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New Court Building
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Terrorist Viqaruddin confesses to plotting Narendra Modi's murder
India's 64th Independence Day
India's 64th Independence Day
Media Summary
Chief Minister Narendra Modi started the trend of holding official celebrations away from the state capital Gandhinagar. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to watch these colourful 64th Independence celebrations. Rajkot, India. 13/08/2010
Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi:
Narendra Modi's victory has been ascribed to two factors - an unsubtle exploitation of Hindu communal sentiments and an admirable record of economic development.
While the first can be described as the standard defining characteristic of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the second reason is new in Indian politics. It is also all the more unusual because the growth has been the result of market-friendly policies, marking a sharp departure from the country's customary, if unrewarding, faith in "socialism".
The Gujarat chief minister, therefore, can be said to have charted a new course with the potential of setting a trend that can be of immense benefit to the country.
The difference between his approach and that of the Manmohan Singh government is that the latter has been diffident about the pro-capitalist economic reforms that Singh initiated as the finance minister in 1991.
However, both he and his party, the Congress, have been somewhat apologetic about the endeavour, presumably because it went against the party's policy of establishing a "socialistic pattern of society", enunciated in 1955.
Their sense of having done something wrong and even harmful was accentuated by the Congress's 1996 defeat that was ascribed by the "socialists" in the organisation to Singh's pro-rich and pro-business economic reforms.
This point of view was strengthened in the Left-oriented political class by the defeat of the Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, who had also tried to break away from the usual public sector- and subsidy-based approach to the economic scene.
While the private sector was shunned by this group of politicians because of its profit-oriented attitude, free power for the farmers and a wide range subsidies - whether fertilisers or food grains - were their mantra for electoral success, notwithstanding the well-known resultant wastage.
Even after the Congress returned to power in 2004 and Manmohan Singh picked up the thread of his earlier economic reforms, the Congress still seemed hesitant with one of its ministers, Mani Shankar Aiyar, even saying that if he was a socialist earlier, the reforms had turned him into a Communist.
What was more, the high growth rate was constantly criticized for not benefiting a wider section of the people. "High growth, low development" was a typical headline in a Left-leaning newspaper.
Modi has turned this view upside down. Not only that, he has shown that a high growth rate - Gujarat grew at the rate of 10.6 percent in the Tenth Plan period - pays electoral dividends. The fear of the "socialists" that since the reforms supposedly make the rich grow richer and the poor poorer and is, therefore, politically disastrous is evidently without basis.
Clearly, the people are wiser than the hidebound politicians because they know that a booming economy cannot but create more and more jobs and ultimately be of benefit to all.
Modi's other achievement has been to crack down on corruption, which is inevitable in an economy of "free lunches", where electric supply, for instance, is illegally tapped, and focussing on attracting investment and infrastructure.
Not surprisingly, his electoral success has now persuaded several chief ministers to ask the central government to allow them to implement the rules prevalent in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Gujarat. But since these include less stringent labour laws than in the other states, the centre, dependent as it is on the Left, may not agree.
But the message has gone through that, notwithstanding the admittedly slow trickling down of benefits, a high growth rate is preferable to a low one. Even before the Gujarat polls, the politicians were slowly realising, especially after Lalu Yadav's defeat in Bihar, that the neglect of development could cost them dearly and that the provision of 'bijli, sadak and pani' (electricity, roads and drinking water) was essential for success.
But preoccupied as they were with their caste and communal calculations, they persisted with their old policies of promising quotas and favouring subsidies.
It was in keeping with such a populist approach that the central government initiated the hugely expensive rural employment policy even though it was known that much of the payments would be siphoned off and that few durable assets would be built.
While the Left predictably applauded the wasteful employment programme, it also put pressure on the government to put disinvestments on hold and scuttle several other polices relating to pension fund, insurance and labour reforms.
It is not impossible that Modi's success will enable the central government to revive the currently stalled process of reforms, considering that it is now obvious that growth is not only economically, but also politically, beneficial.
The Left itself is not unaware of this fact as the conduct of Marxist Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in West Bengal shows. He has been quite uninhibited in his pursuit of pro-private sector policies although he has committed a few blunders, as over land acquisition in Nandigram, on the way.
Even if Modi's anti-minority bias and the reprehensible role of his government in the Gujarat riots of 2002 are to be deplored, his success in driving yet another nail in the coffin of "socialism" and making the political class aware of the fact that capitalist economic growth is better than socialist stagnation are laudable. For this achievement, he deserves at least two cheers.
Narendra Modi's victory has been ascribed to two factors - an unsubtle exploitation of Hindu communal sentiments and an admirable record of economic development.
While the first can be described as the standard defining characteristic of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the second reason is new in Indian politics. It is also all the more unusual because the growth has been the result of market-friendly policies, marking a sharp departure from the country's customary, if unrewarding, faith in "socialism".
The Gujarat chief minister, therefore, can be said to have charted a new course with the potential of setting a trend that can be of immense benefit to the country.
The difference between his approach and that of the Manmohan Singh government is that the latter has been diffident about the pro-capitalist economic reforms that Singh initiated as the finance minister in 1991.
However, both he and his party, the Congress, have been somewhat apologetic about the endeavour, presumably because it went against the party's policy of establishing a "socialistic pattern of society", enunciated in 1955.
Their sense of having done something wrong and even harmful was accentuated by the Congress's 1996 defeat that was ascribed by the "socialists" in the organisation to Singh's pro-rich and pro-business economic reforms.
This point of view was strengthened in the Left-oriented political class by the defeat of the Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, who had also tried to break away from the usual public sector- and subsidy-based approach to the economic scene.
While the private sector was shunned by this group of politicians because of its profit-oriented attitude, free power for the farmers and a wide range subsidies - whether fertilisers or food grains - were their mantra for electoral success, notwithstanding the well-known resultant wastage.
Even after the Congress returned to power in 2004 and Manmohan Singh picked up the thread of his earlier economic reforms, the Congress still seemed hesitant with one of its ministers, Mani Shankar Aiyar, even saying that if he was a socialist earlier, the reforms had turned him into a Communist.
What was more, the high growth rate was constantly criticized for not benefiting a wider section of the people. "High growth, low development" was a typical headline in a Left-leaning newspaper.
Modi has turned this view upside down. Not only that, he has shown that a high growth rate - Gujarat grew at the rate of 10.6 percent in the Tenth Plan period - pays electoral dividends. The fear of the "socialists" that since the reforms supposedly make the rich grow richer and the poor poorer and is, therefore, politically disastrous is evidently without basis.
Clearly, the people are wiser than the hidebound politicians because they know that a booming economy cannot but create more and more jobs and ultimately be of benefit to all.
Modi's other achievement has been to crack down on corruption, which is inevitable in an economy of "free lunches", where electric supply, for instance, is illegally tapped, and focussing on attracting investment and infrastructure.
Not surprisingly, his electoral success has now persuaded several chief ministers to ask the central government to allow them to implement the rules prevalent in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Gujarat. But since these include less stringent labour laws than in the other states, the centre, dependent as it is on the Left, may not agree.
But the message has gone through that, notwithstanding the admittedly slow trickling down of benefits, a high growth rate is preferable to a low one. Even before the Gujarat polls, the politicians were slowly realising, especially after Lalu Yadav's defeat in Bihar, that the neglect of development could cost them dearly and that the provision of 'bijli, sadak and pani' (electricity, roads and drinking water) was essential for success.
But preoccupied as they were with their caste and communal calculations, they persisted with their old policies of promising quotas and favouring subsidies.
It was in keeping with such a populist approach that the central government initiated the hugely expensive rural employment policy even though it was known that much of the payments would be siphoned off and that few durable assets would be built.
While the Left predictably applauded the wasteful employment programme, it also put pressure on the government to put disinvestments on hold and scuttle several other polices relating to pension fund, insurance and labour reforms.
It is not impossible that Modi's success will enable the central government to revive the currently stalled process of reforms, considering that it is now obvious that growth is not only economically, but also politically, beneficial.
The Left itself is not unaware of this fact as the conduct of Marxist Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in West Bengal shows. He has been quite uninhibited in his pursuit of pro-private sector policies although he has committed a few blunders, as over land acquisition in Nandigram, on the way.
Even if Modi's anti-minority bias and the reprehensible role of his government in the Gujarat riots of 2002 are to be deplored, his success in driving yet another nail in the coffin of "socialism" and making the political class aware of the fact that capitalist economic growth is better than socialist stagnation are laudable. For this achievement, he deserves at least two cheers.
Book Release: Macmillan (Narendra Modi's book
Book Release: Macmillan (Narendra Modi's book "Convenient Action" launched)
Need for debate shift from 'Climate Change' to 'Climate Justice' - NarendraModi
Wastage of energy and pollution at the root of Climate Change - A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Gujarat has shown action, way to combat Climate Change - R. K. Pachauri
Former President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam today complimented Chief Minister Narendra Modi for providing an exemplary leadership to make Gujarat a carbon-neutral state, through sustainable development and saving wastage of energy at different levels.
He was releasing Mr. Modi's book on climate change, titled 'Convenient Action: Gujarat's to Challenges of Climate Change', published by Macmillan Publishers India Ltd, at a largely attended function at Tagore hall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Modi is the second political leader in the world after former Vice President of USA Al Gore to have written a complete book on climate change. This is his first book in English.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Modi said how his Vedic readings inspired him to believe in the complementary relationship between human beings and nature.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Trusteeship, he said the present generation had the responsibility to act as a trustee of wealth and nature for the future generations. And, the reckless destruction of ecological harmony has heightened the ethical responsibility of our generation. He focused on the need to bring in ethics and equity at the core of the debate on climate change.
He said the future generation and the poor and downtrodden are the most vulnerable groups when it comes to the issue of climate change. Climate change definitely affects the future generation which, as of now, has no voice on the actions of present generation. And of course poor and downtrodden are and will be worst affected by climate shocks, extreme weather conditions, etc. Thus he called for attention to shift the whole discourse on ‘climate change’ to one of ‘climate justice’.
He urged everyone not to let this ecological debt be transferred to the future generations and keep climate justice in mind in all our actions.
Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General, The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) and Chairman, Noble Laureate Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), who also graced the occasion, said that 12 countries in the world are on the verge of becoming failed states due to climate change. If we have a failed state amongst us then no state can remain immune.
He said that climate change is a real threat today and there is no time to cast doubt. Environmental degradation is a reality. Green house gases are the root cause of the problem. Gujarat is better placed to respond to climate change under the able leadership of Mr. Modi to bring about a change in societal order,"
Elaborating on the devastation that climate change can cause, Mr. Pachauri recounted the 2009 floods which affected a number of states in India and the drought in other parts that affected 86 million people of 14 states. "If we have to avoid repeat of such catastrophes we need as a bare necessity judicious water management and inter-linking of rivers.
Only two leaders in the world have written about climate change. One is former vice-president of the United States Al Gore and another is Narendra Modi, "Narendrabhai has chosen a subject that is pertinent. He is not preaching as he has documented facts what he has done in this regard in Gujarat. In a way, Mr. Modi's 'Convenient Action' is an answer to Mr. Al Gore's 'Inconvenient Truth'."
When a new idea crops up in a new area there is resistance from certain quarters. True leadership is making the impossible possible and in the chief minister's book 'Convenient Action' I see a vision of commitment, he said.
Referring to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report on the foreboding climate change, Pachauri reitered to those who feel that it is still not time to worry about it: "Environmental degradation has become a reality. There is no need for 100 per cent proof."
Pointing to the impact of environmental degradation, Pachauri pointed out the case of Maldives. The ocean around Maldives was once rich in Tuna fish but today it is vanishing from the island due to acid formation in the ocean due to green house gases.
The function was graced by some of the prominent national and international personalities. Mr. Avinash Tyagi, from World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Geneva, Switzerland, who specifically flew in to take part in this book launch ceremony. Mr. Arvind Mishra, Head, Climate Change Division, TERI, New Delhi.
Ms. Aditi Dass from the Climate Group, officers from Government of Gujarat, Vice Chancellors of Gujarat University, Saurastra University, Nirma University etc. More than 2000 people attended the launch.
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