Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Defending the motherland

Since the controversy of his Date of Birth, Gen V K singh is in the news for all wrong reasons.Now we have him telling us that we are really not prepared for a war! This is inspite of plans to spend more than $100 billions in next 15 years on defence and having the second largest army in the world.This is also inspite of India having emerged as the largest importers of arms in the world.
It appears that our defence establishments headed by politicians and babus have not been doing their jobs properly since the bad old days of Bofors.What is needed is speed, clarity and transperancy in matters related to nation's defences. All three are missing.A K Antony, we are told is the most honest Congressman.This is what we have got from him.Dr Manmohan Singh too is honest.And this is what we have.Following needs to be done
1.Develop strategic plans for years 2020,2030 & 2050
2.Draw the lists of equipment needed and the man power needed
3. Appoint an ongoing high power committee comprising of retired senior officers from the armed forces, retired senior bureaucrats, senior political leaders from all parties, defence experts, and members of civil society.This high powered committee, with ample budgets should be mandated to execute these strategies. Decisions related to country's defence should be taken out of the purview of time serving politicians as well as corrupt and incompetent babus.
4.Jail terms for middlemen found bribing any one in the said committee.
5. This high power committee should be appointed by the President,Prime Minister,Leaders of the opposition in LS & RS, Speaker of the Lok sabha, Vice president and the CJC of India.No elections here!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Way forward for BJP

Dusk is settling on the results of state elections from 5 states that went to polls in Feb-2012.
While Congress is a major looser, BJP hasn't gained much traction, except in Goa.Back of the envelope calculations tell us that BJP would win maximum of 25 Loksabha seats, from these states,if elections were held today.This is against more than 100 seats that these states have got.How can BJP improve its tally in these and other states? BJP needs to do following during 2012 to help it cross 200 + mark in 2014 Loksabha elections.
1.Win Gujarat with 140+ seats.Ensure that the party's performance in MP,Rajasthan,Maharashtra state elections improves in the respective assembly elections.
2. Elect Mr Narendra Modi as the party president in December 2012.
3. Declare that BJP is committed to cultural nationalism and the principles of minimal governance.Declare that BJP is committed to creating and maintaining world class infrastructure for the entire country.Declare that BJP does not believe in " buying" electoral support from any section[s] of Indian society based on any " contract" of quota, or jobs or money or things.Declare that all citizens are equal and have equal rights provided by the constitution.A govt or a political party DOES NOT HAVE TO PROMISE AND GIVE ANYTHING EXTRA TO ANY SECTION OF INDIAN SOCIETY OTHER THAN WHAT IS ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION.
4.Make conscious efforts to differentiate from Congress ,Socialists and [above all!] Communists in all spheres of public life and politics.
5.Announce concrete plans for education,training,vocational training,training in sports & atheletics, as well as R & D related initiatives for 65 crores of Indians who are below 35 years of age.That is mega HR plans for next three decades
6.Announce concrete plans for wide ranging reforms in Economy,Administration,Judiciary,Police,Election Commission,labour laws with the aim of bringing transperancy and effciencies in the processes of Governance.
7.Announce a new Foreign policy in line with India's emergence as super power and changed geo political realities in Asia and in the world.
8.Announce a new team of leaders who will lead the party.Announce that all leaders above 75 years of age will not contest any elections.Such leaders will only provide guidance and advice to the younger leadership.
9.Appoint better media advisers
10.Announce that Mr Narendra Modi is BJP's PM candidate.Allies within NDA [ or without] who are opposed to this, may join other alliances of their choice.
If BJP continues to follow its existing strategy, it will continue to get the results what it is getting.BJP needs to be given a new AVATAR by a new leadership.