Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice will testify in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday at 9:30am, April 5th. Last week Young India organized a Congressional briefing on the Indo-US nuclear deal - Dr. Rice's testimony's focus.

Based on our briefing and research and understanding of the issue we feel the following must happen:

- The deal must be broadened to include a larger ENERGY INITIATIVE of which nuclear energy is A part. In parallel, the nuclear aspects of this initiative MUST carry clauses that envision a new nonproliferation regime that incorporates regional security.

- Unclassified Nuclear Nonproliferation Assessment statement. This document is crucial. I don't think it has been provided yet. We are equally committed to Indo-US relations and nonproliferation and disarmament. They are not mutually exclusive and the day they chart different courses all of us will be in trouble. This assessment statement must be closely studied.

In conclusion, Secretary Rice should be asked why is India so keen on this deal given that by all estimates energy gains from this deal are modest at best. And why is the US so keen on this deal that it is ready to weaken the nonproliferation regime? She should be probed to share why she feels that THIS deal should be the basis for Indo-US relations as opposed to an initiative that would truly address the energy question for both nations and move them towards energy independence. She should be urged to expand the scope of the deal. As we said at the briefing, the deal cannot fall through but at the same time cannot go through in its current form. I hope
the SFRC plays its crucial role to achieve the best relationship with India.

I hope the Secretary is reminded that India and the US are democracies where transparency is a pillar of our governing systems. All aspects of this deal must be made public to both the Indian and American citizenry so that they can fully participate in this debate. Clandestine passage of this deal in an amorphous form will weaken the democratic traditions of both nations and create a weak and unsustainable platform for a new friendship. Let's have a deal that both people's can gain from.

Peace.

The governments of India and the United States signed a "landmark" agreement today allowing India to import nuclear technology to boost its civilian nuclear power program. In return, India agreed to open 14 of its 22 nuclear reactors to inspection by the IAEA as civilian reactors. Experts, citizens and even those who signed the document are unsure how this deal will impact bilateral relations in the time to come. The signatories may lay claim to a certain vision but only congressional and parliamentary passage will allow this agreement to see the light of reality.

The need for the people of India and those of the United States to come together in a collective pursuit for improving democracy cannot be overstated. Thoreau's influence on Gandhi and then Gandhi's influence on Martin Luther King Jr. already tie the two nations in a deep historic, intellectual and revolutionary relationship. The challenge is to rediscover that relationship in the modern context. Some believe this nuclear deal is a step in that direction. I believe the jury is still out on that.

It is no secret that the government of India has pursued this strategy of seeking nuclear technology as a means of alleviating its energy concerns in isolation and carefully avoiding a larger national dialogue on the issue. Transparency and communication are the cornerstones of successful democracy. Both these elements have been lacking in the Indian government's approach. But I am sure this debate will now take place. Unfortunately, in a very politically charged environment that will cloud the technical arguments needed to make the best scientific determination whether nuclear energy is indeed the best route to energy independence.

My deep desire to see the United States and India to lead the disarmament movement too seems to have suffered a setback because of this deal. It may well be that the two nations will abide by the spirit of the agreement and this will result only in civilian use of technology (given that technology is safe and cost effective) but as a student of interational politics it is hard to ignore the negative precedents this deal will set.

There are, however, some hearty developments to be noted. A new emphasis on gearing bilateral trade towards small and medium sized businesses is a very welcome step. I hope it is not just a statement to assuage those bruised by the nuclear deal but something that the two governments are genuinely committed to. For if that transpires then that would go a long way in enhancing people to people relations. Today, progressives in India tilt against the United States because the actions of American companies have affected and alienated the masses. Also, ideological hangover from the Cold War era persists. There is an obvious opposition to some US foreign policy. But then the American people are having the same disagreement with the President. No need to state the President's current approval ratings.

My call to my dear American friends is to join me in exploring new ways to cooperate. We must find ways that benefit both peoples and not just satisfy the appetite of our political elites that sometimes are afflicted with an obsession for ideas whose time has come and gone. Remember the eyebrows VP candidate Dick Cheney raised in the 2000 campaign when he suggested new nuclear reactors be built. The people of India share the same apprehension of this potent technology. I hope the ensuing discussion will help us find better ways to become the best of friends.

Peace.

Mrs. Coretta Scott King passed away earlier this morning. Her leadership of a movement that armed men and women not with weapons but conviction to challenge the most heinous forms of prejudice will forever inspire all of those who persevere for a just society. Mrs. King was a gracious symbol of a movement that fought the most hideous part of human nature. Her and Dr. King’s dedication to nonviolence inspired many. They executed the Gandhian method for nonviolent transformation to perfection.

In these times when India and the United States are searching for issues to build a “strategic” partnership through military collaboration and exchange of nuclear technology, our leaders are oblivious of a great collaboration that should become the basis for bilateral relations. Dr. King and Mrs. King went to India as a guest of Prime Minister Nehru in efforts to study and learn more about Gandhi's philosophy and techniques of nonviolence from February 2 through March 10, 1959. The interactions they had with luminaries of India’s nonviolent freedom struggle convinced them of the efficacy and moral necessity of nonviolence as the method for change in the United States. Many years later at a Young India organized tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Capitol Hill Rep. John Lewis, a very close King associate, shared with us how the Mahatma was a figure that the entire movement looked up to and followed.

I admire Mrs. King for her devotion to justice and peace, for her commitment to nonviolence and for her symbolizing what truly binds India and the United States – the collective battle for a society that is inclusive and respectful of everyone’s life, liberty and their pursuit of happiness. May God rest her soul in peace and give us the strength to be worthy followers of her.

Peace.
Rohit.

The Palestinian election results have surprised everyone, including its victors, Hamas. Beyond the context of the Middle East/West Asia politics there are lessons to be duly noted.

The results show that incumbent progressive forces are widely incompetent and complacent. Fatah is the latest casualty. The recently concluded Canadian elections and a little before that the German elections too are evidence of this phenomenon. Of course, unlike the United States where incumbency has a stranglehold on democracy, most democracies are not kind to incumbents. But in the recent past we have seen popular progressive movements faltering when their activism is required to transform into governance. Such results push back the progressive movement and allow radical ideas to fill in the void.

South America is tilting left and it will be very interesting to see if the populism that has fueled this shift is converted to accountable governance. Progressives must hold their own leaders to the same standards as they have their political opponents. Transparency must become a core value of all progressive movements. We have already seen this principle harmed in Brazil and Venezuela. The insistence on justice should not be limited to big issues but it must permeate all workings of our governments. In this context the people's right to information must be integral to all civil society and progressive political efforts.

Hamas has a chance to shed its radicalism for a more conciliatory approach towards peace. Both the Palestinians and the Israelis have immensely suffered over the last 58 years. Israel may not be able to easily forget attacks on civilians just like the Palestinians won't be able to easily forget atrocities committed against them. But they have no other choice. Reconciliation is not hoped for but is now demanded by history. Both sides have dug their heels on the matter of justice. What is a just solution? Who has the objectivity to adjudicate this conflict? No one. But there is a starting point - forgiveness. Both parties need to move towards conflict transformation. Only then can they move towards conflict resolution. With Hamas laying down its weapons this process will get a much needed push. The world will greatly welcome this move and give all the support it needs to win the peace. Hamas must seize this opportunity. It has to. If it does then Israel should break down all other barriers for peace. It's time to be statesmen.

Peace.
Rohit.

Both the Republican party in the United States and the BJP in India have been the right-wing flag bearers in their respective political arenas. Both are struggling today.

The Republican party has lost its ideological and, most definitely, its legislative way. The social conservatives, who were virtually unopposed by socially moderate fiscal conservatives in the last Presidential election, seem to have disproportionate attention of lawmakers. Everybody in a democracy has their sets of issues that energizes them but here in America the last few years have seen a surge of right-leaning social activists become louder and more influential. That influence has extracted a broader political cost for the Republican party as a whole, who people now see alienated from the real issues of energy and the economy at large. Even their stance and strategy on terrorism is being called into question. More so because the strategy incorporated a war in Iraq. With both the House and Senate leaders under investigations (prosecutorial and SEC respectively) the structural and ideological cohesion the GOP enjoyed is almost gone.

In India, the BJP has little to show in terms of any policy inputs or even opposition besides some politically necessary pronouncements from time to time to let the public know that they are politically alive. They have been marred by serious infighting that erupted from the most unexpected of sources - a controversy over Jinnah, that shook the ideological foundation of the BJP and its parent organization the RSS. The only other times the BJP has been in the news has been when they have targeted cabinet members like Laloo Prasad Yadav and Natwar Singh for their alleged roles in corruption scandals. Nothing positive yet to come from the BJP as in any policy initiatives that one would expect given their dismal faring in the last general election. The fact that the masses rejected them hasn't yet forced them to review or even suggest any economic gameplan that is more inclusive than what the ill-conceived "India Shining" campaign banked on.

Extreme ideas have a limited lifespan. Their irrelevance to real issues that people face on a daily basis once revealed takes down the politicians who mouthed them. And as these ideologues slip into oblivion a more moderate and meaningful political entity emerges. Hopefully. It seems we're in that transition period both here and in India. Waiting for a real political alternative to emerge.

Peace.

The serial bomb blasts have hit too close to home for me. A market that I regularly frequented saw a blast that killed more than 30 innocent people. I have always failed to understand what purpose the killing of innocents ever achieves. Such violence, in the name of any cause, must be condemned as forcefully as possible. There is simply no room for such violence in the civilized world.

We have to wait for the facts to come out before we can cast definitive blame. Preliminary reports suggest Kashmiri separatists. Young India has always supported a peaceful dialogue on Kashmir that places the Kashmiri people front and center. We have criticized military excesses and categorically denounced cross-border terrorism that in the name of freedom targeted civilians. We pledge to continue to fight for the displaced Kashmiri Hindus as we will continue to persist in our efforts to bring peace to the residents of the Valley who have lived in the shadow of violence for the last 16 years. But under NO circumstance will we tolerate murder. None.

Fundamentalism is the greatest threat to humanity. It must be vigorously challenged. And Young India will continue to do so.

Peace.

With the passage of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the recently concluded Monsoon session of the parliament India has moved a step closer to its enshrined ideals.

72% of India's population lives in its villages. Upwards of 65% of the population lives off the land. Land ceiling laws have been poorly implemented thus most of the rural poor either have small landholdings enough only for subsistence or have none at all. To compound the problems with this reality agricultural employment is not all year round. Such conditions create almost starvation circumstances for the landless. This is the backdrop from which this Bill emerged.

Following are some of the highlights of the Bill -

* The Bill guarantees 100 days of employment to one person per household at Rs.60/day ($1.40/day).
* The scheme will be implemented in 200 of the poorest districts (out of 600 total)
* The whole country will be covered in 5 years.
* The Panchayats (village self-governments) will come up with the openings based on the general areas as specified in the Bill. These areas are predominantly infrastructure oriented.
* Those who cannot be absorbed in the workforce will be eligible for unemployment benefits.


This is a remarkable development. Finally there is a social safety net for the most vulnerable in India. The Government of India along with many non-profit organizations who tirelessly campaigned for this Bill must be congratulated.

The Bill places serious responsibilities on the Panchayats. Their role will be key in the success of this Bill. This is a true test for decentralized democracy. It must, however, be said that the Panchayats will need a lot of help to carry out the schemes sanctioned under the Bill. There is a dire need for training the Panchayat members in basic governing skills. The Panchayati Raj ministry must work with the Rural Development Ministry (the sponsor of the Employment Guarantee Act)to ensure that this training is provided.

Some social concerns persist. The suggestion that a man AND a woman each should be guaranteed employment per household given the problem of alcoholism among men was shot down. Also, the minimum wage of Rs.60/day is rather arbitrary. States have their own minimum wage laws that might conflict with the prescribed wage.

All things considered the passage of this Act signals that Indian politics is now looking inwards in a constructive way. Gone are days when heated communal rhetoric, caste sloganeering and obsessive hatred of Pakistan dominated the political discourse. Even if ever so slightly people's issues have made it to the surface this emergence of the people's agenda must be hailed as a welcome step.

Peace.

It's the morning of the 15th of August in India. 58 years ago on this day India was re-born. My beloved country broke through the shackles of imperialist bondage stepping into a new future of possibilities. That day of celebration was indeed muted by the pain of partition yet it was a day to honor the uncountable sacrifices made by India's most loyal sons and daughters.

For an Indian today is a day of patriotism - a patriotism that honors the struggles waged by generations before us to see India as a free and great nation. We are free in the political sense but the legacy of greatness that these great souls had established is faltering badly. India has been at its best when it has moved as one nation from the ground up. Today business leaders and policymakers pay little heed to the "ground" - India's villages. Most intellectuals too are fashionably ignorant towards that part of Indian society that really made independence happen. It was Champaran in 1917 that shook the nation.

This year I may do something other than make a blanket indictment of the existing political and economic system. Today I challenge India's youth. And that includes Indian youth of the diaspora as well. The opportunities that are availed to us are because some brave soul fought and died for them a century ago. India's youth cannot deny their own moral obligation to those who are still in need of independence from misery and want. India's founders did not build a nation that would forget its weakest but rather they built a nation that would place the suffering of our most vulnerable citizens atop the list of our priorities.

We must engage. Find organizations that work in Indian villages. Do research that will help better rural policy and strengthen rural democracy. Invent something that assists in bringing dignified livelihoods to our people. Campaign against development that kills rural India. Propose development that grows the capacities of our villages to sustain themselves.

The India of Mahatma Gandhi's dreams cannot be created without addressing the most fundamental problems of India's villages. A vision for India that is oblivious of the ground realities in rural India is a vision that is incomplete. So, this independence day let's do something for that 71% of the population that is often neglected in our daily cyber discourses. We do so at our own peril. These 71% taught us a serious political lesson last year in the general election and if intellectuals and current policymakers continue to ignore them they may be in for even greater surprises.

As we pause to honor the soldiers of our independence let us pledge to be true to their fight as well - a fight for a just and better India for all. And I mean ALL.

Peace.

The latest report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi is out. The Nanavati Report (text has not yet been made available) indicts senior Delhi Congress leaders of the time. Namely, Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and HKL Bhagat stand accused.

3000 innocent Sikhs were killed in the violence that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguard on October 31st, 1984. Families have waited for two decades for justice. The Congress party has pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. Yet its own allies leave alone the opposition are not convinced. The onus is on the Congress. If the Congress demands that people like Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi should be charged then they should use every resource at their disposal to help seek justice for the 1984 victims and their families. Anything less than that would be an abdication of constitutional duty.

Along the same lines the BJP's insistence on justice for the 1984 riot victims will be seen as disingenuous as long as they not only shelter but praise Chief Minister Modi. Their hypocrisy in the realm of human rights is being terribly exposed.

The Indian political system MUST ensure justice for all dispossessed in their own homeland - be it Kashmiri Hindus, Gujarati Muslims or the Sikhs in Delhi. Let not parties exploit the pain and suffering of these people for political gain.

Once the report is released to the public we'll have more on the matter.

Peace.

Sometimes a picture captures reality and expresses our asiprations better than any set of words. This is one such picture from THE HINDU. People-centric policy-making finally penetrating through the impervious mindset of our polity. Let's hope this is the begining.

Peace.

Rare are moments in history when the soaring of the human spirit is so universally evident and awe inspiring as is in the case of Lance Armstrong's 7th and final Tour De France win. Coming back from the brink of death to win arguably the toughest sporting event in the world 7 consecutive times is a testimonial to his determination, his dedication and his love for cycling. And in the process he has deservedly so acquired a legendary status not only among cancer survivors but among all those people who dream of possibilities that challenge our imagination.

Today the cancer community and all of those who stand with them are proud to have a friend and a hero in Lance. As a survivor himself he has carried the burden of our expectations and through him so many have lived their dreams of winning and in the process gained strength to fight their own battles.

As he bids farewell to cycling he's welcomed to a life of greater work and contribution to the world. We wish him great health and seek his camaraderie in the endeavors to alleviate pain.

Peace.

As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gets ready to address a joint session of Congress he is presented with a rare opportunity to chart a new course for Indo-US relations. He must not waste it. Breaking through the typical niceties and declarations of democratic values, the Prime Minister should address issues that confront the common citizenry of both nations in their struggles for dignified living. And this can be achieved by proposing and acting on policy initiatives that positively impact the new economic partnership, promotes technological collaboration and articulates an unambiguous response to terrorism.

On the economic front much has been said of the growing partnership between the two nations. This partnership must indeed grow but not just for the industrialists on both sides but for the people at large as well. One way this can be achieved is by having both governments committing themselves to giving an equal amount of weight to develop small businesses. Instead of pitting one middle class against the other, the two leaders must find a way that enables small investors and businesses to cooperate with each other. This will provide greater opportunities for employment generation as well as forge a much closer relationship between the two peoples.

Additionally, collaboration in science and technology must not be held hostage to the defense sector alone. Some promising interaction has been initiated in the field of biotechnology, but for India its use will be validated only when these new technologies enable it to provide affordable health care to its most vulnerable. Increasingly rural indebtedness in India is associated with health care costs. Affordable technologies have made a great impact in tackling basic development issues. Cellular telephony has penetrated deep into India and other telecommunication advances have enhanced rural India’s access to information and resources. These technologies have also greatly improved governance. The Prime Minster should urge the Administration and the American business community to invest in assisting India to become a better decentralized democracy. Space collaboration should continue to grow in order to inspire the next generation of explorers in both countries. Overall the scientific collaboration should be such that gives children in both countries the motivation and opportunity to pursue careers in science. Both nations have produced some of the greatest scientific minds and thus the onus to promote a culture of scientific inquiry is their joint obligation.

Differences persist on the issue of terrorism - not in recognizing its threat but in response to its threat. There is no question that external terrorist threats are real and must be the top priority of the security apparatus. However, diplomatic efforts, if pursued in unison, can greatly diminish the effects of ideological rhetoric. Such efforts can only succeed if those who need this help the most take the lead in reforming their own societies - there can be no imposition of democracy. India must not abandon its positions to appease any foreign government, but it must possess the vision to engage with sincere peacemakers. Geopolitics is inescapable but holding the relationship between two of the most prominent democracies captive to conventional strategic interests is a great disservice to the rare opportunity that has befallen the two nations to forge a new bond.

Only history will tell us how these meetings affect the course of Indo-US relations but it must not be lost on any one of us how important this coming together is. We hope the two leaders can see through the ceremonial aspects and get down to addressing the issues that are front and center of their people as they leave home every morning in pursuit of a better life.

Peace.

Contrary to hopes of internal reflection on the part of the BJP its President Mr.L.K.Advani succumbed to ideological might and reconciled with political reality. The party has been able to keep Mr.Advani but doesn't seem like out of any deep respect but rather out of convenience. With the BJP having a tough time in the last one year with the electoral defeat and then rifts with the RSS (Mr.Sudershan's disparaging remarks about Mr.Advani and Mr.Vajpayee)the BJP wanted to have a steady steward at the helm. As many analysts have concluded the second-tier leadership of the party is not upto the mark yet.

The resolution that the BJP parliamentary party passed reiterates its basic positions. Nothing new. Just a few days ago Mr.Advani had dared the Sangh to debate the Jinnah question. He seems to have backtracked on that. The debate on Jinnah itself was immaterial but the hope was that once a debate of that type started other ideological issues would be revisited in the light of current political situation. Well, that didn't happen. And hopes of that happening at all are quickly fading.

Indian politics can indeed use a responsible right-of-center party but that won't happen as long as the moderates in the BJP keep giving into the fringe elements who always outshout them.

Peace.