Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Congress Today & the Economy
When the Congress Party regained power in
2004, it was under the leadership of Sonia
Gandhi - the Italian-born wife of the late
Rajiv Gandhi, who served as prime minister
from 1984 to 1989. The BJP's planned nation-
al agitation campaign against Sonia Gandhi's
foreign origins was subverted when she
stepped aside to allow Manmohan Singh to be
sworn in as prime minister. With a reputation
for transparency and intelligence, Singh is
reasonably popular among Indians, though
many believe that Gandhi still wields consid-
erable influence over the actual decisions.
Under Singh's leadership, India has carried
out a program of economic liberalisation
along with a number of education, health and
other social-reform initiatives.
In 1991, Singh, then finance minister,
floated the rupee against a basket of 'hard'
currencies. State subsidies were phased out
and the economy was opened up to foreign in-
vestment, with multinationals drawn by In-
dia's multitudes of educated professionals and
low wages. India became the world's second-
fastest growing economy (after China). But in
recent years that growth has dropped off, the
rupee has slumped and inflation has soared. Some economists see benefits to slower
growth: it could slow down inflation and reduce economic disparity. Huge sections of the
country's billion-plus population benefited little from the boom, and the gap between the
haves and the have-nots continues to be vast.
In January 2013 Rahul Gandhi, Sonia's son, assumed the post of Vice President of the
Congress Party. The move didn't surprise anyone: the Nehru-Gandhi name has become
synonymous with the party. But he's not considered a charismatic or strategic figure, and
it's expected to be a struggle to get a Gandhi back in the PM seat in 2014.
Dos & Don'ts
Dress modestly
Avoid tight clothes and keep
shoulders and knees covered, especially at holy
places.
PDA
Public displays of affection - kissing,
cuddling or holding hands - are not condoned.
Pure feet
Remove shoes before entering
people's homes and sacred sites.
Photos
Always ask before photographing
people or holy places.
That head wobble
It can mean 'yes', 'maybe'
or 'I have no idea'. Go with the flow!
Niceties
Namaste
Saying
namaste
with hands together
in a prayer gesture is a traditional, respectful
Hindu greeting and a universally accepted way
to say hello.
Hugs
Hugs between strangers are not the norm.
Pure hands
Use your right hand for eating and
shaking hands; the left hand is the 'toilet' hand.
Bad vibes
Avoid pointing the soles of your feet
towards people or deities, or touching anyone
with your feet.
Good Manners
If you're invited to someone's
home for a meal, it's nice to take flowers and/or
sweets.
