The Rise of Regional Satraps
The results of the state elections have once again brought back the regional satraps at the national level. The electoral verdict in five states has revived the debate on the tactical importance of national parties to have strong leaders and well-oiled party machinery in the poll-bound states. These elections have brought forth strong regional leaders, Mamta Bannerji, Jayalalitha and Jagan Mohan Reddy. It would be mental laziness to merely dismiss these regional leaders and the growing phenomenon of rationalization of India's politics. It may be recalled that until the 1980s national politics completely subsumed regional aspirations. Now, regional politics is seeking to determine the national agenda. The growing power of these leaders is such that both the national parties ( Cong & BJP) are finding it difficult to tackle them. Congress, is getting a jolt from Jagan Mohan Reddy while the BJP, has failed to convince the Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa that rampant corruption in his government, are causing enough harm to the party and thus he should quit. Political parties are unable to act against such trends, since they have no leader of political or moral authority. The mighty Congress, which ruled the country at the time of Independence, has splintered into multiple parties now.
In 21st century when both the Congress and BJP are facing crisis of strong leader at the top there is no Indira Gandhi in Congress and BJP’s aging duo of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L KAdvani have lost their magic touch it is not only the regional leaders who are asserting, even their siblings are twisting the arms and there is no one to discipline them. Unlike in the past the chief ministers of today are in a better position to carve out their space. Better media management and social engineering as well as efficient use of centrally-sponsored populist programmes are helping them build their own image in their respective states. This was not possible with the regional satraps of a generation back.
Indian history has seen this phenomenon of strong central authority or rulers like the Moghuls & Mauryas, later succumbing to power of regional partners. A replica of this phenomenon of centralization and decentralization is being witnessed once again. A prolonged central rule of national party and its shortcomings have given way to the rise of regionalism. These election results show that the winning formula is a powerful regional leader. Tamil Nadu was the first state way back in late 60s which displaced the Congress by its own local party which soon became two parties. Congress has played second fiddle ever since in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, the Congress is locally no different from the Communists as far as governance or political culture is concerned. Now, Mamata Banerjee has shown that West Bengal will also be like Tamil Nadu. There will be a regional party of Bengal which will rule without much of a role for the Congress. Nitish Kumar in Bihar and Navin Patnaik in Odisha are their own bosses, without a national party hovering over them and Narendra Modi does not have to listen to his national party. In Assam, Tarun Gogoi although under the central leadership has his own power and when in trouble could carve his own niche. He too can be a regional satrap
While the critics argue that his is the way a true federation should work. India is as large as Europe and there is no reason to expect uniform political cultures. Local interests, local class structures and local geography determine the shape of politics. Unfortunately this has not been the case in India. Rise of regional leaders have weaken the Nation and brought in corruption. It has promoted the feeling of separatism. These regional leaders are only committed to the growth of their own region. They use their respective ministries as their personal fiefdom. Look at A Raja and the mammoth Corruption in his ministry which virtually reduced the PMO to nothing. The Railway ministry has been used and abused for the growth of the region of the incharge minister. Successive Railway Ministers have favoured their own States, discarding merit and economic justification. Consequently, instead of getting stronger, the nation has seemed to become weak in one way or other. Now all our leaders are regional Satraps, with no all India affiliation. We cannot produce national leaders, as long as the Central Government allocates the resources. To save the country from the rise of these regional satraps, we'll have to promote and propagate the thoughts of nationalism at every level. Besides, it is the responsibility of the Central government to ensure that any group of people of any state, particularly rural people never think that they are being given step-motherly treatment by the governments. Regional satraps can be controlled only through such steps.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Nostalgic recollections!!
When awake at one AM in the night I suddenly realised that my pitch dark closed room was almost claustrophobic.Thanks to Air conditioning which i consider a boon and curse both. Remembered my childhood days when being awake was a treat at watching stars in the sky and counting my favourite clusters. This made me compare them with three stars twinkling in my room in the colour red. The permanent small lights of TV, TATA SKY set top box and a mobile charger. What a change-from million stars to three permanent ones with fixed positions!!
I long for those days when we would wait for the summer to arrive and sleep in our AAngan, on Charpoys.(closed courtyard at the back of the house)I would fight for a particular bed as it was near the MOGRA plant which would be on full bloom during summer nights. I slept on one side to permanently smell it all night. that habit has stayed with me, the only difference is that I smell GOod night mosquito repellent instead of Mogra or jasmine!! Although i try to compensate quite often by bying Mogra flowers and putting them on my Bed side table to get that nostalgic feeling of summer nights of my childhood.A midnight thirst would make me relish the cold water from a Mud surahi, (the water too smelled of fresh wet Mitti)kept near our beds in the AAngan. now I have to be contented with the Tupperware bottle mimicking the AC's temperature and smelling of plastic. In disgust i rolled to the other-side of the Bed only to find innumerable remotes lying between me and my husband. disadvantage of sleeping on the left side of left handed Husband!!. to put them away one really needs to catch them with both hands. Remotes of TV, TATASKY, Cordless phone and AC are permanently parked between us. thank God for all the Mobiles resting on the bedside table.I grumbled and remembered my small transistor with which I would sleep in the open listening to Vividhbharti's Chaya geet program.
Mornings would come early at dawn in the open, with my parents getting up for morning prayers. I would pull the sheet on my head to catch those precious few minutes before the sun rose and shone directly into our eyes.We would be forced to abandon our beds and enjoy the beautiful summer mornings, Plucking the flowers of Mogra and often going for a walk. The freshness of those mornings is unparalleled by the artificially controlled cold Air of Air conditioning.
Now instead of pulling my sheets on my head i struggle to locate the remote to switch off the AC and Hope My husband would get up before me to open the windows and the door of the room to let in some fresh morning air.
I do take my children to the Farm to make them feel the pleasure of sleeping in the open during summers.They enjoy it and make plans to sleep in our front lawn or the roof top as the houses don't have backyards anymore.But despite all efforts they couldn't view the stars as the city lights Blurs them, and street light disturbs them.I remembered how we would shoot the street bulbs with AirGun to make it pitch dark in the summers and was surprised that My son offered the same suggestion. The only difference is that our time bulbs are now replaced with tube lights!!
I long for those lovely summers of my Childhood and miss them terribly. Sometime I hate all the modern amenities which have made life comfortable but lethargic and moved me away from nature.
I long for those days when we would wait for the summer to arrive and sleep in our AAngan, on Charpoys.(closed courtyard at the back of the house)I would fight for a particular bed as it was near the MOGRA plant which would be on full bloom during summer nights. I slept on one side to permanently smell it all night. that habit has stayed with me, the only difference is that I smell GOod night mosquito repellent instead of Mogra or jasmine!! Although i try to compensate quite often by bying Mogra flowers and putting them on my Bed side table to get that nostalgic feeling of summer nights of my childhood.A midnight thirst would make me relish the cold water from a Mud surahi, (the water too smelled of fresh wet Mitti)kept near our beds in the AAngan. now I have to be contented with the Tupperware bottle mimicking the AC's temperature and smelling of plastic. In disgust i rolled to the other-side of the Bed only to find innumerable remotes lying between me and my husband. disadvantage of sleeping on the left side of left handed Husband!!. to put them away one really needs to catch them with both hands. Remotes of TV, TATASKY, Cordless phone and AC are permanently parked between us. thank God for all the Mobiles resting on the bedside table.I grumbled and remembered my small transistor with which I would sleep in the open listening to Vividhbharti's Chaya geet program.
Mornings would come early at dawn in the open, with my parents getting up for morning prayers. I would pull the sheet on my head to catch those precious few minutes before the sun rose and shone directly into our eyes.We would be forced to abandon our beds and enjoy the beautiful summer mornings, Plucking the flowers of Mogra and often going for a walk. The freshness of those mornings is unparalleled by the artificially controlled cold Air of Air conditioning.
Now instead of pulling my sheets on my head i struggle to locate the remote to switch off the AC and Hope My husband would get up before me to open the windows and the door of the room to let in some fresh morning air.
I do take my children to the Farm to make them feel the pleasure of sleeping in the open during summers.They enjoy it and make plans to sleep in our front lawn or the roof top as the houses don't have backyards anymore.But despite all efforts they couldn't view the stars as the city lights Blurs them, and street light disturbs them.I remembered how we would shoot the street bulbs with AirGun to make it pitch dark in the summers and was surprised that My son offered the same suggestion. The only difference is that our time bulbs are now replaced with tube lights!!
I long for those lovely summers of my Childhood and miss them terribly. Sometime I hate all the modern amenities which have made life comfortable but lethargic and moved me away from nature.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Let the peace begin
Let the Peace Begin
The Death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan constitutes a significant victory over global terrorism. It is indeed a victory for President Barack Obama who announced in a midnight televised address to the world that he has got Osama. Obama's ability to use rhetoric to inspire has always been one of his greatest political assets. His statement announcing the mission's success demonstrated dignity and pride. He confidently announced that he -- and the forces under his command -- had actually accomplished the mission that seemed nearly impossible. The death of a single individual is essentially being heralded as a justification for the deaths of at least hundreds of thousands (a figure largely comprised of civilians) in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. It morally justifies the use of "enhanced interrogations" and "extraordinary renditions." It clears the ledgers on the trillions of dollars spent on futile wars for nearly 10 years. And, most appreciably, it validates the Bush Administration's open-ended waging of global warfare.
One must remember that eliminating Osama is a milestone, not a turning point, in what remains an ongoing struggle without a foreseeable end. The significance of what was accomplished stems from Bin Laden's symbolic importance. He has been an icon, one representing the ability to strike with success against the United States and the West. That icon is now gone. But before bursting into celebrations we need to face at least two realities. The first is that Bin Laden's demise is in no way to be equated with the demise of terrorism. This is not a Victory over Terrorism Day. Terrorism is a decentralized phenomenon- and Al-Qaeda is now a franchise organization with innumerable franchisee all around the world operating out of Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and other countries. So terrorism will continue. Indeed, it could even grow somewhat worse in the short run as there are sure to be those who will want to show that they can still strike against the West.
The second reason for responding with caution to this welcome development is that it underscores a point once again- that Pakistan is home to some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world and is decidedly less than a full partner in fight against terrorism. The country has many states within state with multiple rulers and heads and no coordination among them. Some parts of the government there are sympathetic to terrorism and unwilling to act against it; others are simply unable to do so, given a lack of capacity. This reality is unlikely to change in future.
Osama’s death has brought Pakistan at a crossroad where it urgently need to choose the right path. It should now give up its current policy of verbally condemning jihad — and actually fighting it in some places — but secretly supporting it in other places. Until the Government firmly resolves that it shall not support armed and violent non-state actors — including the Lashkar-e-Taiba — Pakistan will remain in endless conflict both with itself and with the world. Bin Laden’s death will only have meaning if it marks the beginning of the end of the ruthless cycle of violence. The world is now tired of War. "Congratulations Mr. Obama! Well done! Now it's time for you to leave Afghanistan." By cutting off the head of Al Qaeda, and with due regard to the pro-democracy surge of the Arab Spring, the era of perpetual war should now be supplemented by a period of unprecedented peace.
Let the peace begin
The Death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan constitutes a significant victory over global terrorism. It is indeed a victory for President Barack Obama who announced in a midnight televised address to the world that he has got Osama. Obama's ability to use rhetoric to inspire has always been one of his greatest political assets. His statement announcing the mission's success demonstrated dignity and pride. He confidently announced that he -- and the forces under his command -- had actually accomplished the mission that seemed nearly impossible. The death of a single individual is essentially being heralded as a justification for the deaths of at least hundreds of thousands (a figure largely comprised of civilians) in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. It morally justifies the use of "enhanced interrogations" and "extraordinary renditions." It clears the ledgers on the trillions of dollars spent on futile wars for nearly 10 years. And, most appreciably, it validates the Bush Administration's open-ended waging of global warfare.
One must remember that eliminating Osama is a milestone, not a turning point, in what remains an ongoing struggle without a foreseeable end. The significance of what was accomplished stems from Bin Laden's symbolic importance. He has been an icon, one representing the ability to strike with success against the United States and the West. That icon is now gone. But before bursting into celebrations we need to face at least two realities. The first is that Bin Laden's demise is in no way to be equated with the demise of terrorism. This is not a Victory over Terrorism Day. Terrorism is a decentralized phenomenon- and Al-Qaeda is now a franchise organization with innumerable franchisee all around the world operating out of Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and other countries. So terrorism will continue. Indeed, it could even grow somewhat worse in the short run as there are sure to be those who will want to show that they can still strike against the West.
The second reason for responding with caution to this welcome development is that it underscores a point once again- that Pakistan is home to some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world and is decidedly less than a full partner in fight against terrorism. The country has many states within state with multiple rulers and heads and no coordination among them. Some parts of the government there are sympathetic to terrorism and unwilling to act against it; others are simply unable to do so, given a lack of capacity. This reality is unlikely to change in future.
Osama’s death has brought Pakistan at a crossroad where it urgently need to choose the right path. It should now give up its current policy of verbally condemning jihad — and actually fighting it in some places — but secretly supporting it in other places. Until the Government firmly resolves that it shall not support armed and violent non-state actors — including the Lashkar-e-Taiba — Pakistan will remain in endless conflict both with itself and with the world. Bin Laden’s death will only have meaning if it marks the beginning of the end of the ruthless cycle of violence. The world is now tired of War. "Congratulations Mr. Obama! Well done! Now it's time for you to leave Afghanistan." By cutting off the head of Al Qaeda, and with due regard to the pro-democracy surge of the Arab Spring, the era of perpetual war should now be supplemented by a period of unprecedented peace.
Let the peace begin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)