Thorium Scam: Analysing the credibility

In the recent past we have encountered various scams amounting to crores of bankroll. Coalgate scam, 2G spectrum scam and many more were some of the scams which brought India to a new rank on the world corruption index. Amidst all these, another dirty pool was claimed to be occurred on which no one paid much heed. It was the behemothic THORIUM SCAM worth 60 lakh crores. So far this is claimed to be the biggest of all scandals in the country. Let us justify the reality behind this mammoth scam.

The beach sands of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are rich in several heavy minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, garnet, sillimanite, zircon and monazite. These minerals are used in several industries from steel and electronics to jewellery and ceramics. Monazite contains thorium, a much efficient nuclear fuel. It was illegal to mine these rare earth heavy minerals until recently. The only entity allowed to do so was the government-owned Indian Rare Earths Limited (IERL). In October 1998, the government of India opened sand mining to private companies. The private companies were given license to handle only sand and for handling nuclear material another license was needed to be taken. In January 2006 government introduced single license to handle sand along with nuclear materials. Private companies were now allowed to mine the sands for export of any mineral except monazite. The law retained thorium as a prescribed substance under the Atomic Energy Act and as a result, monazite remained off-limits to private entities. However it was known to law that these minerals were mixed in the sand and therefore the companies handling the beach sand have to get a license under the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The company would have to either dispose of the monazite or store it on its premises as per regulations. The Indian government denied private companies the permission to process the monazite for thorium or to export the mineral.

 Broadly speaking, there are four claims for the allegation of scam:-

1.) A private company is exporting thorium-rich sand illegally.
2.) Between 2002 and 2012, approximately 2.1 million tones of monazite have gone missing, which amounts to about 235,000 tones of thorium.
3.) The monazite has not been returned by the private company to the DAE after mining for other minerals.
4.) Only a gentleman’s agreement requires the private company to inform the government about how much monazite they posses. 

  From the year 2004, 235,000 tones of thorium have been claimed to be illegally exported. In a report read to the Lok Sabha in 2012, the AMDER stated that there were 10.7 tones of monazite on India’s beaches; in a similar report prepared in 2002, the AMDER had claimed 12.8 tones of the mineral to be present. This indicates that 2.1 tones of monazite, or approximately 235,000 tones of thorium, had gone missing in between the period!

Now let us analyze it ourselves and find out its authenticity. Firstly, though India is estimated to have the second largest deposits of thorium after Brazil, the nuclear fuel is not exactly rare elsewhere in the world. Any international concern that wished to buy thorium can do so comparatively more easily on the open market rather than breaching any of international and domestic laws. Moreover Thorium cannot be used to make nuclear weapons either, and so even lacks the value of exotic contraband weaponry. Now why anyone would wish to acquire thorium illegally?  

Secondly, the amount of thorium that has allegedly been exported about 235,000 tones is gibberish. If India had 100% of its present energy output, the amount alleged to have gone missing in the scam could power India at present rates for some 700 years.   World consumption of thorium is around ten tones. IREL itself exports barely five tones of monazite per annum. And the most interesting is that the amount alleged to have been exported from India illegally represents 23,500 years of global supplies! Isn't it quite ridiculous?

But there off course remains the question about the missing 2.1 million tones of monazite. Are the DAE’s figures accurate? Is it in fact missing? Or it is merely a hoax?  Nonetheless Thorium holds a great importance for India’s future energy dreams, so government should look into this matter and should secure this precious mineral of India for the wellbeing of our future.

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SPECIAL OPS FORCES OF INDIA

With the advent of modernization in defense technology, the military warfare has stepped up in a new era of sophisticated weaponry and advanced tactics. Almost each and every prominent nation today has its own special forces. You must have heard about the professionalism and specialization of US Navy SEAL, Russian Spetsnaz and British SAS in the modern battlefield. You might also have watched movies based on special operations like Tears of sun, Zero dark thirty & Act of valor. These movies always fill our mind with loads of enthusiasm. Apart from these, do you know that our country also have some state of the art Special Forces which are rated equal among the best special ops in the world. Okay, let me introduce you with the special forces of India. I will throw light on the training, weapons, tactics and operational records of these forces. So let us have a look of these veterans. 

#Para Commandos

Para Commandos are a special forces unit of the Indian Army mandated with special operating missions such as special operations, Direct action, Hostage rescue, Counter-terrorism, Unconventional warfare, Special reconnaissance, Foreign internal Defense, Personnel recovery, Asymmetric warfare, Counter-proliferation, Counter Insurgency, Seek and Destroy special heliborne operations are its primary tasks. Para Commando personnel wear a maroon beret and they wear a 'Special Forces' tab on each shoulder. Personnel who serve in the Para (SF) are allowed to wear the 'Balidaan' (Sacrifice) badge after having served a period of one year in a hostile zone. They are the only one in the Indian Armed Forces to have the privilege to get tattoos on their body. The initial training to be a special forces operator is 3.5 years but the training is an ongoing process, in the special forces, the members are imparted both basic and advance training. They are taught specialized mode of infiltration and exhilaration, either by air (combat freefall) or sea (combat diving). For combat diving training, the commandos are sent to the Naval Diving School, Kochi. Night and weapons training and field craft involving 20 km treks with 60 kg (132 lb) loads and live ammunition are conducted. Weekly forced marches with 65 kg combat loads with distances over 50 to 80 miles and quarterly night drops with full combat loads are also conducted. They are also experienced in conducting SHBO (special heliborne operations) and typically employ Cheetahs, MI-8/MI-17 or HAL (Dhruv) helicopters for this purpose. They are trained for operating almost 21 different weapons including assault rifle, anti-material rifle, handguns and rocket launchers. Their operations have been sought during 1971 Indo-Pak war, 1984 operation Blue Star, 1999 Kargil war, operation cactus Maldives and many others. They have also done operations in foreign nations also.

#  MARCOS

MARCOS, previously named as Marine Commando Force (MCF), is the special operations unit of the Indian Navy, created for conducting special operations such as amphibious warfare, Counter-terrorism, Direct action, Special reconnaissance, Unconventional warfare, hostage rescue, Personnel recovery, Asymmetric warfare, Counter proliferation. All MARCOS personnel are males selected from the Indian Navy. The selection standards are extremely high. The training is a continuous process. The total duration of training of MARCOS is between two and half to three years. All MARCOS personnel are freefall qualified (HALO/HAHO). A few also qualify to operate the Cosmos CE-2F/X100 two-man subs. MARCOS train along with the Special Forces officers of the Indian Army like the Para Commandos. They are skilled combat divers and parachutists and most of the training deals with counter-terrorist, anti-hijacking and anti-piracy operations.  This includes firing while lying down, standing, running full-sprint, even backwards and looking into a mirror – with a reaction time of 0.27 seconds. This is followed by a year of training of specialized skills. Marcos practice Krav Maga for hand-to-hand combat a tactical martial system developed in Israel, to add a cutting edge to their combative skills.  A notably rigorous training program is the "death crawl" – an 800-metre struggle through thigh-high mud, loaded with 25 kg of gear and after a 2.5 km obstacle course that most soldiers would fail. After that, when the trainee is exhausted and sleep-deprived, he has to undergo the final test – shooting a target 25 meters away, with a partner standing next to it. The MARCOS are trained in every kind of weapon and instruments, from knives and crossbows to sniper rifles, handguns, assault rifles, submachine guns and bare hands. Being divers, they can reach hostile shores swimming underwater. Their operations have been sought during 1987 Operation Pawan, 1988 Operation Cactus, 1999 Kargil war and also the most recent 2008 Operation Black Tornado. They have also foiled many piracy attempts by Somali pirates. MARCOS has also been known to carry out wide variety of operations in foreign soil. MARCOS is widely feared among the terrorists, who call them "Dadhiwala fauj", meaning the "Bearded army" because of their bearded disguise in civil areas!!

#Garud Commando Force

The Garud Commando Force is the Special Forces unit of the Indian Air Force. Garud is tasked with the protection of critical Air Force bases and installations; search and rescue during peace and hostilities and disaster relief during calamities. Recruitment to the Garuds is done directly through airmen selection centers via advertisements. Candidates found eligible for the force are put through a process of rigorous physical training. Garud trainees undergo a 72 week Basic Training course, which is the longest among all the Indian Special Forces but it also includes basic training. The total duration of training before a trainee can qualify as a fully operational Garud is around 3 years. The subsequent phase of special operations training is imparted by the Special Group of the Special Frontier Force, the army, NSG and the paramilitary forces. Those who qualify, proceed to the Parachute Training School (PTS) at Agra to complete the basic airborne phase. Trainees are trained along with paratroopers of the Indian Army.  Garuds also train at the diving school of the Indian Navy and the Army's Counterinsurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS). After induction, the commandos also undergo advanced training, including anti-hijack and counter insurgency training, jungle and snow survival techniques, specialized weapon handling and advanced driving skills. Garuds usually carry small arms ranging from handguns to assault rifles. Garuds have been deployed to Congo as a part of the UN peacekeeping contingent. They also operate alongside Army Special Forces in Jammu and Kashmir to gain operational exposure. Garud Commandos were tasked to provide security at the Yelahanka AFS during Aero India-2005, 2007, 2011 and 2013. As in the case of the failed attack on Awantipur AFS in October 2001, Garuds act as an emergency terror-response team!! 

# National Security Guards.

The National Security Guard (NSG) is an elite high-profile counter-terrorism and special operations tactical unit in India. It works completely within the Central Armed Police Forces structure. The NSG is an elite force providing a second line of defense to the nation. The NSG members are also known as Black Cats because of the black drill cotton coveralls and balaclavas or helmets they wear. The NSG's specific goals include Neutralization of terrorist threats, Handling hijacking situations in air and on land, Bomb disposal (search, detection and neutralization of IEDs), PBI (Post Blast Investigation), Engaging and neutralizing terrorists in specific situations and Hostage Rescue. It is a task-oriented force and has two complementary elements in the form of the Special Action Group (SAG) and the Special Ranger Groups (SRG). The Special Action Group is the strike force in anti-terrorist and anti-hijack operations, supported by the SRG. The SAG is the offensive wing drawn from units of the Indian Army whereas the SRG consists of members from Central Paramilitary Forces (CPFs) and Central Police Organizations (CPOs) such as the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and State Police forces. Three of their 14 months of training in Manesar, Haryana, are devoted to the basics. The basic training period lasts 90 days. Physical fitness training has 26 elements, ranging from a cross-country obstacle course to jumping from heights and across divides and scaling different kinds of terrain. One endurance test involves target shooting at the end of an obstacle-ridden cross-country run. This is meant to gauge the candidate’s performance under conditions of stress and exhaustion. Those who successfully complete the tests are sent for nine months of advanced training. Only those who complete the entire course successfully are inducted into the NSG and given further specialized training, thus making them at par with the best forces around. At the training, the commandos are trained to handle sophisticated communication equipment, combat gadgets and different kinds of arms specialized weapons such as AK-47/74s, Browning hi-power 9mm pistol, 9mm Uzi sub-machine gun, 5.56mm M-16 A2, 9mm H&K MP5-A2/A3 and locally manufactured 7.62mm SLR and 5.56mm INSAS rifles. Sniper rifles such as the semi-automatic H&K 7.62mm PSG-1 and MSG-90, the SIG7.62mm, SSG-2000 and the bolt-action Mauser SP66/86SR are also used to train members of the Special Action Group, which is specifically deployed for anti-terror/anti-hijacking operations. The NSG commandos were first used to combat the insurgency movement in the Indian state of Punjab in 1986. They are now primarily utilized for counter-terrorist activities and have seen combat operations in Jammu and Kashmir, though sparingly. They have also been used in Operation Black Thunder 1,   Operation Ashwamedh and most recently in 26 November 2008 Mumbai attacks — Operation Black Tornado and Operation Cyclone.

#COBRA Commandos

COBRA (backronym for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a specialized unit of the CRPF created to counter the Naxalite problem in India. This specialized CRPF unit is one of the few units of the Central Armed Police Forces in the country who are specifically trained in guerilla warfare. Their role is to carry out reconnaissance and long range patrols, gather intelligence on the whereabouts of the insurgents, and also carry out ambushes and precision strikes when required. Their sniper teams can also be used to headshot key targets. Cobras are trained in the Army’s elite Counterinsurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Mizoram and CRPF's anti terrorist school in Silchar. They are adept in the art of camouflage and jungle warfare. Some regiments of COBRA are given halo jump training like the parachute regiment. Cobra is the best-equipped Central Armed Police unit in the country that uses state of the art weapons including INSAS rifles, AK rifles, X-95, Browning Hi-Power and Glock pistols, Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns and Carl Gustav recoilless rifle.  Cobras also have hi-tech electronic surveillance equipment and well-trained sniper teams, armed with Dragunov SVD, Mauser SP66 and Heckler & Koch MSG-90 sniper rifles. These commandos conducted in Singam Dgu Dantewada district on 17 September 2009, On 9 January 2010 under PS Jagargunda in district and many others and have cleared a number of naxalites. In a special operation launched in Saranda forest area of Jharkhand Cobra teams were able to penetrate deep in forest and kill one Maoist, apprehend 4 Maoists cadres, bust 12 Maoist camps and recover of arms and explosives!!

So these were some of the class warriors of India insuring it’s both internal and external security. Out of these MARCOS & Para Commandos are rated among the top 10 Special Forces round the globe. These forces are assets of a nation which are vital for its sovereignty. From my side there is a warm SALUTE for these war veterans!!!

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OPERATION BLUE STAR: A SUCCESS OR A FAILURE

Was Operation blue star as stated one of the successful operations of Indian Army, really successful? About 11000 armed troops from army, CRPF, BSF & Punjab police were tasked to engage merely a handful of Sikh extremist militants in a bloody battle leaving behind piles of corpses of militants, soldiers and civilians. It is quite tough to believe that about 5000 civilians were gunned down during this operation. But it is the grim reality.

First of all, let’s have a glimpse of the operation. Operation Blue Star was an anti-militancy operation carried out mainly by Army. It was started on 3 June, 1984 and lasted till 8^TH by the order of then prime minister Indra Gandhi in order to establish control over the Harmandir Sahib Complex in Amritsar, Punjab and to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the complex buildings. Bhindranwale, the militant’s leader along with his followers had earlier taken residence in Harmandir Sahib and made it his headquarters. They were demanding a separate territory named ‘KHALISTAN” and was accused of the assassination of Nirankari Gurbachan Singh and the Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General A. S. Atwal. In this large scale operation infantry, artillery and armored regiments of army were deployed and pounders, APCS and tanks were used.

Now let’s jump into the real scenario of those days of the operation and feel the draconian situation prevailing out there. I'll explain it by giving the real battle situation day-vise.

The Planning

Prime Minister Indra Gandhi calls Lt. Gen. S. K. Sinha, then Vice-Chief of Indian Army and asks him to prepare a position paper for assault on the Golden Temple. Lt. Gen. Sinha advises against any such move, because of its sacrilegious nature according to Sikh tradition. He suggests the government to adopt an alternative solution. Prime minister makes a controversial decision to replace him with General Arun Shridhar Vaidya as the Chief of the Indian army. General Vaidya assisted by Lt. Gen. K Sundarji as Vice-Chief, plans and coordinates Operation Blue Star. Now the operation has been planned and ready to be implicated.

June 1st, 1984

It is 1240 hrs and the army has given order to BSF and CRPF to engage the militants with small arms and machine guns. The Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force has started firing at "Guru Ram Das Langar" building.

June 2nd, 1984

The Indian army has sealed the international border from Kashmir to Ganganagar, Rajasthan. At least seven divisions of army are being deployed in villages of Punjab. It is almost 8pm and media and the press are being gagged by the army. Army has suspended the rail, road and air services in Punjab. Foreigner’s and NRI’s entry has been banned and the water and electricity supply has been cut off. Now there is a total blackout in the city.

June 3rd, 1984

There is a complete curfew with the army and para-military patrolling the whole Punjab. The army has sealed off all routes of ingress and exit around the temple complex. In other words Punjab has been totally cut off from the other states and the rest of world.

June 4th, 1984

Suddenly a series of bombings are heard. The army is bombarding the historic Ramgarhia Bungas, the water tank, and other fortified positions. The army helicopters can be seen all over. The army is using Ordnance QF 25 pounder and is destroying the outer defenses laid by General Shabeg Singh. Now the army is placing tanks and APCs on the road separating the Guru Nanak niwas building. The artillery and small arms firing stops for a while, and Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former head of SGPC is sent to negotiate with Bhindranwale, however, he stood unsuccessful. The firing resumed again. By the end of the day Hundreds or thousands of Sikhs are known to be killed in the ferocious battle.

June 5th, 1984

It is morning time and shelling has started on the building inside the Harmandir Sahib complex. A clear gunshot and grenade bursts can be heard. The 9th division has launched a frontal attack on the Akal Takht. Now it is 1900 hrs and the BSF and CRPF has started attacking Hotel Temple View and Brahm Boota Akhara respectively on the southwest fringes of the complex. 3hrs have passed and both the structures are now under their control. The Army simultaneously has also attacked various other gurdwaras.  Now the general has decided to launch a simultaneous attack from three sides. 10 Guards, 1 Para Commandos and Special Frontier Force (SFF) would attack from the main entrance of the complex, and 26 Madras and 9 Kumaon battalions from the hostel complex side entrance from the south. A havoc situation is being noticed- “As the troops entered the temple from the Northern entrance, they were gunned down by light machine-gun fire from both sides of the steps. The few commandos who did get down the steps were driven back by a barrage of fire from the building on the south side of the sacred pool, and thus they failed to reach the pavement around the Sacred Pool.” Many commandos from the best divisions of army have been gunned down. Three tanks and an APC are now entering the complex and suddenly a RPG hits an APC and immobilizes it. By 7:30am the tanks have got the clearance to fire their main guns (105 mm high explosive Squash Head shells).

June 6th, 1984 

A clear and loud shell burst is heard. Vijayanta tanks has shelled and destroyed the Akal Takhat! A group trying to escape has mowed down by machine gun fire. But still the resistance continues from the neighboring structures of the Akal Takhat.

June 7th, 1984

By the morning the army has gained stronghold over the Harmandir Sahib complex. Almost all the militants have been killed but the army is still positioned in the complex.

June 8th, 1984

Again some gunshots are being heard. Army has killed the remaining four militants holed up in the basement of the tower. Finally the operation has been completed. A galaxy of corpuses is lying in a pool of blood inside the complex. The whole building has been severely destructed. Bullet marks can be easily seen on the walls of dilapidated building. A chaos is all around the city. Some more people are also reported killed in the village area.

So this was the real condition during those days of the so called ‘successful operation’. According to some sources about 5000 civilians and more than 700 soldiers were killed. In the aftermath of the incident at least 4000 Sikh soldiers mutinied at different locations in India in protest, with some reports of large-scale pitched battles being fought to bring mutineers under control. The operation also led to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October 1984 by two of her Sikh bodyguards, triggering the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. 

The operation was heavily criticized by media and human rights. The use of artillery in the congested inner city of Amritsar proved deadly to many civilian bystanders living near Harmandir Sahib. The media blackout throughout the Punjab resulted in widespread doubt regarding the official stories and aided the promotion of hearsay and rumors. S. K. Sinha, the GOC of the Indian Army who was sacked just before the attack, criticized the Government's claim that the attack represented a "last resort". He also stated that the operation would have been conducted in an entirely different manner if he had planned it. He also pointed out that a few days before the operation, the Home Minister had announced that the troops would not be sent to Harmandir Sahib but the operation seems to have been in plans much earlier. Also the timing of Operation Blue Star coincided with a Sikh religious day, the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, the founder of the Harmandir Sahib. Sikhs from all over the world visit the temple on this day. Many Sikhs view the timing and attack by the Indian Army as an attempt to inflict maximum casualties on Sikhs and demoralize them, and the government is in turn blamed for the inflated number of civilian dead for choosing to attack on this day. Before the attack by army a media blackout was imposed in Punjab. journalists were picked up from their hotels at 5 am in a military bus, taken to the adjoining border of the state of Haryana and "were abandoned there". A group of journalists who later tried to drive into Punjab were stopped at the road block at Punjab border and were threatened with shooting if they proceeded.  The press criticized these actions by government as an "obvious attempt to attack the temple without the eyes of the foreign press on them". According to some sources several suspected Sikh militants had been shot with their hands tied. In an interview a doctor said that he was picked up by the army and forced to conduct postmortems despite the fact he had never done any postmortem examination before. Army was accused with the violation of human rights. In addition, Indira Gandhi has been accused of using the attack for political ends. Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer stated that Indira Gandhi attacked the Harmandir Sahib complex to present herself as a great hero in order to win forthcoming elections.

 But the question still remains that couldn’t this operation have started few days later? Or couldn't it be done in some other peaceful way? Now it is all up to you to decide whether the action or the decision taken by the ‘IRON LADY ‘was right or was a huge blunder!!

Excerpts- dailymail.co.uk
indiatoday.intoday.in
thehindu.com
wikipedia.com

BEING INDIAN: THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS NATIONALITY

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RIGHTS! RIGHTS! RIGHTS! , We all have heard people shouting and advocating for their rights. Right to information, Right to expression etc.  But does anyone do the same for the duties? Indeed India is a county with diversity in religion, culture and believes and is progressing toward development day by day.  But along with the development India is encountering different social and political problems from corruptions to the crimes.  But as a Responsible Citizen of India did we ever tried to do a bit except for shouting at the Government and blaming it even for the minor matters? We proudly say that the constitution has provided us some fundamental rights but it is a matter of reality that very few among-st us even know about the fundamental duties that the same constitution has provided us.  

        The fundamental duties are the moral and constitutional duties or functions of each and every citizen of India.  So let us have a glimpse of these duties. Part IV-A Article 51A of the Constitution of India provides the following Fundamental Duties:-

(a)    To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem; 

(b) To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom; 

(c) To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India; 

(d) To defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so; 

(e) To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood among-st all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

(f) To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture; 

(g) To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures; 

(h) To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform; 

(i) To safeguard public property and to abjure violence; 

(j) To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavor and achievement. 

(k) Who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years. 

So, it is better to take an initiative towards the development of a nation rather than barely shouting on the system because remember we citizens are the one who are solely responsible for the development of this country and a country builds up on the pillars of the responsible citizens. It has been well quoted that “for a journey of thousand miles begins with one step”. If we all follow above-mentioned rules, regulations and laws then we will be one of the best loved nations in the world. For which we are and have been renowned for our hospitality since time immemorial.

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MISUSE OF MONEY DURING ELECTIONS

While watching an ad of a political party on the television, a thought quickly rushed to my mind that“what could have been done for the upping of the nation using the money that is being brunt out for such ads and from where do these political parties get such a huge stack of money to invest during the campaign”? In a country like India where poverty and unemployment are one of the biggest and probably the most prior issues, should such a huge lump of money be invested on election campaigns?

                                 Let contemplate on the bankroll to be blown on 2014 Loksabha elections and sources from where they are procured. According to studies, the 2014 general election is going to be the most expensive election in Indian history, with a lump of Rs. 30,000 crores being spent by the government, political parties and candidates. It will be second only to the most expensive US presidential campaign of all time. And also the biggest portion of this expense will be the money spent by candidates and parties on election campaigning. According to communications services firm Madison Media, India’s advertising industry is itself expected to receive business worth a staggering $800 million. As numerous loopholes and lack of transparency mar the current election finance system in India, candidates and parties are able to raise and spend money without making any declarations to the sources. Industrialist and Member of Parliament, Rahul Bajaj, clearly said that black money funds political parties. “Parties do not raise money by cheques and by its small members. All money comes in through black money. Black money doesn't come from heaven.” From some sources it has been found that this black money comes from different sources ranging from illegal donations by prominent capitalists to the underworld. So it can be verily asserted that a whale of money is being dissipated in the elections.

         Well, let us speculate over the other aspects of the utilization of this money. Can’t this money be utilized to give better opportunities to the youth of the nation? Can’t it be used to strengthen the internal security of the nation? The answer is yes! But the political parties only focus on their own interest rather than having concern over the critical problems and sufferings of the nation by which it is going through. Undeniably 30000 crores is a huge amount and it can be used for the pogey and the up growth of the nation.

                                                      Now taking an account of the use of black money which is again a blot on the face of democracy and elections, The National Commission for the Review of Working of Constitution (NCRCW) highlighted the problem of black money, where it recommended in unequivocal terms, “Candidates should be made subject to proper statutory audit of the amounts they spend. These accounts should be monitored through a system of checking and cross-checking through the income-tax returns filed by the candidates, parties and their well-wishers.” It also stated, “Audit should not only be mandatory but it should be enforced by the Election Commission.”

                                           But it is evident that the current regulatory mechanisms are not enough to put a check on the growing influence of black money in elections. There is a need to take comprehensive steps and corroborate financial information received for both parties and candidates from various sources. Neither the Election commission nor the constitutional reforms alone can control the misuse of money. Even the Apex Court’s directions to effectively follow the cases of persons having huge black money in foreign banks have been shamelessly compromised by the ruling combination which adopted a half-hearted approach at the fag end of their tenure. Time is far off for political parties taking sincere approach on such issues. The irony is that the politicians and their crony capitalists have the bulk of the black money which they liberally use during the elections when the Election Commission and other bodies remain helpless. The elections in the country have down-graded to battle of money-muscle power. The hard reality is that it is not the dearth of Acts or institutions that defeat the battle against the misuse of money, but the lack of commitment and sincerity of mainstream political parties or their leaders. These reforms require political will and action. And hence the question again remains that “Are Indian political parties open to reforming and strengthening the rules and regulations that lead to transparency and accountability in raising and spending money?”

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GLOBAL RE-POSITIONING: THE FIGHT FOR NO. 2

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Since the very first times, whenever a superpower came into existence, a decent counterbalance to it also emerged along with. During the world war’s era, USA and Britain were the superpowers. So the Germany stood as a counterbalance to it. After 1950 during the days of cold war USSR gave a strong opposition to US as a counter to it. But after this period no any particular nation stood on the same pedestal with US. In present times there are few nations having such potential. And there has been a strong competition among-st them for the position of no. 2.

Let us first check out some nations having such potentials. In this context the first name comes of China. We have often heard about china’s emerging or probably the second superpower status, and its identification as a top emerging economy and a global fire power. In terms of economic power, it is fair to say that China is a primary competitor for the United States. China’s economy is presently the second largest in the world and also is the fastest growing economy. China has transformed a poor society by an economic miracle to become now the second-largest economy in the world. China has a fine class of human resource which makes china even better in the terms of potentials. The poor economic recovery and financial disorder is forcing a galaxy of jobs overseas in china. It is also argued that china will soon become the world’s largest economy and to be making rapid progress in many areas. China’s economy is already half the size of the US economy and projected to overtake it around 2018. Now talking about China’s military power, China has the world’s largest army of about 2.2 million active personnel and 1.5 million reserved ones. It has the edge cutting technologies which can probably match to those of America’s. Now a day’s its military power can be seen in South China Sea where it has announced an air defense zone or ADIZ and has taken a front against Japan and some other Asian nations. The dominance of China over the Asian continent itself proves its might. In overall scenario it can be easily asserted that china has capabilities of being nominated for the competition to be the second on the global index.

Not only china but India has also the potential to be the second after US. Several media publications and academics have discussed the India’s potential of becoming a superpower.A US Intelligence report, from 2012, says that India will become a superpower by 2030; it writes that “India’s rate of economic growth is likely to rise while China’s slows”. According to the report, World Bank suggests that China and India will be an “emerging economy growth pole” by 2025. The report further adds that the total size of the Chinese working-age population will peak in 2016 but decline in later years, while with India it won’t be the same factor. It has been predicted that by 2015 India will overtake China to be the fastest growing economy in the world and emerge as a full-fledged economic superpower by 2025. Although facing many problems such as pervasive rural poverty, entrenched corruption, and high inequality, India has made tremendous strides to fix these and has maintained the world’s largest diverse democracy. India’s young population coupled with the second-largest English-speaking population in the world could give India an advantage over China. The Founder and President of the Economic Strategy Institute and former counselor to the Secretary of Commerce in the Reagan Administration Clyde V. Prestowitz Jr. predicted that “It is going to be India’s century. India is going to be the biggest economy in the world. It is going to be the biggest superpower of the 21st century.” India’s military power is also the one which makes India stand on the global power index. It has the world’s third largest army after China and US, of about 1.3 million active and 1.1 million reserved personnel. Although it might be unable to match Chinese on land, an alternative could be at sea. India has been operating an aircraft carrier since 1960s, whereas China is only now getting in the game. Also India is expanding its defense budget and is introducing several defense reforms. A large number of military equipment has been ordered from Russia and EU and also it is gearing up for the introduction of new indigenous technologies. Currently India has gone through a battery of successful integrated missile tests. So there is no doubt that India is a tough contestant for the fight for number two.

Well, the two Asian power giants, i.e.-China & India, will have to eradicate some of the socio-economic problems due to which it is lagging few steps behind the status of a superpower. China’s problems of wages, aging, declining population, and also gender imbalance will lead china vulnerable to crime. Moreover China has continually polluted its environment after 30 years of growth in the lust of industrial and economic development. The conditions of China could improve if regional territorial disputes would be resolved and China would participate in an effective regional defense system that would reduce the fears of its neighbors. Alternatively, a democratization of China would dramatically improve foreign relations with many nations.

                                Now taking an account of India, in the recent past there had been several cases of corruption and crimes. The deteriorating relation from Pakistan is a major hurdle for its progress. Low literacy rates, abstract poverty and less health care works are crushing its steps toward being an Asian lion. Although India has potentials to be the same but it resists its own rise. India will have to eradicate its poverty, fix its corruption, sort of the territorial disputes over negotiations and strengthen its defense.  

Although the two nations have a lot of potentials but the tug of war between the two will continue for at-least next two decades. It has been estimated that USA will remain a global superpower till 2050. So till 2050 the fight will remain for the no. 2 !   

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