Fluent Azhagiri puts to rest doubts about English skills – India – The Times of India

As brother Stalin and mother Dayalu Ammal looked on, DMK’s M K Azhagiri took oath of office in English. It sounded neither halting nor practised. And with it, the first myth of post-poll bargaining — of Congress’s apprehension over Azhagiri’s lack of fluency in English — lay well and truly busted. (via Fluent Azhagiri puts to rest doubts about English skills – India – The Times of India).

English language media in India is still in its colonial haze – and to see such decadent, colonial ideas, 60 years after the British were thrown out, boggles my imagination. To approve of a politician, because he has English-language skills, is much like the endorsement of Obama because of the colour of his skin!

I don’t know which is worse!

Apply Gujarat riot case principle to Sikh riots case: PIL in SC – India – The Times of India

A temporary setback to Tytler

A day after Supreme Court directed a Special Investigation Team probe into the alleged role of chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 post-Godhra communal carnage, a PIL sought to draw a parallel between the Gujarat riots and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots seeking parallel treatment by the judiciary.

The petition … said the Supreme Court has handled the Gujarat riot cases with singular motive to bring to book the alleged perpetrators of the mayhem and requested it to take up the hundreds of anti-Sikh riots cases pending in various courts for 25 years without there being any justice to the victims and their families.

The PIL, … was also categoric that pendency of the anti-Sikh riot cases for 25 years made a mockery of the criminal justice system that should equally protect the victims and the right of the accused for a speedy trial. (via Apply Gujarat riot case principle to Sikh riots case: PIL in SC – India – The Times of India ellipsis mine).

1984 anti-Sikh riots

This PIL does raise some interesting questions in the minds of people I know (and dont know too!), Your Honour!

1. Are Muslims ‘more equal’ than Sikhs?
2. Is killing of Muslims by Hindus more heinous than Hindu killing of Sikhs? I am not raising the question of Sikhs and Muslims killing Hindus – for instance in Punjab and Kashmir!
3. Does the fact that the 1984 killings happened under the very nose of the Supreme Court make it a ‘more understandable’ case?
4. Is there a greater need to prove to the Muslim (world) that India cares – than to deliver justice to the Sikh population?
5. The Muslims have many spokesmen in the international world – but the Sikhs have no one except (maybe) fellow Indians? Is the Honourable Supreme Court worried about international opinion more than the due process of law – which will dis-favour the Sikhs?
6. Older cases should usually occupy the Honourable Court’s attention – rather than newer ones? The Honourable Court may need to explain why a newer case has been more favoured than the older one?
7. Does the ‘noise’ level of a case create pressure on the Honourable Court?
8. Does the size of the Muslim electorate have anything to do with this ‘activism’ – compared to the lesser Sikh Voters, leading to ‘passive’ justice?

The Sikhs have not seen justice for 25 years ...

The Indian Supreme Court is untainted by dubious legal precedents of the American Supreme Court.

The much vaunted ‘Western principle of equal in the eyes of law’ was given short shrift by the US Supreme Court in the Dredd Scott case – by which the slave forefathers of the modern African-Americans were barred from approaching American Courts. Similarly, in its wisdom, the US Supreme Court rubber stamped segregation between Whites and the African Americans by the Plessy vs. Ferguson verdict (1892). In yet landmark case, the US Supreme Court decided, (Myner v. Happerstett) that being a US citizen did not give women the right to vote. Finally, after more than 100 years of Women’s Suffrage Movement, the right to vote was given to the women in the US in 1924.

Such ‘differences’ in judicial treatment of similar cases dilutes the high standards of that the Indian Supreme Court has set for itself.

India faces more 26/11-like threats: Former US envoy

Blackwill, who has co-authored the report titled “Terrorism against India — Lessons from Mumbai”, was delivering a lecture on the report at a meeting organised here by industry body CII. He said apart from intelligence failure, inadequate coastal security, failure of the government to respond swiftly to such incidents, inability to form a single command centre for operation against terrorists and ill-equipped police force were some of the areas of concern for India.

Speaking about the findings of his report, Blackwill said the only way to stop such attacks was swift and coordinated response and prevent terrorists from achieving their objective — which in the case of Mumbai was to grab maximum international attention. (via India faces more 26/11-like threats: Former US envoy).

LeT's Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi speaks during a rally at Muzaffarabad, in PoK. Photo Courtesy - AP

Trojan horses are used even today

Here is a someone, stoking up India’s fears and insecurities. Allegedly, Blackwill was used by Manubhai to ‘expedite’ the Indo-US Nuclear deal. Is Blackwill, now with RAND Corporation, a ‘respected US think tank’, angling for another assignment – maybe on behalf on some manufacturer of police-intelligence-surveillance equipment companies?

Blackwill’s comments came in during a discussion about the Rand Report on the Terrorist Strike on Mumbai, conducted by CII. (from ‘US policy on Pak terror has failed’, a newspaper report)

Looking at the saturation coverage in the Indian media, there is more to the story than the milk-of-US-kindness!

26/11 - Mumbai Attacks

Saturation Coverage

India faces more 26/11-like threats: Former US envoy

‘US policy on Pak terror has failed’

India faces more terror attacks: US study

26/11 attack shows firearms assault can succeed: Blackwill

Blackwill offers FBI help

India can expect more terror attacks like the Mumbai carnage:US study

India to find its own solution to curb terrorism: Blackwill

Top ex-US diplomat likens Pakistan to Cuban missile crisis

India faces threat of a Mumbai rerun: US study

‘India likely to face more Mumbai-style attacks’

India faces threat of Mumbai like attack: US study

Blackwill warns of US pressure on J&K

Study predicts Mumbai rerun

India faces serious threat of a Mumbai rerun: US study

India faces more threats: US study

The World’s Most Reputable Companies

Is that what reputations can be built upon?

Reputation Institute collected survey data on 600 companies globally. Only people in a company’s home country and familiar with the company could rate it. So Americans could only rate American companies they knew about. It seems they don’t like their companies as much as Brazilians do.

Brazil had the second highest percentage of its participating companies ranked above the global average–76%–while 62% of American companies received pulse scores above the average. However it’s the people of India who love their companies the best. Of India’s 27 corporations ranked by the institute, 24 (89%) placed above the average. Seventeen of them landed in the top third of the list. (via The World’s Most Reputable Companies – Forbes.com).

What does one make of this

This is interesting? How is this data to be read?

Is this a Indic pattern where people are not imprisoned in large numbers, where people with criminal records get elected to the Parliament – and companies are trusted to such a significant extent!

Related Articles

• World’s Most Reputable Companies (forbes.com)

Wall Street Dinosaurs cartoon

Follow @StPTBarnum

The real pandemic – Sunita Narain

Indus Valley seal showing domestic animals

Take swine flu — now renamed. We know it started in La Gloria, a little town in Mexico. We know a young boy suffering from fever in March became the first confirmed victim of the current outbreak, which, even as I write, has reached India. What is not said is this ill-fated town is right next to one of Mexico’s biggest hog factories, owned by the world’s largest pig processor, Smithfield Foods. What is also not said is that people in this town have repeatedly protested against the food giant for water pollution, terrible stench and waste dumping. (via Sunita Narain: The real pandemic).

This will jolt you upright

There were two things about this post which made me sit up.

Annual World Wheat Production

One – The real story behind the ‘probable’ pandemic. This is something that most mainstream media writers do not tell. Take official Government press releases, (sometimes) change the language and call it news. Sometimes, they help in the cover up. If this story does not become well-known enough, Mexico and its poor will be blamed for the starting this pandemic – by the West.

Two – the fragile state of US agriculture, specifically, and the West in general.

About 46,000 ‘corporate’ farmers, account for nearly 50% of US farm output – and most of the US$20 billion in subsidy. The US Government prints vast amounts of currency notes or issues US Treasury Bonds, which are lapped up (earlier by the Middle East Oil Potentates, and the Chinese these days). This money is then handed over to these ‘American farmers’.

The US agricultural system

An interesting situation exists in the food sector – especially in the US. Giant food corporations, killed buying competition with high prices (to farmers), direct buying from farmers (at higher prices), monoclonal seeds that destroy bio-diversity. And the US consumers are not getting the lower food prices that are being promised in India.

Industrial crops will create a food-grain crisis

Farmers became dependent on corporate supplies of seeds (at high prices) and corporate purchases by the same corporations (at low prices). Today, an ‘efficient’ and ‘hi-tech’ agricultural farm sector in the US needs more than US$ 20 billion (conservative estimates are US$12 billion) of subsidies to survive.

The US-EPA says, “By 1997, a mere 46,000 of the two million farms in this country (America), accounted for 50% of sales of agricultural products (USDA, 1997 Census of Agriculture data)” (bold letters supplied) – and gobble up most of this huge subsidy that lowers Third World agricultural prices. These lower agricultural prices devastate agriculture in Third World countries, creating man-made famines. These man-made famines, of course, gives the West a false sense of superiority.

A study in contrast

The Indian agricultural system, with nil subsidies, working with cost disadvantages, does not have giant buying corporations and monoclonal seed stock, is holding its own against subsidized agricultural systems of the West. And paid hacks of these Western corporations are trying to tell Indian consumers and policy makers that these giant corporations will cut food costs in India.

Economic crisis

These giant corporations are aiming for entry into India – promising ‘efficiencies’ in buying (which will give consumers a better price), and higher prices for farmers (which will increase farm incomes). Of course, this will last as long as there is competition.

Once, these giant corporations, fueled by huge amounts of debt and equity, drive out competition, they will lower the boom on the consumers and the farmer – like in the USA.

Stuffed and starved

Raj Patel, in his book, Stuffed and Starved, demonstrates how global food corporations are behind global food habits, imbalance traditional diets, creating disease epidemics (like diabetes) – and how India needs to be careful before crafting industrial policies that encourage these global corporations to destroy Indian agriculture. A book review extracts some key points as follows,

Polluter cleans up principle ought to apply (Carton by David Horsey; courtesy - indianinthemachine.wordpress.com). Click for larger image.

What we think are our choices, says Patel, are really the choices of giant food production companies. Millions of farmers grow food, six billion people consume it. But in between them are a handful of corporations creating what Patel calls “an hourglass” model of food distribution. One Unilever controls more than 90% of the tea market. Six companies control 70% of the wheat trade. Meanwhile, farmers across the world are pitted against each other, trying to sell these gatekeeper companies their produce. And if you think the consumer comes out on top because of all this competition, think again.

The End of Bretton Woods

With the collapse of Bretton Woods, this will become increasingly difficult. Where will US agriculture be without subsidies – in a massively high costs zone. US food exports will shrivel and global agricultural prices will reach (at least) 200 year highs (my estimate). And that will be the golden hour for Indian agriculture. What is the only dark cloud in this scenario – GM seeds which the West is pushing down the reluctant Indian agriculturists’ throat. With significant help from the Indian Government.

Related articles

• Bamboo is liberated, says Jairam Ramesh (hindu.com)
• Growth in India – the state of the trickle-down debate | Priti Patnaik (guardian.co.uk)
• Global food crisis: Smallholder agriculture can be good for the poor and for the planet | Elwyn Grainger-Jones (guardian.co.uk)
• The Truth About Flu Pandemics (everydayhealth.com)
• Global food crisis: Argentina in battle with multinational grain giants | Felicity Lawrence in Buenos Aires (guardian.co.uk)

Hand-over English education to the private sector

The reason we’ve driven all the way to Neemrana … is the NIIT University that is taking shape in the shadow of the Aravallis here, a 100-acre campus that though still under construction, will, insists Pawar, be ready to welcome its first students — for courses in BTech, MTech and PhDs in computer science and engineering, educational technology, and bioinformatics and biotechnology — in September this year. “We grew from a two-week course,” says Pawar — this was in 1981when NIIT was launched — “to a year-long course in 1989 as a need-based response and franchising model to grow HR practices, innovation and breaking fresh ground.” It rode the IT boom, creating opportunities for skill-sets in, besides IT, banking, finance, insurance and management. “The path to higher education was always clear,” Pawar now nods. (via Breakfast with BS: Rajendra Pawar).

Backdoor privatization

The Vedanta industrial group is setting up a University in Orissa. From a campus at the new Lavassa township, Oxford is going to start offering courses. These and other represent the quiet backdoor ‘privatization’ of Indian higher education.

Hidden subsidies

Large tracts of lands are being acquired by the Government, and handed over for a pittance to the private sector. Soon, we will have competition between State Sector subsidized English education – and private sector subsidized education.

Who will help Indian languages get back on their feet

While Indian language Universities are struggling – for funding, respect, status, support, foreign Universities, using paper money, backed by the Bretton Woods fraud, will impose their ideas, culture, etc in India.

While the English speaking economic bloc is struggling, India is not focussing on the French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese Blocs which are large, excellent opportunities.

This can be a way out …

This actually is a good way out. There is a significant demand for English language education – at least currently. This demand can be met by the private sector. In the meantime, misdirected State subsidies can be gainfully used to help Indian language education get back on its feet.

In the not very long run, the state must get out of making up the minds of its citizens.

Hillary Clinton on Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan – The White House, Press Office

Hillary and lies ...tch ... tch ...!

it is fair to say that our policy toward Pakistan over the last 30 years has been incoherent. I don’t know any other word to use. We came in in the ’80s and helped to build up the Mujahideen to take on the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The Pakistanis were our partners in that. Their security service and their military were encouraged and funded by the United States to create the Mujahideen in order to go after the Soviet invasion and occupation.

The Soviet Union fell in 1989, and we basically said, thank you very much; … Their democracy was not secure and was constantly at risk of and often being overtaken by the military, which stepped in when it appeared that democracy could not work.

And so I think that when we ask that question it is fair to apportion responsibility to the Pakistanis, but it’s also fair to ask ourselves what have we done and how have we done it over all of these years, and what role do we play in the situation that the Pakistanis currently confront.

… our new approach toward Pakistan is qualitatively different than anything that has been tried before. … we support the democratically elected government, but we have to have a relationship where we are very clear and transparent with one another; where we have the kind of honest exchanges that have come out of our trilateral meetings, where we’re sitting across the table and we’re saying, what do you intend to do about what we view as an extremist threat to your country, which by the way, also threatens us.

… it is our responsibility to support the democratically elected government, to be a source of advice and counsel where requested, but also to step in with aid that can try to make this government as successful as possible in delivering results for the people of Pakistan. (via The White House – Press Office – Briefing by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan).

So much excitement …

Is admission of ‘truth’ something that merits a celebration? Does obfuscation and cover-ups for the last 50 years, get  ‘white-washed’ by an admission of ‘guilt’ – and a some paltry million dollars in ‘aid’ – outlined many times in many 2ndlooks and Quicktakes?

The Indian media is agog with this ‘story’! And a section of the US media is worried about what all Hillary will ‘admit’?

Not what the US does – but what will Pakistan do …

That is important.

Will the Pakistan nation take charge. Will the Pakistani establishment ‘admit’ the truth. Will they remove the cobwebs of self delusion? There is some ambivalence in Pakistan about their attitude towards India.

Modern Pakistan

Pakistan is actually 5 parts. First is the army and the ISI combination. Then there are the popular politicians who participate in elections. Add the mullah-madrasa-mujahhid combine with a fundamentalist clergy, various terrorist groups – like JeM, LeT, Al Qaida, various Taliban factions et al make up the third.

The fourth part are the 22 families that control the economy and wealth of Pakistan. Mahbub-ul-Haq’s “22 families” speech in Karachi in 1968 highlighted the power and wealth of a few families in Pakistan.

And bringing up the rear there are the rest. No one in Pakistan talks to anyone. Each has contempt for the other four. And all five have separate agenda.

With Or Without The West

For 60 years, India has grown steadily – slowly, and in spite of the West.

India’s defense production, its nuclear program or its space program and its India’s software success are homegrown. As are its successes in industry, stockmarkets, education, films and television programming, its democracy and the rise of its middle class. In the nuclear industry, India’s thorium approach to nuclear energy design will possibly open new realms in nuclear arena. At various times, when India has been stuck, it has been the West that has pushed India further into a corner. Even in matters of foodgrain, when India was a user of PL-480 grain. Or for instance, the Kaveri jet engine or the cryogenic engines.

While our Manubhai is chasing the chimera of Western approval and panting and drooling to ’sit at the high table in the global comity of nations,’ the back yard, Manubhai is burning.

And Pakistan should possibly learn this one thing from India.

India’s Pakistan Fixation

Of course, the Indian part of the equation needs looking at, also.

September 11th, 2008. US President George Bush permitted US troops to take offensive actions against its ally, Pakistan – in the US War against terror! Indian news channels were elated – and it must have taken Arnab Goswami (of Times Now) a lot of self-restraint not to do a gig. It took 4 generations of Indian (and now part of Pakistan) leaders to throw out the West from the sub-continent. 60 years later, India is celebrating the return of the West, to the sub-continent. The most potent symbol of this is India’s Pakistan Fixation.

The Pakistan Fixation is a a cover-up of India’s laziness or lack of resolve. I don’t really believe that Pakistan has the focus or the persistence to do half the things that India imagines Pakistan is doing. In the last 20 years, India has lowered its guard – and has become further fixated on the Pakistan bogey. The Pakistan Fixation hides Indian ineptness at confronting the root of Pakistani problem – USA, amongst others.

Western Adventurism – The Imperative

Without slavery, the West does not enjoy the manpower edge that it had till 1900. The loss of colonies from 1900-1950 has taken away the resource base and captive markets for Western dominance. Now with the collapse of Bretton Woods, the opacity in financial systems is diminished. The welfare state has put a significant burden on an aging Western population.

With fading prowess on one side, and a resurgent Asia on the other, the US and EU are now at the cross roads. Is the West prepared to quietly fade away in the sunset?

Unlikely.

What Have We Achieved

60 years on, there is nothing to show for these border disputes. Dutifully, the Indians, Pakistanis and the Chinese glare at each other – over colonial border issues. These border issues are less than peripheral to our nations. We have allowed the past to hold our future as a hostage.

The past is extracting a ransom that we cannot afford to pay. Let us recognize our past for what it is – empty ballast that is dragging us down. Having achieved nothing on this front for the last 60 years, why do we wish to continue down that path? We need to see that going downhill is always easier than climbing the Himalayas.

Pakistan's faith in the West is touching .. and amusing!

The Detritus

As various colonial powers were forced out of various colonies, left behind was the garbage of colonialism. This post-colonial debris has become the ballast, that is dragging down many newly de-colonized countries.

Vietnam suffered from a prolonged war (1956-1976) – and finally peace had a chance after 20 years of war. Korea remains divided. The Cyprus problem between Turkey, Greece and the Cypriots has been simmering for nearly 100 years. The role of the Anglo Saxon Bloc, in Indonesia, the overthrow of Sukarno, installation of Suharto and finally the secession of East Timor is another excellent example. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict (1935 onwards) will soon enter its 75th year. The entire Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a creation of the Anglo-French-American axis. The many other issues in the West Asia and Africa are living testimony of the Western gift to the modern world.

Closer home is the Kashmir problem. After 60 years of negotiations, India-Pakistan relations have remained hostage to the Kashmir issue. Similarly, between China and India, the border issues remain 60 years after the eviction of Britain from India.

India and Pakistan must remember that the Pakistani armies and the Indian armies at the time of the 1948 Indo-Pak War, were under the command of British Generals. India’s Governor General , in 1948 was Mountbatten, who was removed after this mischief was done.

Pakistan special effects

Things become more difficult when leaders like Asif Ali Zardari dismiss written agreements with his coalition partners, PML (N) headed by Nawaz Sharf, claiming agreements were not”holy like the holy Koran.” Or when General Musharraf starts a Kargil War with a rogue army that is no longer under the command of the civilian authority.

2ndlooks and Quicktakes on Pakistan

Pakistan – a nation in fidayeen mode?

What should India’s counter terrorism plan look like …

Mumbai Massacre – The real blame and real culprits

India’s Pakistan Fixation

Terrorists And Counterfeit Indian Currency

For More Than 60 Years …

Indo Pak Relations – What Will It Take

India Lowers Guard

New Empire Builders – Neo-Cons Sneaking In

The Carving Of The Middle East

British Empire & The Anglo Saxon Bloc

Behind The Web Of Terror

Related articles

• Clinton’s surprise Pakistan visit – ABC Online (news.google.com)
• Clinton’s visit removes misconceptions: Pakistan – Xinhua (news.google.com)
• Hillary Clinton pledges US ‘commitment’ to Pakistan – BBC News (news.google.com)
• Anti-Americanism will not end Pakistan’s problems, Hillary Clinton says (telegraph.co.uk)
• You: Hillary Clinton arrives in Pakistan amid tense relations (guardian.co.uk)
• Hillary Clinton visits Pakistan to repair strained ties (telegraph.co.uk)
• U.S. cannot solve Pakistan’s problems, says Hillary (hindu.com)
• Hillary Clinton in Pakistan visit (bbc.co.uk)

Indian Students Facing Attacks in Australia – BusinessWeek

A senior diplomat at the High Commission told ET that in the last six months, there have been 500 cases of assault on Indian students, registered by the police authorities across Australia. There are fears that such incidents of muggings, theft, racial abuse, car jackings and even murder are on the increase because of the economic meltdown and loss of jobs.

In fact, the Australian government’s $3.5-million campaign to attract Indian students-in an effort to combat recession-could remain a non-starter if the issue of racial attacks is not addressed. An estimated 95,000 Indian students joined Australian institutions of higher education in the first 11 months of 2008. (via Indian Students Facing Attacks in Australia – BusinessWeek).

Do we need this?

Indians are the most important part of work force planning for the entire West. To keep the declining Western economy (and aging populations) ticking, they need Indians – especially the English speaking countries of US of A, UK, Australia and Canada.

This is possibly the one thing that Indians need to understand!

Do Indians have to put up with this kind of insecurity and aggression? After all, (nearly all) Indians are legally entitled to stay in these countries – and in fact, being pursued by some of these countries. What action is the Australian Government taking to solve this problem? Nothing, as far as I can see. Some Indians have got together and a helpline was launched to protect Indian students from violence – reports the Hindustan Times.

In the US of A …

For the last few years, there has been a spate of killings of Indians in the US of A. The important part is these incidents is the common factors: –

1. Most of thee victims are from Andhra Pradesh (in India) – which sends the largest numbers of techies and students from India.
2. All the seven victims were students or young tech workers.
3. These have happened with regularity. Every 45-75 days.
4. None of these students had any criminal record or involvement in any criminal activity or groups.

Seven murders in 15 months is too many to be a co-incidence.

What’s happening?

Foreign workers being blamed for job losses in USA? Is there some racist group behind this. Is is the Ku Klux Klan? Indian groups had requested FBI to check this out.

Anybody out there?

Importance of Indian immigrants to the US of A

Repeated attacks

Each year, India loses more than 1,00,000 doctors, engineers, other post graduates to the US alone and another 3,00,000 to other Western countries – commonly, referred to as ‘brain drain.’

To get a real handle on this number, project this number to the 25-65 age group in the USA. At 100,000 students and professionals every year from India, there are nearly 3.5-4.0 million highly qualified Indians between the ages of 25-65 – holding up the US industry. The IRS of the USA processed under 100.5 million individual tax returns – from a US population of 300.5 million. Thus approximately 4% of the total US working population. Put another way, Indians comprise an estimated 10%-15% of the highly qualified and (highly paid) workforce in the US.

Who pays for this

The Indian tax-payer supports India’s higher education (English based) system to the tune of Rs.2,50,000 crores (US$60 billion). The rest of the world picks up these Indian assets at no investment – and the poor Indian tax payer continues to subsidize English language education which benefits the entrenched Westernized Indian elite. These well-trained, qualified young people at the start of their productive lives are lost to the West (and others).

What is the cost for the 300,000 people that India loses to the West each year? Just the direct cost to the Indian tax payer is US$ 2 billion, or Rs.10,000 crores annually.

India needs to end this subsidy to the West

Another attack ...

The usefulness and transferability of utility would be highly reduced, if India were to completely use Indian languages in higher education. Indian investment in higher education would then start benefiting India – and the poor Indian tax payers.

A recent report on ‘brain drain’ for India Government circulation did not even mention how the use of English language for higher education in India increases transferability of utility from India to richer English using academic systems – like the USA.

Actions … and reactions

The most ‘practical’ suggestion that the Australian leader could come up with was that Indians should try and look ‘less Indian.’

But … the Islamic Council of Victoria (said) it’s all an ill-conceived idea. The Council’s Nazeem Hussein says he is disappointed more is not being done to stop the attacks and protect the foreign visitors.

“I think it’s one thing to help the victims look less like victims, sorry to look less Indian, but I think it’s another thing to really attack the core issue here which is racism,” he said.

“And we’re seeing not as much from the police that we would have probably expected.

“It’s only a particular type of crime that is on the rise and that’s crimes against people that look Indian. So really that statistic means not very much given that this particular crime is on the increase.” (ellipsis mine; brackets mine).

The other thing that the Australians decided to do was to send an official, “Leading Senior Constable Victor Robb will travel to India to brief prospective students about ways to avoid trouble.”

To India to ‘counsel’ Indians students on avoiding such attacks.

And Amitabh Bachchan decided against a honorary doctoral degree by a Australian University.

Post script

Three days after this post, the dam broke.

Sadly …

Another Indian student was attacked – and battling for life, in a Melbourne hospital, after a vicious attack with a screw driver.

Internet forums – Discussions and comments

Interestingly, in a discussion group, some commented that,“Australia is walking on eggshells with India probably mainly due to tensions over Cricket.” Now this is interesting. This brings me back to sports as a propaganda tool in the Anglo Saxon Bloc!

And money! Indian cricket is the only Western sport in India, where India is a global power – in terms of financial muscle and performance.Is that what is hurting the average, ‘Joe’ Australian!

The other interesting aspects that came out of this discussion group was that similar behaviour in the past was finally controlled by ‘counter aggression’. The commentator shot back with, “Remember the melbourne gangs in the 80’s and 90’s formed basically to fight the skinheads.”

Yes … you can run and hide

But not at the same time.

An editorial in The Age, an Australian newspaper, further aggravated the issue. It pointed out how,

If Australia’s governments are worried that the truth has not been told, however, it is puzzling that Australian coroners have suppressed details of the deaths of more than 50 international students, and that the death toll appears to be higher than the number admitted by the Federal Government. Earlier this year, in response to a question in Parliament, the Government stated that 51 international students had died in the 12 months to November last year. Yet as an Age investigation has established, the correct figure is higher, most likely 54. And, an application by this newspaper for release of data on the students’ deaths under the National Coroners Information System was refused after an initial assurance that it would be made available. The reason for the refusal, according to a spokeswoman for Victorian Coroner Jennifer Coate, was that the data is not exhaustive: “The nationality and occupation of someone who has died is not required to be automatically recorded.” (from The greater the secrecy, the greater the anxiety, editorial in The Age, Australia).

This was picked by the media – and much coverage was given. The Australian Government had to come out with yet another statement and yet another halfhearted attempt to show that all was well in the Australian Copacabana.

• Oz hides how 54 overseas students died last year
• Revealed: student death toll set to rise
• Foreign student death details suppressed
• More foreign students killed in Australia than government admits: Report
• Krishna to visit Australia, attacks on Indians top agenda
• Sikh victim of racial assault in Australia narrates ordeal
• Aus delegation to visit India to give assurances about safety
• Australia apex student body asks varsities for info on deaths
• Sikh victim of racial assault in Australia narrates ordeal
• Murder charges on accused for acid attack on Lankan students in Oz
• 54 overseas students died in Oz in 2008, half Indians: Daily
• Oz hides how 54 overseas students died last year

Getmo’

• Anger growing among Indian students
• Protect our students, India tells Australia
• TV only source of news for this Karnal family
• Worried India summons Australian envoy over attacks on Indian students
• Aus assures to protect Indian students: Krishna
• Surfers concerned over spurt in racial attacks
• Father of attacked Indian student gets Australian visa
• India calls Australian envoy over attacks on Indian students
• Attacks on Indian students not racial: Australian official
• Fresh attack in Australia, petrol bomb hurled at Indian youth
• Four Indian students assaulted in Australia
• Aussie police arrest 2 teenagers in Indian assault case
• Five teenagers held for attacks on Indian students in Australia
• Don’t come to Australia, Indian victim tells fellow students
• SOS: Save our Students
• ’20 racial attacks on Indians in Sydney in a month’
• India calls for swift action against attacks in Australia
• Indian students in Australia to hold rally on Sunday
• Attacks on students in Australia should stop now: India
• ‘Petrol bomb hurled’ at Indian youth in Australia
• Travel agents ready to sponsor Australia trip for injured Shravan’s father
• Five teenagers held for attacks on Indian students in Australia
• Attacks on Indians not racial: Australian official
• Another Indian student attacked in Australia
• Aussie cops arrest 2 teenagers in Indian assault case
• Four Indian students attacked in Australia
• Houses of assaulted Indians burgled in Australia
• India asks Australia to ensure security of its students
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• Indian Student Charged with Raping 14 Year Old in Australia May 26, 2009
• ITF Fines Australia $10,000 for Boycotting India Tie May 22, 2009
• Brit School to Pay Sikh Student 200,000 Pounds Apr 19, 2009
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Repeated attacks

The Indian Voter does it – again

The Indian Voter does it – again

March 18th 1957 Cartoon by RK Laxman - Complacent Congress jolted by the Left Vote

The Indian Voter has again shown that he has a mind of his own – an independent mind. In spite of various allegations, which come in very superior sounding tones, the Indian Voter has displayed a few common patterns.

1. Risk Taking

The Indian Voter has not stepped back from electing new parties and leaders. The 1956 election, saw the Indian Voter challenge Nehru himself. The Left gained nearly 20% of the popular vote – and became the first Communist Government to be elected to power in the State of Kerala. Leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia, JB Kripalani and Jaya Prakash Narayan became legends in their own life time – in many ways, with greater regard and respect than Nehru himself.

These worked outside the ‘system’ – and pioneered land reform, proved to be a check on the Nehruvian onslaught on Indian languages (along with the Dravidian parties) and sensitized the indifferent colonial-cadre bureaucrats to be more responsive and caring. To many this looked like Western Socialism (including the practitioners themselves), but it was nation building at a different level.

This election verdict is again a risk – that a victorious Manmohan Singh and hard working Rahul Gandhi may revert to the imperial ways of the old Congress Party. Earlier, the Indian Voter cured this imperiousness by underwriting the rise and use of regional parties. Purpose served, these regional parties have been sent back to the drawing board – to reinvent themselves.

Jaya Prakash Narayan gives up electoral politics

2. Power and hubris

Time and again, the Indian Voter has chastened political leaders – whose hubris and power overwhelmed them. Nehru in 1956, Indira Gandhi in 1977, Rajiv Gandhi in 1989, BJP in 2004 at a national level and many at the state level.

In this election also, the hubris of the regional parties was broken. Sharad Pawar with a few MPs projected himself as Prime Ministerial candidate, as did some other bit players. Film stars like Chiranjeevi thought they could make a power grab by just announcing their candidature.  In Maharashtra the Shiv Sena /MNS goons also got their comeuppance. To all these players, went out a clear message, from the Indian Voter.

The national alliance of BJP /NDA did not do too badly! It was the ‘Third + Fourth” Front that has been decimated. Possibly, this election was also about BJP hubris – with LK Advani appearing at every website. Similarly, the use of Varun Gandhi was also in bad taste – if not bad strategy.

3. No sops and no bones

To many, brought up on the Western schools of political understanding, the Indian Voter will vote for cash, sops, caste and allurements. This displays a profound disrespect for the Indian Voter – and greater ignorance.

The Indian State has been gradually and steadily retreating – and the Indian Voter has been at the forefront of this retreat. For all practical purposes health care in India has been privatized over the last 70 years. The vestigial State support for health care can also go, if the State cuts away its exclusive dependence on Western medical systems – and the complete collapse of Indian medical systems. The Western Voter will not let go of the subsidized health care system – while the Indian Voter has been gradually shifting the the private sector.

Similarly, the dependence on subsidized grain has been steadily decreasing. Inflation may give a false impression of increasing food subsidy bills. However, fact is that from about 75% of the population in the 1960-1970 decades, the dependence on subsidized food grains has reduced to 30%-40%.

Similarly, in other sectors too, the reduction of the role of the State is becoming apparent and welcomed – by the Indian Voter. The resistance is from the bureaucracy and the vested interests of Big Business.

In this election, Chandrababu Naidu in AP promised a cash transfer scheme to all families – even middle class families. His welfare stat-ism has been soundly rejected.

NTR's Chaitanya Ratham

4. Hard Work

Similar to Gandhiji’s Dandi march, which galvanised the nation, NTR Rama Rao’s epochal ‘Chaitanya Ratham’ rewrote politics in India. His 180 day campaign,  in 1982, covering an estimated 75,000 km, across Andhra re-wrote Indian politics. For the first time, a political party of a few months, unseated a century old party.

It provided the inspiration for LK Advani’s ‘rath yatra’ in 1989 – which saw BJP gain a national following. YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the Andhra Chief Minister’s padayatra, which was ignored and ridiculed by the then TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, (‘as Budabukkalodu, a village jester who wears outlandish clothes and asks for alms during Sankranti festival’) was patterned along similar lines. Covering 1500 km in 60 days, YSR’s padayatra saw Congress re-capture power in Andhra Pradesh after 20 years.

Rahul’ Gandhi’s 2009 campaign was no less. With limited use of helicopter’s and low media  coverage, it was  a combination of courage and the sheer drudgery that saw Congress come out on top – “winning in 60 constituencies out of the 106 in which Rahul campaigned”.

5. Negative campaigns

The 1967 election came closest to breaking the Congress rule in the pre-1977 India. In 1969, further, a significant group of senior leaders, split from the Congress, and formed the Congress (O). A highly negative campaign, saw Indira Gandhi come back with a stunning victory in the 1971 election.

Her party program was summed up in the simple but highly appealing slogan, “Garibi hatao” (Remove Poverty). The old Congress, led by Desai, responded with the unimaginative, inane campaign slogan, “Indira Hatao “ (Remove Indira). (from The making of India By Ranbir Vohra)

The opposition to Indira – the ‘Grand Alliance’ consisting of the Congress (O), the Jan Sangh, Swatantra and Samyukta socialist parties – all knew that she was the issue in 1971, and they made the mistake of choosing a personalized campaign slogan to reflect this: ‘Indira Hatao’ (Remove Indira). Indira retaliated with the simplistic but effective battle cry of ‘Garibi hatao’. (from Indira By Katherine Frank).

Her speeches had simple logic. “Main kehtin hoon garibi hatao. Voh kehten hain Indira hatao. Ab faisla aap keejiye.”

LK Advani’s anti-Manmohan Singh campaign made the same mistake that Congress (O) made 40 years ago. PM Singh, who is seen as a well meaning, honest, ‘politician’ started looking better – after Advani’s attacks. Rahul Gandhi’s riposte, “have you ever seen a weak Sardar?’ killed this line of campaigning.

The legal processes against Indira Gandhi, by the 1977 Janata Party Government, was again seen as a vindictive and negative campaign, which started off Indira Gandhi’s comeback campaign.

Indira Gandhi’s own negative campaign and ouster of NT Rama Rao, by engineering the split in TDP with Nadendla Bhasker Rao, ensured that Congress was out. The tidal wave of Voter solidarity with Rajiv Gandhi, in post-Indira Gandhi’s assassination elections of 1984, still saw the angry Andhra Voter shun the Congress Party. Varun Gandhi’s abrasive campaign, in contrast to Rahul Gandhi’s inclusive agenda, was albatross around the BJP neck.

The Indian Voter will simply not accept negative campaigning.

Fractured Verdicts ...

Cause for optimism

LK Advani (?) and Manmohan Singh are possibly going to be the last colonial-era Prime Ministers of India. The next generation of political leaders will be Indians who have grown in the post colonial India. This vote is vote for consolidation – for the national parties and for performing administrations.

Colonialism is hearsay, propaganda, exaggerations – a second hand experience, to most young post-colonial Indians. Brought up on a diet of nation building, socialism, (opportunistic) English education, limited exposure to the rest of the world, they have seen rapid change. From an India, which was a ship-to-mouth basket case, to an emerging power, seems to be have been a facile and an easy experience – with little credit being given to Indian political leadership for managing the post-colonial Indian system.

India’s successes have been built on Indic elements retrofitted on Western models. Renewing an Indian model – how will India’s young leader’s face up to this challenge? Will they ‘fall into the trap’ of copying successful countries or take the (really) easier path of renewing the Indic model, which may initially, seem difficult.

The continuity will be provided by the Indian Voter, who has seamlessly handed over political power – to tested and untested, to the imperious Indira Gandhi and the humble LB Shastri.

Similar to Gandhiji’s Dandi march, which galvanised the nation,