IPI's Seminar: Liberal Political Strategy: 2004 and beyond

India Policy Institute

Seminar on 9 January 2004

India's Liberal Political Strategy: 2004 and beyond

India’s liberal movement comes of age

Be part of the national strategy and plans

Liberalism means many good things and liberals insist on tolerance, but among the things that liberals do not tolerate are these three “gifts” showered on us by our political leaders for more than fifty years now --

* impoverishment of the country through socialistic practices,

* corruption, and now,

* religious bigotry.

India had enormous potential at the time of independence, but we have been completely mismanaged since then. Though some things have improved, the overall trend is toward increasing mismanagement in all its forms. Good people no longer have a platform to speak from and shun public life and politics. People laugh at those who still demand that public life in India be free of corruption. The very integrity of India is now under threat from political forces that are making a dangerous cocktail of religious bigotry and politics.

But there is some good news on this bleak landscape of India. A group of committed and dedicated persons who ascribe to beliefs that favour choice and freedom, that favour integrity as the first principle of public life, that favour the people rather than geography, a group that has youth as well as experience, and a group that does not believe that India deserves this fate, is assembling at a workshop from the 5th to the 8th of January, 2004 in Delhi from across the world to determine "India's Liberal Political Strategy: 2004 and beyond". Participants are

1	Antony Joseph	Executive Director, IndiaPolicy Institute
2	Ashok V. Desai	Consultant Editor, The Telegraph. Former Chief Economic Adviser, GOI, significantly responsible for implementing liberalisation in 1991\| More about him.
3	Barun Mitra	Founder Director of Liberty Institute, Delhi
4	Bibek Debroy	Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies, Delhi
5	Gurcharan Das	Author of the book, “India Unbound” (Knopf) which has just been filmed by the BBC. Columnist Times of India. Mr. Das was CEO of Procter & Gamble India before he took early retirement to become a full time writer.
6	Jayaprakash Narayan	National Coordinator, Lok Satta (ex-IAS)
7	Madhu Kishwar	Editor, Manushi
8	Parth Shah	President, Centre for Civil Society
9	Pramit Pal Choudhuri	Foreign Affairs editor, Hindustan Times
10	Rakesh Wadhwa	Active liberal, Gurgaon/ Kathmandu
11	Ramesh Ramanathan	Janagraaha (first 4 days only)
12	S.V. Raju	President, Indian Liberal Group and former Secretary, Swatantra Party
13	Sanjeev Sabhlok	Director (Public Affairs), IndiaPolicy Institute (ex-IAS)
14	Shalini Wadhwa	Active liberal, Gurgaon/ Kathmandu
15	Subodh Kumar	Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung
16	Sharad Joshi	President, Swatantra Bharat Party \| More about him \| Also here.
17	Swati Ramanathan	Janagraaha (first 4 days only)
18	Nitai Mehta	CEO, Praja Foundation.
19	Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar	Swaminomics (for 2 days only)

We do not believe in talk for talk is cheap. We believe in action. We invite you to find out where we can go together: If you are one of those who, like all of us, are not just fed up with the mismanagement of India but WANT TO DO something about it, we can work together fruitfully as One Team, and make a significant difference.

On 9th January, 2004 this group is holding an open public Seminar to discuss the liberal strategy that it will formulate. You are invited to listen in, provide feedback, and help to determine how ALL OF US, the LIBERALS OF INDIA, can work together in the coming years and destroy corruption, bigotry, and socialism, leading India into prosperity and peace.

The Seminar will be held in the Casuarina Room India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi - 110 003, from 9 am to 5 pm. (Ph: 91-11- 2468-2222 for queries regarding how to reach there). Registration of pre-confirmed invitees is at 8:45 am.

We seek your interest: Around 50 interested members of the public will be invited, based on interest expressed. Please indicate your interest in participating in this seminar. Given that it is costing the India Policy Institute Rs. 425 per participant to provide lunch and tea for the day, there is a nominal participation fee of Rs. 250 (to be deposited into a box at the seminar) to partly cover this expense. You could of course donate more.

WebEx is not being provided due to inadequate demand.

LAST MINUTE UPDATE OF 1 JANUARY 2004:

There are still about 30 seats available - please arrive directly at 8:45 am on 9 January. No registration after 9 am. Entry will be first come first served.

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