National Security: Media articles of interest

Editor, Mumbai
Sir,
This has reference to the article "The Wrong Diagnosis" by Chetan Bhagat (July 17 2010) Click here.
Almost all (honest) policy makers, intelligentsia and administrators, are clear and fully aware of what ails India. So it is not the wrong diagnosis and consequential wrong remedial measures that have failed to deliver results as Mr. Bhagat suggests. There is no denying that there is a crying need to reform the core of the country. As he says- what can be done about it - is the final question and this is where there is no unanimity and where extraordinary confusion rules. But his solution of exchange programmes between city and rural areas is too simplistic to be put into practice. Because firstly, no city student would ever opt to go to rural areas, since a young person is (rightly) more anxious about his career and future in this competitive world and cannot be turned into an idealist who would waste his valuable years experimenting for others. This can be guaged from the well known reluctance of medical students to do internship in rural areas. Secondly, it is too presumptuous to think that only the city students have imbibed modern values while those in rural areas have not. Going by the current picture of a majority of city students, it would appear that the rural student is in a better position to infuse values-modern or otherwise-amongst the city bred. Indeed, this arrogance of city dwellers that "we know what is good for you villagers" is the root cause of the great divide leading to imposition of ideas, which are far removed from reality.Take for instance the principled opposition of villagers to creation of SEZs and construction of huge dams and power stations which the policy makers wanted to impose on them. Therefore, it would be more appropriate to involve people from the rural grassroots, give them the power to decide what they want and devise solutions for themselves. The government must move away from the idea that they are rulers and the people are their subjects.
Yours faithfully,
Shashank Bendre
Wing Commander (Retd)

Media articles of interest
Triangular distribution: The dynamics of US-China-India relations: How will the three states reconcile their political instincts with their material interests?
7 blunders that will always haunt India By Maj Gen Mrinal Suman
Where are the real leaders? By Maj Gen Mrinal Suman
Blame politics; The government misses the irony of pursuing a military counter to Maoism while simultaneously seeking the repeal of AFSPA, says N.V.Subramanian.
The military in Kashmir. The army chief has spoken sensibly about the crisis-like situation in J and K, says N.V.Subramanian.