Mohan:
I see nothing wrong with the jingoism or nationalistic views of BJP; this is consistent with the demand of most Indians who support them. Actually, USA and other Western powers taught jingoism to the rest of the world. After having acquired the nuclear power and wealth (mostly through occupation of foreign lands), these powers want the rest of world to kow tow them and remain perpetually emaciated and dependent on them; now through neo-colonialism. It is well-known that Indian policy makers have correctly found the West (especially the USA) very unreliable in any bilateral relationship, continually threatening to pull the plug at the time of the greatest need. Indira Gandhi learned through the hard way that her father's approach for reconciliation and friendship did not work in this world and she put firmly in place a policy of self-reliance. The West (especially the USA) has treated Pakistan as equal to India and used the former to thwart a rise of India; like they have done with respect to Iran and Iraq; engaging one to destroy the other.
The British used Jinha to split the sub-continent into Pakistan and India; Jinha was trapped/lured despite his initial reluctance. Much of the problem in India has been due to this partition engineered by the British; no Indian will absolve the British for an action that destroyed the peace in the sub-continent, provoked arms race; draining valuable resources that could be used in economic development; triggering a perpetual division among Hindus and Muslims and what not.
It is only recently that the US and the West are beginning to recognize India as a super-power (thanks to the policy of self reliance); the French President uttered on January 26, 1998 in New Delhi that India is a super-power and should be admitted as a permanent member of the Security Council of the UN. I am thus not surprised by the BJP manifesto; this is pragmatic. Why hide the obvious? India has been a nuclear power since 1974.
If the US and the West do not like India having nuclear power, why would anyone like the US having the power? Is the US more responsible than India? Why? India never triggered a war against any nation. The US and the West have waged wars against other countries; using nuclear bomb to kill millions of innocent people. Who in mankind can absolve the US for the destruction of so many people? The American sermon that India should not have nuclear power is completely irrational and double-standard.
I am not saying that US will not impose sanctions against India if India announces the existence of nuclear bombs. The US will by hook or crook try to keep India weak; but they will not succeed because India is a continent in which such power existed and Indians acquired the nuclear power on their own due to the fact that are as skilled as anyone on earth.
The reason for why India has remained poor is mainly because of the standard Indian psyche of austerity and contentment with whatever they have. The western standard of per-capita income to measure prosperity is perhaps meaningless.
About the US or western investment in India, I do not believe it is critical given the plight of SE Asian countries. It is better to be self-reliant than depend on external capital that amounts to a plundering of the land via quick profits and a sudden exit. It is now well-accepted (by the IMF, WB and many others) that the cause of SE Asian crisis is mass exit by western banks and that the "so-called crony capitalism" has very little to do with the problem. Thus, India has very little to lose. The western business interest in India is to exploit the vast consumer base and make quick profits by selling consumer products. Indian policy makers have kept the door open for infrastructure development and other needed projects, but are not excited about consumer products. This has been the main reason for why western capital flows in trickles to India.
Just remember that the BJP led government kicked IBM out of India 2 decades ago. India emerged as the largest exporter of computer software next only to the US and possesses the second largest "silicon valley" on earth -- Bangalore. I do not understand why are the western businesses whining? Is it because India does not let them generate quick profits and exit? Well, Indian policy-makers have deliberately thwarted such pressures and now they stand vindicated. Now, the BJP is simply becoming pragmatic by openly accepting the standard policy that Indira Gandhi initiated. I am not affiliated to any party, but the Congress party was not doing any differently.
Sankar |
