India’s ‘Benevolence’

India’s move to extend a sum of $10 billion to dissolve Eurozone crises looks as if one beggar is sharing his already scarce meal with another beggar.

With policy paralysis, sluggish economy, high inflation, presidential controversies and a row of issues enveloping our country, Indian government should and must focus on improving our economy instead of making donations to countries richer than us. The move might have brought accolades in G-20 summit, with India scoring a decent slot in ‘big donors’ tag amongst Russia, China, Japan, etc… But was the move necessary?

The amount could have been better utilized in health sector, education sector, infrastructure or the already battling aviation sector. Our country today faces uncountable problems, thanks to population explosion. And when it’s own citizens struggle to make their both ends meet, how is it possible to help other countries? Take China’s example, it first funded money in various sectors to boost it’s own economy. Only after securing a position as a ‘Developing country’, did it extend help to other countries.

But…but.. first let us understand the complications behind Eurozone crises. It began as an aftermath of the great 2008 US and UK recession, like a contagion effect. There was a big build-up of debts in Spain and Italy before 2008, and when it resulted into a pressure cooker situation, the interest rates fell and entire Eurozone was dept-ridden. It might not directly affect India, but an indirect impact on financial markets is inevitable. Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu commented that if the crises does not end they will hit India in the face. But since Europe is no longer our biggest export destination, only an indirect impact will be observed.

PM Manmohan Singh said that the crisis in European banking system was going to prevent economic growth not just in Europe but the world at large. And I agree. European crises will affect India’s economy. But the consequences of not investing in one’s own country and donating that amount somewhere else will be far greater. The solution? Simple. A smaller amount could have been agreed upon for IMF’s additional firewall of $430 billion.

With socio-political issues visible in every nook and corner of our country like a spider’s web, a whopping figure of $10 billion is simply unaffordable at this stage. Our GDP of January-March quarter is scarily dangling at a 5.3% and there are no surplus funds to spare too. Besides an even more worrying issue is the devaluation of rupee, it touched an all time low of 57.37 to the dollar. Enough mounting tensions already, and to top it up, we have the raging presidential election controversy too.

 Instead of playing ‘Kaun-banega-president’ games I hope the government focuses more on such critical issues…. Issues like providing subsidies to agriculture or health sector, or doing something about the bursting inflation.
The UPA is receiving criticism from all quarters, and yet it has it's ears buried deep in the ground.

Even Pritish Nandy tweeted: “Govt. promises booster shot for the economy on Monday. Hope it’s not another $10 billion for the IMF to bail out Europe”!

Ahem well, Mr. Prime Minister, are you listening? 

ANARCHY over DEMOCRACY?

A brief check into the past >
August 15th, 2011: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at the Red Fort, “Everyone should know that quick action will be taken against the corrupt and punishment meted out to them. We want a strong Lokpal to prevent corruption in high places. We have recently introduced a Bill in Parliament to achieve this. Those who don’t agree with this Bill can put forward their views to Parliament, however, I also believe that they should not resort to hunger strikes...”

August 16, 2011: Anna Hazare was deterred early morning on grounds of apprehension of breach of peace.

August 23, 2011: PM expresses his worries over Anna’s health and asks him to end his Anshan.

August 24, 2011: Government plainly states that Anna’s Anshan is not their problem ‘anymore’ and the civil activists have to handle him.

The government has played its cards well and can not be more explicit in showing its ‘double-standards’. In his speech, the PM allows freedom of expression but the very next day government arrests a non-violent almost-Gandhian man so that he cannot protest against corruption. The same government later voices its worries over Anna’s health, but the following day it makes a flat statement, “Anna ka Anshan ab aapki pareshani hai”. What do you call this multi-faceted behavior…? Well in my books it is called double-standards.
Too much has been said and done. I may add nothing new.
But I do want to say this.
The fact that PM throws a royal ‘Iftar party’ with ministers enjoying various delicacies, and this being shamelessly broadcasted on national channels at a time when Anna Hazare is fasting, is a sad and despicable act. Further the top honchos of government first agree with four points of Jan Lokpal bill, but the very next day they refuse to corporate with even a single point of the draft, this is pure mockery of people’s sentiments. And party spokesperson, Rashid Alvi casting doubts towards foreign role in this raging campaign is all the more symbolic of government's clueless and helpless political stance. Yet of all, the most pathetic fact is Manish Tiwari referring Anna as a person drenched in corruption. How can a person who has already made Ralegan Siddhi a prosperous and rich village, or a person who has played a crucial role in the RTI bill be referred as ‘corrupt’? He has in fact adopted peaceful and impactful means to address this issue, some may differ in principle that his methods are unconstitutional, but think about it. What constitutional method would have turned fruitful? Joining the government? Or patiently waiting for the bill to get addressed in the parliament? Wake up, this draft has been in waiting list for 42 long years, and patience would have added 5 more decades and nothing else.
The government is in deep shit, ‘shit’ here is corruption. And creating a powerful medium to execute their red-tapism and malpractices is a threat to their survival. Naturally, it will try its best in shelving this draft. And so it has introduced it’s own convenient version of Lokpal bill in the parliament, which is the worst case of anarchy over-powering democracy. For those still confused about the core points of Jan Lokpal bill (not Lokpal bill), here’s a summarized version:

1. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.

2. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.

3. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.

4. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.

5. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.

6. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.

7. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.

8. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.

9. Most importantly, the Lokpal would scrutinize judiciary as well as the lower government officials from where this chain probably starts (or ends). This would make sure that no one would be spared from this body’s gambit.

These salient features have been logically and intricately designed to make sure this bill works to the best of its capabilities. Although it would be foolish to expect the word ‘corruption’ to altogether vanish away from everyone’s dictionary, but again is’nt this a step towards the greater good? It will surely stir your conscious to step out of this deep shit (since after all we all are corrupt!) and though the process will drag at an insignificant pace, but it will utterly walk in a positive direction.  Will this not make the corrupt officials more alert? Will your conscious not retaliate the next time a traffic policeman hints for a bribe? And will not our taxes, instead of going into personal pockets, be better utilized for development?
The answer may waver between may be…who knows…or I don't care, but for me the answer is a solid ‘yes’.
Our country will take a step forward towards cleaner India.

A Sorry State of Affairs…

(The confused mind of Indian politics)

The Indian netas never fail to surprise me. Politics is a game for them and they are absolutely flawless in playing it. Our democracy is like a game of chess, the politicians and the opposition are the master players. Each move that they make is a counter attack at the opposite party, but in the process we Indians like pawns are trashed mercilessly.

The current scenario is quite similar; in between the accusations and counter allegations involved in the Jan Lokpal bill, where in BJP supports spiritual guru Ramdev baba and Congress key members like Kapil Sibal try to maintain their poise, the common man is being kicked, manipulated and romped around.

An even more ‘sorrier’ fact is that a certain minister gives supari to murder Gandhian philosopher Anna Hazare and what is ironical is the fact that the Maharashtra government promises to provide the man full-fledged security. The government threats and protects the same person! Seriously what games do these netas play?!

And during times like these I wonder what Prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh gains from keeping absolutely mum when his ‘team of warriors’ are out there brandishing police crackdown in the middle of the night on innocent people. Remaining silent about the Rajghat folly is undermining democracy itself. The time and the scenario are both ripe when we Indians must neither encourage corruption nor its practitioners.  Following suit of Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen et al, it is quintessential that corruption is nipped in the bud. And irrespective of what political gains Ramdev baba hopes to seek, I salute the man for his endeavour because ultimately his success in ending corruption will benefit the common man as well.

Well anyway, among the infinite series of plotting, backstabbing and conspiracies I gain solace with a small silver lining… Atleast the government has nailed down some big corporate players involved in 2G and CWG scam. But yet again, while they intend to curb corruption they also want to make sure that their occupied corrupted seats do not slide away from them and so a bill intending to check on their practices is the last thing they want.

Such a sorry state of affairs!