Indian Agriculture Sector, at Cross Roads!

As the gods of nature disfavor their source of identity and livelihood, a major division of Indians who are associated with the agricultural sector are standing at the crossroads of despair, revolution, vision and opportunity. The political fortunes associated with this ill-informed majority are attracting all varieties of shrill politics, further muddying the national debate on this key aspect of national interest. This article attempts to present various dimensions of this national problem so readers are better informed, and aims to contribute towards a more positive debate and a more purposeful national strategy. The need of the hour is a national vision that views India’s agricultural sector as an opportunity, rather than the cynical political ideology that is trying to throw this ill-informed sector into rhetorical despair and inspire rebellion against a democratically-elected government.

India’s Agri-Sector problems are multi-dimensional and are impacting both bottom-line efficiencies and top-line opportunities of national development. Each of these dimensions individually require focused study, and when they are intertwined the way they are, they require even more careful strategic management. Superficial analysis of such complex problems will only lead to an incorrect understanding of the problem and the deployment of knee-jerk strategies that, in the long term, will only lead to harm to national interests.

Definition of Agriculture

First of all, there is no comprehensive definition or policy regarding the agriculture sector in India. There is no clarification for whether fisheries, poultry, animal husbandry, medicinal herbs, commercial timber, or other forest products fall under the scope of the agriculture sector, and there is very little policy on how to address the natural inter-dependencies of all these sub-sectors. For example, a sudden change in a region’s agricultural produce (say, from rice to medicinal herbs or commercial timber) may have a devastating impact on that region’s animal husbandry ecosystem. A policy decision to encourage beef-production/exports may cause the extinction of low-milk producing but drought-tolerant native cattle species, causing permanent damage to our ecosystem. These complex inter-dependencies demand attention, else disaster strike. By conceptualizing the ecosystem as a complete system and designing healthy relationships between agricultural products and practices, India can identify new top-line opportunities in the agriculture sector, and make it a pivotal part of India’s transformation towards a renewable economy.

Food Security of the Nation

A second dimension of this problem is the food security of the nation. Not all sectors of the nation are suitable for pursuing blind comparative advantages, and the food security of the nation is one such area. While India achieved food production self-sufficiency decades ago, one-third of Indians are still suffering from malnutrition. A solution for this chronic national problem must travel on a sound logistical and food-processing roadmap to achieve this necessary bottom-line efficiency.

Farm Size and Ownership

Another core aspect of India’s agri-sector landscape is the limited farm size. A study conducted by S. Mahendra Dev presents that “there were about 121 million agricultural holdings in India in 2000-01. Around 99 million were small and marginal farmers. Average size has declined from 2.3 ha. In 1970-71 to 1.37 ha in 2000“^[1]. Given this scenario, there are two approaches to reducing the labor involved in this sector – (a) make mechanical farming accessible and affordable to small farmers or (b) allow people to accumulate large farms to absorb the high cost of mechanization. Unfortunately, the second strategy goes against a different socio-economic policy called the “Land Ceiling Act”, which limits agricultural land ownership to 5-45 acres based on various factors. Those who want to mimic the success of agricultural reforms in countries like the USA must remember that the average farm size in 1900s America was 147 acres, making the base conditions for reform very different.

Labor Force excess-capacity

Then there is the problem with the labor excess capacity in the farming sector. Studies put nearly 60% of 600-million person labor force as dependent upon the farming sector. However, some of this labor force is not involved in the farming sector not out of choice, but due to a lack of skills and opportunities to move into the industrial and service sectors. Thus, reducing the percentage of the labor force in the Indian farming sector to the levels existing in industrial nations would require facilitating the transition of nearly 300-million working-age people into the industrial and service sectors. To put things in perspective, this would be a feat similar to building a new America, from the ground up, in India without adding a single inch of land or any natural resources.

National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) studies estimate that nearly 60 million jobs were created between 1999 and 2004 whereas only 15 million jobs were created in next eight years (2005-2012). Assuming that the Modi government repeats the performance of the previous NDA1 government, it would take at least 25 years (that is, from 2015 to 2040) to transition the labor-excess capacity from farming to industrial/services sectors, even if we freeze the population growth and demographic trends at today’s levels. But, given the current demographic trends of the Indian population, India will gain more than 350-million working-age people while losing only 150-million people to retirement, thus adding an additional 200-million labor-force people to the agri-sector labor excess capacity problem. The underlying truth is that no matter how quickly India industrializes, it will have to live with its farming-labor excess capacity for at least the next 20-25 years, with the majority being in the 40-70 age group, and therefore too late in life to acquire new skills.

I have done a study in 2010 (posted in Bharat Rakshak Forum ^[2]), and calculated that it will cost up to $2 trillion to retrain and employ 150-million of the agricultural sector labor into industrial sector labor. This cost estimate covers both retraining costs and the capital required to set up industries that would provide permanent employment. If the target is to transition a 300-million workforce, then the cost would double to $4 trillion, two times the current GDP of India.

Another factor that has yet to be considered is what will this gigantic industrial base, consisting of 200+ million labor force, produce? How much resources will it process annually, and who will consume its product? This is where the three slogans: Make in India, Made in India, and Made for India have to merge and transform into India’s national power.

Genetically Modified Organisms Vs Organic Products

An additional technological, and even ecological problem we need to solve is whether the Indian farming sector should take the path of GMO crops or Organic farming. Interestingly, the majority of cotton-farmer suicides in India are attributed to the so-called “GMO-terminator” cotton seeds or their fake cousins. On the other hand, the developed world is reinventing the concept of Organic farming for its real or perceived health benefits and long-term health-cost savings. If India decides to take the GMO route, it needs to develop and build the necessary scientific and industrial base. If India decides to take the Organic route, then it needs to detoxify its farming community, which is chronically addicted to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Given the fact that the farming sector also includes aqua-culture (fish, prawn farming) and animal farms, India needs to alter its land usage for different types of crops (fish/cattle feed vs grains/vegetables etc.). Each choice impacts the Indian farming sector in a fundamental way and needs lot of work to reach the final goal. While complex, this aspect of the farming sector can open up new topline opportunities in terms of long-term health and ecological benefits to India.

Price Support, Food Storage and WTO

Another key aspect of the Indian farming sector is the pricing mechanism. There is no scientific analysis of the total economic cost of each crop and what the price of the produce should be. Oftentimes, the price of farm produce is determined by logistical and political inefficiencies, rather than the cost to produce. For example, after setting consumer preferences aside, a kilo of beef costs a fraction of its calorific equivalent of vegetable food grains because there is no cost-accounting of the materials required to produce a kilogram of beef compared to other food products. Oftentimes, the farmer doesn’t even get a fraction of the consumer price for his produce, just because the farmer doesn’t have awareness of or the necessary logistical access to the demand side.

The Objective

I urge the readers to not fall into pessimism after reading the above data. The larger the problem, the bigger the opportunity. I believe that current state of India’s farming sector is a boon to India’s national interests because it has the potential to majorly contribute towards a multi-faceted socio-scientific revolution that India desperately needs to get out of the quicksands of triple colonization the nation went thru in the past 1400 years. Only a mind that is firmly rooted in local flora-fauna that can think out of the western-box can propel a well-rounded development of India in next coming decades.

This is where the national vision comes into picture. Modi government correctly identified that Indian Agricultural sector can be and must be turned into a national asset from a drain on national resources and reservoir of national poverty.

The stated goal of Modi government is to increase the share of agricultural sector in national GDP to 33%. Given the exponential growth India is poised to experience in next couple of decades (a 7% annual growth projects India’s GDP in 2040 will be 5 times that of today), this means two separate goals to the farming sector.

1. Increase share of farm sector in national GDP from current 18% to 33%. That translates into a farming sector GDP of $660B instead of current $360B in 2015 terms.
2. Maintain share of farm sector in national GDP at 33%. This means the farm sector GDP continues to grow at the rate of rest of economy.

Once achieved, these two goals will allow at least 33% of labor force to continue agriculture sector while maintaining comparable per-capita incomes with those in industrial and service sectors. At one go this vision reduces the burden of labor force transition by a whopping 100 million, reducing the timeline of labor excess capacity transition by 10 years (from 25 yrs. to 15 yrs.). The savings achieved in the process (~ $1.5 trillion) can be diverted to transform Indian farming sector to build a renewable national economy.

The Roadmap

Given various dimensions of agriculture sector and the stated goals of Modi government for this sector, we can identify following opportunities for the nation as a whole.

Unified Agriculture Sector definition, vision and policy

An opportunity opens up for the nation to integrate all forms of agriculture into one sector and identify synergies between various sections of agriculture. For example the definition of a farm can include, but not limited to, a solar farm that doubles as cattle-shed, a cattle-farm that doubles as captive organic-fertilizer factory, a farm that contains a mix of commercial timber, bio-diesel plantation, food-grain field and vegetable-farm and so on; the possibilities are endless. Such a definition would facilitate long-term large capital induction into farming sector that is not available today, because diverse product base in the farm will reduce overall risk profile of farm loans.

Farm Ownership and Land Acquisition Bill

For Indian society, land ownership is not just a financial aspect but a socio-cultural aspect. There are historical reasons emanating from India’s prolonged fight with colonial ideologies and the entities behind them. The spiritual and emotional attachment that Indians have to land is similar to their emotional attachment to gold; land is Sri Bhudevi and gold is Sri Lakshmi – both consorts of Sri Mahavishnu. Any person or policy that is perceived to be cutting this emotional bond will therefore be seen as an agent of yet another colonial player.

In its current form, the Land Acquisition Bill offers a onetime non-reversible financial transaction to acquire land from current owners. A better approach can be to provide more flexible options to the landowner, such as (but not limited to)

• Land will be acquired permanently for roads and other public infrastructures, but 99-year land lease agreement will be made for the industrial sector. This will address the concern that land is being transferred to corporate owners.

• Equal amount of land swapping within a meaningful distance (say 10KM) for farmers who are not interested in losing their agricultural land holdings.

• Flexibility for the landowner to choose between a one-time cash transaction or a mix of at-face-value shares in the SEZ/Industry. This can also include the economic benefits from public infrastructure.

The Land Acquisition Bill will have more approval and support from landowners if its focus changed from changing land ownership to facilitating the transition of landowner from one economic sector to another sector, along with their land holding. The bill would create new opportunities for the people to transition from one sector to another without losing their financial, and most importantly, emotional, attachment to their land holdings.

Reorganizing the Agriculture Sector Labor Force

The agricultural sector labor force is not a single monolith, and consists of many groups, often with conflicting interests. Remember that 99-million out of 121-million agricultural land holdings are small and marginal farmers, with an average land holding size of 1.37 hectares. There are also millions of farmers who don’t own land, but rent or lease land for farming, in addition to many more millions of daily laborers. The farming sector employs people as young as 12 years all the way to octogenarians.

There is a great need and opportunity in developing a national registry of all of our agricultural labor force and performing a detailed analysis based on their demographics, region, skills and economic status. An accurate understanding of the labor force is necessary for effective land reforms, skill development, and re-employment in non-farming sectors.

Various government schemes and policies can be utilized to reorganize the farm sector labor force in the most effective manner. Some ideas that can be used in this process are:

• Bring farm labor above a certain age group into a newly unveiled Social Security scheme in such a way that they live above the poverty line.

• Identify suitable non-landowning labor for skill development and reemployment using MNREGA-like schemes. 

• Turn agricultural subsidies into long-term loan contracts, so that the farming sector can get the necessary capital resources to transform itself into a renewable economy. A recent economic survey ^[3] puts the amount of agricultural subsidies (not including Railways, fuel, electricity and water subsidies) at more than Rs 235,000 Crore per year.  This works out to be an annual subsidy of Rs 23,500 for those 100 million small and marginal farmers. There is a lot of room for opportunity in utilizing these subsidies better.

Ecological Security for Food Security

Nature, by definition, is the manifestation of the optimized ecological balance of a given region. By extension of that definition, India’s ecosystem is the most optimal balance of India’s regional conditions. India’s long-term survivability and success therefore comes from developing on this natural balance, rather than from disturbing it. Indian crops, fisheries, cattle etc. evolved, by natural selection over millennia, to survive and sustain in local conditions in the most efficient way. The human aspect of our great civilization can thus prosper by designing its own vision within this ecosystem; not, outside of it.

Studies tell us that for all of humanity to live at the current USA/European levels of consumption, we would require more than five Earths. Reaching China’s current level of consumption would require one and half Earths. Any logical mind will realize the futility of India trying to tread this path. However, that doesn’t mean that Indians cannot achieve the quality of life enjoyed by other advanced economies. India just needs to prioritize improving its human development indices while having the minimum possible impact on its ecosystem. This task is not difficult if the national agenda and policy is built around a renewable economic model from the get go.

Agriculture Sector as a Renewable Economy

With proper vision, groundwork, and sound national policies, India’s agricultural sector can give the necessary impetus to leapfrog the Indian economy from an agrarian-economy to a renewable-economy, bypassing the industrial and service phases. A renewable economy is where 100% of human socio, economic, and technological prosperity comes from renewable sources and processes. The advanced economies are already moving in this direction because the age of human and industrial colonization is ending, and each civilization has to live within its own natural means.

Agricultural, industrial, and economic scientists must bring their minds together to identify various models to achieve target per-capita incomes at small farm levels (~5 Acres) using a mix of complementing energy, commercial-timber, animal-husbandry, fisheries, food grains and medicinal herbs farming models and technologies. Governments must change policies and laws to recognize the farming sector as a small & medium business, and encourage necessary innovation in this field.

Conclusion

India’s agricultural sector is a complex multi-dimensional socio-economic-political problem with far reaching consequences to its national security. India, as a civilization, has not just a material, but also emotional and spiritual connection with their land holding. The problems manifesting in India’s agricultural sector are also a reflection of problems in other sectors. A proper understanding of the national vision, overall civilizational needs, and India’s objectives is required to realize the underlying opportunities and possible solution strategies.

An effective strategy and efficient execution of India’s national vision is necessary to achieving a purposeful transition of labor force excess capacity from the farming sector to other sectors. 

The Modi government, as articulated in different forums, has set the right national vision as far as the agricultural sector is concerned. Different policy decisions made by this government emanate from that vision to elevate farm-sector as an equal partner in the national economy. Schemes like JDY, Universal Social Security, and farmer pension schemes are nothing but a few relevant parts of this national vision.

All the noise from the political opposition is just tactical maneuvering for their political survivability. There is no alternative vision proposed by the opposition groups, except for demands for the continuation of failed policies and corrupt practices.

The Modi government has many other forums to explain, educate, train, and help the agricultural sector in its transformation into an equal pillar of the national economy, along with the industrial and service sectors. As its vision comes into execution, the beneficiaries would be the millions of people making up the agricultural sector, as well as the nation as a whole.

Sources:

[1] Small Farmers in India: Challenges and Opportunities

[2] Alternative Budget Scenarios for India

[3] India Economic Survey - Wiping every tear from every eye

Learning RIGHT lessons from Delhi results

First of all, my heartfelt congratulations to Sri Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Admi Party for winning an unprecedented mandate in Delhi! I truly hope they will deliver a corruption-free, stable and progressive government to people of Delhi.

Many have analyzed this election in detail to understand how AAP was able to get this stupendous mandate and most importantly how all the pundits missed this tsunami. Here is my analysis.

I will start with 2013 Delhi State Elections.

The background of this election was (1) public anger against corrupt Congress government (2) a highly successful movement by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev’s India Against Corruption (IAC) and Congress government’s high-handed response to it. At that time Narendra Modi was far away as CM of Gujarat who stayed away from these elections.

It was obvious that Delhi voters were going to punish Sheila Dikshit’s Congress government and they had two choices in the form of BJP and AAP. In those elections BJP secured 33% votes, AAP got 29.5% votes and Congress 24.6% votes. Together these three parties got 87% of votes. At this point of time AAP’s core vote base had two components. The Leftists+NGO groups and the Hindu vote base that was genuinely smitten by Anna Hazare, Aravind Kejriwal and the youthfulness of Aam Admi Party. I would put this Hindu voter base at 14% of AAP’s voters.

It resulted in a Hung Assembly and subsequent resignation of Arvind Kejriwal as CM of Delhi.

Then came 2014 General Elections.

The background of this election was Modi’s call for a “Congress Mukth Bharat” and a decisive mandate for his “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas” agenda. In these elections Modi entered Delhi seeking votes while Arvind Kejriwal left to Varanasi to fight Modi for Lok Sabha. Another fact is that majority of AAP Delhi leadership also moved out of Delhi to contest/campaign Lok Sabha elections.

So the 14% Hindu voters who voted for AAP in 2013 Delhi elections went to BJP for they preferred Modi than Arvind Kejriwal. This increased BJP vote share to 46% in Delhi. On the other hand AAP got its vote share supplemented by two vote banks. First one is the Muslim vote bank. Muslims are well known to strategically vote as a block to any candidate who has a chance to defeat BJP candidate. In 2014 elections it became obvious that Modi is riding a wave and the Muslim vote bank in Delhi realized that Congress has little chance of winning. So they chose their next best option based on 2013 election results, hence went with AAP. Congress lost 9.5% of its votes in 2014 elections compared to 2013 Delhi elections. In 2014, these three parties together got 94% of votes, 7% more votes than 2013 elections.

That brings us to 2015 Delhi State Elections.

The electoral  landscape of Delhi changed again for these elections. Modi is acting Prime Minister of India and Arvind Kejriwal came back to Delhi as CM candidate. As observed in 2013 elections the 14% Hindu voters prefer Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP to a non-Modi led BJP, so they went back to AAP. Given the utter defeat of Congress in 2014 general elections, the Muslim vote back stayed with AAP for they have the best chances to defeat BJP candidates. We can see Asaduddin Owaisi MIM’s efforts from this perspective. Congress party on the other hand continued to lose its core vote back and transferred another 7% votes to AAP. I think this is the Christian vote bank, given the Church-vandalism incidents and Obama’s comments to that extent. Congress is left with hardly 8% votes in these elections. Together these three parties secured 93% of votes in these elections indicating the overall electoral space of Delhi did not change between 2014 and 2015 elections.

Wrong lessons for BJP

The media and secular intelligentsia is trying to portray AAP’s victory over BJP as a failure of Modi and is a warning by the nation to him vis.a.vis Hindutva. They are trying to impose the lessons they want on Modi Sarkar because they know that Narendra Modi is steering the nation towards an independent Bharat, free from colonial hangover. Some of these wrong lessons making rounds in TV studios and Social Media are

·         Curtail Hindu resurgence and stop reminding the nation of its Hindu identity.

·         Stop reconversions into Hinduism while ignoring/facilitating Christian Evangelical organizations.

·         Go slow on Islamic Terror and make peace with Pakistan

All these are wrong lessons for Modi Sarkar and the nation, for these are mere continuation of colonial rule of India. If BJP goes this path it will lose its differentiation and becomes Congress party without Gandhi/Nehru family.

It is important for BJP to learn right lessons from these elections because it is not only in the interests of BJP the political party but in the larger interests of the whole nation, especially 900 million Hindus who are suffering from the triple colonization of India by Islam, Christianity and Secularism.

Learning RIGHT lessons

• Modi Sarkar is on right path and must continue with its plan to remove colonial hangover in policy, law and justice, police, planning and economic agenda.
• Modi Sarkar must perform better than AAP especially in areas like fight against corruption, good governance and inclusive development. Not just that, it must be able to pass the message as well as benefits to the common man. When this becomes visible on the ground, the floating Hindu vote base (14% which is with AAP now) will come back to BJP. If Modi were to be the candidate of BJP, it would have gotten 46% vote share compared to AAP’s 39% (53-14%).
• BJP must reorganize itself to become a youthful party. This need not mean it will have to get rid of all these party workers who are 40+ years old. It will have to push the youth leaders into public and legislative arena while the seniors contribute in party and policy roles/matters.
• BJP must plan to get majority vote (51%) moving forward. Now that Congress is decimated, all anti-Hindu vote banks will unite to fight BJP. There will be attempts to splinter Hindu votes on caste/creed lines but all non-Hindu votes will be focused to defeat BJP candidates.

A Telugu patriotic poet Gurajada Apparao said thus “DEsamantE Matti KAdOy, DEsamantE ManushulOy” which means “It is the people who make the nation, not the soil/land”. So the people must be made to feel proud of their Hindu identity before this nation becomes a Hindu nation again. This pride comes only when there are ample real-life examples of successful Indians who live and assert their Hinduness. 

When Modi Sarkar gets rid of corruption, poverty, filth, unemployment without compromising on its core values; Hindutva will become cool for hundreds of millions of (now) secularized Hindus. THAT will be the day India achieves true independence.

Tathastu!

Playing Obama's game

He came, he hugged, he saw, he said and he left!

Modi's government left no stone unturned to make this unprecedented visit by Barack Obama a grand success. Protocols were set aside (Obama in his Ghost on Rajpath), legal hurdles (nuclear deal) smoothened and strategic-relationship turned into personal friendship. All this ended with Obama's unsolicited advice on India's unity and religious tolerance or lack thereof.

Social media went crazy over Obama's lack of Atidhi-Maryada (guest's  etiquette). World-media ensured that intolerant nature of Hindu majority is well understood by colonial west and dictatorial middle eastern kingdoms. Indian intellectuals subtly advised Modi govt to get rid of RSS and those assertive saffron BJP MPs, if he were to become the darling of leftist, Islamist and evangelical power-network. Some Indian media divas like Shekhar Gupta went to the extent of attributing BJP's rout in Delhi city-state elections to this issue alone.

Why this message and why now?

To get a complete picture of the value proposition of India to the world, please read my earlier blog-post The Prize – That is India. As many studies (every notable strategic/economic/consulting firm has a study on this) indicate India is poised to spend at least $1 trillion on infrastructure development over next decade, in addition to more than $100B on defense acquisitions. On top of this, if Modi’s call of “Make in India” were to succeed, India will need another $2 trillion to train and employ 150+million labor force that currently employed in Agricultural sector [see table below]. This is the rationale behind Modi’s FDI (Foreign Direct Investment to First Develop India) slogan. These numbers may sound astounding to some but over 10 years all these investments amount to hardly 10% of India’s GDP.

Modi, as soon as his election as Prime Minister of India, went on a world-wide tour seeking investments and transfer of technology selling India’s growth story.

Modi had to politely set aside China’s offer of up to $100B investments for this offer came with caveats that require India compromising on its territorial integrity, national security and absorbing Chinese manufactured products undermining the ‘Make In India’ initiative.

Russia’s Putin visited India in December 2014 and signed 20 bilateral agreements estimated at $100B over next decade or so.

Japan, Australia, Singapore and EU wanted to partner with Modi’s “Make In India” vision for they see Indian economy as a stable and profitable opportunity for their aging economies and inefficient pension funds. But all these nations needed their big brother, USA’s, approval before they can make any financial or technology commitments. 

If Modi’s meeting with Obama in USA set the stage for strategic alignment of India with USA, then Obama’s India visit was supposed to be the culmination of that partnership.

This is why Modi's government left no stone unturned to make this unprecedented visit by Barack Obama a grand success. But there is one important thing that USA (and Europe) needed from Modi’s India before they can trust India and start investments; Modi's compromise on the civilizational identity of India. To understand this equation, please read my blog-post The Fight – 2014 Elections.

The essence of that article is simple. A resurgent Hindu Bharat is a civilizational threat to Abrahamic USA and Europe. USA and Europe (along with their Asian partners) cannot and will not invest in and empower India unless it severs its ties with Bharat, the civilizational India.

This is why decades old #Gharwapasi is brought into media glare, few cases of Church arson were presented as harassment of religious minorities in India (forgotten are the continuous attacks of Christian missionaries on Hindu temples and culture) culminating in Obama’s unsolicited advice on religious tolerance as precondition for India’s territorial integrity. The secular Media started spinning the electoral victory of Aam Admi Party (which got more votes from those very Hindus who overwhelmingly voted for Modi just 9 months ago than all the minorities in Delhi combined) as a warning shot to Modi to denounce his Hindutva identity and politics.

Is Bharat worth it?

The next logical question is “Is Bharat Worth It?”. Do we need to protect Bharat at the cost of leaving India poor, weak and unworthy?

Let’s look at the alternatives first!

Should India convert amass into Islam and evolve into world’s largest Islamic nation? Will this make Pakistan and Bangladesh redundant and lead to unification of Indian sub-continent. Then why did Bangladesh separate from Pakistan to begin with? Did Pakistan/Bangladesh’s Islamic identity lead to wealth, strength and international stature that India is seeking? The reality is right in-front of us staring into our eyes thru the mirror of Islamic State!

Or should India convert amass into Christianity and evolve into world’s largest Christian nation? Will this alone turn India into a wealthy, strong and world-power? What happened to all those African nations which converted into Christianity? Why are they still reeling in filth, poverty and sickness?

What do we do now? Perhaps our ancestors realized this question a long time ago. How else can we fathom the untold sufferings of hundred+ generations of our ancestors who fought and withstood the double colonization of Bharat by Islam and Christianity just to save our Bharatiya identity? 

Studies indicate that India pulled more than 200 million Indians out of poverty in the past 20 years (since 1991). That means we can get the remaining 350m poor out of poverty and can grow wealthy, strong and powerful on our own in next 20-30 years. What glory there is on earth than we becoming rich, healthy and powerful in our own identity?

Does it mean we have to make enemies out of the Obama’s of this world and get into a prolonged friction with western society?

Not necessarily. There is a Bharatiya way out of this conundrum. It is …

Playing Obama’s Game

Before we play this game, we need to understand the game. Please read my blogpost USA – A Vedic Civilization on Abrahamic Foundations to understand the rules of the game. In the USA, the state enforces the rules of the game while Christianity remains the foundation of that society. Similarly India too can realign itself in such a way that Govt of India enforces the rules of the game while Hinduism remains the foundation of our society.

How would such a game play out?

Modi welcomes Obama’s comments while subtly reminding the world about India’s painful past under Islamic and Christian colonizations. Then Modi changes India’s laws & governance structures to closely reflect the systems of USA/West.

·      Define Ashrama-Vyavastha as it is how in the USA and enforce it by rule of law.

·      Define Varna-Vyavastha as it is how in the USA and enforce it by rule of law.

·      Equip the justice system to process cases within reasonable timeline.

·      Thoroughly desensitize Law and Order apparatus of religious sensitivities and prosecute Church/Temple/Mosque attacks as per the law. Give multi-life sentences to the culprits.

·      Redefine Educational and National Policy institutions based on Hindu foundations of India. Shun out Leftist intellectuals from educational and national policy institutions following the footsteps of Joseph McCarthy.

·      Ban foreign funded NGOs on national security grounds. Or at least tax them at the highest rate possible.

·      Ban public and religious slaughter of animals on health and civic sense grounds. Establish and enforce strict animal rights laws.

·      Release Hindu temples out of government control and a put all these properties under a private national fund for Hindu temples & organizations. Most conservative estimates put the value of these properties at $100B. Pay this Hindu fund $5B/Year as reparations for next 10 years. Allow Hindus to run private religious educational and medical institutions.

·      Enforce absolute freedom of speech. Allow Indian media to run various investigative and historical shows on Abrahamic faiths like The Borgias, The Tudors, Secrets of Vatican etc.,

·      Enforce absolute freedom of propagation of faith. Allow Hindu #Gharwapasi while allowing Christian/Muslim conversions (minus foreign funds).

·      Build huge museums for Islamic genocide of Hindus and Christian genocide of Hindus and dedicate them to the world.

In doing the above, Modi should be able find favorable support base both within and without India for they are congruent with American laws. Modi and his media team should present each of these measures comparing them with corresponding US laws so there is little confusion within and without. Simply put "Bharat is Hindu America!"

Once this debate is resolved, the Obamas of West will have nothing to complain about Bharat’s pluralism for the state is thoroughly separated from religion and is governed by nothing but rule of law and pursuit of liberty and (individual as well as national) happiness. 

Table: Cost of India's transformation from Agricultural economy to Industrial economy:

Why do Muslims kill people?

The other day my niece asked me "Why do Muslims kill people?".

How to explain it to a 15 year old about how Muslims are come to be and behave they way they do? This is how that dialogue went.

Me: Imagine when you wake up tomorrow morning, your sister reaches out to you and says, hey I gave you 100 bucks last night and you promised to give them back today. Can you please give my money back? You would be like what$ at first, then ask her when and where she gave you 100 bucks. Imagine she tells you that she gave you the money in her dream last night and you promised to give it back in the morning.

What will you do? At first you laugh at her. If she keeps insisting you call her crazy. As you debate with her she starts getting abusive and that’s when you call your parents. Imagine she insists you return the money or she will hurt you and you know she is serious. As time passes and you resist to succumb, your sister gets more and more abusive.

My niece: That's crazy!

Me: May be for you. But your sister sincerely believes that she is right and is throwing rage fits, throwing stuff at you and your parents.

My niece: Perhaps we give her Rs.100 and get over it?

Me: Yes, that is one option. In such scenario she is happy and will calm down for today, but tomorrow is a new day and asks for 200 and the cycle continues.

My niece: If she does this again, I will slap her.

Me: What if she gets increasingly abusive, irrespective of your response for she not only believes that she did give you money in her dream, but also believes that you are always wrong and are born liar?

My niece: I don't know.

Me: This is called Drishti-Srishti vada in Hindu Vedanta. You claim something to be true because you perceived something; be it in awaken state or dream state or schizophrenic state. This is what exactly happened with Islam. Muhammed claimed that Allah spoke to him and only to him all those things in Quran. Unfortunately Allah didn't speak to anyone else to double-confirm what he told Muhammed (this will be un-Islamic by the way). And Muhammed insisted that he is the last guy Allah is ever going to talk to. And Muslims believe that whatever is in Quran is exactly what Allah said to Muhammed.

My niece: How do you know, did you read Quran?

Me: Yes. Never believe anyone. Quran is hardly 500+ page book, smaller than your Harry Potter book. You should read it for yourself.

My niece: What did Muhammed say in Quran?

Me: Muhammed says that only Allah is the God. And Muhammed is his last prophet. The universe is created for Muslims to enjoy in the path of Muhammed and non-Muslims are born sinners and liars. And that it is every Muslim's duty to convert or kill non-Muslims so one day the whole humanity is full of Muslims (who accept Muhammed & Quran) and nothing but Muslims.

My niece: Does Islam tells Muslims to kill others?

Me: Muhammed himself killed and raped women as he spread Islam. He killed children (by our definition). He had slaves. And Quran says everything is fine in the path of converting non-Muslims in to Islam.

My niece: Did Muhammed say to kill children?

Me: Islam says that anyone who entered puberty is an adult and can be raped/killed. That is why they killed those school children in Pakistan recently.

My niece: Wait, why did they kill the children?

Me: Because the parents of those children, Pakistan Army, were bombing/killing those Muslims who want to spread Islam. So the children of Pakistan Army are enemies of Islam and those who achieved puberty are considered as enemies of Islam and were killed.

In fact Muhammed himself has killed children who had pubic hair in Banu Qurayza, an encounter with Jews.

My niece: So even a Muslim who fights against fellow Muslims are enemies of Islam.

Me: Yes, because the ultimate goal of every Muslim is to establish Islam over entire humanity. This is Jihad. In that path any obstacle is considered enemy of Islam and can be killed.

My niece: That means, normal Muslims who don't actively do Islam with others are Bad Muslims.

Me: Unfortunately, yes! If you believe in Islam & don't do your Islamic duty, you aren't a true Muslim. This is like your sister calling your parents who took your side as liars for calling her dream falsehood. Anyone who denies her dream, in this case Islam, are liars, enemies & suitable for killing.

Another interesting point is, the Pakistani Army which appears to be a Moderate Muslim in this scenario itself is guilty of genocide of non-Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh in addition to using Terrorism as a tool to hurt its enemies such as India.

So as far as non-Muslims are concerned, they are enemies of Islam irrespective of how good/bad Muslim you are.

My niece: So Muslims must convert or kill non-Muslims if they want to be true to Muhammed & Quran. But why are we told Muslims are good?

Me: Imagine you start calling your Mom as Daddy! First she will laugh, then she will get irritated and if you continue further she will be upset and shout at you. 

What will your Muslim friend say when you say "Hey Ayisha, you look, talk & behave same as I do. You even dislike Muslim terrorists. You too must be a Hindu inside!".

My niece: I think she will be offended if I call her a Hindu.

Me: Exactly and she would be right in getting upset for being called a Hindu. Its because we are trying to understand them in our image and not as they are. We must understand and recognize Muslims based on Quran & Muhammed, Christians based on Bible and Church/Jesus and so on. We are trying to understand them as Hindus. It is not only inaccurate but also not fair to Muslims. 

Calling things with their right names and characteristics is half wisdom!

Modi's speech at Madison Square Garden!

1.            Modi made a case for India to be the leader of 21st century, not China. For this he put 3-D value proposition (Democracy, Demography (young nation) and Demand). This is a direct hint to American businessmen. This week’s Hong Kong demonstrations proved that China’s democracy is weak; China is getting old (by 2030 – another 15yrs, china will start getting old) and China’s weak internal consumption (its economy is export economy and not consumer economy like India).

2.            Modi is hinting American industries to invest in and work with Indians. He made few points to this effect – Asking Indians to return (this will weaken American companies that depend upon India), Hinting that India will need 2kinds of FDIs (Foreign Direct Investment must First Develop India) and also visa on arrival for Americans. He is kind of saying imagine you have New York and San Francisco offices then add Madurai office also. You can travel to these offices within the day because I am developing smarts cities etc., Imagine what happens if 50% of skilled NRIs return. These will be 1 million (10 Lakhs) high tech jobs which make >$100K (Rs 60 Lakhs) per yr. You are looking at $100Billion (6 Lakh Crores) revenues to India every year.

3.            The key industries Modi is trying to pitch to America are – Tourism (Yoga/Hindu places – there are ~20 million Yoga practitioners in USA – imagine they visit India every year/two yrs. It will be $20+ Billion/120,000 crore tourism industry), Technology and Education. He knows that the biggest problems in realizing this potential is (1) Visa/Governance– Hence Visa on Arrival (2) Cleanliness – Lack of public involvement in cleanliness, hence Swaccha Bharat plan (3) Skilled Human Resources - Hence Education/Skill Development programs (4) Cultural Heritage – Hence “Har Har Gange” Plan (for Yogis) (5) Civic Amenities – Hence Smart cities and so on..

It’s all about bringing the Indian-American (scientist-professional-business) collaboration that worked very well in USA to India. He is going to develop India as Bharat; not some Philippines or South Korea or Malaysia (notice his mention of them developing as someone else).

USA: A Vedic Civilization on Abrahamic Foundations?

US is like a Vedic civilization with Abrahamic foundations. For a moment let's forget how it came to existence & call it a Pralaya for Natives.

What I see is following patterns (again at a large scale) with exceptions...

1. Varna Vyavastha
The intellectual class (whoever opts it) are given all state support needed in their pursuit of knowledge (research funds, labs and what not) but are kept barely above BPL in terms of personal wealth.

The Kshatriya class has strong hold on enforcing this entire Varna-Vyavastha. It also has unquestioned say in the national resources

The Vaisya class is allowed to accumulate wealth and as a tool to extend US interests. But even this so powerful Vaisya class is allowed to be free only as long as the profits flow back home. This class is ruthlessly curtailed if/when they try to build a center outside of core US.

The Sudra class is kept in an extremely well orchestrated bliss of materialistic pleasures. 

2. Individual freedoms - as long as the individual is moving in the prescribed order of Varna/Ashrama Vyavastha the individual is given lot of freedoms be it in terms of right to bear arms, or sex or pursuit of & access to materialistic excesses.

3. Ashrama Vyavastha - the Balya avastha was enforced by forced schooling upto highschool (?). The Brahmacharya (higher education in this society) is made in such a way that by the time an individual comes out of it, he has enough debts (assuming no parental support) that he will remain in debts for rest of life. The whol Grihastha Ashrama is about working for retirement & paying debts of Brahmacharya. The retirement is more of a solitary contemplation in retirement homes with little association with family & society.

4. Environment/animal rights - even here the environment & animal rights are sustained and supported only as long as they do not come in the way of their Abrahamic foundations. Hurting a dog is animal rights but slaughtering of billions of cattle, turkey's etc for food is completely ok. A time magazine report a few months ago reported that all native species have seen a remarkable turnaround and are now in more numbers than they ever were in 200 yrs.

For an Indian (or any immigrant for that matter) the Abrahamic foundations are not visible and are kept away from the highways and malls that the immigrants visit. So the immigrant only sees the Vedic structures and fall for the underlying Abrahamic traps