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 40th UNESCO General Conference started in Paris on November 12, 2019. Pakistanis are doing what they do best. Peddle their Islamist and Terror propaganda all over the world at every stage. And then get a bloody nose by a low ranking Indian official who rips them apart.
At the UNESCO General Conference in Paris, Pakistan was there to rake up the Ayodhya verdict and their Babri Masjid narrative. Their Minister for Federal Education and Special Training Shafqat Mahmood raised Kashmir and Ayodhya verdict.
Ananya Agarwal, who led the Indian delegation to the UNESCO conference gave one of the strongest replies I have seen from the Indian delegation.
Calling it “juvenile propaganda” from a Pakistan who has “deep-rooted DNA of terrorism”, Ms Agarwal retorted:
Pakistan’s neurotic behaviour has resulted in its decline to a nearly failed state with its weak economy, radicalised society and deep-rooted DNA of terrorism.
The Indian representative did not hold back her punches and talked in detail about Pakistan’s treatment of its minorities. Include the treatment of Ahmaddiyas.
From 1947, when the minorities formed 23 per cent of Pakistan’s population, they have now dwindled to nearly 3 per cent. It has subjected Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadiyyas, Hindus, Shias, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Balochis to draconian blasphemy laws, blatant abuse and forced conversions. The gender-based crimes against women include including honour killings, acid attacks forced conversions, forced marriages and child marriages remain a severe problem in Pakistan today.
Hate speech and glorification of terrorism are the only two real contributions of Pakistan. And, Ms Ananya Agarwal brought that out very eloquently at the UNESCO General Conference.
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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