Category Archives: Politics

Terrorism in India

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Yesterday was the last day of Durga Puja, and I went out with my friends to visit the Durga pandals, as we have been doing for the past decade. We typically leave home around 9 PM and spend the whole night traveling to different pandals, returning by morning. The traffic is usually heavy due to the large number of people attending, and we normally park our bikes and walk from one pandal to another.

This year, however, I was taken aback by the turnout. Only about ten percent of the usual crowd attended, a stark contrast to the vibrant celebrations of previous years. The streets, which are normally congested, were relatively empty, making it easy to ride our bikes. My friends and I were prepared for the usual foot traffic, but there was no need to walk extensively. I believe the reduced attendance was due to the recent bomb blasts in various cities and the ongoing reports about terrorism in Varanasi.

It felt disheartening to see that fear seemed to have overshadowed the festive spirit. I recall the aftermath of the bomb blast at Sankat Mochan temple, where over a hundred people died. Despite the tragedy, the community quickly returned to normal, expressing their resolve to combat terrorism with support from the authorities. However, this year’s low turnout at Durga Puja suggests that the same resolve might be fading.

This situation reminds me of a recent incident when Jaipur police arrested a mullah in Varanasi, suspecting him of involvement in the Jaipur bomb blasts. The arrest sparked significant protests from the Muslim community, leading to his release due to political pressure and concerns over vote banks. Even though he remains a suspect, he is now free and continues his activities.

Similarly, Afzal Guru, who was convicted for the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament, was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court. However, the Central Government, led by Congress, has stalled the execution by petitioning the President, who is a Congress candidate. Reports suggest that many terrorists, including those in jail, live under relatively favorable conditions due to political and police corruption.

Sometimes I wonder if individuals like Afzal Guru and the mullah who was released under political pressure are involved in orchestrating bomb blasts. Political parties often prioritize maintaining support from influential vote banks, such as the Muslim community, over addressing terrorism effectively. The current state of affairs makes it seem like meaningful change is unlikely to come anytime soon.

Tour guide exam result

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The results for the tour guide exam have finally been declared, and I passed! The exam was held on August 26, 2007, and the results were announced on November 7, 2008, after more than a year. The government faced numerous challenges during this period, including four lawsuits from applicants on various grounds, but everything is now settled. Out of over 50,000 applicants, only 300 passed the exam, and I secured the 223rd rank. One notable observation from the results is that only eight women passed the exam.

This could be attributed to two factors: either parents are still reluctant to allow their daughters to work away from home, or women may feel insecure about such jobs. Indian girls in small cities are often highly qualified, pursuing higher education in fields like history or languages, which are well-suited for this profession. Despite the high demand for female tour guides, the number of successful female candidates remains low. I am now set to begin a sixteen-week training program, which includes fourteen weeks of classroom instruction and two weeks of touring various monuments in North India with a professor.

After completing this training and tour, another exam will be conducted. Those who pass the exam will undergo an interview, and upon successful completion, a tour guide license will be issued. This training is part of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games in 2010, so it seems likely that the government will not delay the start of the training. However, given the unpredictable nature of government processes, there might still be unforeseen delays. Despite this, I am excited about the training and eager to obtain my license so I can start working as a tour guide as soon as possible.

Flood in Bihar 2008

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The situation in Bihar is now dire and completely out of control. Over 4 million people have been affected by the floods, and the Indian government seems to be doing nothing to address the crisis. I have witnessed scenes of immense suffering: people fighting for food, crying, and the carcasses of animals scattered around. The scale of the devastation is unlike anything I have ever seen. The affected people are without food, shelter, and medicine, and there is no adequate relief effort in sight. Experts estimate that it will take at least 4 to 5 months for the situation to stabilize, followed by a likely surge in diseases and poverty.

In one relief camp, I saw a chaotic scene where more than 50 people fought over a single packet of roasted garbanzo. In the end, no one managed to get any of it; the packet burst open, and the garbanzo scattered on the ground. People walked over it and some tried to collect as much as they could, hoping it might help them survive. When government officials brought a packet of food, hundreds were already waiting, making the relief effort seem inadequate and poorly managed. One particularly heartbreaking sight was a family who had to drown their cow in the floodwaters because they could no longer afford to feed it.

In a deeply emotional and traditional ceremony, they decorated the cow, performed a puja, and then released it into the floodwaters where it quickly drowned. The family wept and voiced their anger at the government for their plight. Meanwhile, the Indian government is investing heavily in projects like the Delhi Metro, preparing for the Commonwealth Games 2010, and constructing new stadiums and roads. While these are significant investments, they seem misplaced when compared to the urgent need to address the crisis in Bihar. It feels as though the government is prioritizing showy projects over the immediate need to provide resources and save lives.

The funds would be better spent on providing relief and support to the millions suffering in Bihar rather than on extravagant projects that do not address the pressing issues faced by those in need.

Major Terrorist Attacks in India

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India has experienced a series of major bomb blasts over the years, often with devastating consequences. The news channel NDTV 24×7 categorizes these as major incidents, reflecting the scale of the problem. The following are notable examples:

Recently, a suspect in the Jaipur bomb blasts, a Muslim man who teaches at a madarsa in Varanasi, was arrested. This led to significant unrest, with thousands of Muslims protesting and blocking traffic, demanding his release. The situation escalated when the head of a prominent mosque in Benares intervened, promising to secure his release by a specific deadline. Despite police resistance, the suspect was eventually released on bail after extensive protests, including the involvement of local political leaders. This situation underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement and the delicate balance required in handling communal tensions and terrorism-related issues.

The difficulty in prosecuting suspects and managing public protests reflects the broader struggles in combating terrorism while maintaining social harmony.

India-America nuclear deal

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The India-U.S. nuclear deal is big news here. While I don’t fully understand the details of the deal, it’s frequently covered in the media. I wanted to learn more about how nuclear power works, and I had the perfect opportunity to do so with Stephan, a Swiss electrical engineer who was staying at my guest house. He explained that Switzerland has nuclear power stations, but they produce significant amounts of waste, and there’s no complete solution for disposal. Switzerland either buries the waste in mountains or dumps it in the ocean, which seems problematic.

The Indian government is working hard to secure uranium from the U.S. to build nuclear power stations in India. They faced major challenges when proposing this deal. Their supporting parties withdrew their backing, putting the government at risk of falling. The government had to demonstrate its majority in Parliament again. Ultimately, they succeeded, but if this deal primarily leads to environmental harm, it might not be worth pursuing. While additional power is certainly needed, there are alternative ways to generate electricity. We have already significantly impacted our rivers, forests, wildlife, and other natural resources, and now it seems the oceans and mountains might be at risk.

The supporting parties withdrew their support because they wanted more information about the deal, but Congress was reluctant to provide full details. As a result, much about the deal remains obscured, with very little information available online. I’ve heard that the deal involves obtaining uranium from the U.S. and possibly allowing them some influence over our nuclear programs, but I’m not sure. It’s unclear what the government’s exact intentions are.

Temporary guide licence finally received

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I finally received my tour guide license after a year of complications. My advocate was exceptional in handling the case; he took legal action against the Ministry of Tourism in Delhi High Court, which resulted in the court ordering the Ministry to issue temporary licenses to all applicants until the final results are declared. My advocate advised me to go to Delhi to collect my license from the Tourism Office.

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised not to be asked for a bribe, which was unusual for a government office. They issued me a temporary license valid for one month, which I will need to renew monthly at the same office in Delhi. This license allows me to work as a tour guide for foreigners anywhere in North India. The office issued similar licenses to over 200 people, but this is still far from sufficient; we need at least 2,000 more guides.

My advocate mentioned that if the government doesn’t finalize the results by the time I need to renew my license three times, he plans to sue the government again for a permanent license. According to the law, after working as a temporary employee for 90 days, one can sue for permanent employment. Given the current backlog of four cases in Indian courts, I anticipate it will take at least 30 renewals before a final result is declared.

While I could easily find a job with any travel agency now, I’m not ready to start working as a tour guide just yet. I plan to focus on studying first and then work as a freelance guide. I often receive inquiries about tours in Varanasi and tour guides, and previously advised contacting UP Tourism for assistance. Now, I have the option to work with them directly.

Case Against Ministry of Tourism

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After a year of waiting for the results of the tour guide examination, a group of us applicants decided to take legal action against the Ministry of Tourism for not declaring the results. I learned about this development from my elder brother and went to Delhi to meet with the advocate handling the case in the Delhi High Court. The advocate requested my birth certificate and a copy of the admit card for the examination. At the advocate’s office, I met over 20 other applicants who were also part of this case. Most of them were from Rajasthan and Agra; I believe I was the only one from Varanasi.

The advocate mentioned that the case would be resolved within a maximum of 10 days, which seemed optimistic given the vast number of pending cases in India—approximately 40 million, meaning one in three people is involved in some kind of legal matter. This lawsuit was the fourth case concerning this exam, and it’s unclear why the government hasn’t acted. They should issue licenses to everyone and let the market determine who is competent. There are very few government guides, and they often lack proper interviews or evaluations. As a result, they are hired without assessing their actual knowledge or skills.

In many cases, travel agencies hire both a licensed government guide and a private, unlicensed guide. The private guide typically interacts with clients while the government guide’s role is minimal—often just to act as a backup or to handle any potential police inquiries. Government guides are often seen chewing betel leaves (paan) and remaining passive, with their primary function being to support the private guide and deal with any legal issues that arise.

Ministry of Tourism refuses to issue licenses

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After a nine-month wait, the Ministry of Tourism organized the tour guide exam in August. However, they imposed an unexpected requirement: applicants had to provide a domicile certificate issued by the court in Gwalior, which was nearly impossible to obtain within the given timeframe since the court typically takes more than a week to process such documents. As a result, more than half of the applicants were unable to participate in the exam. I managed to secure the certificate and participated, but the Ministry’s attempt to reduce the number of applicants did not succeed.

Those who could not take the exam filed a lawsuit against the government in the High Court of Delhi. The court ordered the Tourism Ministry to hold a new exam for the affected applicants. This meant that everyone eventually had the chance to participate. However, immediately after the second exam, the applicants filed another lawsuit, claiming that the second exam was more difficult than the first and demanding a third exam for all participants. I am confident that the government will not be able to accommodate this demand, as doing so would likely lead to further lawsuits from those who took the initial exams.

As a result of these ongoing legal battles, the Ministry is unable to declare the results of either exam. Additionally, there is a pending case in the High Court of Jaipur regarding a previous exam, filed about five years ago, which suggests that it may take another five to six years to resolve the current issues and declare the results. With the Commonwealth Games scheduled for 2010, it seems unlikely that the government will be able to train the tour guides in time. The process involves resolving all legal cases, completing the admission process, conducting classes, and organizing tours. Given the current circumstances, I doubt that the government will be able to prepare the guides before the Games.

History of Coca-Cola in India

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Coca-Cola first entered India in 1956, operating with 100% foreign equity due to the lack of a foreign exchange act at that time. The Indian Foreign Exchange Regulation Act was introduced in 1973 during Indira Gandhi’s tenure. This act required foreign companies selling consumer goods in India to invest 40% of their equity in Indian associates. Although Coca-Cola agreed to invest 40% of its equity in India, it insisted on retaining full control over technical and administrative functions, excluding local participation.

This stance conflicted with the foreign exchange act. Consequently, the government instructed Coca-Cola to either revise its plan or exit the country. In 1976, Indira Gandhi called for elections, leading to the formation of a unified opposition under the Janata Party. The Janata Party came to power in 1977 and demanded that Coca-Cola either comply with the foreign exchange act or leave India. Coca-Cola chose to leave that year.

Following Coca-Cola’s departure, George Fernandes commented:
“Coke had 100% equity in India. Their investment was minimal—Rs. 6,00,000, equivalent to less than $20,000 at the time. From this investment, they repatriated an estimated 250 million rupees (about $8 million) in profit over twenty years.”

In 1993, Coca-Cola re-entered the Indian market, benefiting from new liberalization policies. The revised foreign exchange regulations allowed for up to 51% foreign equity and provided automatic approval for technology agreements in high-priority industries. Foreign investors and companies could now hold up to 100% equity in these sectors, with greater freedom for repatriating capital.

In 1999, Coca-Cola acquired Parle, India’s leading soft drink brand, which included popular beverages like Thums Up, Limca, and Gold Spot. Prior to the re-entry of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, over 50 Indian soft drink brands had emerged, and 200 production plants had been established. However, as Coca-Cola and Pepsi gained market dominance, many indigenous drinks disappeared, and the demand for healthier options declined.