Governance and Indian Nationalism (GAIN)

On February 29, 2020, US signed a peace deal with Taliban, which would entail complete withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The peace deal will help US to significantly reduce its economic and human resource costs that are attached with military presence in a foreign country. Given the fragile nature of Afghanistan democracy, the country's future minus US presence, is seen with uncertainty and fear. Even though US presence in Afghanistan subdued Taliban's influence in the country, its network with international terror organizations like Al Qaeda, ISIS and Pak based groups like Jaish-E-Mohammed and Lashker-E-Taiba remained active. For example, the recent attack on a Sikh Temple in Kabul resulting in loss of 27 Sikh lives, is considered to be coordinated effort of multiple terror outfits.  With Taliban bidding time for complete withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, changing dynamics in the war ravaged country could be highly disruptive for South Asia.  Absenc

Post India's independence, US was ideologically inclined to develop close and strategic ties with India. US perceived India to be a natural partner since both the countries shared democratic values.  During the same phase, Mao Zedong, leader of CCP, took control of China in a military coup in 1949. This meant a drastic shift in China's political ideology in favor of Communism. Such transition wasn't acceptable to Americans, who then became desperate to expel China out of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and were willing to give this seat to India. As a result, then US secretary of state, John Foster, made the offer of UNSC seat to Indian Ambassador, Vijay lakshmi Pandit. When the US offer was communicated to Nehru, he declined it terming it as a trap by Americans. Despite America's friendly overtures, Nehru remained adamant over allowing China to retain the UNSC seat, under the pretext that not doing so would hurt Chinese sentiments.  Apart from UNSC seat, US was

Sushant Singh Rajput woke up in the morning, went for a walk, spent some time on his Playstation, took a glass of juice, went inside his room and then committed suicide?? Even a layman can understand that the suicide doesn't seem to be a perfect conclusion of prior sequence of events.  Shockingly, Mumbai Police arrived at such a pre-determined conclusion even before it began investigations. The bright and an upcoming actor didn't even leave a suicide note behind, then what was the hurry on the part of the Police to declare Sushant's death as a suicide?  Only after strong public pressure, Mumbai police was forced to initiate investigation in Sushant Singh Rajput's so-called suicide. Nonetheless, P olice summons and consequent interrogation of Bollywood biggies looks like an eyewash to douse the rising flames of justice among public. In a recent letter to PM Modi, Dr Swamy demanded PM's intervention in the matter as the Maharashtra state government seems reluctant in

In 2015, Dr Swamy had filed a complaint with Urban Development Ministry regarding RGF's illegal occupation of a building at Raisana road. The building was initially meant to be used as Congress headquarters, however, in 1991, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, headed by Sonia Gandhi, usurped this prime property located in Delhi.  Dr Swamy also uncovered the financial discrepancies and dubious funding pattern of RGF. For example, RGF's shady sources of donations ( foreign embassies and Zakir Naik)  were highlighted many times by Dr Swamy.   Zakir Naik, known for his provocative and communal speeches, was brainwashing peaceful elements through his channel, PeaceTV. Only after Dhaka Cafe blast, the government woke up to reality and then banned his channel. However, Dr Swamy had already exposed Zakir Naik's ₹50 lakh donation to RGF in 2011, which is now even confirmed by ED's investigations.  RGF has also received donations from foreign embassies (like China) for a long p

Former RBI Governor, Raghuram Rajan inflicted serious damage to Indian economy due to his flawed monetary policies. Rajan's prescriptions to contain inflation hampered growth in the MSME sector.  For example, raising repo rates, to counter inflation, subjugated demand for business loans, which deteriorated the investment climate. Simultaneously, Rajan had reduced the interest rates on domestic saving schemes (such as FD, NSC etc) that led to erosion of incomes of retired personnel and low-income households. Lower interest on savings dis-incentivised households to invest in saving schemes, which dried up availability of funds for businesses, as savings are a major source of domestic loans.  Few business enterprises used interest arbitrage to earn profits. For example, they availed loans from foreign banks at lower rates and then lent money to domestic players at prevailing interest rates in the market. Therefore Rajan's monetary policy benefited foreign lenders and diminished th

Dr Swamy is one of the most highly scrutinized politicians of modern India. Being an anti-corruption crusader and Hindutva warrior, curiosity about his life is natural, however, curiosity shall not transform into cynicism due to over-analysis. Dr Swamy's forthright views on different matters have always tormented his adversaries within and outside BJP. Since his opponents don't have anything concrete to target him, they run malicious social media campaigns to dent his public image. However, public also has a responsibility to not indulge in trivial allegations based on rumors. One must have the ability to understand subtle differences and not end up as victims of propaganda. In a world of fluctuating political perceptions, hired spin artists twist Dr Swamy's honest views and past associations to suit the agenda of their paymasters. For instance, Dr Swamy's friendship with Rajiv Gandhi has been twisted multiple times to show him as a Congress man, which is a blatant lie

Indian MSME sector accounts for 30% of India's GDP and 40% of India's exports. It is a major source of employment in the informal economy of the country. MSME sector was struggling with multiple challenges before Covid-19 crisis, however, the current pandemic only amplified the issues in this sector.  Current state of MSME sector is primarily due to flawed monetary and fiscal policies of the past and present governments. It all started with import of so-called foreign educated Indian origin economists like Raghuram Rajan, who mindlessly applied western economic theories in Indian context.  During his tenure as RBI governor, Rajan had adopted self-defeating monetary measures that triggered stress in the MSME sector. For example, increasing interest rates for business loans while reducing the interest rates on saving schemes like Fixed deposits. This single step adversely impacted the earning capacity of small income households which form the core of MSME sector.  Maj

After the 1962 war, India-China relationship had hit rock bottom and it remained that way for a period of 15 years. In 1977, Janata Party's victory in LS elections led to improvement in diplomatic relations with China. Dr Swamy's deep knowledge and understanding about China helped PM Morarji Desai to improve these relations.   During the same time, Dr Swamy began to develop a strong yearning to visit 'Kailash Mansarovar' which is the ultimate abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati. However, visiting the most revered holy site for Hindus seemed non-viable because of the following reasons:  Kailash Mansarovar was in China (Tibet), which is a Communist country  As the terrain was tough, infrastructure development on  the site was a challenge May be Mahaperiyava's proximity had ignited a hidden goal of Dr Swamy's life, which was to get Kailash Mansarovar opened for Hindu devotees. Consequently, Dr Swamy began to explore the possibility of reopening the Holy sit

For six years Dr Swamy has been consistently maligned for a crime that he never committed. Despite Dr Swamy's contributions, he has suffered due to the disinformation campaigns of vested interests. Through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, false narratives are created to fool people about Dr Swamy.  One such example of 'false narrative' was the toppling of Vajpayee government in 1999. It is true that Dr Swamy had a political alliance with Jayalalithaa during that time, however, blaming Dr Swamy for the fall of government is exaggeration. In reality, ex-Congress MP, Giridhar Gamang had voted against BJP in the 'No Confidence Motion'; It was Gamang's vote that brought down Vajpayee government. Even though Gamang's membership was under suspension, yet under some dubious reasons, Congress managed to caste his vote against BJP.  Therefore, singling out Dr Swamy for such a collective act is unfair. For a long time, this single

Ram Temple movement is not just a 30 year old fight, it is a 500 year old struggle of Hindus. Many Hindus, including Sadhus and sants, have sacrificed their lives for the Ram Temple cause. After such a long struggle, Hindus are now about to restore their pride and honour by correcting the past wrongs. It is true that our country is grappling with multiple challenges such as Covid-19, Economy etc., however using these issues to demoralise Ram Mandir cause is a reflection of a crooked mind.  Mr Pawar's recent remarks on Ram Temple are insensitive and condemnable. Perhaps his continuous secular bias has caused irreparable damage to his reasoning abilities.   BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy slammed the leader by terming his comments as "ridiculous". Has he started losing his mental faculties, Dr Swamy added. Ram Temple construction and fighting Covid-19 are mutually exclusive events and therefore, simultaneous action on both the events is possib

'All that Glitters is not Gold' -- A famous saying is apt for the glamour world whose outer layer shines whereas the inner layer is hollow. Young and bright minds enamored by the outer shine of Bollywood, get sucked into its hollowness. Their desire to achieve money, name and fame overpowers the negatives of the film industry. Nepotism is the ideal word for Bollywood, where f ifty year old Uncles, portraying as college students, are seen romancing with young heroines. They lack looks, acting skills and voice modulation, yet manage to get movies after movies. Meaningful cinema, where genuine talent could be spotted, is a thing of past. The Directors & Producers are overdependent on the star power of a 'HERO' to achieve commercial success. Presentation of movie, grandeur of sets and get up of artists take precedence over scripts, dialogues, messaging and plot. Most Bollywood movies lack content and a strong story line.  The directors copy ideas, transform

Lets say that I am a nobody to comment on Pushpendra Kulshrestha (PK), in the same manner, PK has ZERO credibility (he is nobody) to comment on Dr Swamy. PK's track record suggests that he is fair weather friend of current government. PK could very well be a Congi mole disguised as a Hindutva speaker.  And I am truly flabbergasted to see the responses of Hindus. Apart from making videos and giving speeches on Public events, what is PK's contribution towards Hindutva?  Yes we do need warriors to speak in favor of Hindutva, however, it doesn't mean that we will accept anyone or everyone. Unfortunately, now days its like a popularity contest because anyone who speaks at a superficial level manages to get MAX eyeballs.  Due to emergence of these fake warriors, people have lost sight of the real on ground fighters. Just because a public speaker comes across as a Hindutva well-wisher, he may not necessarily be a genuine well-wisher.  However, these speakers, for their

Even after 70 years of independence, the GHOST of British legacy continues to haunt our country in the form of policies that subdue aspirations of native Indians. The administrative structure and prevailing governance system reflects the same mindset as that of British, where government is the ruling class and citizens are mere subjects of the ruling class. What else explains the brazen hike in petrol and diesel prices by the government on account of increased taxes??   Since Modi's rise to power in 2014, taxes on diesel prices have increased five times whereas those on petrol have doubled. Taxes on these fuels now comprise nearly 66.67% of retail prices at petrol pumps.  In May 2020, when global crude oil prices had reached record lows, the government increased excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre and ₹13 per litre respectively. Since additional burden of excise duty was absorbed by oil marketing companies, retail oil prices didn't witness any increase

Congress list of scams is a never ending pit, the more we dig, the more filth comes out of it. The endless list of scams with disproportionate levels of corruption is a story of greed and abuse of power for selfish interests.  Recently unearthed documentary evidence shows a typical land grabbing case of Congress in Bandra East, Mumbai. As per the docs, gross irregularities were found starting from acquisition of land till its final use.  In 1983, Congress acquired a 3,500 square metre of land at dirt cheap rates under the pretext of building a hostel for students from backward classes. This acquisition was based on an earlier proposal, as per which a hostel was to be constructed (on this land) for providing accommodation to SC and ST students. Seventeen years later, in complete violation of existing norms, Congress built a commercial building over the land meant for a social purpose. Even though, maximum allowable limit for construction was 20,000 square feet (sft), a commercial buildi

The so-called suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput has raised fresh debates over the current state of Bollywood in our country. The untimely departure of a promising and talented actor is mired in many controversies. As to why an actor like Rajput would really commit suicide? Despite being an outsider, Rajput had made a mark in the industry. With films like Kai Po Che, MS Dhoni - The untold story and Chhichhore, SS Rajput had proved to be a very good actor. Most of his films were distinctive from the usual love stories of Bollywood yet these movies were commercially successful. Rajput, therefore, was an out-of-box and original actor.  Sushant Singh Rajput also  took avid interest into science and technology, social services, self defense for women and preparing children for ISRO/NASA.  His past track record and future plans reflect an optimistic and imaginative mind which is ready to fulfill thousand other dreams.  His decision to commit suicide is a one-eighty degree turn which defies all

Ram Setu is not just a matter of belief for Hindus, it is our history that needs to be preserved at any costs. Technically, it is a chain of limestone shoals that connects  Rameshwaram (in India) with Mannar Islands (in Sri Lanka). A s per our historical records, Shri Ram had built Ram Setu to rescue his wife Sita from the clutches of Ravana. The bridge led to the glorious victory of Shri Ram over Ravana and therefore, has significant historical relevance for Hindus. Ram Setu is a technological marvel, a  superhuman scientific advancement of that era.  Shri Ram had built this bridge with the help of two engineers in his Army, namely  Nal and Neel. Contemporary scientific community accepts Ram Setu to be a man-made bridge, and therefore, it is a solid evidence of glorious Hindu past that still reverberates in the hearts of Hindus.  Existence of such an evidence is an eyesore for anti-Hindu forces , which constantly target Hindu monuments and sites to destroy proof of Hindu history.  In

Time and again this question has come up among nationalists and patriots as to why Modi is not taking help from Dr Swamy to resolve the existing mess. Our country is facing crisis on multiple fronts such as Covid-19, economy and India-China face-off, however, Modi govt seems reluctant to take help of nationalistic intellectuals like Dr Swamy. PM Modi's current team is clueless about tackling the emerging challenges of the country. Whether it is economy, health, defense or foreign policy, Modi cabinet is falling short of public expectations. Even though BJP delivered on Article 370, Ram Mandir and CAA, such changes were an outcome of 30 years of physical and mental struggle of many volunteers, strongly backed by intellectual inputs of Dr Swamy and other seasoned leaders.  However unexpected events of 2020 have brought a new range of issues for the ruling dispensation. The government is traversing the unknown territory, which will be a real test of Modi’s administrative skills, innov

Don't understand this euphoria over Russians coming to the rescue of India, especially when multiple actions of past prove Russia to be as deceptive as Chinese.  Ideologically, Russia is much closer to China and globally, Russia has supported China on many occasions in order to challenge US leadership in the world. Both the countries perceive United States as their enemy and don't wish to see India developing closer ties with US.  It is true that Russia helped India during 1971, however, it was only a geo-political decision driven by Russian interests and not due to any love for India.   Historically, Russia has played a dubious role in Indian political matters in order to serve its national interests. Following points prove that Russian friendship has been counter-productive to India's rise in global politics:  Mysterious Death of former PM, Lal Bahadur Shastri Being a hardcore nationalist, Shastri ji always placed national interests above self interest,  howev