The first meeting of Anna Hazare took place at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, which witnessed in back ground on the dais a big picture of Bharat Mata with a lion. The pro RSS masses took for granted that the presence of the picture in the meeting symbolized full support of RSS to Anna Hazare and there was a mammoth gathering not only at Jantar Mantar but at various other places also. The second meeting of the Anna Hazare campaign took place in Lucknow, at three different places. Anna Hazare was not there. Gatherings were poor. The Bharat Mata picture was also not there at any of the daises in Lucknow. That was a clear indication of the point that the Anna team thought it proper to keep away from RSS. Later on Arvind Kejriwal, the key figure of the Anna Hazare campaign was seen on TV screen telling that RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat should not try to take credit for the success of the Anna campaign.He sarcastically said," Mohan Bhagawat should take credit for what happened in Gujarat". Obviously, Anna team did not like to entertain the RSS resolution to fight corruption , which was passed in it's Pratinidhi Sabha in March 2011. Why Anna team was not there in the 4 Feb 2012 Delhi meeting that was sponsored by none other than RSS through Baba Ramdev, Dr Subramanian Swamy and KN Govindacharya, and various other anti-corruption activists and outfits ? Arvind Kejriwal once said , We are not inviting any one to join our campaign, it is not a marriage occasion." The same logic might stand for RSS, which does not seem to have invited Anna team to attend the 4 Feb Delhi meet. All that raises the following questions :
1. Must the appetite for credit overrule and puncture the mission to have a clean system in India?
2. Must the ego of some fine persons overrule their original determination to fight out corruption and black money ?
3. Must the loyalty for India be forced to accept subordination of loyalty of some persons / parties/ ideologies ?
4. Must RSS / Anna team see that the discouraging message of some ego- born wranglings be allowed to thwart the expected joint effort to fight corruption? Who is responsible for the fissure ?
5. How can any body ignore the genuine desire of the poor villager called Anna Hazare to cleanse India?
6. How can one expect RSS / Baba Ramdev/ Dr Subramanian Swamy/ KN Govindacharya to underestimate efforts of Ana Hazare ?
7. Must Anna Hazare's efforts be left to fade away and / or submit to the bucolic recalcitrance of some persons of his team and other campaigners ?
8. Must India witness repetition of its history that witnessed the success of alien invaders due to mutual fissures in Indian society on the lines of caste, creed, domains, kingdoms etc ?
9. Why all those persons/ organizations who do posses necessary resources and potential to bring change in India fail to break the ego-born barriers and come on one platform to accomplish the common mission?
10. Why the overall organizational strength of RSS is not acknowledged by the Anna team, which is short of the zeal, dedication, and sacrifice that have been helping RSS have a guaranteed all India presence in every section of society in various forms and degrees?
11. Why RSS can not tackle amicably the team Anna that may be seen as vulnerable to the forces that may like to disintegrate India?
There may be hundreds of such questions the coming generations will ask, if efforts to have a better India fail.
Balram Misra
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
STAKEHOLDERS SUMMIT ON FDI IN RETAIL ON 10TH FEBURARY
Raising a united voice against FDI in Retail, the leaders of leading organisations of traders, farmers,hawkers, transport have called upon the Central Government to hold wider discussion on report of Parliamentary Standing Committee instead of finding ways and means to substantiate its decision to allow FDI in Retail which has been hold back in view of stiff opposition from all quarters. It is highly deplorable that Union Commerce Minister is finding time to meet officials of MNC's whereas on the other hand the sectors who are contributing magnificiently to national exchequer have been constantly ignored.
In order to initiate a countrywide movement on FDI in Retail, more than 31 leading organisations of different sectors of retail trade are holding a National Convention on" Impact of FDI in Retail on Indian Economy and Trade" on 10th Feburary at New Delhi.
Several Political leaders including Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Shri Basudeb Acharya, CPM MP, Shri Guru Das Dasgupta, CPI MP and others will be participating in the Convention whereas several leading economists including Shri Mohan Guruswamy, Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Shri Shekar Swamy, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Prof Sukhpal, Prof. Bhagwati Prakash, Prof.Sukhpal and others will also be addressing the Convention. Prominent Farmer Leaders Mr. Rakseh Tikait, Rishipal Ambawata, Atul Kumar Anjan, Krishan Veer Chaudhary,Ram Pal Jat,Sudhir Panwar,Suchha Singh Gill, Subhash Barala, Om Prakash Dhankhar etc shall also be participating the Convention.
Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), Mr. Naresh Sirohi, General Secretary of Kisan Morcha, Mr.Shaktiman Ghosh,General Secretary National Hawkers Federation, Mr. Pradeep Singhal,Working President,All India Motor Transport Congress and Mr. Pradeep Sharma of Swadeshi Jagran Manch in a joint statement today the Government needs to re-look at the policy with an open mind as merely assumptions not backed by supportive examples and studies can not make any policy good. They regretted that the recommondations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee and responses received by the Government on its discussion paper were never considered though majority of the responses and the recommondations of the Parliamentary panel are against the entry of FDI in Retail quoting substantial evidences.
The leaders jointly called for an open debate on FDI in Retail as various arguments made by the proponents of FDI are based on totally wrong assumptions.The experience of the rest of the World whether USA, Europe or Asian Countries substantiate the fact that global retailers act on predatory pricing policy and control the retail trade in a monopolistic way. The global retailers are willing to come to India to take over an existing market. Certainly, they are not going to increase in consumption which will result into mass displacement of the existing players. In other sectors where FDI has been allowed, new markets and new categories have been created. The FDI in Retail will have terrible consequences for the average Indian.
CAIT Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal
In order to initiate a countrywide movement on FDI in Retail, more than 31 leading organisations of different sectors of retail trade are holding a National Convention on" Impact of FDI in Retail on Indian Economy and Trade" on 10th Feburary at New Delhi.
Several Political leaders including Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Shri Basudeb Acharya, CPM MP, Shri Guru Das Dasgupta, CPI MP and others will be participating in the Convention whereas several leading economists including Shri Mohan Guruswamy, Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Shri Shekar Swamy, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Prof Sukhpal, Prof. Bhagwati Prakash, Prof.Sukhpal and others will also be addressing the Convention. Prominent Farmer Leaders Mr. Rakseh Tikait, Rishipal Ambawata, Atul Kumar Anjan, Krishan Veer Chaudhary,Ram Pal Jat,Sudhir Panwar,Suchha Singh Gill, Subhash Barala, Om Prakash Dhankhar etc shall also be participating the Convention.
Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), Mr. Naresh Sirohi, General Secretary of Kisan Morcha, Mr.Shaktiman Ghosh,General Secretary National Hawkers Federation, Mr. Pradeep Singhal,Working President,All India Motor Transport Congress and Mr. Pradeep Sharma of Swadeshi Jagran Manch in a joint statement today the Government needs to re-look at the policy with an open mind as merely assumptions not backed by supportive examples and studies can not make any policy good. They regretted that the recommondations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee and responses received by the Government on its discussion paper were never considered though majority of the responses and the recommondations of the Parliamentary panel are against the entry of FDI in Retail quoting substantial evidences.
The leaders jointly called for an open debate on FDI in Retail as various arguments made by the proponents of FDI are based on totally wrong assumptions.The experience of the rest of the World whether USA, Europe or Asian Countries substantiate the fact that global retailers act on predatory pricing policy and control the retail trade in a monopolistic way. The global retailers are willing to come to India to take over an existing market. Certainly, they are not going to increase in consumption which will result into mass displacement of the existing players. In other sectors where FDI has been allowed, new markets and new categories have been created. The FDI in Retail will have terrible consequences for the average Indian.
CAIT Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal
Challenges before nationalist India
What constitutes nationalist India? Is it a set of people with distinct ideology, specific mindset and concomitant behavior? Probably so, because in contemporary India, we observe two very distinct and contrasting popular forces---nationalistic forces and opportunistic forces. Our society’s bane has been selfishness and opportunism. These traits are the prime reasons for India’s moral, economic and political decadence for a long period of history.
Nationalist India is conceptualized and viewed as a group of people wedded to the ideals of secularism, tolerance, brotherhood and patriotism. It is very clear in its understanding of the Indian nation as a cultural entity. It views cultural renaissance as the basic underlying current for India’s resurgence as an economic and political superpower.
Let us examine the various challenges being faced by the nationalist India today. The first and the foremost challenge is the much needed reforms to our constitution which we have inherited from our founding fathers as a set of defining and directive principles and a governing policy framework. These principles and framework are replete with provisions which are totally out of tune with our social and cultural ethos. Indeed, our constitution is defective and deficient for our country because it does not match our native pristine culture. It has failed to give truly representative governments through the democratic election process. It has failed to establish justice, equality and true socialism as has been amply proved over the past six decades. Our polity has delivered weak and indecisive coalition governments over the past twenty years. Whether in state or at the centre, the terms of coalition governments have been marked by dillydallying and dithering on important tasks like enactment of Lokpal bill and implementation of judicial reforms. On the contrary, the lawmakers have cleared speedily and unanimously bills on the subject of extending reservation in educational institutions and jobs for SC/ST/OBC citizens, on substantial hikes of salaries and perquisites of MPs and MLAs and other bills dealing with scores of populist measures. Populism has truly become the cornerstone of governmental functioning.
Objective analysis suggests that many amendments and reforms are needed in India’s constitution for providing stable governments and for establishing a system that will bring up governments focused on universal welfare rather than popular appeasement. Over the years, many prudent ideas have been expressed by eminent parliamentarians and political pundits in the nature of such constitutional reforms. Switchover to a two-party democratic system, presidential form of government on the USA model and multiparty national government are some of these. The idea of national government was first mooted by Sh. Vasant Sathe and was endorsed by Sh.L.K.Advani. India badly needs some other amendments in the constitution to restrain, restrict and regulate expenditure of money in elections and to effect larger turnout of voters during election process for achieving truly representative elections. This is the only way to get lawmakers with competence, character and commitment.
The other challenge before nationalist India is perhaps the bigger challenge of shaping the mindset of our citizens. This challenge consists in inculcating nationalistic spirit and patriotic fervor. For this, it needs to be understood that a nation is a cultural entity. India’s pristine, native culture has to be identified correctly and resurrected. Language, customs, traditions, mores and behavioral patterns are the elements of this culture. The moral deficit visible in the Indian society is the result of deviation from the divine ideology enshrined in Vedas, the pillars of material and spiritual progress of ancient India. Let it be made clear that cultural currents which foster universal brotherhood, tolerance and other values drawn from the primordial scriptures – Vedas need to be reestablished. India’s glorious past was due to the divine universalistic culture of Vedas. As long as Vedic ideology and culture was followed by the Indian society, India reigned supreme in the world. It remained leader in economy, defense, trade, agriculture, science, technology, medicine and what not. India’s decline was coterminous with the dilution and distortion of Vedic culture in all facets of life. Vedic ideology, Vedic precepts and Vedic knowledge are divine, rational and truly scientific. Therefore Vedic cultural renaissance is the need of the hour. This culture made India the global economic and political superpower for a long period of history. This culture made India the moral and spiritual torchbearer of the world for thousands of years. The revival of the same culture holds the key to the economic, political and moral resurgence of India.
Nationalistic forces in India are working as separate groups or organizations, some of them wrongly tarred by the communal brush. They need to stand out clearly and effectively to project themselves as selfless, altruistic and committed to the ideal of Indian nationalism. Indian nationalism needs to be defined clearly and elaborately once again to make it comprehensible to the man- in- the- street. Once the true concept of nationalistic India is clear to the common man, meeting the other major challenges to nationalistic India will be rendered that much easier and quick resurgence of India as the sole economic, political as well as moral superpower will become a reality rather than a pipe dream.
(source atul sehgal)
Nationalist India is conceptualized and viewed as a group of people wedded to the ideals of secularism, tolerance, brotherhood and patriotism. It is very clear in its understanding of the Indian nation as a cultural entity. It views cultural renaissance as the basic underlying current for India’s resurgence as an economic and political superpower.
Let us examine the various challenges being faced by the nationalist India today. The first and the foremost challenge is the much needed reforms to our constitution which we have inherited from our founding fathers as a set of defining and directive principles and a governing policy framework. These principles and framework are replete with provisions which are totally out of tune with our social and cultural ethos. Indeed, our constitution is defective and deficient for our country because it does not match our native pristine culture. It has failed to give truly representative governments through the democratic election process. It has failed to establish justice, equality and true socialism as has been amply proved over the past six decades. Our polity has delivered weak and indecisive coalition governments over the past twenty years. Whether in state or at the centre, the terms of coalition governments have been marked by dillydallying and dithering on important tasks like enactment of Lokpal bill and implementation of judicial reforms. On the contrary, the lawmakers have cleared speedily and unanimously bills on the subject of extending reservation in educational institutions and jobs for SC/ST/OBC citizens, on substantial hikes of salaries and perquisites of MPs and MLAs and other bills dealing with scores of populist measures. Populism has truly become the cornerstone of governmental functioning.
Objective analysis suggests that many amendments and reforms are needed in India’s constitution for providing stable governments and for establishing a system that will bring up governments focused on universal welfare rather than popular appeasement. Over the years, many prudent ideas have been expressed by eminent parliamentarians and political pundits in the nature of such constitutional reforms. Switchover to a two-party democratic system, presidential form of government on the USA model and multiparty national government are some of these. The idea of national government was first mooted by Sh. Vasant Sathe and was endorsed by Sh.L.K.Advani. India badly needs some other amendments in the constitution to restrain, restrict and regulate expenditure of money in elections and to effect larger turnout of voters during election process for achieving truly representative elections. This is the only way to get lawmakers with competence, character and commitment.
The other challenge before nationalist India is perhaps the bigger challenge of shaping the mindset of our citizens. This challenge consists in inculcating nationalistic spirit and patriotic fervor. For this, it needs to be understood that a nation is a cultural entity. India’s pristine, native culture has to be identified correctly and resurrected. Language, customs, traditions, mores and behavioral patterns are the elements of this culture. The moral deficit visible in the Indian society is the result of deviation from the divine ideology enshrined in Vedas, the pillars of material and spiritual progress of ancient India. Let it be made clear that cultural currents which foster universal brotherhood, tolerance and other values drawn from the primordial scriptures – Vedas need to be reestablished. India’s glorious past was due to the divine universalistic culture of Vedas. As long as Vedic ideology and culture was followed by the Indian society, India reigned supreme in the world. It remained leader in economy, defense, trade, agriculture, science, technology, medicine and what not. India’s decline was coterminous with the dilution and distortion of Vedic culture in all facets of life. Vedic ideology, Vedic precepts and Vedic knowledge are divine, rational and truly scientific. Therefore Vedic cultural renaissance is the need of the hour. This culture made India the global economic and political superpower for a long period of history. This culture made India the moral and spiritual torchbearer of the world for thousands of years. The revival of the same culture holds the key to the economic, political and moral resurgence of India.
Nationalistic forces in India are working as separate groups or organizations, some of them wrongly tarred by the communal brush. They need to stand out clearly and effectively to project themselves as selfless, altruistic and committed to the ideal of Indian nationalism. Indian nationalism needs to be defined clearly and elaborately once again to make it comprehensible to the man- in- the- street. Once the true concept of nationalistic India is clear to the common man, meeting the other major challenges to nationalistic India will be rendered that much easier and quick resurgence of India as the sole economic, political as well as moral superpower will become a reality rather than a pipe dream.
(source atul sehgal)
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