Power Games at the Tri Junction

Editorial

Power games at the tri junction

The current standoff between India and china is expected to continue and is significantly different from the previous incidents.

1. Unique position of chumbi valley – It has a military significance and access to doklam plateau to china can provide access to siliguri corridor of india.
2. The tussle is formally over the interests and rights of a third country. Bhutan. So, it has to be seen as a competition for influence in smaller countries among china and India. Bhutan and India friendship treaty and a privileged relationship with Bhutan is an advantage for India. If not, a territorial swap of doklam could have occurred between Bhutan and china
3. Stand off comes at a period when trust between India and china are at lowest.

On the other side

1. Indian border infrastructure is very poor.
2. China believes India should acknowledge the power disparity between the two and show appropriate deference to China. India has always repudiated and is evident from the Malabar exercises conducted last week.

The current border stand-off suggests India is likely to become bolder in resisting the idea of power disparity.

Building solidarity beyond borders

There is a growing synergy between right wing leadership across the geographies. Sinhala nationalist organisation Bodu bala Sena, RSS in India, Myanmars 969 movement are forming alliances. The left, liberal civil society and public intellectuals are been pre occupied to focus on these.

A dangerous turn

West Bengal is known for political violence and class struggle. Recently there is a growth of communal violence. Chief minister MamataBenerjee’s minority led communalism is giving ground for the growth of majoritarian communalism.

Divided island

Cyprus was divided in to North and south – Turkish Cypriot in North and Greek Cypriot in South. The split took place in 1974 when Turkey invaded the north after an Athens-backed coup in Cyprus aimed at annexing the island. There were efforts towards unification but significant progress is not happening. The reasons are

1. Restitution of property rights of Greek Cypriots in north.
2. Lack of an institutional framework to secure interests of both ethnic groups.
3. Turkey’s refusal to guarantee the withdrawal of troops stationed in the North.

If both countries are united. It can help Cyprus to realize immense tourism potential.

Corruption in the era of liberalization

Gunar Myrdal in his famous book Asian Drama (1968) gave attention to socio economic conditions, to the stage of development, institutional and attitudinal problems. He saw corruption in static terms and today situation is very different form 1968.

Major challenges to the narration of corruption today is

1. Corruption is not conceptualised soundly and is presented in overly simplified moral terms. India needs a more empirical analysis.
2. Mass campaigns against corruption in India have raised public awareness but failed to sustain. Anna hazare movement, jaya prakash movement are significant examples for this.
3. Mean value of corruption has remarkably increased after liberalization. It lies deep in the political economy and crony capitalism.

Quote name of this book in your answer/essay - Why Scams Are Here to Stay: Understanding Political Corruption in India.

News

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