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Reading Time: 7 minutesThis is the title of a book written by Kancha Illaiah[i]. I stumbled upon the book searching for Shashi Tharoor’s book titled ‘Why I am a Hindu’, which I wanted to read out of curiosity and not self-affirmation. Illaiah’s book … Continue reading
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Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Twilight of Democracy was the title of Tariq’s talk. It was at the Concert Hall, packed with people of all ages, and there seemed to be more women than men. Continue reading
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Reading Time: 4 minutesTo proclaim patriotism is a popular act, at least politically. To make use of patriotism is a plank of a nationalist and is the first recourse of every politician. Who will vote anyone to power if they did not speak … Continue reading
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Reading Time: 4 minutesI came across this article – (see link below) which echoes a shared feeling that Modi will have difficulty translating his successes at a state level into a national one. Of course he will! Analysts and even sceptics know that … Continue reading
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Reading Time: 2 minutesCrony capitalism a big threat to countries like India, RBI chief Raghuram Rajan says – The Times of India. That the government does good is something that I have held on to almost as a belief, in comparison to what … Continue reading
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe saga of the date of birth of General Singh though a reality has been used to get a preferred general to the chiefs position. It is an action taken to remedy a previous favouritism. Can one wrong correct another or can this right correct an older wrong. This is a story of revenge or is it of righteousness. The nett result is that maybe a doubtful character is ending up as chief. This alas can not be proved as there is government bias over who can be chief. Continue reading
Reading Time: < 1 minuteClick here: The Indian Express article This release of this outdated news heightens the rift between the Army and the Government. I hope it is not what I think it is … a bit of izzat taken a bit too far, … Continue reading
Reading Time: 2 minutesGeneral V K Singh will go down in history for being someone who will change the nation’s perception of the Armed Forces, hopefully for the better. There have been chiefs ‘disciplined’ by the bureaucracy and the politicians in the past. … Continue reading
In the first instance the statistics present a skewed picture showing Bangalore to be the most corrupt. This maybe true, but what it doesn’t bring out is the sample size. Bangalore has always been a middle class, educated city … thanks to Nehru’s socialism. Five major public sector firms were started in the 50’s and the current IT euphoria and progress can be attributed to generations of middle class educated living there.
I refuse to believe lower levels in Mumbai, Delhi or Calcutta. They have greater populations, it is just that they are not reported or captured in the statistics. Education therefore remains the key to managing corruption and not an andolan of sorts.
Reading Time: 3 minutesAnna Hazare’s fast goes on now almost indefinitely and the government doesn’t seem to budge. There is a critical mass required to move those in power, it is known as making them uncomfortable or rocking the boat, which is yet … Continue reading
Imagine that there is no power associated with politicians only with politics. That means no privileges, a salary, and uprightness. It is not hard to do it because in many parts of the world politics are not necessarily vehicles to power and wealth. There is power, but not in a direct sense. Power is derived by the popular actions a politician wishes to undertake. Transparency has a very high role to play. Power with in a context, is perceived in a medieval sense. It is displayed and paraded. It is partly because of the lack of uniform education, that keeps public civic sense at a low or that a change is not possible. Everywhere we have the symbols of power. Power represents fear, more than respect. In a society that respects power through its direct representation, it has to be visible. Kings and royalty had to parade themselves on high elephants to reinforce their authority. Aloofness and granting of audiences was another aspect of power. Power was derived from the Gods and royalty that was deemed superior.
Religion will be a very hard route to take and education and civil law will be the next best choice. In some ways, religion has failed in many parts of the world and therefore there is more evenness in the power matrix. It is after religious wars, persecution, terrible conflicts, ethnic cleansing, ideological conflict that instruments such as the Treaty of Versailles and the Westphalia theory emerged. It took hanging of petty criminals at the market place over centuries to have laws that people respect. The apparent peace is the result of years of conflict and the power dimension through any other means is simply not a good choice.
Do we have to go through the violence, bloodshed, and hanging to come to an amicable low corruption society?
In the Indian context, there is corruption everywhere, with some exception. We can cut but not end it. Will this be the provocative question for the next decade, or will it be education and eradication of poverty?
I invite you to write your comments and thoughts.
