42 terror camps still active in Pakistan: Indian Army chief

Chief of Army Staff Gen Deepak Kapoor has said that there are still 42 terror camps operating across the border in Pakistan in which 2000 to 2500 terrorists are still waiting to infiltrate into Indian side. (via 42 terror camps still active in Pakistan: Army chief- Hindustan Times).

Such cross-border firings did come down for some time after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire along the 198-km International Border in J&K, the 778-km LoC and the 150-km Actual Ground Position Line in Siachen on November 26, 2003.

But Pakistan army is now back to its old strategy of actively aiding and abetting infiltration, and the ceasefire is increasingly turning fragile. Army chief General Deepak Kapoor, in fact, recently said Pakistan army was trying to push in as many militants as possible before the mountain passes get snowed under. (via Terror infrastructure in Pak still intact: Antony - India - The Times of India).

Post-colonial India

So ... if we know this ... what are we doing about these 42 camps?

Post-Independence India has inherited a Pakistan Fixation, which predisposes us to whine - and demonize Pakistan. Endless whining about Pakistan's bad deeds gets us nowhere. A ‘victorious’ Congress, ruling for most of the 60 years of post-colonial India, had three clear propaganda imperatives.

1 – TINA, There is no alternative

They needed to prove that it was only the Congress which could ‘take on’ and ‘defeat’ the ‘glorious and the mighty’ British Empire on which the sun never set. The logic went, “what could India(ns) have done without the Congress”. This thinking went deeper and dirtier, when a certain Deb Kant Barooah, declared “India is Indira and Indira is India.”

Similarly, Congress decided to re-write history and take all credit for the departure of the British colonialists. Contributions of leaders like SC Bose was ignored or the importance of the February 1946 joint action by the Indian Armed Forces against the colonial forces, was minimized to the ‘Naval Ratings Mutiny.’ Leaders like VD Savarkar (the first to write a non-colonial history of the War of 1857), or Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (the founder of the Jana Sangh-BJP) was dismissed as fascism.

Fact is, that Britain was bankrupt and could not hold onto India. Fact is, that for a 150 years – from 1797-1947, many rebellions, wars, individual hits were made against the colonial British Government. The myth of non-violent Indian freedom movement, served both colonial and Congress interests. It showed the British as ‘civilized’ colonialists – and the Congress as ‘enlightened’ leadership. Just like most Western literature caricatures African-American characters as hard-working, humble, docile, placid, obedient, gentle!

2 – If you don’t have an enemy, create one!

The Congress needed to create an enemy. A demon, who they could blame, use, abuse – and Pakistan fitted the bill perfectly. A failed state (!), a hotbed of terrorism – and to top it all, an Islamic State. What more could the West-Congress combine ask for?

Easily slipping into colonial legacy of ‘divide et impera’, the Congress went onto a disastrous foreign policy trail of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai. A solid realtionship with Pakistan would have, arguably, saved Tibet from the Chinese maws – which Nehru’s foreign policy predicated.

3 – Craven desires

To gain Western approval, acceptance, favours, privileges et al.

Consider the English language policy of the post-colonial Congress Government. It has massively subsidized English education in India so that the children of the elite could ‘escape’ to the West. The demeaning ‘population control theory’, the English language education – all, a result of this need of the Congress Party.

The deliberate colonial distortion of Indian history continues unchecked and unhindered. You only have to read Congress Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh’s speech at Oxford, praising the Raj, while receiving his honorary doctrate, or Chidambaram’s decision to end “abject poverty” in India that he seems to “have known for 5,000 years.”

When each of these elements are looked at in isolation, we can take benign view of these actions. When looked at collectively, it forms a clear pattern.

A rather ominous pattern.

The Root Of This Problem

The state of inter-government relations in South Asia is a sign of lazy Indian diplomatic corps (the IFS) which considers all these neighbourhood postings as ‘punishment’ postings. The ‘best’ of IFS corps wants postings to Western capitals. Like the IAS, the IFS is another albatross around India’s neck.

A large part of India’s Foreign Ministry budget goes towards Western engagement (for proof, look at the dubious Festivals of India in USA, France, Russia, Britain, etc). Instead if the same money was spent in the sub-continent, it would have been better spent. The huge monies spent on Western embassies are mis directed. It would be ideal if those Western embassies were Spartan, frugal (I should actually say Gandhian) – and our the money saved was invested in the sub-continent. India’s Western engagements are at a direct cost of involving and managing the neighbourhood relationships.

If India’s problems were limited to Pakistan, possibly, there is some merit to India’s Pakistan Fixation. India’s relations with its other neighbours are also in trouble. Its relations with Bangladesh are at a historic low. Relations with Sri Lanka are back from the brink. Nepal is the new fire in the sub-continent.

What should India do?

The other issue is that Indian bureaucrats whine. They issue empty threats - and take no follow up actions.

For instance, cut off Pakistan's supplies of paper, inks, dies, presses, spares for the currency printing. Are things changing.? India has indeed has taken the first intelligent action (that I have seen) in a long time in handling Pakistan.

Next! Send a 100 Indian agents to lob grenades into Pakistani terrorists camps - every month. Just one grenade in one terrorist camp every month. Within the next 6 months the terror infrastructure of Pakistan will evaporate.

Other options India can consider.

1. Zardari wants to export cement and sugar to India. India has a large market for both – and can easily absorb Pakistani exports. Tie these Pakistani exports to quantitative achievements in shutting down terror camps in Pakistan.


2. Pakistan precarious financial position does not allow it the luxury of an arms race with India. Pakistan has access to Western technology for – in defence for RDX, machine guns, PACs, etc. The world must withdraw all technology from Pakistan for all arms and ammunition. No RDX, no tanks, no F-16s, no APCs. Pakistan must be put on strict diet of military technology blockade by the world. No less.


3. Fake Indian currency notes are also allegedly coming out of technology supplied by Europeans. Close these channels. Pakistan’s suspected role in counterfeit currency operations must also be put under the scanner. Controlling Government’s of the 12 companies that dominate the currency printing business must be made to choose. Between India and Pakistan. If the German Government can arm twist their companies to suspend currency supply to Zimbabwe, there is no excuse for them to not to lean on dealings with Pakistan.


4. Pakistani Hindus (especially Dalits) are crucial to Pakistan. Announce a scheme for Hindu immigration from Pakistan to India. The loss of this 2% of Pakistani population can make life difficult for Pakistan. Facilitate their immigration to India.


5. Work with US, NATO, Afghan Governments to close down the Peshawar arms bazaar. This small time bazaar became the sourcing centre for terrorists all over the world. Initially, stocked up with arms from the CIA funded jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan, Peshawar, has become a problem that never ends. If required, there should be a UN mandate to send in a multinational force to surround, capture and destroy this centre for arms and armaments.


6. Pakistan is at the crossroads of a jihadi, terrorist, criminal elements who have joined together and created an incendiary mash-up. Fueled by a drugs trade worth billions, arms trade worth millions and respectability, as they are ‘carrying out a religious jihad’.


7. The leadership of these gangs has to be de-fanged. LK Advani, as the earlier Home Minister, forwarded a list of ‘Most Wanted 20′ to Pakistan nearly 7 years ago. Not one has come to India. The US has not co-operated on this one important Indian requirement.

The Pakistan problem is finally not as complex and it is made out.

Nor as easy as some may want it to be.

'We needed to make a demon of Jinnah... Let's learn from our mistakes'

How seriously has India misunderstood Jinnah?

I think we misunderstood because we needed to create a demon.

We needed a demon because in the 20th century, the most telling event in the entire subcontinent was the partition of the country.

Your book reveals how people like Gandhi, Rajagopalachari and Azad could understand the Jinnah or the Muslim fear of Congress majoritarianism but Nehru simply couldn't understand. Was Nehru insensitive to this?

No, he wasn't. Jawaharlal Nehru was a deeply sensitive man.

But why couldn't he understand?

He was deeply influenced by Western and European socialist thought of those days. Nehru believed in a highly centralised polity. That's what he wanted India to be. Jinnah wanted a federal polity.

Because that would give Muslims the space?

That even Gandhi understood.

You conclude that if Congress could have accepted a decentralised federal India, then a united India, as you put it, “was clearly ours to attain”. Do you see Nehru at least as responsible for partition as Jinnah?

He says it himself. He recognised it and his correspondence, for example with the late Nawab Sahab of Bhopal, his official biographer and others. His letters to the late Nawab Sahab of Bhopal are very moving.

(via 'We needed to make a demon of Jinnah... Let's learn from our mistakes').

A 'victorious' Congress, ruling for most of the 60 years of post-colonial India, had three clear propaganda imperatives.

1 - TINA, There is no alternative

They needed to prove that it was only the Congress which could 'take on' and 'defeat' the 'glorious and the mighty' British Empire on which the sun never set. The logic went, "what could India(ns) have done without the Congress". This thinking went deeper and dirtier, when a certain Deb Kant Barooah, declared "India is Indira and Indira is India."

Fact is, that Britain was bankrupt and could not hold onto India. Fact is, that for a 150 years - from 1797-1947, many rebellions, wars, individual hits were made against the colonial British Government. The myth of non-violent Indian freedom movement, served both colonial and Congress interests. It showed the British as 'civilized' colonialists - and the Congress as 'enlightened' leadership. Just like most Western literature caricatures African-American characters as hard-working, humble, docile, placid, obedient, gentle!

2 - If you don't have an enemy, create one!

The Congress needed to create an enemy. A demon, who they could blame, use, abuse - and Pakistan fitted the bill perfectly. A failed state (!), a hotbed of terrorism - and to top it all, an Islamic State. What more could the West-Congress combine ask for?

Easily slipping into colonial legacy of 'divide et impera', the Congress went onto a disastrous foreign policy trail of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai. A solid realtionship with Pakistan would have, arguably, saved Tibet from the Chinese maws - which Nehru's foreign policy predicated.

3 - Craven desires

To gain Western approval, acceptance, favours, privileges et al.

Consider the English language policy of the post-colonial Congress Government. It has massively subsidized English education in India so that the children of the elite could 'escape' to the West. The demeaning 'population control theory', the English language education - all, a result of this need of the Congress Party.

The deliberate colonial distortion of Indian history continues unchecked and unhindered. You only have to read Congress Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's speech at Oxford, praising the Raj, while receiving his honorary doctrate, or Chidambaram's decision to end "abject poverty" in India that he seems to "have known for 5,000 years."

Coming to the BJP

When Advani goes to Pakistan and praises Jinnah, it cannot be an accident, or a slip of the tongue. It had to be a deeply thought out, well considered move - one can say, after watching Advani for nearly 30 years now. The man does not go out and missteps so wrongly. The 'Advani-Jinnah-comments-fracas' was for media consumption - and BJP party workers. If Advani wanted to re-write history (about time too), that was one way!

And if there were any doubts, then Jaswant Singh's book, seals the argument.

PS -

1. Dutifully, within 48 hours, the BJP decided to 'expel' Jaswant Singh from the party, for his pro-Jinnah book on 19th August, 2009.


2. Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, promptly banned the book, in Gujarat. I see good sales for Jaswant's book - and rehabilitation of Jinnah in India, BJP willing.


3. On 23rd August Arun Shourie, 'tore' into the BJP leadership on the subject of Jaswant's Singh's book. India Today reported that he said, "Jaswant Singh's book is a scholarly work. It deserves to be read,", criticising the party for pulling the Jinnah remark out of context of the entire book.


4. One day later, on 24th August, KS Sudarshan, the former head of RSS weighed in on Jaswant Singh's side. It was reported that

"Jinnah had many facets. If you read history then you will come to know that Jinnah was with Lok Manya Tilak and was totally dedicated to the nation. And when Gandhi started the Khilafat movement, with the idea that currently we are opposing the British and if Muslims join in then their support will help gain independence. But at that time Jinnah opposed it saying that if the Caliph in Turkey has been dethroned, what has India got to do with it. That time nobody listened to him, which saddened him. So he quit the Congress and left for England and only returned in 1927," Sudarshan said.

The de-hyphenation of India-Pakistan

I don’t agree with this Af-Pak solution at all because we are being bracketed with Afghanistan. Afghanistan hardly has any governance, it is out of control. And also, there is extremism within India among the Muslim youth and it is developing linkages with others — the Kashmir issue too. Therefore, if we want to finally deal with terrorism and extremism and solve it in its short-term and long-term perspective, we have to look at events in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. I am totally against this Af-Pak strategy. (via 'Kashmir solution can reduce extremism in Pak society').

Pleasures of growing up

A few decades earlier, India-Pakistan sporting encounters were most awaited by sports enthusiasts. India-Pakistan cricket now comes lower down - and the position has been taken up India-Australia cricket series. Now Pakistan is asking David Morgan, from the ICC to 'intervene' and"to convince the BCCI to play a series in England" against Pakistan.

In the 60s-80s, Indian business publications, Indian bureaucracy indexed themselves with Pakistan. Sensex, the Indian stock index was then compared with the Karachi index. But the comparison is now with global markets and the US.

Then and now

The Indian economy is now compared with the Chinese economy, ASEAN, EU and the US economies. The Indian film industry, compares itself with Hollywood - unfortunately, in terms of becoming a Hollywood clone. India must now work to jettison some colonial detritus, its diplomacy must get over its Pakistan Fixation - and manage the Chinese relationship.

There are two aspects of this 'development that has not fully dawned on Indians, which needs greater introspection in India. One is the 'Western clone' status - which, for instance, is what some 'leading lights' of the Indian film industry want to be. The second is danger of becoming an 'arrivista' - the danger of hubris.

Hard landing for Pakistan

Obviously, this growing up is something that has dawned on Pakistan - as a 'hard imprint' rather than a 'soft copy'. Fancying themselves as an equal till a few decades ago, Pakistan had to endure a hard landing.

And this hard landing is Musharraf's real problem - as this interview reveals.

Pakistan on Frontier of Fight Against Terrorism - Asif Ali Zardari - washingtonpost.com

The West, most notably the United States, has been all too willing to dance with dictators in pursuit of perceived short-term goals. The litany of these policies and their consequences clutter the earth, from the Marcos regime in the Philippines, to the Shah in Iran, to Mohammed Zia ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan. Invariably, each case has proved that myopic strategies that sacrifice principle lead to unanticipated long-term consequences. (via Asif Ali Zardari - Pakistan on Frontier of Fight Against Terrorism - washingtonpost.com).

December 17, 2007

More than 18 months ago, the 2ndlook blog, traced the source of all terror in the modern world to the very door-step of the US of A.

In today’s world, behind all terror you will similarly see another baleful influence. No, it is not Osama bin Laden. The source of modern terrorism is the USA. (Decemeber 17th 2007 - from Behind The Web Of Terror).

October 6, 2008

The 2ndlook blog did a Quicktake on the commendable, new Pakistani attitude - best represented by Asif Ali Zardari.

Zardari’s vision (first time, during an interview on Times Now), was for a Pakistan which would serve as a facilitator for good Indo-China relations on one hand – and a Pakistan that is ‘lucky’ to share common borders with the world’s two emerging economies – India and China.

This is the kind of vision that India-China and Pakistan must share and work with. Of course, India needs to be motivated by these statements on one side! On the other India must keep consolidating gains at each step. We cannot let paranoia come between us – and blind faith in human goodwill, blind us to realities of Pakistani politics.

After all, Musharraf did a Kargil after the Lahore Accord – and Zardari questioned the validity of a signed agreement. (from A New Beginning! by 2ndlook).

We must take up Zardari's offer

Zardari's most valuable statement is an echo of Indic values was made to Pakistani bureaucrats, "For power to be effectively used for long lasting public good, it must be dispersed as widely as possible''. It is America and Britain which created the border problems, funded and armed these countries and stoked the rivalries.

India faces more 26/11-like threats: Former US envoy

Blackwill, who has co-authored the report titled “Terrorism against India — Lessons from Mumbai”, was delivering a lecture on the report at a meeting organised here by industry body CII. He said apart from intelligence failure, inadequate coastal security, failure of the government to respond swiftly to such incidents, inability to form a single command centre for operation against terrorists and ill-equipped police force were some of the areas of concern for India.

Speaking about the findings of his report, Blackwill said the only way to stop such attacks was swift and coordinated response and prevent terrorists from achieving their objective — which in the case of Mumbai was to grab maximum international attention. (via India faces more 26/11-like threats: Former US envoy).

Trojan horses are used even today

Here is a someone, stoking up India’s fears and insecurities. Allegedly, Blackwill was used by Manubhai to ‘expedite’ the Indo-US Nuclear deal. Is Blackwill, now with RAND Corporation, a ‘respected US think tank’, angling for another assignment – maybe on behalf on some manufacturer of police-intelligence-surveillance equipment companies?

Blackwill’s comments came in during a discussion about the Rand Report on the Terrorist Strike on Mumbai, conducted by CII. (from ‘US policy on Pak terror has failed’, a newspaper report)

Looking at the saturation coverage in the Indian media, there is more to the story than the milk-of-US-kindness!

Saturation Coverage

India faces more 26/11-like threats: Former US envoy

‘US policy on Pak terror has failed’

India faces more terror attacks: US study

26/11 attack shows firearms assault can succeed: Blackwill

Blackwill offers FBI help

India can expect more terror attacks like the Mumbai carnage:US study

India to find its own solution to curb terrorism: Blackwill

Top ex-US diplomat likens Pakistan to Cuban missile crisis

India faces threat of a Mumbai rerun: US study

‘India likely to face more Mumbai-style attacks’

India faces threat of Mumbai like attack: US study

Blackwill warns of US pressure on J&K

Study predicts Mumbai rerun

India faces serious threat of a Mumbai rerun: US study

India faces more threats: US study

Hillary Clinton on Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan - The White House, Press Office

it is fair to say that our policy toward Pakistan over the last 30 years has been incoherent. I don't know any other word to use. We came in in the '80s and helped to build up the Mujahideen to take on the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The Pakistanis were our partners in that. Their security service and their military were encouraged and funded by the United States to create the Mujahideen in order to go after the Soviet invasion and occupation.

The Soviet Union fell in 1989, and we basically said, thank you very much; ... Their democracy was not secure and was constantly at risk of and often being overtaken by the military, which stepped in when it appeared that democracy could not work.

And so I think that when we ask that question it is fair to apportion responsibility to the Pakistanis, but it's also fair to ask ourselves what have we done and how have we done it over all of these years, and what role do we play in the situation that the Pakistanis currently confront.

... our new approach toward Pakistan is qualitatively different than anything that has been tried before. ... we support the democratically elected government, but we have to have a relationship where we are very clear and transparent with one another; where we have the kind of honest exchanges that have come out of our trilateral meetings, where we're sitting across the table and we're saying, what do you intend to do about what we view as an extremist threat to your country, which by the way, also threatens us.

... it is our responsibility to support the democratically elected government, to be a source of advice and counsel where requested, but also to step in with aid that can try to make this government as successful as possible in delivering results for the people of Pakistan. (via The White House - Press Office - Briefing by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan).

So much excitement ...

Is admission of 'truth' something that merits a celebration? Does obfuscation and cover-ups for the last 50 years, get 'white-washed' by an admission of 'guilt' - and a some paltry million dollars in 'aid' - outlined many times in many 2ndlooks and Quicktakes?

The Indian media is agog with this 'story'! And a section of the US media is worried about what all Hillary will 'admit'?

Not what the US does - but what will Pakistan do ...

That is important.

Will the Pakistan nation take charge. Will the Pakistani establishment ‘admit' the truth. Will they remove the cobwebs of self delusion? There is some ambivalence in Pakistan about their attitude towards India.

Modern Pakistan

The Pakistan nation is actually 5 parts – The army, the ISI, the politicians, the 22 families and then there are the rest. Some may want to add the fundamentalist clergy as the sixth element. And now there are fringe terrorist groups – like LeT also on this list. Mahbub ul Haq’s “22 families” speech in Karachi in 1968 highlighted the power and wealth of a few families in Pakistan.

No one in Pakistan talks to anyone. Each has contempt for the other four. And all five have separate agenda.

With Or Without The West

For 60 years, India has grown steadily - slowly, and in spite of the West.

India’s defense production, its nuclear program or its space program and its India’s software success are homegrown. As are its successes in industry, stockmarkets, education, films and television programming, its democracy and the rise of its middle class. In the nuclear industry, India’s thorium approach to nuclear energy design will possibly open new realms in nuclear arena. At various times, when India has been stuck, it has been the West that has pushed India further into a corner. Even in matters of foodgrain, when India was a user of PL-480 grain. Or for instance, the Kaveri jet engine or the cryogenic engines.

While our Manubhai is chasing the chimera of Western approval and panting and drooling to ’sit at the high table in the global comity of nations,’ the back yard, Manubhai is burning.

And Pakistan should possibly learn this one thing from India.

India’s Pakistan Fixation

Of course, the Indian part of the equation needs looking at, also.

September 11th, 2008. US President George Bush permitted US troops to take offensive actions against its ally, Pakistan – in the US War against terror! Indian news channels were elated – and it must have taken Arnab Goswami (of Times Now) a lot of self-restraint not to do a gig. It took 4 generations of Indian (and now part of Pakistan) leaders to throw out the West from the sub-continent. 60 years later, India is celebrating the return of the West, to the sub-continent. The most potent symbol of this is India’s Pakistan Fixation.

The Pakistan Fixation is a a cover-up of India’s laziness or lack of resolve. I don’t really believe that Pakistan has the focus or the persistence to do half the things that India imagines Pakistan is doing. In the last 20 years, India has lowered its guard – and has become further fixated on the Pakistan bogey. The Pakistan Fixation hides Indian ineptness at confronting the root of Pakistani problem – USA, amongst others.

Western Adventurism - The Imperative

Without slavery, the West does not enjoy the manpower edge that it had till 1900. The loss of colonies from 1900-1950 has taken away the resource base and captive markets for Western dominance. Now with the collapse of Bretton Woods, the opacity in financial systems is diminished. The welfare state has put a significant burden on an aging Western population.

With fading prowess on one side, and a resurgent Asia on the other, the US and EU are now at the cross roads. Is the West prepared to quietly fade away in the sunset?

Unlikely.

What Have We Achieved

60 years on, there is nothing to show for these border disputes. Dutifully, the Indians, Pakistanis and the Chinese glare at each other – over colonial border issues. These border issues are less than peripheral to our nations. We have allowed the past to hold our future as a hostage.

The past is extracting a ransom that we cannot afford to pay. Let us recognize our past for what it is – empty ballast that is dragging us down. Having achieved nothing on this front for the last 60 years, why do we wish to continue down that path? We need to see that going downhill is always easier than climbing the Himalayas.

The Detritus

As various colonial powers were forced out of various colonies, left behind was the garbage of colonialism. This post-colonial debris has become the ballast, that is dragging down many newly de-colonized countries.

Vietnam suffered from a prolonged war (1956-1976) – and finally peace had a chance after 20 years of war. Korea remains divided. The Cyprus problem between Turkey, Greece and the Cypriots has been simmering for nearly 100 years. The role of the Anglo Saxon Bloc, in Indonesia, the overthrow of Sukarno, installation of Suharto and finally the secession of East Timor is another excellent example. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict (1935 onwards) will soon enter its 75th year. The entire Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a creation of the Anglo-French-American axis. The many other issues in the West Asia and Africa are living testimony of the Western gift to the modern world.

Closer home is the Kashmir problem. After 60 years of negotiations, India-Pakistan relations have remained hostage to the Kashmir issue. Similarly, between China and India, the border issues remain 60 years after the eviction of Britain from India.

India and Pakistan must remember that the Pakistani armies and the Indian armies at the time of the 1948 Indo-Pak War, were under the command of British Generals. India’s Governor General , in 1948 was Mountbatten, who was removed after this mischief was done.

Pakistan special effects

Things become more difficult when leaders like Asif Ali Zardari dismiss written agreements with his coalition partners, PML (N) headed by Nawaz Sharf, claiming agreements were not”holy like the holy Koran.” Or when General Musharraf starts a Kargil War with a rogue army that is no longer under the command of the civilian authority.

2ndlooks and Quicktakes on Pakistan

Pakistan – a nation in fidayeen mode?

What should India’s counter terrorism plan look like …

Mumbai Massacre – The real blame and real culprits

India’s Pakistan Fixation

Terrorists And Counterfeit Indian Currency

For More Than 60 Years …

Indo Pak Relations – What Will It Take

India Lowers Guard

New Empire Builders – Neo-Cons Sneaking In

The Carving Of The Middle East

British Empire & The Anglo Saxon Bloc

Behind The Web Of Terror

What’s right with Indian bureaucracy

Bhave resigned from the IAS in 1996, to take up what was then seen as a rather low-profile job — to create India’s first share depository, even though he had the option of going there on deputation. “The job needed full-time commitment from me and from the team I was recruiting. How would I get it, if I did not burn my boats myself?” he says. (via Lunch with BS: C B Bhave).

Colonial institutions

The RBI, the IAS and the IFS are three services which have remained colonial and have a complete choke on Indian policy framework. There is something about their structures which is not allowing them to shed their colonialism. The Railways have changed - as have many Governement organizations like Public Sector banks, Air India-Indian Airlines, etc.

And this extract confirms the conclusions made by 2ndlook and posted 1 year ago.

RBI, IAS and IFS

On April 1st, 1934, while the ‘Squeeze India’ campaign was under execution - choreographed by Montagu Norman, Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill (some sickness … some racism) Lord Willingdon, India’s banking authority was set up.

The objective of setting up RBI - this colonial money authority, was to devise a policy structure for creating a ‘money famine’ needed by colonial British masters. From that April Fool’s day till now, RBI character has not changed. RBI resorts to creating these money famines every few years - even today. The last RBI ‘money famine’ in 1996 saw inter-corporate interest rates shoot to 40% - and a recession that lasted for 4 years.

The IAS (a successor to the colonial ICS) and the Planning Commission are the other two. The IFS has been pre-occupied with diplomatically engaging the West, fixated with Pakistan, while India’s relations in neighbourhood are at a historic low. But the English speaking, Indian bureaucracy is another matter. Having dragged India to the bottom of global corruption pervasiveness ratings, they cover their owns misdeeds, under the ‘umbrella’ of the neta. This is one colonial institution that India has tried digesting, without succes. IAS (ICS during colonial times) a venal, corrupt cadre, has tied up India into knots - which have taken us decades to even start disentangling.

Compare the successful bureaucracies

Compare that with the brilliant track record of modern Indian regulators and organizations like the SEBI, TRAI. Or even the IPS. India has the lowest prison population in the world - and also the lowest police-to-population ratio.

Till 1990-95 Indian stock trading was largely done done through the open outcry system, physical paper settlements, long settlement periods - and rampant manipulation. Indian stock trading systems was a closed club - and did not attract any serious investors.

Between, 1900-1995, SEBI, NSE, BSE and NSDL designed and managed the transition from the physical platform with the open outcry system to a complete electronic trading platform of the NSE and BSE.

Today, the BSE/NSE trading system is the most advanced in the world - in terms of trade volumes, transaction volumes and automation.

By 2000, India had less than 4 crore phones. Most of the 100 crore (1billion) Indians were unconnected - and disconnected from the world. Governments monopolies, BSNL and MTNL, ruled the roost. By 2000, India had less than 4 crore phones. Most of the 100 crore (1billion) Indians were unconnected - and disconnected from the world. Governments monopolies, BSNL and MTNL, ruled the roost.

By 2001, the BJP led Government came to power. The telecom regulator in a series of bold moves, changed policies - and equations. Tariffs declined by nearly 5000% - from roughly 50 cents to 1 cent per minute. User base ballooned to 20 crores - from 4 crores. In 7 years more telecom users were added than in the previous 70 years. For the first time, the poor in India are beginning to benefit from technology.

It took a non-Congress Government in 1977 to change the face of Indian Railways. Prof.Madhu Dandavate, the Railway Minister in the 1977 Janata Government started the railway renaissance in India. 3rd class railway travel was abolished. Wooden-slat seats were abolished. Cushioned 2nd class seating system was made minimum and standard. Train time tables were re-configured. Reservation systems improved. Railways started getting profitable.

The de-colonization of Indian Railways began effectively in 1977 - 30 years after British departure. Symbolically, that was also the year that the Rail Museum was set up. The progress after that has been remarkable. Today for a US$5, an Indian can travel for a 1000 km.

All this when only 25% of Indians travel by rail at least once a year.

Smear the neta

From colonial times, the Indian neta has been a favorite target of smear campaigns, innuendo and propaganda. Colonial administration in India worked hard to undermine the credibility of the Indian ‘neta’ - for obvious reasons. Colonial bureaucrats (and their successors, the IAS) covered their incompetence and corruption with this lopsided image of the neta. Indians politicians are possibly as corrupt as any others in the world.

US-UK playing good-cop-bad-cop routine with India - Miliband's root-cause theory-The Economic Times

Mr Miliband, a root cause theorist, had on Thursday come out with a reality-challenged position that a resolution of Kashmir issue will end terror in India.

“When there is a terror attack in UK, do they believe that root cause lies in Northern Island or in their own policies. Why are they going for the root cause in India? The Mumbai attacks have no links to Kashmir,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.

Although the Congress spokesman steered clear of explaining that real cause of terror, Mr Miliband’s country has, for the past seven years, been maintaining that the world is experiencing transnational terror unleashed by those nurturing transnational grievances. (via No one roots for Miliband's root-cause theory- Politics/Nation-News-The Economic Times).

A patronizing Milliband made a visit and made a few remarks which must have gladdened a few jihadi hearts. Condoleeza Rice came a few weeks ago and made some remarks which have made a few jihadi hearts go black with rage. This is a good 'ole' good-cop-bad-cop routine. India and Pakistan would be dumb to fall for this.

We should stop wasting time in engaging with these terminally declining societies. We must get up and get going.

Little choice there.

War clouds weigh down Indo-Pak trade winds- Foreign Trade-Economy-News-The Economic Times

The war rhetoric fogging South Asia is threatening to derail Indo-Pak bilateral trade, which is heavily skewed in India’s favour. While this may make Indians sit up and take notice, it could turn out to be a double whammy for our neighbour. (via War clouds weigh down Indo-Pak trade winds- Foreign Trade-Economy-News-The Economic Times).

This is the kind of opportunity that India should be looking for. Increasing trade with Pakistan can be the productive way to engage Pakistan - and make it behave. A billion dollars in trade can make Pakistan a different country. After all, they went to the IMF for some US$3 billion.

A trade embargo on Pakistan would be far more effective than troops movements can be.

Will Indian diplomats ever learn?

India will have to deal with Pak problem on its own: Pranab-India-The Times of India

Mukherjee, who was addressing a global conference of over 122 Indian envoys, said that India will have to "deal with this problem" on its own, since international action against Pakistan has not been enough.

On Saturday, the political leadership discussed the option of precision strikes against terrorist targets on Pakistan-controlled territory. This marked the end of India's restraint, in the face of Pakistan's assurances made under pressure from the international community, particularly the US and UK.

There were also indications that the US might be aware of India's readiness to strike targets across the border. (via India will have to deal with Pak problem on its own: Pranab-India-The Times of India).

Indian diplomats now need to start working - seriously.

Better late than never. At least Pranab Mukherjee understands that India is alone - and the Rest of the world cannot care for India's problems. They have enough of their own. India has to manage this initiative alone. There cannot be another way.

Options Indian can consider.

1. Zardari wants to export cement and sugar to India. India has a large market for both - and can easily absorb Pakistani exports. Tie these Pakistani exports to quantitative achievements in shutting down terror camps in Pakistan.


2. Pakistan precarious financial position does not allow it the luxury of an arms race with India. Pakistan has access to Western technology for - in defence for RDX, machine guns, PACs, etc. The world must withdraw all technology from Pakistan for all arms and ammunition. No RDX, no tanks, no F-16s, no APCs. Pakistan must be put on strict diet of military technology blockade by the world. No less.


3. Fake Indian currency notes are also allegedly coming out of technology supplied by Europeans. Close these channels. Pakistan’s suspected role in counterfeit currency operations must also be put under the scanner. Controlling Government’s of the 12 companies that dominate the currency printing business must be made to choose. Between India and Pakistan. If the German Government can arm twist their companies to suspend currency supply to Zimbabwe, there is no excuse for them to not to lean on dealings with Pakistan.


4. Pakistani Hindus (especially Dalits) are crucial to Pakistan. Announce a scheme for Hindu immigration from Pakistan to India. The loss of this 2% of Pakistani population can make life difficult for Pakistan. Facilitate their immigration to India.


5. Work with US, NATO, Afghan Governments to close down the Peshawar arms bazaar. This small time bazaar became the sourcing centre for terrorists all over the world. Initially, stocked up with arms from the CIA funded jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan, Peshawar, has become a problem that never ends. If required, there should be a UN mandate to send in a multinational force to surround, capture and destroy this centre for arms and armaments.


6. Pakistan is at the crossroads of a jihadi, terrorist, criminal elements who have joined together and created an incendiary mash-up. Fueled by a drugs trade worth billions, arms trade worth millions and respectability, as they are ‘carrying out a religious jihad’.
   

   The leadership of these gangs has to be de-fanged. LK Advani, as the earlier Home Minister, forwarded a list of ‘Most Wanted 20′ to Pakistan nearly 7 years ago. Not one has come to India. The US has not co-operated on this one important Indian requirement.

How can India make this happen

Pakistan’s (valid) security concerns should be met with a tripartite agreement between China, India and Pakistan which will guarantee Pakistan’s current borders. No disputes, no claims from Pakistan have any legitimacy any more. Let Pakistan take care of its current territory and people. POK will remain with Pakistan - and current LOC will remain unchanged. So, Pakistan will not lose.

It has to be realpolitik. India can no longer give away benefits without quid pro quo. Make P&G, ABB, Alsthom, Renault, Unilever, Siemens, Pepsi and Coke earn their living. The Indian operations of these companies pack a mean heft. They must join in to secure the markets they wish to exploit. The US has to deliver. Peshawar markets must close down. The Pakistan defence production cannot be used against India. Pakistan has to deliver the criminal elements - dead or alive.

Indian co-operation with the West on the new world financial system will be based on co-operation by the West. India should move to create systems which allow political and social stabilization a rule - and not an exception.

These strategic elements of using Indian advantages to gain our ends is the way to forge ahead.