26 November 2008: The Sordid Saga of Mumbai..WHAT LIES AHEAD?

It goes without saying that the nation is disgustingly shocked due to miserable state of affairs in Mumbai on 26 November 2008. As we lament, weep, sulk, mourn over this chaos unleashed, let us ponder over what lies further? What are the challenges ahead?

The masterminds behind the attack- meticulous planning to enter hotel, playing upon lacuna in laws of sea, movement of arms and food in store, are few things that gave a jolt to the existing machinery of the State. What is in their minds who have enacted it? Are they human as they profess no respect for sanctity of like? What religion they adhere to when they violate the basic fundamental ethos of religion – love, care, fraternity? How long can we blame the state as being soft on terror when its dirty fangs have not spared a single part of globe? The nation stood politically undivided and the nonsense gimmick of regional chauvinism by Raj Thackrej stood shamefully exposed to the ebb.
There is need to condemn this terrorism in unanimous terms, building consent on fighting back together as the nation that we will not loose on National Integrity at any cost. While we capture these emotional-psychological strands, at the societal-political level we need federal agency to tackle the menace of terrorism between the Union and State Government.

synchronisation of federal foreign policy aims!

synchronisation of federal foreign policy aims!

Federalism in the contemporary world is a significant means to reconcile unity and diversity within a political system. Democracies like United States of America adopted for federalism to limit governmental powers ,while India and Canada made the choice for federalism because it accommodates diversities.
Diversities within a society enrich politics, culture, legislation and the judicial discourse as it reflects and respects the reality of the diversity of the human nature. Issues of legitimacy, of “we” as opposed to the “other”, autonomy, are important challenging issues to be pondered over.

The forces of integration moved the International Relations away from Realism and more close towards Neo-Liberalism, signified by presence of complex interdependence within the International realm and end of the hegemony of the Statist ideas. The challenge in each federal nation is to ensure that the foreign foray and activities of sub-national/constituent units/ states and the larger aspect of foreign policy as articulated by the federal government do not overlap and clash. The present day global scenario cannot exist in vacuum, bypassing the grassroots, therefore both orders of government need to contribute towards effective external presence of the nation. The constituent units have greater understanding of nuances of ground realities, their needs while the Federal government have greater experience in articulating National Interest in international sphere. Their co-operation needs to be enlisted through effective intergovernmental relations

United States of America: Incoherent federal foreign policy agenda

United States of America: Incoherent Federal Foreign Policy Agenda

The United States of America is a federal republic with a bicameral parliament. . The concept of ‘state’ is largely missing from American political discourse being supplicated by the term ‘government’.
The federal approach to interpret this constitutional prism in US clearly speaks that apart from a very limited power to enter into international agreements, with the approval of the Congress, the only involvement of the States in the treaty making process is through State representatives in the Senate.
Better connectivity, communication, have made citizens to put onus on States to ensure their interests. The internationalization of production, distribution, transportation, communications, and investment, have provided incentives to State and local governments to create new jobs, diversify their economic base, and enhance revenues , hitherto not pursued by them.
The issue of state sovereignty arises as the ‘distinction between foreign and domestic policy is increasingly becoming blurred with sub national units entering an arena which was customarily regarded as prerogative of federal government’
There have been debates that rise of States in foreign affairs , on the ethical grounds it represents a highly desirable democratization of the foreign policy process, yet its accompanied facet of localization, leads to a dangerous derogation from national governments' power to conduct a coherent foreign policy.