Angela Merkel’s statement that Germany/West ‘allowed’ India to become a large pharmaceutical producer is extremely unfortunate and shortsighted. India is a rising power of 1.3 billion people who are hardworking and have aspirations. Merkel should have known better. @CDUMerkel
India has stood by the world during these dark times of pandemic. India has behaved as a responsible member of the global community. Not because West deserves it, but India’s values don’t allow her to do anything else. Such arrogance by @CDUMerkel should be condemned by all.
United States has hoarded vaccines four times its real need . Greatest democracy on the earth doesn’t get tired of preaching equality to the ‘third world’ yet it won’t share vaccines or raw material. US is sitting on tons of Aztra Zeneca which will never be approved.
Western Europe including Germany hasn’t come forward to help poorer nations in dealing with pandemic, yet they never get tired of lecturing anyone. India did not create this virus, those who did, West does not have the guts to charge them with crime against humanity.
India did not create this second wave nor did it create first wave. Richest countries have fallen to deathly grip of Covid-19. When the US healthcare was falling like house of cards because they had no gloves or PPE,India did not sit in judgement of the US.India only offered help
When Italy was seeing dance of destruction, India did not sit in judgment criticizing Italy. Western leaders better realize that India will grow despite them. And India thanks West for being tone deaf and insensitive. Success will come at a price, but India will come out of this.
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The unmistakable lesson, it seems, is China treats meek leaders such as Duterte with contempt, but will strike mutually beneficial deals with the likes of Jokowi, who has consistently refused to be intimidated by Asia's superpower. -Fascinating comparison asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/How-Jo…
‘After five years of strategic servility, Duterte has little to show for his pivot to Beijing, not even the large volume of free COVID vaccines China promised to deliver by the end of 2020’- This is why I am convinced China will never ever emerge as a super power.
1) Decades of communism have robbed Chinese of all empathy and it is no longer possible for them to be large hearted. Their foreign policy is like their domestic policy - mean spirited, cruel and self centered. They don’t even treat their allies well.
It is time to call out bluff on this nonsense that West/America is invested in India’s rise. Or to put it more palatably as DC think tankers do ‘America wants India to rise and be successful because why wouldn’t they’. Let’s analyze this in detail.
Which countries has America ‘allowed’ to rise? China?Because they love Chinese? No.Because at one point they thought it was in their interest to send all manufacturing along with pollutants to China so that little Jack and Little Jill in Montana and Nebraska can breathe clean air
Of course China was allowed in WTO. Of course China was given a free pass on ‘human rights’ as defined by the US. Of course China was a friend. Well that lasted till the dragon actually started breathing fire and then America did not know what to do.
[Thread] Invention of Social Media democratized discourse. It was much needed. Legacy media was guarded by old boys club and it was impossible to break into it. Still is. So SM brought in a whiff of fresh air.
In 2012, when SM was just about gaining ground in India I was ecstatic about what it had achieved and what it could achieve. This is what I had written then swarajyamag.com/commentary/new…
In 2021, 9 years later, I think it is time to write a sequel to this piece. SM is still democratizing discourse, it still gives voice to the voiceless but it has also brought with it some consequences that we had not accounted for.
Now that I have had my moments of Schadenfreude followed by sadness at the events that unfolded in Capitol Hill, it is time for some serious reflection. Everyone saw the shameful scenes that unfolded and there is nothing one can add to that. However let’s see what else happened.
1) Capitol Hill should never have been breached but once this happened the citadel of American democracy was secured quickly as soon as law makers were evacuated. Within couple of hours the Capitol Hill was secure again and rioters had been thrown out.
2) US Congress reconvened as soon as they could and certified Joe Biden’s election victory. They sent a strong message that no one is more important than the constitution and they are beholden to the constitution and not to any mob.
I have always maintained that @narendramodi ‘s domestic Kashmir policy in the long run will be judged by 3 things 1) Free and fair elections 2) Equal Political representation to Jammu. 3) Safety and rehabilitation of minorities. #DDCElections2020
Weeding out terrorism is a national security issue and topmost priority for any govt in New Delhi. So I will not classify that under domestic Kashmir policy. Free and fair elections to strengthen grassroots democracy post Art 370 has been achieved today #DDCElections2020
A beginning has been made today. I am glad despite high rhetoric, valley based parties have participated in the elections and put their faith in electoral process. Glad that BJP no longer believes valley is out of bounds for the party. #DDCElections2020
I think at this point all negotiations should stop. Zamindari system was long abolished in India. This zamindari system that exists under cover in Punjab must go too in the interest of real tillers of the soil.
I don’t understand Left politics in this country. Haven’t Leftist parties always stood by poor and landless farmers? In this agitation they are standing by absentee landlords/neo zamindars and in a way propagating zamindari system of the yore. What kind of left politics is this?
What rich farmers and absentee landlords of Punjab essentially want is this - They want to keep growing sub- standard grains and then force the govt to buy it at a gun point. This is extortion. Farmer will have to grow what is in demand and will have to produce quality produce.