Editorial»
The state tamasha
JAN 13 - India’s three-day (second) diaspora tamasha concluded on the second Sabbath day of 2004, showing a sign of resurrecting India. Indian leaders poured their pent-up feelings, terming the 21st century that belongs to Asians, and that Indian diasporas must help project India’s image abroad better. Some projected 7 percent Indian economic growth rate, citing the Indian tortoise that runs as fast as the Chinese rabbit.
Moreover, the dawn of 2004 saw India’s foreign reserves crossing 100 billion dollars, and the banner across the Bombay Stock Exchange displayed a jubilant mark of “6000 sensex”, another sign of growing India.
However, Lord Meghnad Desai, an economist who teaches at London School of Economics, advised India should not show its sentiment. “This is to say don’t expect much from the Indian diasporas because the Indians themselves have to make India grow larger instead of seeking overseas Indian support”. He elaborated that any investment made by the Indian diasporas would be for monetary benefit. They want good return of their investment - be it in Vietnam or in India. So, if India expects something from its diasporas, why can’t India treat other foreign investors at par with Indian diasporas?
This indicates Indian coconut (brown by colour and white by heart) thinkers do not want India to discriminate foreign investors on the basis of origin. That India should treat foreign investors equally is the advice. Indians must become more practical and hard working people than they are. Lord Desai sees that would be the success of the Indians.
This is how some successful Indian diasporas encourage Indians. Some Indians left their country because of lack of opportunities and some left India as bonded laborers but many of them have made a remarkable progress in the West because they found themselves to be as competent as their white counterparts in terms of both brain and pain.
Like the Chinese, the Indians too have begun to think “to be rich is glorious”. So far, China has attracted over 100 billion dollars as foreign investments. Half of the money has come from the overseas Chinese businessmen, who have no dual citizenship. India has attracted as much as 10 billion dollars from its overseas Indians. In order to attract more foreign investments, India has awarded dual citizenship to those Indian diasporas allowed by the constitution of the country they live in.
What is the state of this state? We are living in a country sandwiched between the two Asian emerging economic giants—China and India. We read their success stories living in an unsuccessful state. Last year, the Non- Resident Nepalese tamasha organized by the Thapa government did manage to bring some Prabashi Nepalese together to brief them that this country is really turning into a failed state after the October 4 royal takeover.
Instead of finding a solution to the current problem, a few people have begun to say that Nepal has, after Afghanistan, become a failed state. The factor for the failure is 70 percent of the people earn less than one dollar a day and those in power continue to oppress them with the help of army. The armed force aside, there is no single sector that creates new employment opportunity. Youths are leaving the country in search of jobs so that they can feed their family members back home.
After politicians, it seems it is the turn of Generals of Royal Nepal Army who are craving for wealth. Otherwise, Royal Nepal Army would not have asked the Nepal Electricity Authority to provide 40 million rupees for guarding power stations and electric towers. This demand, actually, means that RNA is a private security agency and it has nothing to do with the people. Obviously, RNA is not a security force created by the democratic government. It is an entity created by an individual. And taxpayers’ money used for paying their monthly salary is their bonus. Now this bonus encourages youths to join the force.
Another way of becoming rich in this country is the way King Gyanendra does. Last year, King Gyanendra raised the cost for the upkeep of royal palace by 500 percent. The King did so because he had learnt the Chinese lesson, which goes as thus: To be rich is glorious.
But it is the Shah dynasty that has bred poverty, hunger and illiteracy. And the civil servants groomed under the dynasty have learnt the royal lessons of amassing wealth. The country also provides opportunities either for those who join the civil service or those who join security forces that continue to unleash atrocities against the innocent Nepalis.
This is the state of this country’s economic progress. The cost of state atrocities against the innocent civilians is increasing every day. And it is really hard to differentiate between the Maoists and the Royal Nepal Army personnel who move in plain clothes unleashing atrocities.Posted on: 2004-01-13 02:22
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