The Great Indian Democracy – Not a farce!!!

Lots have been said about the Indian Democracy – how it is a sham and workable by people in positions of power to their advantage. Most of this comes from people who haven’t had firsthand experience of what an undemocratic country is like. I had this experience of living in one of these dictatorial countries for a couple of months. It is then that I realized the strength of our democracy.

In my country, I have the right to speak against the government of the day, criticize the Prime Minister for the failures of the government, demand an explanation from the government, demonstrate against the government, file a “Right to Information” petition which the government is bound to answer. In contrast, the country where I spent some time was a dictatorship. While venturing out on the roads, I had to think before I spoke anything, before I compared this country to my homeland. I dare not utter a single word against the monarchy because the government was more interested in having plainclothes CID on the street to “quell any disturbances” rather than concentrate on the development of the country. Sure, the smell of oil and gas can bring in tons of dollars and F-16’s criss-crossing the skies to protect against external aggression. But can it ensure some accountability on the part of the government to serve the interests of their country rather than their own personal agendas? Can it ensure some sovereignty for the country and respect for the monarchy? Can it ensure that the successor to the throne is not disposed off because he tried to venture into US air bases situated in his own homeland? Can it give its citizens a security of being heard or a fair trial?

Surely, the democracy in my country is not perfect. Lots need to be done to maintain its delicate fabric. But it is definitely not a farce. It is said that the grass is generally greener on the other side. I have been on both sides and I am proud that in my case, the grass is definitely greener on my side.

The Times – Thou have Changed

Moving on from the generation of couch potatoes, we have entered an era of social networking. And so have our lifestyles changed with the times. Social networking sites have become so integrated with our lifestyles that they have made us passive observers. While a lot has been said about how powerful a tool the social media is and how it can be used to leverage upon network effects, the other side of the story is rarely explored.

Comparing today’s generation with the one fifty years ago, we can find some stark differences. While we display our support to a movement by changing our profile pic, joining a page on a social networking site, posting a status message, sharing a link or sending an SMS, the previous generation did things a little differently. They used to gather in numbers and join a march. Instead of posting 140 characters to show their support, one hundred and forty million of them went on the streets to display their solidarity. Instead of posting on their Facebook wall, they wrote inspiring books and letters from within the walls of their cells. Today our national pride is awakened on the national holidays, for them it was a matter of routine.

Shouldn't we stop restricting ourselves to the virtual platform and social media and come to the forefront to make some real changes on the ground level?

The Undisputed Problem of Disputed Kashmir

I, as an Indian, feel there’s a dispute in Kashmir. It’s not the territorial dispute. The territory of Kashmir is an integral part of India. The dispute lies in the hearts of the Kashmiris. Considering the ground situation, do the Kashmiris consider themselves to be as “Indian” as any other person on the street? This was a thought which occurred to me as several events unfolded during a trip to Kashmir. The first one was when I stepped into a shop in Kashmir and the elderly man on the other side of the table welcomed us with a warm-hearted smile but a remark which left me dumbstruck – “Aao ji. Apna hi desh hai” (Come inside. It’s our own country). Why is it that he had to remind me I was in my own country? After all, I don’t expect to be reminded that when I step inside a shop in any other part of India. His words betrayed those feelings of alienation present deep down inside his heart. Even though I witnessed the hospitality, the innocence and the warm-hearted nature for which the Kashmiris are so famous, it was the welcome message which kept on ringing in my ears as I stepped out. The next incident was even more startling. Because the message was the same and it came from none other than a J&K Police Force jawan guarding the Hazratbal Shrine. In contrast to the Armed Forces, the police force has uniformed men from the local state. The same feeling of alienation was also embedded deep inside the hearts of the local uniformed men – men who are perceived to be elements of the government machinery.

I used to have a certain impression about Kashmir and its problems. But I stepped out of Kashmir with an entirely different image. Many stakeholders and non-stakeholders are responsible for aggravating the crisis in Kashmir. The media, known for its freedom, is misusing the freedom for furthering its own interests. Let me take the example of my home state – Jharkhand. Here nobody dares to step out on the roads whenever there’s a strike call by the rebel outfit MCC. Whereas, in Srinagar, we moved around the entire city during a Hurriyat Bandh, and without any problems. All famous tourist attractions were crowded with people. This is a scene I cannot imagine in my home state during a Bandh call. The Kashmir I saw was very different from the Kashmir which the media portrays. The locals concurred with this viewpoint and informed that even small stone pelting incidents at Lal Chowk come out as “Breaking News” and make it to the headlines next day. The media is exploiting the situation to achieve its short term goals, remaining oblivious to the long-term damage caused by its actions.

Another stakeholder, the Indian government, feigns ignorance of the feeling of alienation present among the Kashmiris. It regards the problems of Kashmir as a typical law and order problem. Let’s face it. The problem in Kashmir is much more than just a law and order problem. And turning a blind eye to this fact will have mighty repercussions for the Indian Union in the long run. After all, for how long can it force the people to live under the shadow of guns? With incidents of terrorism on the decline, the government should consider decreasing the presence of armed force personnel and removal of AFSPA from areas which are relatively quiet. Not only will it convey the good intentions of the government to the Kashmiris but also give the Kashmiris a chance to show that they want to “give peace a chance”. Unemployment is another issue which the government needs to address. The only industry thriving here is tourism, which works for 4 months a year. The extreme weather conditions make it impossible for traditional sources of employment to spread its roots in this part of the country. And unemployed youths are a soft target for the terrorists. The spurt in fake encounters is another issue causing a lot of disquiet in the Valley. The least that the Indian government can do is to start judicial proceedings against these black sheep in the army. Protecting these men in uniform will not, in any way, boost the morale of our Armed Forces.

The government of India should realise that to make Kashmir an integral part of India, we do not need to have a large army presence in the state. Rather, we need to win over the hearts of the Kashmiris. Along with asking Kashmiris to give peace a chance, it has to simultaneously give soft power a chance. The sooner the government realises it, the better.

Doing Away with the Gandhian Philosophy

The present UPA government was the first government after Rajiv Gandhi to be blessed with such a popular mandate. The after-election response was that it was a golden opportunity to perform without the pressure of appeasing any allies. But the second innings of the UPA government is turning out to be nothing short of a disaster. Talking about foreign policy, the government is turning out to be a dud. Indians had attached high expectations from this government. And rightly so.  The mandate ensured that the government was free from the push and pulls of coalition dharma. And with the policy of granting ministries on the basis of qualification and bringing in foreign policy veterans such as Shashi Tharoor, the expectations weren’t unjustified. But the government hasn’t been able to live up to the expectations attached to it. Instead it has meekly surrendered in front of China and USA.

China has upped the ante with constant interference in the matters of the government of India and Arunachal Pradesh. But instead of coming out with a strong response, we get to hear the age-old “strong condemnation” of China’s statement and the regular “Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India”. I have already started yawning considering the number of times I have heard this repetitive response. Shouldn’t we go on the offensive and attack china on its human rights record in Tibet or ask them to move out of the territory occupied by them in Tibet. Instead we think twice before permitting Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh lest it hurts the sentiments of China. The response by the government asking China to stop its activities in PoK was in the right direction and it should continue on this path whenever there is any sort of interference from China. Why do we need to meekly surrender in front of the world’s superpowers or the budding superpowers? I might be accused of jingoism. But I don’t believe in the Gandhian philosophy of offering your other cheek when someone slaps you on the first. Instead, I believe we should return the favour by hitting them where it hurts most.

Contrast that to the BJP government which went ahead with the nuclear tests even after being aware of the impending sanctions on the international front. The BJP government not only carried out the tests but also deftly managed  to strengthen relations with the major international players. Relations with USA reached a new height and the foundation for 123 Nuclear Agreement was set up. That sharp acumen and political manoeuvering seems to lack in the present dispension. Long way to go for Mr. S. M. Krishna and his high profile MoS Mr. Shashi Tharoor considering the standards that have been set in the foreign policy segment by his predecessors in the BJP government.

India's Best Prime Ministers

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

1. Foreign Policy: Vajpayee's foreign policy successes are many. He led India to a victory over Pakistan in 1999 in Kargil and more importantly, the US began to recognize India's position against Pakistan. Relations with China also normalised. He had the guts to go in for a nuclear test and under him, India started it's march of economic prosperity and self-confidence.
2. Economy: The economy stabilised by the time he took over in 1999 and started an unbelievable growth trajectory. He firmly supported disinvestment, but not blind privatisation. As Manmohan Singh said at a recent rally, the economy grew at 5.6% during the Vajpayee tenure, indeed a very impressive growth rate.
3. Home Affairs: This is where the Vajpayee Government had its failures. It failed to check the VHP's protests in 2002 in order to celebrate the demolition of the Babri Masjid. He also failed to take any concrete action against Narendra Modi's Government. You may argue that he upheld democracy by allowing the people to judge - and it thus remains debatable whether you can blame him.
4. Biggest Embarrassment: The Tehelka scandal rocked his ministry and the Coffin scandal involving George Fernandes portrayed his ministry as quite corrupt.
5. Biggest Advantage: He's a 10 time Lok Sabha member and has won the "Best Parliamentarian" award. He took tough decisions which were the need of the hour.

Jawaharlal Nehru

1. Foreign Policy: Jawaharlal Nehru's foreign policy was flawed beyond repair. His Non-Aligned Movement and more importantly, his blind trust of China exploded in his later years. Problems that he created (like Kashmir) haunt India till this day.
2. Economy: The Indian economy under Nehru was rebuilding itself. The foundations laid by Nehru were strong enough to sustain India through a lot of dangerous periods. Food security also improved vastly and industrial growth also remained consistent.
3. Home Affairs: Democracy took deep roots under Nehru. All institution of independent and democratic India (the courts, the army, and the police) were set up and remain strong till this day. If India has survived till this day, a lot of credit goes to Nehru for letting democracy take off in India.
4. Biggest Embarrassment: The defeat to China will remain forever to portray Nehru's later years as weak and incompetent.
5. Biggest Success: DEMOCRACY!!

Manmohan Singh

1. Foreign Policy: His single biggest foreign policy success remains the Indo-US Nuclear Deal.
2. Economy: The biggest challenge for the Indian economy ever took place in his tenure. The economy still maintained a 6-7% growth rate and never went into recession. Two stimuli packages were announced and a slew of other measures taken. Though the Left clipped his wings, he still managed to bring stability to the economy.
3. Home Affairs: Terrorism marked his tenure. The rapidity of attacks increased. Thrice in Delhi, twice in Mumbai - and the Government failed to take any measures. It reached a peak in 2008, only after which the Government removed the Home Minister. It is noticeable that since P Chidambaram took over, only 1 terrorist attack took place.
4. Biggest Embarrassment: The presence of inefficient and often corrupt ministers like Shibu Soren in his cabinet and the ruckus created during the trust vote marred his credentials.
5. Biggest Advantage: A clean image remains his USP. He's slowly being recognized as a man of clean politics and strong convictions.

Indira Gandhi

1. Foreign Policy: Indira Gandhi scores highest on foreign policy. She led India to a victory over Pakistan in 1971 and captured 1 lakh Prisoners of War. She presided over India's first nuclear explosion and stood tall before Nixon. She withstood US ire and still managed to reinstill the sense of national pride. It should be noted that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the one who called her "Durga" after the Bangladesh liberation.
2. Economy: The economy was a problem during most of Indira Gandhi's tenure. She began with a huge economic crisis and the country went through cycles of deflation and inflation. However, the green revolution that she presided over has ensured India's food security till date.
3. Home Affairs: Indira Gandhi could have been on top of the list just that I am not comfortable with the idea of putting on top a person who didn't believe full-heartedly in democracy. A Prime Minister has got to respect democracy. But declaring Emergency and by turning the Congress into a sycophants' club, Indira Gandhi left a very bad legacy for democracy in India.
4. Biggest Embarrassment: The emergency and Operation Blue Star will continue to define her. She almost succeeded in hurling Indian democracy down the drain.
5. Biggest Advantage: She seems to have been destiny's child. Despite the emergency, she remained so popular with the masses.

UPA v.2.0

After coming back to power with a resounding victory, one would have expected Manmohan Singh to display signs of control and talk about a reformist and a socialist agenda for his new government. Disappointingly, we miss the flashes of brilliance and the astute political mind which he displayed during the Confidence motion brought in Parliament over the passage of the Nuclear Deal. It was then that I felt the PM was not “weak”. Manmohan Singh had such strong convictions about the N-Deal and its benefits for the country that he decided to put his chair to stake. How could a PM who staked his chair because of his strong convictions be considered weak? The only thing was that he and his policies had a human touch which India had missed sorely during the previous governments (without any disrespect to Mr. Vajpayee, the contemporary politician I admire the most).

But his second stint hasn’t been as rewarding as his first. Among the many gaffes committed by him and the PMO are the Baluchistan fiasco and the end-user agreement signed with the US. The PM while catering to Pakistani counterpart has gone on record to say that India and Pakistan are the common victims of the same type of terrorism. A totally unfounded statement. While we suffer terrorism originating from across the border, Pakistan is suffering their own making. The PM has only vindicated Pakistan. Next time there’s a terrorist attack on Indian soil, Pakistan can simply wash its hands off the issue by saying both the countries are the victims of terrorism.

The mention of Baluchistan in the joint declaration with Pakistan is another fiasco that had the foreign policy think-tank and the Parliament demanding and explanation in chorus. The situation came to such a pass that the outgoing foreign secretary, Shiv Shankar Menon had to give a clarification in the Lok Sabha. He termed it as a drafting error. It’s to be seen how much this drafting error costs India in the international forum in the long run. Then there’s a delinking of terrorist activities and the peace process initiated between the two countries. This is exactly opposite to the stand that the PM had taken when he met the Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari and snubbed him in public. The change in stance is reportedly being ascribed to US pressure. And the PM is supposed to have bowed down to that pressure. The issue of the end-user agreement for military equipments signed during Hillary Clinton’s visit caused a lot of noise in the Parliament. Then there’s the bad handling of the Shopian rape case in Kashmir which has only allowed separatists to become stronger. If nothing else, the demand for “aazadi” was clearly audible during the entire drama. The economic recession has only added salt to the wounds of the already beleaguered PM.

It’s not to say that UPA version 2.0 is a failure. There has been progress on a host of issues. But a lot of expectations were attached with this government – especially when it became clear that the government was not in pressure to cater to the demands of its allies but was free to pursue its own will. It’s to be seen whether Manmohan Singh can stand on the pedestal and fulfill the needs and aspirations of the teeming millions. Till then, let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Time for PC to run on MS-Word

With the global financial crisis slowing spreading its claws across India, the government which till now was flaying India’s exponential growth story has been forced to rethink its policies.

But what a great time for India to have a crisis like this!!! Phew... you must be wondering how that could be true. But I mean it. In fact, with Manmohan Singh at the helm of affairs, India couldn’t have asked for a better timing to deal with this crisis. Manmohan Singh’s antics back in 1991 are still not forgotten. With a foreign exchange reserve just enough to meet India’s import needs for another week, the good doctor had swung into action and had introduced what is now known as the economic reforms era. And the results are there for everyone to see.

Now with another crisis looming large over the head and with the doctor along with his old and trusted team of P Chidambaram and Montek Singh Ahluwalia back at the helm, they shouldn’t find themselves in an unfamiliar situation. Given the huge similarities between the 1991 era and today’s situation, I wonder whether they are nostalgic at times.... recalling their past days. 

With its honeymoon with the US and the 123 behind the back, the government should now try to get the economy back on track. In spite of the current scenario, it’s basically a US crisis which is spilling over to other parts of the world. And this has led to the recent market meltdown (where are those decoupling stories I had been hearing of, its back to the same old days of waiting for global market cues every morning and promptly falling in line). We are still a very stable economy in ourselves. Hence the FM who is dying a hundred deaths every time the Sensex slips should focus more on getting the fundamentals right. Oops... they are already right, he needs to make it stronger.

Or rather it’s time for P Chidambaram (PC) to lay back a bit and let Manmohan Singh (MS) call the shots in the finance ministry... (For those wondering how the title of the post fitted in, I hope I have cleared your doubts now). After all, isn’t this the ideal time for the ‘Economic Reforms Part – II’ to be unleashed. And who’s better than the doctor himself to get his hands on it. Manmohan Singh, with his hands tied by the Left for the major part of his rule, would like to take some positives back home. And here’s a golden chance awaiting him!!! Its time which will tell whether he is successful in his second innings. Till then, Indians are keeping their fingers crossed. For now, we can only hope that he starts on the path already traversed by him in 1991.