O.P.Modi
It is quite rational to compare our progress since independence with that of China. Both India and China became free practically at the same time. Both had backward kind of agricultural economy; based on ancient methods of growing and harvesting crops. Both were industrially backward. The masses were equally illiterate. While under Jawaharlal Nehru India took to the path of mixed economy or a socialist pattern of society – a cross between socialism and capitalism- China took to Communism under Mao Zedong.
Since then India, under successive and able Government leaders, has marched ahead in industrial development and general economic progress. In all fields such as farming, horticulture and construction etc. there has been remarkable progress. Currently under Narendera Modi economic resurgence is taking place. In next five years under him our country is bound to outdo China in all respects. Signs of improving economy are easily discernible. During the last six months the GDP has increased by about 6 to 7.5%.
However, today Chinese goods have flooded not only the US market; the highly competitive products being exported from that country have ousted the indigenous products in some other countries including India. Indian industries are faced with competition from cheap products that are being imported from China. China is doing all this in utter frustration. Indian traders import furniture, building materials, toys, and leather goods from China and sell it in India at high rates.
There exists an unholy alliance between China and Pakistan. This is meant to hinder India’s growing acceptance by all other countries as a leading nation in respect of political, economic, social and cultural fields. But today Indian youth under the leadership of Narendera Modi and his associates has found a clear-cut direction and is therefore determined to raise our country to the highest pinnacle of all round progress.
To hurt India’s vital interests China has taken another path. Some years back it was known that the Chinese are building a hydel dam on Brahmaputra. Recently they have confirmed this saying that they have completed a major hydropower dam (named Zangmu) on the Brahmaputra called Yarlung Zangloo in Tibet.
It may be noted that the dam is bound to cause flooding in downstream areas in Assam resulting in millions of inhabitants migrating to other parts of India. One can imagine the chaos that could end up in all-round massive disturbances in the country. Although India has pointed out the dangers of damming Brahmaputra China has said that “the dam is constructed over run-off-the river dams and restricted to generating electricity and thus there is no danger at all”.
India’s response has been lukewarm. The result is that China has not taken Indian response seriously. Indian officials seem to be satisfied by their reply to the Chinese. To sit back and feel satisfied shall not serve any purpose conducive to India’s interest. It must be realised that
Chinese intend to build four more dams on the Brahmaputra. For centuries, this great river has served north eastern India’s vital interests.
“The waters of the River Brahmaputra are shared by China, India, and Bangladesh. In the 1990s and 2000s, there was repeated speculation about China building a dam at the Great Bend, with a view to divert the waters to the north of the country. This was denied by the Chinese government for many years. At the Kathmandu Workshop of Strategic Foresight Group in August 2009 on Water Security in the Himalayan Region, which on a rare occasion brought together leading hydrologists from the Basin countries, the Chinese scientists argued that it was not feasible for China to undertake such a diversion. However on 22 April 2010, China confirmed that it was indeed building the Zangmu Dam on the Brahmaputra in Tibet, but assured India that the project would not have any significant effect on the downstream flow to India.” Wikipedia
China must get a strong message and be asked to enter into a treaty concerning Brahmaputra water. The treaty must specify as to how much water from the river will be used for Zangmu dam and how much allowed downstream in Assam and Arunachal; so as neither there would be flooding nor the farm lands would be starved of water.
China is engaged in building a dam on Neelum-Jehlum River which flows by the side of Muzaffarabad town and also has helped in raising the height of Mangla Dam on Jhelum hydropower projects in POK. Currently it is going ahead with investing in multibillion dollars infrastructure projects there. It is well known that India does not accept Pakistan’s plea that POK is part of Pakistan. The issue is pending in UN Security Council for final resolution. Thus Pakistan has no right to allow a third country i.e. China to make any changes in the original condition of the disputed in a part of Jammu & Kashmir.
China is looking forward to relocate its outdated plants in India under ‘make in India’ plan of the Indian Government. These include textile, iron and steel, low end motors and machines. Leaders and business men from different Chinese provinces visited to set up these industries in India. What India needs to do is to closely monitor activities of the Chinese and stop them from putting up industries in these sectors here which would oust indigenous manufacturers.
To establish hegemony in business and commerce right from its border, through Tibet, Nepal and Pakistan to western edge China intends to revive the old Silk Road soon giving new alignments at some locations.
Despite India’s strong objections Pakistan has said it fully supports China’s activities in Pak Occupied Kashmir. China is building three dams in POK out of which one is on Neelam River (Kishen Ganga River) that passes close to Muzaffarabad. The other two are in Pok near Kashmir border.
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