India in Crisis, the US President Handicapped

Commentary

GAYATHRI DEVI VASUDEV

[An astrological prediction for the Lunar Year that started in April]

The lunar New Year commenced last month, April 7 at 16 hours 32 minutes (4:32 pm). At Delhi, 28° 22’ of Leo rose. The Sun, Lord of Lagna, was in the 8th in association with Saturn, Lord of the 6th and 7th, the Moon, Lord of the 12th, Venus, Lord of the 3rd and 10th and Ketu, an incendiary planet, further aspected by Mars, the worst malefic though in this case he is a Yogakaraka as well.

The weakness of the Ascendant, the closeness of Yogakaraka Mars to Rahu placed in Virgo, the ruling sign of India, may push the country towards further chaos. Controversies, political rivalries and exciting confrontations between parties and personalities will mark the year as one of the most significant in the modern history of the country. However, for all the developments packed in 1997-1998, the body-politic of the country will remain intact, thanks to a culture of cohesion that has kept it bound together for thousands of years.

The house of finance is subject to severe malefic influences. This indicates that some of the banks (one or two foreign banks included) may misuse the new-found freedom and indulge in financial manipulations in collaboration with a few unscrupulous businessmen and industrialists. The Reserve Bank of India may not be able to check such irregularities or frauds, thanks to political interference. A plan may be worked out to list the major rivers and categorize them as national resources.

Real estate business may face rough weather. Investors should be careful in view of unexpected developments on the political front.

India’s export boom may show signs of fatigue.

Mercury, Lord of the 2nd and 11th, occupies the 9th but the constellation is being Bharani, ruled by Yama, the god of destruction, decay, and death. One or two heads of some brokerage firms or industrialists involved in financial wheeling-dealing may have to face criminal action and even be jailed. The prices of food-stuffs and essential commodities may soar higher.

The Planning Commission may, post-November 1997, reorient its priorities concentrating more on infrastructural development through projects in the public sector.

Politicians will continue to use their destructive influence on management appropriating major chunks of money themselves. A bill for a Code of Corporate Control may also be brought up by the Government. Mars and Rahu opposition occurs on June 6, in Virgo. This may cause a furor following revelations of a nexus between top bank-men and political leaders.

The freedom of expression may be curbed to some extent by surreptitious methods. The media faces a difficult year. Walk-outs and strikes in the postal, railway and telecommunications departments holding the public to ransom are likely. Railway accidents -- two or three in North India, one in the East and one or two in the South -- are indicated, the likely periods being around the times of Saturn’s conjunction with Ketu, Martian conjunction with Rahu and the transit of Mars through the constellation of Bharani (April, 1998). Aeroplane crashes are also likely when Mars and Saturn have the same Kranti or declination.

Good news for Indian journalists is that a news-person may receive international recognition. Agricultural output will, in general, be fairly good, though yield of later crops may not be normal. A farmers’ agitation especially about the time of Mars-Rahu opposition in June cannot be ruled out. Crops will be good by and large but unseasonal weather, pests and drought conditions may lead to their loss and destruction.

The burden of unreasonable academic demands will play havoc with children’s psychological growth and welfare. Remand centers, reform homes and juvenile centers may ring with horror stories.

Medical research receives large funding. An Indian doctor may attract global attention for his work. The affliction to the Ascendant Lord points to an increased incidence of epidemic ailments, related to the liver as also the soles of the feet. Mars in Lagna causes a rise in stress-related ailments -- blood pressure, heart condition and diabetes.

The 7th house rules foreign relations. Mars in the Ascendant warns against an overconfident and confrontist stance in foreign policy.

Relations with Islamic powers may not be quite cordial. Border skirmishes with Pakistan create serious tensions but after November this year, Pakistan’s hostility may slightly wane. A major skirmish is likely with China about July-August and again in April 1998.

The 8th house has a combust Karaka. Mass deaths by accident, weather vagaries, deluging rains, cyclones as also epidemic-scale ailments are foreseen. A national mourning is on the cards for India. Heavy rains may deluge the Andhra coast-line once again leading to large number of deaths and destruction. Mumbai will face the ire of the rain gods during the monsoon months.

The threat from terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir will continue to persist and some sort of military action may become inevitable.

India will assume an assertive posture with the US. Relations between the two progress more smoothly than in last year. With Russia, New Delhi may develop strains.

Judicial activism will reach new heights and most ‘culprits’ will be roped in.

The tenth house ruling the Government and the Head of the State presents a confusing picture. The 10th house is aspected by debilitated Jupiter, Lord of the 8th (and 5th) and Saturn (Lord of the 6th and 7th). There is also a Parivartana between the Lords of the 6th and 8th. The Government faced serious blows to its very existence even as the new Lunar Year starts. But there is no indication of the country going to the polls immediately. At the most, the present Government may not continue beyond October-November, although this eventuality can come much earlier as a fallout of the Saturn-Ketu conjunction of January. [Deve Gowda Government had to resign following the withdrawal of support by the Congress Party].

The role of the Congress in unseating the UF Government will be surprising and unanticipated. The anti-BJP stance will not help.

The Congress (I) will be further devitalized and grope for a central and dynamic leadership which it may not be able to produce. Unity in the party will be a chimera as self-serving opportunists crowd it. Two senior Congress party leaders may pass away. The party itself is terminally ill and it is only a matter of how long transit Saturn will take to strike the death blow. Initial hope over a new party leader may fizzle out.

The BJP which has received some heavy pounding in recent months will be able to gradually reconsolidate its position. The party has a major role in governing the country in due course. Its efforts to extend its influence may be successful to some extent.

For the Janata Dal, Saturn Bhukti due to start in early 1997 will be its swan-song. Fissures and ego conflicts may gradually crack up the party.

Some sort of a national government may come into existence.

The insurgency threat in the North-Eastern States may become grim and the law and order situation will need to be tackled with firmness. The Bodo agitation may intensify leading to violence but the Government will resist its demands for a separate State.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK Government may initially fare well with a host of populist schemes. But the Jain Commission’s revelations may adversely affect it. The attitude of the LTTE in Tamil Nadu may surface casting its shadow on the Tamil Nadu Government. The Tamil Manilla Congress may drift away from the UF Government. In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu’s gimmicks may cost him his throne. In Kerala, the Government faces serious problems including those of law and order. Nayanar’s chief -ministership may end abruptly. The Karnataka Ministry will be mired in a series of controversies and may have difficulty surviving the Lunar Year. Vaghela faces an uncertain period and may not be able to retain his chief ministership much longer.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP stands to gain from unexpected happenings.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister has a difficult year with his support system failing.

Rest Of The World : The Lunar Year Ishwara has more than its share of political developments and events. A Government with Nawaz Sharif in the saddle is likely after the elections in Pakistan. [That has since come true]. Pakistan’s paranoia against India will not abate and utmost vigil is needed on not only the Indo-Pakistan borders but also the Indo-China Line of Control. China is not to be trusted. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh face turbulent political weather and the leaders of both countries must guard against violence. Nepal may swerve towards China. With Singapore trade sparkles.

The US has a challenging year and faces some tense moments with China. The President has a difficult year -- politically as well as where physical safety is concerned. [The debate about China’s MFN status is heating up and the President himself had an accident, severely hurting his knee and was on crutches for several weeks].

In addition, the US intervention in the sensitive areas like Bosnia, South and West Asia’s as well as Africa does not end this year. Relations with India show a favorable trend although there may be periods of suspense. A strike by the US in West Asia, formidable difficulties in its peace negotiations in the Middle East, increased crime and racial tensions are foreseen. Earthquakes and wild weather are likely in the US, Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

Russia and her sister states continue to face troubled conditions of political turmoil, economic disaster and epidemic size health problems. A major nuclear accident is likely.

In England the IRA bombings and violence show no let-up. Hong Kong’s reversion to China may be marked by heavy tension. France plays a major role in the West Asia peace process. Germany’s economy may develop some strains. Eastern Europe will be bogged down by fighting.

Violence rages in major sections of West Asia. The Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Arafat and Mubarak are threatened by violent attacks. Israeli hard-line policy will sabotage the peace parleys in this festering region. [This has since happened and the peace process is stalled]. A destructive quake in West Asia -- Iran, Iraq or Turkey-- is indicated. [This also did take place]. The fracticidal wars in Afghanistan will not stop. Algeria’s drought will shock the world further. In China, a repressive fascist regime may emerge in the post Deng period. A prospering economy may be crippled by State control. China and US relations will be out of step and jarring. Heavy deluging rains and an earthquake are likely in China. Tibet faces many problems from China but the Dalai Lama’s hold on the people will not weaken. The Japanese political scene sees many changes and charges of corruption. Early 1997 forestalls typhoons and volcanic activity. Indonesia is in for major political changes as an era ends. Africa will rock with ethnic fighting and bloodshed.[That happened in Zaire with the rebels driving out Mobutu and his regime of three decades].

[These predictions were made in December last year, in a talk at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore. Gayathri Devi Vasudev is Associate Editor of The Astrological Magazine.]

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