The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
The Jangipur Lok Sabha seat became vacant as Pranab Mukherjee became the President. So his son, Abhijit Mukherjee contested it and barely scrapped through. BJP’s Sudhangshu Biswas polled 85,887 votes, which is 10% of the votes. It seems that last time, BJP got 2%. This time, Pranab’s son won by mere 2,536 votes.
So what does the Congress have to say about this? Says State Congress leader and former state minister Manas Bhunia:
“It is a dangerous political situation. It is a threat to polity as well as the social and political fibre of West Bengal.”
The words – that if BJP wins, its a “dangerous situation” – are vile. I haven’t heard of anyone saying such a thing when the Communists have won in Bengal! Why does a BJP growth in a state become a “dangerous” situation? Why is characterisation of BJP as a state enemy so easily peddled in Indian politics and so easily reported sans any questions by the media. Worse, lapped by the elite without any introspection??
Characterizing Opposition as Evil Enemy
What is true of Republicans and the Far Right in the US, is true of the Communists and the Congress in India. Just as Republicans characterize liberals in US as anti-national and evil.. also as enemies not worthy of even contesting elections; the Communists and Congress do the same with any party or candidate who even barely speaks on behalf of “Hindus”.
Of course, Akalis or the Mulayam Yadavs (apart from Congress and the Communists obviously, who ARE communal but pretend otherwise) cannot be communal although they have a constituency of religious to take care of. If some community leader stands up in a democracy to speak up for his community, without putting down others or harming others, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with it.
Being Hindu and Being Communal made Synonymous by Pseudo-Secs and Media
But that’s not how it works in India. In India, everyone else has a right to be represented except the majority. Practising Hindus are almost righteously and without thought widely referred to as Communal by the ruling elite and media these days. It is as if being a Hindu and being Communal is almost synonymous!
This is leading to a strange situation, where Hindus who value their right to practice their religion feel victimized in their own land. And, I do interact with many Hindus across the world. Not all of them have the intellectual wherewithal to understand the Spiritual underpinnings of the Sanatan Dharma and its philosophy. So, their reactions come out in the paradigm of religiosity that is prevalent today. Which is antagonism and sometimes violence. I am not saying any of these is wrong or right. If you are cornered and people simply burn your house or business or community temple down, its foolish to preach kindness to that guy. These things happen very frequently in Bengal and Assam today.
In a way, the facility and the intensity with which Narendra Modi has been made into a devil and regularly derided is symptomatic of this popular bias as well. I don’t know of ANY other leader in India, no matter what crime he or she has committted who has been so easily been made a target of antagonism almost as a National Hobby. If someone talks against Modi, and does so in as derogatory terms as possible, he or she is regarded as righteous person right off the bat.
Being anti-Modi and being righteous is completely synonymous, while speaking up for Modi and being “Facist” or Nazi has been promoted as truth in today’s India!
Slippery Slope
This is a VERY VERY Slippery Slope. It will take India to a very divisive state and where, if and when the Hindu revival occurs – religious or spiritual – it will result in large scale violence. I am by no means threatening non-Hindus, rather looking at the character of the situation and speaking of its very nature. When someone is pushed into a corner, as a matter of right, then things can get out of hand, if and when he/she discovers his strength to push back the bully!
The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This visit of India left me with many questions. Many observations and inputs from different people and sections. Food for thought that I have tried to contemplate on and make sense of. Sharing all that with you.
When you analyze the last 60 years of the economic miracles of Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia versus the continued impoverished Indian economy, you get very interesting lessons. Can Indians have the wherewithal in them to do in one generation so that the coming generations may rise?
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