2021 Strategic and Political Analysis-1

[chetak]

and how can pappu be expected to miss out on all the fun

he has now waded into it with his usual "bull in a china shop" panache

he hasn't learned a thing from his rafale disaster

[vijayk]

https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/on- ... 82240.html

MSME Lending, AA Framework Can Do What UPI Did For Digital Payments

MSMEs have limited access to funding and have to resort to informal sources for debt. They end up paying higher rates on loans borrowed with high collateral.
RITU BHANDARI


For India to become a $5-trillion economy, lending needs to be done at a massive scale to ensure both businesses and individuals can grow. As NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant pointed out, India’s private credit-to-GDP ratio (about 51 per cent) is lowest among its global peers and we need to increase private debt. Countries such as China, South Korea and even Vietnam have had tremendous growth on the back of high leverage. Similarly, the tax to GDP ratio in India is also among the lowest and somewhere the two are co-related.

There is a large financing gap within MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) as well as individuals; where the credit penetration in India is below 15 per cent. Less than 20 per cent of MSMEs have access to formal credit amid an estimated MSME debt demand of Rs 70 trillion or Rs 70 lakh crore.

MSMEs, with 63 million units, constitute about 90 per cent of all enterprises in India, employ over 120 million people and contribute significantly to the GDP. But 85 per cent of MSMEs are unregistered.

[ritesh]

High time Twitter is shown its place and aukat

Govt of India statement

The govt should in no uncertain terms tell these b*st*r*s to either fall inline of the law or be prepare to endure the full wrath of it.

[Yagnasri]

They are given 15 days time to give the details of the compliance with the rules. So some time is there for any further action.

[vijayk]

First they have to move all official business out of Twitter including pmoindia. Why don't they get it? Stop all money flow from RBI to Twitter india.

[chetak]

They are given 15 days time to give the details of the compliance with the rules. So some time is there for any further action.

[chetak]

via@ignisfatuus1110

[ritesh]

First they have to move all official business out of Twitter including pmoindia. Why don't they get it? Stop all money flow from RBI to Twitter india.

Is is possible to invoke FEMA to all the financial transactions by Indians and India based companies while dealing with these social media meddling platforms? This will make 90% of their revenue generation out of reach and make it unviable to continue in India.

[rsingh]

First they have to move all official business out of Twitter including pmoindia. Why don't they get it? Stop all money flow from RBI to Twitter india.

No no. It is to show that we have nothing against such platforms. We are against their policies that undermine sovereign entities. Very chalak.

[darshhan]

They are given 15 days time to give the details of the compliance with the rules. So some time is there for any further action.

I have my doubts. Any action short of banning these platforms will not work.

[Ashokk]

Mamata Banerjee's behaviour caused unprecedented blow to propriety, federalism: Govt

NEW DELHI: Terming West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and state officers’ absence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s review meeting on cyclone Yaas as callous, arrogant and supremely unmindful of the welfare of the people of the state, central government sources on Friday said West Bengal CM’s behaviour was an unprecedented blow to propriety and federalism.
“Today, PM landed at Kalaikunda airbase after conducting an aerial survey in Odisha and West Bengal. When the PM arrived to attend the review meeting, there was no one from the West Bengal Government,” a source said and added, “Both chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the chief secretary of West Bengal were present in the same premises and yet they did not come to receive the PM.”
An official said the prime minister, governor Jagdeep Dhankad and union ministers patiently waited for half an hour for West Bengal representatives to turn up. “Suddenly Mamata Banerjee, in her haughtiness, stormed in and handed over a bunch of papers on the cyclone impact to the PM and said that she is leaving as she has other visits lined up,” sources said.
A government source said if this was not shocking enough, Mamata Banerjee even did not allow officers of the West Bengal government like chief secretary and the home secretary to make a presentation. “The entire presentation was loaded on the screen. However, her pettiness prevented officers from presenting it to the PM,” sources said
He said the PM took out time to review the damage in WB, but the CM’s politics and pettiness prevented it from happening. “Mamata is only harming the interests of people of WB by this petulant behaviour,” he added.
He said never before in the history of the Indian Republic has a Chief Minister of a state behaved in such an ugly, disrespectful and arrogant manner with High constitutional position holders such as Prime Minister and Governor.
“Mamata Banerjee's arrogance is directed, in her own mind, against the Prime Minister. But actually, she is harming the people of West Bengal by refusing to discuss their issues even during the time of a natural calamity,” the source said.
Referring to Banerjee’s objection to the presence of state leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari in the review meeting, the government sources said that since Cyclone Yaas is a natural calamity affecting the entire states of Odisha and West Bengal, therefore, it was imperative that the “collective energies of all the elected representatives of people are pooled together” for quick and effective disaster relief
“Accordingly LoP of both Odisha and West Bengal were invited in the respective meetings with PM. However, since LoP in Odisha is recovering from Covid-19, hence he was unable to attend his meeting,” sources said and added, “The conduct by Mamata Banerjee, even during a natural calamity, is deplorable and reeks of low level petty politics.”
He said Suvendu Adhikari is a duly recognized LoP by Speaker of West Bengal assembly and only after this recognition has he been invited to be part of the meeting
“Contrast the disdain of Mamata Banrejee for elected representatives of people representing a large section of the people with the statesmanship of PM Modi who got several acts amended so that Leader of Largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha has a say in decision making,” source said.
As per rules, there is no LoP in Lok Sabha since no party could win 20% of the seats. However, to accommodate Congress leaders in Lok Sabha, the Modi government amended several acts - like the selection committee of CBI - so that the opposition leader has a voice.
“Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, was also contacted to be part of the meeting. He has thanked the PM for the invitation but since he is in Delhi hence is unable to attend,” sources said and asserted that the central government is doing its best to bring everyone on board for collective cause while it is only Mamata Banerjee who is indulging in vendetta politics.

[Kaivalya]

I have my doubts. Any action short of banning these platforms will not work.

Darshanji - Respectfully : In angst we cannot forget a few things. When most of the media purposefully mis represented or blacked out Namo in his earlier years- Twitter was the only platform that he relied on. Here is an older article putting him next to Bollywood Khans(sic )

https://iimcnews6.wordpress.com/2015/03 ... n-twitter/

I remember at one point when Trump was elected he was jealous that Namo had more followers. Always, today's solution is tomorrow's problem.

We ( The whole world ) have to put some reasonable limits to these tech giants and not let them self manage/audit. Banning wrongdoers might not be the only solution.

[darshhan]

I have my doubts. Any action short of banning these platforms will not work.

Darshanji - Respectfully : In angst we cannot forget a few things. When most of the media purposefully mis represented or blacked out Namo in his earlier years- Twitter was the only platform that he relied on. Here is an older article putting him next to Bollywood Khans(sic )

https://iimcnews6.wordpress.com/2015/03 ... n-twitter/

I remember at one point when Trump was elected he was jealous that Namo had more followers. Always, today's solution is tomorrow's problem.

We ( The whole world ) have to put some reasonable limits to these tech giants and not let them self manage/audit. Banning wrongdoers might not be the only solution.

I agree with the bolded part. But now depending on twitter is a case of diminishing returns. Then twitter was seeking users especially someone like Namo. But now this is not the case. Now they have our data and know our vulnerabilities.

[darshan]

PETA wanted to sue many muslim organizations but once more forgot. Similarly peta forgot to sue platforms like Twitter that censor animal cruelty.

Amul should have asked very pointed questions to peta. And then utilized their network and PR wing to increase awareness against peta.

‘Will they give livelihood 100 million farmers’: Amul MD responds to PETA India for asking them to use ‘vegan milk’ after losing a case to Amul
https://www.opindia.com/2021/05/amul-md ... egan-milk/
For the last several days, Islamist propaganda organisation PETA has been targeting Indian dairy giant Amul, asking them to switch to plant-based products from milk.
....

[disha]

I have my doubts. Any action short of banning these platforms will not work.

Can you please run for office & as a constitutional elected official do what is necessary?

Being in the peanut gallery and providing opinions is easy. You may be well meaning but you are not helping in anyway. And the negativity you are spreading is just pathetic.

Please be not Shalya. We are not Kauravas. Also I think you must watch the movie Lincoln.

[arshyam]

I have my doubts. Any action short of banning these platforms will not work.

Work to do what saar? Please elaborate. What is the objective, and how do we achieve it? How do we ensure that whatever the govt does cannot be misused by a future government to act against some desi companies or other nationalist-minded folk?

[arshyam]

The govt has stated that “protecting free speech in India” is the responsibility of the Indian government and not the prerogative of a private, for-profit, foreign entity like Twitter.

GoI needs to use the words relevant to the history. Start with colonialism and east India company. These tech companies are reincarnation of east India company and are here to colonize India and GoI needs to openly state this as Indian population can relate to it.

You might want to read this: Governments have accountability, platforms have none: Sridhar Vembu on India vs Big Tech - Money Control

For context, Sridhar Vembu is on the board of advisors for the NSA.

Added l8r: So on one hand, GoI has issued a curt and blunt statement asking Twitter to behave, and on the other, a member of NSAB has come out swinging calling a spade a spade. So clearly this GoI hasn't shown any intent to be bashful, and in effect, is doing what a lot of us here have been asking for. Let's not add some unrealistic expectations such as the NSA or the PM himself should say all these things, and when they don't, spread more doom and gloom. No past GoI has gone this far ahead in articulating its thoughts, nor has it been so blunt about where the line is drawn, so let's give them the chance to take this to the logical end. But keep in mind, any actual actions by GoI has to be grounded in law, it cannot be arbitrary.

[arshyam]

Don't Want To Burden Central Govt Amid Covid, Will Manage Through Own Resources: CM Naveen Patnaik On Aftermath Of Cyclone - Swarajya


Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik receiving PM Narendra Modi (@Naveen_Odisha/Twitter)

[Sachin]

In a major blow to 'secularism' MHA invites applications for citizenship from non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh . Finally; CAA too is getting implemented on the ground.
Which also means that the CAA Rules are also now ready. From the report;

The Union home ministry issued a notification in this effect for immediate implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Rules framed under the law in 2009 even though the rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) enacted in 2019 are yet to be framed by the government.

[arshyam]

In refreshing contrast...

Mamata Makes PM Modi Wait For 30 Minutes As She Arrives Late At Cyclone Meet Despite Being In Same Building - Swarajya


PM Modi at cyclone review meet in West Bengal, empty chairs reserved for CM Mamata Banerjee and state officials can be seen (@ANI/Twitter)

[Sachin]

^^^
Centre recalls West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's chief secretary to Delhi

[arshyam]

In a major blow to 'secularism' MHA invites applications for citizenship from non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh . Finally; CAA too is getting implemented on the ground.
Which also means that the CAA Rules are also now ready. From the report;

The Union home ministry issued a notification in this effect for immediate implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Rules framed under the law in 2009 even though the rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) enacted in 2019 are yet to be framed by the government.

How are they inviting applications when the rules aren't ready? Aren't the rules needed to specify even the basics like application forms and submission procedures? It doesn't add up.

[arshyam]

^^^
Centre recalls West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's chief secretary to Delhi

Yes, now they should not depute or approve any bureaucrat from the all-India services to function as WB's Chief Secretary. Let Mamata suffer for some time.

Can someone from the state administrative service function as a Chief Secretary?

[Sachin]

How are they inviting applications when the rules aren't ready? Aren't the rules needed to specify even the basics like application forms and submission procedures? It doesn't add up.

The process followed would be based on the Citizenship Rules, 2009. Rules 7,8,9,10 all can be easily used.

[kvraghav]

^^^
Centre recalls West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's chief secretary to Delhi

They did that last year to three IPS officers but they still server in WB. So unless they issue show cause notice and terminate them from a presidential order on failure to report, this order does not hold the value of the paper it is issued on. Hope they show the intent this time at least and the bad thing is they accepted Mamatas request to give an extension after she got BJP karyakartas killed. So much for being a statesmen.

[Pratyush]

Patniak needs to start trying to industrial development of the state. So that he has much greater resources to deal with natural resources.

[chetak]

the commies are openly advocating for a regime change in India, the gloves are off and the agenda of these regime change foot soldiers is no longer hidden

sialkoti statistics, lahorie logic, madrasa maths and liberal doses of commie obfuscation mixed with outright lies are the standard tools of the trade of presstitute scum like pol potty mouthed commie @SandipGhose

and, who exactly do these commies think is going to do their bidding in India.

The Wire has openly indicated it is hoping to do a Trump on Modi.

They want an MMS kind of figure back.

Let the other media houses also stop pussyfooting around & declare their agenda openly.

Let journos say in public what they're saying in private anyway

The wire is not alone in this BIF enterprise, a goodly number of prominent media houses are working in that direction and to that end only.

Incidentally, bejingbiden's family and their "worldview from lived experience" has a lively parade of shady slant eyed chinks, robber baron russian mafia and an assortment of sharia driven oily middle eastern types crawling in and out of the rotten woodwork and this edifice crumbled under the onslaught of media scrutiny during the recent presidential elections and needed the likes to twitter, facebook et al and such other agenda driven bigdata tech companies to shore up and whitewash the tattered image of bejingbiden by entirely shutting out trumpwa and his supporters during the final phase of the "democratic" US elections







Seven Years of Modi: Why India Needs to Find Its Joe Biden

What India can learn from the US

Amidst such reflections, it is indeed difficult to be hopeful for India’s democratic functioning and the wellbeing of its citizenry.

Still, if one tried hard to find a ray of hope, one can perhaps look closely at the recent case of the US. After four years of Donald Trump’s presidential term when the US saw a serious democratic-backslide in its own governance systems and public institutions, and as Trumpian ‘populism’ went about altering the ‘moral’ order by which the country governed itself and even projected itself to the world, Joe Biden’s electoral victory has helped to work reasonably well in restoring its ‘dented image’. Biden himself recognises this now.

Once perceived as a moderate incrementalist, Biden has so far gone beyond his own political-ideological dispositions to promote big legislative packages that make many on the progressive Left extremely happy. He strongly believes that in a post-Trump world, the US is fighting not just to ‘preserve its middle-class’ (through better jobs, higher wages, more affordable healthcare and social security), but to ‘survive as the leading nation of the world’.


As David Brooks, after interviewing Joe Biden, recently wrote:

“Some people get their worldviews from ideological constructs or philosophical movements like ‘conservatism’ or ‘progressivism’. Biden derives his worldview from lived experience, especially the world of his youth, and how his parents taught him to see that world. It created the moral underpinnings of the big legislative packages he is proposing.”

India is perhaps at an inflection point itself (like the US was last year) where it desperately needs to find its Joe Biden. Someone, who can go beyond ideological constructs to use her/his lived experience – and of the people – as a guiding force for leading a nation’s citizenry to ‘building back better’.

What matters is not only how a person or a leader perceives an issue, but also where (s)he sees it from. In Biden’s case, he sees most issues that plague the US from the perspective and lens of the ‘common man’ or ‘the lower-middle-income class’ he grew up around. More notably, as a leader, an intense focus on ‘human dignity’ in his governing philosophy makes him unique – and a rare treasure in a time such as now when dignity centric and human rights-based political discourse is in scarce supply.

As for a recent illustration, it is difficult to imagine how without Biden’s persistent intervention in the recent Israel-Hamas military conflict, his calls to Netanyahu, and the diplomatic pressure put behind the scenes by the Biden administration, it is difficult to imagine if an Israel-Palestine ceasefire agreement could have been struck, if Trump was still the US president. Even in the handling of the pandemic, the US, since Biden came to office, has done well to provide more stimulus and relief to its economically weaker sections, and more decisively mass-vaccinate its population to restore economic activity.

Seven years of Modi-Shah rule in India has created a gaping hole in the nation’s social and economic landscape. People’s faith in the functioning of the nation state, and its capacity to improve their lives, remains scarred. The pandemic has wreaked havoc and destroyed lives and livelihoods of millions, and so many more are likely to be affected in the weeks to come.

In such a time, India’s quest for finding a ‘progressive’ voice in the political opposition, who can help restore people’s confidence in the state, help invest in improving our social and economic capital and be rooted to work for the wellbeing of ‘working and middle classes’ remains badly warranted.

[chetak]

If you ever asked what is woke, this is it

[chetak]

Have you heard any contribution of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in this COVID19 pandemic

and except for lies, have the congis made any fruitful contributions to help anyone except themselves

[SriKumar]

I don’t know if this was a Freudian slip or what but the cartoonist depicts WhatsApp as asnake. The Snake on left is shown with a forked tongue, (not sure who it refers to) !!

[KL Dubey]

Can you please run for office & as a constitutional elected official do what is necessary?

Being in the peanut gallery and providing opinions is easy. You may be well meaning but you are not helping in anyway. And the negativity you are spreading is just pathetic.

Please be not Shalya. We are not Kauravas. Also I think you must watch the movie Lincoln.

I've stopped responding to those kind of posts. After every unfavorable state election results (this time amplified by the covid 2nd wave) these endless negative posts laundry-listing all kinds of problems existing in India completely derail any attempt at "strategy and analysis".

Over the last year, this and the long-lived parroting of Trump campaign propaganda (rigged US elections etc), disparaging of H-1B wallahs, etc have dented the credibility of this fine forum.

This is not dharmic, it is asuric.

Seriously Admins, all that BRF is proving by allowing this whining to go on unfettered, is how easy it is to divide/fracture a community of Indians. Some suggested workarounds:

- outright bans.
- If the forum platform allows a "quarantine" thread, negative posters can be only allowed to post on that thread, maybe titled "Whining thread". This could be in a "login only" accessible part of BRF, so it is not public.
- Or just create a "whines" thread (there used to be one before), and issue ban warnings to specific posters if they post whines on other threads.

[sudarshan]

Image edited...

I don’t know if this was a Freudian slip or what but the cartoonist depicts WhatsApp as asnake. The Snake on left is shown with a forked tongue, (not sure who it refers to) !!

Didja notice the signature? Probably a double pun on "sabka sath sabka vikas" and "Picasso."

I'm noticing headlines about how Modi's "vaccine nationalism" is what caused the wave in India. I wonder how this vaccine nationalism compares against the statement of "America first, and Americans getting vaccinated first is in the interest of the entire world." Currently enjoying the despair of the BIFs, as they gaze at the falling case counts in India and furiously mutter "ruk ruk ruk, arre baba ruk ". But need to watch for more controlled releases of improved versions of the virus.

[SriKumar]

^^^You are right. I googled him just now. With the reduction in cremations and improvements in oxygen supply, the media does not have those clips anymore to create outrage and the focus has changed, especially with the Israel-Gaza rocket attacks/bombings taking center stage. Media has to dig deeper now and look for other things.

Un-related:
One general note- if only hospitals are used for administering vaccinations, the rates are going to be very, very slow; plus with the crowding, it will expose more people to the virus. THere is NO reason to restrict this to hospitals only- not with a nationwise pandemic affect a billion people. Schools, open maidans, playgrounds, football fields, large parking lots, especially stadiums should be pressed into service. All that is needed are about 10-20 nurses (or similarly trained people) per site to administer injections, and a couple of doctors around for assessing outlier cases and an ambulance nearby. Administering an injection is a learnable skill and does not need an MBBS or full degree in nursing . Hundreds can be vaccinated at each site per day at such sites dedicated to Covid vaccinations only. I am pretty sure this was already done in some places. Every city and town has atleast 10 to 50 such places. I hope this is taken up on a large scale once vaccine production increases. Also, the logistics should support people's ability to book slots 1 month out. If all they can book is for the next day, that will snowball into problems. Opening new centers like mentioned above should help.

[arshyam]

I don’t know if this was a Freudian slip or what but the cartoonist depicts WhatsApp as asnake. The Snake on left is shown with a forked tongue, (not sure who it refers to) !!

The one on the left is Twitter.

[arshyam]

@SriKumar saar, there is no restriction to only hospitals. My KB is organizing a drive for employees + families on campus. The vaccines will of course be administered by a hospital/clinic they have tied up with.

I am hearing some apt sociities in BLR are trying to gather people in order to have a drive on site. Also heard some city corporation (was it Chennai, not sure) has suggested a doorstep model for certain categories. Not sure of its implementation though.

[Manish_Sharma]

https://twitter.com/RiseofBurnol/status ... 54948?s=19

TWITTER

@RiseofBurnol:

Missed Home Minister @AmitShah ?

A Thread which will rejoice you in this bad times

A Thread which can bring 1st positive sign after a while

While they were making ToolKit
We were making History!!!

Vandematram

On one side while govt through PM cares was caring people

while Vaccination process, progress & drives were ramping up across the country

When useless opposition of this country was busy in defaming & attacking India

The magic was happening far away in Kashmir

5 lacs Hindus & Sikhs declared & are back as residents of Kashmir, settled again

All govt facilities & freebies to separatists like mufti & Abdullah got revoked forever

The authorities of state of J&K state revoked from the Universities of Jammu & Kashmir

J&k state control over temples revoked & declared as independent trusts

Notifications issued to identify all the lands, houses & properties of Sikhs & Hindus who were forced to migrate from Kashmir post 1990 massacre & efforts to restore it all back to them!!

Famous Golf club & all other major clubs free from state control!

All the colleges & Universities across Jammu and Kashmir is now out of jurisdiction of state & chief minister

Security of All separatists & traitors removed & they can be booked under law out of J&k too

Under the present circumstances
Secretariat will not be shifted to Srinagar and will operate from Jammu itself!

If u think it's over
Keep calm & #TrustBurnol

The giant illusion is about to unfold!!

Jai Hind

[nandakumar]

Image edited...

I don’t know if this was a Freudian slip or what but the cartoonist depicts WhatsApp as asnake. The Snake on left is shown with a forked tongue, (not sure who it refers to) !!

Didja notice the signature? Probably a double pun on "sabka sath sabka vikas" and "Picasso."

I'm noticing headlines about how Modi's "vaccine nationalism" is what caused the wave in India. I wonder how this vaccine nationalism compares against the statement of "America first, and Americans getting vaccinated first is in the interest of the entire world." Currently enjoying the despair of the BIFs, as they gaze at the falling case counts in India and furiously mutter "ruk ruk ruk, arre baba ruk ". But need to watch for more controlled releases of improved versions of the virus.

How exactly does one release a variant of the virus to the world at large? I have thought about this to some degree. Short of injecting a person or a group of persons with the variant and letting them travel abroad, sort of like suicide bombers, I can't think of any feasible mechanism without hurting one's own self. Would be grateful for any explanation.

[vera_k]

For Covid, dumping the virus in a blender in a restaurant kitchen would generate sufficient aerosol to infect nearby people. Bonus points if the restaurant has conditioned air that circulates to nearby places. So restaurant supply would be one vector to get it out there.

[Pratyush]

For Covid, dumping the virus in a blender in a restaurant kitchen would generate sufficient aerosol to infect nearby people. Bonus points if the restaurant has conditioned air that circulates to nearby places. So restaurant supply would be one vector to get it out there.

Not even a blender, is required. Only an air diffuser the likes of which are commonly present in high end restaurant and office lobbies.

[vera_k]

Right. The restaurant theme came to mind because a conspiracy theory started circulating this week that a smuggling ring in Wuhan was supplying lab animals to restaurants in 2019. Innocent enough endeavor in the spirit of not wanting to waste animals that were no longer required.