Trump Tariff & Turmoil

Karma is not a “beach” in Goa, it is right at your doorstep. PM Narendra Modi has learned nothing in his life except to lie, be pompous, chest-thump with fakery and fool people with bogus promises. Despite hanging out and swinging with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a long time, Modi hasn’t learned from him to keep his mouth shut when matters don’t concern him or India in anyway. On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump was still the President of the US and there were claims of election-frauds and riots at the Capitol Hill in Washington DC by Trump supporters. True to his nature, the Dehati Duffer made this stupid tweet:

Modi had called Trump a “great phraand” in all his meetings and events. And then to make such a tweet while Trump was still president would obviously imply many things; one of them being the “unlawful” protests were being fueled by Trump. Modi thought he could dance with the Democrats and Trump is not returning again. Unfortunately for him, Karma is a bitch that keeps coming back. Trump not only returned as President but after becoming President he pardoned 1600 of those jailed for the January 6 events while some had their sentences commuted. But Trump did not forgive one man – Modi!

Since he returned as President, Trump has treated Modi shabbily. He wasn’t invited to his inauguration and when he met Trump at the White House later, he was received by some lowly official while Trump had personally received all other leaders. The Presser later had more embarrassing moments for Modi. When asked a question, Modi didn’t get it was for him and Trump sarcastically said “The question is for you but I will still answer it”. And yet another reporter hit directly at Modi’s heart by asking about Adani. In just over 6 months, Trump’s vengeance has struck Modi and, consequently, India with punitive tariffs. First a 25% and then another 25% punitive tariff for importing Russian oil against US sanctions (as Trump claims). All this after Modi’s coolies hung around in the US for days and couldn’t seal a trade deal.

To divert a bit. On December 6, 2021 Vladimir Putin, the Russian President (For life?) paid a sudden, one-day visit to India. Putin, of course, is a suave, sophisticated politician who was also an Intelligence Officer for 16 years in his career. On the face of it this is what transpired in the meeting Putin had with Modi in Delhi:

S-400 and AK-203 are all very fine. But we have hindsight now. Putin’s main purpose it seems was to privately inform Modi about his plans to invade Ukraine (which he did in February 2022) and seek his support by a trade-off by buying Russian oil for partly funding his war (prior to that, India’s highest oil imports were from Iraq). That now seems “mission accomplished” for Putin and Modi, seems to have willingly played along. Nothing wrong in that deal except that the US and NATO later turned on Modi as being a Russian-stooge and compelled him to make a half-hearted visit to Ukraine to show his “Buddh not Yuddh” nonsense”. This clandestine deal is what irks the US more than any tariff issue in addition to the vengeance Trump wants to wreak on Modi:

What should have been just a trade deal to solve grievances on both sides has now graduated into an economic war on India by Trump and that has resulted Modi once again playing the widow, victim and Meena Kumari – She, the Dehati Aurat that has been suffering all her life from atrocities from Brahmins, UCs, lack of water, lack of education, lack of a decent spouse, lack of sex, lack of money, extreme gareebi, bartan-washing mother and what not. Now, the ultimate atrocity has come from an American President so Modi, once again, decides to pay a “PERSONAL PRICE” to protect the farmers of India:

The farmer issue is not cited by Trump or any of the US negotiators as an irritant in making a trade deal. When Trump called India a “Tariff King” there is definitely some reason for it because India has historically created trade barriers and ran a “protectionist” economy being a poor country. India still remains a poor country practically with a per capita GDP of  just around $2500 or so. Let’s get some raw facts out of the way on Indian exports to the US and India currently has a favourable balance of trade with the US:

The story of India’s tariffs on the US (and others) is not fully explained by the experts who have outraged on the punitive tariffs by Trump. Here’s a look at what India does to ensure many US/foreign products simply will not be attractive or feasible for an average business to import:

Laughably, the one thing that India reduced after some rounds of discussion is the tariff on American whisky from 150 to 100% so that the Ambanis and Adanis can happily entertain their bribe-seekers. As for the simple weighted average shown in the bottom image – that is misleading. In most cases, the tariff is zero or under 7% for items that India badly needs while others are taxed so heavily that import and trade is nearly impossible. Any set of statistics/data can always be cleverly manipulated which our experts and media happily do. 

India is being punished with an additional tariff of 25%, taking it to 50%, by the US (with a window to comply till August 27) because of Russian oil and not so much because it wants to sell farm products. China is also buying Russian oil but Trump doesn’t dare to confront China. Many Chinese companies also complied with US sanctions against Russia and those who didn’t were also sanctioned by the US. Remember, the US is a huge debtor to China (1 Trillion dollars). However, the Dehati Modi makes it out as if he is the “VICTIM” who will protect farmers from the atrocity of “US Brahmins”. Needlessly to say, that worthless stunt is for Bihar elections and typically Modi met a bunch of Tamil Nadu farmers a day ago. Two states up for elections within 9 months. 

What Trump has effectively done is, he has put Modi on the mat to now negotiate on the 50% tariff rather than the earlier situation where India was negotiating only on the initial 25%. Either way, the ones most affected will be the businesses – medium and big, in the private sector. India’s GDP may also be dented to some extent but not so greatly. But the very experts and morons who led India up a garden path under a clueless PM like Modi are now grandly stating that this crisis is a great opportunity for “grand reforms”. Like this one:

Modi has not made any great reforms in the 11 years that he has been PM. He neither has the brains nor the intelligence for it nor is he a person who would be willing to stake his electoral fortunes on drastic reforms. All that Modi has done in 11 years is worsened caste politics, loot taxes, dramatically increased doles and peddling nonsensical slogans to the illiterate voters of India. His entire goal is to remain PM till he dies and nothing else.

Modi is also scheduled to visit China for an upcoming SCO meet. Some are also suggesting that since US is now acting almost anti-India, Modi will make “phraands” with China again. I doubt that will happen and that would be more stupid than before because China will never change as an enemy of India. Nor is India going to come out of the turmoil by Modi acting like a widow and victim. That is the usual “Nautanki” of the Dehati Duffer. India can only be patient like the vulture and use all its available negotiating skills in bargaining and reaching a compromise with the US and at the same time keep some semblance of importing Russian oil without losing its pride.

The one lesson that Modi must learn (although he is unteachable) is that nobody is a “friend” in international politics – it is all business. Hugging, kissing, chest-thumping and guffawing like a fool with silly jokes is not necessary for diplomatic success. A certain level of modesty, distance and cordiality would do well for Modi and his morons. 

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Clumsy Covert Frauds

Whether in business, social service or in politics, one of the attributes of a leader is that he/she sees the “Finish Line” of any endeavour or major policy decision. If one cannot see that, then before starting one must rework the plans, perhaps carry out more negotiations but not tread a reckless path of disaster and turmoil. PM Narendra Modi enjoyed immense trust, political capital and mandate but much of it is coming undone with a series of clumsy, covert acts of cowardice and stealth-frauds that hardly warrant respect. 

One of the worst frauds and loot by ModiSarkar was the covert handling of Rail fares since the Covid pandemic broke. They were as clumsy as the waiters dressed as “Sadhus” on the Ramayana Express. One hopes this idiocy will be changed soon. It reflects poor sensitivity to Hindu society which assigns the highest social position to Sadhus. There is a covert but definite contempt for Hindus that Modi secretly nurtures. Who in hell would dress up railway waiters as Sadhus? Only ModiSarkar!

 

As soon as rail services were restarted the trains were tagged as “Special trains”, their numbers prefixed with a “0” and fares increased unreasonably without any notice. Where Rajdhanis and Shatabdis are concerned, fares were increased even as linen and food were stopped. Cancellation and platform ticket charges also became high. Since the Rail Budget was merged with the general budget it has enabled the GOI to carry out such fraudulent loot without being noticed much. Four crore senior citizens paid higher than normal concessional rate. It is only after this fraud was trashed in a Twitter thread that the Railways reacted to restore fares and services to pre-Covid levels:

There is enough evidence of covert loot of public to believe that the Rail budget should be restored. A govt monopoly should not be allowed to execute such a hike in fares without a discussion in parliament and without any public notice. Avarice by the govt is not provided for in the Constitution. Almost every decision of ModiSarkar smacks of avarice and a desperate greed for money to spend on Modi’s much vaunted social welfare schemes for the “Soshit, Vanchit, Peedit”. This has reached a point where the ordinary middle class and tax paying folks are unable to tolerate this. There are #BhajanMandli idiots who grandly claimed they will vote BJP even if petrol price reaches 200.

There were frequent increases in petrol and diesel prices. Domestic LPG prices have also gone up dramatically. Modi and his moronic Bhakts live in an ivory tower assuming all other parties are dead and there will be no political challenge to Modi. Firstly, the GOI minister Hardeep Puri claimed petrol price hikes were also to cover up for “free vaccines”. So, how is vaccine free if you are looting Ram to pay for Ruksana? Then, all it took was a few bypoll losses, especially 3 straight seats to the Congress in Himachal and the GOI slashed petrol and diesel prices. Some states too followed the price-reduction act:

Every vaccine certificate, every hoarding and billboard on roads, highways, railway stations and airports prominently show Modi as the “Grand Devta” of free vaccines. He has been reduced to quackery, imagery and a worthless Ribbon-cutting actor – so much that he has not even spared ribbon-cutting goods trains and milk plants. While Modi dazzles the public with such theatrical shows the “operation loot” happens behind the scene. Rail fare hikes, petrol and diesel price hikes and now GST is being increased from 5% to 12% on certain garments and footwear from January 2022. And as you breathe, the Railways had announced bonus for their losses during the Covid period. Lucky dodos I should say:

Obviously, the GOI desperately needs money for all its freebies, doles to feed 80cr “Bhooka-Nanga” and behind the scene that is they plot all day and night – how to loot more money from taxpayers. It went as far as Modi hawking gifts received from sportspersons at an auction. Such avarice is unbecoming for a PM. And this one was in the name of Namami Ganga. Are we to believe that the GOI has become such a Bhikari that it has to auction gifts that belong in a sports museum? This is too clumsy, comic and cowardly to ignore. But that is not all. Modi is enchanted with beautifying everything. It’s old penchant of his starting with the Sabarmati Riverfront. There is nothing wrong with Swachh Bharat, clean cities and rail stations, modern airports and expressways.

However, with some of the projects he goes overboard. There is his pet project of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor which has attracted a lot of complaints and criticism of temples being broken and Vigrahas being demolished. And no, all of this is not propaganda. There is enough evidence that temples were indeed destroyed; some for no reason or rhyme whatsoever. This penchant for beautification cannot be at the cost of the ancient heritage of Hindu temples. Some of the pictures and videos coming out of Kashi are not exactly complimentary to Modi or Yogi:

This partly destroyed Shiva temple complex is also part of the entire Kashi Vishwanath temple complex. And because the so-called “Double Engine” govt of Modi-Yogi work in tandem, the news and truth about Kashi demolitions are being covered up and media is not allowed much access to the areas in question. Most of such news is only coming through private videos and SM posts. I will write more about the Kashi issue in a separate post later. In the name of beautification and development Modi has indeed shown contempt for Hindu temples in the past too in Gujarat:

The total temples targeted in Gujarat was 200. Surely, all of them cannot be illegal and if there were encroachments then only the encroaching portions needed to be demolished not the entire temple. But such is the reckless contempt Modi holds for Hindus that he carried out these demolitions like a thief in the middle of the night. Why should such an operation be carried covertly at 2am in the night?

And there are temple demolitions in multiple states. More Hindu temples have been destroyed/vandalised under BJP than under any other political party in recent history. Amidst all this, Modi grandly donates 2 acres of land to Bhutan to build a Buddhist temple. Why? Why should Bhutan be donated a land and why should a Buddhist temple be built in the sacred Hindu town of Varanasi? This also condones the fact that Bhutan has indulged in ethnic cleansing of Hindus in the past and does not allow building of Hindu temples in their tiny country:

Almost everything Modi does is for personal glorification which is not necessarily monetary. How is Modi donating land from Varanasi as if it is some property of BJP or his? These are covert and senseless acts for which the arrogant Modi finds no reason to offer any explanation to anyone. The coward never faces the press either. Such news comes out only by accident. All his 24X7 TV appearances or monologues or where he is the “main event” in a show or sermonizes like an old grandma with his retarded “Mann ki Baat”. All this while he glosses over real issues of law and order, violence under his nose in Delhi, attacks on the Red Fort and non-stop strikes and blockades since November 2019.

The Shaheen Bagh blockade ended because of Covid but immediately the farmer riots and blockades started. As the saying goes “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything”. That is exactly Modi and his govt since 2019. They are just drifting aimlessly. The farm laws for which they allowed riots, rapes, murders and violence on Republic Day was withdrawn for electoral compromise. It was Modi who went on TV suddenly and made a splash as if he was the Emperor of the land. Withdrawing the farm laws without any compliances imposed on the rioters was one of the most foolish acts by Modi. And though the BJP dancers may try hard to wash this foolishness all they can, it is simply nothing but another electoral calculation. And it’s not Punjab, they are also worried about UP (with a big chunk of Jat farmers). This Deccan Herald quote comparison reflects it accurately:

The rioters naturally tasted blood and want some more. They now refuse to withdraw their agitation and go back. They want compensation for some dead rioters, they want a law for guaranteed MSP, they want any criminal cases on them withdrawn. That’s how foolish Modi’s action was for going on air like a “Lone Ranger” without any pre-conditions for withdrawal of the laws the farmers. There is nothing wrong in withdrawing laws but it’s the manner that Modi did it that smacks of thoughtlessness. Now the strife and blockade will continue for some more time and people will still face the nonsense.

Modi has achieved nothing with this withdrawal except eggs on his face. There are sundry commenters who are concocting some Khalistan problem surfacing or Hindu-Sikh divide because of the farm laws. All this is just the BJP propaganda. If such threats existed, they didn’t surface suddenly for Modi to rush to TV. Worse, Modi invokes Guru Nanak as if only Sikhs are farmers and the rest are chopped liver in the country.

The abuse of religion for his political follies is another ridiculous practice that is growing in the Modi-resume. He also fools Hindus with his fake Pujas while demolishing temples and doing absolutely nothing on key issues affecting Hindus. The caste-divide and the clumsy frauds of ModiSarkar have put the country on a path of irreparable damage. This feature of blockades is an unwanted gift by ModiSarkar to Indians. It is a permanent feature gifted by an ego-maniac who just wants his image and stamp on everything in India. It’s a colossal failure by the clumsy cowards of BJP. As the DH quote says, with elections around the corner, the weeping fox (Modi) now pretends it cares about the poultry.

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