Not good for the world! Not good for him either!
Are we all living in a surveillance-ridden world?
Inside India too, there are worrisome trends!
That could trip India into unexpected territories!
US President Barack Obama is now in the mid-term of his second term! Increasingly, he seems to be more silent that he used to be. And the world is witnessing some unusual turbulence.
In the US itself, there are developments, Edward Snowden, 29, is in asylum in Moscow. Another youngman, the army man, 24, Bradley manning, got a 35 year jail term. Of course there are others who leaked the US intelligence gathering leakages. It is not a good time for USA or the President.
The US stands exposed not as an open society, as a free society but one paranoid about snapping every citizen inside and also outside in the whole world. This is not a sign of a liberal and civilised society, right?
No less is the UK. Now, the British power and prestige is under attack for various factors. Britain is seen by Indians of this generation as a shrinking economy and a diminished power. Yet, Britain is pretending to be otherwise.
The new migration rules make Britain as again a paranoid country. How can a country demand 3000 pounds deposit to visit it while other countries, more smaller gives visa on arrival.
This is how the world is opening up. Much more serious are developments in Russia and in China. In Russia, Putin is not willing to play his role as a great country. China is faced with its internal turmoil with the trial of Bo Xilai who is likely to trigger an internal trouble politically and otherwise.
See in other parts of the world. In Syria there is a brutal killing by alleged chemical weapons and the pictures on the BBC are really intolerable and yet the UN is seen as more weakened and no agitations around the world for this barbarian acts.
In Egypt, things are out of control. Yet, the USA, a big funder, is silent again. So, what role the USA as the world’s great power, both militarily and economically, is playing?
None? None at all!
There is a recent book on JFK, the charismatic US President. The title of the book is the legacy of JFK, the promises and much else.
Who knows, Obama is running the risk of squandering his legacy.
This is the time to play crucial role for the American President.
May be the President has his own deeply thought out reasons.
Who knows why get the USA involved in some new interference that might prove to be too much a price for the remainder of his term?
Now, inside India?
The UPA is facing troubles for its own making. The trouble here is that the UPA, this term, has too far in twisting the polity beyond recognition.Are we living in an open society? A liberal; society?
Are we a free country? A demcoracy? Are our freedoms secure?
A series of acts, on the part of the party and the government, PMO, are denying many things, withholding from the public. There is surveillance in India too, the citizens feel choked by denying information that is in public interest. You seem to amend the RTI, the party funding, the criminalisation of politics, now the Coalgate files, now the very disagreement to come before Parliament and intervene effectively when the PM’s name itself is bandied about in the Coalgate files disappearance.
What is this? What is the sanctity of Parliament?
Mark Tuly, the British newsman has said well. While he hates to advise Indians, it is something Indians themselves must adopt some healthy British Parliamentary practice like once a week the Prime Minister must have a day or a time to appear before the Members of Parliament and answer questions.
This is one of the many other healthy Parliamentary practices in Britain. We are supposed to follow the Westminster model, right?
Then, why this refusal? The Indian Prime Minister operates, as of now, under very serious questionable Parliamentary practice. He is not an elected member of the Lok Sabha.
So, let us, discuss and debate about the basic Westminster model.
Lately, there are much more negative trends and practices. Even some quixotic practices. A disgraced minister is sent as a special envoy of the PM to Japan!
What is happening in India? To the Indian democratic norms and values?
Citizens have a duty to think.