MY DREAM OF INDIA IN 2011

Every citizen of a democratic country like ours are free to dream so do I. I am dreaming the dream for a Great Indian 2011 Dream where India stands high in the world diplomatic order, where India became a permanenet member of the Elite veto club, where India will be the champion of promoting democracy and defending human rights worldwide, where India leads the world pecking order, where India can stand up to the Chinese, where India can root out the evil of corruption, where India can eradicate poverty, where India can feed all of its millions of poor, where Indians throw out petty politics for the larger interests of the Nation, Hope 2011 will be the strarting point of my dream.

India is destined to be a member of security council. This may seems to be a dream for many but the day is not far. India is slowly making its mark in the world diplomatic standing order. Now the time is to leapfrog the order to have our deserved place instead of walking step by step. Demand for more bargaining power in World Bank and IMF, hasten the process of reforms there. Make sure that we got our deserved status in the world bodies according to the present economic order rather than 1940s order. Hope India's lobby to make Monek Singh Aluwalia the next Secretary General of IMF will succeed. Its time to step out of South Asia to the world. Engage with the world leaders in issues starting from peace to disarmament to developement to growth to Climate change. I would like to see India a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group and joining SCO very soon.

The first thing to do to achieve our foreign policy objective is to empower the Ministry of External Affairs. He/She should be the face of India to the world, should be an efficient one (Like Hillary clinton of USA or Kevin Rudds of Australia , both were competing for the top posts of their respective countries, Hope india will recognise the importance of the ministry)instead of being an inactive one. The Govt should choose this ministry on merit rather on appeasing to somebody for their loyalty to the party or for providing support for the Coalition Govt.

Have the courage to stand up to the Chinese and confront them eye to eye so that every time our PM visits Arunachal Pradesh or Dalai Lama visit to any part of our country, they will not complain or they will not block financing of any developement projects in Arunachal Pradesh in ADB. Although India showed courage in attending the Nobel prize ceremony for Chinese dissident , it needs to do more. Everytime our PM should not raise the issue of stapled Visa for J&K or complain about their skill of cartograohy in J&K and our North Eastern Borders. If still that happens then add salt to their injury. Clamour for the realease of the Chinese dissident Nobel laureate,make Dalai Lama an International Hero internationalize the south china sea issue and Tibet issue and finally garner international support for free floating of their currency. Dont be submissive, stand upto the Chinese Challenge.

Clamp down hard on corruption. The biggest impediment to developement and poverty eradication is corruption. The coruupt ones are eating the pie meant for the poor. India would not like to see another telecom scandal or Commonwelath Games corruption saga. Act fast and set exemplerary actions against the corrupt ones. Start the process for purging out the rotten ones form politics to make it corruption and crime free. Fight the naxal issue with Iron hand. There should not be any precondition for talk with the powermonger Naxalites. The only way forward is to lay down arms first and come to the negotiating table. No henious savage crimes can justify any deprivations and sufferrings of on any human being. Hope we will achieve breakthrough in tackling the Naxlism issue and let us declare 2011 to be the corruption eradication year.

It will be unfair if i will not appreciate the work of the Ministry of Environment and Forests which was considered as a Rubber stamp. But Jairam Ramesh is the man at the helm of affairs making the life miserable for the environmentllay deliequent corporates. If you see the new website of MoEF you can notice the difference. You may call him political or partisan or Dr No , i will call him the next TN Sheshan who will change the way MoEF functions. So watch out for 2011 for more action regarding environment and climate change.

Finally i hope 2011 will be memorable year for India and lets hope my dream for India in 2011 will come true. Wishing you all a Happy n Properous New Year 2011.

Why Mineral Rich belts are India's Poverty Farms ?

If industrialisation leads to Eradication of poverty then probably the vast mineral rich regions of the country wouldn't be the home to the Millions of poor. The mineral rich states like Odisha, Jhadkhand & Chhatishgarh are struggling at the bottom by the affliction of abject poverty. The mining activity in these states benefits only to the large corporations with the detriment to the local people who are deprived of their right to livelihood due to displacement by the Minning projects. The recent issue of Bauxite Minning by Vedant Alumina in the Niyamgiri Hills in one of India's most backward region is a classic case in this context. The project will diplace one of India's primitive tribe, the Dongria Kondh and will severely disturb the ecological balance in the Eastern Ghats. The centre and the state govt are at loggerheads for the Environmental clearance of the project. But caught in the midst are the Dongria Kondh tribes who will face displacement by the Mining projcet. That is how the tribal poor are caught between the Industrialisation and mining drive of the state . Odisha is endowed with a rich mineral resource starting from Iron, Manganese to Bauxite to Coal but struggling for decades for using it to its advantage. The mining industry in the state is a corrupt ones run by mafias with the connivance of govt officials. The Govt is entangled in a serious mining scam recently which exposed how illegal mining was carried out in the state with the involvement of top officials of the Govt.

The local people who should actually be benefited by the mining project are pushed to the brink of poverty. They are displaced from their land , lost their livelihood and are now pushed to the cycle of poverty. The govt remained a mutant spectator in the whole drama. The large corporations are taking the advantage of the absence of a stringent Mining and R&R policies. The govt of Odisha is taking credit of having one of the best R&R policy but forgot that the major Projects like Posco and Mittal steel projects got stuck due to R&R issues. In the mining activities the govt gets a pity amount as royalty and taxes but the larger share of the profits are accumulated by the corporations. Yes a reasonable Rate of return is required for any investment so be the Mining investments. But any supernormal profits beyond the normal rate should be shared between the state solely for the purpose of developement of the affected area and for the affected people. India should learn from Australia's Super Resource Profit Tax imposed on the exploration of Natural resources. When the natural resources are finite which belong to the state then why it is being enjoyed by only a few instead of sharing between all the stakeholders. It is time for the mineral rich states to pull their shocks and realize it is time to act against the delinquent greedy corporations to make them fall in line to comply the R&R policy ,the necessary environmental stipulations and share some percentage of profits for the betterment of local people.

Bauxite Minning in Niyamgiri hills : A Environmental Catastrophe in the Offing

The recent saxena committee report on bauxite minning from the Niyamgiri hills raps the Govt of Orissa and Vedanta Alumina for alleged violation of the Forest rights Acts and Forest conservation acts. The report exposed the company's mendacious claims of environmental compliance with the malicious collusion with the officials of Govt Of orissa. The company illegally took possession of Govt land and expanded the capacity of the greenfield projcet by six fold without environmental clearance. The Niyamgiri hills is home to one of India's primitive tribes, the Dongria kondh will face extinction as their only source of livelihood, the forest produce commodities will dry out due to open cast mining in the hill which will deny them the access to their livelihood. Also the source of the river Vanshdhara river which is considerd as the life line for the local tribes will be seriously disturbed by the mining project.

The company managed to flout every possible laws with impunity but caught red handed by the committe. The question is how the state government gave the clearance to Vedanta Alumina despite the vigorous protests by the local tribes and repeated allegegation of violation of the Forest rights act. Is the state govt is putting an blind eye for the industrialisation of the state compormising the environmental concerns? If that is so, then we are heading towards an Environmntal catastrophe. Industrialisation is necessery for our economic growth but environmental concerns should not be overlooked rather be addressed. We are a multicultural democratic society where difference of opinion should be respected rather than suppressed. The state govt should seriously look into the environmental issue and the issue of the Primitive tribes before giving any clearance for Minning in the Hill. The practice of giving blind environmental clearance without addressing the ecological concerns for the sake of industrialisation will lead the state to an enviromental catastrophe.

US-Vietnam Nuclear Deal: A masterstroke

The masterstroke that USA have played couldn't have come at a better time than the present. When china is flexing its muscle to have a nuclear deal with Pakistan irrespective of the blemished record of proliferation of the later, USA started negotiations with Vietnam ,the neighbor of China to have a Civil nuclear deal. Why the Chinese are shaken by the negotiations for a Nuclear Deal between USA and Vietnam despite the red dragon being a Military and Economic giant. Because they dont want to see a nuclear armed Vietnam in their neighbor. The trap the Chinese have designed for India by extending a nuclear deal to Pakistan backfired to them in the form of US-Vietnam Nuclear deal. Now the Chinese are trapped in their own backyard. The interesting point is that the deal will allow Vietnam to produce indigenous Nuclear fuel which will be a thorne in flesh of the Dragons. The dream of the Dragon for dominating the Asia is waning fast and will be a pipedream for them. The deal will realign the equation of regional dominance in South east Asia and south Asia . The Chinese are now caught by the Encirclen theory which they have applied to India by influencing Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Srilanka with dubious deals to encirclen India.

Some international experts are making hue and cry about the deal for the fear of Proliferation. I just want to ask them where they were when there was negotiation for a deal to a proven proliferator like Pakistan. Are they not maintaining the double standards? Those who are justifying the Chinese Deal was only for meeting the Energy needs of Pakistan shouldn't forget that Vietnam is also in desperate need of energy to fuel their high trajectory economic growth. Now China should realise that it will be futile to involve in activities that are threatning regional peace and stability. It is better time to co-operate for a stable and peaceful region instead of trying to be the Police of the region. Certainly one should learn the art of Diplomacy from USA, diplomacy at its best. The deal was really a Masterstroke by US surprising the Chinese and international Nuclear experts.

India's Changing Foreign Policy towards Myanmar

The red carpet welcome to Than shwe, the head of the Military Junta of Myanmar by NewDelhi created shivers among international experts on Democracy , NGOs and Human rights activists What suddenly make India to change its stance towards Myanmar who was preaching for the restoration of democracy and for the ceasing of human rights abuse there for long ? Certainly India is eyeing on the rich Hydrocarbon resources (Particularly the Gas fields) in its neighborhood. Its quest to satiate the thirst for energy for augmenting the double digit economic growth supersedes every other reasons. Due to Myanmar's close proximity to India , its vast resources and its strategic location in the Indian Ocean it can be a good ploy for India to play with to tweak the foreign policy to accommodate Myanmar in our scheme of things. Our foreign policy should be streamlined with our energy policy towards the Hydrocarbon rich countries for achieving Energy Security which seems to be the case for Myanmar.

India certainly doesn't want Chinese presence in the Bay of Bengal and hence in Myanmar. So it is trying to strengthen its relationship with Myanmar and a good relation with Myanmar will be a shield towards the Chinese influence in the region. The best way to shield china in Myanmar will be to restore electoral democracy there (the Chinese are best in dealing with Juntas-Look at their relation with African countries) .The recent gas discovery in A1 & A3 blocks put Myanmar in the map of Hydrocarbon hot spot regions of the world. Too many things are at stake for India in relation to Myanmar,its energy security, its leadership in the region and its reputation for promoting the cause of Democracy. The visit by the Myanmar premier to NewDelhi will take the relation level to a new high and will definitely help us in achieving our stated objectives. Overall in my opinion for us it is a right step in the right direction at the right time. Jai Hind.

Sino-Pak Nuclear Deal: An impending Threat to International Peace

The world will watch with the hawk eye the next Nuclear Suppliers Group meet when the waiver for Pakistan for Sino-Pak Nuclear deal will came up for discussion. If the NSG clears the Sino-Pak Nuclear deal, then the days will be numbered when the Nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists and the radical groups like Al Qaida & LeT. The evil design of China for making Pakistan a partner in its dubious designs like this to show its big brothership in the subcontinent will not only fail but will be a laughing stock in front of the international community. The Chinese should remember that they cannt make Pakistan what USA can make India because there are fundamental differences behind their purpose of existence and Pakistan should remember that it cannt be India even though it will try to copy it million times. India is a respected Democracy making inroads to the elite veto club of Security council while not to talk of Pakistan where it is heading. India's stupendous impeccable record of non proliferation helped it getting the waiver for nuclear trade with NSG members with the staunch support of USA. India is the only country to got the waiver being a non-NSG member despite the opposition from some members.

The Indo-US civil Nuclear deal heavily tilted the balance of power towards India in South Asia which Pakistan with the help of China tried to balance it by asking USA for the same type of deal but returned red faced and empty handed. So China and Pakistan hatched a plot to have a Nulcear deal to counter the Indo-US deal. But the question is how can a country like China have a deal with Pak who is having the dubious record of a Proliferator through the Infamous AQ Khan network. The international community should bear in mind that the Pakistan was the country from where the proliferation network started to North Korea, Syria and Libya and the strong linkage between its State and non-state actors, its closeness to Taliban will make the Sino-Pak Nuclear deal a precursor to the future Hiroshimas and Nagasakis.It is strange that some countries who have opposed the waiver for India in NSG are tightlipped about this dubious deal. India should made them bite the dust if they dont oppose the deal. The international community should ask themselves who will benefit from the deal ? Who will be the winner ? Clearly the radical elements in Pakistan will be the winner if the deal goes through. So dont succumb to the pressure from Chinese and vote against the deal to thwart any threat from the radical elements and to maintain peace and Harmony in the world. So lets Vote for a Peaceful World.

Strategic Importance of ONGC's bid for BP's assets in Vietnam

The BP's distressed asset sale of Non Con son project will be this time a litmus test for the MoPNG.Because in the last 12-18 months CNPC with the strong support from the chinese govt outbid ONGC everywhere for the acquisition of Hydrocarbon assets. But this time the Indian Govt is pro-active and started the diplomatic effort well in time to facilitate the Process. The petroleum Minister with the top brass from oil majors are in Vietnam for discussing the matter with vietnamese govt officials. The British prime Minister is coming to India shortly. So the stage is set for a perfect launchpad for ONGC. Make PetroVietnam a partner for bidding and lobby for BP's asset when David Cameroon will be in India. The indian govt must ensure that the deal does not slip away from its hand to the chinese this time. This will be the perfect answer to the chinese who are more interested in investing in the hydrocarbon assets of our neighboring countries like Mynamar.The acquisition will make clearly the strategic sense as the asset is nearer to China. This acquisition will open up more opportunities for OVL to invest in the Hydrocarbon assets of Vietnam in the controversial resource rich South China Sea where china will unlike to see India. That will be really interesting to watch how China behaves after that by seeing India in its own backyard. Good Luck Team India.

Cutting the tentacles of the War-Monger Red Rebels

India is facing one of the most daunting task of fighting the Maoists who aimed to overthrow the govt by armed rebellion by 2050. I wonder how can a armed rebellion of Maoists overthrow the state machinery. How can they do that without the support in terms of money, arms and ammunitions?Yes they are getting tacit support from politicians, Psedo intellectuals and some so called sympathizers. Yes sympathize for their sufferings but not their violent acts. How can the maoists justify the destruction of schools, Hospitals roads and bridges, the basic cause they are fighting for? The home minister rightly said Maoists want power , they dont want power plants? Yes there are genuine problems like lack of social and physiacl infrastructures but that doesnt give them the right to resort to violent act. You cannt kill innocent civilians and vandalize the public property and give an excuse of Under-developemet and poverty affliction. If they have the grassroots support, then come and contest the elections and raise the issues in a proper platform. The Indian comrades should learn from their Nepalese counterparts and Chinese counterparts. When chinese are resorting to free market economy and Comrades of Nepal are embracing Democracy by participating in the elction, Indian maoists are stuck in fighting the Go vt. It is time to make an ideological shift for Indian Red rebels. There is no place of violence in a civilized society. Come Lay down your arms and partcipate in the developement process. You will have the right to ask the govt for better infrastructures ,opportunities and Employment. Untill and unless you give up violence there will be no mercy for you because the writ of the state is supreme and whosoever will try to violate will be dealt with strictly.

"Invincible Spirit" :Triggering the Korean Peninsula to war

The joint military exercise "Invincible Spirit"off the sea of Japan by the Military of USA and South Korea have once again set the ball of flames rolling in the Korean Peninsula. The Koreans are on a stand off after the Sinking of Cheonan. The trigger started by the sinking of the South Korean Ship Cheonan which they claimed the North torpeded it where as the North said it had nothing to do with the sinking of the ship. The Korean peninsula suddenly became volatile.

The Korean peninsula is the third most economically and industrially prosporous zone after America and Europe and is nearer to China and Japan.That gives the strategic angle for the control of the Korean Peninsula. The two superpowers like China and USA are pitted against each other for the control of the Peninsula. The Chinese supports the communist North Korea where as USA supports the Democratic South Korea. USA wants to lessen the Chinese influence in the region but due to geographical advantage the Chinese are having an upper hand. The joint military drill has been shifted from the yellow sea to the sea of Japan following the protest from the Chinese. The nuclear armed North is openly declaring to use the nukes if a threat comes from the South. In such a scenario the situation might escalates into a full scale of regional war which will destabilise the region. The joint miltary excercise will show the strenght of the south but it will provoke north. The big four (Russia, Japan, China & USA) should encourage the North for the dialogue instead of isolating it. They have to continiously engage the north in dialouges. The attempts sanctions by security council might not work as china is the largest trading partner of the north and also ts biggest ally. So the only way out is dialouge. The big four should devise a strategy to engage the North in the discussion table for a way out of the crisis.

Indian Politics reaches its Nadir

The recent pandemonium in the Bihar State assembly shows that how ill -behaved our politicians are. This is the shabby story of worlds's largest democracy. The repeated behaviour of the parliamentarians and also the members of the legislative assemblies of different states calls for a stringent code of conduct inside the temples of our Democratic citadel. Failing to comply the code will result in suspension of membership in the house and also the all benefits attached to it. It is so pity to even think how can the members throw their slipper to the speakers. Is indian politics reaches so low ? It is high time to take a call as we are electing them as our representatives. Lets purge our democratic institutions of the rouge elements who are disreputing our Democracy.