Prosperity to Procrastination-68 years of volatility

As we celebrate our 69th independence day tomorrow, it is imperative that we make a holistic assessment of our journey through these years. As an Indian, I refuse to accept the proposition that we were born as a nation 68 years ago. Indian civilization lives past any documented history of civilisations. As a civilization we're the oldest ones & along with greece we're rightly called as 'the cradle of civilization'. If we meticulously study the history of nations who were colonised & subsequently who attained independence, we will realise that we are the only ones who have distinctly maintained their cultural & ideological identity.
So the aforementioned facts provide us with the context in which I wish to discuss our post-independence era. Yes we were ruled by foreigners for nearly 800 years who looted the rich & wealthy indian society with all the might at their command. When we finally got independence in 1947, we were undernourished, impoverished & literally bankrupt economically. In the post-independence era, through the 60s & 70s we adopted the soviet model of governance. From purchasing a telephone to obtaining the ration practically everything was government regulated. Back then the political landscape was heavily dominated by leftist ideology. Being affluent in that era was considered a national crime. Socialism had brainwashed the minds of Indian politicians. Obsession with socialism was not without a cause. The alarming poverty levels & other social indicators had made it essential for the government to distribute freebies & subsidies. And doing these things also generated rich political harvest. So no wonder that 'Garibi Hatao' slogans dominated the 70s. Essentially Mrs. Indira Gandhi could sustain her political charm in the 70s with these catchy slogans without actually eliminating poverty. In those days, poverty had become a national obsession, the government almost fell in love with poverty that they never eliminated it. All the anti-poverty measures had a tremendous impact on the public exchequer & we were a high-tax regime. Inflation in double-digits had become a natural phenomenon. This reckless freebie culture ultimately had adverse fiscal effects which made India literally bankrupt in late 80s.
Essentially, we must thank our former PM P V Narasimha Rao who had the political will to take path-breaking policy reform in 1991. Notwithstanding the performance of Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister we owe it to Manmohan Singh, the Finance Minister a deep gratitude for literally lifting India from deep financial criss in 1991. We moved from a controlled economy to a free market regime. The work done by the succeeding Prime Ministers Gowda, I K Gujral & AB Vajpayee was in the same direction. We didn't change our policy direction. In the UPA 1 era, the work done by Dr. Singh was also more or less in the same vein.
In the last 5-6 years a sense of despondency & frustration had gripped indian minds. We became aspirational as a society. And UPA 2 was still stuck in the 80s with its own political calculations & its own poverty obsessed mind. It failed to read the mind of Indian electorate. We have progressed in the last 60 years, it's an indisputable & undeniable fact.
But now we aren't satisfied as nation who is walking towards progess. We want to run, we want to shatter past all our mediocrity & reach beyond that last blue mountain. In the last 6 years we have seen enough of degradation in public life. From allegations of corruption to brazen misue of power, we have seen it all. The verdict pronounced by the Indian electorate in 2014, was essentially a development centric & aspiration based verdict. From caste combinations to religious polarisation we have moved on to development politics. Yes we had a lag phase which I call it as a sense of procrastination but we're now ready to take off & launch ourselves assertively in the global arena.
I have no doubts that we are here to make our mark. I have no doubt that from now development politics is the way forward. Only those who toil in their 5 year regime will get rewarded with a renewed mandate. And we must remember that a nation is not created by a government, a nation is created not by its intellectuals or academicians, neither is a nation really created by its corporates, a nation is created by that last man who stands in the queue. True development is not high GDP, low inflation or low interest rates, true development is when we don't spit on the roads, when we don't honk unnecessarily, when standing in queue comes naturally in us.
A nation is finally a manifestation of the inherent traits of its citizens. Insofar as India is concerned, it's a work in lightning progess. It's not a sloganeering anymore, it's a hardcore work in progess on-ground.
And guys finally we'll make it. No matter what anyone thinks.
Wishing all my countrymen a patriotic Independence Day.

Reflections- A look back at 65 years of republic india...

As we enter into the 66th year of indian republic, I share my thoughts about the same. The debate about what could've been achieved is futile & insult to what we've achieved till today. By refereeing to achievements, we must see them as realisation of the principles laid down in our indian constitution. The driving point here is whether we've manifested the goals & targets set by the constituent assembly while framing our constitution. Now I don't wish to go into knitty gritty of the directive principles of state policy. But my blunt & straight question is whether we are any better off, as Indians, as what we were 65 years back?
Purely from statistical point of view, our economy & social indicators have definitely shown positive signs & they're no doubt commendable & laudable. But the fundamental point is has the last man reaped benefits of our efforts & initiatives? In my opinion, indian growth story resembles a chemical reaction without a catalyst. We are on the cusp of a major revolution but we're yet to touch that pinnacle. Indian economy has continously demonstrated its potential barring last 4 years. The fact that we weren't affected much by the global slowdown of 2008 displays our strong financial infrastructure. India's innate ability to be a global power centre has never been questioned even by our harshest critics. But we're definitely being questioned about our ability to rise on to an occasion & encash our potential.
Evaluating our electoral & constitutional obligations I can proudly conclude that election after election we've matured as a democracy. Now no longer can leaders garner votes in the name of identity politics. Caste lines have begun to fade. The public discourse has shifted from narrow communal discussions to more governance centric discussion. Definitely these are signs of a maturing democracy. LS Elections of 2014 represent the earnest desire of Indians to grow & unleash our potential. After 30 years indian electorate has given a strong & decisive mandate.
But I still feel that we're yet to arive at the correct interpretation of article 19(freedom), 21(life & liberty) & 25(religion & conscience). We still haven't effectively lived the spirit of our constitution. Directive Principles of State Policy are yet to be fully implemented.
The above mentioned things are more technical in nature.
As an evolving democracy, we can't afford to have a deaf ear towards the youth of our nation. They represent the palpable beat of our nation. As young citizens we ought to develop the Indian spirit in us. We ought to develop that indianess in us. Nothing is above the well being of our nation. Sovereignty & Integrity of our nation is paramount to us. We need to live & realise that indian spirit in us.
I wish & I urge all my young friends that lets realise our potential. Whatever we're today we owe it to our nation, if not fully than partly. The affirmation in our preamble that 'INDIA IS A SOVEREIGN, SOCIALIST, SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC' must be realised in our spirit. Its mere presence in our books makes no sense. Lets redeem our pledge for a better india.
India is not a piece of land but it's an affirmation of spirit. We are that spirit. We represent that faith. India is an article of faith. Its a conscience which we abide by.
I hope that we'll live by that spirit & help India prosper economically, socially, politically & spiritually.
Wishing all my countrymen a very happy republic day. Ek Bharat! Shresth Bharat!

Changing Political Discourse of India

2014 witnessed a tectonic shift in the political history of india. Advent of Mr. Modi & his landslide mandate has invigorated new hopes & has made the environment euphoric. Political & Economic pundits have extensively commented on the agenda put forth by the new government. Those who understand the knitty gritty of economics have also started questioning Mr. Modi's ability to deliver. Political journalists are by & large awestruck with Mr. Modi's charisma & his vote catching potential. We'll not find a single day without some or the other news pertaining to Mr. Modi. Even for Electronic media, he turns out to be the TRP boosting machine. When there's no news suddenly we find a documentary on Mr. Modi.Economists, across the right & left political spectrum have been polarised about Mr. Modi's economic policies.
The most important change which has happened since Mr. Modi's advent is the change in the political discourse of India. This has largely remained unnoticed by main stream media. Discussion has shifted from narrow political statements to debates on policy issues. Never before has the post of RBI Governor been so keenly followed. Never before has the public discussion been so focused on hardcore economic & policy matters. The discussion has shifted from identity & so called secular vs communal debate to development & economics. Every word spoken by Finance Minister is closely scrutinised which reflects the changing political discourse of India. Never before has discussion on Fiscal deficit & fiscal consolidation dominated the prime time debates. Earlier it all used to be TV studio theatrics about he said & she said.
Now whether Mr. Modi actually delivers or not is a big question in everyones mind. I don't know if he'll really bring 'Ache Din' but at least he has definitely brought 'Ache Batein' in the political discourse of India.

Message to Disgruntled Indians

Yes, it's 15th August tomorrow. Like every other day, it will also have 24 hours. What makes difference to a common man is a 'holiday' on this day. For some, the day might begin with flag hoisting early in the morning & for most of them it's a 'late jagneka din'.
The news channels will air speeches of important political leaders & project it as if a speech is going to be a game changer for India. The traditional 'Bhaiyo aur Beheno'  speech hardly invoke any nationalist sentiments. Now contrast Independence day with Navratri OR Diwali. By no means, I intend to say that these festivals are inferior to our national festivals. But this sharp contrast in our attitude indicates an underlying disconnect with the national festivals. It needs an introspection as to why these festivals fail to invoke nationalist sentiments.
While our present situation may not be as good as we would've liked it to be but by no means it is indicative of our dark future. Dear friends, please understand that a nation's true test is it's capacity to overcome some compelling & enthralling circumstances. India has always stood the test of time & we have given befitting reply to our detractors. When the whole world was in the shadow of dark ignorance, it was India which enlightened the world with it's Vedic knowledge. Now all this Vedas & Mahabharata may not inspire us. But an Indian CEO heading a Multinational Company can surely be an inspiring story. Our nation is too rich in cultural & spiritual sense to be described & understood in a small writeup. Also, I don't consider myself competent that I can describe it holistically.
But with all the prevalent ills, an undisputed & uncontested fact remains that we are destined for GREATNESS. I have no doubt that we will fully comply & withstand the guiding principles of our constitution. Indians are sovereign by nature, socialist by temperament & most importantly secular by cultural. We have upheld these values since time immemorial. I have no two thoughts about our unblemished record as a cultured civilization.
To all my friends, feeling disconnected with India, I must remind them a familiar cricket phrase that 'FORM IS TEMPORARY BUT CLASS IS PERMANENT'.
I wish all of you a very happy & a committed INDEPENDENCE DAY. Today I remember a sanskrit proverb which explicitly states:-
Mother & Motherland are above heaven
I once again wish all my countrymen a very happy independence day in advance & pray for our nation's well being & prosperity.

India's message to it's pessimistic citizens...

As we head for our independence day, I think we need to examine ourselves. Our examination should primarily be focused on what we, as indians, can do for our beloved nation. With all our desires & personal ambitions, a fact remains that we owe a part of our success & failure to this nation if not cent percent. All the fiery writings & speeches don't matter because their effect is limited to few hours. Similarly, celebrating the independence day & remembering the nation for one day is not important.
Celebrating independence day & being unconcerned for next 363 days(26th January) is not what independence day is about. This day is for reiterating our faith & belief in our beloved nation. I don't wish & neither do I have the capacity to attract people into my writings & speeches. But I intend to make people think about our nation is & what we can do for it.
We all admire so called 'developed' nations but what we forget is the role of it's citizens in it's development. If we really have fire in our belly to do something then I don't think a few set of bureaucrats or politicians can stop us from doing so. A nation is a reflection of it's own people. Abusing the nation for being undeveloped & bashing the authorities doesn't help our cause.
If valentine's day invokes extreme emotion than I think independence day also deserves a thought.
India is destined to be great, I don't think we can dispute that. Those abusing India for being undeveloped probably do not deserve such greatness.
I just intend to make people aware about who we are & what we can do as a nation. India will rise to pinnacle & a few loose cannons cannot stop that. We are not some foreign invaders that we consider ourselves to be different from India. We are the nation & the nation is in us.
Nothing can stop India from being great!
Your pessimism is your problem.

Ekam Sad Vipra Bahudha Vadanti

Secularism! Secularism! Secularism! Secularism!
This word reverberates in the television studios like some prayer OR name of some deity. In the last 1-2 years, Congress Party had made this as their main plank against the advent of Mr. Narendra Modi. It tried to project that advent of Mr. Modi will turn India into a Hindu Pakistan. Trying to cover up their Scams, Failures, etc. they tried to make Secularism as their main shield against the growing popularity of Mr. Modi.
Being secular lies at the core of every indian nationalist. India is a nation which sheltered the persecuted parsis. While the world may have been hostile towards them but India has provided them the much needed relief & comfort. The Hindu ideology which professes the concept of "Ekam Sad Vipra Bahudha Vadanti" has made India into a all accepting sea which allows all the rivers to flow into it. A true nationalist hindu believes that all the religion are true which ultimately lead us to the divine force which drives the universe. Secularism is not something alien to indian society but it's something interwoven in our social fabric. Secularism has been our identity since time immemorial.
This debate around secularism is not the result of some change in our mindsets. But the reason behind this debate is the discrimination which has been meted out to the majority community. The political class which tried their minority appeasement politics for political gains have done a severe damage to India's social fabric. This discrimination against the majority class has made the majority to rethink their stand on secularism. Minority politics has ruined the nation. A true indian is secular by birth but the champions of sickularism have made him communal.
India is a all absorbing mother which has place for anyone & everyone. But we need to do away with certain political ideology which has created this divide. The Lok Sabha Elections of 2014 have given a severe blow to these champions of sickularism. But they need to be completely decimated for redeveloping India to it's earlier glory.

ELECTIONS-FESTIVAL OF DEMOCRACY

The world just experienced the greatest electoral exercise in the history of mankind. Tomorrow we will come to know the results of this grand exercise. But the elections of 2014 have really galvanised the youth of India. They have made them reaffirm their faith in the bright future of India. In recent years,  elections in India have brought more pessimism than optimism. But the elections of 2014 have sparked that ray of hope in the minds of disgruntled indians. While how much of that hope culminates into reality is for the political class of India to answer but these elections have witnessed unprecedented electoral participation. With all the ills of the political class of India, survival of democracy is the proof of how strongly we believe in democracy. Post-Emergency election results were a tight slap on the face of those people undermining Indian Democracy & Indian population.
Whatever the results may be but the underlying outcome of the elections is the victory of the indian electorate. The enthusiasm amongst the 1st time voters & optimism amongst the senior citizens is the ultimate proof of our bright future. Elections are more about participation & less about pessimism. The resounding debates about national issues during elections, the views & counter-views, the sense of being Indian are all the positive takes of a typical indian election. Elections are those events where our "INDIANESS" manifests itself. Young indians participating in large numbers is a sign of healthy & vibrant democracy. While tomorrow we will know whether Mr. Modi has been successful in convincing Indian voters BUT certainly I can say that INDIA has won. YOU HAVE WON.
More do I discuss & debate national issues more does my indianess manifests. I hope you all also experience the same. I have made up my mind to be more vibrant & well-informed about the national issues. I hope you all have also made up your minds for the same.
I can assert with certainty that Lok Sabha Elections are as good a festival as a HOLI OR DIWALI is.
INDIA HAS WON. YOU HAVE WON.

Because India Deserves Better

As we head into the arithmetic & chemistry of next government formation, I feel the core issues of development & job creation have taken a back seat. The enthusiasm & vigour amongst the new age voters signifies the undercurrent for a better change. We often tend to believe that urban citizens are more enlightened. But the voting percentage contrast in rural & urban areas shows the urban elite it's true standing. Respecting & reciprocating to democracy is our duty 1st & right 2nd. The only way things can change is by active electoral participation & not morcha type behaviour. I believe voting should be made compulsory to enhance the role of public participation in democracy.
Having said all that, the sole purpose of our electoral participation is our quest for more civic comforts we deserve. Government & Governance are not meant to distribute freebies but provide essential opportunities for the well being of the society. Our preamble states "We, the people of India....." but I feel we are more gripped by the feeling of ME rather than WE. I feel things change & by mere pessimism we are heading for further downfall. I still strongly believe in our idea of India. As Swami Vivekananda puts it "WE ARE DESTINED FOR A GREAT FUTURE". People may think that my thoughts are mere rhetoric but my belief in our greatness will never cease to exist. My conviction to the core has made be to believe that 21st century belongs to India. I believe in VASUDHAIV KUTUMBH. I can see mother india making her mark on the world.
Don't make the mistake of rejecting my thoughts as rhetoric emotional outflow. I & my indians are here to re embark on your past glory & set the terms for the future.
JAI HIND