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?
In the past 10 years, no other state has been talked against – yes, the state, not just the leader – as much as Gujarat. In many cases, the Central Government has gone out of the way to deny Gujarat its due. Yet, it has moved on and been one of the most developed state. Over those years, I haven’t really heard Narendra Modi ever asking the Center, to give it anything. In fact, he has gone on the offensive and talked about how he would like to make Gujarat as great as Singapore. And, in that development, Gujarat will contribute to India’s overall development.
Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s CM is often cited as the guy who has done “better work” than Modi as a leader. Honestly, I haven’t really seen a whole lot of stuff on Bihar or Nitish and cannot fully comment on the development aspect of it. But today when I read his comments from his speech at the “Adhikar Rally”, I was quite dismayed, to say the least. He is asking for a “special status” for his state.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today said that people were not begging but were asking for something they genuinely needed – ‘special status’ for the state.
Biharis are very hard working and yes, Bihar’s previous Governments have messed up the state like no other. They have simply looted and plundered it to penury. The Laloos and the Rabris are a curse on any continent where they would have lived on, forget the state that they might have ruled. But state being given a “rough treatment”?? That is quite nonsensical.
All sorts of “red flags” are raised in my eyes, the moment any “leader” (better still, politician) starts harping on “Victimization” card and seeks “special status” for his people.
I remember a lecture by an economist long back, when I was in my undergrad days in Delhi University, back in late 1980s. He laid out an interesting fact. He said, – IF the all the hand pumps for which money has been given to Bihar over the last 50 years, INDEED been put up, not a square inch of land would have been left for people to live!
People get the Government and the state they deserve. That is true of India and that is true of Bihar.
“If we get special status, we can also become one of the developed states. We have been told that we do not meet all qualifications for getting special status. Change the criteria then,” Kumar said.
There is no need to change the criteria. There is a need to change your and people’s mindset, Nitish Kumar. If this is the path you are leading your people to – doles, grants, statuses – then lets not even talk of leadership in your context.
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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