Another Soviet in Making???

With declaration of date for Presidential elections on 2nd December media and blogosphere is full of news related to who will lead the largest country in world. Opinions are multifarious ranging from suppression of free speech to voice of liberal electorate and hailing Putin as most successful leader post Soviet breakdown. Well you can easily predict the media speculation depending on your media source. While US and western commentators have severely criticized the way elections are handled in Russia, reports coming from 'Mother Russia' are mostly favorable possibly due to state control of media. But the real perspective is confusing to people outside. Whatever be Putin's approval rating, whatever be the Russian economic progress the signs given by Russia surely decreases its credibility on International front instead of improving.

More and more Anti-Kremlin activists are attacked and arrested in Russia. Russian police broke up an opposition rally and detained about 150 people in St Petersburg, including opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. This happens after former chess champion Garry Kasparov, was arrested at a rally in Moscow on Saturday. Both protests were organised by opposition group The Other Russia. It accuses the government of crushing dissent ahead of elections. TOR has been accusing the government of crushing dissent ahead of elections.Since the last election there has also been a series of significant changes to electoral laws which opposition parties say aims to push them out of the political system. Major points are increasing the minimum percentage of votes required for a party to enter parliament, increasing the minimum number of members a party must have in order to be officially registered by the authorities and banning independent candidates from running for parliament. In face of these and no scope for independent financing, no access to independent media and no access to independent justice there's no possibility to become an opposition.

However pro-Putin supporters ( United Russia) are also not devoid of logic. They see Putin as provider of regional stability and a force against Unipolar World. Supporters of the Kremlin dismiss all allegations of opposition parties as the complaints of losers. Russia was falling apart when Mr Putin came to power. The country needed a strong leader, and it's to Mr Putin's credit that Russia survives as a geographic entity. He has also achieved another important victory. Russians are now proud to be living in their country, which few people could say in the 1990s. GDP growth has been exponential backing on oil and gas prices. These have helped Putin to leverage Russia's position on erstwhile soviet countries and World scene.

However even Kremlin supporters cannot negate the growing menace of corruption in Russian society and there increasing isolation in World community. The only achievement of Vladimir Putin is that some of the money brought to the county by high oil prices hasn't been stolen. There is some investment and it seems to be paying off. Business tycoons who defy Moscow are sent on Siberian Holiday and there is always a threat of nationalization.

Now Putin is bringing one Viktor Zubkov from obscurity to become Russian President and he being in control of strings from behind. Planning is probably done that Zubkov will resign in some time paving way for Putin to again become President. What will transpire, we will come to know in a month or so. Till then "Hail Mother Russia"

C2D in Working…

‘Centre would deal with Naxalism in a “holistic” manner.’ – Shivraj Patil (HM)

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee - “They were paid back with their own coin” while training his guns at Trinamool Congress workers.

Look within the two lines, its clear as a crystal. Bagging front lines in all National Dailies nowadays is the News of recent spate of violence in Nandigram and adjoin areas. These happenings in CPM’s own citadel reflects the results of there idealistic approach towards present world scenario. They remain cocooned in the Ideals of Bolsheviks when everyone including there forefathers (read Russia) and fathers (China) are giving up communism and fostering capitalism. But the picture is much murkier here. Not that CPM solely is responsible for killing, as it appears that Trinamool Congress supporters were also involved in the incident. But the scale of violence and the duration for which it has extended surprises us all. Why could so powerful CPM could not quell violence it its own adobe?? Further why was center so silent about the happenings?? It could have easily sent Army to Nandigram where it could have easily brought the onslaught under control. But No, Centre did not respond and the goons & mafia hired by political forces virtually rampaged entire area. Nandigram was almost cut from the country and no news, death toll or pictures were made available so as to give free hand to CPMs goons in the area.


Prakash Karat justified cadre action and blamed the Maoists and Trinamul for the violence while the Bengal CM argued that his government didn’t do anything in wrong politically cleansing Nandigram. What a shame! CPM cadres celebrating there victory over a small village is truly shocking. But much more unnerving was the quietness of centre and the U-Turn by CPM on its stance on Nuclear Deal. While CPM earlier was vehemently opposed to even discuss the deal now its supportive of the Central governments stance. This all gives us a view of bigger machinations running undercover where nor the violence nor the killing of innocent have any significance when political power comes into question. Cooperate to Dominate is the mantra of our truly headless chicken politicians and we paltry citizens can only watch.