Arun Nehru

Mar 31, 2010

Arun Nehru
Chairman, Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd
Mumbai

Time to rock the boat

We have a tense situation in Kashmir where 50 people have been killed since the trouble started about seven weeks ago. Sadly, no one has a solution to offer and while it is true that most political issues cannot be seen in black-and-white, the fact is that we are witnessing a civil disobedience movement and increased violence and more deaths will only reduce the credibility of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Hammers and tongs

The political trends are disturbing as a certain amount of desperation creeps into the system. As the Opposition parties consolidate their attack on the Congress, the allies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), with an agenda of their own, are silent. Also, within the Congress personal differences have surfaced — issues are

Reaction begets action

We have had a good monsoon till date. Based on the rainfall so far we can predict increased gross domestic product (GDP) growth. As agricultural output increases dramatically and the forces of demand and supply work to moderate food inflation, at least statistically, the reality is that farmers across the country are getting a better price for their produce. That is why I am not really sure if this will be an electoral issue in the next round of Assembly elections.

Credibility crisis

Political parties are gearing up for byelections in 10 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh’s Telangana region as this may well determine not just the future of all the three regions of the state but also the future of the main political parties in the state.

Common concerns

The June 5 Bharat bandh, called by the National Democratic Alliance and the Left parties, crippled India for a day. Clearly, the issue of “price rise” will remain a priority for both, the ruling party as well as for the Opposition. The bandh was a success because inflation and rising prices of essential commodities is a reality for the public.

Engage all in J&K

India lives in many dimensions. As we hurtle towards attaining “superpower” status, we are confronted with serious security issues, both internal and external.

The fight for survival

I am not surprised that we have a crisis in Bihar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is carefully studying the trends of the 2004 and 2009 general elections but it has limited options.

25 years of neglect

After 25 years we all have woken up to the Bhopal gas tragedy. But before we say or do anything, it would be in the fitness of things to tender an apology to the people of Bhopal on behalf of the nation and its institutions. The next step should be to reflect on why it took 25 years for all of us to think of the more than 20,000 people who died and those who still suffer. We still do not know if it is safe to live in Bhopal.

Money and politics

I have often repeated the threat our governance faces from the twin issues of terrorism, internal as well as external, and the lack of transparency in fund collection for political parties and leaders

The Mamata model

The GDP growth indicators are good, the monsoon looks normal and Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamul Congress have emerged victorious in the Kolkata municipal corporation polls. Though the Left is quoting statistics to justify its defeat, their argument has little meaning. This election was not fought on local issues; it was a battle to determine who will rule West Bengal after the next Assembly elections. The Congress, too, received a timely reality check.

Horoscope