India is the birth place of four major world religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Yet, India is one of the most diverse nation in terms of religion. Many scholars and intellectuals believe that India's predominant religion, Hinduism has long been a most tolerant religion. However, Today our country is witness a major threat to our secular fabric. Political parties are making use of Hindu sentiments for their political gains. Today, Some of India’s major political parties are openly criticise people based on the religion they follow. Majoritarian Hindu youth who have become frustrated of missing out on opportunities in education and jobs have now found this party which is an open critic of other religious sentiments as a solution to their frustration.
Wednesday, 17 April 2019
India's Secular Fabric is under serious threat!!
India is the birth place of four major world religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Yet, India is one of the most diverse nation in terms of religion. Many scholars and intellectuals believe that India's predominant religion, Hinduism has long been a most tolerant religion. However, Today our country is witness a major threat to our secular fabric. Political parties are making use of Hindu sentiments for their political gains. Today, Some of India’s major political parties are openly criticise people based on the religion they follow. Majoritarian Hindu youth who have become frustrated of missing out on opportunities in education and jobs have now found this party which is an open critic of other religious sentiments as a solution to their frustration.
Thursday, 14 February 2019
Budget 2019 and Sops
What are sops?
This is a question every person following the budget analysis of 2019 thought about for a moment. “A thing done as a concession to appease someone whose main concerns and demands are not being met are called sops.”
With less than 6 months before the upcoming elections, India's ruling party the BJP turned the latest budget into an election manifesto. Here are some of the highlights:
• These budget showers Rs 6,000 per year on each of 120 million small farm owners. The first instalment of Rs 2,000 per farm owner will be disbursed in the current fiscal year itself, boosting rural incomes and possibly the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election prospects.
• TheThe budget will fully refund income tax on incomes of Rs 5 lakh per year, benefiting 30 million middle-class taxpayers including small businessmen who form the BJP’s core support base.
• A new pension scheme has been proposed to benefit at least 100 million unorganised labourers, providing an old-age pension of Rs 3,000 per month.
The questions which arise after this budget are numerous. Whether these last minute husting before the elections will actually work. Are sops a substitute to actual economic reforms and developmental investment? Will the benefits announced to farmers actually benefit the people who deserve it? We can only wait and watch.
Will these freebies and sops actually let the Modi government return to power? Many economists suggest that India will not be able to meet its Fiscal and Revenue deficit for the year If this expenditure continues. Will this excess of governmental spending lead to retail inflation. Looks like that is were this fragile economy is heading. This could even lead to a situation of excess demand in the economy which can turn out to be fatal.
This is a question every person following the budget analysis of 2019 thought about for a moment. “A thing done as a concession to appease someone whose main concerns and demands are not being met are called sops.”
With less than 6 months before the upcoming elections, India's ruling party the BJP turned the latest budget into an election manifesto. Here are some of the highlights:
• These budget showers Rs 6,000 per year on each of 120 million small farm owners. The first instalment of Rs 2,000 per farm owner will be disbursed in the current fiscal year itself, boosting rural incomes and possibly the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election prospects.
• TheThe budget will fully refund income tax on incomes of Rs 5 lakh per year, benefiting 30 million middle-class taxpayers including small businessmen who form the BJP’s core support base.
• A new pension scheme has been proposed to benefit at least 100 million unorganised labourers, providing an old-age pension of Rs 3,000 per month.
The questions which arise after this budget are numerous. Whether these last minute husting before the elections will actually work. Are sops a substitute to actual economic reforms and developmental investment? Will the benefits announced to farmers actually benefit the people who deserve it? We can only wait and watch.
Will these freebies and sops actually let the Modi government return to power? Many economists suggest that India will not be able to meet its Fiscal and Revenue deficit for the year If this expenditure continues. Will this excess of governmental spending lead to retail inflation. Looks like that is were this fragile economy is heading. This could even lead to a situation of excess demand in the economy which can turn out to be fatal.
Sunday, 16 December 2018
Hartals and Kerala
On my last blog post I talked about how Kerala is "God's Own Country". However this time I am disturbed to say that Kerala is also "Hartal's Own Country". Recently the state crossed it's 97th Hartal of 2018. These Hartals are a great hit on Kerala's economy and impacts the life of common man very badly.
Today, Malayalees see Hartals as the only solution for all problems ranging from rising Onion prices to death of an alcoholic man in Secretariat premises. What has happened to Malayalees?
It is true that everybody has the right to protest in this country. However, the problem arises when a protest is forced upon the whole population. People who have nothing to do with the Hartal and people who are actually against the cause of the Hartal are forced to remain at home. For a middle income family in the state, this is a huge burden. Citizens are forced to stay at home with all business enterprises closed.
Many PIL's have been filed at various judicial tiers, however, courts cannot ban Hartals, a mode of protest publicised by the father of our Nation Mahatma Gandhi. But these politically driven Hartals are nothing similar to the Hartals conducted by Gandhi on the principle of non-violence. They mostly lead to stone pelting and public property destruction. Most malayalees are forced to sit at home in fear of these Political menaces.
In the state all is not grim whatsoever. Now many sections of the society are fighting to remain unaffected by Hartals. These include IT and Advertising. Also many newly formed organisations like Say No To Hartal Front are trying to educate people to distrupt these sort of unwanted hartals. These organisations give me hope.
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