IMMIGRANTS IN EU FACE THE HEAT OF PROTECTIONISM

Spectre of protectionist tendencies has evolved into a curse for immigrants across European Union like France, Italy, England and Germany. The genesis of these ‘regressive’ policies had begun in France during the period of Nicholas Sarkozi, the ultra conservative former President of France. He was notorious for his xenophobic attitude even while he was serving as the Interior Minister of France under Jacques Chirac. During his tenure he initiated strong arm measures to force the immigrant black population to flee the country for whom even menial works to earn their living was denied by the arrogant Sarkozi. Though he served under Jacques Chirac’s ministry, he was deeply disliked by Mr.Chirac. The adamant ultra conservative Sarkozi didn’t let the immigrants to earn their living doing manual work and the black immigrants were the worst sufferers. His apprehension and indignation were directed against them as he saw them a great threat to the stability of France.

After Sarkozi, Francois Hollande, the Socialist Party leader assumed power in France who is widely known for his progressive policies, yet, the threat of Protectionist policies is looming large in the horizon.

Unlike Mr.Sarkozi, Mr.Hollande is not that vehement in acting against the immigrants. Unfortunately, the conservatives across France are turning more and more indignant against the flow of immigrants into France from poor European nations like Romania and Bulgaria are crossing the borders to France in search of a living. The conservatives believe the latter’s presence in the country to be a threat to their existence ever since the global economic crisis started raising its ugly head affecting the EU countries so also Britain which is strongly against the concept of a single currency, ie EU adopted by the EU community.

In Germany, where Angela Merkel of conservative CDU is running the govt the differences between Conservatives and Social Democrats over the issue of flow of immigrants to Germany have reached alarming proportions. One interesting fact is that Germany pay low welfare benefits and other facilities to its employees.

One relief to a large section of the immigrants is that the Social democrats in Germany still stand by the founding principles of European Union which clearly states that the nations belonging to EU are allowed the freedom of movement from one to another.

During the global meltdown, when Barrack Obama occupied the Oval office as President on the crest of a popular wave the subprime crisis resulted in pushing the economy into a deep abyss. The latter was in a bad shape thanks to George Walker Bush, Obama’s predecessor and Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve Governor known for his advocacy of free market policies. After the meteoric growth of the economy while Mr.Greenspan was the Fed Reserve Governor, who was in the chair for consecutive 18 years, his own reckless following of free market policies left the economy in a shambles while Mr. Bush was in the chair as the President.

To lift the economy from the abyss into which it had fallen, it was an arduous task for Mr.Obama to bring back the badly shaken economy into a better position. Millions lost employment, lakhs and lakhs turned homeless who couldn’t make repayment of their loans due to the unprecedented recession many were forced to end their lives due to debt burden. Obama found himself in a Catch-22 situation. In order to tide over the crisis with the co-operation of the Republicans who were reluctant in the beginning to extend support to Obama in giving a shape to the badly tarnished image of the economy finally agreed to extend support to the govt to pump $789 billion into the system as an interim measure.

Though George Bush was not an advocate of protectionist policies, with Mr.Obama assuming power his ire naturally and unfortunately turned against the immigrant workers from different countries especially Asian countries like India which had to undergo hard times. Thousands of IT workers had to leave India quitting their jobs in US who were paid attractive emoluments and adding to their woes those employees outsourced by US IT firms in India too had to face the axe. India strongly protested against the policy and expressed its indignation to the US govt.  

Let’s come back to policy of EU community like Germany, France, Britain and Italy. It is a pity that these countries continue to pursue this line without taking into account the consequences of such a policy affecting a large section of those outsiders who seek jobs there.

MOBILE WORLD

I’ve a mobile phone

I too am mobile

shifting from one

place to another

working in different

institutions at

different places

residing at different abodes.

I am literally peripatetic now

and

my native land is 

far away from me

which showers  on

me nostalgia galore.

I travel occasionally down memory lane

and the fragrance of flowers of my land

caresses and embraces me.

My near and dear ones

frequently appear before me

and along with them

my land phone

who was my long time friend

my intimate friend

and now my mobile phone is evolving

to be my friend in the changing times. 

                  

GENERAL ELECTIONS 2014 – A CURTAIN RAISER

With the general elections 2014 only four months from now political parties especially the ruling Congress and its allies and the main Opposition party Bharathiya Janata Party are getting ready for a showdown at the hustings. With BJP choosing Narendra Modi[Unlink], the Gujarat Chief Minister, as the Prime Ministerial candidate is somewhat ahead of UPA 2 led by Indian National Congress on the matter of plunging to the electoral arena. Mr.Modi is on a whirlwind campaign tour across the States trying his best to appease not only Hindus but the Muslims with his oratorical best. That BJP has turned out to be a cohesive unit after Advani, the architect of BJP displayed his dislike of Modi in public. The Sangh Parivar – BJP’s parent organization prevailed upon Mr.Advani and directed him to extend his support to Mr.Modi. Advani, the obedient disciple from the early days was left with no choice but to cow down. Soon after, he shared the same platform with Mr.Modi and showered plaudits upon the ‘Gujarat showman of 2002’ for whom pain and regret are something alien. Though he recently tweeted in his page even after courts have partly absolved him of omissions and commissions still his enemy parties continue to squarely blame him. Even then, uptill now, he has not pleaded to the victims of 2002 pogrom to forgive him.

Sangh Parivar’s confidence of Mr.Modi’s charisma, articulation and administrative acumen will enable him to fight alone without the support of even an ally or for that matter an alliance is nothing but a pipe- dream. It may be true that with the UPA alliance at its nadir BJP could bag highest number of seats, the chance of it snatching power is too dim.

So be it. Rahul Gandhi [Unlink], Congress Vice President, who is widely expected to be the UPA’s Prime Ministerial candidate - 2014 after a prolonged silence has jumped to the fore and has emerged a crusader against all evils including corruption plaguing the nation. Yesterday’s press conference held by Dr.ManMohan Singh, whose third press conference in India in ten years, has informed the media that he is not a candidate for PM for the third time and has decided to hand over the baton to Mr.Rahul Gandhi. He chose the occasion to state in no uncertain terms that he has no doubt about the credentials of Mr.Gandhi. Where was Mr.Gandhi until recently? A diffident Mr.Rahul Gandhi preferred to run away from taking up all responsibilities when his presence was badly needed. His explanations that he wanted to concentrate his time for strengthening the organization will have few takers. When the nation reeled under scams amounting to lakhs of crores of rupees draining away the exchequer, for example, the Common Wealth scam, 2G Spectrum Scam, Coal Gate, Adarsh Housing Society Scam etc etc, scandals after scandals tarnishing the image of the Govt, the rampant poverty, malnourishment, lack of sanitation facilities, scarce drinking water, communal clashes, sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, inequitable distribution of wealth across India, Mr. Gandhi was not in the limelight when all these evils happened. Of late, the former six ministers, four of them former Chief Ministers involved in the Adarsh Housing Scam indicted by the two judges who conducted the enquiry were let off the hook by the Maharashtra govt under the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan only when Rahul Gandhi took strong exception against the decision of Maha govt. The latter had no qualms in charging the bureaucrats involved in the scam. Mr.Gandhi was keeping mum when the ministers were freed of all charges. Now that enlightenment has dawned upon him and has taken up cudgels against the perpetrators of all maladies eating into the vitals of the society. About the reports pouring in about the involvement of Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Rahul Gandhi, in the reportedly ‘murky’ DLF deals amounting to crores and crores of rupees, Mr.Gandhi keeps away from voicing his opinion.

Musaffar Nagar riots, broke out in September 2013 which claimed more than 60 lives forcing the hapless to flee for life and these displaced ones still reel under biting cold which too continue to claim lives of the refugees, most of them children. Now that diseases too have spread among them threatening many more lives with none to extend assistance and necessary amenities to the hapless and helpless refugees. While they continue to suffer and breath their last, Akhilesh Yadav [Unlink], UP Chief Minister and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav [Unlink] one week before spent lakhs for partying which the national TV channels prominently displayed. Rahul Gandhi found time to visit the refugee camps inviting the wrath of people there nearly one month ago . He took the opportunity to blame it all on the Samajawadi Party govt of Akhilesh Yadav for not taking needed steps to reach to the help of the riot victims for not preventing the riots. Gritting his teeth in anger, he took the next available flight to Delhi. More than sufficient. (Nowadays Rahul is an angry young man even frightening Dr.ManMohan Singh, the PM).

Rahul’s reported press conference two months ago condemning the ordinance drafted by the govt to give exemption to the convicted candidates from contesting the elections and shouted at a press conference that the ordinance should be torn away forthwith. Remarkable.

About the Leftists the less said, the better. It is a sin to add insult to their injuries.

Those who are supposed to come out in flying colours are seeming to be the regional parties. Not all but a few. The emerging, victorious regional entities might turn out to be the king- makers.

On the whole the 2014 General Election results are poised to be in a fluid state.

THE NEW ERA

Discontented
disillusioned
and disappointed they turned
when the monthly
quota of 'peanuts'
thrown at them
by their employer
citing severe, unprecedented drought
to make both their ends meet and
left with no choice
they 'flew' in search of greener pastures.
After flying long, long
ardous and hazardous 'routes'
dreaming a bright morn
to their delight
they reached the doorsteps
of a wealthy employer
who offered them
attractive emoluments and
bright prospects
which elated them
elevated them 'sky-high'
their joy knew no bounds. 
With a disarming smile
the new employer in his honeyed voice whispered
them to sign under
a few papers which he
mentioned as terms
and conditions before them entering
the vast green field.
Believing him
without going through
what the terms and conditions were
they enthusiatically
and with pleasant faces put their signatures
under all the papers.
Later
to their pain and dismay
they learnt
with unbelievingly gnawing pain that
they were his employees on a contract basis
and were
bound to work 24X7
that too
shedding once and for all
their principles and
self-respect...
Now they are working
as his slaves...
that too until
he orders them to
fly away and
get lost elsewhere.....

STRANGE BED-FELLOWS

Every morning

on my way to office

I meet him.

Every morning

on his way to office

he meets me.

Neither have I

nor has he nurtured

a desire to develop

a friendship with me.

Perhaps

like me

he too doesn’t have

nursed a longing for

a sentimental

relationship to work out

in these strange times

in our strange world

where intimacy has

not much of a meaning.

Once

while I was

in the midst of intimate friends

never, ever in my wildest of dreams

had I thought

about plunging into

the city life where

a life of living

among strange fellows

awaited me.

The rapport I

did cultivate among my

village friends

no more exists

in the city

and I will have to

learn to live with

 my loneliness as

long as I tread along the

streets of the metropolis.

Intimacy, sincerity

and love are something

we can’t afford to purchase

since they are too expensive

and rare in the city.

  

THE WITNESS

Two youths, both burly

came out of a prostitute’s house

late into the night.

The glimmering

stars and full moon

woven out a pretty 

saree for the land.

But for them 

the thick solid

darkness would have

gulped the land

like a python swallowing its victim.

The youths, both sturdy

were walking ahead

in an elevated mood

both cracking wits.

Comfortably seated in a

chair close to the window sills

with curiosity shining in my eyes.

I was watching

them walk the talk.

In an unexpected moment

like a bolt from the blue

each lost his temper

and their pent up emotions burst out

and one of them dared to

slap the other on his cheeks.

All hell broke loose and with the speed of

lightning the other youth took out his dagger

and in a fit of fury  

thrust his weapon

on the other  

several times forcing the victim

fall on the floor.

He thru the dagger away

and melted

into the thin air?

Whether I alone

was the mute witness to the tragedy?

No idea, I couldn’t

sleep that night and

the nights after.

The tragic event

continue s to haunt me

even after months.

UNWANTED EXISTENCE

In my garden of pretty flowers

how come this unwanted thorny plant

sans flowers

like the unrequited love

of a ditched lover?

In this garden of life

I often feel myself

an unwanted existence

like many others

who outnumber the

wanted existence.