Nothing Adarsh in the whole affairs

The ‘Chavan out, Chavan in formula’ doled out by the Congress high command at the Centre for Maharashtra has been accepted with a sackful of salt by sceptics.
Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society scam is a bead in a long string of political misdemeanours. AR Antulays, Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekars and Ashok Chavans don’t give us the jitters any more.
Land-grab scams are nothing new.
Only this time, the Adarsh scandal exposes like never before the use of realty as a tool of political patronage. Purportedly meant for Kargil martyrs’ families, this 31-storeyed high-rise (that should never have exceeded six or seven storeys) ended up with a who’s who of the political, defence and bureaucratic establishments. 

Do we need to be reminded those years ago, when men in power made dirty money from even caskets bought to lay these slain bravehearts to rest? Could we think of anything more morally despicable?
The Adarsh scam has unveiled corruption as an all-encompassing malaise, a conglomerate with an ensemble cast drawn from every section of the society. Hounding Chavan out of office and making a few face the guillotine is not enough.
The rot is systemic. The remedy must be more than token scalp-taking. The question is what? Here’s where we must indulge in a considerable measure of soul-searching. Enough is enough. We, the people, have been fooled and fooled time and again.
Scandals surface with regularity and real culprits go scot-free and cases are forgotten.
As to what should be done in the Adarsh case, I have two simple things to posit. One, relatives of the Kargil martyrs should not take up flats in a society that’s anything but adarsh (role model). They would be undermining the sacrifice of their loved ones by staying in a debased society.
Two, as for the systemic morass, several bureaucrats have been found with their hands in the cookie jar. Right now, they are lying low and waiting for the dust to settle so that they can go back to their usual path. This loot by the state’s custodians shouldn’t go unpunished.
Let me be permitted to say that we might take a leaf from former Chinese premier, Zhu Rongji’s book whose zero-tolerance to corruption sent shivers down the spines of civil servants convicted of turpitude.
This needs tremendous political will which the new incumbent, Prithviraj Chavan is expected to exhibit. Landing amid a sticky situation, with a tough ally like NCP to bargain with, let’s see if he can give clean governance and early deliverance a chance. The jury waits.

Now PM has to convince Sonia Gandhi that opening up is Good

As US President Barack Obama concluded his four-day visit to India this week, the question on everyone’s mind was whether India had been astute in dealing with him or got carried away with his oratory and charm.
Would India look out for its own economic interests while forging this new “defining partnership of the 21st century” that Obama talks of?
Arvind Panagariya, professor of economics at Columbia University, feels that the Obama visit has created an environment for significant economic benefits for India, and now it is up to the Indian government to take advantage of these opportunities by pushing ahead with reforms. At the same time, Panagariya says in an interview with DNA, India should be prepared to push back against protectionist measures that may arise in the US because of the persistent problem of unemployment there.
What is your assessment of Obama’s visit to India in economic terms?
The major economic gain is connected to the access to dual use technologies. Most other accomplishments fall in political, security and strategic areas, which indirectly create economic benefits by helping India rise globally.
What would Obama have hoped to gain specifically?
Perhaps reduced liability on the sales of nuclear plants, and opening of organised retail to foreign investors.
To what extent is Obama in a position to “prise open” the Indian market, and what would be the quid pro quo for India? Is it likely that India might sacrifice economic efficiency by letting political reasons guide its decision to open up to US products?
Any market opening including in the area of organised retail will be on a non-discriminatory basis and therefore to all trading partners, not just the US. As the last 20 years of external and internal liberalisation have shown, opening up largely works to improve efficiency.
There’s a perception that the US is offering empty promises on strategic issues like a UNSC seat at some indeterminate time while pushing for immediate economic gains. What’s your take on this?
Didn’t we eagerly seek the US backing for the UNSC seat?Now that we have it, how does this become an empty promise?Agreed, we are still some way from having the UNSC seat, but are we not closer to it than we were before the Obama visit?
Regarding the economic gains, you need to be specific.If you are referring to the $10 billion or so worth of contracts, I see them as win-win — they do not quite inflict a loss on us!
What does India need to do to boost trade for mutual benefit?
Undertake further economic reforms (including streamlining social programs to combat poverty) to boost growth and alleviate poverty.The larger our economy, greater the opportunities for all in our market.
What are the main hurdles that Manmohan Singh faces in pursuing this agenda and how can they be overcome?
The PM needs to convince Mrs Sonia Gandhi and his Cabinet that economic reforms of the kind he initiated in the 1990s are in the national interest.
Even as Obama wants open markets for US firms, there are concerns over increasing protectionism in the US. How much of an impact can this have on India and what can Indian negotiators do about it?
Indian companies and government have to keep the pressure up on the US to hold the line on protectionism.So far all countries have been quite successful in holding protectionism at bay despite the major global economic crisis. But this may change and vigilance is required.
As a last resort, India has to also be prepared to retaliate through its own trade sanctions if it is subjected to selective protection against its exports.
How can Obama change the negative perception about outsourcing that he had himself stoked earlier?
Rather than stoke the fears, he needs to explain to the American people the benefits of openness to trade and investment.
How do you view the Indian backing for the US move to pump $600 billion into the economy, which China is strongly opposing?
The Chinese vice finance minister has made a statement very similar to that of the Indian PM regarding the QE2 (Quantitative Easing Part 2). It is likely that the Indian PM offered a helping hand to a departing US President who had conceded on virtually all of India’s demands during his visit.
Moreover, given the capital controls at its disposal, India is better able to deal with the inflow of dollars. Unlike countries with full capital-account convertibility such as South Korea and Brazil, it does not face the tyranny of the impossible trinity.
What is the other significant area in which you expect the US and India to back each other at the G-20 summit?
They will work together to make progress on developing an improved global economic governance.
What are the potential gains and threats from granting the US wish for FDI in retail from the point of view of the Indian farmers, Indian consumers and Indian economy?
Indian farmers stand to benefit from improved supply chain; Indian consumers stand to benefit from reduced prices resulting from a more efficient supply chain management; and the Indian economy stands to benefit for both of those reasons plus expanded export performance since foreign retailers are well-placed to link our suppliers to the world market.

Obama Hosted by PM for dinner ; Politicians and even Bollywood actors also invited.

New Delhi:  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted a private dinner for visiting US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle on Sunday which was attended by political bigwigs, business leaders, actors and sports personalities.
The Obamas drove to the 7, Race Course Road residence of the Prime Minister from ITC Maurya where they are staying. They were warmly welcomed by Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur.
The guests included UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, senior Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, A K Antony, P Chidambaram, S M Krishna and Sharad Pawar, senior BJP leader L K Advani and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
Top business leaders Azim Premji, Ratan Tata, Swati Piramal and N R Narayanamurthy were among the guests which also included Bollywood personalities Aamir Khan, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akthar.

Chess wizard Viswanathan Anand and Environmental Activist Sunita Narain was also present at the dinner.
Ahead of the dinner, Singh and Obama were closeted for a one-on-one meeting for about 25 minutes during which the two leaders were understood to have taken stock of bilateral ties and ways to push these to higher levels of strategic partnership.
The two leaders are believed to have taken an overview of the bilateral relations, which have grown substantially over the last few years.
Earlier in the day, Singh set aside protocol and went to the Indira Gandhi International airport to receive the US First Couple who arrived here on the second leg of the visit after a hectic 26-hour stay in Mumbai.
Union Ministers who attended the event included Anand Sharma, Prithviraj Chavan, Salman Khursheed and US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer.
As Obama reached the Prime Minister's residence, 30 camel-mounted BSF personnel welcomed him by playing bugles and trumpets.
The personnel in their traditional uniform played different tunes which were enjoyed by the US President and Michelle.