From: naga@jtown.Eng.Sun.COM (Ashok Nagarajan)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: BJP
Date: 25 Jan 1993 20:21:49 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: jtown

In article <ofMr8NG00XsDMdAKJi@andrew.cmu.edu>, pr2c+@andrew.cmu.edu (Prashant S. Rane) writes:
> 
> 
> >   - liberalize the economy and follow the milestones/goals set forth by the IMF and the World
> >     Bank. So what if we have to dance to the tunes of these institutions when
> we are being doled
> >     out billions from them.
> 
> The liberalization is already on the way. Ain't nothin' new in what you write.
> 
> Do we really need to dance to any tunes? Our policies should be guided by
> self interest. Does our self interest demand that we dance to the their
> tunes? We need to analyze a lot of factors before we decide what is in our
> best interest. We don't need no *simple-solutions-to-complex-problems-Readers'-
> Digest-style*.

   The liberalization was done with the support of BJP when Cong-I didn't even have a 
   majority. Now that Rao is depending on the leftists elements within his party (Arjun Singh, etc)
   for his survival, the liberal policy will die a slow death and it will be back to business
   as usual( corruption and nepotism for issuing licenses, etc).

   The IMF and the World Bank set realistic goals towards achieving market oriented reforms
   when they give out loans. They want to make sure that this money is put to good use by investing
   in projects that prove their worth. Not down the drain. Time and time again, these money have
   been used for mammoth projects in the public sectors that has had no return. This has led
   to these institutions putting more restrictions on India whenever a loan is given.


   For 45 years, we have formulated a policy based on so called "self-interest". It doesn't
   seem to be working.
   Is it not in the self-interest of India to meet the goals that are set? After all, it is
   India that is going to benefit. Good luck in getting a loan where there are no strings
   attached.    

> 
> >
> >   - work with the US to include India in the MFN category. Look what has happened to the
> >     economies of Japan, S.Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, etc. All these
> >     countries have become or becoming rich mainly by being on the right side.
> India catered
> >     to the Soviet Union's wishes for 40 years and look where it has got us into. Can you
> >     believe India was expected to do better than S.Korea in the fifties following the Korean
> >     war?
> >
> >   - vote along with US in the UN consistently. How do you expect the US to help you out when
> >     you "sabre-rattle" it in the UN along with other third world nations and then go seek aid
> >     from it?
> 
> When US or any other country gives aid, is it from altruist motives? Nope.
> Their policies are also guided by self interest. They want to enter the
> potentially large economies.
> 
> In any case, We need the capital investment more than the aid. We have to
> show economic potential to attract foreign capital. We don't need to become
> yes-men to attract foreign capital. Take the example of China.....
> 

   I agree that India can prosper only with capital investment. This can happen if the West
   has good relations with India. Give me one example where capital investment has been made
   in a country that is hostile to the west. To be included in the MFN category, means paying
   little or no duties in the biggest market. China was able to attract foreign capital by
   being included in the MFN category and it has to be renewed by the Congress every year. 
   China is far more influential in the US foreign policy than India. China could get away
   with a Tianemann Square but it might find its MFN status in jeopardy if it has more of the same.
   So equating  India with China is not quite correct.

> >       <<deleted>>
> >   - stop being put in the same league as Pakistan and Bangla Desh. Pakistan, with its
> >     excessive obsessiveness with India and fast declining literacy of its own
> people,
> >     and Bangla Desh, with its annual natural disasters and its utter poverty,
> are going
> >     no-where. India should change its image and make a full-fledged effort to
> be identified
> >     and compared with the asian tigers like Korea, Taiwan and yes, China where she belongs.
> >     India's effort in Software is the first shot in meeting this goal.
> >
> 
> How are you going to do it? Lobbying will not be sufficient to project the
> image. So long as the only news about India is of the nature "100 died in
> riots" we can not project a positive image.

   I agree. But lobbying is a first step to gain some influence in the Capital Hill, where
   trade policies are set. To get the US involved in the gulf war, Kuwait hired US lobbying
   firms to get the job done.  Such is the power of lobbying in the US congress.

> 
> >
> >   Finally, which Indian party do you think is capable of making all this a reality?. You guessed it right.
> >
> >                           IT'S BJP
> Yeah, Right!!!!
> 
> If BJP comes to power, it'll be a boost to the hindu extremists. They will
> demand further concessions from the minorities. Since BJP will ride to
> power on the back of the communal tiger, it will have to pay for the
> Faustian deal. The result will be even more riots, anarchy and mayhem. How
> will India attract foreign investment in the face of such massive instability?
> 

   We have had other communal parties (Akali Dal, Muslim League, etc) run govts before
  but it seem to be alright with the Hindus. Why do you think there could be a problem
  only with a hindu party? Sure, there are strong communal elements within the BJP umbrella.
  They have to be weeded out.   

  I am confidant that a BJP run govt would be moderate and not as you have envisioned it to be.
  Muslims might feel a little alienated in the short run but would eventually be brought into
  the fold by their economic prosperity under a BJP administration. Sure they wouldn't be
  appeased as before. Time and time again, they have only seen this "appeasing" as merely
  a ploy to "vote-getting" which have made them lose their self-respect for themselves.
  I am confidant that under a BJP admin, the minorities would be adequately protected and
  treated fairly.
  Sure, anti-national activities would be dealt with severely as they ought to be regardless
  of the perpetuators of these activities. 
  

  BTW, who is responsible for the Sikh riots in 1984? Is it BJP? Moreover, there have
  been more deaths in Cong-I ruled states than in BJP ruled states due to Ayodhya? 
  How do you explain it? If your logic is right, I should have seen more deaths in BJP
  ruled states.    

> BJP is not the solution. It is the problem.
> 

  Almost 45 years of Cong-I rule has degraded India to where we are today. Cong-I has
  nothing new to offer except the same formula of appeasement of certain groups that 
  would keep them in power. They have run out of ideas. It is time they are thrown
  out. To brand BJP as the problem, is questioning the wisdom of millions of voters
  that have been voting for them. They are no fools. Whether anybody likes it or not,
  BJP is going to be a force to reckon with. The sooner their adversaries realise that,
  it's going to be the better for them. 

> The riots over the RJBM issue are going to hurt us badly. Potential investors
> are being scared away by the instability. BJP has diverted popular attention
> from the pressing economic issues, because on the economic front, BJP does
> not have anything more to offer than Congress under PVNR and Manmohan Singh.
> 
  Look who you are talking about. Cong-I is responsible for the mess we are in today.
  India needs a change from the past policies of amost 45 years. What makes you think 
  that Cong-I is going to straighten everything out in the next few years after messing
  everything up for so long? A sudden "enlightenment", perhaps. 
> Prashant