The Congress-led UPA government had actively pursued its agenda of governance from 2004 to 2009, but during its second phase, from 2009 to 2011, it seems to have lost its will to govern and has been engaged only in fire fighting. The study reveals that domestic and foreign policies of the government show its lack of direction. Explanations have been offered for the lacklustre and agendaless performance of the government. The focus is on the causes of 'crisis of governance' since 2009.
C P Bhambhri, currently 'Distiguished Scholar' of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, has been Professor and Dean of the School of Social Sciences. He also has been a Visiting Professor to McGill University, Canada and Dar-Es-Salaam University, Tanzania. He is a prolific writer who has published in international and national academic professional Journals and has also intervened through newspapers articles.
Preface Introduction
SECTION I NATION AND STATES POLITICS
Not Just a Question of Rhetoric Politics of Social Sectarianism PA’s Drought of Governance Judicial Independence is Crucial National Security State Missing the Mark The Worrisome Babu-Neta Nexus Politics of Tokenism Uniformly Bad across States Beyond Caste-Based Identity Politics How not to Solve a Problem Social Inclusion: A Wasted Year Enter Coalition Compromise, Exit Ideology PA-II: Searching for Direction Case Census and its Implications Do-gooders Step into Government's Shoes Negotiations could help End Insurgency Congress has Betrayed its Ideals Why Democrats should Worry Deviant Regionalism Swamps UPA Through CWG We Fail Gandhi In Pursuit of Good Governance Playing the Messiah of the Dispossessed Manmohan Singh must Clarify Stand to Party Congress Non-ideological Pragmatism Faith and Belief cannot be Given Veto Power Over Rule of Law Bihar on Trial All in the Name of Public Service Trouble Piles up for Embattled Congress Institutionalisation of Corruption Future Bleak for Both National Parties Meaning of the Verdict Politics Beyond Stalled Parliament Reaping the Fruits of Economic Growth Convergence of Ideas Needed to Fight Maoists Corruption Impacts Governance India under UPA is Facing Serious Governance Deficit Judicial Activism can Prove Harmful but Gloating will not Help Maoists Bereft of Marxist Ideology Unravelling Coalitions Alliances of Convenience, not Ideology Voters are Conscious of Their Rights Political Funding: Need vs. Greed but isn't the Constitution Supreme? New Challenges for Communists Is it New Satyagrah or Mobicracy Trivialising the Nation's Political Process Isn’t Corruption Endemic to all Democracies? The Greatest Mess since Partition Uncertain Politics Ahead Challenges Facing the Congress The Claws of the Lotus Lovers Challenges Facing Indian Democracy Complexity of Indian Electoral Mood Identity and Competitive Electoral Politics No Socialism in the Preamble? It Means Abandoning Ideals of Equality Politics Beyond Parties Spreading Canards in the Name of Fighting Corruption Potential of Mass Movements
SECTION II FOREIGN POLICY Soft PM's Soft Stand on TerrorAd-Hocism as Foreign PolicyGungi Gudiya who Took on Uncle SamA Shared Destiny: India, China can Rise by Working Together India-China: Cold Peace Public Relations Exercise Worrisome US Policy Look Beyond American Kaylan is a better bet than Gilani Needed, a Foreign Policy Review Asian Century: Cooperation or Conflict? Why UPA2 must Revise Talks Strategy Kashmir: Victim of Vested Interests LoC as De Jure Border is a Possible Solution The Dualism Obama Represents it’s Time to Emerge out of America's Shadow Checkmating China Needs Serious Engagement Need to Scrutinise India's Foreign Policy New Strategic Realities Emerging in Asia PA has Failed on Foreign Policy Front Index