In considering the rise of India, we must be mindful that we are not necessarily dealing with India as we have known her.
The BJP is now about as likely as the Congress Party to be the principal party of government, within and allied to it are violently fascistic elements such as the Shiv Sena and those who massacre Christians in Orissa, and the party centrally is increasingly seeking to join forces with political Islam around such causes as the strong nationalism that has always been expressed by the Darul Uloom Deoband, the conduct of Waqf Boards, and the recognition of Urdu as one of the “authentically” Indian languages to be promoted at the expense of English. However, the BJP has little or no understanding that patriotism must include economic patriotism.
If there is a third force in India, then it is made up of Far Left parties, it is led by the party that followed Chairman Mao when he broke with the Soviet Union, and it includes the successors of Subhas Chandra Bose, who raised an army in support of the Japanese during the Second World War.
All in all, India’s nuclear weapons, like those of Israel and perhaps also those of the United States, should be regarded with no less trepidation than those of Pakistan or North Korea, and with considerably more so than those of China, Russia or, purely hypothetically, Iran.
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There are two highly complex coalitions in India: a left one and a right one.
ReplyDeleteThe BJP led right coalition lost power to the Congress led left coalition in 200 when Manmohan Singh was elected as PM. The complexity of these coalitions means that the only way that smaller parties can make their voice heard is by giving support to (and then sometimes withdrawing support from) their respective coalitions which has happened on several occasions. Shiv Sena are not a national party they are almost exclusively Maharti (from around Mumbai) and they only affiliated with the BJP recently. both Hindu nationalists, but the in terms of policy on immigration for example the broadly progressive, pro-western outlook of India is unlikely to change significantly. There are also influential far left parties and in true far left style there was a split in the Communist party so now there is the Communist Party India and the CPI (Marxist) their influence is greatest in Kerela and West Bengal.
Mahatma Gandhi’s message still rings in the ears of most Indians and I like to think that his ideals of religious tolerance live on across India. I found this to be the case in when I lived in Kodiakanal (Tamil Nadu, South India) with fairly equal numbers of Christians (many of whom are Catholic), Hindus and fewer Muslims living together in harmony. Across the whole of India there are very isolated cases of religious extremism but in a country of over a billion people this would be expected. India does have nuclear weapons but I find this no more of less terrifying than the existence of nuclear weapons in any other country.
Corruption at all levels of government is a much more widespread problem than extremism and this will require a new generation of state ministers, police chiefs and civil servants. If you described the MP's Expenses Scandal to some Indian politicians they would not understand what all the fuss was about. I am far more optimistic than pessimistic about the future of Indian politics: I think there is appetite for change and a sense of national pride. Young, internationally educated graduates are returning to India determined to do their bit. The State education system is competitive and improving in terms of access. I hope that this new generation can reform the political landscape and address some of the stark inequality in their beautiful and amazingly diverse country.
Your imperialist pretensions continue unabated as you drool over a map of India wearing a ridiculous feathery hat and khaki clothes.
ReplyDeleteUrdu has been for decades an official language of India as is Bengali, Tamil etc. Urdu is native of the sub-continent. Say what you like, but that is not what can be said of English. Or Portugese or French. Maybe Portugese and French should get official status as well-------
Bless.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't employ you to make my tea. But someone does.
See how pleased BDJ is at the rise of the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Or has he never heard of them? At least they are "anti-imperalists", BDJ. At least they are "anti-imperalists".
ReplyDeleteWe all know that BDJ is thick. But surely even he can tell the difference between official langauge status and the much wider politics of language?
No, of course not.
ReplyDeleteLike the supposed left-wingers who cheered and cheer on the "liberation" of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, BDJ reminds me of the Marxist intellectuals who cheered on the Japanese as "liberators" of their fellow-Asians from British, Dutch, French and Portuguese colonialism.
Except, of course, that BDJ has never read a book in his life, and knows nothing about any historic Dutch, French or Portuguese presence in Asia.
I don't like you much but I still find Break Dancing Jesus hugely funny. Googled "official languages of India" but couldn't be bothered to copy and paste the whole list from Wikipedia. Just as well I suppose. Pity he didn't Google "Portugese" so Google could correct the spelling to "Portuguese".
ReplyDeleteOn topic, please.
ReplyDelete