The RSS game plan

World over the fascists has one strategy, victimhood, cry baby politics, and fear mongering. Fear is not generated in the opposite side or minorities, but in the mind of the majority.

Herman Goring, the Nazi is quoted as saying: “ Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

This the RSS and its cronies adopt very well. Everything in this country is against the Hindus, against Hinduism, against India, etc. Everything is a conspiracy and you can see the right wing rumor factory in social media spreading that fear. “unite or you will perish” kind of messages are spread to instill fear in the minds.

Everything is an opportunity for right wing fascists. They spread from pure lies to half truths to exaggerated truths and believe that everything they do is justified.

To create this fear they need the trigger as well. Couple of years back they had Ayodhya, but when that died down they need to find more issues. I always thought why can’t Muslims just leave Ayodhya to them. But a friend told me the truth which I realized later, it is not about Ayodhya, it is about the power. Once Ayodhya is over they will start something else till the time the other side reacts. It will not stop with Ayodhya.

As Göring observed it is easy to bring people to fascist bidding, you just have to tell them they are attacked. Now, for that you need the enemy to react. In the crazy Islamists RSS find an easy ally. They are easily offended and people looking for reactions see only their reaction. This is a strategy taken from Israel. Israel irritates and provokes, but when the Palestine side reacts we are pointed out that reaction.

The game plan is evolving and there is more to come and unfortunately they are succeeding in my India. Watch out for the fascists.

 

Martin Niemöller

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Martin Niemöller was a German pastor and theologian born in Lippstadt, Germany, in 1892. Niemöller was an anti-Communist and supported Hitler's rise to power at first. But when Hitler insisted on the supremacy of the state over religion, Niemöller became disillusioned. He became the leader of a group of German clergymen opposed to Hitler. Unlike Niemöller, they gave in to the Nazis' threats. In 1937 he was arrested and eventually confined in Sachsenhausen and Dachau. His crime was "not being enthusiastic enough about the Nazi movement." Niemöller was released in 1945 by the Allies.

That is the fate that awaits those semi liberals or those watching the game. It will come for you, fascism is not targeted just at the minority community.

“Poverty line” and the “Rich line”

Indian middle class is making fun of the new poverty line at Rs. 28. They are pointing out how difficult it is to live with Rs. 28 and how they spend Rs. 150 for a dinner. I totally agree with them, but instead of making fun of the poverty line they should realize that there are a lot of people who does live below Rs. 28 when they spend Rs. 150 for dinner, maybe the rich spend Rs. 10000.

Just by putting the poverty line at Rs. 50 will not make poverty go away. Are you ready to reduce your petrol subsidy? Are you ready to take more taxes? Are you ready for more railway ticket charge? No, I do not think so. Without that this outrage is fake and empty.

The focus of the government should be on the poorest of poor and the poverty line should be adjusted according to the number of people under it. If there are more poor people below Rs. 10, then that should be the line. If 50% people lives below Rs 20, then that should be the poverty line.

Poverty “reduced” but inequality is growing. I ‘m sure those super rich will drop more bread crumbs that the poor can eat. Like the poverty line there should be a “rich line”. Just having income tax limit is not enough. But talking about the upper class is a sin even for the middle class. I think we just replaced caste system with money.

That brings me to another question. If the poor people are the majority in India why isn’t the democratically elected government’s policies directed at benefiting them directly? How can we spend money hosting big events when majority of our people are hungry? How can we buy the fighter jets from UK/Europe? Some democracy we have.

Lokpal, Anna, Democracy and Opposition

During my interaction with those supporting and opposing Lokpal, Anna, Democracy, Right to dissent, etc, I realized there are 4 different groups here. One person can be part of one or more groups.

Number 1: Those who believe Anna is pure and want whatever he wants.

This group do not understand Lokpal or what the issues are. They know that corruption need to end and think Anna knows what needs to be done.

Number 2: People who genuinely think Lokpal is going to solve corruption and thinks Anna’s version is the right one

This group starts with the previous group. Most people in this group are mainly from the previous group, but think they know what Lokpal bill is all about.

Number 3: People who think Anna’s bill should be tabled in parliament by government.

They want parliamentary process. The democracy supporter, those who want the bill to be discussed.

Number 4: People who do not care about Lokpal Bill, but think Anna’s arrest is wrong

This group can contain people who are against Anna’s lokpal bill as well as those who do not care. They thought government didn’t do it right to arrest Anna. This also consists of the group that thinks that Government should have played the game better not to arrest Anna at that time and with tact.

Number 5: People who are against this government for political reasons.

This group can be both the BJP supporters and others who are generally tired of corruption news of 2G and CWG. I want to separate the BJP supporter from others

Number 6: People who think Indian democracy is not working and want a change.

They are fine with even the case of democracy falls, or at least they did not think or they do not care. Can be the middle class that thinks the democracy is not going their way. [There is an ultra left wing and religious fundamentalists that always want democracy to fail] [Also there might be foreign powers that want democracy to fall or keep India under check]

Number 7: People with no interest in anything. Who are there just for the fun

The London riots kind of people. In this just for fun, nothing else to do.

Number 8: India’s main opposition party

They are a separate group because they are in multiple boats with multiple standards on most things. Their stand and needs need to be analyzed separately from others

 

[Coming up: Analyzing these groups and counter points for each of them. Watch this space]

[References: ]

Western hypocrisy

Western media and governments cried foul when Iran arrested Britain’s diplomats in Iran. The same media that turned a blind eye when Iranian diplomats were arrested in Iraq by occupying American military. They made us believe that those arrested are terrorists. It is easy to call everyone a terrorist when they do not fit in the imperialist plans for the world.

I have no special love for Ahamdinejad or the Iranian government, I do not know them enough to make an opinion. If Obama, an African American, lost in US presidential elections and if the African American community in America felt that the elections were rigged by the white majority, and they started street protest, will America tolerate comments of support by world governments to African Americans?.

If West is so eager to import democracy to world, then they should first try Saudi and other American crony countries. Then you realize it is not democracy they are after, it is self preservation.

Western media is extremely biased, I am sure about CNN because I am forced to watch it. 

British Expense Scandal

Indian parliamentarians will find the British expense scandal amounts amusing. British is making lot of fuss about such low amounts.

My conspiracy theory tells me that this is the way Business leaders get back at Political leaders. Politicians were acting like angels when they attacked business leaders on their bonuses, which is also legal. Now business leaders are getting back at political leaders on their expenses, which is also legal. Soon they will have a truce and continue to swindle money.

I think the law is to be blamed for expense scandal and bonus scam. If the law allows expenses without setting a limit, then you cannot blame someone for milking it to extreme.

This fight also shows evils of Communism (state control, more political power) and Capitalism (less state control, more business power with business leaders). 

Privatization of Public transport

Middle class points out that better service is advantage of privatization. I cannot disagree. Privatization comes with a cost, a cost that affects the poor more than the middle class.

Privatization can discontinue non-viable services to improve efficiency and be more profitable. This affects the poor as they do not have any other means for travel, unlike the middle class (and rich).

Privatization can increase cost of travel, those who can afford this cost justify it with increase in service quality. Now this cost is something middle class might consider value for money. But value for money for poor is not same as that of middle class; poor does not care about this service quality on an empty stomach.

Middle class is hypocritical in their views. Rich is not very amused when the air travel costs were reduced, they complained about lack of service quality in low cost airlines. They even complained that cost reduction increased number of flights and this is causing pollution. The same way middle class is complaining about poor.

A country which cares for its people should make sure that the services are directed towards the poor and not to the middle class and rich. Why are roads made only for cars and other motorized vehicles? Roads should be made more friendly to pedestrians and bicycle travel. Roads should be made friendly for handicapped, especially who cannot afford cars.

A country or government that focus on projecting the rich and middle class, without a focus on poor and their needs is inhumane. Chief ministers in some Indian states (example Naidu of Hyderabad) are celebrated by media (again middle class and rich) for development. What is development that is targeted towards middle class and rich, ignoring the poor.

In a developed country (read west), I advocate making public transport virtually free. Current high public transport costs are encouraging people to use private transport – adding to traffic woes, pollution and costly resources. Let private transport be enjoyed by the rich, and let them pay a very high cost of unequal-resource-usage. Till the time world cannot afford to have every citizen driving a car (reality – if everyone drives, there are no enough roads and no enough petrol and pollution will be too high) cars should be discouraged.

The story is same about all privatization steps. When you think about service quality, think about the people who cannot afford this increase in service quality.

Growth, Bonus, Greed = Irresponsible risks

During corporate meetings which discuss future targets, I used to be amused at the growth targets set. When growth targets are linked to fat bonuses, we cannot blame the executives for irresponsible risks they take to achieve those targets.

The system is flawed, greed for money cannot be a good driver of human civilization.

Protectionism, Fascism, Nationalism are cousins

It is feared that world economy is moving to protectionism. This is shown by American fiscal stimulus bill provisions for buy American. I would like to equate this to Fascism or Nationalism and also explain why Nationalism will one day lead to regionalism and casteism and all kind of hate between people.

When you protect American interests you are caring people in one region distressing countries which are exporting to America or the country that is showing protectionism. This is very close to Nationalism that is shown for example fascists in India. This nationalist financial protectionsim is closer to the regionalist financial protectionism shown by MNS - regional nationalist Hindu party in Mumbai. (In Mumbai these parties wanted jobs to be reserved for locals)

This nationalism can easily mutate to the regionalism shown by MNS in Mumbai - Attacking Biharis from the poorer parts of India. Soon you will have one region turned against another, one caste turned against another. Once you detonate the nationalist bomb (hate, fear against a community/nationality), you will never have control over it.

People who support and confuse patriotism with Nationalism should realize that Nationalism can easily mutate into other dangerous cousins that will be very difficult to cure. If you see India now you will realize what will happen when you elect a fascist party like BJP to power. (I always avoided naming the party directly, but I think it is time that people talk about it as that party is not just another party)

America should stay away from protectionism, India should stay away from nationalism and regionalism its side effect.

Western economic hypocrisy - Asset prices, interest rates, government spending

America and western countries advised countries and regions facing crisis in the past to do following:

1. Do not prop up asset prices

2. Keep interest rates high

3. Reduce government spending

Why west is not ready to take their own medicine? Is it because it is Chinese money that America is spending?

Free market or capitalism means hegemony of rich economies. (I would not like to call America a rich economy, America is like Citibank, poor but critical to the system)

There should be more participation from poor economies in world economic affairs. World is living by fleecing poor economies especially in Africa. One day world will have to answer to the atrocities being committed against them even now.

Indian Taliban show their true color - Karnataka CM comment on Pub culture

Now they are playing to their traditional support base, losers and goondas.
This is same stand as they have when people are burnt in India. Their stand is - you should not burn people, but victims should have behaved well. It is same as telling women are raped because they dress provocatively. You are condoning an act when you criticize the real victim.
Now people who commented that Mumbai attack happened because of the genocide/massacre in Gujarat. If you say that in some way you are condoning the terror attacks. When Mumbai attack happened, I chose not to think about reasons. I did not want to hear the reasons - attacking people is wrong - end of argument.
BJP is not a mainstream party or just another party, it is a party with a hidden agenda and it will always remain that. India does not have a good opposition party, BJP is winning seats just because of that.

 

Modifying the poem
"In India, they came first for the untouchables, And I didn't speak up because I wasn’t an untouchable;
And then they came for the Muslims, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn't a Muslim;
And then they came for the Christians, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Christian;
And then they came for the Biharis, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn't a Bihari;
And they came for pub goers, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a pub goer;
And then they came for ......
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."