Now, India’s voice abroad, Will be heard with respect?
I had read carefully the PM’s speeches at Oxford University in UK and later when he spoke before the Congress (US Parliament) in Washington. Yes, they have been carefully written and delivered, also, carefully in the typical Dr.Singh’s fashion, low profile, bureaucratic style, without offence to any one! At the sametime without reflecting the emotions, concerns and the persisting public opinion on various major issues of day to day perceptions!
Soon after his Oxford speech the influential Financial Times had the audacity to advise India to govern well! This is a reminder to Dr.Singh’s spin masters admission that India learnt good governance as a British legacy!
The British are always great hypocrites! There are so many offensive words in the FT editorial like hand picked Prime Minister, Mrs. Gandhi’s cave-in, a technocrat with no political base. No legitimacy Mrs. Gandhi unqualified, fumbling performances, sorry saga etc!
Winning over the Americans? By Dr.Singh’s speech? This is day dream!
Dr.Singh’s spin masters may put any gloss they like! Or, the accompanied media would send back headlines to please the establishment! Indian public memories. Indian public opinion’s doubts would continue to persist. For long!
The present atmosphere in Delhi was described not long ago by the very same Financial Times writer thus:” there is an air of fin de siecle about New Delhi, in spite of the fact that the President and the Prime Minister are well-intentioned people; there is’let people eat the cake’ atmosphere”!
What is our internal potential for basic strength? Is this outward stability based on strong fundamentals? What guarantee we have learned the lessons of Emergency? Just 30 years ago! A senior Correspondent contrasts the then big corporate wisdom(JRD.Tata supported Emergency), the academic community, the power elite fell in line with Sanjay dictats! the same Sanjay brigade now guides Mrs. Gandhi!
The President with his weight behind must speak about the larger issues before the world.So, too the Prime Minister. Their voices must be heard in the world capitals!
How, for instance, the world is moving towards a more equitable planet! The African poverty is proving to be an international shame for a peaceful world.The G-8 talked of spending 0.7 percent of national income on foreign aid.Since 1970 this is promised! 35 years on, of the 22 major bilateral donors, only 5 have met the 0.7 per cent target. Not one of them the G-8! Such is the enormity of the global inequity.The USA doesn’t want to pay the UN dues! There must be an internal dynamism in the Indian body politic to draw up extra-ordinary talents for the big cause of advancing India’s image and prestige abroad! Our corporate leaders musn’t be seen only speaking for their business profits!
Much more serious is my concern that India’s role in the outside world.We have a foreign minister, yes. We have filled up our chanceries by superannuated bureaucrats. That is enough? Washington, London, Moscow and Beijing we must have all India known public figures as our spokesmen! Foreign postings should not be seen as to enable old people to spend time at government expenses with their emigre children!
India seem to be going round and cringing before countries to support us for the Security Council seat.This is a shame! Why shoud we do this? Let India speak for strengthening the UN.Let India speak for USA participating in the UN.This is much more important than India asking for a seat.India without being inside the Security Council can make itself count in the world.
Indian voice is not heard in any international fora in any distinctive way! Our praise of our democracy is not based on our parliamentary work, or anti-corruption drives or our judiciary’s great achievements are not spoken out in a rather pro-active way by our Ambassadors or Indian foreign policy makers! This is a great pity.
Nor we seem to be strengthening our economic and military balance while cultivating the Russians or the Chinese. India as a beacon of democratic force in the South East Asian region is not articulated. Our universities are pale shadows. Even the latest book by Amartya Sen (Argumentative Indian) is giving Indian democracy and Indian ancient traditions not a current interpretation. It is all about arguments for arguments sake!
We need bold articulation of how far we had ideologically or structurally strengthened our democratic system? or, failing? How far we have come from the old anti-US attitudes and how long-term focused is our current pursuit accommodation of the USA?
In one word:India has to stand up and be counted in the globalising world. Yes, Indian democracy has to become a mature politics of really committed and ideologically polarised party system and leaders as competent and committed men. Leaders should search for new talents! Deploy them for raising India’s prestige.