Is India a banana republic ?

Is India a banana republic ?

There has been a clamour for clemency for Sanjay Dutt by elite in the country which exposes the democratic and republican pretensions of the elite in India. Some politicians and some film folk have put forward the excuse that Sanjiv Dutt suffered a lot during the last two decades. They have not told us who has not suffered from among the accused and the convicted. They forget that innocent people have suffered – some have lost their lives, some have lost their limb and all of them and their families have lost their livelihood. A retired judge has said that Dutt has revived the memory of Gandhiji. Dutt's character in the film was that of a charlatan with a good heart. In what way that revives the Gandhiji's ideals of truth, non-violence and simple life is not clear to any common man.

Then we have the case of elected representatives of Maharashtra Assembly beating up a police officer for doing his duty. They have set a good example for others to follow. Maharashtra government yet to explain why irrigation facilities have not even increased by one percent in spite of spending Rs.70,000 crore in the last one decade. Then there is the curious case of Italian marines arrested for killing fishermen in Indian waters being sent twice to their countries for Christmas and for voting by the Indian state. At the same time there was another case of commission on chopper purchase from an Italian company. While Italian court knows who was given commission or bribe, Indians have yet to find their Indian counterparts. One gets a feeling that the governments in India are for the elite, by the elite and of the elite. There is one rule for the elite and one for the amm admi. Is this not the nature of a banana republic ?

March 26,2012.

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Atal Modi Vs Rajiv Rahul.

Atal Modi Vs Rajiv Rahul.

Shekhar Gupta is one most acute observer of the political scene in India today. He has challenged the two big parties to come up with a big new idea for the next election. The mandal and mandir have lost their sheen and the people are looking not really a big idea but just good governance. That is why there is a big response to Modi who has provided good governance to Gujarat – 24-hours power supply, water for agriculture, private sector investment, corruption-free administration, response to public grievances etc. UPA has spent money on 100 days of employment, loan waiver, and now direct payment to the poor through adhar and food security bill. While BJP/NDA & Modi want to empower people, Congress/UPA want to make people depend on freebees and charity. Choice is clear for the middle class and the young who want opportunities for growth through enterprise and employment. Young do not want any charity or freebees. They are confident of their ability and capability. Congress is living in past – maa-baap sarkar. People also know the corruption in every new policy, in the administration and among the ruling politicians. Congress has no new idea. People have already made up their mind. The writing is on the wall.

http://epaper.indianexpress.com/95553/Indian-Express-Mumbai/09-March-2013#page/12/2

March 9,2012.

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Entrenched indentities.

Entrenched identities.

Harish Gupta & Rajiv Mantri ( IE,3/2 & 8/3) have have effectively debunked the hallow arguments in favour of 'entrenched identities' put forward by Ashutosh Varshney & Javed Anand (IE, 3/2 & 28/2) in their brilliant analysis. The policy of reservations and quotas have only strengthened identity politics at the cost development politics. The educational and professional backwardness of Muslims has more to do with 'socio-religious conservatism' rather than with 'the institutionalized discrimination' as pointed out by them. Muslims have allowed themselves to be used by the Congress for its votes with crumbs like subsidy for Haj and reservation. The Muslim clergy has a closed mind which cannot see the changing world. Their welfare is bound with the welfare of the country, and sooner they join the mainstream better it is for their welfare.

It is sad that there is no enlightened leadership among the Muslims to ask them to shed their 'victim complex' and to go far development politics. Hindus are more liberal than Communists and have no theological opposition to blasphemy, apostasy, homoseuality, and 'yet the country was always spiritual enough to never fall for the materialist philosophy of communism'. It has nothing to do with majoritarianism. Many years ago. Veteran journalist B.G.Verghese had said that Muslims in India are the second majority, not a minority.

Every child in India should be empowered with health and education. This will ensure prosperity to all people. This is what the founding-fathers of our constitution envisaged – a society of equals. Young India is looking for opportunities for growth and it wants good governance. It is not surprising that there is overwhelming support for Modi all over the country as indicated by many polls conducted by the media.

http://epaper.indianexpress.com/95308/Indian-Express-Mumbai/08-March-2013#page/11/2

March 9,2013.

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.Mumbai Metro likely to miss another deadline.

Your report, Metro likely to miss its Aug deadline (DNA, March 6), is
a reminder to the citizens of Mumbai that MMRDA and the State
government are not capable of providing proper infrastructure to
Mumbai without cost overrun and time overrun. Metro has missed many
deadlines and the cost must have escalated just like the Mahim-Worli
Sea link, which went up by almost four times. Will it become another
white elephant of Amchi Mumbai ? Who is answerable for this ? MMRDA ?
The State Government ? BMC ? Western Railway ? MMOPL ? or all of them
together ? It reminds the common man the famous nursery song, Who
Killed the Cock Robbin ? Of course, price will be paid by the
traveling public of the Metro.

Why did they start the project without all the permissions ? Why
Western Railway delayed its permission while it is the part of the
government ? Why the compensation for the people affected was not
negotiated before the project started ? Why it was not entrusted to a
technocrat like Dr. E.Shreedharan who did the Delhi Metro within the
estimated cost and time.He was given the power as well as the
responsibility.

Who will answer these questions ? Who will take responsibility for the
delay and increased cost ? Nobody will answer these questions and
nobody will take responsibility. They all will give us some excuse or
the other. The project highlights the lack of good governance in the
country.

http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=7&edcode=820009&eddate=2013-3-06

March 6,2013.

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