justified :)

Another point to be noted. This movie was made in India with an Indian (and of Indian descent) cast. But the director was not Indian. Smile Pinki (forgive me if the spelling is wrong) got another Oscar, the film maker was again not an Indian. So what does this prove? We have the potential to make good movies, we just wait for somebody from outside to make use of that? Aishwarya Rai and Mallika Sherawat landed miniscule parts in The Pink Panther 2 and The Myth respectively, but then again there was a lot of hype.

One one hand we have the hype and on the other we have people who think we should not hanker after western approval but should concentrate on making our own brand of movies. Both make sense actually. So we have to decide which path we have to take!

So media, stop hyping everything that can sell! Maintain some standards for god's sake! Today's Delhi Times (I detest that paper, it's a tabloid disguising itself as a newspaper, but yes I still go through it at times) was full of stuff about the movie. Let this movie actually act as an awakening call to our government about the appalling conditions of our slums and of street children. There was an NGO that came to our campus recently. The person in charge spoke well, but ended up grossing us out bygiving us certain details which could have been avoided. When will the government awaken to this situation?

Of taxis and the police

A recent conversation I had with a taxi driver in Kolkata illustrates the principle of give and take pretty well. Justifiably or unjustifiably personnel of Kolkata Police called 'mamus' are pretty unpopular.

The taxi driver said that the police sergeants have targets (like any modern day business, if I may give an example), as in they might be asked to collect such and such amount in the form of fines. Now if the general public follow traffic rules properly there is no way that the policemen can meet their targets. So they occasionally catch hold of the taxi drivers and ask them to take on a small case voluntarily. The taxi drivers also accept. Does this sound strange? Well, there is a reason for this.

According to the taxi driver, legally a taxi is allowed to carry one passenger in the front and three passengers in the back. Thus a total of four passengers (only) are allowed. But occasionally five or six people get into a taxi. On other occasions a person might choose to transport luggage in a taxi, which is not actually allowed. So on these occasions the traffic sergeants turn a blind eye. If the taxi drivers refuse to take on 'voluntary' cases, the policemen will not ignore such violations of rules as mentioned above.

There is another thing I wish to write about today. I have written about the media previously also. This is a small write-up on media hypocrisy. There have been double murders in Noida recently. A girl and a domestic help had been murdered. Arguably, it can be said that the investigation has been swift. There was a telephonic interview on NDTV with a senior police officer. The interviewer had asked the officer if media pressure had had a good effect on the increasing the pace of the investigation. The police officer, instead of supporting her view started ranting against her. He said it was media pressure that caused police personnel to say irrelevant (I don't remember the exact words) things. He said that the media personnel went all over the crime spot thus destroying valuable clues. He was thus ranting on, when suddenly the interviewer said thank you and cut the call short. When the media is unhesitating in criticizing activities of politicians and policemen (among others), it should also be prepared to take some!