Indian Elections and cynical Politicians & cynical journalists – Will they really help Indian Voters to get good governments – a Trillion Dollar Question – A Political chaos study!
Dr. G Balakrishnan.
Here I will narrate a Mahabharata story that great writer Akhilan’s mother told Suki Sivam, Suki Subramanyan another writer. She told small children some 40 year back.
How the world will be affected as seen in Mahabharata age.
One fine morning Ydhishtra while on throne at Hastinapura, some messenger reports that all his other four brothers – Arjun, Bhim, Nakhula and Sahadev – were under spell arrested in a place. Immediately, Yudhishtra rushes there. He sees all these brothers are standing in four circles like statue. He also sees a horse rider with a horse standing. Yudhistra asks him what happened? The rider says that your brothers asked what is the price of the horse. I said it has no price but one can get it without any payment provided one answers his questions as he looks for the answers. This is to say that he wanted Yudhishtra if interested to remove the spell on his brothers. Yudhistra agreed. The rider asks four questions: First question is that the rider saw in a well a small coin was hanging and underneath it a big mountain was hanging and he asks what does it mean? Yudhishtra answers that a small good done by a man represents the coin and a lot of sins committed by a man is the mountain and this state can be possible in the next Yuga. Appreciating the answer, the rider asks him to take his next brother out of the spell.
Again the rider narrates a scene of one well surrounded by four wells. All the wells are full of water. One fine morning the main well dries up. All the time water flows from main well to the subsidiary wells but when once main well dries up there is no water in the main well at all, as water used to flow from main well similarly from subsidiary well water is to come but that did not happen. He asks why? Yudhishtra says it is an analogy of parent and children. Children will draw all the possible from the parents and when parents in trouble children will not try to help the parents. Now the rider tells Yudhistra to take next brother. The rider says he saw a cow and a calf and calf was drinking milk from mother cow and asks what it denotes, Yudhishtra says it denotes mother will give anything for the child and now the third brother is taken away form spell. Another scene the rider narrates that a bullock and a calf. The bullock is sucking milk from the calf and the calf is feeding what it indicates he asks. For this Yudhishtra says that the parents when they start living at the cost of the children this is the situation. Fourth brother is out of spell and the rider when asked who he is he says he is the Kali Yuga the next Yuga to Dwapara Yuga to follow.
This is the way the present elections are moving in the lines of scenes depicted. It shows how shallow is the thoughts of petty political parties how they bargain with the main parties.
24 X 7 electronic channels forced electronic journalism to vie with other channels to get attention of the Viewers of the Idiot box more than normally they can view every day. Exclusive News Channels landed into higher riskier areas to broadcast news round the clock. That way they will get the advertisement support. Without advertisement supports no electronic channel or for that manner even print journalism will survive, after all you have to pay them traveling expenses and monthly wages and also attractive risk bonuses or incentives, unlike in the bygone journalism era.
In bygone journalist era-days, the journalists or for that matter News paper publishers were living in hand to mouth living. They would be happy if they could get even a lunch, a tea or a coffee or a drive and that means some body should provide minimum living opportunities. Even with that they enjoyed independence in their journalism and they did not do unethical journalism.
But today, every journalist wants to have all the comforts of life like any other senior company executive. Senior executive in a company used to manipulate things for the benefit of the company. In the similar way today ‘executive-journalist’ flaunting his college diplomas in journalism from Mass communication colleges try to do what the company executive with business management diplomas (recognized or unrecognized) do.
Today every body knows what worth is the college diplomas and these diplomas are just useful for making fast buck in the shortest term. This has become essential for every journalist as the person wants to be delving deep in consumerism – flaunt a car, bike, five star breakfast, lunch or dinner with a drink or other. For this habit, he or she becomes a slave. Once enslaved he or she would do anything for the event manager to write in the newspaper or produce with a camera for transmission on TV channel and also in the audio in a Radio channel, he or she would like high decibels of harsh words are used to psychologically attack the targets, like politicians. Earlier to do for the politician it was very difficult task and today it is easy to do from his chair with the help of journalist-friend.
That way the politicians started using this media today. So this media man is susceptible to do anything. All they want is a little comfortable money that could help them buy anything they want!
Days have come to such a pass; the politicians find a pressure to use this media to cater to their new demands against other politicians under personal vendetta or otherwise. I know several thugs in politics ask the journalist to report how he tortured his victim to send news that others will be afraid of such thugs. So this journalism has become handy for him and that way Al-Queda or Taliban uses their machine gunning their victims or raping women or whipping the girls or any kind of victim with any kind of weapon. The same is shown on the TV channels and that way they promote terror in the minds of people. That had given them a great mileage
Today, you find such ‘thugs’ are difficult to be controlled even by very powerful countries like USA. These men (thug catering journalists) (again they are syndicated journalists) show world trade center destruction called 9/11(of New York) and Taj/Trident Hotels fire and destruction called 26/11 (of Mumbai)
Nobody does this job for him freely and the media men can do really great job unless he or she is paid enough. One could have heard millions of dollars exchanged hands for such clips or even photographs and the media barons pay them. They in turn would make billions by printing on the pages of newspapers or exhibiting on the electronic-channels. Macabre stories and pictures fetch a lot of cash!
So they venture to use these men and women by flaunting all that needed a little more moneys, comforts etc. Even the policemen use these people for their personal purposes too. Thus these people have become a pan in the hands of moneyed man – the politician – why people come to politics just because they can get easy money only in this political business of flamboyance.
During elections, the politicians use this media right and left. In the past communists –CP (Marxist Leninist) and Naxals use this media and that way you will get the bad things done by them are literally portrayed through the journalist. They journalist is given secrecy of source protection even by the courts. This source protection is handy for others too and hence that secrecy of source clause is guaranteed under press ethics.
This is handy for the attacker and attacked. Yet ethics used to be there among journalists in those days compared to the level it is there with modern journalists today. This is not to cast any aspersions on journalism but it is to say that what is good in one way is definitely bad in another way.
Today you see now during elections, the more and more phases of elections are there that is being used as a convenience both by the Politicians and Electronic journalists much more effectively while it is also similarly effective in print media too.
You could have seen when a politician makes a vitriolic speech the same is transmitted in the media in the next few minutes unedited to get a mileage for the another politician to use the same in the same and similar vein. You could have seen when Rahul Gandhi in his press conference made a statement that he would congratulate Nitish Kumar of Bihar for his good work ( many would not have noted another statement he made to the pressmen that is ‘are you happy I should say like this’ (but the second part of the statement is cleverly omitted by all electronic media analysts to get a mileage by that statement of Rahul just to incite NDA men and Left party men and also ensure to lit up the anger in Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD) and Paswan(LJD) when another statement of Rahul was highlighted that is ‘he would invite Nitesh to join UPA’, but the self same Lalu or Paswan did not bother to think what congress would have felt when these men lifted their hands with Left, and Mulyum Singh Yada to form Fourth front or when RJD gave to Congress just one or two seats to contest in Bihar by making statements that RJD and LJD has clout in Bihar and congress in just a non entity in Bihar!. This became a great opportunity for the Electronic media to bring the greater rift among the parties within UPA and NDA as also in Left and the like. This way the media en-cashed the rift so that people –voters would see political cleavages. But this is certainly not beneficial to the voter and in fact he gets more confused when he goes to election booth to whom to vote. So that way the electronic media is confusing the voters. Is it really expected of journalism as a fourth estate and in fact it has to be properly helping the voters! That way journalism is failing today in the rat race of drawing the attention in the 24 hour channels business!
This is not to say any thing bad of journalism but the practitioners of journalism are failing the citizens in their expected roles. If journalism itself to turn into politico-journalism then it is okay that is party spokespersons do and they are phased out journalists but to eke out their living they join parties at hefty salaries but is it okay for normal journalists to cater to the public is a trillion dollar question! This is just a louder thought of erstwhile journalists. (Ends)
Friday, July 10, 2009
regional parties - will they survive?
Why Regional Parties want to get bigger pie in Union government? Politics and Polemics- By Dr. G Balakrishnan PhD (Economics) (DSE) ML (former AFP correspondent & professor emeritus and Advocate (OS) (Bombay High Court
Actually this mandate for Congress is a great graveyard to regional parties and theories of development of regional parties and consolidation and coalitions also hit the blind end of the road.
This is being realized by the regional parties and in this DMK a bit intelligent and clever operator started realizing that their credibility as Regional party to hold any longer in Tamil Nadu is also going to hit the end. Then what will happen to them is the consternation sulking in them.
Similarly now most of the regional parties, like RJD, SP, BSP, under secular banner all have come to support the Congress government in the center from outside. It will not be a wonder if Nitish Kumar (Bihar) comes forward to support at a later date, and seeing him Biju Patnaik (Orissa) will rush to support congress from outside, sooner or later, for their own very survival in their own states!.
This is a ploy to tell their respective electorates but for them the Congress could not have done this and that. In the similar vein pre-poll allies also try to show some flexibility and want to be in the government just to tell their electorates tomorrow but for them, Congress could not have achieved this and that kind of statements to crave indulgence of their respective electorates
In this band falls DMK, (a drama party!), TC (Trinamool Congress) West Bengal of Mamata NCP (National congress Party) of Mr.Sharad Pawar.
Every independent would boast to his electorate but for him the Congress would not have done this wonder and that just to keep the electorate in tact and in good humour with him.
There is enormous or mortal fear is there in the allies, as the electorate is slowly shifting back to National Parties and thus the regional parties vote share is steadily falling/ dwindling.
In the similar way it has also happened with BJP in some pockets, though BJP as such did not perform well in the election so also Communists who are loosing credibility with the people. That is indeed a very dangerous development for the very survival of communist parties in India, that is, the days for their end is consistently approaching, after all people got fed up with communist ideology and many suspect communists, as stooges of China. That effect is felt in Nepal – Prachanda was practically asked to step down as PM of Nepal when he attempted to dismiss Nepal Army General by saying that General is conspiring with India and the like.
In this process what these regional parties would do is getting into hard bargaining for portfolios like DMK has been trying to get 5 cabinet posts and 4 minister of state positions (one or two independent charge) in the Union Cabinet and aiming to get very important portfolios while Trinamool is trying to play the same card when Mamata said she should get ministerial berths one berth more than what DMK is getting!
On the top of it she is pitching for common minimum program (CMP) while it is no longer relevant at all. But this is to help her say in the forthcoming state of west Bengal elections in 2011 that she did this and that to get the electorate support away from Congress. But any way Congress will say no way! So CMP is buried with honours!
Now in News channels and in print media there are many camouflaged journalists while they are some kind of party men just infiltrate in media so that their respective parties get free coverage on their vituperative speaking abilities to show that they can ask anything to inconvenience of the interviewee (mostly chosen from national parties present or pervious MPs/MLAs) that is what we see in TV channels. Some are pure journalists and some the faked journalists. This way also parties start operating just to protect the parties’ interests in the polity. Alas this ploy also will fail in due course and the channels or press sooner or later may weed such infiltrators, to save their credibility as Media!
Now when you look at DMK of Tamil Nadu. It enjoys 97 seats in TN assembly and it could form government with the help of 35 seats of congress and if this 35 seats move to ADMK of 80 seats from DMK, naturally DMK government is set to fall and ADMK can come to power much earlier than the next state elections and also this can help ADMK to work so well in the government in Tamil Nadu for the benefit of the people and thus outdo DMK to get elected for the next term too! Even if Congress does not support ADMK, still there will be hung legislature, fit to be dissolution.
That is the trump card with Congress! Why Congress should over bend to DMK, but yet DMK (a drama party) will attempt this drama to Tamil electorate that DMK had powerful pull on congress. Do you mean to say that will work when all Indian Congress tally in election is clearly 206 seats!
You could have observed in regard to LTTE statues in Sri Lanka issue during the Lok Sabha election time, the said LTTE is really routed and decimated by Sri Lanka, and DMK, ADMK, PMK will all their tantrums, Congress was plain and simple not to give too much credence to the issue and even went on record to say, that if Sri Lanka captures Prabhakaran alive he should be handed over to India for necessary trial in connection with Rajiv Gandhi (former PM of India) assassination case at Sriperumpudur
Even though this Prabhakan is eliminated and LTTE is practically shattered in such a way that it cannot come back again in Sri Lanka, all these Tamil Nadu parties after a little agitation, gave up their so called liberation of Eelam demand in Sri Lanka, as a separate country!
This shows Tamil parties have lost all their teeth of survival. All such drama is just to survive in power not that they are so much interested in Tamils in Sri Lanka. In fact every next generation in the same family does not want the previous generation to share with the next generation and the next generation does not mind to eliminate the previous generation even by killing the previous generation.
That way your property disputes surface. When the life is like that, do you mean to say you will be worried about someone who has no relationship with you except both you and he speaks same language? So it is all drama and theatricality in reality!
DMK knows this after all; no party is loyal as such like the DMK too for some so-called principles. Yet the parties will fool people so long as the people are willing to be fooled.
It is not the loyalty of DMK, but it is a theatrical show.
If congress has not got 206 seats in Lok Sabha the self-same DMK would have much misbehaved. So there is nothing like loyalty as such but that word is conveniently used for some convenience by these parties
If DMK is foolish enough to pick up quarrel with Congress in the sharing of Cabinet composition it is bound to lose out.
Adamant politicians are there in every party so too in DMK and the DMK party would just black mail octogenarian Karunanidhi and in fact he is already tired and practically in retiring mood or stage and in this way he wants his children to come to power.
That way he is cleverly moving. He wants his son Stalin in Tamil Nadu politics and Alagiri in central politics so too his daughter Kanimozhi.
In the same vein he has to accommodate TR Baalu (BC) and Raja (Dalit) in central politics so that his family is in proper hold of party and government with the help of Indian National Congress.
Actually he wanted to keep his personal interests of his children in place at the very cost of DMK as a party! That idea is foiled, after all his negotiations only delayed the formation of central cabinet at Union level but if DMK further tried to pursue the same tactics, naturally Congress party would have gone on its own in forming the government sans DMK after all the government has got to attend to several pressing issues like recession forced upon India and fall in Revenue and increasing gap in fiscal management. That is already at gigantic proportions unless the government addresses the issue on a war footing.
After all Indian consumer has reduced his spending fearing what will happen tomorrow, let me save whatever I have is the consumer philosophy started to play in the mind of all consumers. After all nobody is sure of tomorrow, so he wants to be careful today.
If this persists growth paradigm is in dangerous cross- paradigm, after all government has to improve the confidence levels of the Indian consumer. That cannot take place overnight.
NRI(s) are not going to support prodigals any longer; after all they are also under pressure of their own employments in doll drums with the foreign employers. Some how or other one has to save him in the catch 22 situation.
Indian economy paradigm has to be addressed from public finance angle not commercial financial perceptions. Governments are to work on public finance systems basis as they have to address macro issues of the Nation or a State while a single company can work on micro basis, that is the very principle of economics of financing.
Madam Sonia is a clever and enlightened recluse in Congress and she may be kind to give protection to these local regional parties and they just want to take advantage, but it cannot be accepted by Congress-men not understanding her strategy.
They had spent all their lives in Congress and with new genre in the party again to perpetuate their claims. Indeed Congress is the oldest Indian party in its perceptions except some kind of here and there approaches with Hindutva philosophy at sustainable levels only.
Any extreme position of philosophy will not sustain and they had the taste of the cross situation in the election results with national color with secularist credentials while BJP is not yet fully a National, because it is working even today with a thought line that this country belongs to the Hindus only and only Hindus should rule. If that perception is there why then they allowed Gaznis, Ghoris, Khiljis, …Moghals, then Dutch, Portuguese and the British…it means that mental division did not work at all. These Hindus tried that kind of mental division in Rajasthan so that ‘Sati’ was followed when there were Muslim inroads. So that path what they follow will not attract any more followers and infact followers numbers will just dwindle. That is what is happening today!
They (BJP) have to refurbish their mindset and thus their policies. After all Damocles’ sword is hanging on the heads of Narendra Mody and like men of Gujarat at the hands of SIT and the Supreme Court and the Court is bent upon cornering him and hand the appropriate punishment sooner or later, to the very consternation of the BJP as a party which madly followed irresponsible dispensations at Babri Masjid demotion, as if Muslims in India are not Indians,. The trusth most of the Muslims are Hindu converts forcibly converted by Moslems during their inroads like Huns from China. In the Military management of administration principle is when you annex a territory try to rape as many women as possible so that the offshoots from them will be having the soft corner with the invaders and they will turn against their own kith and kin. Knowing these only Hindu women were forced to die along with their husbands once they are killed in war in Rajasthan the most affected state during invasions.
So very survival of BJP as a credible party is in shambles, after all people in Indian democracy is the ultimate and to that extent all parties have accepted. Further there cannot be any kind of Military Rule to surface just because Military men are by nature democratic in perceptions in the Indian forces after all these men are also the products of just thinking Indian citizens.
That BJP Hindutva is separating people from other bigger/larger communities like Muslims and Christians, as they lack the sagacity to run national politics, since not acceptable to the people of India and it is further strengthened by inter religions marriages that are happening in India several decades on leading to demolition of religious divide but the people of India treat religion as something private and it has nothing to do with politics. So the BJP perceptions are at the tether end. Perhaps it is losing its grip on the Indian people!
(part 1)
In one of his articles Swaminathan S Ankalasaria Aiyar in Economic Times (20 May issue) wrote ‘ almost all the theories put forward by political analysts to explain the victory of the UPA in general and Congress in particular are partial explanations at best’.
He is also partially right at best in his details while it is true, political analysts, psephologists, etc., have miserably failed in their calculations because all of these people suggested 2009 elections will lead to hung Parliament with a shandy (Market) for support at some price! Indeed it is 100% misunderstanding by analysts.
He considered the following questions: 1 Is this a vote for secularism?; 2. Is it true the congress party is back on the road to its old political dominance under Rahul Gandhi? 3.Whether voters are tired of caste-based -regional parties and are heading back, toward national parties?; 4.Whether the congress gained greatly from populist schemes like NREGS(National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, and the farm waiver? And 5. Whether rural prosperity boosted by five years of good monsoon gave the Congress a big boost?
The congress won 206 out of 543 seats of Lok Sabha while as UPA the seat position stood at 261, say a shortfall of 11 seats to make the magic mark of 272 seats out of 543 seats.
The Congress got overall percentage of Indian voters at 28.6% (as vote share). In UP the position stood at 18.3% far lower than Mayawati’s 27.4%, or Samajvadi party tally of 23.3%. In Rajya Sabha Congress commands 29 seats.
When I considered the following questions, my answers are definitely different to that of Ankalaseria Iyer (Economic Times) and let us look how?
1. Is this a vote for secularism?
Secularism is the basic structure of the Indian constitution because the very contrivance for the creation of the Indian Constitution is the Constituent Assembly and it considered for the peaceful coexistence of all religions in unity of diversity pattern and hence approach is certainly secular – worldly, though some parties like BJP (Jan Sangh) started questioning the validity of secular (worldly) approach to life and living.
That is why BJP had to eat the humble pie in the election while Congress could corner or muster most of the voters after all they believed in worldly approach of peaceful co-existence as they had seen how the life became miserable after Babri Masjid episode
People got totally modified on the basis of their own wisdom and discarded the BJP thought process and they feel indeed sorry for the divisive approach of BJP in the Indian population. Voters believe in peaceful coexistence and peaceful living and leading a peaceful life away from all kinds of unnecessary strife. So it is a vote for secularism.
2. Is it true the Congress party is back on the road to its old political dominance under Rahul Gandhi?
Yes, Rahul understood the meaning of old political dominance in the mind of Indian as the founding fathers of the Indian constitution saw the divisive politics really divided India and that divisive thoughts really permitted the outsiders could play havoc in the Indian polity, after the problem first created between Prithviraj Chuhan and Jayachandra in1191 AD and that divisiveness invited the Gaznis and Goris in Indian scene in India as Goris understood to keep the people of India under their tutelage or control.
They have to maintain divisiveness in the mindset of the Indian-people. This went further during Moghals followed by similar Islamic Rules and further followed by European invaders in India.
They tried to keep perpetual divisiveness between Muslims and Hindus and that helped British to hold this India for abut 150 years more. This aspect was fully appreciated by most of the Indian constituent assembly members. They wanted an end for this divisiveness.
But attempted to be revived by BJP by Babri Masjid episode and that effect continued till the beginning of 2009 but same 2009 peoples’ verdict is for secular approach after proper appreciation and people awareness campaign by Rahul in his brotherhood communication to all in the country and that caught the imagination of the Indian voters irrespective of religions and castes and the like. So yes Rahul revived the old thought of Indian constituent assembly to carve out Independent India. Credit goes to Rahul in finding an end to caste-ism and religious chauvinism.
3.Whether voters are tired of caste-based -regional parties and are heading back, toward national parties?
Yes, self-interested politicians desiring divisiveness to perpetuate political satraps misguided voters. Blinkers of caste-based regional parties were removed once after the voters realized how ignorantly they submitted themselves to these politicians.
So voters should be vigilant against the political strategists. That is the verdict of the 2009 elections.
Congress patient waiting paid rich dividends through Rahul who could realize the folly of other parties excessively working for their political survival.
So it is true the final bell is also wrung to these divisiveness. Even Arjun Singh removal from HRD is the result of this new thought, after all Arjun Singh of Congress was over playing Backward tickets against the principles of Indian constitution. Similarly, it is an end to Karunanidhi DMK politics of questioning the sensitive issues of Sethu Samudram after all it affected the secular culture of India.
Karunanidhi even wanted to bring in amendments to the Indian Constitution stating it is stale as it was not convenient to him.
So the very people who made these parties to work for sometime will root out the regional politics and they themselves found these parties outlived their existence.
You cannot attack the sentiments of average Indian under any kind of priorities and those sentiments are the protector of environmental philosophy of regions.
After all environment problem is genuine and the so-called progressive ideas are some kind of black mailing mechanism.
One could have seen in West Bengal at Nadigam the villager did not agree to Nano project at the cost of agricultural lands and those agricultural lands in the name of Special Economic Zones cannot be destroyed is the clear message delivered and that even went to the extent of shaking the CPM government.
So the voters are asserting their rights forgetting the so-called religious divide and in fact the various followers of religion joined together in the common fight that you cannot destroy agriculture for your Special Economic Zone.
Similar agitations surfaced in Panvel (Maharashtra) when Mr. Vilas Rao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra to provide big chunk of land to Reliance Ambanis in the name of special economic or export zones.
Congress also should keep a watch on the Congressmen who want to do deliberate harm to Agricultural lands just to benefit self gains of the politicians.
In the name of progressiveness, you cannot forget the age-old perceptions of living.
Similarly, the people in Devanahalli (Bangalore-Karnataka) really did not like the international new airport at the cost of their land holdings even though it gave a fast buck for the villagers and yet most of the villagers did not like the government’s intrusion in their private lives and living mechanism with sustainable growth.
People like Deva Gowda(JD) and Yeddiurappa(BJP) have affected the environment of Karnataka(Bangalore) and in fact really affected the normal environment of Bangalore and they have badly damaged Bangalore environment, even according to Medical specialists as they find there are a lot of new diseases among people in Bangalore is showing their heads in hordes, in the so called process of progressive Information Technology centers developing in the city.
The Bangalore city is really polluted thanks to over crowding of buildings and destruction of tress to help constructions activities of all kinds of infrastructures, without consideration of environment. Even environmental laws are just flouted by these governments there in place in Karnataka, in the name of economic development.
Economic development cannot take place at the cost of environment and yet the governments went on giving exemptions by environmental clearances of special nature while one cannot question the Nature and Nature laws
Now the people are feeling the brunt due to uncreative thinking in the government circles of Karnataka and elsewhere too.
Still the governments have not realized the problems in correct measure. If you want to develop infrastructure you will have to think in several ways to basically protect the environment and un-damageable methodologies have to be worked out by the urban planners, any where in the world.
Poor people would suffer otherwise and suffering of poor people have forced the poor people to rise against the governments.
The ground water tables in the Bangalore city area is depleted and bore-wells do not get any more water. Water scarcity is looming large in monstrous proportions and this will get enlarged if monsoons fail.
Now in Madhya Pradesh government is looking to skies to provide drinking water to the people and if rains fail a lot of people will naturally die in MP for want of water.
Today people fight for water and die and no rains people will just naturally die. So economic development means properly protecting the environment is vital. Regional parties just looking for employment alone will be imbalanced perspective; and thus to develop infrastructure and bringing in companies does not mean development if the State Governments give a go by to the environment realities. Earlier they realize the better is the message the facts are saying emphatically today.
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So it is high time real education drills in Universities should be emphasized, failing it will bring miseries to people at large is the message again
4.Whether the congress gained greatly from populist schemes like NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, and the farm loan waiver?
Yes, NREGS and farm loan waivers to the extent of Rs.65000 crores of last Dr. Manmohan Singh Union government really helped the farmers and that also contributed to Congress return to government formation once again with a better verdict.
Dr. Manmohan Singh should ensure that at all costs no environment should be attacked in the name of economic development. If you cannot bring economic development at the cost of environment, then so be it is the message.
So it is high time planners cannot afford to forget the environment at all. If they forget naturally there will be natural calamities popping up their heads to exterminate the humans. This is again a new kind of genocide!
People will wait for sometime and if it affects them then there will be all round agitations, which the prime minister has to note, and appropriate strategies he should work out with the help of Environment Ministries and just not by issuing some so called exemption notifications please! Vilas Rao did in CRZ in Mumbai and it may sooner or later will backfire; after all former CM of Maharashtra Vilas Rao is not Natural God (super human power) to tide over natural calamities!
And 5. Whether rural prosperity boosted by five years of good monsoon gave the Congress a big boost?
Yes but if environment is attacked in the name of infrastructure naturally good monsoon will become a Blue Moon to the Nation.
After all we do not have technology, which can provide water, air etc by synthetic mechanics and till the time we can create synthetic water, synthetic air etc., you will have to carefully plan developments is the message.
Courts also should not turn a deaf ear to petitions regarding water and environmental pollution issues by simply stating some statue of the government or the other is in place but courts also should understand that if the government cannot provide water, energy and air etc by any special methods then naturally they should set aside such so called notifications of the governments concerned, after all constitutional courts are the custodians of the Indian Constitution and the living of Indian man in India and hence courts shall assert over the irrational parliamentary dispensations, after all people are primary for the country and they have to be saved at all costs is the message.
Yes it is the monsoons provided water to the country/ies, which cannot be forgotten by any Government and even by United Nations.
So the message is loud and clear that you have to protect the environment at all costs! (Ends)
Actually this mandate for Congress is a great graveyard to regional parties and theories of development of regional parties and consolidation and coalitions also hit the blind end of the road.
This is being realized by the regional parties and in this DMK a bit intelligent and clever operator started realizing that their credibility as Regional party to hold any longer in Tamil Nadu is also going to hit the end. Then what will happen to them is the consternation sulking in them.
Similarly now most of the regional parties, like RJD, SP, BSP, under secular banner all have come to support the Congress government in the center from outside. It will not be a wonder if Nitish Kumar (Bihar) comes forward to support at a later date, and seeing him Biju Patnaik (Orissa) will rush to support congress from outside, sooner or later, for their own very survival in their own states!.
This is a ploy to tell their respective electorates but for them the Congress could not have done this and that. In the similar vein pre-poll allies also try to show some flexibility and want to be in the government just to tell their electorates tomorrow but for them, Congress could not have achieved this and that kind of statements to crave indulgence of their respective electorates
In this band falls DMK, (a drama party!), TC (Trinamool Congress) West Bengal of Mamata NCP (National congress Party) of Mr.Sharad Pawar.
Every independent would boast to his electorate but for him the Congress would not have done this wonder and that just to keep the electorate in tact and in good humour with him.
There is enormous or mortal fear is there in the allies, as the electorate is slowly shifting back to National Parties and thus the regional parties vote share is steadily falling/ dwindling.
In the similar way it has also happened with BJP in some pockets, though BJP as such did not perform well in the election so also Communists who are loosing credibility with the people. That is indeed a very dangerous development for the very survival of communist parties in India, that is, the days for their end is consistently approaching, after all people got fed up with communist ideology and many suspect communists, as stooges of China. That effect is felt in Nepal – Prachanda was practically asked to step down as PM of Nepal when he attempted to dismiss Nepal Army General by saying that General is conspiring with India and the like.
In this process what these regional parties would do is getting into hard bargaining for portfolios like DMK has been trying to get 5 cabinet posts and 4 minister of state positions (one or two independent charge) in the Union Cabinet and aiming to get very important portfolios while Trinamool is trying to play the same card when Mamata said she should get ministerial berths one berth more than what DMK is getting!
On the top of it she is pitching for common minimum program (CMP) while it is no longer relevant at all. But this is to help her say in the forthcoming state of west Bengal elections in 2011 that she did this and that to get the electorate support away from Congress. But any way Congress will say no way! So CMP is buried with honours!
Now in News channels and in print media there are many camouflaged journalists while they are some kind of party men just infiltrate in media so that their respective parties get free coverage on their vituperative speaking abilities to show that they can ask anything to inconvenience of the interviewee (mostly chosen from national parties present or pervious MPs/MLAs) that is what we see in TV channels. Some are pure journalists and some the faked journalists. This way also parties start operating just to protect the parties’ interests in the polity. Alas this ploy also will fail in due course and the channels or press sooner or later may weed such infiltrators, to save their credibility as Media!
Now when you look at DMK of Tamil Nadu. It enjoys 97 seats in TN assembly and it could form government with the help of 35 seats of congress and if this 35 seats move to ADMK of 80 seats from DMK, naturally DMK government is set to fall and ADMK can come to power much earlier than the next state elections and also this can help ADMK to work so well in the government in Tamil Nadu for the benefit of the people and thus outdo DMK to get elected for the next term too! Even if Congress does not support ADMK, still there will be hung legislature, fit to be dissolution.
That is the trump card with Congress! Why Congress should over bend to DMK, but yet DMK (a drama party) will attempt this drama to Tamil electorate that DMK had powerful pull on congress. Do you mean to say that will work when all Indian Congress tally in election is clearly 206 seats!
You could have observed in regard to LTTE statues in Sri Lanka issue during the Lok Sabha election time, the said LTTE is really routed and decimated by Sri Lanka, and DMK, ADMK, PMK will all their tantrums, Congress was plain and simple not to give too much credence to the issue and even went on record to say, that if Sri Lanka captures Prabhakaran alive he should be handed over to India for necessary trial in connection with Rajiv Gandhi (former PM of India) assassination case at Sriperumpudur
Even though this Prabhakan is eliminated and LTTE is practically shattered in such a way that it cannot come back again in Sri Lanka, all these Tamil Nadu parties after a little agitation, gave up their so called liberation of Eelam demand in Sri Lanka, as a separate country!
This shows Tamil parties have lost all their teeth of survival. All such drama is just to survive in power not that they are so much interested in Tamils in Sri Lanka. In fact every next generation in the same family does not want the previous generation to share with the next generation and the next generation does not mind to eliminate the previous generation even by killing the previous generation.
That way your property disputes surface. When the life is like that, do you mean to say you will be worried about someone who has no relationship with you except both you and he speaks same language? So it is all drama and theatricality in reality!
DMK knows this after all; no party is loyal as such like the DMK too for some so-called principles. Yet the parties will fool people so long as the people are willing to be fooled.
It is not the loyalty of DMK, but it is a theatrical show.
If congress has not got 206 seats in Lok Sabha the self-same DMK would have much misbehaved. So there is nothing like loyalty as such but that word is conveniently used for some convenience by these parties
If DMK is foolish enough to pick up quarrel with Congress in the sharing of Cabinet composition it is bound to lose out.
Adamant politicians are there in every party so too in DMK and the DMK party would just black mail octogenarian Karunanidhi and in fact he is already tired and practically in retiring mood or stage and in this way he wants his children to come to power.
That way he is cleverly moving. He wants his son Stalin in Tamil Nadu politics and Alagiri in central politics so too his daughter Kanimozhi.
In the same vein he has to accommodate TR Baalu (BC) and Raja (Dalit) in central politics so that his family is in proper hold of party and government with the help of Indian National Congress.
Actually he wanted to keep his personal interests of his children in place at the very cost of DMK as a party! That idea is foiled, after all his negotiations only delayed the formation of central cabinet at Union level but if DMK further tried to pursue the same tactics, naturally Congress party would have gone on its own in forming the government sans DMK after all the government has got to attend to several pressing issues like recession forced upon India and fall in Revenue and increasing gap in fiscal management. That is already at gigantic proportions unless the government addresses the issue on a war footing.
After all Indian consumer has reduced his spending fearing what will happen tomorrow, let me save whatever I have is the consumer philosophy started to play in the mind of all consumers. After all nobody is sure of tomorrow, so he wants to be careful today.
If this persists growth paradigm is in dangerous cross- paradigm, after all government has to improve the confidence levels of the Indian consumer. That cannot take place overnight.
NRI(s) are not going to support prodigals any longer; after all they are also under pressure of their own employments in doll drums with the foreign employers. Some how or other one has to save him in the catch 22 situation.
Indian economy paradigm has to be addressed from public finance angle not commercial financial perceptions. Governments are to work on public finance systems basis as they have to address macro issues of the Nation or a State while a single company can work on micro basis, that is the very principle of economics of financing.
Madam Sonia is a clever and enlightened recluse in Congress and she may be kind to give protection to these local regional parties and they just want to take advantage, but it cannot be accepted by Congress-men not understanding her strategy.
They had spent all their lives in Congress and with new genre in the party again to perpetuate their claims. Indeed Congress is the oldest Indian party in its perceptions except some kind of here and there approaches with Hindutva philosophy at sustainable levels only.
Any extreme position of philosophy will not sustain and they had the taste of the cross situation in the election results with national color with secularist credentials while BJP is not yet fully a National, because it is working even today with a thought line that this country belongs to the Hindus only and only Hindus should rule. If that perception is there why then they allowed Gaznis, Ghoris, Khiljis, …Moghals, then Dutch, Portuguese and the British…it means that mental division did not work at all. These Hindus tried that kind of mental division in Rajasthan so that ‘Sati’ was followed when there were Muslim inroads. So that path what they follow will not attract any more followers and infact followers numbers will just dwindle. That is what is happening today!
They (BJP) have to refurbish their mindset and thus their policies. After all Damocles’ sword is hanging on the heads of Narendra Mody and like men of Gujarat at the hands of SIT and the Supreme Court and the Court is bent upon cornering him and hand the appropriate punishment sooner or later, to the very consternation of the BJP as a party which madly followed irresponsible dispensations at Babri Masjid demotion, as if Muslims in India are not Indians,. The trusth most of the Muslims are Hindu converts forcibly converted by Moslems during their inroads like Huns from China. In the Military management of administration principle is when you annex a territory try to rape as many women as possible so that the offshoots from them will be having the soft corner with the invaders and they will turn against their own kith and kin. Knowing these only Hindu women were forced to die along with their husbands once they are killed in war in Rajasthan the most affected state during invasions.
So very survival of BJP as a credible party is in shambles, after all people in Indian democracy is the ultimate and to that extent all parties have accepted. Further there cannot be any kind of Military Rule to surface just because Military men are by nature democratic in perceptions in the Indian forces after all these men are also the products of just thinking Indian citizens.
That BJP Hindutva is separating people from other bigger/larger communities like Muslims and Christians, as they lack the sagacity to run national politics, since not acceptable to the people of India and it is further strengthened by inter religions marriages that are happening in India several decades on leading to demolition of religious divide but the people of India treat religion as something private and it has nothing to do with politics. So the BJP perceptions are at the tether end. Perhaps it is losing its grip on the Indian people!
(part 1)
In one of his articles Swaminathan S Ankalasaria Aiyar in Economic Times (20 May issue) wrote ‘ almost all the theories put forward by political analysts to explain the victory of the UPA in general and Congress in particular are partial explanations at best’.
He is also partially right at best in his details while it is true, political analysts, psephologists, etc., have miserably failed in their calculations because all of these people suggested 2009 elections will lead to hung Parliament with a shandy (Market) for support at some price! Indeed it is 100% misunderstanding by analysts.
He considered the following questions: 1 Is this a vote for secularism?; 2. Is it true the congress party is back on the road to its old political dominance under Rahul Gandhi? 3.Whether voters are tired of caste-based -regional parties and are heading back, toward national parties?; 4.Whether the congress gained greatly from populist schemes like NREGS(National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, and the farm waiver? And 5. Whether rural prosperity boosted by five years of good monsoon gave the Congress a big boost?
The congress won 206 out of 543 seats of Lok Sabha while as UPA the seat position stood at 261, say a shortfall of 11 seats to make the magic mark of 272 seats out of 543 seats.
The Congress got overall percentage of Indian voters at 28.6% (as vote share). In UP the position stood at 18.3% far lower than Mayawati’s 27.4%, or Samajvadi party tally of 23.3%. In Rajya Sabha Congress commands 29 seats.
When I considered the following questions, my answers are definitely different to that of Ankalaseria Iyer (Economic Times) and let us look how?
1. Is this a vote for secularism?
Secularism is the basic structure of the Indian constitution because the very contrivance for the creation of the Indian Constitution is the Constituent Assembly and it considered for the peaceful coexistence of all religions in unity of diversity pattern and hence approach is certainly secular – worldly, though some parties like BJP (Jan Sangh) started questioning the validity of secular (worldly) approach to life and living.
That is why BJP had to eat the humble pie in the election while Congress could corner or muster most of the voters after all they believed in worldly approach of peaceful co-existence as they had seen how the life became miserable after Babri Masjid episode
People got totally modified on the basis of their own wisdom and discarded the BJP thought process and they feel indeed sorry for the divisive approach of BJP in the Indian population. Voters believe in peaceful coexistence and peaceful living and leading a peaceful life away from all kinds of unnecessary strife. So it is a vote for secularism.
2. Is it true the Congress party is back on the road to its old political dominance under Rahul Gandhi?
Yes, Rahul understood the meaning of old political dominance in the mind of Indian as the founding fathers of the Indian constitution saw the divisive politics really divided India and that divisive thoughts really permitted the outsiders could play havoc in the Indian polity, after the problem first created between Prithviraj Chuhan and Jayachandra in1191 AD and that divisiveness invited the Gaznis and Goris in Indian scene in India as Goris understood to keep the people of India under their tutelage or control.
They have to maintain divisiveness in the mindset of the Indian-people. This went further during Moghals followed by similar Islamic Rules and further followed by European invaders in India.
They tried to keep perpetual divisiveness between Muslims and Hindus and that helped British to hold this India for abut 150 years more. This aspect was fully appreciated by most of the Indian constituent assembly members. They wanted an end for this divisiveness.
But attempted to be revived by BJP by Babri Masjid episode and that effect continued till the beginning of 2009 but same 2009 peoples’ verdict is for secular approach after proper appreciation and people awareness campaign by Rahul in his brotherhood communication to all in the country and that caught the imagination of the Indian voters irrespective of religions and castes and the like. So yes Rahul revived the old thought of Indian constituent assembly to carve out Independent India. Credit goes to Rahul in finding an end to caste-ism and religious chauvinism.
3.Whether voters are tired of caste-based -regional parties and are heading back, toward national parties?
Yes, self-interested politicians desiring divisiveness to perpetuate political satraps misguided voters. Blinkers of caste-based regional parties were removed once after the voters realized how ignorantly they submitted themselves to these politicians.
So voters should be vigilant against the political strategists. That is the verdict of the 2009 elections.
Congress patient waiting paid rich dividends through Rahul who could realize the folly of other parties excessively working for their political survival.
So it is true the final bell is also wrung to these divisiveness. Even Arjun Singh removal from HRD is the result of this new thought, after all Arjun Singh of Congress was over playing Backward tickets against the principles of Indian constitution. Similarly, it is an end to Karunanidhi DMK politics of questioning the sensitive issues of Sethu Samudram after all it affected the secular culture of India.
Karunanidhi even wanted to bring in amendments to the Indian Constitution stating it is stale as it was not convenient to him.
So the very people who made these parties to work for sometime will root out the regional politics and they themselves found these parties outlived their existence.
You cannot attack the sentiments of average Indian under any kind of priorities and those sentiments are the protector of environmental philosophy of regions.
After all environment problem is genuine and the so-called progressive ideas are some kind of black mailing mechanism.
One could have seen in West Bengal at Nadigam the villager did not agree to Nano project at the cost of agricultural lands and those agricultural lands in the name of Special Economic Zones cannot be destroyed is the clear message delivered and that even went to the extent of shaking the CPM government.
So the voters are asserting their rights forgetting the so-called religious divide and in fact the various followers of religion joined together in the common fight that you cannot destroy agriculture for your Special Economic Zone.
Similar agitations surfaced in Panvel (Maharashtra) when Mr. Vilas Rao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra to provide big chunk of land to Reliance Ambanis in the name of special economic or export zones.
Congress also should keep a watch on the Congressmen who want to do deliberate harm to Agricultural lands just to benefit self gains of the politicians.
In the name of progressiveness, you cannot forget the age-old perceptions of living.
Similarly, the people in Devanahalli (Bangalore-Karnataka) really did not like the international new airport at the cost of their land holdings even though it gave a fast buck for the villagers and yet most of the villagers did not like the government’s intrusion in their private lives and living mechanism with sustainable growth.
People like Deva Gowda(JD) and Yeddiurappa(BJP) have affected the environment of Karnataka(Bangalore) and in fact really affected the normal environment of Bangalore and they have badly damaged Bangalore environment, even according to Medical specialists as they find there are a lot of new diseases among people in Bangalore is showing their heads in hordes, in the so called process of progressive Information Technology centers developing in the city.
The Bangalore city is really polluted thanks to over crowding of buildings and destruction of tress to help constructions activities of all kinds of infrastructures, without consideration of environment. Even environmental laws are just flouted by these governments there in place in Karnataka, in the name of economic development.
Economic development cannot take place at the cost of environment and yet the governments went on giving exemptions by environmental clearances of special nature while one cannot question the Nature and Nature laws
Now the people are feeling the brunt due to uncreative thinking in the government circles of Karnataka and elsewhere too.
Still the governments have not realized the problems in correct measure. If you want to develop infrastructure you will have to think in several ways to basically protect the environment and un-damageable methodologies have to be worked out by the urban planners, any where in the world.
Poor people would suffer otherwise and suffering of poor people have forced the poor people to rise against the governments.
The ground water tables in the Bangalore city area is depleted and bore-wells do not get any more water. Water scarcity is looming large in monstrous proportions and this will get enlarged if monsoons fail.
Now in Madhya Pradesh government is looking to skies to provide drinking water to the people and if rains fail a lot of people will naturally die in MP for want of water.
Today people fight for water and die and no rains people will just naturally die. So economic development means properly protecting the environment is vital. Regional parties just looking for employment alone will be imbalanced perspective; and thus to develop infrastructure and bringing in companies does not mean development if the State Governments give a go by to the environment realities. Earlier they realize the better is the message the facts are saying emphatically today.
.
So it is high time real education drills in Universities should be emphasized, failing it will bring miseries to people at large is the message again
4.Whether the congress gained greatly from populist schemes like NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, and the farm loan waiver?
Yes, NREGS and farm loan waivers to the extent of Rs.65000 crores of last Dr. Manmohan Singh Union government really helped the farmers and that also contributed to Congress return to government formation once again with a better verdict.
Dr. Manmohan Singh should ensure that at all costs no environment should be attacked in the name of economic development. If you cannot bring economic development at the cost of environment, then so be it is the message.
So it is high time planners cannot afford to forget the environment at all. If they forget naturally there will be natural calamities popping up their heads to exterminate the humans. This is again a new kind of genocide!
People will wait for sometime and if it affects them then there will be all round agitations, which the prime minister has to note, and appropriate strategies he should work out with the help of Environment Ministries and just not by issuing some so called exemption notifications please! Vilas Rao did in CRZ in Mumbai and it may sooner or later will backfire; after all former CM of Maharashtra Vilas Rao is not Natural God (super human power) to tide over natural calamities!
And 5. Whether rural prosperity boosted by five years of good monsoon gave the Congress a big boost?
Yes but if environment is attacked in the name of infrastructure naturally good monsoon will become a Blue Moon to the Nation.
After all we do not have technology, which can provide water, air etc by synthetic mechanics and till the time we can create synthetic water, synthetic air etc., you will have to carefully plan developments is the message.
Courts also should not turn a deaf ear to petitions regarding water and environmental pollution issues by simply stating some statue of the government or the other is in place but courts also should understand that if the government cannot provide water, energy and air etc by any special methods then naturally they should set aside such so called notifications of the governments concerned, after all constitutional courts are the custodians of the Indian Constitution and the living of Indian man in India and hence courts shall assert over the irrational parliamentary dispensations, after all people are primary for the country and they have to be saved at all costs is the message.
Yes it is the monsoons provided water to the country/ies, which cannot be forgotten by any Government and even by United Nations.
So the message is loud and clear that you have to protect the environment at all costs! (Ends)
tudbulent times
TURBULENT TIMES - HOW TO WIN – A METHOD BY HARISH MANWANI, CHAIRMAN OF HINDUSTAN UNILEVER SPELT OUT ON JULY 3, 2009 – A LESSON TO BE LEARNT BY MOST INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT-MEN AND MINISTERS IN ALL FORMS OF POLITICAL HEWS!
(BY DR. BALAKRISHNAN)
I was extremely impressed in the AGM ‘s chairman’s speech and no doubt his company is indeed the most admired company in India for last about SEVERAL decades and in fact produced best business strategists in the country.
He properly cited brains of the world – Albert Einstein, and Peter Drucker, as to how to address turbulent times.
Einstein once said ‘ In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity…the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’
Peter Drucker said ‘ several decades ago. ‘For it is character through which leadership is exercised, it is character that sets the example and is initiated in turn. What will be decisive, in the future even above all in the future even more than in the past is neither education nor skill, it is integrity of character’.
Harish Manwani quotes William Hesketh Lever’s statement ‘I believe that nothing can be greater than business, however small it may be, that is governed by CONSCIENCE, and nothing can be meaner or more petty than a business, however large, governed without honesty and without brotherhood.’
Manwani on difference between Winning and Losing in the long run is Leadership and integrity. After all, it not just what you do or what you achieve that will ultimately stand the test of time’, BUT CHARACTER.
Manwani quoted the founder of Lever Lord Lever Hume on return on marketing investment (ROMI), remarked,’ I know half my advertising wasted, I just do not know ‘which half’ in an uncertain environment, it is critical to determine with a high degree of science which 50% really works.’ MANWANI added, ‘we have identified media elasticity of every brand and continue to drive for superior ROMI in addition, we have developed advanced marketing mix modeling techniques that allow us to assess of all the marketing levers to drive for growth and superior yields from marketing investments’, when he was addressing War on Waste’.
This is a story of Boom to bust. Manwani agrees an unprecedented global crisis struck the world on March 16, 2008, when Bear Sterns acquired for $.2 a share against its 52-week high of 134 dollars a share. July 14, Oil hits $145 dollars a barrel and then collapsed to $34 in six months. September 15, Lehman Brothers collapses, November 20, Dow Jones recorded low of 7449 points; June 2009, General Motors files bankruptcy.
But this fact Indians did not accept except a few.
Distant winds have a way of moving in faster than we imagine. Less than a year later, the collapse of several leading financial institutions has caused a global chain effect that has caused a global chain effect of collapses that has shaken governments, investors and the common public alike
Profound impact of this is since had been felt deeply in the real economy. Total write-downs on global exposures on global exposures now estimated about $4 trillions.
World output is projected to decline by 1.3 % in 2009.
IMF estimates the decline as sharp as 6,2%in Japan, 5.6% in Germany, 4.1% in UK and 2.8% in US.
Social cost of down turn in many economies around the world has been particularly DEVASTATING.
Rising numbers of those who have lost their jobs, homes, and pension savings is leading to PUBLIC ANGER.
QUESTIONS are raised about leadership, hubris, and regulation.
Markets seem to stabilize in the second quarter of 2009 after concerted and coordinated intervention by various governments, the green shoots of global recovery have still to look convincing and CONSUMER CONFIDENCE is FAR CRY from the levels seen before downturn.
INDIA IMPACT
Global down turn spread with ferocity all over. Even in India it surprised everyone. This has debunked the MYTH Indian economy is de-linked!
RBI governor Dr. D. Subbarao pointed out in a recent speech said ‘ Contrary to the
‘De-coupling hypothesis’ emerging economies too have been hit by the crisis…In a rapidly globalizing world, the ‘de-coupling hypothesis’ was never totally persuasive.’
Crisis underscores interdependence of the global economy. Impact of global crisis in India has been not so severe.
Fact is India was more efficiently regulated. And better managed, not necessarily best managed.
Domestic consumption continues to be a critical driver of growth.
GDP is expected to grow between 6.5% and 7%, this year 2009. Indeed certainly slower than close to 9% we had seen over the proceeding five years.
Yes, India growth story is indeed somewhat better than other economies of the world.
CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY:
Look at Indonesia of later part of nineties (1998), economic melt down effect was Rupiah
Plunged to 15,540. - Level to per USD, a devaluation of 675%. Indonesian businesses global and local just collapsed Unilever Lever (Indonesia) drove down costs, raising engagement with employees and customers to an even higher level, by prudent management of market shares, cash margins, says Manwani
To be able to execute strategy, ‘ we developed even sharper understanding of rapidly changing consumer needs and to respond to this, introduced affordable brands – economy packs of soaps and detergents, introduced new formats of existing brands. Otherwise consumers might punish if quality was compromised’, says Manwani
Cash generation and cost savings are key. HL achieved this by single mindedly reducing complexity in HL operations. This is an opportunity provided by crisis. Crisis revealed new truths. It also moved decisively to do away not relevant SKUs, in their portfolios.
Moved out obsolete inventories sitting in distributors warehouses and thus released hold up cash. Made available trade capital to fund purchases of our products increased.
Committed to employee development by investing in training and entry-level recruitments, – a clear sign of HL confidence that NO CRISIS LASTS FOR EVER and that thing would pick up again. – A modern management lesson learnt.
A principle, touted by Robert H. Schuller, ‘TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO.’
In tough times only relationships are of great benefit, touted Unilever (Indonesia). Banks rationed foreign exchange. Suppliers rationed supplies due to shortages. Many stood with Unilevers confident of Unilevers, solidly like a rock. This was one of the most successful operations in tough times. Enjoyed market leadership and unmatched corporate reputation – this is how a period of crisis can be turned into great opportunity; Manwani speaks to his company shareholders, in AGM held on July 3rd, 2009.
Recently, The Wall Street Journal in Asia 200 Survey has again recognized Unilever in Indonesia as the most admired company in Indonesia.
CRISIS PRESENTS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO FOCUS ON A GROWTH AGENDA, TRANSFORMING COST STRUCTURES –
Growth is the oxygen, every business needs.
‘India is a diverse country with millions of consumers, at every level of socio-economic pyramid. So Levers understands, accepts, needs of each and every segment. So every consumer has same hopes, the same aspirations and same dreams for a better life. This inspires us to serve the needs of all consumers in a manner that is relevant to them –‘ Our strategy of straddling pyramid’. HL have a portfolio powerful brands, packs, and product formats at varying prices points to make their offerings affordable and accessible to 700 million Indian consumers, proclaims Manwani.
Rapidly developing country like India, economic uncertainties results in simultaneous movements of consumers of consumers to up trade and increase consumption, as others cut back consumption or indeed down size, Manwani sees opportunities.
Rural India consumption is increasing due to growing incomes led by NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Schemes). Some signs of down trading in fixed income homes – a more direct impact that such consumers have experienced due to downturn.
Consumer understanding will continue to be at the heart of HL business. It is crucial to understand and respond to changing consumer and shopping behavior. Huge differences in the way consumers are responding to uncertainties across segments and geographies. Consumers in larger cities are shopping less often. They are stretching the consumption of brands just a little bit to cope with inflation and uncertainty. Small packs and currency are important in such situation. There are others indeed buying very large packs given the intrinsic value they offer.
Some developed markets, rising demand for high-end food products as consumers eat out less, but compensate by better eating at home. Understanding across markets help build competitive advantage. Consumers become more careful about discretionary purchases, innovations.
Delivery of stronger functionality and value has always been important. Leveraging science and technology to deliver even better values and create stronger differentiation become absolutely vital at a time of UNCERTAINTIES.
HL sees explosive growth in some of their brands.
In difficult times, consumers tend to go for trusted bands. Brands renew their contacts with consumers. Understand the consumer better. Provide them at affordable prices. Offer solutions to them, that are accessible, continuously deliver superior value through leverage of science and technology.
BUSINESS UNUSUAL ON COSTS.
Growth must continue to be on focus. Recognize volatility of these turbulent times. Responsible business must ensure while it continues to invest in growth. Simultaneously, reshape the cost structure, for the worst scenarios that is business unusual costs. Implies a fundamental re-engineering of many processes to make company nimbler and fitter to compete difficult times.
Roll out Go-To-Market model. This reduces complexity at the front end by directly integrating the distributors supply chains with the company – so that managing for efficiencies across one extended supply chain. Means larger sized distributors, superior talent in the field-making sale to the customers, more efficient order fulfillment, lead to considerable reduction in costs.
Create better connectivity with consumer and back end. Make supply chain far more efficient. Make win win situations of partnership with customers. Reduce working capital at a time when liquidity is at a premium.
Important part of driving efficiencies in turbulent times is that is war against wastages. Cross-functional teams identify and put in place actions to eliminate waste from business. Simplify and harmonize the product specifications. Bring in significant specifications.
HL uses ROMI – return on marketing investment techniques as a war on waste, to give benefit to the customer to see their customers to trust them, as they are committed to customers, that is their vision and main mission.
This is how you will be winning in turbulent times says chairman of HL Manwani. Will the businesses and industrialists so governmental authorities learn from experience of Unilever men, is a trillion dollar question!(ENDS)
(BY DR. BALAKRISHNAN)
I was extremely impressed in the AGM ‘s chairman’s speech and no doubt his company is indeed the most admired company in India for last about SEVERAL decades and in fact produced best business strategists in the country.
He properly cited brains of the world – Albert Einstein, and Peter Drucker, as to how to address turbulent times.
Einstein once said ‘ In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity…the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’
Peter Drucker said ‘ several decades ago. ‘For it is character through which leadership is exercised, it is character that sets the example and is initiated in turn. What will be decisive, in the future even above all in the future even more than in the past is neither education nor skill, it is integrity of character’.
Harish Manwani quotes William Hesketh Lever’s statement ‘I believe that nothing can be greater than business, however small it may be, that is governed by CONSCIENCE, and nothing can be meaner or more petty than a business, however large, governed without honesty and without brotherhood.’
Manwani on difference between Winning and Losing in the long run is Leadership and integrity. After all, it not just what you do or what you achieve that will ultimately stand the test of time’, BUT CHARACTER.
Manwani quoted the founder of Lever Lord Lever Hume on return on marketing investment (ROMI), remarked,’ I know half my advertising wasted, I just do not know ‘which half’ in an uncertain environment, it is critical to determine with a high degree of science which 50% really works.’ MANWANI added, ‘we have identified media elasticity of every brand and continue to drive for superior ROMI in addition, we have developed advanced marketing mix modeling techniques that allow us to assess of all the marketing levers to drive for growth and superior yields from marketing investments’, when he was addressing War on Waste’.
This is a story of Boom to bust. Manwani agrees an unprecedented global crisis struck the world on March 16, 2008, when Bear Sterns acquired for $.2 a share against its 52-week high of 134 dollars a share. July 14, Oil hits $145 dollars a barrel and then collapsed to $34 in six months. September 15, Lehman Brothers collapses, November 20, Dow Jones recorded low of 7449 points; June 2009, General Motors files bankruptcy.
But this fact Indians did not accept except a few.
Distant winds have a way of moving in faster than we imagine. Less than a year later, the collapse of several leading financial institutions has caused a global chain effect that has caused a global chain effect of collapses that has shaken governments, investors and the common public alike
Profound impact of this is since had been felt deeply in the real economy. Total write-downs on global exposures on global exposures now estimated about $4 trillions.
World output is projected to decline by 1.3 % in 2009.
IMF estimates the decline as sharp as 6,2%in Japan, 5.6% in Germany, 4.1% in UK and 2.8% in US.
Social cost of down turn in many economies around the world has been particularly DEVASTATING.
Rising numbers of those who have lost their jobs, homes, and pension savings is leading to PUBLIC ANGER.
QUESTIONS are raised about leadership, hubris, and regulation.
Markets seem to stabilize in the second quarter of 2009 after concerted and coordinated intervention by various governments, the green shoots of global recovery have still to look convincing and CONSUMER CONFIDENCE is FAR CRY from the levels seen before downturn.
INDIA IMPACT
Global down turn spread with ferocity all over. Even in India it surprised everyone. This has debunked the MYTH Indian economy is de-linked!
RBI governor Dr. D. Subbarao pointed out in a recent speech said ‘ Contrary to the
‘De-coupling hypothesis’ emerging economies too have been hit by the crisis…In a rapidly globalizing world, the ‘de-coupling hypothesis’ was never totally persuasive.’
Crisis underscores interdependence of the global economy. Impact of global crisis in India has been not so severe.
Fact is India was more efficiently regulated. And better managed, not necessarily best managed.
Domestic consumption continues to be a critical driver of growth.
GDP is expected to grow between 6.5% and 7%, this year 2009. Indeed certainly slower than close to 9% we had seen over the proceeding five years.
Yes, India growth story is indeed somewhat better than other economies of the world.
CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY:
Look at Indonesia of later part of nineties (1998), economic melt down effect was Rupiah
Plunged to 15,540. - Level to per USD, a devaluation of 675%. Indonesian businesses global and local just collapsed Unilever Lever (Indonesia) drove down costs, raising engagement with employees and customers to an even higher level, by prudent management of market shares, cash margins, says Manwani
To be able to execute strategy, ‘ we developed even sharper understanding of rapidly changing consumer needs and to respond to this, introduced affordable brands – economy packs of soaps and detergents, introduced new formats of existing brands. Otherwise consumers might punish if quality was compromised’, says Manwani
Cash generation and cost savings are key. HL achieved this by single mindedly reducing complexity in HL operations. This is an opportunity provided by crisis. Crisis revealed new truths. It also moved decisively to do away not relevant SKUs, in their portfolios.
Moved out obsolete inventories sitting in distributors warehouses and thus released hold up cash. Made available trade capital to fund purchases of our products increased.
Committed to employee development by investing in training and entry-level recruitments, – a clear sign of HL confidence that NO CRISIS LASTS FOR EVER and that thing would pick up again. – A modern management lesson learnt.
A principle, touted by Robert H. Schuller, ‘TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO.’
In tough times only relationships are of great benefit, touted Unilever (Indonesia). Banks rationed foreign exchange. Suppliers rationed supplies due to shortages. Many stood with Unilevers confident of Unilevers, solidly like a rock. This was one of the most successful operations in tough times. Enjoyed market leadership and unmatched corporate reputation – this is how a period of crisis can be turned into great opportunity; Manwani speaks to his company shareholders, in AGM held on July 3rd, 2009.
Recently, The Wall Street Journal in Asia 200 Survey has again recognized Unilever in Indonesia as the most admired company in Indonesia.
CRISIS PRESENTS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO FOCUS ON A GROWTH AGENDA, TRANSFORMING COST STRUCTURES –
Growth is the oxygen, every business needs.
‘India is a diverse country with millions of consumers, at every level of socio-economic pyramid. So Levers understands, accepts, needs of each and every segment. So every consumer has same hopes, the same aspirations and same dreams for a better life. This inspires us to serve the needs of all consumers in a manner that is relevant to them –‘ Our strategy of straddling pyramid’. HL have a portfolio powerful brands, packs, and product formats at varying prices points to make their offerings affordable and accessible to 700 million Indian consumers, proclaims Manwani.
Rapidly developing country like India, economic uncertainties results in simultaneous movements of consumers of consumers to up trade and increase consumption, as others cut back consumption or indeed down size, Manwani sees opportunities.
Rural India consumption is increasing due to growing incomes led by NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Schemes). Some signs of down trading in fixed income homes – a more direct impact that such consumers have experienced due to downturn.
Consumer understanding will continue to be at the heart of HL business. It is crucial to understand and respond to changing consumer and shopping behavior. Huge differences in the way consumers are responding to uncertainties across segments and geographies. Consumers in larger cities are shopping less often. They are stretching the consumption of brands just a little bit to cope with inflation and uncertainty. Small packs and currency are important in such situation. There are others indeed buying very large packs given the intrinsic value they offer.
Some developed markets, rising demand for high-end food products as consumers eat out less, but compensate by better eating at home. Understanding across markets help build competitive advantage. Consumers become more careful about discretionary purchases, innovations.
Delivery of stronger functionality and value has always been important. Leveraging science and technology to deliver even better values and create stronger differentiation become absolutely vital at a time of UNCERTAINTIES.
HL sees explosive growth in some of their brands.
In difficult times, consumers tend to go for trusted bands. Brands renew their contacts with consumers. Understand the consumer better. Provide them at affordable prices. Offer solutions to them, that are accessible, continuously deliver superior value through leverage of science and technology.
BUSINESS UNUSUAL ON COSTS.
Growth must continue to be on focus. Recognize volatility of these turbulent times. Responsible business must ensure while it continues to invest in growth. Simultaneously, reshape the cost structure, for the worst scenarios that is business unusual costs. Implies a fundamental re-engineering of many processes to make company nimbler and fitter to compete difficult times.
Roll out Go-To-Market model. This reduces complexity at the front end by directly integrating the distributors supply chains with the company – so that managing for efficiencies across one extended supply chain. Means larger sized distributors, superior talent in the field-making sale to the customers, more efficient order fulfillment, lead to considerable reduction in costs.
Create better connectivity with consumer and back end. Make supply chain far more efficient. Make win win situations of partnership with customers. Reduce working capital at a time when liquidity is at a premium.
Important part of driving efficiencies in turbulent times is that is war against wastages. Cross-functional teams identify and put in place actions to eliminate waste from business. Simplify and harmonize the product specifications. Bring in significant specifications.
HL uses ROMI – return on marketing investment techniques as a war on waste, to give benefit to the customer to see their customers to trust them, as they are committed to customers, that is their vision and main mission.
This is how you will be winning in turbulent times says chairman of HL Manwani. Will the businesses and industrialists so governmental authorities learn from experience of Unilever men, is a trillion dollar question!(ENDS)
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