Food for thought (1)

by Anshuman Goenka

We have a surfeit of election news today but one hardly knows what makes sense.  In response to a suggestion by my friend Rajesh Jain, I will put down here 3-5 articles that I saw that said something new, thought-provoking & different.  Like any other, this will be an election about personalities, but here I will try to bring our attention back to issues that should engage us.

To ensure that we do not get swung in the inputs to our own thinking, I will try to also include at least one article that does not say all good things about the BJP.

Among the dailies, Mint is running the best coverage on elections.  Today they have three interesting pieces. 

One, there is an interesting survey that shows what the choice is between experience and youth.   A second one, shows how tardy our progress has been on education, perhaps the #1 social priority.  Then, to cap it, check out Ananth Nageswaran, who shares with me both a respect and a disappointment with our current Prime Minister.  As he says,

Intellectual stature is like option securities in one respect. If unexercised, it expires worthless. It differs from option securities in another respect. If exercised, it does not become void. It stands enhanced.
Also recommened is Smita Gupta’s piece in Outlook on how fluid the movement of alliance partners is.  Her article is about five days old, a time during which we have had much news flow about new permutations and combinations.  This is pertinent reading if only because the hotch-potch that this talks about will most directly affect those who make India’s “growth constituency” - the EMI-paying, mutual-fund buying, salaried & small business-owning “middle.”
Finally, questioning the BJP and its commitment to free market economics, there is an interesting piece by Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr.  It is interesting, although I must admit I differ from his conclusion.  On that concluding note, among the alternatives, which party do you think is most committed to and sincere about supporting free entereprise?
March 10, 2009 | Filed Under Anshuman Goenka 

Comments

4 Responses to “Food for thought (1)”

  1. Rakesh on March 10th, 2009 2:25 pm

    Mr.Goenka,

    You asked ” which party do you think is most committed to and sincere about supporting free entereprise?”

    Definitely BJP/NDA. Here are few reasons:

    1) Oil price decontrol
    2) Telecom liberalisation
    3) Disinvestment

    During last 5 years we haven’t heard anything on oil price decontrol and disinvestment. Infact 1`st thing UPA did was to stop disinvestment and withdrew APM for oil. FDI limits for many sectors haven’t increased in last 5 years and in last 2 years there has been flight of FII capital.Doesn’t augur well for capital hungry country like ours. We need party who can attract capital and generate jobs.

    Regards

  2. Ram on March 10th, 2009 4:32 pm

    Undoubtedly BJP. But BJP has not done enough to showcase their achievements and commitments. I hope this time, they will tackle these issues well in addition to managing the media well.

    But I am personally depressed by the attitude of our CM Mr. Yedurappa. He is rubbing people on the wrong side and I am afraid this may affect the poll outcome. Will somebody rein him along with other top leaders for at least next six months?

  3. Siddharth Arur on March 10th, 2009 8:11 pm

    It is said that change has come to America. India needs more than a change. India needs a revolution, far more audacious than the French Revolution, far more brazen than the Russian Revolution. India needs its citizens to knock some of the sails of the Parliamentary boat. India does not need a Government where the Assembly becomes the Akhara. India does not need a Government where the voices of the moral and cultural terrorist is louder than the common man. India has seen its people fight amongst themselves on the lines of caste, culture, religion, language, creed, gender etc. India has also seen, since time immemorial, outsiders and unfortunately now insiders use this as a tool for their personal benefit. India now needs its citizens to take up the initiative-an initiative in the form of a citizen’s movement to put up a directly elected President, where he is answerable to the people of this great country.

    India needs a Government where our voices, the voices of you and me, the voices of the common man can be heard, where our voices are the loudest. India needs a Government that follows the true spirit of freedom and democracy and that Government shall be of the people, by the people and for the people and that Government shall not perish from India.

    But what is that Government. That Government is where the President is directly elected, is answerable to you and me, where he is aware and sympethetic of the problems of the last mile citizen of this country. He is not only aware and sympethetic but also tries to solve the problems.

    India needs a Government headed by the President. The Parliamentary system works in small countries like England, Germany, Japan or in less populated countries like Canada and Australia. But countries which are large and populous like US, Brazil, China and Russia, the Presidential system works. China does not have a Presidential system but it has a system that has a strong Government with a strong Presidency (Communist). India can have a system similar to France and Russia, where the President is directly elected and shares equal executive powers with the Prime Minister. The Parliamentary system can continue the way it has been.

  4. Brijesh verma on March 11th, 2009 3:01 pm

    what about Food for Education