My Airtel broadband was down (second time in a month) so I called Airtel customer service number from my Airtel mobile number. For about two hours, I couldn’t get through ‘cause the “network was busy”. Finally four hours later when I tried again, I got through. By “got through”, I mean, I got through to the irritating menu system. I punched in my account number, reason for calling, type of problem and finally over five minutes of this annoying IVR later, a real live person came online. And her first question to me is, “what is your account number?” Read the rest of this entry »
Why is there so much despondency with old age? An urge to go back in time and edit one’s decisions? A feeling of lack of appreciation? Of irrelevance? Or the increasing physical constraints of age?
It came to me the other day:
Were I to die, no one would say,
“Oh, what a shame! So young, so full
Of promise — depths unplumbable!”
Headley, Copenhagen, Liberhan, Telangana have dominated the news for days, weeks interspersed with some impassioned rhetoric on Naxalism, regionalism, and whatever trivial comments Rahul Gandhi makes at some university or about landing his chopper in poor visibility etc. Is it really possible that a country of India’s size, diversity and development challenges, will have such paucity of newsworthy events/issues Read the rest of this entry »
On November 13th, Wikileaks released the confidential working paper for India’s UID number project. The paper discusses UIDAI approach and provides high level numbers for enrolment, costs etc.
In its ideal implementation, there are potential benefits of a UID number; however given the scale of the program and its potentially invasive use, there is need for discussion in the civil society in the planning and design stage. Extracts from the paper and questions/concerns for discussion below. Read the rest of this entry »
The RTI Act 2005 is a landmark legislation that gives Indian citizens a platform to demand state accountability. Information commissioners are without doubt key to implementing the spirit of the RTI Act Read the rest of this entry »
India is not a democracy. Governance by the will of the people, and its automatic corollary, accountability of the State’s representatives are a basic premise of democracy. In India, the State is not accountable to its constituents, the public. While there are many progressive and honest politicians/bureaucrats, the organizational structure of our government with its centralization, administration opacity and multiple overlapping functions allows corrupt officials to evade responsibility. Consequently, apart from voting once every five years (the vote, constantly devaluing in the face of population explosion), the citizen has no say in the governance Read the rest of this entry »
Like a lumbering Goliath, India kicked off its month-long national elections today. The turnout in India hovers around 60%. This time may be higher owing to the addition of first-time voters as Indian youth come of age and the newly politicized middle-class in the aftermath of Mumbai terrorist attacks. The media is replete with dramatic campaigns extolling each one of us to “make this vote count”. However, even as we resolve to vote, we remain unconvinced of its power, and not unreasonably so.
The Election Commission of India lists over 1000 registered political parties (majority are unrecognized) which translates to roughly two political parties for every Lok Sabha seat. This number was under 800 before the last national elections. The greater than 25% jump in number of political parties can be interpreted in two ways: the citizen is increasingly unhappy with the governance of the country, yet unable to find satisfactory representation/platform in existing parties and/or some people have wised up to the disproportionate power wielded by winning a few seats in the era of coalition politics and ideological promiscuity. Coupled with the fact India has some 714 million eligible voters, with varying levels of education and political awareness, and that however well considered the individual vote, it will count only as much as the vote purchased with Rs. 100 distributed by Mulayam Singh Yadav on holi, the power of the vote is suspect.
It doesn’t matter which party one votes for. Coalition politics renders ideology irrelevant since policies in coalition trend to the mean with extreme positions canceling each other (in action, not rhetoric). Moreover, ideological positions themselves are expendable as all parties frequently switch sides in unashamed power barter. Herein lies the unifying theme, the focal point of political activity in India, the acquisition of power. Strip BJP of its RSS/Hindutva jingoism, Congress of its election year populism and Gandhi association, BSP of its Dalit roots, and there is almost no substantive difference between the parties. Read the rest of this entry »
Swaraj Abhiyaan is a people’s movement to transfer control of your local area’s funds, functions and functionaries to you.
Swaraj will decentralize decision and executive power, and facilitate local self-governance. This will be done by creating small units of cohesive citizens’ assemblies: rural “Gram Sabha” and urban “Mohalla Sabha”. Each assembly will meet monthly and collectively take decisions, binding on the local bureacracy. Assemblies will have complete control over assets/functions for their exclusive use, and institutionalized channels for influencing decisions on larger issues with local implications. Every assembly will receive a significant percentage of state/municipal annual budget (plan expenditure) funds, and will have the power to summon and penalize government officials for performance failure.
The movement is spearheaded by Arvind Kejriwal, one of the founders of the RTI movement and a Magsaysay awardee. The team includes journalists, reporters, lawyers, former bureaucrats (and Sarpanch) and many other professionals. Supporters include social activists, Medha Patkar, Anna Hazare, and media person Subhash Chandra.
Swaraj will give you the power and resources to fix your colony streets pockmarked with potholes, fire the absenting school teacher, close the open sewers, ensure equitable power distribution, develop recreational public spaces, help the homeless, penalize the corrupt pen-pushing babu, plant trees, hold community health fairs … in short, fix the one (or ten!) issues plaguing your neighbourhood/village.
But first, we need you to demand that the state and central governments provide the necessary legislative and constitutional framework for Swaraj. Please join the movement. Site: http://www.lokrajandolan.org | Email: contact@lokrajandolan.org | Phone: 09654658028
On March 15, we watched riveted as Nawaz Sharif successfully led a mass demonstration forcing Pakistani President Zardari to reinstate dismissed chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Even as Pakistan stepped back from a precipice, uncertainties remain. Mutiny interviewed Munizae Jahangir (NDTV’s Pakistan correspondent) to understand where Pakistan is headed. Mutiny is grateful to Munizae for her time and insight. Interview excerpts follow.
Ujjwal: The situation getting resolved peacefully is great news and its perhaps correct for Mr Shahbaz Sharif to call it a great victory for the people in Pakistan, but what do you think is going to happen next?
Munizae: There are many things and issues that need to be resolved and it’s difficult to predict events in Pakistan, as the situation is always volatile and the stakes high. Nevertheless now that the Chief Justice has been reinstated, a battle for Punjab will begin, which is the richest province in Pakistan. Though it initially seemed like PPP would form govt with the PML (Q) ( a party once backed by Musharraf) in Punjab, it is now clear that the PML (N) is in a better position to form government. So once governor rule is lifted from the province, the Sharif brothers will regain control of Punjab. There have also been several petitions that have been filed in the courts challenging former General Musharraf’s 8 year rule. He has been accused of high treason and of savagely violating the constitution of Pakistan. Another petition will be filed against Musharraf very soon for the murder of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti. This petition, if entertained by the courts, carries weight and could land Musharraf into trouble. It would be interesting to see if the army can protect their former Chief of Army Staff against a series of petitions.
Ruchi: Pakistan’s power structure is fissiparous with parallel power centers in the military (four military coups in 60 years) and a weak civilian government. Now we have a rising Islamic fundamentalist belt in north-west Pakistan (Shariah rule in Swat valley). Where do you think Pakistan is headed? Read the rest of this entry »
There’s a price of citizenship. Not in the patriotic/xenophobic sense, but the obligation arising from belonging someplace, of access and rights to its resources. This obligation is casually interpreted as the need to stay within the legal peripheries as defined by the state, of paying taxes etc. However, the minimum bar requires us to take an active interest in the governance of our country, to ensure that our representatives do represent us, that the collective where it exists is greater than the mere sum of its parts. India, despite being the largest democracy in the world, has a rudimentary democratic system. The predominant cause (and also its effect) is the generalized political apathy in the Indian populace. While we may upbraid the disinterested, it is important to understand the social factors leading to the status-quo. This discussion is largely confined to the middle-class since they are most likely to be politically active (for change) in any country. Political apathy can be traced to six main sources.
Overwhelming competition for resources: In a poor country of 1.2 B, our resources and access points to those resources are always scarce. Quality of our education varies widely, and the “quality” institutions are so few and far between, that the odds of admission are ridiculously low (e.g., 2% for the IITs). On the work front, the number of people entering the workforce every year consistently outstrips job creation. Moreover, opportunities are disproportionately clustered in roughly ten Tier 1 cities, creating an artificial scarcity of additional resources (land, water, infrastructure). The oppressive competition results in two behaviors: one, everyone becomes a wannabe. The cost of missing an opportunity is so high that everyone hunkers down to maximize behavior that ensures “success” thus developing blinkers for the society at large. Read the rest of this entry »
A few months ago, I received a link to an article about the sizable Indian deposits in Swiss Banks. The salient point in the article is that Indians have (allegedly) deposited ~ $1500 B in illegal personal accounts in Swiss Banks, and if this money was recovered, India could repay its entire foreign debt, and still have enough left over that just the interest will be more than the Central Govt’s annual budget. Okay. The article seems a little shady (the whole Swiss USP is their secretiveness, so I can’t see them publishing the breakup (excerpted below) for public consumption at large).
Black money in Swiss banks — Swiss Banking Association report, 2006 details bank deposits in the territory of Switzerland by nationals of following countries: Top five
India—- $1456 billion
Russia—$ 470 billion
UK——-$390 billion
Ukraine- $100 billion
China—–$ 96 billion
And yes, the SBA annual report does not give any breakup of the sort above. However, as per Wealth Management in Switzerland 2008, “SBA research estimates that Swiss banks’ global AUM reached about USD 10 trillion at year-end 2007“. And India’s contribution to the above? I don’t know. However, given that India’s total GDP is USD ~1.1 T; a shadow economy estimated at 40-60% of GDP; a national savings rate ~30%, a sizable amount is likely to have accumulated in offshore bank accounts (whether or not, the number hues closely to the above is irrelevant). Two recent developments (completely ignored by Indian media) makes this significant. Read the rest of this entry »
Is it just me or have things taken a decided turn towards alice in wonderland-esque surrealism. Like a kaleidoscope, the events of one’s life are seemingly determined by external movements, people like bits of colored glass significant only in the patterns formed by their repeating mirror reflections. The force of events that upturn people’s lives is breathtaking, and completely beyond the scope of most to foresee, let alone control/alter. There is both absolutism and arbitrariness, and the individual is left with a galling sense of powerlessness. How do the apparent odds of absolutism and arbitrariness coexist? The answer can be traced to an ever tighter black hole of power: the capriciousness of the egocentric, yet an all encompassing influence. We see both at work in the global meltdown, and the mass hysteria that is Slumdog.
The complete disregard for reasonable risk and ethics concentrated in a few square mile area in Manhattan has wreaked havoc around the world, leading to collapse in the economies of entire countries (Iceland, Latvia) and an anticipated 50M lost jobs. No one will be spared from the aftershocks, even those who’ve never heard of CDOs. Blips on the computer screen representing ridiculous financial engineering and 30-1 leverage ratios by a bunch of men in dark suits has led to a global recession, and the leading threat to stability around the world. Slumdog vaulted its cast and crew unknowns into premier league, after narrowly escaping its own Direct to DVD demise. Everyone looks suitably overcome, esp the three slumkids on the improbable journey from tinroof to Oscar red carpet, courtesy “Danny uncle”. But what about the other thousands still under the tinroofs, yet now with hungry hearts? Read the rest of this entry »
India’s military is forecast to spend at least USD $30B by 2012 (USD $100B by 2017). Of this, a sizable outlay is for 126 fighter jets, in what constitutes the world’s largest military tender in recent years. Predictably, the IAF is fielding execs from Lockheed, Boeing, European Aeronautic Defence, MiG Corp etc. Lockheed actually set up office in Mumbai this month.
Military spending is ostensibly to ensure the safety of the country’s citizens. Our army force consists of 1.3 M active troops, staffed overwhelmingly from the country’s poorest citizens (but that is de-rigueur of most countries (excepting countries with military drafts like Israel, Lebanon, Singapore etc). Groundstaff in India is in some ways disposable: lax admission criteria; poor training; sucky work conditions; and on death a paltry compensation to surviving family members. I remember once tailing an infantry truck, its scrawny occupants lulled to stillness (perhaps a long journey), vacant expressions on face. The thought that these men will be armed and sent out to kill/die unsettled me – the power of a few over so many to compel extreme action without agreement or even understanding, something is clearly terribly awry. The other poorest die like flies anyway, but that’s okay – our stock is abundant and replenished perpetually. So here we have, a country where the poorest die to protect the interests of the rich: internally as cheap, disposable labor, and externally, as cheap disposable military rank and file. The rich of course don’t feel any compulsion to contribute to economic development of the poor. But we digress.
Every time I see a crush of (near) destitute men (waiting in long lines for handouts of food; lunch hour in a factory area etc), I get a sense of foreboding. There’s so many, impoverished, teeming like ants, in tedious/exhausting exploitative jobs or without, living life in penury, aware, either through stark juxtaposition or mass media, of extreme disparity. I wonder if it’s only a matter of time before these ant-like people will be overcome with rage at the hopelessness of their life, and instead of turning inwards direct their rage at me, and what I represent (self-absorbed rich Indian, occupied in consumption, selling “value”, unseeing the dying). Read the rest of this entry »
Sales email from the ToI group in my inbox today. Banal, spelling mistakes, even typos! And this is the largest selling English daily in India!
————————————————-
Hi,
Good Evening.
Greetings from (Sub)Optima Media Solutions Ltd,
This is to inform you that we are planning a special feature on “VALENTINE DAY” 14th of Feb.
Concept:-
When we think of the month of February we usually think of red roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and colorful cards with romantic sayings inside. The holiday Valentine’s Day brings with it the celebration of love and passion for couples.
Optimal Media Solutions celebrates the sprit [sic] of “Valentines Day”, which is the symbol of love & passion by coming out a special feature on the day.
bully 1 |ˈboŏlē|
noun ( pl. -lies)
a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.
On the streets of Delhi (or Mumbai, Bangalore etc) one can find the complete historical timeline of land transportation: pedestrians, animal and human-powered transport, mechanized two-wheelers, automobiles, even trains (where the tracks intersect with roads). It’s worth a parenthetical aside to reflect on the frustrations and consequences of living in the 21st century with the tools of the nineteenth century. Automobiles of course run the gamut, from the little dinky Maruti 800 to large luxury imports of BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc.
Driving in Delhi sucks: crater-sized pot-holes, overcrowded roads, which narrow unpredictably (’cause of Delhi Metro (subway) construction), transportation modes of vastly different speeds, and brash lawless drivers (I didn’t feel like a competent driver in Delhi until when someone cut across me, I could scream at him/her in Hindi swear words with practiced ease) and crap parking spaces. It’s nigh impossible for cars to remain unscathed after some time on Delhi streets.
Against this backdrop, we have Mr. Ram Prasad (the resident Have_Not in the story) sitting in his beat up 1990s Maruti 800 at a traffic light. Up pulls a shiny new Merck with tinted glasses. When the traffic light turns green, and everyone is raring to go, and Mr. Have in the Merck presses Ramu, what should Ramu do? What will he do? Our Ramu can’t even afford the side rearview mirror on the Merck. If both charge ahead, the cars will touch, and the ugly red Maruti color will transfer on the gleaming Merck like cheap lipstick. Read the rest of this entry »
He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be One against whom there was no official complaint, And all the reports on his conduct agree That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint, For in everything he did he served the Greater Community. Except for the War till the day he retired He worked in a factory and never got fired, But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc. Yet he wasn’t a scab or odd in his views, For his Union reports that he paid his dues, (Our report on his Union shows it was sound) And our Social Psychology workers found That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink. The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way. Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured, And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured. Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan And had everything necessary to the Modern Man, A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire. Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he held the proper opinions for he time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went. He was married and added five children to the population, Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation. And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education. Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
One of the overwhelming trends in India is the growing influence/power wielded by the entertainment industry. To wit: one of the only two people chosen from India in Newsweek’s 50 most powerful is Shahrukh Khan, a Bollywood actor. The other is Sonia Gandhi, our prime minister’s Italian puppeteer. Padma Shree awardees this year include Aishwarya Rai, and Akshay Kumar. Padma awards are “given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field” and need approval from the Home Minister, Prime Minister and President. Both are actors in Bollywood with a series of mainstream films, high grossing but not game-changing.
Shahrukh Khan and Smriti Irani dance for Balaji (of saas-bahu shows fame) Awards
Smriti Irani was/is an actress in a laughable televsion soap (Kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi), anchors some dance reality show, and is now a high ranking politician in BJP. Our parliament is full of ertswhile movie stars, who after having become too old to dance around trees, now while away time in our Parliament.
Hema Malini on the judge panel for a dance reality show
Hema Malini is one, a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. She also has a full schedule, promoting water purifiers and judging a dance reality show. Read the rest of this entry »
I was stuck in traffic for around two hours this afternoon. Why? Cause some politician’s cavalcade had to go someplace important (gauging by the urgent sirens on the fleet). After waiting for over a half hour, we were waved away from our turn. We went straight, turned, and then sat in traffic for another forty minutes or so. We inched towards another detour finally, and saw cars in the opposite traffic backed up for about a mile, and now piling up into the flyover. We sped up the empty street, only to realize that it was only a U-turn, and now we were one of the piled up cars. Seething in my car, mounting rage under the blazing sun, late for a meeting, I wanted to scream. Jump out of the car and do something dramatic, to mark my presence and worth as a person, if not a VIP. Had this been a movie, all of us held hostage to political inconsideration would have walked out en masse, deserting our cars (and our unilateral monetary pursuits), and stormed the parliament for answers. For the outsized public debt, but such deficient infrastructure. For lives eked out on sidewalks. For stifling pollution, and open dumps. For the sham state education. …
Instead like everyone else, once released from the gridlock, I went about my business, and came home.
Today is Jan 26 – Republic Day. Weather’s become warmer and coupled with government mandated nationwide holiday (including India’s favorite pastime, malls), Delhi families came out in full force to one of Delhi’s big parks, Lodhi Garden.
If you overlook the gaucheness (and the annoyance of having your personal preserve suddenly overrun), it’s all rather cute. The full extended family sitting together on the grass under the sun, casseroles, pressure cookers, big steel containers, chutney, pickle, all in attendance just like at home (no makeshift sandwich for them. No sir!). Preceded/followed by a vigorously played game of cricket, catch, singing, frisbee etc Read the rest of this entry »
Finally saw Slumdog. Here’s my two cents (potential spoilers ahead). The movie is good, but not outstanding. The story seems contrived. As a viewer, I’d be willing to overlook the contrivance, if the format was merely a vehicle to showcase “reality”, but like the bastardized Indian food most Americans take for the real thing, this movie is not faithful to reality. Despite the horrors of their life, the protagonist retains his unblemished innocence, and his love for his childhood sweetheart endures time, absence and distance. His steadfastness is duly reciprocated – their love is their destiny. It is this that makes our hero emerge victorious – the two crore rupees is incidental (he risks all on a flippant guess). Some corruption is inevitable with age and experience. Corruption maybe, not of one’s action, but the loss of naivete, the acceptance of everything at its face value. Those who insist on safeguarding their innocence do so at the peril of ignorance and passivity. The goodness of our protagonist (Jamal) never falters in the face of evil, and they dwell not on the motives, or any desire to eradicate once they themselves have vanquished/escaped their own personal representation of evil. The scars on their person don’t seem to penetrate their psyche. This is not a display of resilience, but a hallmark of fairytales. Read the rest of this entry »
Two million braved sub-freezing temperature to watch Obama's inauguration
Can we imagine this scene in India? This kind of national euphoria over the swearing-in ceremony of the head of state? What a joke! In a country riven by regional politics, overt power-broking, and endemic political apathy. Of course, had this been Shahrukh Khan (an actor who once danced in his underpants at a wedding on a paid appearance) running a contest for one week at his house, the Indian public would have trumped these numbers and more.
Sure, Obama owes, at least in part, the almost religious fervor for his leadership, to Bush. For the indisputable screw-ups that created the the kind of perfect storm national emergency that made many overlook Obama’s color (democratic party: blue; his race: black). But the fall from grace and the growing economic insecurity that spurred Americans towards change are still aspirational goals in India. We hit bottom a while ago, and are now digging ourselves into a hole. The poorest amongst us are living like animals, debased to their lowest physiological and safety needs, and the financially secure Indians overwhelmingly lack sophistication, choosing peripheral self-interest over basic common good, consumption over creation, and frivolous entertainment over real culture.
You can read the complete transcript here. The following are excerpts I find particularly relevant for India
“On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. … On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. … The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified … And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government. … The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. … And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it. … What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship”
From David Bergman: I made this Gigapan image from the north press platform during President Obama’s inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on January 20, 2009. It’s made up of 220 images and the final image size is 59,783 X 24,658 pixels or 1,474 megapixels.
Background: Originally from Bihar¹, she came to Delhi as a little girl after both her parents died within a span of two months. She doesn’t know her age at the time, and uses her hand, palm parallel to the ground at around 4-feet to indicate relative age. How did they [the parents] both die, I asked, envisioning a flood or epidemic. They were both sick from black magic was the serious answer. Of the now orphan children, only two were married: elder brother and sister. The parents left behind extremely meager resources, and the eldest son kicked out the younger ones. Shaloo was then brought by her brother in law to Delhi, and put to work in a “kothi” (rich person’s home, large and usually stand-alone) as household help. This was some 20 years back. In some years, she got married, had three kids: Vikas (13 years); Kavita (11 years) and Suraj (9 years).
Now: Shaloo makes Rs. 4000/month. Her husband is a rickshaw puller², and makes a daily wage between Rs. 70-150, depending on the number of customers. His monthly rent for the hired rickshaw is Rs. 900. The family of five live in a jhuggi³ (small soul-sucking tenements, usually illegal). While Shaloo’s story is typical, she is exceptionally disciplined and saves roughly 30% of the monthly income. She also sends her children to school.
Anil Ambani: “Narendrabhai has done good for Gujarat. Gujarat has seen progress in all fields under his leadership. Now imagine what will happen to the nation if he leads the nation. A person like him should be the next leader of the country”
Sunil Mittal: “Modi has a magnetic personality, which has attracted several companies to the state. I have had the opportunity to observe him closely during work and I must say that we run only companies and earn money, but if there is one person who can run not only a company or a sector, but a whole nation as CEO, it’s Narendra Modi”
Ratan Tata: “I have to say that today there is no state like Gujarat. Under Mr Modi’s leadership, Gujarat is head and shoulders above any state … in the Nano case, we had our land and approval in just two days … [laud] the speed and transparency [with which Mr Modi worked]’’
How can we overlook the Godhra riots simply because of the speed with which the CM supports industrialization? We are all so riled up after the Mumbai terror attacks, yet we overlook the systematic violence against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002. We can’t be selectively outraged when we are the target while disregarding serious moral lapses when some removed minority is. Rise of Hindu fundamentalism will give rise to Islamic extremism. And it’s shocking that India Inc, especially those who like to count themselves amongst the educated, will overlook such serious moral transgressions in their bid for easy industry permits.
On a related note, here’s a quick poll:
Good to know: What does 49-O really amount to? Not much , especially in its current non-secret ballot form
In a recent NY Times op-ed, Bob Herbert argues for a financial transactions tax to raise revenue, and curb speculation. He notes, “This would impose a small fee — ranging up to, say, 0.25 percent — on the sale or transfer of stocks, bonds and other financial assets, including the seemingly endless variety of exotic financial instruments that have been in the news so much lately”. He quotes Dean Baker (co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington) to explain, “It raises money in a way that comes primarily at the expense of speculation …The fees would be a considerable expense for someone who is buying futures, or a stock, or any asset at 2 o’clock and then selling it at 3. The more you trade, the more you pay … It’s a very progressive tax that discourages nonproductive activity [emphasis added]“.
In India, while we have Securities Transaction Tax (STT), it is a paltry .125% and deductible as a business expense; short term capital gain tax is only 15% (up from 10% last year). Both of these do little to curb speculation (India has one of the highest trading volume to total market cap). However, this is an economic policy point and somewhat tangential. The more central point is that shouldn’t we as a society worry about the the colossal waste (and warped incentives) of bright minds in India, lured by the easy money and the pseudo-intelligence of speculation, be it in real estate or trading puts and calls in the stock market. How can we justify making money on the stock market simply based on hunches/knowledge of which way a stock/market will go in a certain period. That’s not the underlying tenet of the stock market – of fueling investment in companies that produce valuable goods and services in the economy. Nowhere in the world are the short-term gyrations of the stock market based on any rational understanding of the fundamentals. Yet, we idolize, envy, and emulate the traders who make a ton of money through speculation. Paul Krugman (‘08 Economics Nobel) notes “There’s an innate tendency on the part of even the elite to idolize men who are making a lot of money, and assume that they know what they’re doing”.
Personally, I feel that a preponderance of those who acquire such off-the-graph gains are either lucky (riding the wave) and/or unethical (active collusion). And we shouldn’t encourage or glorify those who make personal gains at the society’s expense.
The Indian National Congress recently talked about the suitability of Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister of India. While Manmohan Singh is still the de-facto nominee, the logic behind Rahul’s candidature seemed to be loosely based on his and Omar’s age (both 38; Omar is the new CM of JK), Rahul’s “clean” and youthful image, and of course the blue blood of the Gandhi family.
Jawaharlal Nehru spawned Indira Gandhi, who screwed up royally and imposed state of emergency for 21-months, suspending both elections and of course civil liberties. Indira found martyrdom in her assassination, and thus paved the way for her son’s (a pilot, married to an Italian) confirmation as prime minister (can we imagine either of the two Bush daughters having an easy time becoming President after his spectacular failures). Also assassinated, his Italian wife (and hitherto completely removed from Indian politics) became the INC president (she was recently voted as one of the 50 most powerful people of the world by Newsweek, one of the only two from India – the other is Shahrukh Khan (an actor!) – more on this later). Having declined the post of PM herself, naturally the Gandhi devotees looked to her progenies: Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka declined, and now Rahul is poised for takeover. In India, apparently, inheritance rights extend beyond personal property to leadership of an entire country.
Give me a G! G! Give me an A! A! …
Our "independent" head of state (Pratibha Patil) handheld by Sonia Gandhi
It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we can expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. (The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith)
This Adam Smith’s quote is oft used to justify self-interest as an overarching pursuit and the consequent pure capitalist economy. However, Adam Smith died before the industrial revolution, which along with advancements in productivity also created immense concentration of wealth, and income inequality. The butcher, brewer, baker, and consumer of Adam Smith’s time had income parity and bargaining ability. However, with MNCs now with annual revenue’s greater than the GDPs of some countries, the bargaining (and manipulative) power is completely skewed. In addition, a disproportionate number of products in the market are non-necessities, the transaction of which does not result in a net benefit to both parties.
The news is replete with examples of how concentration of economic power (a necessary consequence of rising inequality) is prone to corruption. The rising tide does not lift all boats. Clearly, we need to think beyond capitalism as a development tool.
A recent New York Times editorial notes that the ” [US] Army has had trouble meeting its recruiting targets since 2004 and fell short in 2005 by about 8 percent, or 6,400 recruits. After that, national targets were met, but only by lowering standards”. For instance, in the middle-class community of Sgt. Clayton Dickinson in Patchogue, N.Y., the young people “who express interest in an Army career, roughly 70 percent do not qualify, he says. They either have criminal charges against them, cannot pass the drug test or cannot pass the military qualifying test, which measures math and verbal proficiency”.
The rank and file members of the US army come predominantly from the poor and marginalized sections of the society, who have few other opportunities in the society. These kids were then armed, and sent to poor countries (Iraq, Afghanistan) and given enormous power over the citizens of that country. Is it any wonder that Abu Ghraib happened? Sure the harsh interrogation tactics sanctioned by Bush/Rumsfeld played an enormous part, however so did placing poorly equipped people in authority positions.
There are parallels in India (apart from the obvious human rights violations in Kashmir, Indian jails). We have an omnipotent state, yet the implementers of the administration are predominantly poor and undereducated (entry-level government jobs aren’t first choice for most Indians). In addition, the positions themselves, while affording power over residents, do not empower the position holder (the traffic cop, the “babu” in the dusty offices, et al – have uninteresting and tedious jobs with little potential for advancement, and enormous vulnerability to abusive/demeaning behavior at the behest of superiors etc). Further, they are confronted daily with the expansive riches of some sections of the society. They then have enormous incentive to encash any/all power they can exercise over the hapless citizen who comes under their purview, especially when “everybody is doing it” and corrective/punitive action is not forthcoming.
Mere overhaul of governance and external accountability measures cannot solve our creaking and corrupt bureaucracy – we must also upgrade and empower its people with requisite education, training and advancement opportunities.
Everyone is speculating on the collateral damage on the Indian tech industry, and India Inc in general – but an equally urgent (and interesting) question is the HOW. Not the details of corporate governance, or collusion with PWC, but basic stuff like bank/cash balances? I’m wondering if this sounds naive, but in my own audit experience, we’ve had to show original bank statements (and debtor/creditor balances for reconciliation) to the auditors. For companies of Satyam’s scale, will there not be more stringent requirements such as direct verification with the banks etc?
Congress was first siding with the separatist PDP, and then decided to side with National Congress. Clearly, ideology plays no part in the math of garnering political power. The cynicism apparent here is breathtaking. Within National Congress, Farooq and Omar Abdullah were sparring over the Chief Minister post as if it were the rights to carve the turkey on thanksgiving.
Mayawati is seriously discussed as a potential prime minister of India. Only cause of our coalition government politics. For those who compare her rise to Obama’s election, the only analogous factor is her caste (Dalit/untouchable) and Obama’s race. There’s no other overlap. She has no ideological integrity, opportunistically siding with BJP or Congress (of opposing ideologies). Uttar Pradesh (UP), her state is rife with corruption – a common name with the public is U-Pay, ’cause of the need to grease the creaking bureaucracy for everything, including lawful transactions – the euphemism is seva shulk (service charge). She installs large posters and statues of herself everywhere, and nurtures sycophants (see: pic) who prostrate themselves in front of her in public speeches.
Apparently, any moron can start his/her own party, win a few seats, and become a kingmaker or if there’s enough clout, vault self into the PM/CM seat.
Closely related to this is the amount of money political parties pump in the election campaigns to buy votes. Clearly, it isn’t altruism that motivates our political parties into purchasing television sets for our poorest (an overwhelming number of the bribed households are below poverty line)?
What’s the deal with Airtel selling iPhones in India for INR 36K (~USD 750)? To add insult to injury, the phones are locked! What gives? Specially when Apple’s online store in HK is selling unlocked iPhones for roughly the same price (but shipped only to HK addresses).
Some 400 people died in terror attacks in 2008. In 2005, 94,985 died in road accidents in India. Delhi alone had 2169 casualties (source below).
The poorest in our country live in perilous conditions every day of their life – their daily commute is fraught with danger, their underpaid jobs provide little safety or security, and there’s seldom any mention of their names in the news when dozens die crushed under the giant wheels of a bus, or a drunk rich kid’s car. The daily terror of being poor is ignored. Yet there is disproportionate angst after the Mumbai attacks (or the misnomer 26/11) since for the first time the rich and powerful were targeted. Addressing and combating terror is clearly an important priority however as a country we need to keep perspective with respect to the focus, mindshare, and resources we attach to it. Moreover to combat terrorism, we need both a short-term response and long-term solution.There’s a lot of talk (and pseudo-action) on the short-term response. Some are no brainers: we need to fix accountability (yet stay away from reactionary politics), plug our security holes (while understanding the constraints of India’s size, multi-ethnicity, its stated secularist ideals, and civil liberties of its citizens and residents) and improve our emergency response apparatus (more NSG hubs etc). Other initiatives like the anti-terror law are unproductive: unlikely to deter the terrorist who comes to kill and be killed, and more likely to to be misused to violate civil liberties. Terrorism in India isn’t an isolated problem of dealing with an errant neighbour, and it cannot be addressed simply in crisis management mode. We need a social solution, an interlocking framework of symbiotic initiatives. Terrorism in India is both homegrown (e.g., SIMI, Maoists, ULFA) and (forcibly) imported from Islamic extremists (Pakistan supported LeT, Jaish e Muhammad etc).
The homegrown terrorism can never be crushed without mainstreaming the marginalized (the poorest, and/or minorities) of the country, those without opportunities of education and vocation. While there are cases of middle class ideologues (e.g., the Bangalore IT guy), overwhelmingly, on the ground recruits hail from backward communities (the Hindu fundamentalists are unique in that they are actively cultivated by some of our highest politicians (think Narendra Modi, Advani)).
As for the insurgency created by Pakistan – we absolutely need to find a peaceful political solution to Kashmir. What we have now is a stalemate – Kashmir cannot possibly be hundred percent either with India or Pakistan. Even Ehud Olmert, the outgoing prime minister of Israel understands that lasting peace in Israel is possible only if Israel cedes some territory to Palestine, including parts of Jerusalem. In India we grow up indoctrinated in to self-righteous avows that Kashmir is ours without ever going into the details (as is undoubtedly the Pakistani public). India and Pakistan were carved out of one country, with the 560 princely states under allegiance to the Brits told to join India/Pak based on their geography and religion of the residents. The ruler of Kashmir dithered until Oct 1947 to sign the instrument of accession to India, but only after Pak army had come marching in to stake control. Both Pak and India brokered a peace agreement to confirm the accession based on a referendum (which never happened). Given this backdrop, does a two-state solution really seem that far out the realm of reasonable? Yet no politician on either side of the LoC will advance this idea, ’cause of the insurmountable public opinion against it. However, as we sit in Delhi, Mumbai or any other damn place other than Kashmir, what right do we have to continue a stalemate that is destroying the people of Kashmir. Also, we are losing moral authority with every human rights violation by Indian forces there, which creates a tide of bad feeling against India in the minds of Kashmiri residents.
India can’t possibly afford the rhetoric of a war with Pakistan. War is expensive (we are already running one of the highest fiscal deficits in the world) and it will further destabilize Pakistan and increase its military’s might. Which country, however mighty its armed forces has been able to control guerrilla insurgency (US cannot in Iraq; Israel can’t with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian suicide bombers). These suicide bombers, these men on a mission to kill (and be killed in the process) cannot be stopped merely by waging a war. It’s their very sense of marginalization that finds solace in extremist ideology. After eight years of waging a costly and unpopular war, the US too is rethinking its unilateral recourse to military action. The US Defense Secretary Robert Gates writes in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of Foreign Affairs. “But not every outrage, every act of aggression or every crisis can or should elicit a military response… [military action] “should be subordinated to measures aimed at promoting better governance, economic programs that spur development and efforts to address the grievances among the discontented, from whom terrorists recruit.” It is India’s self-interest to focus on development at home, and its neighbouring countries, like its current efforts in Afghanistan. We should also resume cultural and trade ties with Pakistan – suspending the much looked forward to cricket tour served no purpose. The Pakistani civilian government is weak, and we shouldn’t play into its military’s plans by irresponsible rhetoric from our government or our news media.
As a country, we need to actively start thinking about concerted action – we can’t selectively target the problem of terrorism and hope to fix it in isolation. Long-term development plans don’t incite the same kind of passion as war rhetoric, or gotcha! investigation of the government do, but objectively that’s our only hope.
Source: World Road Statistics, 2007. The data is a little dated; however it will likely be comparable (if not more) in India given the increase in cars on Indian roads died in Indian road accidents
I have a whole bunch of sections up that I don't update - early enthusiasm etc. If you're more disciplined, and dislike the current drivel peddled in the media as much, would you like to collaborate? Most likely we'll remain on the fringes, known only by a few dozen extra people (other than our friends and family we'll harass) but like pretentious people everywhere, we can flatter/delude ourselves that true cool is esoteric. If interested, please send me an email at gupta.ruchi@gmail.com
Today is Jan 26 – Republic Day. Weather’s become warmer and coupled with government mandated nationwide holiday (including India’s favorite pastime, malls), Delhi families came out in full force to one of Delhi’s big parks, 
Background: Originally from Bihar¹, she came to Delhi as a little girl after both her parents died within a span of two months. She doesn’t know her age at the time, and uses her hand, palm parallel to the ground at around 4-feet to indicate relative age. How did they [the parents] both die, I asked, envisioning a flood or epidemic. They were both sick from black magic was the serious answer. Of the now orphan children, only two were married: elder brother and sister. The parents left behind extremely meager resources, and the eldest son kicked out the younger ones. Shaloo was then brought by her brother in law to Delhi, and put to work in a “kothi” (rich person’s home, large and usually stand-alone) as household help. This was some 20 years back. In some years, she got married, had three kids: Vikas (13 years); Kavita (11 years) and Suraj (9 years).
Mayawati is seriously discussed as a potential prime minister of India. Only cause of our coalition government politics. For those who compare her rise to Obama’s election, the only analogous factor is her caste (Dalit/untouchable) and Obama’s race. There’s no other overlap. She has no ideological integrity, opportunistically siding with BJP or Congress (of opposing ideologies). Uttar Pradesh (UP), her state is rife with corruption – a common name with the public is U-Pay, ’cause of the need to grease the creaking bureaucracy for everything, including lawful transactions – the euphemism is seva shulk (service charge). She installs large posters and statues of herself everywhere, and nurtures sycophants (see: pic) who prostrate themselves in front of her in public speeches.
