Reflections

This is the second part of the post :  http://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.in/2013/10/facing-up-to-our-colonial-heritage-part.html The dawn of the early 1950s saw the recession of colonialism as a workable model of growth across the world; by the end of this decade, Colonialism was a dead word in the world at large, with only a few sporadic colonies remaining. 50 years and more have passed since that day (67 for India); and the development and growth, while present in India, has done little to solve the crippling problems facing the Indian nation. We are undoubtedly much, much better off - with world class amenities in the cities, a tremendously improved amenity profile in the villages, a bustling economy, stupendous success in high-tech sectors - where we are one among the top 6-7 nations in the world, much better infrastructure, improved - in fact, highly improved health facilities in towns and villages with world-rated medical centers in the cities, a multitude of renowned grow...

"Adjust"; "Learn to move with the times"; "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"; "Everyone does it"; "Do it for your own survival"; "If you have to grow, this is the only way" and many many other similar variations would have been heard by all of us on a routine basis. These would even form the basis of our thoughts as we go about our day-to-day life. These very thoughts would form the justification in our own minds as we bend the rules, and ignore the morality and the legality of our actions... The beauty of the situation is that the large majority of the people do not even stop, or even pause, for a moment - and analyse; is this really needed? Is there any other way to do it? Do I really need to break the laws of morality, legality and common business sense in order to achieve my ends? These are the questions that I intend to address in this post: Is it possible to be straight, decent and good in this modern world, especiall...

‘Capt. Kalia’s case can’t be taken up on global fora’ ‘Justice for Captain Kalia’ campaign reaches UNHRC  The government has informed the family of Kargil martyr Captain Saurabh Kalia that it would not be “desirable” to take up his case at the international level as India was committed to resolving its differences with Pakistan only through bilateral negotiations. “Defence Minister A.K. Antony has said the government cannot deal with Capt. Kalia’s case under the Geneva Conventions. Raising the case on an international forum would not be desirable,” Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a release. The Minister had told him in a letter that, “India is committed to settling differences with Pakistan only through bilateral negotiations. ” Union government bales out of Captain Saurabh Kalia's case " In his letter, the minister has mentioned that as per the Simla Agreement, India has pledged to settle all differences with Pakistan through bila...

Our Colonial past is seared into the mind of every educated Indian; most of us do recall with bitterness the sad period between 1757 and 1947. It is difficult to be emotionally detached on this topic – as evidenced by the responses on various online social sites. The difference is only in degree, with some people being more vociferous and emotional, and the others being a lot more practical and sanguine about the entire matter. But most of the spectrum is united in the bitterness that is felt on recalling that horrid period of our history.  And yet, paradoxically, as a nation we seem to be in denial about our own past and what was done to us; just like the rest of Asia and Africa. The fact of the matter is that the developed world is where it is today because of looted and stolen wealth from Asia and Africa, of which a rather large part came from India. They would never have been anywhere near where they are today had it not been for our own stupidity and weaknesses that cont...

This is a book on the events that led to the 1971 war, and US handling of the entire affair. It is a detailed look at the 1971 war for Bangladesh, at the US support to Pakistan during the crisis, its handling of India and USSR, and the internal white house politics and diplomatic politics in Dhaka, Islamabad, New Delhi and Washington DC. It is a stunningly vivid and blunt write-up with a deep research behind it. It is more in the category of a historical investigation, with a detailed investigation to back it up, supported with a copious bibliography to make it a power-packed book. It exposes the Cold War Illogic, and reveals how a cold war fixation almost got the world to a confrontation It recounts the events that went into the 1971 war in India, Pakistan and the USA in breathtaking detail. You are taken deep into the political intrigues played out in India and USA, and get a ringside seat as the decisions are taken that propel an entire people towards disaster. The book has be...

India is known as a land of diversity; one of the most clichéd descriptions about India has been its unity in diversity aspect, and this can be readily seen in the varied linguistic and cultural traditions that span our land in addition to the religious diversity. This is a known positive about our motherland, and widely acknowledged as such. And yet, within this diversity, within this cultural cosmos that is India, is hidden a set of several “Indias” whose divergent agendas are a cause of concern. I call them Three Indias and a Bhaarat… The first India is the so-called upper strata, the educated elite – and by that, I mean the educated English-spouting elite of the cities. Specifically, the educated elite in the top cities of India, who are discernibly a distinct identity group, and are a pretty exclusive group. These people stick together like glue on most issues, and breaking into this select group is extraordinarily difficult for someone from Bhaarat. These are the people who...

India is supposed to be a Democracy - for the people, of the people and by the people. The people, through the Parliament, are supposedly in control of their own destinies in our opted system of Governance. Every Indian would do well to remember these lines - and remind him or herself of these words whenever any criticism comes to mind. Unfortunately, what happens is in reality, in complete divergence to this optimal or ideal scenario! The status of Governance in our country is there for all to see. And by that, I dont mean our much-maligned UPA-2 governance alone. The ills that are manifest in front of us are not the sole result of a set of 60-odd people running the county, as I have pointed out in my post :  http://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.in/2013/06/usne-kiyaa-he-did-it-he-did-it.html .  And neither are they the result of 10 short years of misgovernance. All it takes is one cursory glance at the corruption index, or the HDI Index to see that the ills plaguing our ...