The world politics today presents a grim picture. There are no guiding principles. Only political expediency rules. No country has a political leader worth his salt. India presents a particularly sorry picture. There is not a single leader with vision, there is not a single leader who has acceptability over any significant part of the land or the population. As a result, regional leaders, with their parochial agenda are ruling the roost.
That would still have been acceptable. But added to that is the hooligans of various hues who preach and profess `clinical violence' to protect `Indian culture'. There are MNS, SRS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, and I don't know how many other bands. In no state has the government shown any intention to stop these bands from continuing with their violent street politics, and to uphold the rule of law. Our learned PM and big-mouth foreign minister look like powerless non-entities when they (rightly) indict Pakistan for the terrorist strikes in our country, but do not utter a word about the continuing lawlessness in the country. Just as Pakistan has fallen to the Islamic Taliban, we are falling to the Hindu Taliban either with full complicity, or due to utter abdication of their responsibilities by successive governments. There are also radical Islamic groups beating up Taslima Nasrin or throwing public life out of gear about her stay in the country though personally I believe they are less potent in disrupting civil life and communal harmony than the Hindu radicals, and the self-styled cultural leaders.
In this time of crisis, Americans are singularly lucky to have got a President with the charisma and vision of Barack Obama. Looks to me India's opportunity is gone, we have missed the bus. If Obama can deliver on his promises, and implement his visions, the US will again emerge as the leading nations of the world.
That would still have been acceptable. But added to that is the hooligans of various hues who preach and profess `clinical violence' to protect `Indian culture'. There are MNS, SRS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, and I don't know how many other bands. In no state has the government shown any intention to stop these bands from continuing with their violent street politics, and to uphold the rule of law. Our learned PM and big-mouth foreign minister look like powerless non-entities when they (rightly) indict Pakistan for the terrorist strikes in our country, but do not utter a word about the continuing lawlessness in the country. Just as Pakistan has fallen to the Islamic Taliban, we are falling to the Hindu Taliban either with full complicity, or due to utter abdication of their responsibilities by successive governments. There are also radical Islamic groups beating up Taslima Nasrin or throwing public life out of gear about her stay in the country though personally I believe they are less potent in disrupting civil life and communal harmony than the Hindu radicals, and the self-styled cultural leaders.
In this time of crisis, Americans are singularly lucky to have got a President with the charisma and vision of Barack Obama. Looks to me India's opportunity is gone, we have missed the bus. If Obama can deliver on his promises, and implement his visions, the US will again emerge as the leading nations of the world.
God save India.
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