Pandora's Box: The Black Money issue in India

The Hindu Cartoonscope and Amul Butter cartoons continue to be a great way to capture news in India with humor and satire. This Year in Review presents a montage of cartoons from the two sources to present the highlights of what happened in India in 2011.

Reports of political scams and corruption continued to surface throughout 2011. 2G allocation, hoarding of balck money and illegal mining at Bellary were some prominent ones.  Continue Reading

Whenever I have entered into a chat with an Indian, there have always been feelings of goodwill and kindness for each other as people. This mutual respect between the people of India and Pakistan who communicate online tells volumes about how deeply the people of both the countries admire and appreciate each other in actuality. This fact is unlike what the media often depicts the situation between people to be. I have found Indians to get more interested in knowing better about me as a Pakistani and also about my country. This indicates an attempt on their part to bridge the gaps and understand. If you have understood another human being, you have connected.

First of all, they are amazed to see that I know Urdu and can speak it fluently as my mother tongue. Indians admire Urdu language, or so at least has been my experience when I tell them that Urdu is my first language. The heritage of Urdu literature in India has unique position in its culture and history. The second fact that strikes them is to know that I am from Karachi, which is a city they must have heard a lot of things about; some good, some bad, but always arising a sense of wonderment about Karachiites. Karachi is not much different than one of India’s own largest cities, Mumbai. Hence, many common things come to the fore when sharing experiences about life in these metropolitans. I don’t for one understand how based on similarities of backgrounds from this perspective, people can differ.

They instantly want to know what I think about India and the Indians, and I tell them that I honestly admire India and its people. The thing that inspires me most about India is its cultural colours and diversity. India is an extraordinary example of diverse groups of people living under one flag. Though that there are differences and grievances, but then there is also a feeling of brotherhood and love for one another under the tri-coloured national banner. If considered from the aspect of Muslim population of India, then it is the second largest country to have the highest number of residential Muslims, which is almost three times more than Pakistan.

Just as its melodious culture of music and dance and celebratory nature in every aspect of life, I love the Indian national anthem, which is just as beautiful as the country itself. None of the Indians that I have ever chatted with, and there are a quite a lot of numbers that I did, said that India and Pakistan could never be peaceful together. This proves that the educated people, the informed class on both sides of the border want peace and co-existence. The feeling is never of going to war, as it has resulted in nothing for either lands except death, destruction and deprivation of chances to move ahead. I think we should have evolved as people by now to not initiate arms struggle. There should be no space for immaturity and regrettable conduct.

In fact, we all agree that India and Pakistan can not only be peaceful together, but that they can also spread this message of peace and love to other people around the world, if only the things are not politicized by the war mongers who monetize on hatred and dissidence. If only the wishes of the people are paid heed to and shown at various levels of media can the world know that the love that exists between an Indian and a Pakistani is forever that of brotherhood and of compassion. We are like two brothers who are though distinct in their identities, yet connected with the same origin of land and cultural heritage.

Hence, competition between our cricket teams or between our cultural talents is nothing more than a competition that is held within a family to derive out the best in them. The peace is there, let the peace be out in the open so that its sweet smell can comfort us and lead us with a feeling of goodness and camaraderie toward one another. People of both the countries need better education, efficient health care and equal opportunities of employment. Both have had enough with wars and conflicts and spending of large portions of their budgets each time on defense, when they should be expended on innovative research and development of society.

Thus, there is no love lost between the two states and its caring people. Let there never be an air of hatred. I say Jai Hind and Pakistan Zindabad. May the people of both the sides live in harmony to make South Asia a beacon of peace and prosperity where hatred is disqualified to enter their lives ever again.

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Courtesy: The Hindu

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 riots has been an emotive issue in India. Conviction of Modi is viewed by his critics as the only form in which justice can be accorded to the victims of Gujarat riots. Modi’s supporters cite his performance as an administrator and development of Gujarat (the Muslim population in particular) as proof of his commitment to public welfare. For the judicial system in India the challenge is compounded because each side has rigid and pre-conceived notions of justice in this case. The legal outcome of this case is expected to have profound political consequences. This context made the Supreme Court’s pronouncements on the case on Monday afternoon particularly interesting.

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But a recent incident has forced me to accept the inevitable – social media is an open forum and can be misused if the users so intend. I am referring to the cancellation of the Harud Autumn Literature Festival in Kashmir, India. The festival scheduled to be held in the last week of September was a unique opportunity for the budding literary minds of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh to engage with stalwarts from across the country. The reason for cancellation was spelled out by Namita Gokhale, the festival advisor: “What would you do if 5,000 people on Facebook are running a campaign for boycott of the festival and plan violence.”

IAC at San Francisco, August 18,2011. Photo Courtesy: Amit Kumar

Given the recent developments it was difficult to avoid commenting on the India Against Corruption (IAC) campaign led by Anna Hazare. Let me clarify at the onset that I don’t support Anna’s version of the Jan Lokpal Bill and the intransigent campaign through which he seeks to get the proposal implemented. However, I support the shunning of the “kuch nahi ho sakta” (Nothing can be done) attitude in India.  IAC campaign may be labelled as undemocratic by some and dangerous by others. Many had observed during the first round of protests in April that the Anna fever would die down once the IPL fever gains momentum. People participating in the candle light and street marches may be labelled as “posing for the camera” protesters. Only handful of the supporters can make an honest claim to have read the proposed Bill. Nevertheless, it is a protest against the Government and its unpopular policies. It is naïve to refer to these protests and India’s Arab Spring (simply unfair to the protestors in the Middle East). The protests in India may appear unintelligent and may not offer a desirable solution but it’s heartening to see mobilization for a cause that is unifying cause rather than protests for separate statehood or reservation for particular groups. Anna does not speak for all Indians (there are many outside the Government and Congress who don’t support him) but his supporters (we can argue about the numbers) identify themselves as Indians and not as Jats or Gujjars or natives of Telangana or Kashmiris!

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In a surprising development, the foreign secretaries decided to jointly address a news conference after first announcing separate briefings. The news conference was in addition to a joint statement and, according to Indian officials, a signal that the usually squabbling countries can face the world together.

There were no declarations regarding ‘historic agreements’, ‘new paths’ or ‘renewed understanding’. The foreign secretaries, according to MEA Spokesperson Vishu Prakash had, “very cordial discussions, substantive talks and forward-looking”. No breakthrough agreements were expected as the meeting was merely a preparatory phase for the upcoming visit of Pakistani Foreign Minister to India in July. However, ‘miscommunication’ and ‘quoting out of context’ are the common spoilers for any India-Pakistan interaction. It was pleasantly surprising that neither the diplomats nor the media contributed any rhetorical negativity to the atmosphere.

A working group is expected to meet next month to work on specific cross-Line of Control (LOC) CBMs. The group will look at the demand for more trading days, additional routes, reducing red tape, and specifying the 21 items of trade to ensure that only goods made in Jammu and Kashmir are traded.

However, it is important not to over-estimate the calm as agreement or precursor to resolution. CBMs help in improving the atmospherics for undertaking difficult negotiations and are not in itself a sign of successful negotiations. The CBMs, expected to be declared by the Foreign Ministers next month, should not be burdened with ‘resolving’ the intricate political disagreements between India and Pakistan. Pragmatic Euphony rightlyobserves, “We are in it for a long haul. Modern public policy wonks would probably phrase it as a cause that warrants Strategic Patience”.

Responses to this wave of civil society protests can be broadly classified into two categories. Supporters of the protests justify civil society’s unease on the basis of Government’s growing incompetence, excessive corruption and power induced arrogance. Critics, see the over-zealous members of civil society as a threat to the democratic law making process and institutional separation of powers. Both sides make valid arguments. Is it possible to accurately identify the villain and hero in this confrontation?

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