The European country of Sweden – which has taken an entirely
different route to address the Covid-19 crisis – has contradicted a warning given
by the World Health Organisation on the issue of Covid-19.
Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell has rejected to move
made by the global organisation to include Sweden among countries in Europe at
risk of a Covid-19 resurgence.
As per the opinion of the Swedish epidemiologist, what has
led the WHO to this conclusion was a misinterpretation of the data.
He has said that the recent rise in the total number of
cases of Covid-19 in the country is the result of the increase in testing.
However, the WHO it seems is not convinced by the way the
European country of Sweden has approached the crisis.
What the warning implies that the WHO expects a rise in the number of cases of Covid-19 in Sweden in the coming days.
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Mette Frederiksen – the Prime Minister of Denmark – has postponed
her wedding ceremony to attend a crucial meeting called by the European Union
to discuss the topic of recovery fund.
It is not the first time her wedding has been postponed. Before
this, similar cancellation has happened at least two times. This is the third
time her wedding has been postponed.
The summit on Covid-19 recovery fund will happen on 17 and
18 July. It is the first meeting that leaders will attend since the commencement
of the lockdown period.
Ms. Frederiksen was set to marry her partner, Bo Tengberg,
on 18 July.
In a statement she has given through her online handle, she
has said that she had to protect the interest of the country.
Denmark is not in favour of the fund. It along with Sweden
and Austria wants a different arrangement. It wants the fund offered to be repaid
eventually.
Earlier, some experts opined that if the support was not offered
to the struggle countries by the European Union the decades old economic union
will collapse miserable.
Italy and Spain are in dire need of the fund. The economies of these countries have almost collapsed completely due to the crisis.
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The European Union is likely
to exclude the North American country of United States of America from the list
which publishes the name of those countries that shall be allowed to resume
travel relation with the continent.
As per a latest report,
EU ambassadors will meet this week to plan reopening external borders.
It is learned that a good
number of European countries are very keen to open up to boarders for tourists.
The 27-member bloc
must first agree the measures that non-EU countries should meet before deciding
on a safe list.
The virus is spreading
in the US. It implies that the meeting will witness strong objection for any recommendation
which suggests the opening up of borders in the favour of the US.
Brazil and Russia are
the other two countries which have high infection rates. These countries may
also face the same fate as that of the United States.
The EU is not yet
thought to have agreed how they will assess which countries meet health
standards – one of the criteria for entry.
Part of the problem is assessing reliable health data.
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
The former boss of
payments firm Wirecard, Markus Braun, has been booked by the European country of
Germany.
The arrest has happened
shortly after a German court issued an arrest warrant against the ex-boss of
the company.
Mr. Braun’s resignation
happened just a week ago. It was shortly after EY had refused to sign off the
account of the firm over a missing amount of €1.9bn (£1.7bn).
Actually, the money
accounts for around a quarter of the total balance sheet of the payments firm
based in Germany.
Mr. Braun is accused
of inflating the firm’s finances to make it appear healthier to investors and
customers.
It is found that the
amount has been invested in two Asian banks.
Meanwhile, the management of the company has defended the action of its former boss. They have claimed that the investment in the Asian banks has been made as a risk management strategy.
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Some covert recordings reveal that a neo-Nazi group has
conducted interviews through online to recruit teenagers.
It has been identified that the exposed recordings was
connected to a neo-Nazi group named as The Base.
The group is very popular. It is assumed that the group has a
huge support base in the western world – as well as in the non-western world.
A 47-year-old American, Rinaldo Nazzaro, is the founder of the
notorious group. It is learned that he himself has monitored the selection of
new recruits.
The recordings have left the world in shock. They have even
talked about a possible race war. They have advised their followers to prepare
for the upcoming war.
Anyway, as per a media report, all the recordings have been handed
over to the US authority. It remains unclear how this issue will be handled by
the US.
Mr. Nazzaro, the head of The Base, now lives in Russia. It is
not easy to trace him and take him to custody for investigation.
It is important to understand how deep the roots of the organisation has gone. It is learned that they have been consistently growing in the west undeterred for at least four or five years.
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The world has
turned into a seething mass of ignorant souls, the truth has lost its
significance, life has become barren and everyone is searching for a ray of
hope. The ultimate solution for all our woes, the solace we have been waiting
for is with us to lead us towards the light, the light of knowledge.
Welcome!
You are fortunate
to be near a great guru, a master, a yogi, an epitome of love and compassion, a
sage who has devoted his life for the betterment of the human race, Dr. Swami
Himaval Maheshwara Bhadraanand.
One can define
him as a selcouth Sanyasi with a sixth sense and sanctified powers or as a
Karma Yogi on a Spiritual Quest, with a flair to study the Future of human life
and its aura. But the truth is that words cannot contain the real might of this
Guru.
Dr. Swami
Bhadraanand is a spiritual scientist who has done 15 years of intense research
on “AURA and its Implications in Human Life – Good, Bad and the Unknown”. The
recognition it received around the world is truly astonishing. He offers the
fruits of his research to the betterment of mankind in the form of AOA, Art of
Ascetics, which enables one to experience inner evolution and bliss.
Swami Bhadraanand
has experimented with his powers to manipulate the Aura of a person and find
out the credibility of that person. His research on the Aura of a human being
and the science of repairing a damaged Aura has been developed by him and
termed as Aura Mechanism.
Swami Bhadraanand
as a Seer with ESP, the extrasensory perception was honored with Mother Teresa
Award from the ministry of Kerala for predicting Tsunami in 2004. The number of
predictions made by him has placed him next to Nostradamus. But Swami
Bhadraanand’s predictions are known for their accuracy which Nostradamus rarely
possessed. He has been honoured with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for his
predictions.
This incredible
personality is an embodiment of knowledge and his brave thoughts possess the
revolutionary seeds of transformation, which of course, is based on Sanatana
Dharma. The serenity of a sage and the valour of a revolutionary combined,
Swami Bhadraanand is one of the greatest proponents of Vedic culture in the
modern era.
He is a true
visionary who is born to rejuvenate mankind by unraveling the eternal Cosmic
truth to the naive human eyes. Patriotism is his creed and the wholehearted
support he gives to the expats is praiseworthy.
Are you ready
to plunge into the mysterious and fascinating life of our Master? Are you brave
enough to experience his mighty presence? Are you a genuine seeker?
If Yes… You
have reached your abode. Guru knows you are here.
A Selcouth
Sanyasi With Sixth Sense And Sanctified Powers
Spirituality is
an intriguing matter. One must renounce everything he has in order to be
successful in his spiritual journey. Spirituality is necessary only after a
certain age. It is for middle-aged people. This is the impression most of the
ignorant souls in this society carries in their mind. Dr. Swami Bhadraanand
laughs at these ignorant thoughts saying, Well, ignorance is at times a bliss.
From ignorance to
knowledge is what embodies one’s spiritual journey and for that one needs a
real Guru, who can lead you through the dark alleys of inexperience to the light
of knowledge. In a land, flooded with spiritual leaders, to find a genuine one
with pure Siddhi is very difficult. Many exhibit their ‘service-oriented’
activities for money and fame. Swami Bhadraanand stands apart from all of them
as he believes in working selflessly. His life to date is an example of
self-sacrificing love and compassion for people in despair.
Dr. Swami
Bhadraanand is gifted with the power to perceive the real self of a human
being. One can call it the Sixth Sense, but it is much beyond that as his
ability to analyze the real human persona is unimaginable. His predictions have
shaken the Indian society many times with their accuracy. The incredible gift
that has been endowed to Swami Bhadraanand at a very young age has been
instrumental in changing the future of many people, including the political
leaders and film stars. He can simply look through one’s physical self and
gauge the good and bad in their personality. He can understand the way that the
soul has been traversing through one birth to another, passing through various
stages of Karma. He decodes the entire self of a person, releasing him from his
Karmic bondages, leading him towards the path to fulfilling his dreams. We see
a lot of preachers around us, who teach us what to do and what not to do in
order to achieve Nirvana or Moksha. But no one has ever seen someone who
practices the preaching in real life in order to help society. Swami
Bhadraanand has warned the authorities many times about the impending danger,
trying to avert the calamity. He has been recognized by the government and many
eminent organizations that chose to venerate the Guru with awards and
felicitations.
Swami Bhadraanand
has been against evil-minded, power-hungry people all throughout his life. This
has gained him a lot of enemies. He fights against all kinds of Adharma and is
very keen on the people whom he helps. He always advises his disciples to help
selflessly, but only those who deserve it. This Sanyasi, who lives in disguise
of a common man is a vast cistern of knowledge.
Be a solitary
walker. Be pure. Be receptive. Be a blank notebook. Let the Universe write a
beautiful tale on your pages.
The Rise of a Foreseer in the soil of Mother India
Kerala is a state
in the Southern part of India, where Dr. Swami Bhadraanand was born. Kerala has
been called the Land of Lunatics, by Swami Vivekananda. Jagad Guru Sree
Narayana also has fought against the caste system and the prejudiced mindset of
the society all throughout his life. This land has never received any spiritual
master wholeheartedly. They are a suspicious bunch of people criticizing
spiritual gurus as fake and their teachings as rubbish. Swami Bhadraanand has
proved them wrong through his predictions. He feels that he should stand by his
people, saving them from the darkness of ahamkara, helping them to lead a
peaceful life. He has stood the storm and has worked relentlessly for the
benefit of his people, whom he considers as his own.
This guru has
been like a cloud. He willingly absorbs all the filth that is being thrown at
him by ignorant people, turns it into a rain of love and compassion and showers
it over humanity in order to cleanse it.
This has been
said by the Guru when he was asked about the future of the coming generations
in spirituality. Swami Bhadraanand’s attempt is to rejuvenate the mankind that
has fallen into the depth of ignorance from the Heights of Vedanta and Vedic
culture. India is the land of the Vedas. The spiritual and cultural heritage of
India has been invaded by foreign cultures which resulted in diminishing its
divine radiance. Swami Bhadraanand trains the young minds to become the
torchbearers of the real India, leading her to prosperity. He wants humanity to
be aware of the single source that has produced the whole world. “Vasudhaiva
Kudumbakam”, the whole world is one single family, should be our watchword says
Swami Bhadraanand.
He also aims to
document the spiritual evolution of mankind starting from the very first
generation. He believes that this will help people realize that they all belong
to the Vedic brotherhood. He scientifically explains the dense philosophical
concepts to his students with a pinch of humor, so as to make it palpable for
the modern youth. Swami Bhadraanand is backed by a group of generous students and
is waiting for more who can join him in this noble cause. “This attempt can
definitely bring peace in the world which is what humanity needs most now”. He
once said.
It is the aura of
a person that needs correction. Swami Bhadraanand has done immense sadhanas to
unravel the truth of the Vedas. His enlightened self has been drawn towards
ancient gurus who lived in the snowclad mountains of the Himalayas and the
knowledge he gained from them helps him in cleansing one’s aura. This ancient
Vedic ritual is an exclusive service he is rendering humanity, through which he
cleanses the energy of a soul, giving the person a fulfilling future.
A Sacred Birth
That Has Been Hunted Ruthlessly
Call him, a
social worker, a critic, revolutionist, a benefactor of the poor and above all
an ardent spiritual yogi; he is the embodiment of all these traits put into
one, a legendary epitome of the modern Era.
The Revolutionary
protector Swami Bhadraanand’s roots of spiritual inheritance stems from his
maternal forefathers. His great grandfather Nani Ashaan was a true-blue,
sedulous and die-hard accomplice of Sree Narayana Guru. From the time of Sree
Narayana Guru’s presence in the celestial place of Aruvipuram, Nani Ashaan was
the concierge and disciple for the Guru. Sree Narayana Guru and his ardent
disciple Nani Ashaan, together, installed the famous and controversial Shiva
Linga, materializing the initiation of the Shiva temple in Aruvipuram.
Shri. N. Rama
Panicker son of Nani Ashaan was Swami Bhadraanand’s maternal grandfather, a
devout Shiva Yogi, his maternal great grandmother, an ardent devotee of
Parvathi Devi and his maternal uncles who were all famed Tantrics and renowned
Yogis. The spiritual inheritance is said to affect even the genes of coming generations,
no wonder how Swami Bhadraanand has been gifted with Sixth Sense and spiritual
enlightenment. He calls himself a Spiritual Beggar, as he owns nothing in this
world. In a land where the so-called spiritual masters enjoy a luxurious life,
he stands alone, without even having a home of his own.
Swami Bhadraanand
can be considered as the most hunted Hindu mystic in the history of India. He
has been courageously facing the anger of the media who always tried to tarnish
his image. His identity has been presented in the wrong way before the entire
world by a group of people with vested interests. The prejudiced society chose
to believe the paid media, ignoring the great service-oriented mind of this
Guru whose only aim was to help the needy. It was Swami Bhadraanand’s
fearlessness that threatened the political and religious criminals who paid the
media to ruin his life.
The print media
with vested interests used their pens to discredit the truthful, loving,
righteous and compassionate person, Swami Bhadraanand, portraying him as a low
criminal and an outlaw. A leading Malayalam daily, “Mangalam” and its staff,
especially Mr. Stephen Arikkara, a hired goon of Mangalam Daily were behind
this. The master brain behind tarnishing Swami Bhadraanand in all the possible
ways through the media was D. Dhanasumod who has been backed by Mr. Raju Paul,
the bureau chief of Mangalam Daily. The worst image portrayed about Swami
Bhadraanand by Sreejith Augustin of Mathrubhumi Daily was of an immoral man
having an illicit relationship with women which in fact reflected his own
filthy character. In truth, Swami Bhadraanand was living with his mother and
this allegation was propagandized by Sreejith which tarnished Swami
Bhadraanand’s character irreparably.
But what can
ignorant minds plot against the SON of GOD? He shines through all these like a
sun, with his immense spiritual power and divine grace.
Presently he is
facing threats from the extremists belonging to all religions because he had
openly discussed the blind illogical teachings, issues and the heinous crimes
undertaken by some of them. The main agenda of extremists is to start a
communal riot in the country for personal gains. We cannot forget the fact that
India is a country that has been partitioned in the name of religion. Swami
Bhadraanand’s sole mission is to educate people against the hatred and violence
caused in the name of religion. The vision behind his teachings and criticisms
against communal rifts is to bring in harmony in human thoughts. He wants
people to understand the fact that all are one in this universe and should be
given the right to live as one race. This makes him the revolutionary sage that
he is.
Swami
Bhadraanand is a lone warrior. He never tries to befriend cast chieftains,
political principals, religious leaders, sectarian gangsters or party-political
agitators – he chooses to traverse his own path.
He is never
afraid of criticism or negative publicity; he laughs his hurt away and smiles;
he follows his conscience which he says is God; and willingly accepts the
unjustified abuse from the ignorant society. As Swami Bhadraanand practices
spirituality and Sindhu culture, which teaches love rather than the extremist
ideologies of these terrorist groups, they consider him as their enemy and
rival. There have been three murder attempts against him to date which shows
the intolerance of the extremists. Still, the valiant son of Sanatana Dharma is
fighting them through the media as he is a journalist as well.
The Divine Transformation at a Glance
It was on 22
September 1982 that Mr. Hemachandran and Dr. Madhuja were blessed with a little
boy. He was a baby with a certain peculiar kind of energy encircling his
physical presence. This was sure to happen as he was born into a family of
yogis. They named him Arun Chand. He grew up into a naughty lad, who was good
at everything including studies and extracurricular activities. He was
everybody’s favorite. His amazing sense of humor, ability to mimic sounds, a
keen sense of observation which later turned into drawings and dancing were a
feast to everyone’s eye. They adored him more and more as he grew up.
As a teenager, he
became interested in cars and bike racing. He loved speed, maybe because he
himself was thinking much ahead of time. His friends never understood the inner
being, of this cheerful boy, that longed for something. He himself was at a
loss to find what it was that he really needed. Nothing could give him absolute
pleasure or happiness. He would look up to the sky with angst to know why the
material world could no longer make him happy and why he was always drawn
towards the unanswerable questions regarding existence. He wanted an answer and
hence followed his inner voice always. He knew that the truth was hidden
somewhere inside him and he only had to unravel it.
Arun Chand was an
engineering student, heading towards the completion of his Bachelors and he
could no longer suppress the spiritual urge within him. It was his time to know
the truth. His Guru, a fiery AGHORI, Adithya, manifested in front of him. Swami
Adithya vanished with his sishya and Arun was nowhere to be found. Guru took
him to the snow-clad mountains of the Himalayas in no time, remember Sadhus are
neither space or time-bound.
He was absent
from the familiar circumstances which made his dear and near sad and
frightened. The only thing they could do was to hope and pray for his return.
The young sadhaka was enjoying the love and blessings of the great Himalayan
Sadhus by then. It is believed that once a Sadhu who is eligible to acquire
Moksha/ Salvation visits The Himalayas, his spiritual powers get locked there.
This shall be unlocked only when a related person visits the place again. He
was undergoing the same process. His siddhis were unlocked and it flowed in
like a vast ocean of knowledge, awakening the real self, the real Guru, hidden
within. Swami Adithya taught him the essence of Vedas and Tantric vidyas
including Parakaya Pravesham. Swami Himaval Maheshwra Bhadraananda was born
there, in the Himalayas.
No Sadhu will be
interested to come back to the material world as they enjoy a much higher level
of happiness and satisfaction in detachment. But Swami Bhadranand’s master and
other sages reminded him of his duty towards his motherland, convincing him to
come back to his land, Kerala. The Master spent the initial days in silence,
pondering over the questions of existence. He would meditate for hours,
cleansing his aura, under a Vata Vriksha/ Banyan Tree, or by the seashore. He
was never interested in going back to his old spiritual groups as he was on a
higher level of perception by then. An unknown force always guarded him,
keeping him away from any sort of distraction. Finally, it was time for Swami
Bhadraanand to get involved in the changes that were happening in society.
He has acquired
siddhis (Special Mystical Powers) that enabled him to analyze a person in and
out. Spreading his senses well above the human conscience, the blessed one
could comprehend the individual in his human form and visualize his sanctity
from a spiritual state, providing resolutions that carefully untie and unite
the knots of one’s “Karma”. The peace and tranquility achieved by the mere
sight of Swami Bhadraanand are said to be as powerful as the brilliance equal
to the blaze of a thousand suns. A highly scientific and logical mind finds
safe harbor in the divine self of Swami Bhadraanand and he is known to be more
of a realistic soul with a subtle, modern and concrete approach, not forsaking
and negating worldly life. The spiritual guidance acknowledged by his devotees
speaks volumes about the life they lead and the impediments they had overcome.
The Master appears to be a friend to many of them, cracking jokes and indulging
in friendly conversations, but at the same time cleansing their self with his
incredible might.
Dr. Swararaj Mani
was the psychiatrist who had confirmed Swami Bhadraanand’s elevated ESP, at the
age of ten years when his parents were skeptical and worried about his psychic
condition. This was the initial revelation about Swami Bhadraanand’s miraculous
proficiency to his family. And for the second time, it was a close associate
called Mr. Anysh Aloysius Rosario, a writer by profession who had ascertained
the Extra Sensory Perception of Swami Bhadraanand.
There are several
questions in this world that are quite intriguing to a human mind. With the
blessings of his eternal parents, Bhadrananji is able to unleash a tremendous
amount of energy into his disciples, giving them answers to everything that
they have been searching for. The physical body is nothing but a shell that
holds the eternal soul. The aura that surrounds one is a representation of his
Karma. The karmic bondages surround a man throughout his life and the negative
impacts it can cause, due to one’s karma can be averted by a true teacher only.
The disciples of this great human have many such instances to narrate. The
sufferings that come out of one’s karma in the past birth can be nullified
through the effective interference of someone who possesses immense spiritual
power.
As evidenced by Swami Bhadraanand, the human mind is controlled by the veiled factors that control the transcendent self, in the form of electromagnetic waves, and the constant flow of energy towards and from the Self.
The Universe and
its elements are created on the basis of scientific and mathematical
propositions. They seemingly look quite complex but are the basic
structure/formulae that embody every single element here. Swami Bhadraanand
uses the same formulae used by nature to generate and circulate peace and
tranquility. Swami Bhadraanand has revealed in himself the ability to change
the destiny of a person- through the powerful process of AOA which has been
researched intensely by him through all these years. Hosting a wide array of
holistic services, Swami Bhadraanand offers his wisdom to invoke the blessings
of God/Super Consciousness to heal the minds of his disciples.
Swami Bhadraanand
offers a platform to those who seek revitalization in life, for those truth-
seekers and peace lovers where the positive results are readily noticeable. A
large number of disciples have been cured of their illnesses and offered mental
peace through him. He has silenced his critics with his accurate predictions
which also have won him many laurels including The Mother Theresa Award and the
degree of the Doctor of Philosophy. Many who were in need of wealth and
materialistic gains approached him and got wealthy not only by money but also
by heart and soul through his renowned method of Aura tuning.
A garland of
flowers in one hand and rudraksha, on the other hand, the Godman image, is not
his trademark. When a soul saturated with real belief finds sanctuary in him,
the birth of his love and compassion in you starts pouring in. He treads
fearlessly on the path of justice for the needy people and their rights. His
Karma instigates him to destroy the unjust, facing it with all might rather
than raising his hands symbolizing “Om Shanti”.
You know his
name, but not the story behind his name. You can interpret him and his
teachings provided you know his real self. You’ve heard what the media has to
say, not his true endeavors. Do not underestimate his power unless and until
you have challenged him. You may have understood his thoughts, in the form of
his words but not his perceptions that are intense and sturdy. Experience his
indomitable courage and enlightened thoughts, his support to the marginalized
and follow his brave endeavor to eradicate the antisocial elements creating
havoc in this country.
Swami Bhadraanand
is also an enigmatic descendant of the modern era. His passion is to pursue the
mysterious. Material benefits are not his priority and his acquaintance is a
matter of pride for who knows his power.
Intense sadhana,
the realization of universal love; the satisfaction derived from seeing others’
ignorance being reduced; and the unbounded grace of the beloved guru; makes him
what he is. He will hold a mirror towards your self, reflecting the good and bad,
clearing the bad of course to fill you with extreme positivity. Only a sincere
and devoted soul can draw the essence of his blessings, for he values sincerity
more than anything. A hypocrite might call him deceitful but an intellectual
will identify him to be a genius. He wants his disciples to be responsible
citizens and valiant fighters, who dares to question even the most powerful
when they are exposed to injustice.
Now, it’s your turn to experience this Immortal Soul…
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
The huge recovery fund
plan, announced by the European Union to save those countries who have suffered
a huge set back because of the measures imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19,
has hit a hard wall, as several European countries have opposed the move.
Meanwhile, Germany has
expressed its hope in the positive future of the recovery fund policy.
The main demand of those
countries who have opposed the policy aggressively is that the fund should be
treated as a loan and is to be repaid as soon as possible.
Spain and Italy – the two
countries who have suffered the worst – were supposed to benefit greatly from
the policy.
The main opposers of
the policy are Sweden and Austria.
Germany is expected to
convene a serious of meetings in the near future to resolve the crisis.
Earlier, a European
leader warned that if this issue was not addressed rightly the European Union
might collapse.
The proposed package
costs €750bn.
The affected countries
urgently need fund. The longer it takes for the fund to reach, the deeper the
impact of the crisis becomes.
It is high time to find a solution to this issue. It may require the intervention of the United States of America.
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
The main rival of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko,
Viktor Babaryko, has been booked on the charge of tax evasion.
He was supposed to contest for this year’s Presidential
Election against the present President – who is the head of the state since the
year 1994.
Many have taken to the streets across the country to protest
against the arrest of the main rival of the present President.
They have alleged that the legal action against Mr. Babaryko
was politically motivated. They have urged the country to review the decision.
There was a strong feeling that this year’s election would
mark the end of the thirty year long rule of the present leader.
There is a strong sentiment against the leadership of the
country at this juncture. Many are in favour of a change.
There was an assumption that Mr. Babaryko might enter into
the annals of the history of the country with his victory this year.
Apart form Mr. Babaryko, his son, who was leading his campaign
against the establishment, Eduard, has also been booked on the basis of similar
charges.
The development may lead the country to a serious political turmoil.
It may derail the political stability of the country.
It is interesting to note here that Russia – which has serious interest in the politics of this country – is still silent on this matter.
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
India is at present at a crucial juncture. Not any
time in its nearest history, the country has come to this point. The
coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China, is what that bothers the
country – and the world – at this moment. As its proper solution is nowhere
near, the ray of hope is still unclear.
Even in this situation, Indians have a confidence that
many others across the world lack. It is that they are governed by a powerful
and visionary Prime Minister. The people of the world’s largest democratic
country admire the confidence shown by their PM to take the bold step of
lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Though the 21-day lockdown was a shock to many, most
experts, inside the country and abroad the world, consider the decision as
inevitable. If the spread of the virus is not contained in this stage, it may
not be possible in future.
India is at present in the right track. If the things
progress in this direction, the country will see the emergence of the ray of
hope soon.
The central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is working day and night tirelessly to help the country overcome the present crisis. It deserves special appreciation for the dedication it shows to support its people.
A country like India, with a not-so-advanced health
infrastructure, is highly vulnerable. Its vast population is another threat.
The country, however, proves that with a dedicated
leadership at the helm the country is powerful enough to confront any crisis.
Within hours after the announcement of the lockdown
plan, a Rs.1.7 lakh crore lockdown package was rolled out. The central leadership’s
care for the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable of the vulnerable of
the country is commendable.
The package offers an insurance cover worth Rs. 50
lakh per person for government medical workers, a food support of 5 kg rice or
wheat per family every month for next three months for 80 crore poor people, a
hike in the MGNREGA wage, and many more.
It is his leadership experience which gives the PM
confidence to handle this crisis. The country is very fortunate to have such a
person at the helm at this situation.
Even certain world leaders have recognised and appreciated Indian PM’s effort to reach out to the world with support to tackle the virus outbreak.
Importantly, almost all South Asian countries have
welcomed India’s emergence as the leader of the region in its effort to weed
out the threat of this virus from the region.
It is the perfect movement to recall how correct the
decision taken by the country during the 2019 general election – in which the
PM’s party, BJP, was voted to power with an overwhelming majority – was.
There is no wonder that Mr. Modi is the first Prime
Minister outside the Indian National Congress – which had been a dominant party
in the country until the year 2014 – to win two consecutive terms with a
comfortable majority.
Mr. Modi began his political career as an RSS
activist. It was with the blessings of the right-wing organisation he joined
the BJP. It took not many years for the leader to rise to the top of the
political party.
He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He ruled the
state from 2001 to 2014. It was considered as a glorious period of the state.
The state achieved a huge economic growth during the period. His government
received serious appreciation for the economic growth it achieved.
When he was projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate
of the BJP during the 2014 general election, there was no surprise. As
expected, under his leadership, the BJP uprooted the INC – which was struggling
to escape from its tainted image as a corrupted political party.
His first tenure as the PM was eventful. He initiated
several revolutionary steps – especially in the economic front. The
demonetisation of the higher denomination banknotes of Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500
and the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax were some of them.
His return to power for the second consecutive term
was rather impressive than the first. It was made even simple by the
infightings between the opposition parties.
In the 2019 general election, he retained his seat of
power and increased his party’s majority in the lower house of the parliament
considerably.
Just a year has passed since the commencement of the
second term. It is still premature to access the second term of the Modi
government.
The cancellation of the special status offered to the
Jammu and Kashmir and the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act are the
two major steps taken in this term. Both have attracted mixed responses.
Since the year 2014, India has achieved several
commendable progresses – especially in terms of its relation with certain foreign
powers like the US. It has improved its image as a promising global power.
In the economic front as well as in the defence front,
the world’s second most populated country is now an unavoidable power.
It now plays a leadership role in certain multilateral
organisations based in the Asian region like SAARC and BIMSTEC. It is at
present not less than a regional hegemon. It is also an active member in
various forums for global leaders like G20.
Indians owe its top leader for the successes their
country has achieved since the year 2014 – since the BJP was inducted to the
seat of power.
Extraordinary times demand extraordinary leaders.
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus” – Martin Luther King Jr
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
Dr. Shashi Tharoor’s bio on his
ever-buzzing Twitter page reads ‘MP for Thiruvananthapuram, Author of 20 books,
Former Minister of State, Govt of India, Former Under-Secretary General, United
Nations’. The order is questionable. While his credentials as a bestselling
author or a prolific career in the international body are well established, his
modern-day political hat offers an interesting quandary worth unpacking.
Even to seasoned pundits,
Tharoor’s journey since the commencement of his political career in 2007, could
not be more different from the diary of a textbook politician. And often (or
perhaps consequently) there has been a rush to categorise Tharoor as a fish out
of water in Indian politics.
Not just because of certain personality traits of the three-term Member of Parliament, universally regarded as a suave, articulate and astute leader, are perhaps qualities less than commonly associated with our perception of the political class. Or because despite his verified credentials and potential he frequently appears to be underutilised by his own party, even it faces an existential crisis no. Or because unlike many he bumps into at Parliament’s Central Hall, Tharoor’s ascension to the very top is neither the product of a helpful lineage in this line of work nor by cutting his teeth in the swirl of party-affiliated student politics. Indeed the question of what an individual like Tharoor is doing investing his time, energy and legacy in Indian politics is one that has puzzled many.
His upbringing and career offer
little clues. Born in London, Tharoor’s early years were spent between the
teeming metropolises of Kolkata, Mumbai and then New Delhi where he read
History at the premier Anglican establishment of St. Stephens College. Though
he made a name for himself as a champion debator, a talented thespian and
perhaps even displayed inklings of a future diplomat thanks to the various
favourable exemptions he secured from the administration during his tenure as
President of the college union, the ingredients of a conventional politician in
the making were conspicuously absent during his formative years.
Following his years in Delhi University, despite securing admissions to two premier IIMs and the option of vaulting into the bureaucracy through the prestigious civil services examinations, Tharoor, then 19, chose to travel overseas to Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Diplomacy where the anxiety of burning through his scholarship (and an academic record that would be every Indian parent’s dream) saw him secure an MA, MALD and a PhD (courtesy a 650-page tome on Indian foreign policy that would be subsequently converted into his first book ‘Reasons of State) by the age of 22, a tearing pace that since has not been emulated.
The subsequent chapter of nearly three decades at the UN has already been well chronicled, including his first diplomatic coming of age when tasked with overseeing the body’s response in the port city of Singapore to the Vietnamese boat peoples crisis (1981-84), at the frontline of the Yugoslav civilian war and on various assignments he subsequently performed in the UN Secretary-General’s Office, culminating with his promotion to Under Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. Seen by many as a right-hand man to the then Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Tharoor’s career and formidable experience he had garnered at the UN seemed primed for him to take over from his mentor and guru in 2006 and the then UPA government under Manmohan Singh decided to back this by officially nominating him in the race to elect the new SG. Sadly, despite a spirited campaign, Tharoor had to settle for second place after the US, eager to find a “yes, minister” to compensate for their experiences with an outspoken Annan, decided to scuttle his candidacy by exercising their veto.
That Tharoor decided to jump into
the maelstrom of Indian politics soon after, when any number of lucrative
options in the private sector would have made themselves available, adds to the
puzzlement of most observers. Sure, perhaps his high-profile return to India
would have made him a popular personality and perhaps even an entry through the
safer route of the Rajya Sabha could have been considered. If the destination
of Parliament was his eventual desire, could not then the decision to
physically contest an election, in a seat that had historically been hotly
contested, in a language that he was still reacquainting himself with, pose a
risk that could have been easily avoidable? But that would not have been his style.
The journey hasn’t always been
kind to him and Tharoor himself has described his experience in navigating the
volleys and potholes that he has encountered as an agni pariksha.
True, he has managed to secure a hattrick in a constituency that opted for a
different representative in the five elections preceding his arrival, but these
have been hard-fought and gritty victories. His inaugural campaign in 2009 saw
his own party members threatening to rebel on account of the ticket being given
to an ‘outsider’. A second in 2014, saw Tharoor not just going up against a
Modi wave that effectively drowned out the Congress but also faced a vicious
whisper campaign following the untimely demise of his wife Sunanda Pushkar
Tharoor just three months before the elections. Still, against
overwhelming odds, Tharoor would go on to cobble together a photo-finish
victory.
Much of the script remained the
same during the 2019 elections, where Tharoor faced a second Modi wave that had
made Kerala, still reeling from the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala, the
centre of its polarising agenda. On the other side, the Left sought to undercut
Tharoor’s minority vote banks by portraying him as a high-nosed snob with an
intentional misrepresentation of a tweet with Tharoor holding a fish and
describing himself as a ‘squeamish vegetarian’. But this is Indian politics,
where all is foul in love and war and Tharoor, nonplussed dealt with the PR
fallout and soldiered on. Even when it looked like a more mysterious force was
conspiring against him, by crashing an heavy iron hook on his head, during a
routine campaign event, forcing the leader to getnine stitches at the 11th hour,
it was impossible to keep him down. Around 8 days later, the people of the
constituency came together to vote for him and when the ballots were opened on
counting day, Tharoor once again came out on top with a margin of nearly 1 lakh
votes over his nearest rival.
As a Member of Parliament,
Tharoor has converted his unorthodox entry into politics and diplomatic skills
inherited from his UN days, into a potent asset. In a country notorious for
long-winded bureaucratic bottlenecks and red tape-ism that often reduces
development project to a crawl, Tharoor has displayed an irreverential approach
to the system and the rules of conformity it demands. Whether it is by pushing
bureaucrats or through multiple meetings with Ministers or even leveraging his
own contacts and networks, Tharoor has managed to engineer vital approvals for
his constituency such as the 4-lane NH Kazhakootam- Karode Bypass that had been
lying dormant for 40 years before he took over. Today the project offers vital
connectivity in his constituency, linking 5 out 7 Assembly segments and
has boosted economic growth and investment in the region.
But it’s not just headline-making
infrastructure projects like the bypass and the upcoming Vizhinjam
International Transhipment Port that has earned him his stripes. In the 11
years he has spent as the city’s MP, Tharoor has been a relentless advocate for
its causes and interests, whether it is by pushing for the upgradation of local
institutions such as the Regional Cancer Centre, Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute
of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), or the National Institute of
Speech and Hearing; or by lobbying the Central government for increasing the
number of trains connecting his constituency, the air traffic at the airport
and facilities within these hubs; or convincing cultural groups to bring in
literary festivals and shows. His successfully using his global networks to
attract foreign countries to establish local consulates in Thiruvananthapuram
is a feat few other MPs could have pulled off. Plus it always
helps that as a cricketing aficionado Tharoor can break into an impromptu game
of cricket with his constituents even despite the logistical challenges of
playing in a mundu.
The Tharoor model, however, is
not just about feels good measures or a simple commitment to the people he
represents. As even his most virulent critics will begrudgingly admit, there is
a tactical and strategic side that he brings to the table that keeps his brand
rolling. During the ongoing pandemic, when other MPs chose to invest in heavy
purchases such as ventilators, Tharoor decided to use the same amount to invest
in an assortment of smaller but critical equipment such as testing devices, PPE
kits, non-contact thermometers and scanners. But procurement was only half
of the story. With an effective team and a wide range of contacts Tharoor then
cleared multiple logistical barriers to ensure that not only was his
constituency well equipped to tackle the transmission of contagion but even
earned the unique distinction of being the force behind the first delivery of
testing kits in the whole state. Even the Left had to sit back and congratulate
Tharoor for his leadership during the crisis.
There is a lot more that
can be said about his retail politics including his impressive work ethic and
performance in Parliament, his industrious output during Question Hour, the
important policy contributions made through Private Members Bills, accolades
that he has received such as a Sahitya Akademi award this year — but all of that
would take an entire book. But there are elements of the brand Tharoor has
built in the last decade that offer some clarity on why despite not being a
career politician, he remains one of the most popular politicians in the
country.
For one, there is a level of
accessibility with Tharoor that people can rarely seek out in his
contemporaries. This is not just based on his active presence on social media
but extends to the way he conducts himself professionally, often responding to
representations and emails from constituents well past midnight or willing to
collaborate with small NGO’s whose work resonates with him. Equally, it also
helps that Tharoor has consciously cultivated an image beyond his regular
politicking whether it is by doing a standup set in front of a live audience or
spending time during the lockdown teaching young students virtually through
Unacademy. These two traits, along with his well-established disregard for
partisanship and the ills that afflict modern-day politics in India make him
instantly likeable and admired across the aisle.
So why then is he seen as an
outsider in Indian politics? Perhaps the answer to that question has less to do
with the man himself and more to do with the field he represents. In a system
that is unwelcoming of outsiders, largely self-serving and self-perpetuating,
and stacked up against efficiency and meritocracy, Tharoor’s own rise naturally
sticks out. But that may yet be his greatest asset and the source behind his
widespread popularity. When people look at him, they can actually see a bit of
their own lives at play— the Indian middle-class struggle and constant
endeavour to advance in their personal and professional lives, the competition
and barriers they have to circumvent to rise, the potential of making your way
to the top on the strength of your own discipline and belief systems and the
recognition of capability and merit. Tharoor’s stock continues to grow because
he represents a brand of aspirational politics—a fleeting glimpse into what our
current political systems could one day be and what that could
achieve for our country.
On July 7, Tharoor will eclipse his distinguished predecessor A Charles to become the longest-serving Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram. It is a milestone richly deserved.
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright
