I get highly irritated when business owners bootlick people in power, especially the govts. The current trend is to, incongruously add a dilapidated and irritating word “aatm-nirbhar” to all their advertisements or communications. It reeks of visible sycophancy and naked dishonesty.
This is highly prevalent among the trader and traditional communities in India. Recall that Ratan Tata, totally unsolicited, came openly in support, in writing, of highly catastrophic and idiotic Demonetization within a day of its announcement. //Check the PS 1 at end for his Quid Pro Quo
The case in current context is the full page advertisement done by Vedanta group, founded by Anil Agarwal. They not only did a full page advt but also came up with a sycophantic video
So much is the fear or greed is in minds of these business men about this govt that they have to mandatorily add Modi’s speech keywords in any advertisement campaign if not make a campaign using it. Even in personal communications, they keep parroting Nandu’s cliched words. This is done to extract govt favors in contracts and also to escape harassment from govt agencies like ED/ CBI etc
Before Padma Bhushan Chanda Kochar got disgraced and fell of from glory for her corruption, she painted every digital property of ICICI bank with Modi’s keywords ( Swachh Bharat, Digital Bharat etc). The Indian environment looks very Orwelian and the toady chants very much like ” 2 legs bad, 4 legs good“
This word “Aatm nirbhar” or “Self Reliance” was relevant 1950s. India, then had to import wheat, sugar, milk, paper etc.. We imported clothes, turbines for dams, automobiles, military equipment, steel/cement for homes, tape recorders, TVs. In short, we imported everything. Such were the times that ‘imported’ prefix meant good stuff. Pandit Nehru realized that this will keep India poor eternally. He pioneered self reliance not only in manufacturing but also in education ( IITs/ IIMs / NITs/ AIIMS , NIDs DRDOs, ISRO etc) . Surprisingly, there was no sycophancy of govt on these slogans by businessmen then.
In next 3 decades, various 5 year plans marched India towards self reliance. Green/White revolutions were planned and executed with very high degree of success. By 1970s India attained food grain self sufficiency. In 80s white revolution drove India to top of chart in dairy production. 1990s saw India become net exporter of wheat, steel, rice, tea, software, sugar, textiles, meat.
At the dawn of 21st century India became globally the largest manufacturers of bicycles, motorbikes, sugar, tea, toothpaste tubes( India makes 60 % of world’s total tube production). 21st century also saw India become one of the largest IT services exporter. Software services, BPOs, Medical transcription, Engineering services saw export grow at frenetic pace.
The rising exports grew demand for machines and technology which facilitated exports. Thus machinery, rare minerals, electronics imports rose. Other than a few advanced countries, India maintained a good balance of trade with trading and partnering nations.
This dependency on partners was not only good but also essential. It engaged nations in thriving relationships, just like it is between married couples. There is no aatm-nirbharta in relationship. There are complimentary capabilities and dependencies which provide the glue which binds and keeps the relationship going
Today, we live a highly connected and interdependent world. This dependence brings in highest levels of business efficiency by outsourcing. US is dependent on us for cheaper software services. We are dependent on US for software development tools. We lean on China for cheaper harvester bags for making COVID vaccines, the Chinese love Indian movies. The world is dependent on our Pharma companies and our Pharma companies are dependent on the world for patent rights/ processes, ingredients to produce drugs. We are dependent on Middle East for oil and middle east is dependent on us for nurses, software and spices. UAE is dependent on us for entertainment by Bollywood movies, we are dependent on them to conduct IPL when our domestic conditions are not congenial for sports.
Today our imports are approx U$ 390 Bn and lion’s share of import nirbharta is on China
Similarly our exports are U$292 Billion
Other than USA, we have an negative trade balance with most of our trading partners.
Imagine if everybody carries this obsolete “Aatm Nirbharta” like a fanatic or lunatic. The world will grind to a halt. India will be thrown back 7 decades. Most of India’s industry including IT industry would be dead in trenches. In view of interdependent world, this word “Aatm Nirbhar ” not only sounds grotesque but is also as absurd as perpetual motion machines. No country in this world, not even China is fully self reliant for everything.
In absence of funds of Softbank/Sequoia, there will be no flipkart, no Oyo, No Nyka or No Swiggy , no Zomato. In absence of Google maps there will be no Ola, no Uber. No laptops, no mobile phones, no internet banking, no Whatsapp. In absence of cryogenic engine support from West, no ISRO.
In an aatm nirbhar bharat there will be no amazon, no LinkedIn, no Google, no wordpress
There will be no Air force as No Sukhois, Rafales or Miraazes, Migs. No army, as no night vision goggles, no Kalashnikovs, no bulletproof armors, no big guns or communication equipments.
This demagogue brought back this ridiculous “Aatm nirbhar” slogan but he rides ” Germany nirbhar ” BMW convoys wherever he goes.
His election rallies are done in “Japan Nirbhar” Toyota range rovers, signatures are done on “Italy Nirbhar” Mont Blanc pen. Even his capability to see and read is nirbhar on Italian bvlgari glasses,
He eats imported Rs 50,000/kg mushrooms, uses a phone designed in California but made in China. His party loots corporate India via electoral bonds and uses it to buy Israel nirbhar spyware Pegasus to do jaasoosi (spying) on journos/ politicial rivals. This hypocrite is nirbhar on govt servants to even open his car doors or to carry his umbrella but ironically talks “AatmNirbharta”
He is aatm nirbhar(!!!) in, possibly in only one area(?). That self sufficiency is the cause for his abject mental state. He ran away from his wife many years ago.
#linkedin #china #software #communication #google #amazon #businessowners #electronics #electricity #export #textiles #india
PS1 : Rotten Tata received Rs 500 Crore loan from Gujarat BJP govt at interest rate 0.1 % per annum , the first installment of which would get due 21 yrs after the first car rolls out from the plant. Rotten Tata in return paid BJP party fund with Rs 700 crores worth electoral bonds, the highest ever amount paid by any one officially.
Sunday Morning itch 
aatm nirbhar means self-reliance. your article looks like it is talking about self-isolation. article is without any substance.
LikeLike