From the Prime Minister down, WikiLeaks has exposed the rotten state of the world's largest democracy for all to see.
Food prices become intolerable for the poor. Protests against corruption paralyse Parliament. Then a series of American diplomatic cables released by the WikiLeaks exposes a brazenly mendacious and venal ruling class; the head of government adored by foreign business people and journalists loses his moral authority, turning into a lame duck.
This sounds like Tunisia or Egypt, countries long deprived of representative politics and pillaged by the local agents of neoliberal capitalism. But it is India, where in recent days WikiLeaks has highlighted how democratic institutions are no defence against the rapacity and selfishness of globalised elites.
Most of the cables — being published by The Hindu, the country's most respected newspaper in English — offer nothing new to those who haven't drunk the “Rising India” Kool-Aid vended by business people, politicians and their journalist groupies. The evidence of economic liberalisation providing cover for a wholesale plunder of the country's resources has been mounting over recent months. The loss in particular of a staggering $39 billion in the government's sale of the telecom spectrum has alerted many Indians to the corrupt nexuses between corporate and political power.
Even the western financial press, unwaveringly gung-ho about the money to be made in India, is getting restless. Early this year, the Economist asked: “Is Indian capitalism becoming oligarchic?” — a question to which the only correct response is “Hell-ooo”. In the Financial Times, Indian business dynasties have been described as “robber barons”.
The intimate details about politicians revealed by the WikiLeaks still leave you speechless. What can one say about the former Cabinet Minister, a fervent spokesman for low-caste Hindus, who demanded a large bribe from Dow Chemical Company, which is being helped by senior American officials to overcome its association with the gas leak at the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal that in 1984 killed and maimed tens of thousands of Indians? Indeed, the cables reveal U.S. business and officials to be as embedded in India's politics as they are in Pakistan's. In 2008, the aide to an old courtier of the Nehru-Gandhi family showed a U.S. diplomat two chests containing $25 million in cash — money to bribe members of Parliament into voting for an India-US nuclear deal, itself a prelude to massive U.S. arms sales to India. Publicly opposed to the nuclear deal, the leaders of the Hindu nationalist BJP are at pains to reassure American diplomats of their pro-U.S. credentials, even dissing their murderous Hindu nationalism as opportunistic, a mere “talking point”.
The cables offer many such instances of the ideological deceptions practised by the purveyors of “Rising India”. Virtually all economic growth of recent years, a senior politician admits, is concentrated in the four southern states, two western states (Gujarat and Maharashtra) and “within 100km of Delhi”. But why worry? Another, from the BJP, has nieces and sisters living in the U.S., and “five homes to visit between DC and New York”. As for the entry of retailers like Walmart into India, oh, that “should not seriously hurt the mom and pop stores that form a BJP constituency”.
Not surprisingly, the Americans have developed contempt for such representatives of the world's largest democracy, who seem to validate Gandhi's denunciations of Parliament as a “prostitute”. Hillary Clinton gets right to the point in a cabled inquiry about Pranab Mukherjee, the Finance Minister widely tipped as India's next Prime Minister: “To which industrial or business groups is Mukherjee beholden? Whom will he seek to help through his policies? Why was Mukherjee chosen for the finance portfolio over Montek Singh Ahluwalia?” — the last named is a reliably pro-U.S. technocrat.
But no one stands more diminished by the leaks than the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, one of the former employees of the World Bank and IMF who have helped make India safe for oligarchism. It has long been common knowledge in political circles that Mr. Singh removed his Petroleum Minister in 2006 for the latter's allegedly anti-American advocacy of a gas pipeline to Iran. We now know from the cables that the then U.S. Ambassador congratulated himself for this “undeniable pro-American tilt” of the Indian government. Visiting the White House in 2008, Mr. Singh induced a nationwide cringe when he blurted out to the most disliked American President ever: “The people of India deeply love you.” (Even George Bush looked startled.) This love unblushingly speaks its name in the cables; even the racketeers of Pakistani military and intelligence appear dignified when compared with the Indians stampeding to plant kisses on U.S. behinds. Mr. Singh has presided over an ignominious surrender of national sovereignty and dignity.
There are many more revelations in store; these are tense days for many politicians, business people and journalists. They probably hope the bad news is buried by the cricket World Cup celebrations. They will also try to prove their fealty to the father of the Indian nation — last week politicians vied to threaten a sensitive study of Gandhi by the American writer Joseph Lelyveld with proscription. But there is nothing more un-Gandhian than this supra-national elite's wild cravings for power and wealth, and its indifference to suffering — a pathology of economic globalisation that Egyptians and Tunisians will soon learn elected governments don't cure, and even help conceal. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2011
(Pankaj Mishra is the author of Temptations of the West)
Keywords: WikiLeaks, corruption
Yes, the Indian ruling classes have no shame; no moral compunctions. We are rotten, rotten to the very core. We stink to high heavens. Nothing seems to bring about any changes in the behaviour if the Indian elite. How and what will bring about the changes we need and desire?
The whole plundering game is quiet apparent now . Its becoming clearer by the day over past several months .Thanks to newspapers like 'The Hindu'. India has been taken for a massive ride over the past 7-8 years atleast, in the name of Economic Liberalization . Corporates fund the Politicians in elections. The Politicians buy the votes and come to power . 'Paid news' in the media hoodwinks the voting public . In return for the favour , the Politicain frames Policies favouring the Corporates . The Corporates loot and the loot is transferred to tax havens through agents . PM and team turns a blind eye to the wholesale loot of the nation's wealth and resources. Finance Minister gives alibis and states treaties with tax havens prevent account names from being divulged. But same time the FM permits the loot money to be returned unquestioned through back door as PNs . It boosts stock market , the real estate prices and helps hoarders hoard essential comodities . The Corporates and Politicians buy up the media . The media ensures ' Rising India' and 'India shining' is portrayed everyday to a gullible public . A few glitzy malls and branded shops are opened up in the cities to show 'India has arrived'. A frenzy of greed and ambition is unleashed among the middle class , so that no attention is paid to the looting going on. Meanwhile every democratic institution in the country and process is undermined by the ruling party, to ensure the looting is undetecetd and the guilty can never be convicted , tried or jailed . Like all good things come to an end , for the looters , the looting became too brazen and reached astronomical sums. But the problem is the scamsters cant be booked or sent to jail . The public wants a Jan Lok Pal bill be passed to ensure the guilty can be tried and jailed. The nation must now wake up at this truth if it hasnt already . Thanks 'The Hindu' for publishing this wonderful article at the right moment, like many before.Keep it going .
@M.S. Kuki: India was holding on to its independent stand and was also leading NAM and support to USSR was based on principles not opportunism. And the credit for liberalization goes to Late PM Rajiv Gandhi's initiative -- not Dr.Manmohan Singh who is subverting all the benefits to crony capitalists who lobby for him and who sing paeans for him.
Why do we limit our expectations from our representatives? They must properly utilize every penny for the benefit of our country. If they don't do it, it's high time we do something. So instead of blaming someone else.. everybody in India must strive in unison to replace the representatives who don't do what they are expected to do. There are many ways to do that, we must chose the right one and i truly beleive its possible. It is sad to note that the poorest of poor in the country is not even considered as existing for the purpose of policy making in the country. When the apex court of India suggested the government to give away the rotting food grains to the needy, our prime minister came up with an argument which seems correct in his economic point of view. But I seriously doubt its applicability in a country like India, where the rotting food grains wont be sufficient to feed the people who would not even dream of buying it. And if that is the case the how is such a distribution going to affect the base price of the food grain and a subsequent decrease in productivity? His answer is sufficient to satisfy the economists not the people who starve.
Now a days politics and honesty can't go hand in hand.Corruption is not only confined to political arena it's now percolated even to the bottom of the society.However, corruption in high places are mind-boggling.Now a mass-upsurge is necssary agaist corruption.So all right thinking people must lend whole hearted support to Anna Hazare's crusade against corruptions.
There is a lot of news about the high growth rate(s) achieved by the Indian economy but it would be good to hear about the distribution of that growth. It seems there is an increasing corporatization of the Indian state.
Being a citizen of a great nation like India, every heart has a dream for itself. But when we see people whom we have elected as our Leaders, are of no good to us, instead they are only progressing for their own growth, greediness leaving far more behind the actual purpose for which they are elected, shatters every dream and gives a feeling of betrayal. When your politicians are ready to divide the country on the basis of color, caste and creed, what can you expect form a country like Australia where Indians are facing the monster of racism. The money which should have been utilized for the development of the country is getting credit in the bank accounts of our politicians for their own personal development. In a country where Mahatma Gandhi was born, who fought his complete life for our freedom, truth and honesty we have politicians who are Venal and Rapacious. Our politicians should learn to properly utilize atleast some percent of the country's money in the country.
An excellent summary that summarizes modern India. This venal nest of corrupt politicians and robber baron industrialists are of course feted in our vast 'bought' media. However what passes off as 'economic liberalization' is nothing more than the rapacious feeding frenzy by the rich at the expense of the poor. Merely by building a few consumer related factories by western financial oligarchs does not build a society. Keeping the masses desperate and fearful appears to be in the best interests of the political class. However it may be germane to point out that the there is 'economic development' in the southern states as there has traditionally been a higher percentage of literacy, a larger number of quality educational instituitions and a history of learning that surpasses our northern neighbours. It may help to point out to, 'Tathagato' that it is not India's pro-US stance that is an issue, it is the selling of our Nation's independance as a subservient group of people to the the most ruthless and barbaric 'business' oriented society in the world. If any Indian reveres the theological beliefs on what our society stood for, these so-called leaders of India are an abhorrence in their lust for money.
I'm a bit surprised at the attack on the present UPA govt., whatever its shortcomings be, by an esteemed paper like 'The Hindu'. The NDA govt. was never a picture of perfection either, and I guess this will continue to be what every future govt. looks like regardless of which party comes to power. As Tathagato points out, why should we not be happy with a pro-US tilt if we'd been happy with a pro-USSR (erstwhile) tilt for all those years? Obviously, everyone knows by now western capitalism (with all its inherent 'internal contradictions') works better than eastern socialism (with all its 'noble' pro-working class ideologies). The likes of Airtel, DLF, TCS/Wipro/Infosys, and many more Indian success stories wouldn't have seen as much 'success' had it not been for economic liberalisation (and Dr Singh did play a pivotal role here).
The need of the hour is to promote good governance and accountability in the judiciary, executive and legislative arena. The current fast undertaken by Anna Hazare is the right step at the right time. Instead of criticizing whoever's in power, we better 'help them change for the better.'
'RISING INDIA' IS AN EYE-OPNENER INDEED FOR ITS EXPOSURE OF HARD REALITIES OF INDIA . INDIA MARCH TO SUPERPOWER WITH 9 PER CENT GROWTH RATE IS HAULUCINATORY AND SHAM ,HOW CAN WE BE OBLIVIOS OF THE FACT THAT 340 MILLION POPULATION LIVES BELOW POVERTY LIONE. WITH 2DOLLAR PERCAPITA INCOME IT IS INDEED FOOLHARDY TO SHOWCASE AND GLOAT OVER WORLD CUP VICTORY. INDIAN MEDIA ' OBSESSION WITH SACHIN, BIG B,MALLIKA SHERAWAT AND SHILPA SHETTY IS DESIGNEDT AS AMBROSIA
KRISHNA HATOTE PACHEGONKAR
AURANGABAD INDIA
In the last few years we have been witnessing one scandal or the other occurring in the country. See the recent elections in TN. Not a day passes without huge cache of money being hauled up by the police. Instead of congratulating the vigour with which the Election Commission officials are functioning, legal recourse is being resorted to, to obstruct this process. That so much money had played its powerful role hitherto in the elections should make our parliamentary republic a hollow one. In spite of the prestigious The Economist's report that India is an oligarchy, things have only worsened. Crony capitalism flourishes. On the top of all these is the tragedy that a family rules both at Delhi and in TN. We have yet to see a true democracy operating in India. Elections may come and go periodically but the country is destined to remain in the clutches of oligarchs and dynasties. Yet media is turning its blind eye. Its editorial and column writers are saying emphatically that 'jasmine' (or any other revolution) will not occur in India because it is democratic. This will continue until the political parties themselves throw away the dynastic hold on them. It may be delayed but sooner or later it is bound to happen through electoral process. Meanwhile we shall have to see many more scandals of corruption and mismanagement ruining the nation of its precious resources and making it bankrupt.
The state of corruption in the Indian polity, irrespective of which party is at the helm at the center or states, has been all pervasive ever since the independence. Indian capitalism (whatever that meant pre-1991) had been oligarchic as well, with a few business families calling all the shots. Is this news to any Indian? Why, then, is it said to be 'becoming oligarchic'? It has been that way always, the last time I checked.
A question to the esteemed writer:
- What is wrong with a pro-American tilt, if we had been happy with a pro-Russian tilt till the time USSR existed? Is it because of America, the hated enemy of the Indian Left? While letting foreign powers dictate national policy is not a desirable thing at all, lets face it - it has always been that way.
Putting the blame for all this squarely on Dr. Singh's shoulder is unjust at best, and ridiculous at worst. The 'Rising India' is not a story. It may not be true across all over India yet. But it is a dream that we Indians aspire to. It is this dream that liberalization has been able to bring about. This is what differentiates today's India from the license-permit Raj. One more point: You say, development is restricted to 4 southern states, 2 western states, and "within 100 KM of Delhi"? What about Bihar in the post Lalu years? What about those tribal children of Madhya Pradesh who go to school? What about West Bengal, where, in spite of the utter ineptitude of the Left, we still see progress? And, what do you think has brought about the development in the 4 southern and 2 western states? My guess is that it is economic liberalization.
The current UPA govt also suffers from the 'India-Rising' misconception as NDA did in 2004. And this misrepresentation of India's reality has been woven slowly through effective media campaigns, talk shows and columns in newspapers, but perhaps Govts in power have the uncanny ability to over-estimate the power of marketing campaigns. This feeling is compounded by the subtle-arrogance of being in power for next 3 years! When the country has seen dozens of scandals in last few years, when the poor of this country have been given lip-service since decades, when the corruption is increasing unabashedly; our Govt is not only shamelessly supporting it, it is also coming up with ridiculous excuses of 'I didn’t do anything'. In fact it has become a standard response from our leaders now. Post 1991, globalisation and liberalization has become an excuse to sell-off stakes in profit making PSU's for peanuts, and all on the pretext that the fruits of globalisation are going to poor. But the country clearly know that the fruits are going in pockets of A Rajas, Hasan Alis, Arun Jaitleys (who has 5 HOMES to visit in USA), Pawars (whose prime concern is ICC), Ambanis, Karunanidhis of this country and not to 40% below poverty line masses for whom everyday is a survival-nightmare.
Shame on our policy makers who see everything through the rosy glasses of '9% GDP' only. They should step out of their AC offices and BMWs and try to survive on $1.25 (the World bank poverty line) ONLY for ONE day! I am sure the mist of GDP would get cleared and India won't shine for them anymore.
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