Don't Gimme RED

Oh Yes! I have started to blog. The revolution's nth victim. I am taken in.....

Wow!! What a great time to be in India and be an Indian!! These are the times when we are on the fast track to define what India stands for, what India is and what our capabilities are but before we realize our dreams of being a developed country lets look at a big ticket obstacle-Destructive, non-progressive communist mentality at the grass root level.

I have grown up in JNU Campus(read the red campus)been here for the last 23 years all I have seen coming up during these years is red buildings and yes even more red buildings though the shade of red may have changed from time to time..How? Well as per every bright, young JNU student they believe somewhere deep down that JNU would walk away any day with the title of "capital university-of-world's-intellectual-elites", why they feel like that is highly debatable... These would be the same set of students who go hoarse discussing anti-globalization,and how equality can be achieved in the country which is 1+ billion strong in population without getting more FDI. Same set would create posters with their creative juices spilling all over which would scream physical, ideological, chemical and biological usurpation of their alma-mater by a big MNC. In the process they would also create a Che Guevara poster in which he would staring at the horizon...After his death nearly 40 years ago, Guevara became a hero of Third World socialist revolutionary movements, as a theorist and tactician of asymmetric warfare. Whether or not Che is remembered in the country of his origin i.e Argentina, he is a revered figure in JNU. Does India, which is just a decade or two away from becoming a developed country really require Che's ideology?? My point is fast paced growth and communist ideology can never go hand in hand.

Ironically most poster creating elites would perspire and aspire to go abroad to study, work and probably even settle down! Absolutely nothing wrong in enhancing their career prospects, nothing wrong at all when they want to earn more by dint of their hardwork and capabilities. But why jump-on to the communist bandwagon temporarily for 3-5 years when they are in JNU? Is it peer pressure which makes them masquerade as communist? Or is it identity crisis? Okay some grow up, some go abroad and settle down, others remain hereand become politicians. You see the baton has to be passed on from one generation to the other isn't it? Then they vociferously oppose the FDI which the government wants to bring up in retail, hotel and banking sectors. It is well known that reforms in banking or broadly the financial sector would form the real backbone of our economy because it will consolidate all the financial institution which are scattered at this point. As retail sector is already hotting up, FDI in it would give added thrust that it deserves.

Cosider this, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) India is the second fastest growing tourist destination. It is perhaps the most opportune time to go for cent per cent FDI in hotels. If India is to withstand tourism boom we have to really ramp up tourist accommodation and the support system a great deal. Which better place to start than the national capital New Delhi itself which has to get dressed and tressed for a mega-event like Commonwealth Games in the year 2010 and possibly Asian Games in 2014. If we are successful in hosting these mega events it would showcase New Delhi and India largely as the destination of the future for more events. Also needs to be considered is the fact that airline industry globally is going to get into top shape through low cost airlines. Indian airspace is poised for a dramatic image makeover by the entry of private players and India opening up its skies partially for foreign players. We are all well aware that travel, tourism and hotels get us a constant supply of foreign exchange and it generates high quality employment with its multiplier-effect in the economy. To make the FDI environment even more conducive in our country, we can even have relaxed taxation laws, something like no tax if the profit from FDI is re-invested. While we have a fire breathing dragon in our neighborhood which is ready to bend over backwards to make itself more attractive, and even after amazing results India has achieved in the recent 14 years, I fail to understand why the communists are so much opposed to FDI. It is all the more disappointing because it is happening at a time when the communist ruled state of West Bengal is moving ahead with lot of inflows from big MNCs. Since more and more FDI is the need of the hour for the continued well being of our economy, I would request the comrades to lower their red flag let their hammer and sickle rest for some time!

All in all what a heavy duty subject for first time blogging!