Reflections and random thoughts

[Rakhal DAVE]

Very impressed by Modi!

I was opposed until end of 2012.
My views started changing after he bacame CM for the third time.

Journalist/Businessman Zafar Sareshwala also played an important
role in helping me see the light.
http://ibnlive.in.com/group-blog/the-india-blog/3581/why-gujarati-muslims-are-with-modi/64627.html

While my opinion of Modi changed - I was still deeply
unsure of BJP. I became a BJP fan after
Rajnath Singh made Modi the BJP PM candidate in Sep 2013.
That step also impressed me about the inner functioning of the BJP!

I am also very pleased by the broad elimination of
regional parties and the super mandate in one party.

Jayalalitha and Mamta are exceptions to the above.
The only good thing Mamta has done is vanquish the left
- but she continues to be a shrill loose canon in my opinion.
Jayalalitha I dont have strong opinions on - but the
sycophancy around her is quite unbearable.

I look forward to the following under BJP:

1 Reveral of retrospective tax law / a la Vodaphone
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d9d96cde-6f59-11e1-9c57-00144feab49a.html#axzz33r4HEQJA

2 Abrogation of article 370
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/narendra-modi-on-article-370-a-bjp-denial-and-a-strategy-453525

3 Uniform Civil Code
http://scroll.in/article/666262/BJP's-rhetoric-on-Uniform-Code-undermined-by-its-silence-on-laws-favouring-majority
(including uniform tax laws)

Of course if we get growth above 8% I would be satisfied in any case.
The growth issue is important!
Those who have not yet warmed up to Piketty; he is the author
of a minor revolution in economics. See:
http://www.amazon.com/Capital-Twenty-First-Century-Thomas-Piketty/dp/067443000X
The broad message is that if return on assets (r) is less than gdp growth (g)
then inequality increases. Mathematically:
r > g implies dG/dt > 0 where G is the Gini coeffcient
(dG/dt > 0 means increasing inequality)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality
See:
http://shop.comedycentral.com/category/80993528341/1/Limited-Edition-r-g-Tshirt.htm?utm_source=tcrcom&utm_medium=hpclustermodule&utm_campaign=tcrrgtee
[The t shirt should really have stated r < g as this is what is desirable]

Of course in the longer run we also need property rights
(a la Barun Mitra - I will forward his pdf essay on this topic next)
and labour reform.

I think Kejriwal is a good man!
There is a lot of peer pressure to *not* like him
but I cannot find myself disliking him. He is like a Gandhi to me.
He beleives in his battle and will not give up.
Its a different matter whether his battles are well chosen.
In his fight against Gadkari - I think there is truth.
In his fight against Ambani - I dont think so.
The Indian judicial system has not been properly tested on
the issue of defamation and free speech. Kejriwal is doing that.
At the very least Kejriwal will put Indian politicians on guard
that they are 'servants of the people'.

Facebook comments against Modi have recently lead to
similar charges as when Bal Thakarey died and a teenager
girl student expressed disaproval on it becoming
a forced holiday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Modi-baiter-in-Goa-faces-arrest-for-Facebook-comment/articleshow/35522876.cms
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-11-19/news/35203782_1_shiv-sainiks-arrests-of-two-women-social-media

I find few politicans who are willing
to stand up for free speech as a hallowed human concept.
Invariably commentry and even media coverage sometimes
turns to the judgement on the merit of what has been said
rather than taking a strong stand on this as a human right.

Kudos to Shashi Tharoor on speaking his mind on Modi:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shashi-tharoor/narendra-modi-shashi-tharoor_b_5434302.html
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/churlish-not-to-acknowledge-narendra-modi-shashi-tharoor-to-ndtv-536595
Shashi Tharoor should take over congress and become the responsible
opposition we need!

Very pleased with Modi stating that people should
shun touching elders feet ...
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/411940/don039t-touch-my-feet-modi.html
(Jayalalitha - are you listening)
It has become a meaningless cultural trait.
TV shows / dance competitions / award programs ....
all encourage this demeaning trait.
In TV programs there is a lot of peer pressure for competitors to
touch the feet of judges. Will the one who prefers not
to - ever win? There is no blog or movement against this.
Of course Modi said this in the context of political sycophancy.
I hope he starts a movement.

My $0.02

-Rakhal

[Indranil Bhattacharya]

Hi Rakhal,
Good to read your pro-Modi write up.
However, I am still skeptical. Dont you think its too early to be "Very impressed" bearing the fact that he just took the chair.
Lets see how he influences/changes the "real" India- the one that does'nt represent you and me.
Telling ministers or sychophants not to touch feet - does not feed the poor and educate the underprivileged children of my country.
So lets see how Mr Modi brings smiles on these faces in 5 years.
Cheers
Indranil
PS : I agree with ur note on kejriwal that his presence has put politicians on gaurd.

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[Chetan Dave]

Rakhal,
About time....!
It is good to have you get "off the fence". Left leaning Indian intellegensia will have to take 5 year sabbatical on a eastern-US 'liberal' Ivy League campus or think tanks and bide their time hoping Modi fails.
Although it is early days, at this point, almost anything is better than sclerotic Congress. After 10 yrs in power, it is just refreshing to have a change. Someone new to clean out the cobwebs.

State elections in Maharashtra and UP are coming and BJP needs to consolidate power by winning there if they are playing the long game.

Chetan

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