@iiitian Interested in economics, strategic affairs, geopolitics.
Tech enthusiast
Unapologetic Nehruvian
|| Words @telegraph @thewire
Jul 9 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
India has been quietly demoted in Russia's geopolitical playbook. Russian oil imports has been decreasing. NDA propagandists will be burning midnight oil to assure everyone that God in his Heaven and all's right with the world. They will hide hard facts.
Here are some facts: 1/ 1) Crude Oil Imports: Since November of last yr, crude oil imports have seen a significant decline till April. And, this downturn wasn’t solely New Delhi’s decision. The stark drop in Russian oil imports begs a critical question : Is Moscow losing interest in India’s oil market?
Jun 26 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
"It can't happen here" thought millions of Germans in 1933 as they handed power to Hitler. They thought were safe from the rage of the masses until death & tragedy razed their nation.
Today India is edging towards fascism,but many dismiss it with disbelief. This one for them. 1/
After the Reichstag Fire, Hitler wielded the Reichstag Fire Decree as a weapon to strip away civil liberties. Mass incarcerations of communists followed. Today, India echoes this authoritarian playbook with the UAPA, a law used to imprison individuals indefinitely without reason.
Jun 17 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
NEET is a calamitous embodiment of systemic failure; millions of students have been SCAMMED for 8 interminable yrs. The paper leak scam is just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath lies a sinister apparatus that goes against principles of social, economic & political justice.
A thread
It blatantly favors the affluent. Back in 2015-16, over half of the admissions (51.38%) into govt colleges were by students from families < 2.5 lakhs annually. In 2020-21, and that number plummeted to a mere 41%, exposing a decline in opportunities for those on the lower rung. 2/
Jun 16 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Allow me to share my unfiltered thoughts on the G7 meet:
No amount of hugging, kissing, and selfies can obscure the grim reality that Modi has driven India into a vassal state. He has eviscerated the country's democratic foundations, shredded it by his autocratic scissors. 1/
The economy is teetering on the brink of collapse. India's per capita income is the lowest among G7 nations. Around a decade and a half ago, India was hailed as the "Bird of Gold"; today, it is known for her "Billionaire Raj" dominated by unabated crony capitalism & poverty. 2/
Apr 24 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Sweden is one of the most "equal" countries in the world. It's also one of most developed nation post industrialisation. How did it get there?
Through "wealth redistribution".
How did it redistributed wealth? Through progressive taxation and enforcing a strong welfare state. 1/
Norway is one of the most inclusive economies in the world. It's per capita income is $$89,741.
How did it achieved this feat?
Ans: Wealth Redistribution.
How did it redistributed wealth? With its extensive social welfare programs funded by high taxes on oil & gas production.
Mar 15 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
The clandestine extortion scheme concealed within Electoral Bonds has been ruthlessly unmasked. Countless corporate titans have faced intimidation, with several incarcerated and coerced into becoming approvers in high-stakes corruption probes.
Here are just 5 CHILLING instances:
DLF, a prominent donor to the BJP, has been embroiled in controversy for its alleged ties to Robert Vadra in a Haryana land grab case. Additionally, the BJP has accused DLF of bribing Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Was DLF coerced into making these donations? Were they victims of extortion?
Mar 12 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
There are 10 overarching rationales to vehemently oppose the CAA:
1. The religion classification in CAA is arbitrary, and in contravention of Article 14 of the Constitution.
2. Country specific classification: exclusion of Sri Lanka & Myanmar is unreasonable and arbitrary 1/ 3. Reducing the citizenship application eligibility to 6 yrs for certain individuals under the CAA lacks justification compared to the usual 11 yrs required for legitimate foreigners.
4.The choice of cut-off date is arbitrary with no rational nexus with stated object.
2/
Mar 9 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
In 2019, Nobel Laureate Abhijit Bannerjee fervently advocated for mandatory apprenticeships within government roles spanning a duration of five years. Embracing his recommendations, the Congress party has now broadened this initiative to encompass the private sector as well. 1/
An impediment India grapples with is the absence of robust networking between educational institutions and industries. With government involvement, there's optimism for seamless collaboration between industrial stakeholders and Tier 2 & 3 universities to emerge.
2/
Feb 20 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Not many know this grim reality: UP's per capita income at current prices is ₹70,797 which is half the level of Sub Saharan Africa. Excluding NOIDA, UP's per capita further plummets, comparable to the likes of Afghanistan.
UP has devolved into an economic WASTELAND 1/
A sector wise break up of growth in the last five years:
2 out of every 5, is multi dimensionally poor in UP. Three districts in UP has nearly 70% population which is multi dimensionally poor.
2/
Jan 11 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
The voters of Maharastra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra, Karnataka, Telangana and WB should ask themselves this question: Why should we vote for a system that gobbles up our taxes and give the fruits of labor to other states?
Can there be greator FISCAL APARTHEID than this?
1/
For WB, Punjab and the South Indian states, the Central govt is a tax eating machine.
The poor of these states don't get any benefit from the rich working class of that state. In other words, an income tax payer of TN is working to fund the ration of the poor in UP & not TN.
2/
Jan 3 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
#Exclusive
The WIRE's investigative report could unleash another round of political EARTHQUAKE.
@MahuaMoitra unearthed a massive corruption in Dhamra Port. Adani was trying to acquire Gangavaram Port through the same route that is why she was expelled to get her Qs blocked. 1/
Here how the deal unfolded:
-First, GAIL withdrew from Paradip port which it entered with Odisha govt and took a 11% share in Dhamra.
-Next, IOCL took a 38% in Dhamra.
-The rest 51% was given to an "unspecified partner" which turned out to be Adani.
2 yrs later........
2/
Oct 5, 2023 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
ALERT: INSIGHTFUL & LONG THREAD
Social Media sites like FB/Twitter were a great place to gauge sentiment for Indian political system in the early 2013s. Some would remember the huge furore that sparked after Cambridge Analytica allegedly took data from FB to do psychoanalysis
1/
Post 2014, things quickly changed. Today social media is a fiercely contested area with organized SM teams fighting each other. Eventually, the so called 'natural sentiment' has vanished and a preponderance of (mis)information has polarized the sentiment largely.
2/
Sep 26, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Damning evidence in former Finance Secretary Subhash Garg's book. In what could potentially stir a huge political UPHEAVAL, Garg in his book discloses the differences between Urjit Patel and PM over electoral bonds among other things.Garg says Modi personally attacked Patel 1/
PM Modi called ex Guv "a SNAKE who sits over money"
In Garg's book, he revealed that Modi govt's ‘frustration’ with Patel had grown as early as Feb 2018 and escalated a month later when he accused the govt of its inability to shed regulatory authority over nationalized banks
2/
Sep 16, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Arvind Subhramanian, the former CEA of Modi govt has once again kicked a FIRESTORM by weighing into the debate of false growth story.
The spectre of SUSPICION over the 7.8% growth figure is really hanging low. In a revealing column, he has pointed major problems with the GDP no:
He says that the real GDP data could portray a rising economy only if the inflation was measured properly which isn't the case. The GDP deflator isn't a hard data, its a derivative of number calculated through a methodology that has well know problems.
2/
Sep 7, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
This is BIG. A leading professor from Princeton Univ has made a damning claim which can unleash a earthquake in the political circles. Indian authorities misreported macroeconomic data to hide it's failure before the G20 summit.
He says the growth rate was 4.5% and not 7.8%.
1/
"NSO shows that while income from production increased at an annual 7.8% rate in April-June, expenditure rose by only 1.4%. Both measures clearly have many errors. The NSO nonetheless treats income as the right one. This is an obvious violation of international best practice."
2/
Sep 3, 2023 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
This decade has been the WORST decade for the Indian Economy. You may ask why?
Here are the 10 reasons:
1) The Manufacturing sector was cruelly battered by this regime.
2) Rupee fell to an unprecedented historic low.
3) Inspite of a weakening ₹, exports was at all time low. 4) The economy got shackled by debt. Every citizen today owes a debt of ₹1.16 lakhs.
5) Far from achieving strategic autonomy,today India is flooded with imports from China.
6) During the decade, Bangladesh surpassed India in percapita terms.
7) Little to no investment
Aug 11, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Sit down @amitmalviya .
You neither have intellectual capability nor the eptitude to debate with him. Here is a reality check for you:
UPA inherited an economy which grew at mere 5.9% ( real GDP) while you inherited an economy that was growing at more than 7% 1/
In the 10 years UPA have been in power, the GDP almost quadrupled, a feat unheard and unachieved by any advanced economy then.
Japan was the first country which doubled its GDP in a decade while China broke it by tripling its GDP in a decade. India quadrupled in 2004-14.
2/
Aug 4, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
The RIGHT WING CABAL made some huge noise about Rahul Gandhi's performance as an MP.
The tides have turned now.
Time for some hard FACTS:
1) Mr Modi has one of the worst attendance records of any PM in Indian history. He has missed over 40% of the sittings of Parliament. 2) Number of speeches: Narendra Modi has made few speeches in Parliament. He has made an average of 15 speeches per year, compared to an average of 30 speeches per year for previous Prime Ministers. The reason being obvious. In Parliament Teleprompters aren't readily available.
Jul 29, 2023 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Rajasthan is a state to look out for. It's performance has been impressive.
Here are 5 charts that shows how Rajasthan is progressing on some key economic indicators:
1) Per capita 2) Index of Industrial Production (IIP) 3) Exports 4) Investment 5) Crop Production
The time scale has set from 2013-2023 which includes five years of both Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot. The per capita income of Rajasthan increased by 14.85% from 2018 to 2023 under Ashok Gehlot, compared to an increase of 10.75% from 2013 to 2018 under Vasundhara Raje.
2/
Jul 10, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Just heard some 'pseudo historians' drooling over Yogi's economy in Beer Biceps podcasts, going to the extend of suggesting what a paradise UP is.
Ajay Bisht handling the economy is much like the cat dancing with the toaster.
So here is fact check to those outlandish claims:
Agriculture, manufacturing, industry.... You name it and you have it.He has failed in all parameters in comparison to his predecessor.The narrative spinned by those unsung heroes of intellectual tomfoolery is so absurd that they didn't even tried to back up their claims with data
Jun 28, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
PM Modi doesn't have the political capacity to implement UCC. For that he will have to ruffle too many feathers which in itself is a dangerous proposition for any megalomaniac power hungry ruler.
PM Modi is constrained by the vagaries of political weather in every state.
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The biggest obstacle will be the North East. The same NE where PM Modi has spend much political capital. The Bordoloi recommendations continues to be lump in the throat. Meghalaya CM has already opposed UCC. The NE tribal areas will never welcome UCC with open arms.