India says ‘I (may) Belong’!

Somebody somewhere is listening! Have my anguish (in my previous blog) along with that of the millions of Indians over the government’s losing sovereignty been heard?

India has perhaps finally proved that it can stand up to voice its concern over the Tibet – Beijing Olympic imbroglio. In rejecting to ban anti-China or rather the pro-Tibet protests during the token 3 km Olympic torch relay in New Delhi, India has conveyed to the Chinese administration that it is still a functioning Democracy that respects the right to peaceful protest. It looked like India was standing up to be counted. The announcement brought respite to the millions of Indians who have been sulking over the losing sheen of India’s independent foreign policy.

But should the announcement be seen in isolation? At the cost of sounding cynical, I see shades of Gordon Brown’s decision to not attend the Olympic opening ceremony abetting India’s rediscovered vocal cords. Please mind a similar voice also emanating from Washington.

Agreed that India has already done much for the Tibetan cause by granting asylum to the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa and thousands of other Tibetans, but no such decision has been taken in the recent past. It was years and in fact governments ago that any such decision was taken.

As a student of Political Economics, I cannot but appreciate the seamless integration of politics with economics and at such scale that involve the world’s foremost economic powers that also wield the most political influence the world over.