The Dying INC.

56.64 and still growing perhaps falling. The value of Rupee is currently at its second highest position and is quickly making its ways to break the record of its all-time sacrosanct low figure of 57.15 against the US dollar, dated 22^nd of June 2012. Amongst many possible factors aimed at curbing the rising inflation, one appearing in recent debates is to increase the upper cap on FDI in the defense sector. 

Mr. Thomas Mathew, Joint Secretary to President argues for “steadily expanding deficiencies in the defense modernization”. Around 70% of India’s defense equipment is imported. Moreover if the value of foreign components in the equipments manufactured in India are added as well, the dependency would be even higher. “A nation that would have to face several challenges as it strives to become a greater economic power cannot afford to be so dependent on imported weapons”, argues Thomas. We must learn from nations like Brazil which had specially amended their federal constitution in 1995, to allow up to 100% investment by foreign companies in their Defense sector. They converted their image from a major importer to a major exporter with Helibras today being a prominent name in the helicopter manufacturing industry. While the idea is to stabilize the Indian Defense sector (currently allowing mere 26% FDI) and controlling the rising inflation, this educated step would also aid in matters of increased employment for Indian engineers, better technology in indigenous hands, increased outsourcing to other nations, and circuitously a much widely accepted government at the New-Delhi.

If one would gaze at the Government at the Center 2 years back from now, then he/she would have faced a severe dilemma at the hands of helplessness. While the INC led UPA II was stamping its worth for the ruling coalition, the main opposition party BJP seemed to be involved in an equal internal struggle as well. However the scenario is changed now and while INC in battling regular inflicts, BJP is looking forward for an organized hike to Mount Delhi. Although the time demands INC to be addressing more pressing issues of rising inflation and Naxal settlement, it is struggling to move past the endorsement of food security bill, 

already labeled as extremely costly and ineffective by several experts. “The fundamental problem about the system is “leakages” and one soon realized that FCI (Food Corp. of India) is one of the most inefficient and corrupt organizations in the government”, says Arvind Virmani, former chief economic advisor. “Today the total number of people living below poverty line is more than our entire population in 1947”, reveals NSSO. 

Our reverend Prime Minister complains about growing hostility in the main opposition party that has halted many important bills and to-be-made decisions in void. The opposition is reacting by continuously repeating that their antagonism is deeply owed to a most corrupt government of all time. Such mutual attacks however do not consolidate INC’s acceptability in the upcoming 2014 general elections.

It is time to take an educated step for the Naxal issue, especially when their regional presence in Chhattisgarh state has been brutally inflicted upon by Maoists. The recent massacre of 30 INC rally members (Parivarthan Yatra) near Dorbha forest in Jagdalpur, by ambushed Maoists has send a shock wave in the entire nation.

Ever since its inception in 2005- Salwa Judum or “Purification Hunt” (in Gondi Language) has been under continuous scrutiny and radars of the Maoists. Salwa Judum is an alleged civilian militia mobilized and deployed as a part of anti-insurgent operations in Chhattisgarh and aimed at countering Naxal violence in the region. Its foundation has thickened the flux between Naxals and the tribals in these regions ever since, and its founder- Mahendra Karma was sought after by Naxals for a long time. According to various leading dailies and his post-mortem report, Karma,

who was killed in the rally, was stabbed 78 times, 3 times on face, 8 times after he died and some 50 bullets were recovered from his mutilated body. The attack was a coward’s play owing to the ambush Naxals had plotted and considering the few security officers in the rally who managed to push the AK cladded Naxals for two hours before surrendering due to exhausted ammunition of their service revolvers. While the Naxals stand Karma guilty of

harassing the tribals and claiming their lands, some indications can indeed be taken out. It is true that the no-man lands of the red corridor that stretches from south Nepal to Andhra Pradesh is extremely rich in valuable minerals, which possess a golden opportunity for the government and leading national-international business empires. However in their expedition to claim the tribal lands, they fail to realize the sensitive tribal sentiments attached with their lands. When the governments, Local as well as Union has continuously failed to provide basic amenities  of health clinics, rations, water, electricity and security to these tribals, land remains the only resource which these tribal claim for themselves. In the due course these tribals have also lend their trust into the Naxal hands, which despite the use of violence do provide however small aid and

assistance possible at root level. Under such hostile conditions, to help the tribals in escaping from the violent hands of Naxals and wiping away the Naxal presence as well is possible in only one way. It is “Security followed by Development”, that is, the gap between security measures and the developments to take place should effectively be zero- explains K.Vijay Kumar IPS, former head of SVPNPA,

Hyderabad, former Director General CRPF and current Senior Security Advisor Home Ministry. Kumar was the Chief of STF that encountered the notorious Sandalwood bandit Veerapaan. In its entire course of 9 years UPA has been unable to resolve this internal source of threat that becomes more dangerous and pressing than any external threat, with each flying dusk.

While in such problematic times for INC, a much more intense and long awaited problem finally roots out. The emergence of Narendra Modi, who completes 10

years of prosperity in Gujarat and despite various blame games and blotches of violent bloodshed in his state, offers a Modern and Developed model of Garvi Gujarat while pacing quickly towards 7, Race Course Road. People address him as the Mandate Of Developing India! Despite a few reservations expressed by BJP veteran Mr. L.K.Advani and his loyalists namingly Jaswant Singh, and Shatrughan Sinha, BJP president Rajnath Singh is all set to announce Modi as the head of Lok Sabha campaign committee on 9^th of June ’13. The party’s National Executive meet held in Goa awaits the moment; Of Modi being recognized as the official prime ministerial candidate for upcoming 2014 general Lok Sabha polls. While Advani and

his loyalists have refused to attend the meet owing to illness and “sudden health concerns”, Modi is all set to start his new Yatra from Gujarat to New-Delhi via GOA.

What awaits more importantly is the showdown which Modi is expected to perform if he ends up landing in 7 Race Course Road. Whether he will be able to address more pressing National concerns of Inflation, Defense, Food security, Lokpal and Naxals as he has in Gujarat in the past 10 years? One can only wish for the best, and so can INC and Mr. Rahul Gandhi as he charmingly awaits to become the bait against the growing BJP popularity!

References-

The views mentioned are completely personal. The quotations have been taken from the leading Indian Daily- “Times of India”. Some more information has been borrowed from the following sources-

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/‎

en.wikipedia.org/

www.bhaskar.com/‎

The images have been borrowed form Google Image Search