June 2015

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EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015
Sum and substance of a real Opposition

Shiv Visvanathan
A promise
to redeem
he issue of implementing the One Rank One
Pension (OROP) principle for the veterans of
the defence services continues to be in the
news for all the wrong reasons, with a nal
announcement nowhere in sight. With the Narendra
Modi government in its second year, its major poll
promise of OROP remains unfullled. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Ministers have reiterated
the governments commitment to the scheme, that by
itself does little to contain the growing unhappiness in
the community of ex-servicemen that has been waiting
for years for a fair deal. Their demand goes back over
three decades. Successive governments have intermittently raised hopes on it according to political convenience, but the feeling has grown that the soldier who
puts the nation ahead of his own life in the line of duty
faces political apathy after retirement. The previous
UPA government cleared the deal in principle and allocated Rs.500 crore, but there was no progress beyond
that. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha election last year,
the Congress once again brought the issue to the limelight. OROP was one of the top election promises of the
BJP that helped garner the support of the large community of ex-servicemen and their families. And the huge
mandate the BJP received had convinced them that at
long last the scheme would see the light of day.
While the government has given in-principle clearance to the proposal, the process of completing the
administrative procedures across different departments
seems to be an unending one. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had on several occasions said his Ministry
had nished its part of the work and that the le was
with the Finance Ministry. He has promised 80-90 per
cent satisfaction for the service personnel. OROP essentially seeks parity for all service personnel retiring on
the same rank and tenure irrespective of when they
retire, and is expected to benet two and a half million
ex-servicemen and women immediately. That said, the
exercise of calculating the dues is a complicated process
in itself. In Budget 2015 an initial allocation of Rs.1,000
crore was made but it has been estimated that the cost
could come to about Rs.8,300 crore. There is the view
that it would still go up by substantial measure depending on the method and criteria adopted. It has to be seen
how the government makes the nancial provision for
such a recurring outgo. But the early implementation of
the scheme has now become an imperative: mere rhetoric and assurances will not suffice. It is high time the
government came out with a clear road map and a rm
date for its implementation, and then adhere to it. This
country owes its defence forces as much.
love airports because they are full of

surprises. I meet friends and classmates who I have not met in years in an
ecstasy of joy which spreads over a
coffee. Then, we move on in our own peripatetic ways. But the meeting and the conversation trigger ideas, possibilities; some
that are partly nostalgic while others seed
new and innovative ideas. Most of the people
I meet are 50 plus, have had full lives and yet
are desperately trying to make sense of the
world. They are outstanding teachers, activists and professionals who feel that for all
their proactiveness the world has moved beyond them. Many articulate personal disquiet and doubt in political terms, trying to
invent a different way of doing, even smelling things.
One of them told me, For many of us, the
political or the idea of the political was a way
of ne-tuning our lives, of making sense of
how private dreams linked to public good.
We were bumbling, naive, stupid and believed that dreams could easily translate into
realities. We were fools but glorious fools,
and in our folly, there was a wisdom.
There was a certain commonality
though I would not say consensus to these
conversations. Few wanted a resurgence or a
revival of that way of politics. There have
been too many casualties. Broken lives do
not allow time for any form of sentimentality. However, they all added that they wanted to see a world beyond Narendra Modi. Mr.
Modi depressed them, they said. He was too
puritanical, dismal, and his notion of power
had little sense of laughter or even a reciprocity of give and take.
A war of categories
This generation too had been caught in a
Cold War of categories of right-left, secular-communal, and official-informal. By
making a fetish of these categories, we have
destroyed ourselves. I remember a sensitive
member of the Communist Party of India
(CPI) telling me that they had become commissars of the mind. Still worse, they had
policed themselves into mouthing Shibboleths. He added,Think of Stalin. He seems
outdated and slapstick today but Stalin policed our lives. Stalin was the litmus test of
truth, a cybernetic exercise which kept history on the right path. I wish we had read
Czesaw Miloszs The Captive Mind, Arthur
Koestlers Darkness at Noon or George Orwells 1984, less as murky stories, and instead had treated them as everyday fables,
warning against the totalitarian of everyday.
Civil society and activists in the Left parties must

be at the forefront of a formation of
a creative, critical and constructive opposition
force to the BJP regime. It has to be an Opposition
with creative possibilities
As a result, the Left in its dogma became
puppets unconsciously pulled by their own
strings.
My friends also realised something. Those
who had fought for years treating factions as
fetishist truths, now had more in common,
i.e., they all felt passionately about the world.
There was a poignancy to the conversation. I
remember the scientist, Dinesh Mohan, telling me that the Nehruvian world was the
aspiring world. Education opened up a new
world. People from rst generation families
loved education. It was not about exams, but
the dream of a book and the magic of ideas.
But he cautioned that aspiring meant exploring, discovering ideas and ideas beyond
this world. It was not just skill development
and mobility.
entic, we have failed to realise that truth is

spoken in a variety of dialects. We have
treated the terms plan, design, project
and nation building as official projects
when we should have seen them as being
naive experiments.
One among more eccentric friends explained Mr. Modi to be a Giffen good a
consumer item having the paradoxical quality of being in greater demand when its price
rises, and lower in demand when the price
falls. He attracts the mediocre who in turn
create a unreal world of history. In our generation, our mistakes were more obvious,
but in this generation, the mistakes will be
more lethal. In terms of its impracticality,
our generation was the farce, while in its
sense of pragmatism, this generation will
end up being more of a tragedy. In ours,
An impoverished politics
problems were like demons, but in theirs,
Another told me, you met people from they are like monsters.
little towns whose ideas ared up your imagination, who spun worlds which were un- The seeds of an alternative
While the older generation was intolerant,
believable. Everyone I knew had a roster of
such names of painters, scientists, story- even naive, it created the possibility of a new
tellers, designers who just faded away. It kind of problem-solving. In fact, it is out of a
was a romantic world and it made mistakes. sense of recognising our mistakes that our
Today, one has to list out these mistakes. Our generation creates this possibility. Our pro-
Such a vision that is open to doubt but at ease with itself can
rework the functioning of a majoritarian democracy into a
pluralistic world. This is a vision which has seen the pain and
the joy of the last few decades.
ideologies blinded us into intolerance. We
treated Lenin, Stalin, Marx as gods but unfortunately as monotheistic, monolithic
gods. Our political beliefs should have been
syncretic like our religions. Our one-sided
beliefs created one-sided histories. Fifty
years later, our political parties, especially
the CPI and the Communist Party of India
(Marxist) started to become relics. They
were forms of political autism but they swallowed and destroyed so many of the best.
Today, these parties need a mourning wall
for the casualties they created. Ironically, in
a dream of freedom expressed at the time of
Independence, we seem to have ended up
destroying dissent, eccentricity and marginality. In objectifying a slice of history, we
have only ended up with an impoverished
state of politics. In trying to be stupidly sci-
posal has been triggered by two events. First,

Sitaram Yechurys election as the new General Secretary of the CPI(M) and Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwals constitutional
battle with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Today, while the advent of Mr. Modi is accepted and will become a part of history, it is
the events that surround his politics that will
sow the seeds of an alternative historical
possibility. Our modest proposal arises out
of a hundred conversations with civil society
and activists in the Left parties which must
now lead to the formation of a creative, critical and constructive opposition force to the
BJP regime. It has to be an Opposition with
creative possibilities; an Opposition which
avoids demologies. The last point is crucial.
Let me explain this. I remember one of the
moving moments during the Emergency
CARTOONSCAPE
A diktat and
some questions
hen the authorities of a governmentfunded and administered institution of
repute chooses to de-recognise a student
group based on an active position it takes
on social and ideological issues, there is something very
wrong with the approach. The Ambedkar-Periyar
Study Circle (APSC) at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras has been distributing pamphlets and
posters that call for, among other things, removal of
brahminical tyranny. The circle has also been extremely critical of Narendra Modi and his government,
objecting to what it terms anti-poor and Hindutvaoriented policies. Detractors, in turn, have objected to
what they call the casteist and political message the
APSC has been seeking to spread. An anonymous complaint received by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development was forwarded to the IIT-M management. The management, in what appeared to be a
knee-jerk reaction, derecognised the APSC, saying student bodies cannot use the Institutes name as part of
their title without approval, adding that the APSC
could seek a review anyway. With the political climate
today being so charged, the incident has had national
repercussions, with leaders and commentators seeing
in the move a grave attack on the freedom of speech.
They are right and justied in taking the position.
The IIT-M does not allow political activity or politically-affiliated unions on its campus. Student bodies,
including the APSC, are recognised by the Institute in
order to foster healthy debates on the campus. There
are apprehensions that political parties would nd a
backdoor entry through such bodies, but the APSC is
not formally associated with any political party. In this
case, the APSC has campaigned against certain political
parties by naming them, and taken positions against
religious orthodoxy, even questioning organised religion itself. These radical positions should not really
surprise anyone as Tamil Nadu is a State that has had a
rationalist political tradition. The APSCs activism has
been criticised by detractors and it has been sought to
be associated with hate speech. But such an association will be spurious, as questioning orthodoxy and
conservatism is not tantamount to hate speech, which
is characterised by a deliberate targeting of communities rather than beliefs. What the IIT-M management
must seek to do is to not let political discussions and
debates to descend into vituperative attacks and hate
speech. Instead, by resorting to a quick ban, being
passed off as a temporary de-recognition, the IIT-M
management is playing into the hands of short-sighted
critics. Academic excellence, freedom of speech and
expression, and freedom of association should go hand
in hand; they should not be seen as mutually exclusive.
CM
YK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The steel frame
The former CBI Director, R.K.
Raghavan, in his article, Caged
parrots and the steel frame (May
30) has rightly stated that truth is
difficult to explore. As far as
corruption is concerned, it is the
politician-civil servant-corporate
nexus that is the devil most of the
time. This is a nexus that needs to be
broken in the interests of the
common man. Also, all dissenting
officers cannot be construed as
being
people
ghting
the
establishment on the basis of
principles. It is quite possible that
they represent vested interests.
Gnana Surabhi Mani,
Madurai
Former CBI Joint Director B.R. Lall
in his book, Who Owns CBI, has
already levelled serious allegations
against the working of the CBI.
Now, Pradip Baijals book will only
add more weight to it. Revelations
made by these retired civil servants
deserve appreciation for exposing
malpractices.
Industry,
Impartiality, Integrity may be the
motto of the CBI, but much of this
has been eroded already. It is time
for the government to make the CBI
autonomous and let it gain some of
its lost credibility.
Nitin Sharma,
Chandigarh
If the political establishment views
honest and upright civil servants to
be an obstacle then why do
politicians need them? Why would
happened when political leaders across ideologies found themselves in jail. It was when
the Left and the Right discovered that courage and resistance belonged to no one
ideology.
I am sure somewhere that Mr. Yechury
and many others in the Left must have
thought of bringing all the strands of the left
together Naxalite, Left Liberal, Gandhian,
Lohiate, Feminist, Trade Union, CPI(M),
CPI, the liberation theology and the Dalit
Left. One has to do this before the Left fades
into irrelevance. As the old joke goes, the
October Revolution faded into the Octogenarian Revolution in India. The party is dying of Stalinist senility.
Speaking for all

For decades, the Left parties worked with
the official trade unions. Issues raised by the
fishermens struggle, the Narmada Bachao
Andolan, Chipko, Baliapal and Koel Karo
occurred outside the Left party focus. In fact,
a lot of politics dealing with issues of marginality and the survival of subsistence groups
took place outside Left party limits. The distinction between environment and class, or
the red and green movements blinded people from realising that nature is not an object
of use, but a way of life and livelihood in
India. While the Left triggered the subaltern
imagination, which went beyond the nationalist and Marxist imaginations, it failed to
initiate a dialogue with the alternative movements, especially those of science. The
movement of alternatives also talked about
the rights of the future which the Left needed to develop into an imagination and a constituency. The danger of pre-emptive futures
is one of the great threats to democracy. In
short, a pluralism of the Left has to lead to a
germ plasm of dissent, eccentricity, alternatives, margins and minorities. We have to
create a democracy that speaks through
them and for them. More than this, it has to
result in a vision of caring for the defeated,
the broken, the forgotten and the discarded.
A Kejriwal and movements like his have a
lot to add to the Left. They have added to the
language of empowerment by showing that
one needs a space beyond representation
and participation. One needs an alternative
politics that reworks issues of everyday life.
One needs justice in both a macro and micro
way. One needs the ideals of nationalist idealism and asceticism to rework ideas of citizenship. Mr. Kejriwals politics is not an
isolated fragment but has to be seen as being
a part of the great civil society movements.
The Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
(MKSS) and the Right to Information Act
(RTI), the Anna Hazare battle against corruption, the anti-nuclear struggles across
India, the battle against arbitrary demolition, the effort to remember the Narmada
survivors that were all fought not only in
ideological but non-ideological terms are all
a part of our legacy.
When we combine the Left and the Kejriwal-like struggles, we get a great jigsaw; a
compost heap of ideas of a vision of India,
speaking many dialects, providing for translation and articulating new visions of government and technology which bring nature
back into the social contract and which link
body and body politic in more dignied ways.
Such a pulsating vision of India is both
local and planetary. It creates an alternative
churning which can challenge the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (VHP) to a debate which
replaces moral policing with justice. Such a
formation has to call for a debate and keep
the issues that we face open. Such a vision
that is open to doubt but at ease with itself
can rework the functioning of a majoritarian
democracy into a pluralistic world. This is a
vision which has seen the pain and the joy of
the last few decades. Now, it offers itself as a
re-examined experiment to stop the Modi
juggernaut and recreate an India that can
dream the music of different worlds. It may
be a quilt patch but it will be holistic, mature
and evolving in terms of its struggle. It might
also get us beyond the mediocrity of our
current obsessions.
(Shiv Visvanathan is a professor at Jindal
School of Government and Public Policy.)
Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
they have to ponder over the whims

and fancies of someone with an
intellectual bent of mind? And if
they dissent with them, the
consequences are to be seen! The
article shows that probity, ethics
and honesty are now something to
be mocked at. Why has the UPSC
introduced a new General Studies
paper called Ethics, Integrity and
Aptitude when it is not even
valued?
Priyanka Sharma,
New Delhi
A public servant is only as good as
the political leadership that not just
provides policy directives but also
motivates him/her towards higher
standards of service delivery and
commitment towards the public. If
this latter element is ignored, the
bureaucracy lies stagnant in the
quagmire of procedural hassles and
legal tangles, forgetting its core
competency.
The instances cited by Mr. Baijal
suggest that the system of checks
and balances as envisaged in the
prime
ministerial
form
of
government is ineffective in intragovernment transactions. Such
impropriety at the highest level of
decision-making needs to be
countered
to
ensure
good
governance. There is thus a dire
need for platforms that provide for
feedback from civil servants
belonging to the all-India and
Central services. They must look at
specic grievances/general apathy
on the part of the political
executive, all without negatively
impinging on their career with the

government or provoking a witchhunt. It is unfortunate that civil
servants have to wait until they
hang up their boots to come clean
on the pressures they face.
Anjana Unnikrishnan,
Ambalamedu, Kerala
Unlike politicians, an honest
government servant and his family
survives on his monthly salary. If he
is suspended or charge sheeted, his
family would suffer. Worse still is
the case of those officials who are on
the verge of retirement. We have
seen numerous cases where an
official has been placed under
suspension even on the last working
day of his service. In that case, his
entire savings in the form of
gratuity and provident fund would
remain locked indenitely. Who
would like to take such a risk? It is
the duty of the electorate to identify
corrupt politicians and reject them.
But when people sell themselves to
politicians for a few hundred
rupees, how can we criticise an
honest officer working under a
corrupt politician?
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai
Caste and prejudice

The article, Prejudice disguised as
politeness (May 30), was both
thought provoking and provocative.
The
Constitution
bans
untouchability in any form but,
sadly, very few Indians abide by
this. There are few good men in
every walk of life who strive hard to
keep India shining. The father of

the Indian Constitution dreamt of
an India as a just and egalitarian
society while even encouraging
inter-caste marriage as a great game
changer to eradicate casteism. It is
entirely up to the next generation to
decide whether it wants a casteconscious, caste-ridden India or a
caste-less nation.
T. Balasubramian,
Tiruchi
The post office

As
an
octogenarian
postal
pensioner still in close touch with
almost all the developmental
activities of India Post, I can vouch
for the fact that this is one
government department which has
a very large number of branches,
with most in rural India and with
considerable reach (Maximising
the post office, May 29). But like
banks, they too will become
overburdened if all the work under
the new social welfare schemes is
entrusted to them, the reason being
a lack of adequate staff in the urban
and semi-urban areas and the extradepartmental post offices in villages
being manned by just one ED
postmaster and one ED delivery
agent. Recruitment is rare and
retirement
vacancies
remain
unlled especially after the advent
of computerisation. In banks too,
this is the same problem. I feel that
banks and post offices need
adequate qualied and trained staff
to handle an increasing workload.
K.D.Viswanaathan,
Coimbatore
Although the government efforts to

achieve nancial inclusion are
commendable, it is certainly not a
prudent idea to carry out all social
welfare schemes through public
sector banks. These banks already
face various problems like growing
NPAs, performance issues and a
lack of autonomy. With its network
and manpower, India Post can be
leveraged to transfer some of these
nancial tasks. This is because the
move to modernise India Post to
cater to logistical services and ecommerce has been encouraging.
The government should also
involve private players in the
disbursal of some of the benets of
its social welfare schemes to
improve transparency and as a part
of corporate social responsibility.
Balaji Akiri,
Rajam, Andhra Pradesh
Strategic reserves
How pragmatic is it for countries to
stockpile fuel for future needs
especially as such hoarding,
whether strategically regulated or
otherwise, could create a shortage
in the present? Thousands of crores
of rupees being spent by relatively
less developed countries, including
India, in this mission can be better
spent on R&D of renewable energy
(Building on strategic reserves,
May 28). Stockpiling could also be
one way where the developed
countries have a hold on the global
economy by hoarding huge reserves
of an essential commodity.
Ramya Singh,
Anand, Gujarat
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015
Dare we begin to hope?

Akeel Bilgrami
Separate
lives
ithin just a year of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and the creation of Telangana the two States could not have learnt to
live without each other. Both States still
have to negotiate through the terms of separation,
beyond the division of assets and the sharing of resources. Telangana saw in the bifurcation new possibilities and opportunities for growth and development,
and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government under
K. Chandrasekhar Rao doubtless began with a tremendous amount of goodwill. After years of struggle for
statehood that entailed much suffering and disruption
of normal life, the people of Telangana seem prepared
to wait a little longer for the promised transformation
to materialise. But while the demand for a separate
State took the form of identity politics, issues of backwardness and uneven development remain at the top of
the peoples list of grievances. Unlike earlier when they
could blame the elite sections of coastal Andhra for
taking away the fruits of development, especially Hyderabad, the people of Telangana now have none but
their own elected representatives to find fault with.
Investments in infrastructure and the leveraging of the
strengths of Hyderabad, especially in information
technology (IT), are good beginnings, but the people in
Telanganas hinterland would want a more even distribution of growth and development. They did not support a separate Telangana merely to replace a ruling
elite from coastal Andhra with one from Hyderabad.
With perhaps greater justification, Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu concentrated
his energies on building a new capital. After the bifurcation, rebuilding Andhra Pradesh was the constant
theme and the search for a new capital, which ended in
Amaravathi, symbolised this more than anything else.
Mr. Naidu, who can take credit for giving Hyderabad a
head start in IT during his earlier term as Chief Minister of the undivided State, is quite understandably
putting all his efforts into developing the capital region.
However, as in Telangana, unless development is even
and the benefits of growth are shared by all, resentment
is bound to swell in the regions far removed from the
capital. An excessive fascination for IT services and the
urban landscape had proved to be Mr. Naidus undoing
in 2004, and he appears to have learnt his lessons well.
Alongside the fascination for IT, there is now concern
for the welfare of farmers and landless labourers, and
people in far-flung regions with varying needs. Just as
for Telangana, the bifurcation can present new possibilities for Andhra Pradesh too. But the two States
must see the advantages of greater cooperation and put
the painful memories of the separation behind them.
n its dark night of the soul this past

year, Indian politics saw two chinks of
light beckon with some small encouragement. These apertures are tiny and
tentative and one should be careful not to
invest them with an optimism they do not
warrant. Still, they are not nothing: first, the
loss suffered by the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) in the Delhi Assembly elections in
February; second, the recently recurring agitation against the Land Acquisition Bill.
The Delhi election took place nine months
after the BJP victory in the general election,
just about the canonical period to test
whether the birth of a new era of BJP dominance had been delivered. That the party
should have suffered the proportions of a
rout gives hope that it has not. Such a dramatic defeat reflects the scepticism in a wide
range of voters about their own previous
judgement that the Congress partys massive
failures of the previous years could only be
corrected by the BJP. Muslims, lower and
middle-class Dalits, in general the vast numbers of the Delhi poor, and (most encouraging of all) even many in the middle classes
reversed their previous conviction, a conviction shaped by a sustained public relations
campaign that refurbished a leader with a
deservedly non grata status into a seeming
beacon. Nine months were sufficient to reveal the true colours of a government whose
prominent members were raising the Hindutva rhetoric to new heights of vulgarity
and menace, while it was also busy trying to
dismantle the few remaining policies and
institutions that sought to protect the poor
and working people of the country.
An awakening
That the party (the Aam Aadmi Party)
which stopped what appeared unstoppable
has since imploded and, in any case, had no
serious analysis of what has been chronically
wrong in the nations politics and political
economy in the last two and a half decades, is
not the main point of relevance. What is
heartening rather is that it awakened people
to correct their judgement of only nine
Two events, the BJPs electoral loss in Delhi, and

the stir against the Land Bill, offer two slivers of
hope. They represent first, a preparedness in
people to correct their past electoral
misjudgements, and second, they raise hope
of a possible united front of opposition
months ago and it did so with hardly any
resources, thereby giving the lie to the idea
that the future of Indian parliamentary politics lies in cash-debased, American-style,
electioneering given over to the sinister manipulations of public relations companies
and a shallow mainstream media cheerleading for elitist ideas of development. There
is no more urgent task than to consolidate
and build on this no small, though local,
achievement in Delhi; and, at this particular
juncture, it is not a task that can be carried
out by any one party all on its own. I will
return to this last point in a moment. The
agitation against the Land Acquisition Bill is
heartening for two quite separate reasons.
tematically taken actual and potential resources and opportunities away from the
working people of both rural and urban India and handed them over in grotesquely
large measure to a minuscule domestic and
foreign elite. The manner in which this is
done is shrouded in high-sounding economic policy rhetoric and so it appears to have a
veneer of respectability, but it is a criminal
transfer that any clear-eyed analysis would
reveal to be a form of corruption that is far
more deep-going than the more visible, titillating (and, no doubt) venal acts of politicians that the media pruriently displays,
while hiding from public view the more
structural malaise which has vastly more
The agitation against the Land Acquisition Bill reflects

an understanding of the current malaise in notions of
development that has afflicted governments both Central
and regional, including some in the Left.
First, it reflects an intuitive understanding of the current malaise that lies at the
heart of notions of development that has
afflicted governments both Central and regional (including even some Left governments). It suggests that ordinary people and
the leaders who have mobilised them in the
recent agitations may be moving to a deeper
understanding of the corruption that is at
stake in the countrys governance.
There is, of course, the reprehensible
large-scale corruption of politicians that the
AAP and its antecedents in a popular
movement brought to nationwide public
attention and resentment. But underlying
this is the more submerged corruption of a
set of policies which for 25 years have sys-
debilitating effects on ordinary people.

The tragedy has been that the urban middle classes see in this corrupt transfer a
chance to locate their own aspirations and
future. But that is an illusion of our age, an
illusion that has been thoroughly exposed by
even mainstream economists in the West
such as Thomas Piketty and Joseph Stiglitz,
while our own advisers to the Prince of the
last two and a half decades have been ostrich-like in their obliviousness to it.
An understanding of corruption
The acquisition of land has been at the
centre of this ideal of development and what
is encouraging about the agitation against it
is that it may be the beginning of a spread of
CARTOONSCAPE
The blight of
militarisation
aithripala Sirisenas victory over Mahinda
Rajapaksa in the Sri Lankan presidential
elections in January 2015 was enabled by
massive support from minorities in the
country the Tamils and Muslims. Clearly, the mandate was not just for a more accountable and democratic government that would reverse the creeping
authoritarianism and family rule heralded by Mr. Rajapaksa, but also for addressing systemic issues that had
gripped, and continues to nettle, Sri Lankan society.
Chief among them is the issue of militarisation. Following the triumph against the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the military has taken a preponderant role in Sri Lankan society, particularly in the
north. In the Tamil-majority provinces, the large-scale
presence of the military has been sought to be justified
as a security response to the possible rise of post-LTTE
insurgent forces. But as the participation of the Tamil
community in election after election since the war
suggests, that reasoning is flawed and unacceptable.
The Rajapaksa regime sought to utilise its triumphalist phase by allowing the military to diversify into
commercial activity, development, education, tourism and even policing, among others. The expectation
from the new regime especially among the minorities was of a quick reversal of this dangerous trend.
Recent findings from the U.S.-based think tank, Oakland Institute, based on research and surveys done
during the period December 2014-January 2015, have
pointed to hardly any reconciliation between the government and the Tamils. And the occupation by the
military of the land of those displaced in the civil war is
a prime cause of resentment, not to mention the longpending but ignored task of devolution of powers to the
provincial councils. The promise of a process of reconciliation and investigation of alleged war crimes has
remained unmet, adding to the resentment. Recent
reportage by this newspaper from the Northern Province has pointed to steady progress in the release of
army-held land to some of the displaced Tamils. This,
and the setting up of a new Presidential Task Force on
Reconciliation headed by former President Chandrika
Kumaratunga, are steps in the right direction. But
these are not enough. The extant militarisation holds
dangerous portends; the example of Pakistan is there
for all to see. International pressure and electoral results have thus far pushed the envelope for the Sirisena
presidency to take minimal steps to reverse the authoritarianism of the Rajapaksa regime. But the need is for a
comprehensive demilitarisation plan that includes
ways to demobilise recruits to the bloated military, so
that Sri Lanka would soon be back to its normal self.
CM
YK

Land ordinance round 3
The repromulgation of the Land
Acquisition for the third time in a
row by the BJP government is yet
another instance of its scant respect
for
upholding
parliamentary
democracy
(Govt.
issues
controversial land ordinance for
third time, June 1). It was after
widespread protests, within and
outside Parliament, that the
amended Bill was referred to a
Parliamentary Select Committee.
The all-party committee has
already started its deliberations and
the government could have waited
for the outcome before moving on
in the matter. The uncalled for
urgency makes the governments
intentions suspect.
C.K. Saseendran,
Bengaluru
The recommendation of the
government and the move by the
President do not conform to
democratic sense or wisdom. The
present happenings can be
attributed only to a haughty and
reckless attitude of an Ordinance
Raj. The governments clarification
that it is only interested in
eliminating hardships to the
farmers cannot be taken at face
value. An administration of political
integrity should go for a
referendum to ascertain public
opinion.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala
What is the urgency? Is it a national
calamity?
The
governments
decision is a clear violation of the
principle of immediate action in
exceptional
circumstances
enshrined in the Constitution

especially when the said Bill is
under
consideration.
The
governments repeated attempts to
bypass parliamentary procedures in
an
elected
democracy
is
understanding among our citizens that we

cannot any longer consistently oppose this
state-facilitated land-seizure for domestic
and foreign corporate gain without also seeing that it is merely a symptom of the larger
tendencies summarised in such terms as
development as they are deployed in the
prevailing economic zeitgeist that we have
witnessed around Manmohan Singh and
now Narendra Modi; tendencies such as the
privatisation of the nations resources, the
loss of national sovereignty in the Indian
states inability to pursue policies that uplift
its own population due to having surrendered control to highly mobile international
finance capital, the rendering helpless of the
labour force in every corner of the land
through informalisation and impermanence
of employmentWe can perhaps hope that
in these recent mobilisations that oppose
the land policies of the government, we are
at the cusp of such a more penetrating understanding of what needs to be opposed
than the mere cry against corrupt politicians
a more fundamental and more structural
corruption at the heart of our entire political
economy.
Stirrings of an opposition
The second encouraging feature of the agitation is that a wide spectrum of parties has
supported it, raising the hope of a growing
united front of opposition. And Sonia Gandhis initiatives in the agitation reflect a potentially interesting emergence in the
Congress party, one in which the technocrats approved by international economic
interests and domestic elites might cease to
be the dominant influence on its political
and economic agenda. If that were to happen, there may be real prospects for an alliance to emerge against the present
government in which the Left parties and
the AAP put aside their seemingly unburiable hatchets with the Congress, hatchets
that owed to their perfectly justified disgust
with the second regnum of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
In the present political situation, these
parties are natural allies, just as the BJP is a
natural ally of the development-minded
core (one hopes, in the future, a rump) of the
Congress. (Indeed, I have heard from completely reliable sources that a member of this
core, a close economic adviser to the second
UPA government, actually found more
promise in the BJP government to pursue
policies that his own government was prevented from pursuing by those overly concerned to provide employment and food to
people instead.)
As I said, it is utterly premature to think
that these two shafts of light in the darkness
of the past year that I have been commenting
on really do have the scope suggested by
these preliminary possibilities that seem to
have surfaced. But if they do, and the hard
work of pursuing their potential is undertaken without once again falling prey to the
current illusions around development that
are slowly beginning to be exposed, then the
wide-spectrum united front of opposition
that emerges could prove to be formidable. It
is far too early to tell whether this is even so
much as seriously conceivable and the roadblocks in the path are many and long-standing, not least among which is the fact that the
learning curve of some of the parties I mentioned, especially the Congress, has in recent
years been close to flat. Still, to repeat, the
past year, as we have known it, has offered
nothing else of any hope, and the prospects
as I have presented them, even if slim, are
not negligible.
(Akeel Bilgrami is Sidney Morgenbesser
Chair in Philosophy; Professor, Committee
on Global Thought, and Director, South
Asian Institute, Columbia University.)
disheartening. It is now up to
parliamentary managers to pull up
their socks and try to build up
consensus to get the land Bill passed
the right way in the next session.
Agam Singh Bedi,
Mohali, Punjab
measures to protect the Western

Ghats, it resulted in a State-wide
hartal that was supported by the
CPI(M).
When
the
AAP
democratically stopped the Modi
juggernaut in Delhi, the Left only
viewed it as a development that
lacked an ideological structure.
When it has such a structure, how is
In an era of globalisation and it unable to stop the Modi wave?
Sukumaran C.V.,
interdependence, we cannot ignore
Palakkad
a vibrant and powerful country like
Israel (Modi to be first Indian PM
in Israel, June 1). India imports a Unfortunately, the article was
large number of arms and elitist, self-indulgent and antiammunition from Israel. By Modi. The past was not as glorious
transferring technology especially as projected, nor the present as
in the area of defence, Israel can gloomy as endorsed. It is time that
boost the Make in India self-appointed public intellectuals
programme. Not only will it shed their masks and stop carrying
generate employment but it will out political vendetta in the guise of
a public debate.
also strengthen national security.
Nikhil Nandan,
Sudhakar Singh,
New Delhi
New Delhi
A visit to Israel
If he goes ahead with his visit, Mr.

Modi has to be cautious so as not to
disturb the balance of Indias ties
with
Israel
and
Palestine
respectively. Israel may be one of
Indias
defence
technology
markets, but it should not come in
the way of ties with Palestine.
Maintaining strategic interests in
Israel and a decades old
relationship with Palestine must be
the goal.
Rupinder Singh,
New Delhi
Unfortunately, I could detect only

Modi paranoia and a eulogy of the
AAP. While criticising Mr. Modi,
the writer has made some
unsustainable generalisations. Is
there a sense of implicit jealousy in
the analysis because the Prime
Minister
has
captured
the
imagination of the mediocre, the
underdog and the working middle
class who have been the traditional
backbone of the Left movement?
The Left suffers from strategic
myopia due to its complacency and
lack of originality which Mr. Modi
has leveraged to his own benefit.
The formation of a real Opposition
Anoop Suri,
(Sum and substance of a real
New Delhi
Opposition, June 1) points to the
need for a creative and receptive
Left presence. But none of the Left The writers suggestion to transfer
parties, especially the CPI(M), has some financial tasks such as the
such a vision. Environmental, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima
gender and Dalit politics are still Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and
anathema to them. For example, in Jan Dhan Yojana to India Post
Kerala, when the report of the (Maximising the post office, May
Western Ghats Ecological Experts 29 ) is quite justified. It is a fact that
Panel
recommended
strong the day-to-day operations and
Forming an opposition
competitiveness of public sector

banks are affected because of these
schemes. In the pressure to meet
social goals, customer needs are
taking a back seat. India Post, with
its vast network, can handle these
financial tasks, provided its
personnel are properly trained. If
need be, the services of retired
bank/insurance employees can be
utilised as agents in post offices
thus harnessing the potential of the
network.
K.M.K. Murthy,
Kochi
Oil reserves
Oil is not only the hedge against the
crises that arise following turmoil
in the OPEC countries but also the
foundation upon which India can
rest on to fight any battle (Building
on strategic reserves, May 28).
Unlike China which is dependent
upon the narrow Malacca Straits,
we have secure passage for our oil
supplies. Still, geopolitics demands
that we are not lulled into
complacency. Building storage
reserves and land routes are
essential. We also need to promote
our oil companies so that they
become our guarantor of secured
supplies; for this, they need to be
given more freedom and money.
For example, Chinese oil majors are
flush with forex which helps them
win contracts the world over. With a
growing demand for energy, India
needs to invest heavily in the
renewable energy sector too.
Shashank Jain,
New Delhi
June 1). Instead, it should have done

three things. It should have:
appreciated the rare grouping of
thinking students, irrespective of
the inherent political or caste biases
if any. Second, nominated a team of
competent professors to interact,
guide, counsel, access inputs and
facilitate right orientation to the
group, paving the way for the
osmosis of other thought-streams.
Third, enabled the formation of a
wider, interdepartmental student
forum to interact with the Study
Circle and participatorily develop
critical understanding of the
sociopolitical situation in the
country which it intended to serve.
Such an interdepartmental forum,
with an appropriate banner, would
have
yielded
path-breaking
communication
opportunities
within and outside the institution
and helped frame a visionary
outlook among IIT-ians and other
youth on educational preparedness
and future choices. An innovative
model of student participation in
nation-building has been missed,
but not lost!
C. John Rose,
Kanyakumari
Educational institutions are often

called the temples of learning and
wisdom which are to be insulated
from religious affiliations, but this
is a thing of the past. In the last four
decades, caste and politics have
spread their tentacles in every
sphere of life, not even sparing the
judiciary also. Political parties have
found it convenient for their growth
to gain entry into educational
institutions. It is now necessary
Unfortunately, IIT-Madras has that both APSC and IIT-M come to
missed a rare opportunity of terms without exacerbating the
presenting
an
innovative tussle. In the eyes of the public it
educational matrix to the country will be a stain on their respective
by branding a group of vibrant reputations if both sides were to
youth as anti-establishment and de- adopt an I am right stance.
S. Kannan,
recognising their study circle
Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
named after thinkers (Editorial,
Leveraging India Post IIT-M student body
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015
Stateless and left out at sea

Navine Murshid
The right
decision
he Karnataka governments decision to file an
appeal against the acquittal of the Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, is bound to be
welcomed by all those who value probity in
public life and believe that the courts are the right
forums to take forward issues relating to corruption in
high places. The Congress dispensation in Karnataka
understandably took its time to arrive at a decision on
whether to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. It has
gone by sound legal principles by examining the recommendations of the Special Public Prosecutor, the States
Advocate-General and the Law Department. The primary question it had to contend with was raised by the
legal wing of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee itself: what is Karnatakas interest in the outcome of
the case? The argument was that the State had already
discharged its duty by hosting the trial in Bengaluru,
appointing a Special Judge and Special Public Prosecutor, obtaining a conviction in the trial stage and seeing it
overturned by the High Court. Should the State go beyond this specified administrative function by filing an
appeal in the Supreme Court, taking on the role of an
aggrieved party? The question may appear valid, but to
abandon a legal process midway is also untenable. The
Supreme Court has made it clear that Karnataka is now
playing the role of the prosecuting State and has stepped
into the shoes of Tamil Nadu. Its duty now includes
taking up the mantle of the aggrieved party and pursuing
the legal process to its logical end.
Moreover, the Karnataka High Court judgment acquitting the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is widely seen as
flawed in many respects, especially in the computation
of the quantum of disproportionate assets that ultimately formed the basis of her acquittal. Special Public
Prosecutor B.V. Acharya has said the arithmetical errors
are glaringly obvious. Some aspects of the High Courts
reasoning are controversial: it has included cash gifts of
high value as legitimate income and given credence to a
newspaper subscription scheme that had been termed
fake by the trial court. It has gone zealously by a 1976
Supreme Court ruling that unexplained assets up to the
value of 10 per cent of known income is acceptable, even
though the anti-corruption law has since been amended
to make disclosure as per statutory requirements the
standard to assess legitimate income. The prosecution
believes revisiting the computation itself will propel the
quantum of disproportionate assets beyond this 10 per
cent limit. Overall, it will be in the public interest to have
an authoritative pronouncement by the highest court on
whether the trial court or the High Court was right in
appreciating all the evidence. It will also be in Ms.
Jayalalithaas own interest that her exoneration if she
succeeds in sustaining it is a vindication that clears
her political path rather than one that depends on a
conclusion seen to be perennially under dispute and in
the realms of legal debate.
he images of thousands of emaciated migrants on boats sent back to

sea by Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, and reports of the discovery of the mass graves of trafficked people in
Thailand and Malaysia have together done
what human rights activists have been trying
to achieve for decades. They have drawn
international attention to the plight of thousands of Rohingya people who have been
deemed stateless by the Myanmar government for more than 40 years as well as the
issue of human trafficking in South and
Southeast Asia. It appears that the images
have managed to shock the world but this is
not a new phenomenon. Nor can it be resolved just by a one-time acceptance of the migrants into these or other countries.While
recent reports suggest that Malaysia and Indonesia will no longer turn away migrants,
these horrifying images speak of a history of
ethnicity-based marginalisation that has
turned certain ethnic groups into perpetual
victims of systematic oppression.
The images of emaciated Rohingyas stranded

mid-sea and reports of mass graves of trafficked
people in Thailand and Malaysia, which have
shocked the world, speak of a history of
ethnicity-based marginalisation where certain
groups are victims of systematic oppression
with regards to the future of the movement.
Because many of the Rohingya are averse to
armed struggle, they are unable to defend
themselves when the military sweeps
through their villages to clear the areas of
illegal immigrants. Fleeing becomes the
only option, no matter how dangerous that
might be, the choice being between certain
death and a small chance of survival. India
and Bangladeshs silence shows that they are
unlikely to intervene in any way in what they
would identify as being Myanmars internal
affairs.
Plight of economic migrants
Malaysia, responsible for much of the construction work and infrastructure development there. Beginning 2012, however, a less
number of Bangladeshis have been able to go
to Malaysia through official channels because of insufficient demand despite a government-level agreement to send 14 lakh
Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia. At a time
when the government could not ensure regular labour export, traffickers, in the guise of
middlemen and government agents, lured
workers into treacherous waters.
Paradoxically, the same desires for upward mobility are deemed entrepreneurial if
the migrants are among the elite class and
know the laws well enough to never break
them. Going back to the case of Bangladeshis
in Malaysia, in the same period too, Bangladeshis formed the second largest group to
apply for a residency programme called Malaysia My Second Home, aimed at wealthy
families in developing countries who would
Economic migrants face a somewhat different reality. The logic of globalisation requires that labour be freely mobile across
markets for efficiency reasons, at least theoretically. Yet, despite high economic integraExit as escape
tion, labour migration is often criminalised,
The Rohingya in Myanmar are perhaps creating an inherent contradiction between
the worst off among many minority groups
that have been repressed by the military
The Muslim factor feeds into the calculation as well.
government of Myanmar as they were
stripped of their citizenship and rendered
The global war on terror has effectively legitimised
stateless between 1974 and 1982. The govanti-Muslim sentiments and attacks across the world, even
ernment sees them as Bengali Muslims from
Bangladesh who migrated there during the
when links to the al-Qaeda are at best tenuous.
colonial period (and continue to do so)
whereas the Rohingya see themselves as
(Muslim) natives of Arakan (Rakhine), a the incentives to migrate and immigration like to take advantage of state-sponsored
state in Myanmar. In turn, Bengali Muslims laws that limit migration. What this means is facilities in Malaysia (unavailable in their
in Bangladesh and India do not see the Roh- that there are profits to be made from migra- own countries) and eventually invest there.
ingya as their kin in any respect, making the tion that governments restrict artificially,
Thus, while there was no demand for BanRohingya the safest scapegoat. The Roh- which then incentivises illegal migration. gladeshi unskilled labour, wealthy Banglaingya are thus deemed outsiders and contin- When the workers are desperate, unskilled, deshis were welcome to go and live there.
ue to be persecuted and denied citizenship. and willing to pawn off their lives worth of Perhaps, this highlights Malaysias developIn fact, the Rohingya are among the most assets to access job markets abroad, they mental path; Malaysia needed Bangladeshi
persecuted minorities in the world accord- become easy targets of extortion, exploita- (manual) workers when its primary investtion and trafficking. As the many interviews ments were infrastructure-based. Now, as it
ing to the UNHCR.
Many had participated in Myanmar Oppo- of rescued migrants in the past weeks in- tries to shift to a consumer-driven economy,
sition leader Aung San Suu Kyis pro-democ- dicate, these migrants often have no idea it no longer requires unskilled labour as
racy movement as members of the National that what they were doing was illegal; after much as it requires a strong consumer base.
League for Democracy (NLD), the main Op- all, many had paid huge sums of money for At the same time, the many tales of workers
position party, only to realise that the NLD, migration services often by selling land/ finding jobs in Malaysia just as they land and
like the junta, has no place for the Rohingya assets, taking on loans, or mortgaging future rumours that Malaysian women like Banglain its democracy. There were and continue earnings.
deshi men as husbands because they look
A small example from Bangladesh pro- like Shah Rukh Khan all keep the lure of
to be fringe armed groups mobilising to increase pressure on the government, but ac- vides a microcosm of the larger issues at going to Malaysia strong. While wealthy
tivists complain that there is no solidarity hand. Since the 1990s, Bangladesh has been Bangladeshis found their way to their secamong the Rohingya let alone any consensus one of the two largest suppliers of labour to ond homes, the unskilled, poor migrants
CARTOONSCAPE
Coping with
the heat
xtreme weather conditions have become such
a part of life all across the world over the last
decade and more, that ways and means to
understand and cope with them have become
an essential element of survival strategies. Heatwaves
in summer, cold waves in winter and extreme rainfall
when it is least expected have almost become the norm.
Each of these rounds takes its own toll on lives and
livelihoods even as those in other areas are forced to
stand as mute spectators. This summer in India, the
number of lives lost to heatwave conditions has exceeded 2,000. While shrinking winter-spans are considered
by specialists as a sure sign that climate change is a
reality we cannot ignore, at the other end of the spectrum, hot summers are no less debilitating. Prediction
of these phenomena is itself so difficult, not for lack of
effort but because of the theoretical limitations of the
models being used in the calculations. Broadly speaking, there is no doubt that summer heat is worsening by
the year in parts of India. This fact is reflected in some
climate studies. For instance, one on climate in the
subcontinent over the period from 1961 to 2010 by
scientists of the India Meteorological Department
based in Pune and Chennai, found that compared to the
first four decades, the number of heat-wave (HW) days
per season was higher during 2001-2010 in many parts
of north, north-west and central India. An increase was
observed in the number of severe-heat-wave (SHW)
days per season in some stations, mainly in north-west
India. The study also found that the frequency, persistence and area coverage of HW/SHW days were more
than average in years succeeding El Nin~o years.
The question remains whether humankind is preparing for eventualities such as this. For those in denial
of climate change, there are clear pointers that cannot
be ignored. Also, from the point of view of disaster
mitigation, the rising number of heatwave related
deaths should serve as an urgent signal to develop
innovative methods to control summer-time losses. It
is somewhat ironical that while the long, hot summer
takes such a toll, in this subcontinent it is also a necessary condition for the monsoon to set in and provide
adequate rainfall. In a sense, the unendurable heat and
the rains that follow are tied together in a delicate
balance. While it is important to preserve this balance
by focussing on factors to mitigate climate change, it is
also necessary to develop methods to cope with the
impact of each of these when they go beyond normal.
CM
YK

Karnataka to appeal
The decision by the Karnataka
Cabinet to file an appeal in the
Supreme Court against the verdict
in the Jayalalithaa assets case may
be theoretically correct but an
unwarranted step (Karnataka to
move SC in Jayalalithaa case, June
2). Now that the verdict is out, the
Supreme Courts responsibility, of
overseeing the case, is over. A huge
amount of public money has already
been spent without any benefit. So
what is the purpose of a reappeal?
There is much the government
needs to focus on than to look at
ways/avenues to further its political
and egoistic attitude at public cost.
K.S. Somashekhar,
Davangere, Karnataka
Being Bengali Muslim

The circumstances under which the Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants found
themselves at sea are different, but the issues at hand are not only about escaping
ethnic cleansing or economic depravation.
In the last several decades, Bengali Muslims
have become among the most persecuted in
the region, easily targeted as being foreign by
virtue of a shared ethno-religious identity
with the majority of Bangladeshis. For its
part, the Bangladeshi government has turned a blind eye to such acts for the sake of
regional peace, stability and cooperation,
made necessary by its weaker economic position. Perhaps, it is for the same reasons
that the Bangladeshi government allows the
3,50,000 strong refugee population along
the Myanmar-Bangladesh border without
demanding resolution to the over 40 year
refugee crisis. Thus, not only are Bengali
Muslims easily othered, but they also have
no foreign patrons to come to their defence,
despite cross-border ethnic ties.
The Muslim factor feeds into the calculation as well. The global war on terror has
effectively legitimised anti-Muslim sentiments and attacks across the world, even
when links to the al-Qaeda are at best tenuous. For example, several UNHCR officials
I spoke to in 2008 about resettlement of the
Rohingya, had categorically said that their
religion and ties to terrorism make them
unlikely candidates for resettlement in the
developed world; they saw resettlement in
Bangladesh as the only durable solution to
the Rohingya refugee crisis.
Anti-Muslim rhetoric
In India, the Hindu right traditionally
used anti-Muslim sentiments as a rallying
force, but in subversive ways. With global
Islamophobia on the rise, anti-Muslim rhetoric has been normalised, it seems. Recently,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced
that religious minority groups (Hindus) in
Bangladesh and Pakistan would be given residency in India if they so desired. In conjunction with his speech during his election
campaign in West Bengal and Assam in 2014
on illegal Bangladeshis needing to pack
up their bags or face consequences this
indicates that the Bharatiya Janata Partys
interest may lie in the consolidation of a
supranational Hindu space; to which Hindus
of the region belong, but even Indian Muslims may not. Historically, anti-Bengali
Muslim sentiments in Assam had emphasised the Bengali part. Moving forward,
would the Muslim factor become more dominant? What would be the fate of Muslim
populations in enclaves that India received
as part of the land-swap with Bangladesh?
Despite the various uncertainties, several
things become clear: in spite of varied circumstances, the migrants at sea are predominantly Bengali Muslim (defined broadly),
unwanted in their own homelands; Islamophobia has become a global force that has
allowed countries like Myanmar (and the
democratic voices there) to disregard the
lives of (Bengali) Muslims without fear of
any repercussion; a climate of anti-Muslim
sentiments in India, the de facto regional
hegemon, has excused and normalised repression against Muslims in the entire region
(including
in
Sri
Lanka);
Muslim-majority countries also prioritise
state interests and will not necessarily come
to the rescue of Muslim migrants on the
basis of humanity or religiosity, as can be
seen in the case of Indonesia and Malaysia;
hope lies with the people Indonesian fishermen were the first to rescue migrants defying government orders to turn away boats
carrying migrants. It is among ordinary people that we can find humanity.
(Navine Murshid is Assistant Professor of
Political Science, Colgate University, U.S.,
and the author of The Politics of Refugees in
South Asia: Identity, Manipulation,
Resistance.)
the stir against the land Bill is

misplaced. Does any one of us have
an idea about how many lakhs of
acres were given away to form SEZs
between 2004-2014? And to whom?
Why does the period from 2014
onwards have to be called dark
times? How can we forget the 2-G,
coal and CW Games scams?
K.S. Murthy,
Hyderabad
While the writer is absolutely right
in his assessment that secularism is
under threat and that there isnt a
united Opposition to counter the
dictatorial
tendencies
of
government, he has failed to
highlight initiatives by the BJP to
bring in foreign investment for the
Make In India programme, asking
civil servants to shape up or ship out
and, most importantly, giving
importance to the railways and
defence production as the engines
to drive growth and ensure
employment. While there has been
some forward movement in
development, I would agree on one
core point being implied the
suppression
of
democratic
institutions.
Akshay Viswanathan,
Thiruvananthapuram
The intention behind the decision

to go in for an appeal may well be
political but the issue here is much
larger. In the Indian context, where
people are fed up of an insensitive
executive
and
a
lethargic
legislature, it is the judiciary that is
seen as the last resort of the affected
common man. If the judgment was
actually based on an arithmetical
error, the reputation of the
judiciary is at stake. The public
deserves to know the truth at the
Many intellectuals in cozy
earliest.
Balasubramanyan Menon, armchairs appear to be giving vent
New Delhi to their pent-up feelings against the
government. The reason is not far to
seek; it appears to emanate from an
While one can understand the aversion to someone who has
concerns of Prof. Akeel Bilgrami become successful despite being
(Dare we begin to hope? June 2), branded non grata by them. A
on the high-pitched campaigns by person is to be judged by evaluating
fringe Hindutva forces, his his performance after a reasonable
enthusiasm regarding the AAP and period. How can one year be a
Dare we hope?
ended up stranded at sea, buried in unmarked mass-graves, or in detention centres

across South and Southeast Asia.
reasonable enough period for this having a large quantity of husk

and for a country that has just mixed in, ragi biscuits tasting stale
emerged from the darkest period of and even finding worms in between
bread slices. The response, in most
governance?
K.R. Unnithan, cases, has been always prompt and
Chennai pleasant but never a word about the
defects in the processing or the
The Delhi verdict was the peoples action taken. On their part, brand
idea of experimenting with an ambassadors should not be allowed
unconventional alternative, which to escape liability as they end up
has since imploded, and was not virtually acting as the certifying
symbolic of waning confidence in authority for these products. After
the working of the Union all, it is the celebritys charisma that
Government per se. The vote share beguiles even wary people to
of the BJP remains intact and the consume such products.
V. Nagarajan,
people voted only on local issues.
Pranjal Pandey,
Chennai
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Corporate heads are reported to
Prof. Bilgrami can have the luxury have said that brand ambassadors
of a deep slumber in socialism, but knew only what the company told
the people of India have woken up them about a product and that they
and voted for a change and are were not liable as they were not
steadily moving forward despite the watchdogs of the product that they
splintered, corrupt and discredited endorsed (Brand ambassadors not
Oppositions efforts to slow the liable, June 2). This seems to be a
progress.
candid and correct appraisal of the
Vembar K. Ranganathan, situation. As a consumer, I can
Irvington, NY, U.S. never be persuaded to buy a product
just because celebrity A or B
crows about it. The proof of the
The controversy over the alleged pudding is in the eating, as they say.
violation of food safety standards by The endorsers should think that
a leading multinational food there is much more to it than their
manufacturer (Bollywood actors making
money
from
the
land in a soup over Maggi row, ambassadorship. If they truly love
June 2) is only the tip of the iceberg and respect their countless fans,
in terms of malpractices in the food they should have moral and ethical
industry. Lax adherence to quality considerations before accepting an
standards by food manufacturers is assignment.
C.G. Rishikesh,
evident to any discerning consumer
Chennai
and made worse by the absence of
regular and strict quality checks by
authorities. On various occasions I I am of the opinion that action
have complained to multinationals needs to be taken against all
promoting
any
about their products of oats celebrities
Brand under scrutiny
consumer product as there is no

way of finding out whether they use
them. So, in a way, they are cheating
their followers and fans into buying
such products. One also needs to
examine whether there is a link
between brand ambassadors and
income tax exemptions. Action
should also be initiated against
medical professionals appearing in
advertisements promoting tooth
pastes and health drinks/products.
Unnikrishnan Nair B.C.,
Alappuzha
It is evident that Indias young
population in urban India thrives
on chemically seasoned food. There
is controversy over the use of lead
and monosodium glutamate in food
products especially as far as
children are concerned. The
authorities need to clear the air.
Harmandeep Kaur Grewal,
Ludhiana, Punjab
Advertisement ratio
The advertisement ratio prescribed
by the government in respect of
large newspapers, as mentioned in
the report headlined, Newspapers
only on paper make a killing from
govt. ads (May 28) at 30 per cent
is incorrect to the extent that the
total of allocation for large/
medium/small newspapers as
indicated there does not add up to
100 per cent. The allocation for
large newspapers provided for in
the governments Advertisement
Policy is currently 50 per cent, and
not 30 per cent as mentioned.
Naresh Mohan,
Executive Committee member,
Indian Newspaper Society,
New Delhi
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015
Under-armed and underprepared

Pavan K. Varma
Against
the grain
t a time when the Right to Fair Compensation
and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 is being examined by a joint
committee of Parliament, the promulgation for a
third time of an Ordinance shows scant regard on the
part of the Narendra Modi government for democratic
norms. Despite public expressions to the contrary by
even Mr. Modi, the BJP-led NDA government appears
disinclined to concede any ground to the Opposition on
its key demands to restore clauses relating to consent
and social impact assessment that were integral to the
2013 Act. Not surprisingly, therefore, Opposition MPs
on the joint committee are planning to disassociate
themselves from it. Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general
secretary and a member of the committee, has described the re-promulgation of the Ordinance as absolutely untenable constitutionally in a democracy. Even
as the ruling dispensation shows no sign of relenting,
murmurs of unhappiness have come from within the
BJP itself, especially from MPs who represent rural
constituencies. In fact, at the first meeting of the joint
committee some BJP members, worried about the political fallout of the proposed changes, expressed their
concern. Even the BJPs NDA allies, the Shiromani
Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena, have raised questions about
the wisdom of persisting with such an unpopular move.
Evidently, the Modi government misread the signs:
for even senior officials who see merit in the proposed
changes (as they feel it would simplify land acquisition
and put infrastructure projects on the fast track) say the
government should have engaged the Opposition in a
discussion before bringing the Bill forward. It should
have also, they add, conducted a countrywide exercise
of opinion-making before attempting to initiate changes. Now, the Opposition, led by the Congress, has had
sufficient time to run its campaign against the government-sponsored changes. Reports from the ground suggest that a substantial swathe of the population believes
the government draft goes against the interests of the
rural poor and is anti-farmer. Unfortunately for the
government, all this has coincided with unseasonal rain
that has damaged crops, and a hike in fertilizer prices.
Yet, the minimum support price for crops has not been
increased commensurately. Taken together, the message is that this is indeed a suit boot ki sarkar in
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis shorthand
that does not care for the agricultural class; it just wants
a land law that would favour the corporate rich. The
ruling dispensations plan to call a joint session after the
current Land Bill is defeated in the Rajya Sabha, flies in
the face of pragmatic politics, as it would just give the
Opposition even more ammunition. The only explanation is that its numbers in the Lok Sabha have blinded
the government to the predominant national mood.
ast week, the government announced the appointment of S.

Christopher as the new head of the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). His predecessor, missile scientist Avinash Chander, was
unceremoniously dumped on January 13
this year, with 16 months still left of his
tenure. It took the government over four
months to find his replacement. Reportedly,
most of the other senior Director Generals of
the DRDO are also on extension, unsure of
when the axe may fall.
The DRDO was set up in 1958 as the fulcrum of Indias indigenous defence production. However, its performance, or the lack
of it, must count as one of the biggest uninvestigated scandals of independent India.
Among its notable failures is the production
of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which
was commissioned over a decade ago but ran
years behind schedule with a cost overrun of
over Rs.5,000 crore. The aircrafts Kaveri
engine was commissioned over two decades
ago; it ran over 15 years behind schedule with
similarly high cost overruns. Other projects
allocated to the DRDO, such as the Airborne
Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System, the naval version of the LCA, the Long
Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM), and
the Advanced Lightweight Torpedo (ALWT)
have all missed deadlines by several years.
Nothing to cheer about

The performance of our public sector
units handling defence has been equally
scandalous. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
(HAL) could not rectify simple design faults
in the HPT-32 basic trainer aircraft, forcing
the Indian Air Force (IAF) to import propeller driven trainers. The Intermediate Jet
Trainer (IJT) prototype is nowhere close to
flying, and the Light Combat Helicopter and
the multi-purpose civilian aircraft, Saras,
have forever been in the pipeline. Our ordnance factories are similarly languishing.
The Nalanda ordnance factory, in collaboration with an Israeli company, is reportedly only a fourth complete. The commitment
to indigenously supply 1,000 T-90S main
battle tanks to the Indian Army could not be
met because the project failed. Indian-made
125 mm smooth bore barrels for the T-72
tanks also reportedly failed because the barrels blew up during field trials.
The DRDO had set itself the aim of producing 70 per cent of our defence needs by
Some would argue that India, a country with such

a huge number of the poor, should be spending
more on development than on defence. But
development cannot exclude security imperatives
because India is in one of the most hostile nuclear
weapon regions of the world
the year 2005. Today, a decade later, its production is still lackadaisically hovering
around 30 per cent and much of what
emerges from its factories is put together
with screwdriver technology. In 2008, the
Rama Rao Committee had recommended
that the DRDO should only focus on 8 to 10
critical projects of strategic importance.
Such recommendations have been thrown to
the winds, and the countrys premier defence production company continues to focus its energies on esoteric products like
dental implants and mosquito repellents!
As arms importer
To see a nation with global aspirations
blundering so egregiously when it comes to
meeting critical defence requirements is
nothing short of treason. As a result of our
woefully inadequate defence production, India has become the worlds largest importer
of arms. In contrast, China, with a much
A decade and more later, nothing had

changed. Another Army chief, General V.K.
Singh (who is now a Union Minister of State
in the government) was compelled to write
in March 2012 a letter directly to the then
Prime Minister in which he bluntly stated
that the war-waging capability of the Army
had been seriously degraded because of
delays in critical procurements. According
to him, reserves of vitally needed anti-tank
ammunition had fallen below critical levels
because the Israeli firm supplying them had
been blacklisted because of alleged kickbacks; artillery equipments were stalled for a
similar reason, and emergency replacements
sought to be obtained from the U.S. Army
were still awaiting approval from the Ministry of Defences bureaucracy. At that time,
the nation was facing a peculiar double jeopardy: we could not produce what we needed
internally, and we could not import in
time and efficiently what we needed to buy
As a result of its woefully inadequate defence production, India

is today the worlds largest importer of arms.
bigger arsenal, has dropped to fourth place
because its internal defence production has
been efficiently upgraded. Apart from the
exorbitant burden arms imports place on
our exchequer, an overdependence on imports has grave security implications. In his
book on the Kargil war, General V.P. Malik,
who was then the Army chief, mentions that
two years before the Pakistani invasion, the
Army had finalised imports of AN/TPQ-37
Firefinder radars from the United States.
Prices were negotiated and just before purchase, DRDO offered to manufacture them
at half the price and within two years. The
government shot down the armys plans to
buy those radars. In 1999, during the Kargil
war, the radars were desperately needed.
Neither had the DRDO manufactured them
nor could they be purchased from the US
(post the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests there
was an arms embargo). Several lives were
lost in Pakistan shelling (as a result).
from abroad because of a morality paralysis that sought to ban every major foreign
supplier on the basis of uninvestigated allegations. Obviously, defence purchases must
be corruption-free but, equally, defence
ministers must have the guts not only to be
concerned about their own personal integrity but also about the crucial security interests of the nation.
Comparison with China

Our lack of offensive and defensive weaponry becomes even more glaring when compared with that of our potential enemies. For
instance, Chinas arsenal of Intercontinental
Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), battle tanks, latest
tactical aircraft and armoured infantry fighting vehicles far outnumber ours, as does its
border infrastructure. The importance for us
to keep this gap within sustainable limits is
self-evident, especially since we cannot rule
out a war in the future in which China and
CARTOONSCAPE
Beyond the
rate cut
he 25 basis-point cut announced in the repo
rate, the rate at which the Reserve Bank of
India lends to banks, was indeed on expected
lines, although there might be some disappointment with regard to the quantum of the reduction.
Why is the RBI playing so cautious, however? The reasons are not far to seek. The banking sector, which has
been struggling to bring down the bad loan load, has
shown a certain defiance when it came to passing on rate
cuts to borrowers. It took a no fresh rate cut warning
from Governor Raghuram Rajan to goad them on to
cutting lending rates, however reluctantly. With the
latest cut, the third this year and announced as part of
the policy cycle this time for a change, the RBI appears
to have given banks a fresh message. Given the level of
bad loans in their books, and also considering the stress
on their margins, the banks will now have to do a tough
balancing act. The RBI has only limited width to go
beyond taking a measured step. The central bank is still
unsure if the inflation clouds have disappeared completely. Concerns over the below-normal south-west
monsoon predictions, oil prices firming up amid volatility, and the ever-present geopolitical risks, appear to
be bothering it. A combination of macro-numbers
such as of falling retail inflation and factory output
and political pressures has put the RBI in a spot. So it
has, quite understandably, chosen to tread with caution.
Given the complexities of the Indian economy and its
inter-connections with the outside world, a rate reduction by the monetary authority alone will not suffice at
the present juncture. Oftentimes the RBI has indicated
this in a subtle manner. The latest policy suggests that
the fiscal bosses cannot avoid the onus of pushing the
economy to a higher growth trajectory without inflationary consequences. Strong food policy and management will be important to help keep inflation and
inflationary expectations contained over the nearterm, the RBI has said. At the same time, it has advocated a step up in public investment in several areas
that could crowd in private investment. To remove
supply irritants and aid disinflation, public investment
is critical. With stressed assets eating into its vitals, the
banking industry is largely reluctant to commit itself to
fresh credit exposure. A targeted infusion of capital
into scheduled public sector commercial banks is also
warranted so that adequate credit flows to the productive sectors as investment picks up, the RBI has stated.
It takes two to tango, the central bank appears to suggest. The ball is now in the governments court.
CM
YK

Rohingya plight
The Rohingya issue is a problem
with international ramifications
(Stateless and left out at sea, June
3). Whether it is the Hindu minority
in Pakistan, the Palestinians and
Israel, or even the war-affected
people of West Asia, they all face or
are placed in a similar situation.
Addressing their concerns requires
sustained and coordinated efforts
by the international community.
Ashish Khatri,
Jalgaon, Maharashtra
The scholarly article started off well
but left me puzzled when it
meandered towards Narendra Modi
and the Indian Muslim. This is not
to justify the inhumane action of
turning away the Rohingyas but to
explain why it is happening; though
the article cites Islamophobia as
being one of the reasons behind the
plight of these hapless people, one
wishes that scholars such as Ms.
Murshid cared to look at the reasons
that are staring the world in the face
almost every day in Syria, Iraq,
Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Nigeria, Libya and Philippines
where there is conflict with a
common thread. In this, there is
only one party to this conflict and
fighting the world in the name of
jihad.
Look at the cases of terrorist
attacks that have taken place in the
West. These are civilised and liberal
countries that have given shelter to
those who are discriminated
against, yet are targeted.
B. Chauhan,
Visakhapatnam
Pakistan work in tandem. Opponents of adequate investments in armaments argue that

a country with such a huge number of the
poor should be spending more on development than on defence. It is the old guns
versus butter argument. The obvious riposte
to this is that India needs to pursue both
development and defence efficiently and it
cannot be one or the other. A countrys security is imperilled if its economy is suboptimal and the deprivations of the poor are not
attended to. Equally, development cannot
exclude security imperatives because we are
in one of the most hostile nuclear weapon
regions of the world. We have 4,057 kilometres of a disputed Line of Actual Control
(LAC) with China; a 778-kilometre-long disputed Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan; a
total of 15,106 kilometres of international
borders with seven countries, and a 7,516kilometre long vulnerable coastline. It
would be suicidal for any nation to ignore
security concerns in such a situation.
The fact of the matter is that we neither
pursue development nor security efficiently.
China spends more than twice what India
does on its armed forces, yet its defence
expenditure, as a percentage of its GDP, is
lower than that of India (1.3 against 1.89, as
per revealed figures). The Chinese economy
has grown at a faster pace, and its defence
budget, although larger, is more efficiently
used. Arms imports have come down dramatically. Russia and Ukraine are the only
outside suppliers of Chinas weaponry, most
of which is now produced at lesser cost at
home. If India had pursued its indigenous
arms production effectively, we could have
had by now one of the worlds largest military-industrial complexes, and could be exporting arms and using that income for
development.
Not much impact

The new Bharatiya Janata Party-National
Democratic Alliance (BJP-NDA) government came with a muscular resolve to
strengthen Indias defence abilities. This resolve was particularly evident in its strident
critique of the United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) regime. However, for five months after the new government assumed power last
year, the country did not even have a fulltime Raksha Mantri, with Mr. Arun Jaitley
inexplicably holding the dual charge of both
finance and defence. The government did
announce an increase from 26 per cent to 49
per cent for foreign direct investment (FDI)
in the defence production sector but this
may not be very attractive to investors who
will seek majority control. Moreover, the
Defence Technology Commission, set up as a
commercial arm of the DRDO to attract investments, is yet to take shape. The Make in
India slogan for defence production means
little unless it is part of a credible policy
framework. It is also not known whether the
national technology council to be chaired by
the Defence Minister with representation by
private companies engaged in the production of arms and defence equipment, as was
recommended by the Naresh Chandra Task
Force, is going to see the light of day. According to estimates, some Rs.30,000 crore is
required only to end the perennial shortage
of artillery and ammunition. Where is this
money to come from if the governments
priorities are to spend double this amount
on bullet trains? Important steps also need
to be taken to create a more effective procurement policy. The Rafale fighter aircraft
deal is, I believe, an outright purchase and
does not involve the transfer of technology.
And, finally, it is time that specialists from
the armed forces have a much greater say in
the entire defence production process, but
there is no sign that this is happening. The
short point is that, whatever the rhetoric,
India lacks a strategic mindset to tackle its
defence preparedness and this government
has been, thus far, not any different, and
certainly much too slow in changing past
approaches.
(Pavan K. Varma, an author-diplomat, is a
member of the Rajya Sabha representing the
Janata Dal-United.)
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Bollywood actors face FIR, June 3).
Multi-Sectoral
Technical
and It would be ideal if a note on the
Economic Cooperation must now potential health hazards a food
find a solution to this developing product can cause is printed on the
humanitarian crisis, especially since labels of such drinks/products, as is
the key players in this crisis are also done in the case of tobacco products.
S. Srinivasan,
its member countries. With its focus
Chennai
areas of agriculture, poverty
alleviation, and people to people
contact, the grouping must now take
This refers to the article Dialysis
the lead in settling the matter.
Rajpartap Singh, and the good life (Open Page, June
Patiala, Punjab 2) which had, among other things,
an optimistic account of a solitary
patient who happens to be a doctor
To my mind, there is not a single himself. Though many poor people
laboratory report that suggests that suffer from kidney failure, it is often
the consumption of leading soft difficult to convince them to
drink brands is good for health. On undergo dialysis. Most often, the
the contrary, they are harmful; the influence of quacks and dubious
high sugar content causes a loss of advertisements
that
promote
tooth enamel, decay, diabetes and miracle
cures
make
them
other related problems. This apart, discontinue dialysis. Due to the
there is the worry of pesticides being prohibitive cost, I find that the
present and beyond prescribed earning member of the family has
limits, as was reported some time usually set aside most of his limited
ago in the case of a soft drink made resources for exigencies or
by
a
food
multinational. priorities such as a daughters
Nevertheless,
several
film marriage than for the procedure.
personalities
and
cricketers The unregulated growth of dialysis
continue to endorse such unsuitable centres across India without a
food items. They ought to verify the nephrologist or a physician in
laboratory report issued by the supervision, often results in the
government before promoting any dialysis failing, which in turn gives it
food product else they should be a bad name. One has to think about
held squarely responsible for health how many can afford to undergo
hazards such products may cause. dialysis four times a week. If poor
Across India, there are people who people with kidney failure are to live
mindlessly consume such drinks/ as happily as the patient in the
products because they are endorsed article, and with multiple dialysis,
by celebrities. Therefore, I find the only way to do so is to bring
nothing far-fetched in the move to down the cost of the procedure
prosecute celebrities who have drastically.
Dr. N. Mohandas,
endorsed a food product which is
Thanjavur
now said to be unsafe (Maggi case:
On dialysis
Unsafe food products
Endemic discrimination Survey in Telangana

The reports of employment being
denied to a Muslim youth and
housing accommodation being
refused to a Muslim woman cannot
be termed as isolated (Editorial,
May 29). Our political leaders are
largely to be blamed for creating this
societal divide which has now been
etched deep in the heart of the
common man. It is sad to note that
our political leaders, who take oath
of office in the name of the
Constitution, do not consider all
citizens in India to be one but
instead try to spread hatred and
antagonise and target Muslims.
M.Y. Shariff,
Chennai
Judicial
interventions
and
legislative actions are not enough to
eradicate
the
endemic
discrimination in matters such as
housing. The problem is not
peculiar to Mumbai. In Srirangam, it
is quite impossible for even an Iyer
family
to
find
rented
accommodation in an area
dominated by Iyengars, not to speak
of families belonging to the OBCs
and the SCs, which only exposes the
hollow claims of India possessing a
secular identity. Other intermediate
castes in the periphery are averse to
the SCs, Muslims and Christians. A
total removal of columns for caste/
religion from all government
transactions including census
enumeration may pave the way for a
social revolution in turn bringing an
end to such discrimination.
Annadurai Jeeva,
Srirangam, Tamil Nadu
The article, Firm, first steps after

formation (NH9 Between Two
States, June 1) on one year after the
formation of Telangana, was of no
contemporary relevance as far as
Telangana is concerned. For
example, data collection on nativity
from the people of Telangana, in the
comprehensive household survey of
August 19, 2014 never took place. It
did not have any item on the nativity
of household members. Thus, the
question of discrimination and
apprehensions about its misuse do
not arise.
The fact is that the number of
pension schemes of various kinds
have increased as a result of the
survey. The poor who were out of
the economic security net for
various reasons, including those
political, are now under the
economic security net. The number
of beneficiaries under various
categories has almost doubled.
The most disturbing statement
made was about K. Chandrasekhar
Rao, Chief Minister of Telangana,
having to learn from what Mr. N.
Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister
of an undivided Andhra Pradesh, did
in 1995 in terms of a household
survey to determine the agenda of
economic reform. KCR was very
much a part of the Naidu
government in 1995, and being proreforms is widely claimed to have
been the force behind flagship
schemes such as Janmabhoomi, and
Vision 2020 of the TDPs reforms
document.
C. Raghava Reddy,
Hyderabad
BG-BG
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015
In Nepal, the politics of reconstruction

Kanak Mani Dixit
No short cuts
to safety
he rapid response of the Centre and the States
to concerns about the safety of mass-marketed branded noodles is a welcome departure
from the culture of governmental indifference to matters of public safety. Several States have
initiated testing of samples of Nestles Maggi noodles
to assess levels of lead, monosodium glutamate (MSG)
and other chemicals. The rst tests commissioned by
Uttar Pradesh last year, which were repeated in an apex
laboratory in Kolkata for conrmation, indicated that
the levels of lead in the snack were much higher than
legally permissible; MSG, a avouring salt normally
added to preserved foods, was also found, although on
the label there was no indication of its presence. This is
plainly unacceptable. Food safety, particularly in the
case of aggressively promoted packaged snacks aimed
at children, is critically important. The Food Safety and
Standards Act, 2006, which requires the States to deploy an effective enforcement mechanism, seeks to
achieve that with a regime of stiff penalties ranging
from nes to a life term in prison. Data presented to
Parliament last month show that over 10,200 prosecutions were launched under the law in 2013-14, but
they resulted in only 913 convictions; in some States
and Union territories, none was secured.
In the Maggi noodles case, a fuller picture will
emerge when the results of tests ordered by the Food
Safety and Standards Authority of India are known. It
is important to trace the origin of the problem, and its
possible linkages to other food articles. This requires
State governments to maintain vigilance and undertake sincere, transparent efforts to identify unsafe
foods. For its part, the food industry, which deploys
enormous resources for lobbying and advertising,
would help its own cause by cooperating with the
investigation. What stands out as overreach in the
entire episode, however, is the targeting of celebrities
for their endorsement of Maggi products in the past.
As actor Preity Zinta tweeted, it is puzzling that she
received a court notice for an endorsement made a
dozen years ago. Celebrities must choose with great
care the products and causes they endorse, but there is
little doubt that their support has advanced many campaigns for public health, women and child rights, and so
on. It is also relevant to point out here that food safety
cannot exist in a vacuum, where the government neglects social determinants of health such as clean water, pollution control, elimination of adulteration,
access to energy and freedom from corruption. In contrast to big corporations that have easy access to resources, Indias food business also has small,
informal-sector participants who depend on it for livelihood. Without a supportive state, even well-meaning
food laws cannot be comprehensively enforced.
he destruction of the April 25 earthquake provided Nepali citizens with

a respite from the presence of the
topmost political party leaders in
their lives. Having hogged the news for more
than a decade through an incestuous cabal
that bypassed parliamentary practice, the
leaders did not have the credibility to come
forward to lead the rescue and relief effort.
But it did not take a month before they
were up to their old tricks the dust from the
earthquake had not even settled when the
power brokers raised a political sandstorm
that had the ability to derail reconstruction.
On the basis of personal career calculations,
with no introspection as to naked past practice, they started an exercise to bring down
the coalition government led by Sushil
Koirala.
It was a clear case of opportunism rather
than using the earthquake tragedy as opportunity to build back better. The most desperate in trying to turn the calamity to
personal advantage were the Maoists, Pushpa
Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai, both of
whom went into overdrive. By contrast, the
leaders of the Madhesi Morcha opposition,
with longer investment in democratic politics, were circumspect.
Mr. Dahal is hounded by fears of international jurisdiction on human rights and money laundering, and also feels he must have a
hand in reconstruction expenditure. This is
why he wants to join government rather than
serve as effective opposition during a critical
period. Mr. Bhattarai, nding his own ambitions checked at every step by Mr. Dahal, with
amazing hubris presents himself as candidate
for tsar of the national reconstruction effort.
Democratic danger
The sluggish performance of the Koirala
government in the aftermath of the earthquake is lost on no one. The Prime Minister
has not been able to lead from the front with
spark and vision, nor generate collective ownership within his cabinet even at this time of
crisis.
But comparative perspective is needed to
gauge the Nepal governments response, considering that the earth shook in the most
difficult and densely populated mountain terrain in the world. The government was not as
devastatingly inept as projected in the imme-
Aiming to overcome turmoil in Nepals political

landscape following the quake, the ruling coalition
must project unity and common purpose and show
planning and spending with competence and
transparency. A substantial Indian contribution
towards reconstruction can get the ball rolling
diate aftermath infrastructure and services
remained in place and the authorities retained control over the miscellaneous international rescue force.
There is now a mood to change the government in order to prepare for the reconstruction effort, and there is a pre-existing
agreement that Nepali Congress President
Koirala will make way for the Communist
Party of Nepal (Unied MarxistLeninist)
Chairman, K.P. Oli, around the time of promulgation of the new constitution. What is new
is the demand for a national government to
include the Maoists and the Madhesi Morcha.
The most natural evolution is for Mr. Koirala to make way for Mr. Oli in an orderly
fashion, and for the ruling coalition to appoint a national reconstruction body with
door and from afar, was limping towards normalisation following the elections of November 2013. In March-April this year, the
constitutional negotiations seemed to be
moving towards resolution, with the Maoists
on the back foot after the failure of an announced three-day national bandh.
That was when the earthquake struck, and
it took no more than a couple of weeks of
quiet before the political opportunists were
casting about. But the hard-won Nepali democracy cannot be upturned by an earthquake, nor can geopolitical shifts be dictated
by geological strata.
The overwhelming show of national and
international military hardware and khaki
prowess following the disaster sent an exag- International contribution
The worldwide response to the Nepal digerated message to the public that the civilian
saster has been heart-warming, but has been
concentrated on the high-prole rescue and
relief phase. International attention is alThough the sluggish performance of the Koirala government in
ready tapering off, long before the reconthe aftermath of the earthquake is lost on no one, the
struction phase has begun, with the National
Planning Commission still engaged in pregovernment was not as devastatingly inept as projected
paring the Post Disaster Needs Assessment
(PDNA).
in the immediate aftermath
The Congress and UML must work to give
new energy to government, taking the
professional appointments from outside the authority was weak in contrast. Indeed, for a Maoists and the Madhesi Morcha on board
political realm. The Congress and the UML whole month, Nepal was a staging ground for only as required, and prepare for the pledging
must avoid an unbecoming reght at a time a dozen military rescue contingents, includ- conference. The target of $6-7 billion will not
when there are still bodies to be recovered ing India with the largest force and the United be easy to achieve, as past experience with
from under destroyed houses and landslide States and China. Nepals experience indi- disasters elsewhere in the developing world
rubble. A political tug-of-war would serve on- cates a need for enhancing civilian capacity has shown.
First of all, the ruling coalition must be able
ly to deect the need to plan reconstruction, for disaster response in each of the countries
to broadcast the message of unity and comincluding preparing for an international of South Asia.
mon purpose, and prove its ability to plan and
pledging conference, scheduled for June 25.
spend with competence and transparency.
Says sociologist Chaitanya Mishra: Politi- National constitution, local bodies
But the most pressing question for now is India, whose response to the earthquake was
cal bargaining at this time would divert attention and utterly fail to recognise the human whether there is a need to go beyond recon- immediate and generous, can help in the resignicance of the disaster and the need for guring the Congress-UML coalition, to ex- construction process by ensuring a substanrecovery. It would prioritise political power pand it to include the Maoists and the tial contribution to get the ball rolling. Prime
Madhesi Morcha. Under any other circum- Minister Narendra Modi had actually proover public service.
The shift of the tectonic plates could not stance this would be a travesty within democ- posed hosting the pledging conference in
have been more inopportune. The Nepali racy, but given the nature of Nepals New Delhi, and his visit to Kathmandu for the
state, severely weakened by a decade of con- transitional polity, the answer would be purpose would have positive impact both in
ict and another decade of confusion and yes, if the Congress and UML can leverage the terms of publicity and volume of contribuintervention by foreign forces, from next invitation to national government into ob- tions overall.
Social justice
CARTOONSCAPE
Nepals geography seems designed for natural disasters, from cloudbursts and oods to
landslides, heatwaves, frigid spells, droughts,
glacial outburst oods and earthquakes. The
country has to learn to cope and respond, and
one of the gifts of the April earthquake was
the spontaneous rise of young professionals
in the rescue effort, who now constitute a new
category
to
engage
in
national
reconstruction.
All the responders, from the young professionals to government officials and international supporters, must not lose sight
throughout the rebuilding phase that it was
the poor that were disproportionately hit by
the quake it was the houses made using
mud mortar that collapsed. Therefore, the
entire reconstruction effort must be anchored on social justice, which requires
watch-dogging of the party bosses used to
feudal era patronage politics and
rule-by-syndicate.
Nepal could come out of this as exemplary
in its response to mega disaster, but this will
not happen for the wishing, and without political stability deriving from a new constitution and participatory local democracy. The
alternative is continuing political disarray
even as the monsoon approaches, to rain
down on a landscape weakened by the tremors and aftershocks of April.
(Kanak Mani Dixit, a writer and journalist
based in Kathmandu, is Founding Editor of
Himal Southasian magazine.)
FIFA should
turn the page
ust a week ago, on the day of his election as
FIFA president for a fth term, Joseph S. Blatter remarked: We dont need revolutions, we
need evolutions. After resuming office he
went further and said: Why would I step down? That
would mean I recognise that I did wrong. However,
days later, in a widely welcomed move he resigned,
saying the organisation needed a profound overhaul.
It is unclear what prompted the hard-nosed football
administrator, who displayed such Machiavellian ability to stay in control of the body even as it was engulfed
in a series of corruption scandals. Whether it was
because the noose was tightening around the FIFA
general secretary and his second-in-command, Jrme
Valcke, alleged to have authorised $10 million in bribes
for World Cup bidding votes, and fears that it would
nally reach him, or pressure from the Michel Platiniled UEFA, or ultimately his own conscience, remain
questions. Mr. Blatter believed he was a part of the
solution and not the problem, although hardly anyone
accepted that. In politics it is said perception is reality,
and in the political theatre that FIFA had become over
the years it was no different. Any effort to turn FIFA
around would have rung hollow with him at the helm.
Accountability has to begin at the top, and Mr. Blatters
resignation is the rst step towards that.
Going forward, the need is to transform the way
FIFA works. In 2011, before starting his fourth term,
Mr. Blatter engaged Mark Pieth, a Professor of criminal
law at Basel University, to create a road map for reform.
His recommendations included xing term limits for
the president and executive committee members,
proper scrutiny of candidates nominated to the executive committee and greater nancial controls. None of
these has been acted upon, and the time to do so is now.
The deeply entrenched quid pro quo system between
Mr. Blatters regime and regional football associations,
with the development funding route turning into a tool
to buy votes and thereby creating divisions within the
footballing fraternity, has to end. But that shouldnt
mean a throwback to an era when Europe dominated
the football scene: that was precisely the reason why
Mr. Blatter was so popular in the developing world. It is
imperative that a truly democratic system is put in
place. And the leader should work not just for his
backers but for everyone. The selection process of
World Cup hosts should become more transparent.
The mess that a awed system can create is there for
everyone to see in the fact of Russia and Qatar having
become hosts. It is high time the lessons were learnt.
CM
YK
taining agreement on promulgation of the

constitution and holding of local government
elections.
National reconstruction is impossible to
contemplate without the stability that would
come with a constitution. Neither can it happen without elected officials in the village,
district and municipality councils, which is
the only way to ensure equity and accountability in the reconstruction planning and
expenditure. The UML and the Congress have
nearly two-thirds majority in the house, and
given that they are ideologically divergent
and under normal circumstances would be in
opposition to each other, this is already a
national government. It can be expanded
further only if, gathering courage from the
suffering visited on the citizens, the ruling
coalition insists that the constitution be
adopted by due process, including two-thirds
majority vote if required, and a date is set for
local elections in early autumn.
If the long-standing deadlock over demarcation of federal provinces cannot be resolved, the republic must be declared federal in
the constitution, with the details to be
worked out by an empowered commission.

Monsoon forecast
Though it is somewhat distressing
that this is the second consecutive
year that could witness a less than
normal monsoon, the news should
not spread panic (Rain forecast, a
gamble on monsoon, June 4).
There are sufficient buffer stocks of
food grains that can be released at
the appropriate time to quell
ination. Examination of IMD data
shows that the shortfall will be
greater in the granary States of
Haryana
and
Punjab.
The
government must focus its relief
measures there, which should be
manageable.
What
decient
monsoon years require is timely
state intervention in maintaining
the availability of food grains, in
addition to a drought-year dole for
farmers in the affected regions.
J.S. Acharya,
Hyderabad
The rain forecast Cassandras have
already created panic by predicting
the 12th worst drought since
1950. The experts have caused
enough confusion already. The
high-sounding
Earth
System
Science Organization and the India
Meteorological Department have
forecast just 88 per cent of rain yield
for the SW monsoon. A private
forecaster, which got its forecast
right every year since it started in
2012, is sticking to its
predictions. A Union Minister
blames climate change. If El Nio
hits the country, some regions will
experience
intense
drought
conditions while other regions will
have severe oods due to heavy
rains, both of which will hit the

farmer.
C.V. Venugopalan,
Palakkad
Food product ban

It is no exaggeration to say that a
generation of Indians has grown up
eating the food product in question
(Delhi slaps 15-day ban on sale of
Maggi noodles, June 4). We just
wonder now how long the
adulteration has gone on, in turn
raising questions about Indias food
HAL and defence

preparedness
Pavan K. Varmas article, Underarmed and underprepared
(Editorial page, June 4, 2015),
reected little understanding of
the aerospace industry and the
workings of Hindustan
Aeronautics Ltd., which has
indigenously produced 15 types of
aircraft and helicopters. For
example, the article criticises
HAL-produced trainers like the
HPT 32 without considering that
this trainer aircraft is one that has
served the Indian Air Force (IAF)
from 1984 to 1997. HAL produced
nearly 150 of them. The type
logged around four lakh hours of
ying and thousands of IAF pilots
have trained on it, although its
subsequent grounding could be a
separate topic to deliberate on.
HAL has supplied, and even now
supports, nearly 75 per cent of the
IAFs trainer aircraft needs.
The Kiran Mk-II has been the
safety regime. The revelations show

that companies cannot be trusted
with a self-regulatory system. The
onus is now on the Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India to
strengthen its regulatory oversight
mechanisms.
J. Akshobhya,
Mysuru
The irony is that similar claims have
been made against various soft
drink brands over the years, but to
no avail. The newfound awareness
mainstay of the IAF since 1984. In
fact, during the Aero India 2015
air show in February in
Bengaluru, an announcement of
an extension of its maintenance
for a further three to four years
was made.
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA),
is the most misunderstood
project. There is little awareness
of the initial challenges the
project faced, especially the
complexities involved in
producing a ghter plane without
technological help from the
developed world.
The project belonged to the era
when the West denied technology
to India. Apart from HAL, several
major agencies from India are
involved in the LCAs design and
development.
The Light Combat Helicopter
(LCH) is in an advanced stage of
development and undergoing
testing at HAL; there are three
prototypes that are ying.
Approximately 500 ights, of
more than 350 ight hours, have
regarding what to eat should now be

used to rid the market of all such
harmful food products. In this there
should be no cherry-picking and all
edible products should be tested
adequately and violators penalised
accordingly.
Rupinder Singh,
Patiala, Punjab
Impact of GST
Apart from curtailing the scal and
political autonomy of States,
uniform GST is denitely going to
been completed on these
prototypes towards certication
of the platform. The basic
platform is proven. The Initial
Operational Clearance (IOC) is
being targeted by the end of this
year, with limited series
production being planned in
2016-17 after this.
HAL has constantly worked
towards strengthening Indias
defence preparedness. It supports
the maintenance of age-old
platforms of the countrys defence
forces through indigenisation.
The companys activities in this
area include development and
import substitution efforts,
needed in the manufacture as well
as in the repair and overhaul of
aircraft, engines and associated
systems. Every year, more than
2,000 items are indigenised, with
considerable foreign exchange
savings.
Gopal Sutar,
Chief of Media Communications,
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited,
Bengaluru
aggravate the misery of lower

income groups (GST: Good for
business, snag for federalism?
June 4). The Modi Government
might
succeed
in
creating
favourable
conditions
for
corporates and in inviting more
FDI, but it is imperative for a nation
like ours to ensure both economic
growth and holistic development.
Debanjana Chakraborty,
Bengaluru
The article didnt do justice to a
thorough analysis of the logic
behind GST, ostensibly due to a lack
of conceptual clarity. The issues are:
the fact is that States have
themselves been reducing tax rates
to attract investments. The GST Bill
will prevent such a downward trend
as multiple taxes will be absent. The
14th
Finance
Commission
recommended transfers to ensure
more political power to determine
expenditure priorities for each
State; GST itself recommends
revenue loss compensation. The
core argument that it is bad for the
poor rests on the following: GST is a
regressive tax, and high rates are
bad for the poor. Regressiveness is
only one criteria to determine
welfare effect. Price elasticises of
goods determine how much of tax
increase is actually passed on to
consumers. Further, GST rate may
be high but this is accompanied by
abolishing octroi, excise duty, VAT,
and sales or service tax on the good.
The writer should have considered
the net effect of this and not just a
high GST rate by itself.
Vinay Menon,
New Delhi
BG-MY
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015
Warm contact, lukewarm outcomes

Suhasini Haidar
Monsoon worries,
real or not
y downgrading the monsoon forecast for the
year to deficient, the India Meteorological
Department has pressed the panic button. The
forecast now talks of 88 per cent of the longperiod average, down from the preliminary figure of 93
per cent. The revised estimate is indeed cause for concern, as it holds the possibility of the country being
pushed into a drought situation. These are forwardlooking numbers no doubt. Yet the signals can hardly be
ignored. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has sought to
talk up the sentiment by suggesting that the fears are
exaggerated, and he may well be right. In his view, the
geographical distribution of rainfall and its timing will
matter more than the total volume of precipitation. Yet,
policy-planners at the fiscal and monetary levels have
not shied away from articulating their anxiety. The
Centre has said it is ready to face a deficit monsoon.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has
made it clear that the situation is being monitored on a
daily basis and that a contingency plan is in place. The
immediate worry, nay task, is to quickly devise an emergency plan to tackle the social and economic consequences of a possible drought. In the near-term, the
government may do well to prepare a ready-to-roll out
action programme to provide farmers a support system
and fallback mechanism to ensure that they arent consumed by the severity of the impact, should there be a
drought. This could well prove to be one of the toughest
tests yet for the year-old Narendra Modi government.
To minimise the annual concerns on this front, governments at the Centre and the States will have to go
beyond mere mitigation strategies and work out a longterm irrigation plan in an integrated and holistic manner to optimise the groundwater potential as well.
If the forecast does come true, however, India could
be facing the 12th worst drought since 1950. Already hit
by unseasonal rain during the rabi season, this portends
further trouble during the kharif cycle. This could lead
to serious problems on the food front with consequences on the price situation. Already, lack of rural demand
is dragging the economy down. The inflation-focussed
Reserve Bank of India will have no more leeway to cut
the interest rate in such a situation. Three quick rate
cuts by the RBI totalling 75 basis points this year have
not really seen any major reduction in lending rates by
banks at the ground level. With mounting stressed assets and poor credit off-take, the banking industry has
so far chosen to be a reluctant actor in the play. The
missing X-Factor has conspired with the existing shortfalls in capacity utilisation to make the industry look
forlorn. The situation demands proactive action.
ampark, Samvad, Parinam

Visits, [Contact], Dialogue, Results was Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs
three-word criterion for success when she
recently outlined the ministrys achievements on the completion of one year by the
Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. She also
recounted how the government had connected with 101 countries. Yet, of these countries
the government has interacted with 18 of
which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
visited none was as anticipated as his visit
to China last month.
Fault lines
Primarily, this visit was to repair the IndiaChina relationship, because regardless of the
optics, the past year has been a particularly
bad one for the equation between the two
neighbours along all the fault lines: on the
Line of Actual Control (LAC), across the subcontinent, and in the South China Sea.
On the LAC, a three-month long stand-off
at Chumar in Ladakh cast its shadow on Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to India in
September 2014. Next came another standoff over the subcontinent, most visible in Sri
Lanka, over the issue of Chinese submarines
in Indias ocean. Other Indian initiatives
such as relief efforts undertaken by both
countries, among others, in Nepal after the
earthquake there in April; Mr. Modis visit in
March 2015 to the Indian Ocean island nations (Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka);
or the extension of credit lines to Bangladesh
and Afghanistan were, often erroneously,
played up in the public narrative as Indias
way of countering China.
On the subject of the neighbourhood, Ms.
Swaraj made it clear that India is upset with
the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) through India. That Mr.
Xi made the announcement of projects in
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (an 870MW hydropower project and the Havelian-Thakot
highway) just weeks before Mr. Modis China
visit was in itself both puzzling and worrying.
Finally, there was the fault line that upsets
China the most that of the South China Sea
and Indias perceived shift towards the United States and Japan on the issue. Each of Mr.
Modis references to Chinese aggression and
ensuring the freedom of navigation during
his speech in Japan in September 2014, his
discussions with the Vietnam Prime Minister during his visit to India in October 2014,
While the Narendra Modi visit to China has

helped further people-to-people contacts a great
deal, it hasnt appeared to measure up to
the governments claims on substantive economic,
diplomatic and strategic issues
his address at the East Asia Summit in Nay
Pyi Taw (November 2014), the India-U.S.
joint statement in Washington and the joint
vision statement in Delhi have all sent
sharp ripples through Beijing.
People contact
All this meant that Mr. Modi had his task
cut out for him when he landed in Xian,
China, to a grand reception and several hours
of interactions with Mr. Xi, finally capped by
a Tang dynasty style banquet. His interactions at the Tsinghua University, and Fudan
University, on subsequent days, were equally
friendly. As the Director of the Institute of
China Studies, Alka Acharya, who visited
China two weeks later said, The visit has left
a positive impact, especially at the level of
citizens.
While the welcome accorded to Mr. Modi
was unusually warm, eventually the visit will
have to be judged, as Ms. Swaraj put it, not by
Border Areas, signed by Prime Minister P.V.

Narasimha Rao; the Declaration on Principles for Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation Between the Republic of India and
the Peoples Republic of China by Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003; and
the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement
signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
in 2013) as the rhetoric of a government on
its first anniversary, the fact is that this visit
saw no new proposal on the boundary issue.
On at least two occasions, Mr. Modis suggestion to China of a clarification of the
LAC has been met with silence, and has
received no mention in the joint statement.
In terms of an outcome this is a non-starter, says author and Centre for Policy Research analyst Srinath Raghavan, adding that
we have tried this in the 1990s and even
exchanged some maps of the Western sector. Those attempts ended in an impasse
when it became obvious that the perceptions
A significant outcome is the State-to-State economic

partnerships, with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh in particular, which Chinese companies are eyeing
as manufacturing bases.
the contact, but by the dialogue and outcome.
And while the Modi visit has helped further
people-to-people contacts a great deal, beginning with Mr. Modis foray on Weibo, the
Chinese social media network, the visit
didnt appear to measure up to the governments claims on the substantive issues.
Unresolved issues
At her press conference, Ms. Swaraj listed
these substantive issues as being: Economic issues, i.e. the trade deficit, and political issues, i.e. LAC clarification, stapled visas,
land boundary agreement (settlement) and
the sharing of hydrological data. All prior
engagement with China, she said, had been
goodie goodie and merely customary
(rasm-rivaaz). While one may discount her
casual dismissal of all boundary talks so far
(including the 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the
Line of Actual Control in the India-China
of the LAC by the Indian and Chinese Armies, respectively, were far removed from
each other. Changing tack, Mr. Vajpayee then
agreed to set up the SR [Special Representatives]-talks to resolve the boundary issue
once and for all, rather than to try and clarify
the LAC.
Therefore, it is significant that the latest
Joint Statement (paragraph 11) also only records a commitment to the SR talks and the
three-stage process, while agreeing to operationalise a new confidence-building measure, of hotlines between the militaries.
Subsequent public exchanges between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and the
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials
over the McMahon Line and the LAC clarification only underline the gap in
perception.
The issue of stapled visas for residents of
Arunachal Pradesh remains unresolved, as it
is linked to the boundary issue, Ms. Swaraj
CARTOONSCAPE
Taxis and
technology
The Delhi governments rejection on Wednesday of
fresh licence applications of app-based taxi firms such
as Uber and Ola is justified if it is premised on, as has
been widely reported, their failure to comply with an
earlier ban. The administration had banned app-based
taxi services in December 2014 after it was alleged that
a cab driver working for Uber raped a woman passenger. Following this, these taxi firms were asked to
apply for licences to operate. They did so. But then they
have been accused of not complying with the ban. The
rejection of the application comes just days after a
passenger aboard Uber was molested by the driver.
Run-ins with authority arent anything new for techenabled firms such as Uber. The world over, Uber has
clashed with governments and of course with the old
order of organised taxi services, which it inevitably
disrupts. It is hardly surprising when old, regulated
businesses cry foul about new, smart technologies that
disrupt them. The disrupters are marketplaces they
own no cars but make their money linking people who
want a cab ride and drivers who want business. The
government, at some point, as in the case of the rape
incident, has to show it is acting tough. And it does so by
means of bans. But even without getting into the question of whether the ban was justified in the first place,
the point to wonder about is why Uber and others
didnt comply with the government order. Did they?
How are they going to explain this?
Now, with the Department of Telecom asking Internet service providers to block the websites of the
taxi services in Delhi, the ban order is finally enforceable. Nonetheless, it is still important to question the
ban in the first place. The reasons were weak in December when the ban order was first sent out. And they
continue to be weak, notwithstanding the fact that they
were not complied with in the first place. It can be
stated without a doubt that hiring a cab is far easier
now than before. The ban doesnt make any party
better off. And the problem of safety in Delhi isnt one
that was caused by these app-based services. The problem is bigger and older. Governments across the world
and businesses across the world will be increasingly
confronted by new offerings, enabled by technology
and by a new world order where innovation is the order
of the day. Today, the battle is over app-based taxis.
Tomorrow, it could be over something else. The governments point is: without a licence, there is no keeping tab. But the police, by smartly downloading the taxi
apps and catching drivers who were violating the ban,
showed how it can be done. The new world needs new
methods, not old rules. The wiser thing is to work
together to ensure safety standards. The intense urge
to regulate everything will only make things worse.
CM
YK
said. Going forward, the government may

find it useful to consult the interlocutors of
the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government (apart from Foreign Secretary S.
Jaishankar who was Ambassador to China),
when the Chinese Embassy stopped stapling
visas for the residents of Jammu and Kashmir in 2011.
On the sharing of hydrological data, the
India-China joint statement records no progress either, and the paragraph on the issue
(paragraph 27, Joint Statement, May 2015)
mirrors the appreciation to China for providing flood-season hydrological data and the
assistance in emergency management of
trans-boundary rivers that the Singh-Li joint
statement (paragraph 7, Joint Statement October 2013) did.
Although Ms. Swaraj didnt list it as a key
issue, Indias concerns on cross-border terrorism were mentioned for the first time in
the joint statement (paragraph 32) with a
clear phrase on agreeing to disrupt terror
networks and their financing and stop crossborder movement of terrorists in accordance
with UN and international laws. This would
be an important step, except that Chinas
actions have belied those strong words. As
reported over the past few months, China has
blocked at least three Indian requests against
the terror elements, Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-UrRehman Lakhvi and Syed Salahuddin, listed
by the UNs 1267 committee on monitoring
Taliban and al-Qaeda entities.
Breaking down the MoUs

Finally, the economic issues of bilateral
trade and the growing deficit. Much has been
made of the $22 billion in memoranda of
understanding (MoU) signed during Mr. Modis visit. To begin with, such big figures can
be misleading as only a fraction comes to
fruition. Much like the figures of $46 billion
announced by Mr. Xi for the CPEC in April,
or the $50 billion announced by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for Brazil in May 2015, this
will have to be confirmed when the money
actually comes in.
Of the 26 MoUs signed in Mr. Modis presence, a chunk is between private entities,
which includes the Adani group and Bharti
Airtel, and for financing and credit facilities
from the Chinese development banks, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Development Bank. The Indian Embassy
has refused to respond to a request for a
break-up of all the MoUs, but an official conceded that at least half were straight loans.
While the loans are an important precedent
for Chinese banks, in terms of expressing
confidence in Indian companies, these along
with a few other MoUs signed on renewable
energy are unlikely to have any impact on the
massive $48-billion trade deficit between the
two countries. According to a parliamentary
written reply by Union Commerce Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman, in 2014-15, Indias exports to China stood at $11.95 billion while
imports were $60.39 billion. It remains to be
seen how the newly set up joint working
group on trade deficit will address the issue,
even as the deficit has ballooned by another
34 per cent during a difficult year in bilateral
ties. A more significant development that
should have been highlighted is this: the
State-to-State economic partnerships, with
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in particular, and which Chinese
companies are eyeing as manufacturing
bases.
Restart in ties
As a consequence, Mr. Modis visit may not
have been a gamechanger on the substantive
issues outlined by Ms. Swaraj, but should be
seen as a restart point for those ties, with
fresh commitments from the leadership on
both sides to address issues whose resolution
has evaded them for decades. It has also put
Mr. Modi centre-stage in China, where he is
seen as a man who means business with the
mandate to get that business done. Most significantly, it has brought Mr. Modi and the
NDAs foreign policy full circle in a year when
he has engaged China early and often. Completing that circle of initial engagement is an
important first step as they follow through on
Deng Xiaopings idea, often repeated by Mr.
Modi, of an Asian century, possible once
the two countries resolve their differences.
suhasini.h@thehindu.co.in

Manipur ambush
The Centre and the States of
Northeast India have to share the
blame for not being able to bring
insurgency under control despite
decades of sapping violence (20
soldiers killed in Manipur
ambush, June 5). A lack of
political will and an unwillingness
to engage with insurgents,
ineffective monitoring of porous
international borders, a lack of
control over drug smuggling and
arms trafficking, the stifling of civil
society,
and
also
general
underdevelopment
are
all
contributing factors to the
situation prevalent in Northeast
India.
There must be engagement with
neighbouring countries to tackle
insurgent camps and enable joint
intelligence cooperation to control
the menace of insurgency. Finally,
the people should realise the cost
of hardship and violence in terms
of its impact on freedom, the
economy and politics.
Th Luwang,
New Delhi
The series of ceasefire agreements
signed between the Centre and
several insurgent outfits appear to
be unravelling. The Prime Minster
may have tweeted, Todays
mindless attack in Manipur is very
distressing, but this is expression
without a solution. It is strange
that the militants appear to be

outmanoeuvring our defence
forces. There needs to be a
complete probe into the financial
backing of the terror elements.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad
manufacturing is a complex
process and usually takes decades
to fine-tune, from R&D to
production, it still is not such an
insurmountable time frame for a
country like India. What the DRDO
needs is encouragement from endusers like the Indian Air Force and
the Indian Navy, which will aid
The DRDO may be doing great evolution and improvement.
Jacob E.,
work in defence technology, but
Coimbatore
the fact is that the pace at which it
works is really slow (Underarmed and underprepared, June
4). India is situated in a hostile Be it our busy lifestyles or sheer
neighbourhood and we need to be laziness, we seem to be resorting to
ever ready as far as arms and radars the easy way out by consuming
are concerned. While FDI in ready-to-eat products despite
aware
of
hazardous
defence is a great initiative, we being
need to have dynamic focus as far preservatives used to store them
as the whole defence production for months together (T.N.,
Gujarat also join Maggi ban wagon
process is concerned.
Dhiraj Giri, and Editorial, both June 5). Our
New Delhi obsession with instant foods has
provided an opportunity for food
Successful defence production manufacturers to cash in on our
needs a quality industrial base and weakness. Ironically, some of these
wider R&D penetration, which advertisements promoting these
India lacks traditionally. This is the products claim to have been filmed
prime reason why defence in research labs where celebrities
production has failed to meet its go out of their way to certify the
indigenisation target. The import- purity of the ingredients. The least
loving mentality of the three food regulatory authorities can do
services along with the use of now is to enforce strict guidelines
second-grade
technology
is as far as all food products and their
another reason for surging consumption are concerned.
Ippili Santhosh Kumar,
purchases of foreign equipment
Hyderabad
and a development which seldom
finds discussion in Parliament and
the media. While fighter aircraft It is a mystery how many more
Defence preparedness
Furore over MSG
unsafe food products continue to

be marketed across the country.
Though it may be next to
impossible for the enforcement
machinery to monitor all food
products, the question still
remains
why
periodical
inspections and tests of food
products were never undertaken in
the first place, even by drawing
random samples from the market.
Also, if celebrities can be
proceeded against for endorsing
such unsafe products, will not the
same yardstick apply to the media
for featuring dubious claims?
K. Muthiah,
Madurai
The domino-like ban effect on the
food product in question only
highlights the lacunae in our food
safety
regulations
and
enforcement.
It
is
the
responsibility of the Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) to investigate not only the
other brands of the food
manufacturer in question but also
other instant foods such as soups,
schezuan sauce mixes, vegetable/
chicken cubes, masala oats,
cornflakes, macaroni and pasta. It
is also important that the food
safety regulators and local
governments know that various
Chinese food hawkers and
restaurants use MSG in generous
amounts. MSG, also known as
Ajinomoto, is freely available in
the market. An unbiased list of safe

ingredients is the need of the hour.
B. Venkatram,
Hyderabad
Politics and hope

Prof. Akeel Bilgrami calls the last
year as the dark night of the soul
(Dare we begin to hope? June 2).
I am surprised. Does he mean that
the UPAs tenure, replete with
scams and crony capitalism, was a
brighter era? In the past year, there
has been no ministerial corruption,
prices have stabilised and the
economy is growing, among other
things. AAPs electoral success was
at the cost of the Congress which
could not gain a single seat. On the
other hand, the BJPs 33 per cent
vote share has remained intact.
The AAP phenomenon was a
reaction to the scams of the UPA.
The writer hopes for Opposition
unity, which is a non-starter. The
JD(U) has split. The RJD-JD(U)SP merger has stalled before it can
begin and the Congress is trying to
effect a split to its advantage. The
Left is willing to join hands with
anybody. The BJD, the TMC, the
TRS, the TDP and the AIADMK
have all stayed away. This motley
crowd is hoping to unite on the
Land Bill. But is there any morality
or ideology that binds them? The
writers personal prejudices are
stronger than his political analysis.
Nanditha Krishna,
Chennai
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
What does it mean to belong?

Sanjay Joshi
Modis day
in Dhaka
he Peoples Republic of Bangladesh represents
one Muslim-majority society where the majority is against it being an Islamic state. Yet,
its largest and strongest neighbour had refused
to understand and process for nearly half a century the
fact that the country to the east of West Bengal, fraught
with religious and political polarisation, was expecting
India to play a momentous but friendly role for it, sans
its big-brother identity. Finally, a head of state, who had
shown deep commitment in the past to a particular
religion in his own country, realised that an overwhelming majority in Bangladesh greatly admires Indias political stability and zeal for progress, refuting challenges
handed down by its one-time colonial masters. Bangladesh at large detests militant fanaticism though it has
seen severe undercurrents of it over time. Narendra
Modi has quickly assimilated the sense of what the
iconic Bengali poet Sudhindranath Dutta wrote, that
hell does not fail to let loose if one remains blind. The
Prime Minister realised that if South Block did not
move, the reasonably friendly neighbour may quickly
turn into another distraught regional detractor. Mr.
Modi stepped up his pace, and the primary task for him
was to get Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on board.
Mr. Modis team made Ms. Banerjee understand the
geostrategic significance of Bangladesh and how she
may indeed expedite her own fall by working against its
interest. Thereafter Ms. Banerjee made two quick visits
to Dhaka, after having refused to accompany the then
Prime Minister on his visit in 2011. Secondly, Mr. Modi
ensured the safe passage of the land boundary settlement bill and managed to assemble a clear consensus
across party lines a rarer than rare commodity in
India on Bangladesh. That unanimity helped Mr.
Modi put in place a road map to reduce the trade gap,
facilitate transit and trans-shipment, and finally to
promise a solution on river-water sharing. The consensus-building across India did not go unnoticed in Bangladesh, where Mr. Modi is now being referred to as a
genuine friend. Thus, it is not coincidental that most of
the mainstream media have had only favourable reportage and comments on the deals. The two key opponents
of the Awami League the Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh
and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have also welcomed the visit and the deals respectively. To an extent,
at least a certain part of the credit for the impressive set
of deals struck, goes to the previous UPA government
and to at least one decisive action it took. The UPA
managers convinced the international community that
rattling India over Bangladesh is not a wise thing to do.
Now, in the next phase, India needs to implement the
agreements, before another season of election sets in.
n a speech last year, the Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief, Mohan Bhagwat, sought to justify the
Ghar Vapsi programme of a reconversion to Hinduism of people who had
converted to other religions and defended
it the following way: Mera maal chor ke
paas hai. mein apnaa maal waapas loongaa,
yeh kaunsi badi baat hai (my possessions
were stolen by a thief. if I now take them
back, whats the big deal?). Understandably,
his choice of words shocked some liberal
sentiments.
That his statement was unbelievably crass
is beyond doubt. But, it also raises a couple of
interesting questions. Was Mr. Bhagwat
completely wrong in his assumptions that
the people he represented as original Hindus were possessions or belongings, to be
stolen from and be retrieved by the community he claims to represent? And, how does
that representation of Hindus as belongings square with other ideas about Hindutva that emphasise the oneness and
togetherness of the Hindu community? I
would like to suggest that neither was Mr.
Bhagwat entirely wrong, nor does his statement contradict other ideas about Hinduness. Rather, what his speech calls for is to
explore the idea of belonging.
The social and cultural practices of belonging

almost always bring two senses of the word into
play. The carrot of an emotional bond is always
accompanied by the stick of possessive authority
that demands compliance with the rules and
hierarchies of the community
enough, but, do we really know what it is to
belong?
In the English language, the word belonging has two meanings: one, to indicate an
affective sense of identification with a place
or people, and the other, to suggest possession. In one sense then, a person belongs to,
as in has a great deal of affection for and
identity with, a place or people (or an institution). In the other sense, a person who
belongs, is deemed to be the possession of
a place, people, or institutions. This is not
simply an idiosyncrasy of the English language. In Hindi/Urdu too (the only other
languages with which I am familiar), the
words apnaa/hamaaraa and/or apnaapan
ideas of belonging come together, at least in

his imagination. In both senses, he is saying,
the converts actually belong to the Hindu
community as he defines it.
But, its not just one outspoken RSS leaders statements that are at issue. Anthems,
flags, patriotic songs and national celebrations reinforce for us our feelings of belonging to an entity larger than ourselves. Yet, we
also belong to the nation-state in other
ways. In a legal sense, the state sets the
parameters for acceptable behaviour, and
has the power to punish us. The nation-state
also asserts, not always successfully, a
unique primacy on our sense of belonging. If
our actions demonstrate that we value be-
Anthems, patriotic songs and national celebrations reinforce

our feelings of belonging to an entity larger than ourselves.
Yet, we also belong to the nation-state in other ways.
function in very similar ways. I am sure read- longing to another community over the naers with a larger linguistic repertoire will be tion for example, another nation, or a
The notion of belonging lies at the heart able to add other examples.
State (think of Jammu and Kashmir or Nagaof all communities, real and imagined
land or Punjab as extreme examples), or
whether they be those of birth, blood, prox- More than linguistic
even if we value our sense of belonging to a
My point is not a linguistic one though, but community shaped by our friends or family,
imity, or of choice. Everyone belongs, and
a sense of belonging is often crucial to a rather is to draw attention to a social and over that of the nation-state, the latter punipersons well-being. At the same time, we cultural phenomenon. I would like to sug- shes us for usurping its putative primacy in
dispute belonging, vociferously. Such dis- gest that the same word, apparently indicat- our sense of belonging. We belong to the
putes can be competitive, in the sense of my ing two different meanings, is much more nation, in both senses of the word.
community is better than yours, or they can than a linguistic coincidence. In fact, I would
Or, we can think of even smaller commuoccur when different ideas of belonging in- go further and argue that social and cultural nities. Jati and gotra survived over centuries
tersect and overlap, with different ideas of practices of belonging, necessarily, and al- because institutions such as proximity, marbelonging competing for primacy. Wars, most always, bring both senses of the word riage, occupations, landholding or commenriots, sports rivalries, some forms of electo- into play. The carrot of an affective, emo- sality, promoted an affective sense of
ral politics, and certainly many family dis- tional bond with something larger than one- belonging, of identity, that was important to
putes, are ultimately about competing self is always accompanied by the stick of the members of the communities. Yet, as the
visions of belonging. Given its overwhelming possessive authority that demands that one actions of the leaders of the khap panchayats
centrality to human life, it is somewhat sur- comply with the rules and hierarchies of the in Haryana demonstrated a few years ago,
prising how little attention is paid to un- community. Mr. Bhagwat revealed, albeit in the two senses of belonging clearly overpacking this idea. We use the word often an extremely gross fashion, how the two lapped. While the diktats of the khap elders
Unpacking the idea
CARTOONSCAPE
CM
YK
And, perhaps where this dual idea belonging is most apparent, and least recognised, is
the community closest home literally.
Families, we are often led to believe, are a
site of affective and unconditional love. Despite so much everyday evidence to the contrary, this notion persists. Whether it is in
the realm of politics, of business, the identification of the idea of the family (the parivaar in Hindi) is brought to the fore to
suggest a sense of affective bonds that hold
people in the institutions together. But, as
cinematic or televised melodramas repeatedly tell us, families are hardly the sites of
only affective love and togetherness. Indeed,
melodramas would not be possible if love,
togetherness, and harmony were the only
characteristics of families. There are sons
who dont follow their fathers wishes.
Daughters refuse to follow the conventions
of the familys womenfolk. Daughters-in-law
dont obey their mothers-in-law. Such are
the stuff of these melodramas. And, what are
they if not differing ideas about belonging?
What are they but situations that occur
when established ideas about belonging
clash with the changing social realities that
produce new forms of affection and
belonging?
It is in the microcosm of families that we
can also, most clearly, see the extent to
which ideas of belonging are connected both
to affection and to power. The modern family, at least, is believed to be rooted in ideas of
affectivity. Carrots of affection are what
keep families together. Yet, whether generational or gendered, the stick of power is
never far from the surface. Through gifting
the bride, or the change of her surname,
rituals indicate that the woman now belongs to a new set of owners. And, it is in
the way we think about and act towards our
own children perhaps, that we most clearly
reveal the duality inherent in the notion of
belonging. That we love and cherish our children is, for most part, beyond doubt. But,
until they are able to act independently, we
do seek to control them as if they were our
possessions. Choice of words aside, how different is that from what Mr. Bhagwat said
about the possessions he believed had
been stolen from him?
The two meanings of belonging do matter,
because while we tend to celebrate the first
sense of belonging, a feeling of togetherness,
we often ignore the other. From the nationstate, through religious communities, down
to the family, the power to define belonging
is confined to the few. That power allows the
government, the sarsanghchaalak, or the elders to exercise the stick of authority and
treat members of the community as belongings. My purpose with this article is not only
to point to the two inextricably-linked aspects of belonging, but also to suggest that it
is only from this recognition that we can
either hope to contest the power exercised
through the politics of belonging, or find
other and more creative and less oppressive
ways of belonging. Alternatively perhaps, we
could change how we think of people with
whom we share so much; and start at the
most fundamental level of belonging, as
Khalil Gibran did, when he wrote: Your
children are not your children./They are the
sons and daughters of Lifes longing for itself./They come through you but not from
you, And though they are with you, yet they
belong not to you.
(Sanjay Joshi is a Professor of History at
Northern Arizona University, U.S.)

Boundary pact
Idea of family
For introspection
Two States,
one challenge
year after their formation, the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh continue to grapple with resource-sharing issues with respect
to power, water and other assets. Andhra Pradesh without the revenue flow from Hyderabad (which
accounted for 22 per cent of the total revenue of the
undivided State) is in dire financial straits as the special
status promised by the previous UPA government has
proved to be elusive. As an ally of the BJP at the Centre,
the Telugu Desam Party that rules Andhra Pradesh is
hoping for a special financial grant. But that too appears
to be a distant dream today as too many States are in the
queue seeking such packages. As in the case of similar
disputes among other States, water-sharing remains a
contentious issue. While the people at large are reconciled to the post-bifurcation reality, it is the political
grandstanding of the two governments that is really
coming in the way of a harmonious coexistence between
the two. For instance, the Telangana government in
April went ahead and imposed its own motor vehicle tax,
unmindful of concerns on the other side. Every single
issue be it the division of the secretariat premises,
public sector institutions, State cadre officers or the
High Court has become a bone of contention.
Each time there has been a dispute, the two States
have knocked on the doors of the Centre seeking mediation. But the truth is that beyond trying the persuasion
route, New Delhi can do precious little on any of it.
Andhra Pradesh has to find ways to mobilise resources
to fund its ambitious infrastructure projects. Besides
securing the promised quantum of funds from the Centre, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has to explore
the possibility of accessing funds from private and external sources to realise plans for the development of a
capital region, and to build airports, seaports and smart
cities. Hyderabad being retained as an integral part of
Telangana has made all the difference for both States in
terms of revenues, as it accounts for 99 per cent of the
total IT and ITeS exports from the two States. The stark
reality is reflected in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 budgets of
the two governments. Telangana registered a revenue
surplus of Rs.301 crore and Rs.531 crore, while Andhra
Pradesh ended up with a deficit of Rs.6,064 crore and
Rs.7,300 crore respectively. However, the challenge for
the Telangana Rashtra Samiti government led by K.
Chandrasekhar Rao is to ensure progress all across the
State, particularly in the districts of Warangal, Adilabad,
Karimnagar and Nizamabad, which have historically
seen hardly any progress on the manufacturing front.
The hinterlands mainstay is in mining, poultry, food
processing, dairy and farming. The way forward is to put
behind the distrust and bitterness that preceded the
bifurcation process, and get down to the real issues.
have made news in the last few years, there is

little doubt that the sense of belonging to
caste, gotra, and community in general
meant belonging in both senses of the word.
awarded to three of the accused in

the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
It is only his enduring, humane
qualities that made him modify the
charge against and the punishment
imposed on Pakistani national
Khalil Chishty who had been
languishing in an Indian jail for
years, and which eventually allowed
him to go back and spend the
evening of his life with his kith and
kin in Pakistan. As a judge, many
can vouch for the way he has
extended a helping hand to the poor
and the oppressed. His being in the
running for the post is with good
reason to bring constitutional
value to this high office which was
hitherto being given to persons with
a political background.
N.G.R. Prasad,
Chennai
This is the victory for a traumatised

people and democracy (Delhi,
Dhaka set boundary pact in
motion, June 7). Lets hope the
process of implementation starts
soon and does not face obstacles.
The move to connect the two lands
and bind hearts should now look at
another contentious issue, one of
water sharing, and where both sides
will have to make sacrifices without
being domineering. There has to be
a show of statesmanship that takes
precedence over petty politicking as
a
strong
India-Bangladesh
relationship has to be cemented
soon
based
on
strategic
considerations. If Bangladesh rises,
much of the migration to India will
stop.
Parthasarathy Sen,
New Delhi The article once again reopens the
debate on whether a cooling-off
Despite the criticism that the Prime period is applicable to judges to
Minister spends more time abroad take up positions in government
than at home, it is being gradually after retirement. If chosen, Justice
proved that Mr. Modi is keen about Sathasivam would surely have to be
progress and development. The obliged to the government, first for
fruitful visit to Bangladesh is a appointing him as a governor and
milestone in his political journey.
then as the NHRC head, in turn
Meenakshi Pattabiraman, giving rise to the issue of credibility
Madurai in his decisions that might be in
favour of the government in cases of
human rights violations. It is time
I do not think that it will be fair to that certain concrete rules are laid
say that Justice P. Sathasivam, a down to instill a degree of
former Chief Justice of India, has confidence in the credentials of
disqualified himself for being such institutions like the NHRC.
Agam Singh Bedi,
considered for the high office of
Mohali, Punjab
Chairman, National Human Rights
Commission, merely because he has
accepted the office of Governor
(An inappropriate appointment, Pakistan, China and India are very
much a part of a nuclear zone. China
June 5).
The assessment has been made has an eye on the South China Sea
without impartially evaluating his and appears to be moving too close
contributions as the Chief Justice. for comfort in the Indian Ocean
If he had the office of Governor in region. It is against such a
mind, he would not have commuted background that our coastal forces
the death sentence that was need to be well-equipped and
Heading the NHRC
Defence bottom line
modernised. Modernisation of the

Indian Army and the Indian Air
Force, first to counteract China and
then Pakistan, is inescapable. The
morale of our soldiers must be high.
Field Marshal, then General,
Cariappa said in 1954 while
addressing a Rotary meeting in
Madras and I quote: [The] Morale
of our forces is built in
permanently. It is directly linked
with our industries, economic
power and good governance. Our
future citizens can be groomed well
only by two people Mother and a
Teacher. The need of the hour is to
arrive at bold decisions, not
withstanding the fact that India is a
peaceful country and which is also
against the use of military means to
solve problems. We should
remember that in international
relationships, there are no
permanent friends or permanent
enemies; only permanent interests.
Our ignoble defeat in the 1962 war is
still fresh in our minds.
K.R. Dwarakanath,
Bengaluru
June 6). For example, Court orders

stipulate that only CNG-run cabs
can ply in Delhi, but most app-based
taxi services are registered under
the All India Tourist Permit and
bear the registration numbers of
neighbouring States.
Arpit Mittal,
New Delhi
Net hegemony
Parminder Jeet Singhs stand that it

is for BRICS to mobilise itself and
have a strong counter to the overdomineering American influence
on cyberspace is a strategy that
requires intelligent manoeuvring
(Who rules cyberspace, June 6).
Data and its employment for the
overall good of mankind may be an
issue, but the same data involving
sociopolitical information in the
wrong hands can spell grave danger.
To a lay observer it looks as though
the matter needs to be handled by
UN. If India can bring yoga to UN
focus, I am sure that it can replicate
the same move on the subject of
Internet regulation.
P.R. Iyer,
The government should expedite
Chennai
defence purchases, retrofit its
defence procurement policy and The fact that the Internet and social
revise the offset clause. Small media can disrupt daily life and
initiatives under the Defence create chaos something which
Technology and Trade Initiative does not need elaboration points
should be utilised to develop faith in to the need for an alternative.
investing American companies to Instead of using the BRICS route,
India should focus on developing its
reap the most benefits.
Jubak Saxena, own Internet base, or at least social
Agra media platforms like China has
done, with Sina and Weibo. Of
course there will be problems but
While it is right to say that the old this will reduce the fear of threats
order must change itself according posed to us from foreign soil. For
to emerging technologies, the fact is example, IRNSS is an independent
that new technology must also regional navigation satellite system
comply with basic rules and which is Indias answer to GPS. If
regulations. Unfortunately, despite this could be done, why not develop
being a convenient option, app- an Indian Internet platform? A
based taxi services are often on the PPP-model with a technology giant
wrong side of the law (Editorial, like Infosys or TCS to build an
App-based taxi firms
indigenous social media platform

would be a good start.
Shiva Prudhvi Ravula,
Warangal, Telangana
Then and now

The snippet, More U.S. rice for
India under PL480 (From the
Archives dated May 25, 1965; May
25), brought back harsh memories
of hardships we had to face in a
fledgling democracy. Food scarcity
was so severe that Shastri, the then
Premier, pleaded that hotels shut
shop one day every week in order to
minimise rice consumption! Five
decades ago we did not have
sufficient food grain to feed a
population of 40 crore people. The
nation had fought two expensive
wars, with China and Pakistan, and,
starved of foreign exchange
reserves, we could not equip our
soldiers
with
sophisticated
weapons. There was also the one
question, Who after Nehru? The
lurking fear of India becoming
another totalitarian state was
averted, thanks to the sagacity of
tall leaders like K. Kamaraj who
engineered a smooth transition of
power to Shastri.
Fifty years on we have enough
and more food grain to feed a
massive population of 120 crore
people and also enough to export.
Agriculture is now centre-stage.
Large sections of todays young
population are unaware of these
hardships and the rough road we
have travelled to be where we are
today. Without this historical
perspective, it is sad that the ruling
dispensation of the day is hell-bent
on marginalising agricultural
activity. One only hopes that with
the modified Land Bill we do not go
back to a position like in 1965 when
we may have to import food grain to
feed our ever growing population!
P.S. Lourdenadhan,
Bengaluru
BG-MY
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Will the veena gently weep?

Prabha Sridevan
High stakes
in Bihar
n the months that followed the BJPs spectacular
victory in last years general election, it rapidly
won Haryana, Maharashtra (with some post-poll
help from the Shiv Sena) and Jharkhand, while
making political history when it became part of the
ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir. And then early
this year, the BJP crashed out of the Delhi Assembly
polls, routed 3-67 by the Aam Aadmi Party. Suddenly,
the BJP no longer looked invincible. An emboldened
Opposition confronted the BJP with renewed vigour.
The Congress-led campaign against the Modi governments Land Bill began to gain traction in a rural India
already in the grip of an agricultural crisis. And though
inflation was down, prices of essential food items continued to climb. It is against this backdrop that the Bihar
Assembly elections later this year need to be viewed. For
the BJP, bruised by the results of the Delhi poll, it is an
opportunity to reaffirm its political dominance; for the
Opposition, it is the moment to develop the Delhi story
into a possible comeback narrative. If the 2014 Lok
Sabha poll saw the Congress being decimated nationally,
it also resulted in both the ruling Janata Dal (United)
and the Rashtriya Janata Dal being cast aside to the
margins of politics in Bihar. For the two Janata Parivar
parties, it seemed the end of the road.
In the years since they had broken off from the parent
Janata Dal and gone their separate ways, their fortunes
had see-sawed in successive general elections. Of undivided Bihars 54 Lok Sabha seats, the two together won
27 and 25 seats in 1998 and 1999 respectively. After
Jharkhand was carved out in 2000, in a shrunken Bihar
they managed 28 (in 2004) and 24 (in 2009). In all four
elections the RJD and the Samata Party/JD(U) fought
each other their fortunes alternated, one always getting
substantially more than the other. But in 2014 the two
found themselves staring at a total of six seats, the
BJP-led alliance scooping up 31. Today, despite their
differences the fear of extinction has brought the two
parties on to one platform, with RJD supremo Lalu
Prasad Yadav even accepting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the alliances next chief ministerial candidate. They have realised that to remain politically
relevant they must pool their resources, even urging the
other anti-BJP outfits, the Congress and the Left, to join
a grand alliance. For the Congress the stakes in Bihar
may not be high, but the fact that a BJP defeat here
would make it a gainer nationally saw it even playing a
role in bringing the two Bihar leaders together. For if the
Congress is seen to be part of a winning team again, the
alliance forged in Bihar could become the core of an
anti-BJP front. For the BJP, a defeat in Bihar would send
out the message that it peaked last year with the J&K
polls and that it could well be downhill from now on.
hen the government announced last year that it intended

to
frame
an
Intellectual Property (IP) policy, it evoked responses which were polar
opposites.
One heard the questions why now? and
why not now? which were almost like an
exchange between Alice and the March
Hare, Why with an M, why not with an M.
Then, there was the threnody in parallel:
S.3(d) must stay and S.3(d) must go.
It is not worth examining headlines such
as IP is not patents alone and patents are
not about medicines alone, for the noise is
too overpowering. But it must be understood
that IP is also located in unforgettable trademarks in the creativity of writers, singers
and others, in Geographical Indications (GI),
and in traditional knowledge.
Amid all this noise, there was a moment of
calm, in the form of a pentatonic tune that
was played out in Northeast India, and as a
workshop organised by the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, in collaboration
with the Tezpur University Intellectual
Property Rights Cell (TUIPR) Cell, Tezpur
University, Tezpur, and the North Eastern
Development Finance Corporation Ltd
(NEDFi), Guwahati. Its focus was to enhance
business and to protect the regions arts and
crafts. This was followed by a Geographical
Indication camp, a grass-root level initiative
for the benefit of the famed Muga silk makers of Assam.
The benefits of GI
Muga Silk is a GI. GI is a genre of IP that is
Indias strength. Practically everything that
we grow, make or produce is linked to a
particular region. For example, we often
hear these examples in every day conversation: Leave your Kolhapuri chappals over
there. Come in and wash your hands with
Mysore Sandal soap. Have those idlis made
with the Coimbatore wet grinder. The Darjeeling tea in the Jaipur pottery cup. Where
did you buy that Sanganeri print? All of
them are GIs.
The Geographical Indications of Goods
(Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 provides for the registration, the protection
against infringement, and also protection for
authorised users. Our people have always
been closely linked with the soil, the vegetation, in short the local environment to make
or grow our products. So, the promotion of
GI has other socio-economic and environ-
A Geographical Indication or GI is Indias

strength. Practically everything we grow or make
is linked to a region. This right has to be
strengthened and protected
mental benefits besides just the protection
of IP. The Northeast region has a rich and
ancient tradition and culture. It is also rich
in bio-diversity. A stunning variety of forms
of art and craft continues to be preserved by
ethno-cultural groups who belong there.
Like in the rest of India, the people there
have fully and creatively used what they have
found around them and have made it typically theirs and of their region. It is this that
forms the basis for the generation of many
GIs. Besides empowering them, the workshop was aimed at creating an awareness of
their rights and teaching them how to make
use of the law.
Low awareness
The golden yellow Muga Silk was registered as a GI in 2007. But only two persons
applied to be its authorised users till 2014. So
the focus of the GI camp at Lakhimpur was
to examine this single GI and the reason
behind such low awareness. It was found
people applying to be registered as authorised users. So, even small steps bear results,
which is a very valuable lesson to all State
governments. With some imagination and
effort, they can make the legislation work so
that quality is maintained and GI products
do not face extinction.
The veena is made from the wood of the
jackfruit tree; the Thanjavur Veena is a GI.
But it may soon become a distant memory
because the raw material is becoming scarce
and expensive and craftpersons are turning
to other sources of income. It is not enough
granting a product a GI; the State should
nourish the craft. The Thanjavur Veena
probably has a more hoary history than the
Stradivarius violin. But it does not inspire
the national passion that the violin has. In
2013, cyclone Thane which crossed the Tamil Nadu coast caused severe damage to
crops and trees, which included jackfruit
trees, in Cuddalore district. The State could
have ensured that some of that was supplied
The GI status of a product is not utilised to its potential, the

stakeholders are unaware of the value of their GI and its
benefits, and the quality of these products is not standardised.
Even when made by genuine persons, the quality varies.
that the GI status of the product is not utilised to its potential, the stakeholders are
unaware of the value of their GI and its
benefits, the quality of these products is not
standardised, and even when made by
genuine persons, the quality varies. Also, the
market for the products and the pricing are
fragmented, and there are piggyback riders
who pass off products as GI which naturally
devalues the original product. This would
apply to other GIs across the country. The
camps report noted that there is a steady
stream of products that are not pure Muga but mixed with other yarns and being
passed off as Muga which is detrimental to
the Muga producers.
Dr. Prabuddha Ganguli, the Ministry of
Human Resource Development Intellectual
Property Rights Chair of Tezpur University,
who was associated with the workshop and
the GI camp, said that the response from
Muga makers was overwhelming, and that by
the end of the day there were more than 90
to the veenai makers of Thanjavur. But the

fallen trees were sold as timber! The nadhaswaram makers of Narsingampettai, Tamil Nadu, too are looking for the aacha tree
to make their products; they want a GI for
their nadhaswarams. But will registration
alone be a panacea for their problems and
ensure the continuity and nurturing of their
crafts? One day when there is no jackfruit
tree to make the veenai, or an aacha maram
to make the nadhaswaram, will the Thodi
and Kalyani gently weep?
For state, private initiatives

Although the Act gives the creators/producers statutory and proprietary rights, it is
insufficient. The Act must be translated into
reality by state and private initiatives. GI
owners also have a role to play in promoting
their GI, but the undeniable reality is that
many of them come from groups that are less
vocal and less powerful than say trademark
or patent owners. The weavers of Kancheep-
CARTOONSCAPE
A mistake
is rectified
he decision of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, to restore recognition for the
Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) organised by a group of students, brings to an end
an unseemly episode that was threatening to politicise
the campus and distract from its academic focus. The
restoration was on a technicality the meeting of the
study circle that supposedly violated the guidelines for
student groups was held on April 14, four days before
the institute publicised the guidelines on its website.
But after hours of discussion with representatives of the
study circle, the IIT-M management also agreed to look
into issues raised by the APSC with regard to uniform
application of the guidelines for independent student
bodies. While some of the requests for modification of
the guidelines would be implemented by the Office of
the Dean (Students), the others would be taken up for
consideration by the Student Affairs Council, the Board
of Students and the Senate in due course as per established procedure. That the management did not stand
on prestige after members of the APSC campaigned
against the withdrawal of recognition as an issue of
freedom of expression is a good sign, and the student
representatives would do well to drop their demand for
an unconditional apology. The withdrawal of recognition was a mistake. With that mistake corrected, matters must now be allowed to rest.
The episode, beginning with the hasty withdrawal of
recognition based on an anonymous complaint to the
Ministry of Human Resource Development, is a reminder of the vulnerability of freedom of expression in
the face of institutional authority. Quite unmistakably,
the controversy is closely related to recent attempts of
the Sangh Parivar and Hindutva elements to appropriate the name of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. A study circle that
sought to bring his legacy in line with that of the iconoclast Periyar (notwithstanding some irreconcilable ideological differences between the two) must have upset
many in the ruling establishment. Indeed, the RSS supported the withdrawal of recognition on the ground that
the study circle was indicative of the pervasiveness of
the red ideology of the communists on campuses, and
that while Ambedkar might not have adhered to all the
tenets of Hindutva, he was certainly anti-communist.
As one of the charges against the study circle was that it
was extremely critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the inescapable conclusion is that the withdrawal of
recognition came at the prompting of the powers-thatbe in New Delhi. In such a context, the study circles
success in its battle for recognition is surely a victory for
liberal forces, and a blow for freedom of expression.
CM
YK

IIT-M and ban
It is welcome that the ban on the
student body at IIT-Madras has
been lifted and the controversy
sorted out to the satisfaction of all
concerned (Following protests,
IIT-M lifts ban on study circle,
June 8). While the management has
now learnt a lesson on how to
handle such sensitive issues in
future, it is also time for the
students to confine themselves to a
serious pursuit of studies instead of
wasting their precious time on
unwarranted issues.
Yvonne Fernando,
Chennai
The fact that the issue took on
political dimensions is a matter for
serious concern. Today it involved
the IIT, tomorrow it might be
another
prestigious
institute.
Academic institutions must always
be free from political interference.
S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
uram Silk (a GI) are abandoning their craft to

earn their livelihood elsewhere, perhaps in
one of the global corporations nearby. They
know that the dignity and respect that they
once commanded as master weavers cannot
be earned in these occupations, but when
hunger gnaws, one makes compromises.
There was a master weaver and designer,
Muthu Chettiar in Kanchipuram, who came
to Madras in the early 20th century with just
13 annas in his pocket. His craft was so exquisite that the elite of Madras soon vied
with each other to possess his saris. The
colour M.S. Blue was his creation, and the
lady nonpareil who gave her name to that
hue (M.S. Subbulakshmi) wore only his saris.
Today, the looms in Kanchipuram are growing quieter by the day.
Reviving GIs
The government has also announced the
USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training
in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development)
scheme in Varanasi, which is expected to
enhance the traditional skills of craftsmen
and artisans there. Banarasi Silk is a GI too.
If the scheme is worked as conceived, it will
benefit the silk-weaving families and their
40,000 looms, and ensure that the exquisite
art lives on. Let me cite another example.
Ikat (a GI) weaving may not last this decade.
Chennais Kalakshetra has taken up the revival of the ancient Kodalikaruppur weaving
tradition. During the 19th century, these traditional saris were produced at Kodali Karuppur village, about 30 km from
Kumbakonam, for the royal family of Thanjavur, using natural vegetable dyes. They
went out of fashion due to a variety of reasons. Though Kodalikaruppur is not a GI,
this case must be used as an example to
revive fading GIs. However, there is another
issue. When the GI is made in another area
by the original craftsmen, will they be entitled to retain the indication? This is a question that evolving jurisprudence will
address.
A scheme called the Kanchi Mahaswami
Kalvi Kalachara Kaitozhil Maiyam has been
framed by private initiative in Kalavai to
nurture the skills of the five groups of Vishwakarmas, who are creators who work with
wood, iron, panchaloha, gold and black
stone. The students will be taught the creative skills and, alongside, will also learn
mainstream subjects. The Swamimalai
bronze and the Nachiarkoil kuthuvilakku are
GIs too. Unless this generation transmits the
skill, and unless the continued existence of
all the GIs is ensured, there will be no riders
of these lost arts.
In the Payyanur Pavithra Mothiram case,
the Intellectual Property Appellate Board
directed that the notice to the public must be
issued in Malayalam, the regional language.
The board also set aside the grant of GI
registration to the Payyanur Pavithra ring
in the name of a society. It said: The main
object of the Geographical Indications of
Goods (Registration & Protection) Act is to
protect those persons who are directly engaged in creating or making or manufacturing the goods. When these creators or
makers complain that the application has
been made behind their back, we cannot
allow the registration to remain. The Mothiram, a uniquely crafted ring, is made of gold
and silver by the artisans at Payyanur in
Kannur district of Kerala, and it is believed
to bring luck and grace to anyone who wears
it with deep devotion. In the making of the
ring, one requires great expertise and dedication and the artisan is isolated for at least
three days to make it. The point is that language should not be a barrier.
The craftspeople who come from the east,
the northeast or the south may not know
either Hindi or English, but that cannot
make their rights less valuable. In fact, the
GI camp in Lakhimpur was conducted in
Assamese, as it is the language of the Muga
silk weavers.
In short, we must take the cue from the
Northeast initiative which is a very important one and must be replicated across the
country.
(Prabha Sridevan is a former judge of the
Madras High Court.)
The IITs and similar institutes of

repute must now have a legal wing to
handle all non-academic issues
challenging the administration so
that the deans time and energy can
be better utilised for institutional,
academic
and
professional
functions. For all non-academic
grievances, students can express
their opinions and submit them to
the legal wing which can then be
forwarded to the Government of
India for comment and response.
There are also constitutional
forums which the students can
approach to seek redress of their
so-called sociopolitical and religious
grievances.
B. Sankaran,
Chennai
Views and counterviews must be

welcomed and rationally debated by
young minds. This is essential for
democracy, the freedom of
expression, intellectual discourse
and to the higher learning these
students seek. It is out-of-the-box
thinking that always leads to
The decision is a blow for the intellectual advancement. The HRD
freedom of speech and expression. Ministry must also introspect over
The students belonging to the body whether its overzealous response to
deserve appreciation for standing an anonymous letter was meritup to the pressure tactics adopted by based or agenda-driven.
Vinod Kumar B.,
the IIT management under pressure
Bengaluru
from various bodies including the
HRD Ministry. Hopefully, this
incident should serve as a lesson to The entire, sordid affair could have
the powers that be not to meddle been handled in a non-controversial
with constitutionally mandated way by calling for an explanation
from the students concerned. Now,
rights.
J. Anantha Padmanabhan, thanks to content-starved 24X7
Tiruchi media
news
channels,
the
Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle is a

global name. That said, why an
institute of technology needs a
department of humanities is
anybodys guess. The campus is no
longer the same as the advent of
such a department has opened the
floodgates to a new kind of placardbearing student. During the protests
in Chennai, there was the ugly sight
of posters bearing derogatory
content inciting people and
students along communal lines.
K.S. Jayatheertha,
Bengaluru
On belonging
The writers linguistic analysis
(What does it mean to belong?
June 8) doesnt account for the fact
that the two different meanings of
the word belonging are used for
different categories of entities and
in different contexts. In the case of
people, the word cant be used in the
sense of possession by a community
or the nation-state. The writers
view regarding the relationship of
people
and
a
nation-state
represents the classical theory of
sovereignty as advocated by Jean
Bodin and John Austin which is
unsuitable for modern societies.
This view has been aptly rejected by
pluralist thinkers like Harold Laski
and Robert MacIver. The concept of
possession
of
people
by
communities and nation-state is
detrimental to democracy and will
promote
tyranny
and
authoritarianism. A human being is
a rational, socio-psychological being
having both material and spiritual stroke is not a new phenomenon.

components. The word belonging, The India of 2015 cannot afford to
in the case of people, cant be let its citizens die this way.
Gaurav Singhal,
interpreted as possession as they
New Delhi
arent solely material entities like a
table, a chair or a RSS lathi! Lastly,
isnt it undemocratic and anarchic Vada debba or heat stroke in Andhra
that in democratic societies, Pradesh and Telangana is common
institutions other than the state in summer. Governments and
village/municipal authorities do
claim punitive powers?
Priyansu Bhardwaj, issue advisories to people on how to
New Delhi protect themselves from the fierce
sun storing a piece of chopped
onion in ones pocket, adequate
hydration and finishing chores by 10
Unlike floods and earthquakes a.m. There is also a policy to
which
are
sudden
and compensate families of sun stroke
unanticipated, heatwaves are an victims. Why was all this not
annual phenomena during summer highlighted?
Krishnaprasad,
across Andhra Pradesh and
Hyderabad
Telangana. (Sunday Anchor page
Summer of 2015, June 7).
Hundreds of precious lives could
have been saved had the respective I think that when prominent
governments educated and alerted personalities such as leaders of
the people in advance for which not political parties issue sick remarks,
much need have been spent. All it it is really a matter of shame (SP
required was an effort to galvanise leader goes back on rape remark,
the administration. While one Chief June 8). While the Prime Minister
Minister speaks of a golden Narendra Modi appears to be doing
(bangaru) Telangana, the other his best to ensure the development
Chief Minister talks of a Singapore- of the country, there is great
like Andhra Pradesh. Do they ever regression on account of the
ponder over basic issues?
underdeveloped mentality and
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao, mindset of a section of the
Hyderabad population. The first step towards
development can be taken only
Why do we always wait for a when responsible people like
calamity to unfold before debating leaders and ministers exhibit a
and evolving a strategy? What is the progressive and positive thought
use of our weather-monitoring process.
Shubham Mathur,
satellites if we cant save our citizens
Chandigarh
from preventable deaths? A heat
Summer of 2015
SP leaders remark
BG-MY
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
The incomplete case of Aruna Shanbaug

Peter Ronald deSouza
The zeal
for yoga
t is ironical that at a time when yoga is increasingly being recognised around the world as
an efficacious discipline that aids physical and
mental well-being, the ancient Indian system is
caught in a needless controversy, mainly due to its
aggressive promotion by the Narendra Modi government. It is difficult to avoid the impression that the
government is showing excessive zeal as well as a tendency to use its employees and institutions to propagate
its own view of culture and tradition. Mobilising staff
members and students seems to be this regimes way of
promoting an idea. If it was Good Governance Day last
Christmas, it will be International Yoga Day on June
21. It is indeed true that Prime Minister Modis address
to the United Nations General Assembly in September
2014 provided the platform for the international community to recognise the importance of yoga. In December, the UNGA passed a resolution with the backing of
over 170 countries to designate June 21 as International Yoga Day. No doubt, the benefits of yoga ought to be
widely disseminated. However, does promoting it require the mobilisation of tens of thousands of people at
Rajpath in Delhi for a massive demonstration? There
are apprehensions that employees and students would
be asked to participate in related events on a Sunday,
even though it has not been made mandatory.
The government is even aiming for an entry in the
Guinness World Records for the single largest yoga
demonstration. It appears that having international
impact is a key objective behind the promotional activities. If yoga is all about health, peace and harmony,
there really is no need for a demonstrative approach to
it. The visible presence of the state in the promotion of
yoga will only detract from the idea of making it a
peoples movement. Rather, the governments role
should be confined to providing facilities for the practice of yoga in various institutions under it and disseminating information about its benefits. A related issue
that has given a sectarian dimension to the yoga campaign concerns a perception that the practice of yoga,
especially the surya namaskar part of it, is against the
tenets of Islam. Recognising this, the government has
dropped surya namaskar from the list of asanas to be
performed on June 21. While it is true that yoga is part
of a wider heritage and attracts practitioners from
among adherents of various religions, the government
is obviously unable to convince everyone that its programmes are free of all religious or cultural association.
It should work to remove its initiatives from areas of
contestation so that even programmes having universal value do not take the hue of its ideology.
n the Aruna Shanbaug judgment, the

Supreme Court produced one of its finest verdicts. The three clear, but nuanced, distinctions it made are a
valuable contribution to Indian jurisprudence and have far-reaching implications for
social life since each qualitatively diminishes
the arbitrary behaviour of those in authority.
The first refers to the extensive and thorough
deliberations it offered on the nature of human life. The court examined medical literature and the accompanying ethical
deliberations in bio-ethics to address the following key questions that were crucial to the
case. When can one say that a person is braindead and in a permanent vegetative state?
What are the rights of such a person? And
what are the responsibilities of the care providers and of the state when a person is declared to be in a permanent vegetative state?
The court provided clear guidelines on each
question. This has implications not just for
vulnerable persons such as Aruna, but also for
the whole new area of human organ transplant that is mercifully growing. These observations meet the highest standards of global
jurisprudence.
A role to further principles

The second is its verdict on who is the next
friend of Aruna the social activist, Pinki
Virani, or the nurses at King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Mumbai who were
caring for Aruna. In other words, who is to
decide what is in Arunas best interest?
Should passive euthanasia be initiated, which
is what Pinki Virani wanted, or should she be
allowed to die naturally when her body had
run its course, which is what the nurses wanted? The court, reviewing the stellar care given
at KEM, gave a clear verdict that the nurses
were the next friend. This too is a major
contribution to Indian jurisprudence since it
clarified the status, rights and responsibilities
of a next friend. Brilliant.
The third is its approval of passive euthanasia and the stringent procedures that
must be followed when such an initiative is to
be undertaken.
All three elements of the Aruna Shanbaug
judgment show that the higher Indian judiciary has much to contribute to the growth of
Forty-two years after the crime against Aruna

Shanbaug, a new crime against the Constitution is
in the making. Her assailant is being condemned
to death by starvation. Public institutions and
a complicit society are punishing him again.
The Supreme Court must step in suo motu
ethical and legal principles in any constitutional order. On reading the judgment, I was
proud of our Supreme Court.
Aruna Shanbaug has died. And in her death,
what we thought was a closed case now appears to be a case that is only half done. If the
first half was the judgment just discussed
which was the easy bit because it was aligned
with public sentiment the second half is to
offer the full protection of the Indian Constitution to her assailant, Sohanlal Valmiki, and
his extended family. This is the difficult part
since it goes against the public mood that
appears to have revived its hostility to him
because of media reports for the horrific
crime he committed 42 years ago. In the life of
a constitutional democracy, 42 years is a long
time. It is a time for evolution and a time for
sons, also daily wage labourers, are now unable to find work because his identity is
known. Since they are his sons, they too must
be punished like Cinna the poet in Shakespeares Julius Caesar. The family, his wife,
their sons, their wives and children as a
result of the media investigation now face
the agony of starvation and of intense livelihood insecurity. There is no work available
to them.
If passive euthanasia was the gift of the
first half of the courts judgment, on the tragic
Aruna Shanbaug case, preventing unjust
punishment must be the gift of the second
part of the courts intervention. In a constitutional democracy, the court does not only
have to adjudicate, but also has the responsibility to educate the citizen-public about the
We are a constitutional democracy, not a lynching one. It may

mean going against the tide. But the court does not have to
be popular. It has to be just. And defend the Constitution for
Sohanlal Valmiki as it did in the Aruna Shanbaug case.
maturity. It is a time for error and a time for principles that underlie our constitutional
order. And if that means going against the
redress. It is time enough for wisdom.
public mood, against a society and its inA new crime
stitutions whose actions are sometimes tyAfter 42 years, a new crime against the rannical, then it must do so. Sohanlal Valmiki
Constitution is in the making. Sohanlal Val- has been demonised. He committed a terrible
miki is being condemned to death by starva- crime, was tried, and the full force of the law
tion. Our public institutions and a complicit was brought to bear on him. He was punished
society that care little for the last man (dont by the court. He has served his time in prison.
believe the Antyodaya stuff being talked Now, he faces double jeopardy. The Constituabout; hes a Valmiki), and that are acting tion must protect him and his innocent family
lawlessly, are punishing him again.
through the Supreme Court which is the cusThe court has to step in suo motu and todian of its integrity. The Supreme Court
intervene reversing what the public sector must act suo motu or live with an incomplete
enterprise, NTPC Ltd., has done by dismis- case. If it does, it must take responsibility for
sing Sohanlal Valmiki from his job as a daily diminishing a stellar Aruna Shanbaug judgwage labourer when his identity became ment by its inaction.
known. He cycled 25 kilometres every day to
Here are the elements of the second half of
earn Rs.261 a day by heaving coal. His two the case, its afterlife so to speak. These have
CARTOONSCAPE
Setback for
Erdogan
he outcome of the general election in Turkey
could not only end the dominance of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) but also
derail President Recep Tayyip Erdogans
plans to consolidate his power. Mr. Erdogan had heavily campaigned for the ruling party that he helped
found, even after technically quitting it last year to
stand for the supposedly non-partisan presidency. He
built his campaign around the promise of transferring
power from Parliament to the Presidents office, claiming that would make Turkey more powerful and administratively efficient. The AKP aimed for at least 330
seats, which would have enabled it to hold a referendum to change the system. But the voters denied it even
a simple majority, for the first time in 13 years. With
99.9 per cent of votes counted, the conservative party
won only 258 seats. In order to stay in power, the AKP
will have to either form a minority government, or
enter into an alliance with its rivals. The plan to transfer more power to the presidency is clearly off the table.
Mr. Erdogan rose to power by stitching together a
social coalition of the rural poor and religious and
social conservatives. While his development rhetoric
attracted the former, the AKPs Islamist leanings directly appealed to the conservative constituency,
which was historically sidelined from power by a secular Turkey. Mr. Erdogan brought this new class into
the mainstream through his brand of political Islam.
But of late a number of factors, including his own
inherent dictatorial tendencies, worked against the
AKP. A slowing economy, rising inflation and unemployment, allegations of corruption, and fears that Mr.
Erdogan was becoming another sultan, added to the
liberal-secular opposition to the AKP. This triggered
street battles in Istanbul between protesters and the
security forces in May 2013. Smaller parties such as the
pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) were
emboldened to counter the AKP on a broader ideological plank. The HDP, which projected itself as a secular,
left-of-centre political outfit, surpassed for the first
time the 10 per cent threshold needed to enter Parliament, securing 80 seats. This will give the countrys
18-million strong Kurdish minority, which has been at
odds with the ruling elites for decades, a platform to
push for its political cause and counter the AKPs
attacks on secular traditions. Mr. Erdogans supporters
would say the AKP had ensured stability for 13 years
and the country was now back on the brink of instability. But the question before Turkish voters was
whether they should accept a stable, quasi-dictatorial
presidential system with Islamist characteristics or
stand firm for parliamentary democracy despite its
shortcomings. They seem to have gone for the latter.
CM
YK

Phone-tapping row
The ugly turn of events across
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
(Naidu phone-tapping row hots up,
flurry of cases filed against
Chandrasekhar Rao, June 9) only
goes to show that the Governor and
top officials on either side of the
geographical and administrative
divides appear to be sandwiched
between the devil and the deep sea.
In no case should these
developments be allowed to fester
and result in a war between the
people of the two States. The Prime
Minister, who often proclaims that
he is intolerant of corruption,
should intervene and ensure that
peace prevails. In turn, the two
leaders should give up their
dangerous game of one-upmanship
and contribute to the development
of their States in a spirit of healthy
competition. The issue should not
be allowed to reopen the healing
wounds of a painful bifurcation.
B.V. Kumar,
Nellore
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
have been at loggerheads ever since
the division of a composite Andhra
Pradesh. Both States are now
engaged in the difficult task of
economic revival, a development
which has seen their leaders travel
abroad to woo investors. Unless
kept in check, the phone tapping
row does not augur well for
development. Both Chief Ministers
must shed their egos and focus on
much-needed governance.
R. Badrinarayanan,
Bengaluru
The episode appears to be flaring up
after its embers are being fanned by
politicians of both States, and by
media channels which have
irresponsibly aired the alleged
been culled from the investigations done by

the newspapers. They need to be crosschecked. Sohanlal Valmiki was sentenced to
serve a term of seven years at Yerwada jail for
the ghastly crime he committed on Aruna
Shanbaug. The details are known. The facts
were presented before a court and he was
given the term. (We will not go into the conflictual relationship between Aruna Shanbaug and Sohanlal Valmiki, as reported in the
papers, but shall detail his life only after the
court sentence.) His daughter died when he
was in jail. His wife left him because she could
not bear the burden of his crime and the
public humiliation that followed. But she
came back. He thinks it was fated. He could
not find work in Bombay and moved back to
his in-laws village, in western Uttar Pradesh.
He is tormented by the crime he committed
and, within the terms of his belief systems,
was reported by his family to be in a terrible
emotional state when the euthanasia case was
being heard. He is today very remorseful, very
religious and has found a guru. He is tired of
the guilt, the humiliation and the hardship,
and longs for release to another life. He has a
troubled relationship with his sons who have
to carry the burden of his crime. His wife has
asked the sons to forgive him but they cannot
since he has brought the curse of illiteracy
and poverty upon them. His brothers are angry with him because he was the privileged
one to be taken to the metropolis of Bombay,
the land of opportunity, since their father
thought he was the bright one who would
make good for the whole family. He found
anonymity when he returned to his village
and rebuilt his life, content to be the last
man neglected by the state. With all its disadvantages, he found protection in obscurity
and had accepted his fate to live out a life in a
permanently deprived state till nature had
run its course. His grandchildren just love
him.
As the lynch mob

And then Aruna died. A new story had to be
told. The media was on the move. We do not
know what editorial and ethical guidelines
were given to the investigative reporters but,
as a result, Sohanlal Valmiki was plucked
from his life of obscurity and placed before
the glare lights of the national media. His life
was dissected, his personal details revealed,
and he was transported from the zone of quasi-protection to the zone of complete insecurity.
The assailant has been found and this is
what he does. Here is where he lives. These
are the names of his family members. In a
competitive media atmosphere, he was
stripped naked before the lights. We must
reflect on what this means to a man at 66 or 72
years of age, from the Valmiki community,
who has been living on daily wages. Is he a
simple or a cunning man? I dont know. Is he
now a vulnerable man? Yes, he is. He was
dismissed from his job by NTPC even though
he had done nothing wrong at work. How can
we have the assailant of Aruna Shanbaug on
our wage rolls, is what NTPC feels, I suppose.
His sons have been unable to find work as
well.
The court has to decide how to educate a
society such that it stops acting as a lynch
mob. It has to defend the Constitution in the
second Sohanlal Valmiki case, as it did in the
first Aruna Shanbaug judgment. It has to defend Sohanlal Valmikis rights and protect the
livelihood of his family. We are a constitutional democracy, not a lynching one. It may
mean going against the tide. But the court
does not have to be popular. It has to be right
and just. It has to intervene. The right to life
that was so exquisitely elaborated on in the
Aruna Shanbaug case will be enriched by its
suo motu intervention.
(Peter Ronald deSouza is professor at the
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.
The views expressed are personal.)
tapes, failing to foresee the impact of

the fallout. There are questions that
need to be answered by both
governments. Also, how did the
tapes end up with the media?
It is painful to read about the
Chief Ministers washing dirty linen
in public and still burning with
political and personal animosities,
forgetting the background to the
bifurcation and the consequences of
this row.
B. Harish,
Mangaluru
degradation.
If
an
activist
organisation is trying to contribute
its mite in saving the environment,
and
something
which
the
government should be doing, we
need to support its efforts. Being
hostile is not the way out.
Anmol Gulecha,
Chennai
Ishrat case
Officials of the IB collect, collate and

disseminate intelligence in a sound
and professional manner. To
attribute mala fide intentions to
their actions would strike at the root
Ever since the BJP-led NDA of intelligence operations (MHA
government came to power, it refuses sanction to prosecute
appears to be intent on locking intelligence officials in Ishrat case,
horns with a few NGOs that are June 9). It ought to be in the rarest
critical of government policies. For of rare cases that any official of the
quite some time now, a globally bureau is ever prosecuted, and only
known environmental organisation if it is clearly established that the
has been singled out for actions such action is blatantly violative of bona
as freezing its bank accounts and fide intentions. Otherwise, there is
denying permission for its staff to bound to be a detrimental impact on
leave India. Now we have this case the morale of those working in the
(Greenpeace staffer sent back premier intelligence organisation.
G.S. Rajagopal,
despite holding valid visa, June 9).
Bengaluru
There seems to be great
contradiction in Indias acts. Under
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the
wonders
whether
the
countrys administrators are trying One
Indications
Act
to extend its global reach, yet appear Geographical
to be increasingly intolerant of provides for some financial
dissent, both domestic and global. assistance for craftspeople
The government has to learn to live something which was not clear in
with criticism and dissent as these the article (June 9), Will the veena
gently weep? In this connection, I
are integral to a democracy.
D.B.N. Murthy, would like to mention the Paithani
Bengaluru Sari (of Aurangabad, Maharashtra)
and of my visit to one of the centres
It is unbecoming of the government where it is produced.
to try and squeeze the life out of
Although
the
craftspeople
eminent NGOs. Management of the appeared to be happy with the
environment is important in todays product getting a GI tag, they were
globalised and energy-hungry in obvious need of more financial aid
world. What is wrong if activists try from the State. The fact is that the
and point out unpleasant truths? sari is manufactured only after
Climate change is a serious problem special orders placed; there is no
and so too is environmental commercial production, which in
Govt. and NGOs
The importance of GI
turn affects the workers. It is worth

mentioning that the manufacturing
of GI products is often labourintensive, which can be effective in
reducing rural unemployment and
reversing rural to urban migration.
The GI programme can also be
associated with the Make in India
campaign and Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises.
Ashutosh Dalal,
Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh
Constitution,
June
9)
is
Parliaments unabridged authority
under Article 3 to bifurcate States
the division of the composite State
of Andhra Pradesh and the
consequent suffering of the people
is a prime example. Similarly, one
can think of the election of members
to law-making houses, with only
elected members of the Lok Sabha
voting to elect members of the Rajya
Sabha. To the legislative councils of
States, the word elected is not
incorporated, which leads to
confusion. Here, even a nominated
member to the State Assembly can
vote to elect. It is time the
Constitution is rewritten to ward off
these ambiguities.
Suddapalli Bhaskara Rao,
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Sikkim, which became the first

Indian State to go fully organic, can
use GI to its complete advantage.
There must be GI status for all of
Sikkims organic products such as
the Mandarin Orange. If done well,
this is a step which can usher in an
organic revolution in Northeast
India which appears to have been
left behind in the Green Revolution.
Ankit Garg, It is surprising that the Bombay
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh High Court has banned the use of
horse-driven carriages/Victorias,
Of the many products from Tamil that are used in Mumbai for joyrides
Nadu that were listed, I wonder why (No more horse-driven carriages in
the writer left out the famous Mumbai, June 9). Though the
Tirunelveli Halwa or alwa. The argument being put forth by animal
more than century-old, mouth- activists is that the animals
watering speciality of the region has experience early ligament ruptures,
yet to be awarded the GI and other painful joint problems,
certification
mark.
Of
a the fact is that these horses travel
characteristic golden-brown colour, only a few furlongs, unlike race
the halwa enjoys unsurpassed global horses which are forced to race for a
fame because of its unique flavour, longer distance. In this case, is there
the result of a mix of ghee, sugar, no ligament damage? Also the sight
wheat flour and water used from the of abandoned and starving race
Thamirabarani
river.
The horses is pitiable. Why is there no
Tirunelveli Iruttukkadai halwa is legal intervention in this case?
also famous for its shelf life. NonWhat will happen to the families
Resident Indians from the district that operate the Victorias? If the
never fail to stock up on the product reason of abject cruelty being
while leaving.
inflicted on these animals is true, it
S. Nallasivan, should well be used to provide relief
Tirunelveli to slaughter animals and creatures
used in agricultural operations
especially in the husking of grain.
Among the host of other such
Malaya Krishnamurthy,
deceptions (Indias deceptive
Visakhapatnam
Court on the Victoria
Incomplete statement
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Bills that dont match promises

The various pieces of legislation the government
is contemplating give lie to its claims of being
anti-corruption and pro-poor
Arun Kumar
Inside Myanmar,
in hot pursuit
y striking at militant camps across the border
and inside Myanmar territory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated that he
is willing to bite the bullet and take tough
action when it comes to the killing of Indian soldiers.
Days after the June 4 killing of at least 20 personnel of
the 6 Dogra Regiment in Chandel district of Manipur
allegedly by militants of the National Socialist Council
of Nagaland (Khaplang), a robust response has come
from the Indian Special Forces. Confirmation of the
strike on two militant camps inside Myanmar territory
has come from none other than Minister of State for
Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh
Rathore. He confirmed that the Indian forces carried
out strikes on two of the militant camps, annihilating
the entire camps, and have returned safely. He pointed out that Prime Minister Modi had taken a very bold
step and given the go-ahead for hot pursuit into Myanmar, adding that the response was a message to other
countries that might be inimical to India. Meanwhile,
the official Army version simply spoke of the forces
having engaged two separate groups of insurgents
along the Indo-Myanmar border, without referring
to any cross-border operation.
India had traditionally justified its links with the
military-run Myanmar government by pointing to the
need to keep its eastern borders tranquil. Keeping the
Myanmar government in the loop on any cross-border
operation can only strengthen Indias efforts to ensure
that more attacks do not take place. The Indian Army,
for its part, has spoken of communication and close
cooperation but stopped short of saying whether or not
prior information was given on a cross-border operation. Other than the number of casualties inflicted on
the militants, very few details on the exact nature of the
military operation have been made available. For its
part, the Khaplang faction has denied that any of its
cadres were killed by the Indian Army in the crackdown. There are, as Mr. Rathore said in his statement,
implications beyond Myanmar reflected in the nature
of the operation conducted by the Indian Army. If the
intention is to be surgical and engage in long-term
anti-militancy operations, the Modi government and
the BJP should desist from chest-thumping. While
India makes it clear that as a nation it would not take
attacks such as this lying down, the Myanmar operation sends its own signal to the rest of South Asia. It
would be contextual to recall that even a major operation in end-2003 against anti-India separatist groups
that were based in Bhutan was conducted by the Bhutanese army with support from India. The operation by
the Indian Special Forces can only be welcomed. But at
the same time, collateral damage in government-togovernment relationships must be avoided.
n the recently concluded session of

Parliament, while some important
Bills got passed, others had to be sent
to parliamentary committees for further scrutiny. Some of the delayed Bills were
termed as game changers and the stock
market indices reacted negatively. The Bills
were passed in the Lok Sabha but were
stalled in the Rajya Sabha since the government did not have the numbers. Politics
played an important role in all this but there
are genuine reasons why a reconsideration
of the stalled Bills may be beneficial for the
country.
A paper tiger
Let us start with the so-called Black Money Bill passed with ease in both Houses of
Parliament. No party wanted to be seen opposing it given the prevalent anti-corruption
climate in the country. Since the Bill seeks to
bring back illegally stashed wealth from
abroad, opposing it would have appeared to
be anti-national. It also passed easily because most realise that it will do little to
bring back the treasure! The views of the
high-profile activists from within the ranks
of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ram
Jethmalani and Subramanian Swamy, make
it clear that the Bill is a paper tiger.
It provides for stringent punishment of
those Indians who hold undisclosed wealth
and/or earn undisclosed incomes abroad.
Excluded from its purview are Non-Resident
Indians (NRI) who are genuine holders of
wealth abroad and can earn incomes there.
They are not obliged to declare their assets
or incomes to Indian authorities. So, Indians
who are moneyed, work out an arrangement
with NRIs to hold their wealth and show
their incomes through legal arrangements.
Further, the provisions of the Bill will be
applicable only if the government is able to
detect incomes and wealth held abroad. The
Bill has no mechanism for doing so. Hence,
the draconian punishment a jail term and
300 per cent fine can hardly be implemented. An amnesty scheme is being offered
to come clean. There will be no punishment
if one discloses the assets and incomes
abroad in the specified period and pays the
taxes within six months. Thus, the inexperienced ones who had held illegal wealth
abroad in their own names and earned incomes on them would have a chance to come
clean. The HSBC list revealed that some Indians who did take out funds in their own
names have now got caught. The experienced ones would not have made the mistake of holding funds in their own names.
The process of layering has been available for a long time. It hides a persons identity by using shell companies in tax havens to
transfer funds. It is no surprise then that the
Swiss government revealed that Indians
hold only Rs.14,000 crore in Swiss banks.
This is mostly legitimate money, of Indians,
and in their own names. The black wealth of
most experienced Indians would be parked
there via shell companies in tax havens and
hence not be counted as Indian money. The
since the brief of clever lawyers, chartered

accountants and bankers is to devise ways to
hide incomes, it can only be a losing battle.
Thus, the most significant aspect of the Bill is
the amnesty to those to come clean who may
have made the mistake in the past of putting
money in their own names. It is no wonder
then that the Bill was passed in Parliament.
A blow against corruption

Then, there is the Whistleblowers Bill,
crucial in exposing rampant corruption in
the country. While it is difficult for people
outside to unearth corruption in institutions, insiders are often in the know and can
reveal its extent provided they have protection under the act. But the amendments proposed will make action on complaints by
whistle-blowers more difficult, and they can
face prosecution. Together, both these will
The Black Money Bill provides an escape route to the smart

hoarders, the GST Bill will marginalise the small producer,
while the Whistleblowers Bill will silence the whistle
largest amount of money in Swiss banks be- dissuade people with information from comlongs to the British since they own the large- ing forward to expose wrongdoing. Is this the
intention of the government? Corruption
st number of tax havens.
works to the disadvantage of the vast majorThe loophole of amnesty
ity of Indians and if the amendments to the
The Bill contains no mechanism to identi- Whistleblowers Bill are passed, they will be
fy funds going out or being held abroad. The the sufferers.
government argues repeatedly that it will get
information via the Double Taxation Avoid- Affecting the small sector
The introduction of Goods and Services
ance Agreement (DTAA) or Tax Information
Exchange (TIE) agreement with a number of Tax (GST) in the country is being promoted
governments. However, these agreements as the biggest tax reform in India and a game
have been in place for more than two dec- changer. It is supposed to provide a seamless
ades; it is ironic that under them, there has unified market for business, raise GDP
been no information on black wealth hold- growth by 1 per cent, tax-GDP ratio by 2 per
ers. Further, these agreements are about the cent, reduce the cost of indigenous goods by
declared incomes of individuals and not around 10 per cent and lead to the consoliabout their undisclosed wealth or incomes. dation of manufacturing to reap economies
of scale. However, the Bill proposing the
Hence, this argument does not hold water.
The Bill does hold out a threat that if constitution amendment to enable the imanyone is caught, the penalties will be harsh- plementation of this reform has been sent to
er than for those with black wealth detected a parliamentary committee, thus delaying its
in India. There may be a deterrent effect but implementation. The United Progressive Al-
CARTOONSCAPE
The battle
for Delhi
fter months of sparring by means of official
notifications, rounds of litigation, and orders
of transfer and dismissal of various officers,
the seemingly endless battle for the control of
Delhi between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP-led
Central government has taken an ugly turn with the
extraordinary arrest of Jitender Singh Tomar. The Delhi Law Minister, who allegedly holds two fake educational degrees, resigned hours after a court sent him to
police custody. It must be said that the AAP has handled the issue of Mr. Tomars qualifications with a
complete lack of political nous. This has been the subject matter of a case in the Delhi High Court after the
issue came up in February, and the party could have
either asked the Minister to step down till he was
cleared of the charges, or simply made his degree diplomas public on its website. It might be said that the AAP
deserves sympathy in its ongoing face-off with a Goliath of a Centre, but lapses such as these are but
another reminder that it could no longer really claim to
be a party with a difference. The Delhi Police have gone
strictly by the letter of the law in ordering the arrest.
However, the manner in which they have gone about
the process has left no one in doubt that it has essentially been a show of strength against a political party
that is determined to put an end to corruption. To
arrest Mr. Tomar the Delhi Police sent a posse of 40
officers, and then deployed heavy security around the
police station where he was being held. The police
worked late into the night to file a first information
report, got it signed by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb
Jung around midnight, and then appeared at Mr. Tomars residence around 6 a.m. to make the arrest. The
sudden drive and determination to arrest on the basis
of charges of forgery a person who is hardly likely to go
absconding, made it seem politically motivated.
The governmental tussle over Delhi has meanwhile
reached its zenith, and one battleground is the States
Anti-Corruption Branch. The Lt. Governor recently
created a senior post in the ACB so that he could post
an officer of his choice who, incidentally, was conducting the investigations when a farmer committed suicide at the venue of an AAP rally. The AAP cried foul
and ordered him sent back. That order was cancelled by
the Lt. Governor. In retaliation, the AAP transferred
out the official who had appointed him. All of this
points to just another bizarre turn to a bizarre situation
where the two governments just seem to be itching for
a fight. The people of Delhi, interminably caught in the
crossfire, may be the only real losers.
CM
YK

Cross-border strike
One runs short of words in
complimenting the defence forces
for carrying out such a rare and
daring operation (Army, Assam
Rifles kill 50 ultras on Myanmar
border, June 10). In fact, the
accusation against any Indian
leadership is that it is too soft on
terror and hesitates to act even
when grievously wounded; the
examples of countless terror attacks
that have hurt India do not need
elaboration.
Our
neighbours,
Pakistan and China need to take
note.
Vijay Dattatray Patil,
Pune
liance, which introduced this idea, has now

backtracked since it does not wish to give the
BJP-led National Democratic Alliance
(NDA) an advantage. Opposing it on genuine
grounds are the manufacturing States that
are worried about loss of revenue.
However, the real problem with GST in
India is not being addressed by any of the
political parties. India has a large, unorganised sector employing 93 per cent of the
workforce. The small and tiny units under it
produce locally and sell locally. The unified
market sought to be created is of little help to
them. Actually, they will lose as large-scale
production gains. This will slow down employment generation and aggravate underemployment and distress in the farm sector.
Excess labour in farming typically gets absorbed in the unorganised sector; if that sector declines, rural distress can only increase.
The small-scale sector that would be outside the GST net would not be able to sell to
the large-scale sector because it would not
have receipts for payment of Value Added
Tax. Further, the unorganised sector cannot
afford computerisation of accounts to calculate the value addition and pay tax on it. That
is why it is kept outside the GST, but that
would now be to its disadvantage.
Finally, there are contradictions in the
argument being made for GST. The tax-GDP
ratio can only rise if more tax is collected but
then prices will rise leading to a slowdown in
demand so that GDP growth rate cannot rise
as claimed. Further, if the GST tax rate is not
raised to the revenue neutral rate (RNR),
then tax collection will fall and the tax-GDP
ratio cannot rise. Thus, the macro-level story shows that either way, there is a contradiction in the governments argument. It is
for this reason that the States are right to
worry about a potential loss of revenue.
Clearly, GST is being introduced for the benefit of large businesses and would work
against the interest of the small-scale sector
and the majority in the country.
Marginalising the farmer

The Land Acquisition Bill is also to further
the interests of big businesses and a part of
creating the ease of doing business. In the
process, the land owning-farming community is being sought to be marginalised. Farming is not just work but also a way of life and
when the village community with all its
drawbacks is broken up, then people are
forced to give up a way of life. Many migrate
to urban areas with few assets, to an alien
and polluted slum environment and suffer a
deterioration in their living conditions.
Should these people not have the right to be
consulted? In the past, excess land has been
acquired cheap and has become an investment for big business.
In Gurgaon, land was acquired by big developers in the 1980s and developed for commercial and residential purposes rather than
for essential purposes. The developers got
advance information and acquired large parcels of land at a cheap rate in connivance
with politicians. In fact, a Chief Minister got
over a lakh acres of land notified for acquisition. But for the fall of the government this
would have gone through at the expense of
the farmers.
In brief, the Land Bill and the introduction of GST will further marginalise the already marginalised. The Black Money Bill
and the proposed amendment to the Whistleblowers Bill will together make the task of
unearthing black incomes in India or abroad
more difficult, in turn adding to the difficulties of the common man. When the NDA
came to power, the Finance Minister had
argued that being pro-business is not being
anti-poor, but the governments actions
seem to contradict that.
(Arun Kumar is the Sukhamoy
Chakravarty Chair Professor at the Centre
for Economic Studies and Planning, School
of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru
University.)
send out a strong message to all

terrorists that India can no longer
be taken for a ride. One wonders
why this was never thought of
earlier.
C.A.C. Murugappan,
Kothamangalam, Tamil Nadu
Hot pursuit is not only risky but

also against international law. Just
because Myanmar is a friendly
country and comparatively weak,
militarily, hot pursuit cannot be
justified as a retaliatory act for a
militant attack on the Army. This is
akin to the law of the jungle where
might is right. Can we follow such a
policy in the case of Pakistan and
China? The Indian move may
appear bold and trendsetting but it
It was heartening to read about has no international sanction. We
significant casualties having been should have involved Myanmar
inflicted. One hopes that this government fully in a joint
operation will now mark a major operation, if need be, to destroy
shift in the anti-terror policy of the militant camps. By pursuing such a
government.
unilateral operation, we have set up
C. Koshy John, a dangerous precedent in the region.
D.B.N. Murthy,
Pune
Bengaluru
I have always been anguished by the
thought of why India has never
acted despite possessing enormous Leaving aside the timing, merits/
manpower and weaponry. For demerits of Delhi Law Minister
example, I can think of the sorry Jitender Singh Tomars arrest for
episode of the hijacking of IC 814 allegedly submitting fake degrees,
and how the three militants the episode proves that todays
perceive
values
as
escaped. Now, swift retaliation such leaders
as the Myanmar operation will make something that are a disposable
ultras and terrorists operating from commodity especially if the price is
across the border and in safe havens right (Delhi Minister held for
to think twice before taking on holding fake degree, June 10). For
them, all this is acceptable, at the
India.
Ramakrishnan C.G., expense of morality, ethics and
Kozhikode honesty. A through investigation is
also needed to find out how many
The coordinated, coherent, bold and more politicians hold such fake
decisive act of carrying out a major degrees.
R. Venkateswaran,
military operation and involving
Chennai
another countrys territory is sure to
Fake degrees
There cannot be any second opinion

that the law ought to take its own
course notwithstanding allegations
by the AAP of political vendetta or
witch-hunting. At the same time,
there is a need to look at the larger
perspective. Since June 2002, the
Election Commission of India has
made it mandatory for all
prospective candidates to furnish
duly sworn-in attested affidavits
which also include their educational
qualifications to be verified by the
returning officers by way of a
summary inquiry at the time of
scrutiny of nomination papers. In
the case of wrong or incomplete
information or suppression of facts,
it was to become a ground for the
rejection of nomination papers
apart
from
inviting
penal
provisions.
But the ECI, in revised
instructions issued in 2003, did
away with the provision of such an
inquiry by the Returning Officer. It
is strange. There is no rationale in
making the filing of affidavits
mandatory unless these are to be
duly scrutinised.
The provision for holding a
summary inquiry to assess the
authenticity of information in the
affidavits, and in the event of such
information being misleading/
wrong, a rejection of nomination
papers, are both a must. Currently,
under
Section
125A
of
Representation of Peoples Act,
giving such wrong information or
concealing something will lead to
imprisonment for up to six months
or a fine or both, but it does not
result in rejection of nomination
forms. There is an urgent need for
effecting the necessary statutory
amendments.
Hemant Kumar,
Ambala, Haryana
This is not the first time we have

come across such charges being
levelled against political bigwigs and
Ministers. After all, the Union
Minister of HRD as well as the
junior Minister in the same ministry
have also been alleged to have
submitted
controversial
and
contradictory
information
regarding
their
educational
qualifications! The only difference
in the latest episode is that while Mr.
Tomar has been arrested without
notice as he belongs to the AAP, and
the party which made the BJP bite
dust in the Delhi election, the two
Union Ministers have been spared
this fate for obvious reasons.
Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai
which still cannot digest the

unimaginable misery a lady had to
undergo for no fault of hers, and for
over 40 years. How can the writer
ignore the enormity of the crime
that was perpetrated on Aruna
Shanbaug, in no measure less grave
than what happened in the Nirbhaya
case? After reading the article, one
felt upset that the public and media
attitudes then were not as vehement
and vociferous are they are now
following the Nirbhaya case.
K. Rajendran,
Chennai
If the judiciary started to look into

the plight of people accused of
extreme forms of crime, there would
be a thousand more Aruna
Shanbaugs lying in hospitals in a
Making due allowances for the vegetative state. Perpetrators of
contentions that there are genuine crime like Arunas tormentor,
grounds for criminal investigation; deserve retribution for their actions
the Delhi police have not done throughout their lives. However, it
anything outside the rule book, and is unethical to hound and accuse
that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind their families who have had no role
Kejriwal perhaps needs some to play in it. Here, both the media
clipping of his wings, still, it is clear and society need to behave with
that the arrest smacks of excessive maturity.
Nitin Sharma,
alacrity and is indicative of
Chandigarh
vengefulness. The BJP government
must show greater statesmanship in
dealing with political opponents and The writer has admirably overcome
resist falling victim to authoritarian a very difficult task of revealing the
temptations. It must not forget that plight of the perpetrator. Sohanlal
the AAP government carries the Valmiki has already been punished
overwhelming mandate of the to the fullest extent of the law.
people of Delhi, and that, in India, Aruna is no more and Sohanlal has
the people, whatever their political been punished and appears to have
preferences, do not tolerate fascistic expressed repentance. So, why
should his family be punished
tendencies.
A.N. Lakshmanan, further?
Bengaluru
There is a saying, hate the evil,
not the evildoers, so let us try and
respect his family and allow them to
The article, The incomplete case of live in peace.
Vivek Kumar,
Aruna Shanbaug (June 10), may
Madhubani, Bihar
not go down well with a society
Unfinished case
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
12
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Brick and mortar of foreign policy

Happymon Jacob
Key choices,
some questions
he appointments of Vijai Sharma as Chief
Information Commissioner (CIC) and K.V.
Chowdary as Chief Vigilance Commissioner
(CVC), which have been a long time coming,
also raise some concerns about the Narendra Modi
governments level of engagement with institutions
that form the life breath of Indian democracy. The CIC
presides over the Right to Information, crucial to a
participatory democracy in making institutions accountable, while the CVC is tasked with overseeing the
vigilance administration. As watchdogs, both are premised on the principles of transparency and autonomy.
For this reason, utmost transparency is called for in
these appointments, and it is imperative that the processes by which the names are arrived at are in the
public domain. Yet, in the last one year, amid all the
achievements of the Modi government, the delay in
appointing suitable candidates to these posts had been
a matter of some concern, flagged by political parties,
informed citizen groups and others. At last count, the
Central Information Commission, which has been
functioning without a chief for the last 10 months, has
nearly 37,788 cases to clear. Three posts of information
commissioners in the CIC are vacant. The CIC bench is
authorised to hear appeals with respect to the PMO,
the Department of Personnel, the CVC, the CAG, and
crucial government Ministries.
Democracy is also about processes. Here, the governments intentions cannot be said to have been strictly
above board. If the purpose was to appoint Mr. Sharma,
the seniormost Information Commissioner, as the
chief anyway, why did the 10-month-long delay occur?
After all, the convention so far had been to appoint the
seniormost Commissioner as CIC. More important, in
March the PMO decided to take away the financial
autonomy of the CIC by delegating the powers to a
government-appointed secretary, prompting many citizen groups to say the government had weakened the
CIC and trampled on its autonomy. In the case of Mr.
Chowdary, the process of appointment started after
the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead, directing the
government to ensure transparency by providing the
selection committee headed by the Prime Minister the
details of all 130 applicants who applied for the CVCs
post (according to media reports), and not just of those
shortlisted by a panel of three bureaucrats. The court is
yet to complete hearings on a public interest litigation
petition questioning the process of appointment of the
CVC. The Opposition, whose role is crucial in the process of appointment of the CVC, may have become an
ally of the government in this instance. But unless the
government addresses concerns over whether it has
gone through all the processes and procedures laid
down under law, questions and doubts will remain.
he consensus among those evaluating Prime Minister Narendra Modis performance at the end of his
first year in office is that while the
jury is still out on domestic issues, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) governments performance
on the foreign policy front has been praiseworthy. While some of it may be true, it is
important to note that foreign policy outcomes are merely the tip of the iceberg when
compared to the entirety of a countrys foreign policy architecture. In that sense, Mr.
Modi has so far not sought to improve the
competence and capacity of the countrys
foreign policy establishment. Therefore,
lets move beyond the euphoria surrounding
his spectacular foreign policy performance
to examine the deep-seated inadequacies in
Indias foreign policy architecture.
Organisational inadequacies
The principal drawback of the foreign policy establishment is that it is miserably understaffed. While New Delhi does have some
first-rate diplomats, what we really need are
not a few overworked senior officials but
more, well-trained personnel. On account of
financial constraints, bureaucratic inertia
and inter-ministerial disagreements, all we
have are around 900-odd Indian Foreign
Service (IFS) officers to operationalise Indias ambitious foreign policy initiatives.
Even as the volume and nature of Indias
foreign policy workload is steadily increasing and transforming, especially under the
new regime, the recruitment of IFS officers
has increased only by 3-4 per year despite
recommendations to increase the intake.
Though the aim is to have around 1,200 officers by 2018, even that will prove inadequate. The fact is that IFS officers are
generalists by training, and are routinely
transferred around the world to man varied
diplomatic and foreign policy assignments.
This means that key elements of todays international relations such as trade diplomacy and climate policy, among others, will be
neglected, even as they are the centrepiece of
Mr. Modis international engagement.
Intellectual weaknesses
Diplomacy today is much more than mere
courtesies, photo-opportunities and protocols: it is primarily about pursuing ones national interests in a globalised and highly
networked world that is far more complex
than before. New-age diplomacy then needs
Narendra Modi has shown that he has no

hesitation in articulating Indias role on the world
stage. But for this, he must start overhauling
the foreign policy apparatus
a lot more intellectual agility, in-depth
knowledge of specialised issues, and an ability to innovate like never before. Therefore,
Indias antediluvian diplomatic and foreign
policy architectures should be subjected to
radical reform if New Delhi is to make its
presence felt in the fast-changing contemporary international system.
For one, the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) is hardly receptive to intellectual inputs from anyone other than its own overworked bureaucrats who are almost always
caught up in the day-to-day running of the
ministry. On issues ranging from trade to
climate change to science and technology, all
of which are central to contemporary diplomacy, there exists a great deal of intellectual
expertise in non-state institutions such as
private sector think tanks, public and private
universities and the media. But bureaucratic
as commerce or finance and vice versa. Currently, no more than one or two IFS officers
are posted in other Union Ministries. This
means that various Union Ministers with
interests in Indias foreign policy decisions,
including the MEA, continue to remain in
their cozy enclaves, resulting in suboptimal
foreign policy formulation.
Ideational shortcomings
The Indian foreign policy establishment
also suffers from an acute inability to ideate
outside the box. Much of the intellectual
energy is spent on routine management of
the ministry where adhocism, outdated
precedents and pragmatism are the guiding
principles. Moreover, our foreign policy establishment, by design, tends to be reactive
in nature, rather than proactive or creative.
Such adhocism is a direct result of deep-
Since IFS officers are generalists by training, key elements of

todays international relations such as trade diplomacy and
climate policy, among others, will be neglected,
if outside expertise is not invited.
self-importance and the absence of conducive institutional mechanisms have prevented the proper utilisation of such valuable
expertise. Indeed, while foreign ministries
across the world are exploring innovative
means to draw upon outside expertise, the
tendency in India is to build barricades
against such expertise from trickling into
South Block. When the government does engage the strategic/academic community to
carry out research for it, supporting findings are generally preferred.
K. Subrahmanyam, one of Indias finest
strategic thinkers, had this to say about the
interaction between the bureaucracy as well
as politicians and the civilian policy community: Our politicians and bureaucrats entertain the illusion that they know more about
overall Indian foreign and security policies
than the think-tank people and academics in
India. Most of our leaders listened to the
advice of Western strategists, but would not
even engage in serious discussions with Indian thinkers on the subject.
To make things worse, IFS officers also
avoid being posted to other ministries such
rooted structural and ideational biases

against long-term planning and grand strategic thinking. Successive Union governments have steered clear of articulating a
coherent road map for the countrys foreign
policy and strategic engagements, of identifying medium- and long-term goals, the
challenges to be faced while pursuing them,
or the ways to get there. The MEAs Policy
Planning Division hardly engages in any serious planning, nor is it mandated or empowered to do so.
White papers or official documents are
rarely issued on key foreign policy challenges nor are independent panels of experts
tasked to work on them. And when an independent panel is appointed a rare occurrence the recommendations of its
members are neatly archived, often classified under the Official Secrets Act, and never
referred to. Senior bureaucrats hardly ever
refer to research findings churned out by
research organisations and think tanks. Given this absence of a competent policy-planning structure within the MEA, policies are
often made on the basis of intuition and
CARTOONSCAPE
Battling
Islamic State
year after it captured Mosul, the major Iraqi
city, Islamic State remains a formidable force
in the West Asian region. The U.S.-led coalitions bombing campaign shows no sign of
checking its momentum. Barring some setbacks suffered at the hands of Kurdish and Shia militias, IS has
expanded its zone of influence beyond its base in Syraq over the year. It recently captured Ramadi, the
capital of Iraqs Anbar province, and the ancient Syrian
city of Palmyra. It now has branches in countries including Lebanon, Libya, Afghanistan and Nigeria. President Barack Obama all but admitted on June 10, the
anniversary of the fall of Mosul, as he ordered an
additional 450 military advisers to join the 3,500 already in Iraq, that his anti-IS strategy wasnt working.
To be sure, IS has no dearth of enemies in the battlefield. The Syrian and Iraqi armies have declared war on
it; Gulf monarchies are a party to a U.S.-led coalition
bombing IS locations; Egypt had struck IS militants in
Libya; and Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia militia, has
said it would fight IS along the Lebanon-Syria border.
Still, why does IS appear so formidable?
ISs advantage perhaps is that its rivals have no
coordinated strategy: they are driven not by a common
goal of defeating the enemy but by their own selfinterest and sectarian calculations. In Syria, the regime
of Bashar al Assad is the most potent force against IS.
But the U.S. and its allies such as Saudi Arabia and
Qatar want a regime change in Damascus. The efforts of
Saudi Arabia and Turkey to weaken the Syrian regime
are helping IS grow. In Iraq, the army, disbanded and
rebuilt by the Americans, is largely sectarian and too
inefficient to mount a major attack on its own. The
Hezbollah may be able to protect the Lebanese-Syrian
border from IS, but it is considered a terrorist outfit by
the U.S., and an Iranian lackey by the Saudis. The
Kurdish guerrillas in the Syrian and Turkish border
regions had resisted IS effectively, but Turkey doesnt
want them to be brought into the anti-IS coalition. Iran
has sent Shia militia groups to the battle-front, but they
are viewed with suspicion in Iraqs Sunni-dominated
areas owing to sectarian reasons. IS feeds off this complex sectarian-geopolitical game, and with savagery
and extremism tightens its grip over victims. But all
this doesnt mean IS is invincible: it could be defeated,
as Kobane and Tikrit show. But to turn such isolated
victories into a comprehensive triumph, the forces
battling IS need to come up with a cohesive strategy
cutting across sectarian fault-lines. Until that happens,
West Asia will continue to see more bloodshed.
CM
YK

Border operation
Indias cross-border move, into
Myanmar (Hot pursuit a message
to all, says govt. June 11), is a
warning to all anti-national and
subversive forces and also quells
the impression that India and its
citizens are sitting ducks for
terrorist attacks. Terrorists and
secessionists speak and act only in
one language that of violence,
bloodshed and hatred. A country
like Israel has caught the
imagination of a vast number of
people across the world only
because it pays aggressors back in
their own coin. It is regrettable that
the Congress party is politicising
the issue at a time when it needs to
back the government (Dont
politicise Army action, says
Congress, June 11).
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
The Indian state, all too often, is
perceived as being too soft towards
its enemies. Instead of hot
pursuit,
successive
Indian
governments have followed more
orthodox and ineffective channels,
largely diplomatic initiatives in
neighbouring capitals, to win
support against Indias enemies.
The key message that is clear from
this strike is that India will no
longer whimper when faced with
terrorist attacks. The Narendra
Modi government deserves credit.
Meghana A.,
NSW, Australia
The change in mindset is what has
common sense. Non-official literature dealing with long-term strategic planning is often dismissed as academic, meaning,
useless.
There is inadequate and inconsistent focus on major policy initiatives. The focus
between two prime ministerial visits or crises, is on the mundane. Clearly, major initiatives cannot be undertaken in a sustained
manner with a handful of officials distracted
by routine matters, and with the political
bosses showing neither the aptitude nor the
appetite for it. The political leadership under
Mr. Modi may make grand foreign policy
declarations and promises, but the chances
of such declarations translating into outcomes are few, given the establishments
short attention span.
Walking the talk

Unlike his predecessors, Mr. Modi has
demonstrated no hesitation in articulating
that under his watch, India will play a major
role on the world stage. If he is serious about
his ambitious plans to be a part of the emergent Asian century, he needs to start by overhauling the countrys foreign policy
apparatus. If not, his foreign policy agenda is
likely to collapse under its own weight.
First, the MEAs institutional capacity
must be improved by radically altering
recruitment patterns and philosophy. The
intake of IFS recruits per year should be at
least doubled, and the government should
consider a separate examination to recruit
officers with an aptitude for foreign affairs.
Many such proposals in the past were shot
down by other bureaucracies, namely, the
Indian Administrative Service. Hence, the
government should not let the MEA or other
self-seeking bureaucracy to decide on how to
expand the Foreign Service establishment;
this ought to be a political decision. Moreover, there should be a policy decision to
absorb outside expertise through lateral entry or deputation.
In its fourth report, the parliamentary
Standing Committee on External Affairs
(2014-2015) made some thoughtful recommendations: The Ministry must engage
with the Department of Personnel and
Training (DoPT) and impress upon them
about the urgency of providing more staff,
including through recruitment from other
cadres and the academic and private sector,
as per the specialized needs of the Ministry.
Recruitment on contract basis from individuals with academic or private sector experience that is directly relevant to urgent needs
should be permitted. One hopes that the
government takes the Standing Committee
recommendations seriously.
Second, the NDA government should issue a doctrine that reflects the countrys
grand strategic objectives. There has to be
more clarity on what India wants as a country which, when enshrined in a well-conceptualised official document, will generate a
sense of purpose and cohesion in the countrys foreign policy. Modesty and opaqueness are no virtues in contemporary
international relations. The MEAs Policy
Planning Division should be empowered and
encouraged to draw upon wide-ranging outside expertise to help frame and articulate
long-term foreign and strategic policies.
Third, there has to be more inter-ministerial coordination in policy-making. Deputations between the MEA and other key
ministries should be mandatory. The government must consider the Commerce Ministrys proposal to create a separate cadre of
commercial counsellors in key Indian
missions.
If Mr. Modi does not want the future
chroniclers of Indias foreign policy to conclude that his foreign policy initiatives, considered to be path-breaking, were nothing
but more of the same with a lot more noise,
he needs to rescue the architecture from its
current disrepair and undertake fundamental reforms to give it the institutional and
intellectual wherewithal it so badly needs.
(Happymon Jacob teaches at the School of
International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru
University,
New
Delhi.
E-mail:
happymon@gmail.com)
provided the Indian Army a new

armour with which to protect the
country from terrorism. If this is to
be the future doctrine, lessons
from Israel and the United States
against any form of terrorism will
be valuable.
V.V. Nair,
Manipal
domain which includes which

regiment went in, the weaponry
used, the aircraft flown and the
number of commandos. The
electronic media has also boosted
the members of the government
who planned the operation when
credit ought to be given to team
work. The identities of individuals
and entities who participated in
The manoeuvres inside Myanmar the mission are details that should
were the result of the quick and have been kept out of the public
decisive nature of Prime Minister domain; these could result in a
Narendra
Modis
style
of diplomatic backlash.
Akshay Viswanathan,
functioning. But India has carried
Thiruvananthapuram
out similar strikes; starting with
Operation Golden Bird in 1995,
the Indian Army has smoked out It is surprising that there are some
militants in Myanmar and Bhutan, who have criticised the crossand with the consent and active border strike by advocating it to be
participation
of
these against accepted principles of
governments. Of course, it was all international law. Why are they so
under wraps. In this Myanmar- touchy? When America can fly its
based operation, what is jarring is special forces several thousand
the needless and childish stance of miles to eliminate Osama bin
a certain Minister of State. One Laden, why cant we do something
also needs to examine whether similar? We have a professional
India will ever think of a similar and well-equipped Army which
only needed the green signal from
operation into Pakistan.
J. Akshobhya, the political establishment. It
Mysuru happened, and with good results.
Mudgal Venkatesh,
Myanmar
appears
to
be
Kalaburagi, Karnataka
contradicting the Indian story
(Action
on
Indian
side: Amid the backslapping and chest
Myanmar, June 11). Is this not a thumping, one should evaluate the
slap on the face of the government? ground realities. While such
What is the credibility of the operations can be conducted with
ease into Nepal, Myanmar or
Indian state?
Rahul Yadav, Bhutan countries with which
Tiruchi Indias relations are on a different
plane would such a move be so
It is unfortunate that most of the easy as this if it involved Pakistan
operational details are in the public and China? Even if India is
thinking of conducting such an

operation in the future, why the
wide publicity? This may result in
more problems.
Apoorv Srivastava,
Allahabad
Zeal for yoga

Why is there criticism of the way
the BJP is planning to promote the
yoga event? A show would help
everyone to notice the influence
and impact of the principles of yoga
(Editorial, June 10). Though it is a
traditional discipline, identified
and propagated centuries ago, its
value has still to be recognised.
Hence, if the Modi government
takes up the cause of promoting
yoga, it must be applauded.
Sicil Thomas,
Pathanamthitta, Kerala
While the Centres initiative to
promote yoga on a mass scale is
welcome, there is a feeling that the
Modi government is going a bit
overboard in its promotion of the
event by planning to make a bit of a
spectacle of it. Such a campaign
will only create a wrong perception
of the BJP trying to disseminate its
own view of our culture, rather
than aiming at the core aspect of
reaping the health benefits from
yoga. Does yoga, which has
increasing universal appeal and
awareness, require any such
demonstration?
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
More than propagating the benefits
of yoga, it is the accompanying
commentary
by
right-wing
elements that is cause for concern.
While the sun is the source of
energy for living beings, let it be
abundantly clear that the sun is a
god for Hindus only. An
imposition
of
controversial
religious connotations is bound to
invite opposition to a good cause.
Sunday is also a day of worship for
some communities. In the craze
and hurry to create all kinds of
records, religious sentiments
cannot be trampled upon.
Matthew Adukanil,
Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
Faith and wildlife

Cruelty to animals in the name of
faith and the proposals by the
Environment
Ministry
(Sanctioning cruelty in the name
of faith, June 11) are in a way statesponsored
atrocities
against
creatures that are harmless. I have
seen snakes that are caught being
subject to immense cruelty. They
are crammed into tiny bags and
later have their fangs yanked out.
Snakes do not drink milk, but in
order to make them do so, they are
starved. Most of the cosmetics
applied to their hoods during
religious ceremonies can cause
allergies and blindness.
Mr. Prakash Javadekar needs to
set aside his religious agenda as he
is no more the spokesman of the
right-wing party but a responsible
minister. Animal activists should
also get the Prime Minister to
intervene in the matter.
Usha Devi Rao Suddapalli,
Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
BG-BG
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
For a smart city with a heart

Gautam Bhatia
Lift the fog on

the operation
he fog is still to lift on the operation the
Indian forces undertook against militant
camps inside Myanmar territory bordering
Manipur as the Narendra Modi government
finds itself dealing with the fallout of certain comments
made by one of its Ministers. Minister of State for
Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh
Rathores statement that the operation was a message
to all countries inimical to India, predictably set off a
furore in Pakistan. At a time when India-Pakistan relations are at a standstill with no sign of a dialogue in
sight, levels of rhetoric have risen, much of it coming
from Pakistan. Traditionally, hot pursuit is a term
that has raised Pakistans hackles. After the nuclear
tests in 1998, senior Minister L.K. Advanis remarks on
hot pursuit elicited a high-decibel response from
Pakistan. This time, besides a resolution in the Pakistan Senate, the Prime Minister, the Interior Minister
and the Chief of the Army Staff have all gone hammer
and tongs at India. It is unfortunate that the action in
Myanmar has triggered a fresh slide in relations with
Pakistan on account of breast-beating and credit-hunting by the Modi government. A robust response to the
killing of 20 soldiers in Manipur on June 4 was called
for, but safeguarding the space to conduct such operations in the future is also critical for Indias long-term
strategy. As military analysts have pointed out, the
June 9 operation is not the first of its kind undertaken
by the Indian Army which as a force will continue to
need the support of the Myanmar authorities. So, while
guarding the sanctity of Indias borders and the lives of
its soldiers and citizens, the long-term strategy must be
to erode the militant strength. In fact, that must be the
single-point strategic agenda.
Indias national interest must be kept paramount.
Short-term political gains coming from loud statements of the kind made by Mr. Rathore can only damage Indias image and risk antagonising a neighbour
like Myanmar. Interestingly, the Minister used the
hashtag #ManipurRevenge while sending out Twitter
messages about the operation. Such sentiments, even
when they come from a junior Minister, cannot be
condoned. At all times the necessary distinction between the actions of a state and those of a terror
organisation must be kept in mind. Reports in the
Manipur media suggest that so far the local police have
not received any report on the Army operation; nor
have any bodies of militants been handed over to them.
Given the claims made by the government, it is essential that evidence of the success of such an operation
be shared appropriately. Also, Delhi must reflect on
why on such occasions tact and silence may help more
than seeking credit and political capital publicly.
he smart city is an urban means to

enhance the use of municipal utilities and public services. Its reliance on computerised data and
digitisation allows for an efficient allocation
of resources and a more equitable distribution to city consumers.
Is such a description an adequate foundation for the new Indian city?
For the most part, the Western definition
of the smart city is spineless, if not altogether redundant in India a mere glossing over
of civic services and infrastructure. The urban migrant, seeking city employment, is
marginalised in ways that go much beyond
just needing improved transport, roads or
utilities. Without any cultural affinity to the
place, he is a rudderless atom with little or
no attachment. For him, the city is an unformed rough frontier, a temporary market
place where everyone lives in a semi-hard
rubble of makeshift houses and tenements,
extracting favours, exchanging livelihoods.
His citys incompleteness and visible ineptness subsume everything into a neutral
brown haze a torturous human and material composition of habitation, excrement,
movement ...
Urban despair
The formal city alongside, grows with different considerations. Given the desperate
demand for space, only its constantly changing and unmade character is apparent. Behind grimy, monsoon-stained walls and
dust-laden, glass facades, people build according to antiquated regulations and halfbaked formulas, adding rooms, breaking
walls, enclosing balconies. Like the tenements, the city they make appears as a shifting, unfocussed transformation of masonry
irregular, disjointed, even illegal an
urban landscape on which the paint never
dries. Without social connections or public
life, the place too only has an air of purposelessness and futility, with each man for
himself.
Such unstructured physical blight also reflects in a daily atmosphere of urban despair. Wherever you go, you come face to
face with the sad consequence of a degenerate, defeated city. Tired faces greet you behind bank computers, broken bricks and
and rental building would allow for greater

mobility of city residents. In the absence of
gated communities, people would not just
live, work and recreate without unnecessary
commutes, but the freedom of mixed-use
living would additionally create a more engaging social life. The privatisation of social
life in the Indian city pool, movies, libraries, play areas has made the city insular
and protected. By returning the facilities to
the public realm, the city would gain a more
world urbanism, life will grind to a halt: the vibrant collective life.
current 60 per cent of slums will rise to a
whopping 90 per cent, traffic movement will One-dimensional surface
Moreover, the Indian city has so far been
decrease to cycle speed of five kmph, and
family occupancy space will shrink from the an entirely one-dimensional surface experipresent 200 square feet to a mere 80 square ence. Homes, offices, cars, pedestrians all
feet. What this foretells for the provision of inhabit the ground, despite conflicting conbasic civic necessities of these places is a ditions of ecology or occupancy. The mispainful, unanswered question. Their securi- match between pedestrians and vehicles,
ty, their social and cultural life, their state of landscape and road is itself enough reason
to consider serious separations for each
well-being, remain an unasked question.
However bleak this scenario, the pessi- condition; and to rethink the possibilities of
mism need not translate into future plan- making places away from the ground up in
ning. If anything, the plans for Mr. Modis the air, or underground, as in the sky bridges
hundred cities and industrial corridors of Chicago, the underground commerce of
must look in an altogether different Minneapolis. The idea would be to provoke
the users into a more comprehensive realdirection.
isation of the third dimension. In cities
The new city
short of usable ground space, the earth beUnlike its medieval conception as a place low and the rarefied sky would offer numerbounded by walls and gates, the new city, ous architectural possibilities.
The forces and demands that press against

the Indian city daily are formed out of entirely
rudimentary considerations. Therefore, the plans
for Narendra Modis hundred cities and industrial
corridors must look in an altogether different
direction
garbage float on roads, shabby government
departments operate with officials not in
their chair; on the street, peoples movement is sluggish and shambling, expressions
sour, even depraved. Unquenched demands
for water supply, electricity, rations, school
admissions, licences and sanctions, make
life a daily battle. Without museums, walking space, gardens, shaded parks or any public engagement, the rougher strains of urban
living take centre stage: rape, molestation,
road rage are the symptoms of general urban
indifference and the dislocation that comes
from migration and disparity. With an implicit mistrust of everyone around, is it a
wonder that people shoot each other over a
wrongly parked car, or a servant kills an
elderly couple for a pocket full of change?
When daily survival is the primary focus
of Indian urbanity, the cultural life of the
city becomes a laughable ideal. Music,
Best city experiences
A radical move away from current city conventions would allow

for greater densities and more fluid approaches to design
of the smart city
sports, art, recreation and social life assume
secondary importance. The freshness of
Danish parks, the thrill of a Los Angeles
clover leaf exchange, the sidewalk cafs of
Paris or Istanbul, and the museums of New
York cultural, engineering, visual and
sensory familiarity rarely play a role in Indian city routines.
The city and considerations

The forces and demands that press
against the Indian city daily are formed out
of entirely rudimentary considerations.
Shrinking homes, deteriorating air, poor
sanitation and overstretched transport have
left the city resident with low expectations.
In the next decade, 35 towns will grow into
mega cities, each with a population above 10
million. Within these monuments to third
once built, will stretch beyond visibility and

physical comprehension. It will house people, places, incidents and ideals that may
never intersect with each other. But within
the vast agglomeration will be the existence
of smaller cities, places with personal
boundaries with constant engagements for
its local residents.
In many ways, these smaller, localised
cities must enthral and engage in the traditional way. Such a traditional intent can
only be achieved through a radical reversal
of property rights, zoning, bylaws and civic
design.
Nowhere in the new scheme should the
government extend any form of home or
commercial ownership to private parties.
Even if places are built in partnership with
builders or developers, the ideals of leased
CARTOONSCAPE
The Ukraine
imbroglio
he G-7 nations put on a brave face against
Russia at a summit held this week in the
Bavarian Alps and decided to continue their
sanctions against President Vladimir Putin
for what they called his war in Ukraine. U.S. President
Barack Obama in fact accused Mr. Putin of wrecking
his country in pursuit of a wrong-headed desire to
recreate the glories of the Soviet empire. Russia countered by warning that it would prolong its own countersanctions, indicating there would not be any change in
its Ukraine policy. While all this is happening, a fresh
outbreak of violence between government troops and
pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine is threatening to derail a tenuous ceasefire. Ukraine is paying a
heavy price for this stand-off. It has lost Crimea to
Russia, is fighting a deadly civil war in the east, and its
economy is in a state of collapse, it having contracted
by nearly 18 per cent in the first quarter of 2015.
The real crisis of Ukraine is that it is caught in a game
of one-upmanship between the West and Russia. The
West wants to punish Russia for its annexation of
Crimea and for helping separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow, on the other hand, sees Western involvement
in the ouster of Ukraines pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych, and seems determined to resist the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisations outreach to its
backyard. If the Wests real intention is to get Russia to
change its policy towards Ukraine, it should rethink its
sanctions regime, which has been demonstrably ineffective over the past 15 months. Supporters of the
sanctions might argue that those worked in the case of
Iran and might work in Russias case as well. But Russia
is not Iran. It is a geopolitical giant, a former superpower and a huge country that still has substantial leveraging power in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
Given the way policy-making works in the Kremlin, it is
illogical to believe that any kind of coercion would
work against Mr. Putin. Besides, there is little to suggest that the Western policy of isolating Russia is working at all. More than a year after Russia was suspended
from the G-8 following its annexation of Crimea, the
leading powers still need Russia to deal with pressing
global issues ranging from the Iranian nuclear talks to
the Syrian civil war. So a more pragmatic approach
would be to start a diplomatic engagement in a mutually conducive environment. The inept handling by both
sides of what was a domestic issue in Ukraine has
turned it into a regional problem. Left unchecked, the
problem could well turn into a war. It is high time the
West and Moscow set aside rhetoric and started addressing the problem directly.
CM
YK

Hot pursuit and after
The killing of insurgents who
sought refuge across the Myanmar
border is no big deal for an army of
Indias size. Perhaps, the brouhaha
over the incident by the Modi
government was, and is still,
unnecessary (Govt. plays down
hot pursuit claims, June 12).
Indeed,
the
operation
is
ridiculously small when compared
to the liberation of Bangladesh by
Indira Gandhi. Also, what was the
need for the government and
media channels to continually
engage Pakistan in a war of words
over this military operation?
Rather than warn Pakistan over
and over again, why cant India
conduct a similar surprise raid into
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir which
harbours countless terror camps?
Even hot pursuit by the Indian
Army into PoK territory can be
justified on the grounds of selfdefence. It is the only solution
available
to
India
against
unprecedented acts of terrorism by
Pakistan.
When Israel raided Entebbe, a
town in Uganda, in 1976, to redeem
hostages, it was a move that was
supported by western nations as
the only recourse available to
Israel to combat international
terrorism. Let us not forget this.
Kangayam R. Narasimhan,
Chennai
The Indian media never seems to
learn its lessons. It was media
overdrive in Nepal following the
devastating quake that soured
relations with Kathmandu. Now,
can we afford to face a similar
situation with Myanmar? When we
are talking about regional peace
and cooperation, the sovereignty of
The best cities are ironically built on undemocratic ideals. Even when innovating
and providing opportunity, they enforce severe restrictions on daily life. London would
not have some of the worlds most natural
urban parks without ordinances controlling
the building around them, and the imposition of a congestion tax that restricts polluting cars from entering the centre of town.
Singapores auction of a limited number of
vehicle registrations achieves a similar purpose. Along the East Coast of the U.S., many
small towns are designated for pedestrians
only. Such restrictions have been designed
for the larger common good, and clearly
state preferences for better public health,
green space, and enriching the experience of
surrounding heritage. Similar restrictive
practices in future civic design will be necessary if the problems of the current city are to
be avoided.
Of the many threats to urban life, nothing
is more repressive and mind-numbing than
daily living without spontaneity, imagination and a ready dose of the unfamiliar. A
radical move away from current city conventions would allow greater densities and
more fluid approaches to design. Hong
Kongs elevated sidewalks and street escalators allow people to cross into buildings
without descending to street level. Houses
in traditional Italian towns connect with
each other above the streets. In some of the
new towns in Spain, train stations are incorporated in municipal and commercial
structures. The importance of innovative
combinations of public uses lends a civic
uniqueness to utilitarian places.
What would it take to combine Mumbais
Victoria Terminus with a cricket stadium or
a public club? Or retrofitting Delhis main
Metro stations with swimming pools or libraries? Could cycle tracks in Bengaluru
have benefited from an alignment along the
city park system? Like the public chaikhannas of Uzbekistan or the baths of Turkey,
wouldnt the Indian public too gain from the
insertion of innovative social uses inserted
into its daily movement through the city?
At this stage in the life of Indias older
cities, perhaps that is too much to ask. But
the designs for Indias hundred new cities
cannot be allowed to emerge from a mere
business model; without an innovative, cultural and social blueprint, the plans might as
well be shelved.
(Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based architect
and sculptor.)
our neighbouring countries should

be respected. We already have
disturbed relations with Pakistan
and China. We cannot afford to
antagonise Myanmar. The military
operation across the IndoMyanmar border was one of the
most successful operations by the
Indian Army in recent times and
the Myanmar government should
have thanked.
Dhruba Jyoti Borah,
New Delhi
Right from the beginning, India
should have played out this crossborder raid with more tact and
discretion. The Indian Army and
the media should have also avoided
bragging too much about the
incident. It is surprising how the
foreign office misread the
consequences arising out of the
plan. No nation with self-respect
will be quiet about the violation of
its borders.
A.Thirugnanasambantham,
Coimbatore
Yoga day
Health and education are two areas
that have been relegated to the
background in our country, unlike
in the West where they are
accorded top priority. At a time
when the benefits of yoga have
been internationally acclaimed,
acknowledged and practised by
millions of people across the globe,
especially in the Arab and Western
countries, and where a vast
majority
of
people
are
predominantly
Muslim
or
Christian, it is a matter of utmost
regret that calculated attempts
have been made to denigrate and
undermine its relevance in the
country of its origin. (Muslim
groups back Yoga day, Catholics
unhappy, June 12). The increasing

tendency of certain sections to
inject politics and add a narrow
religious connotation even to those
policies which are beneficial to the
common man without rationale
and objective analysis of the same
is myopic and skewed, which can
only be construed as the symptoms
of a diseased mindset. I wish to add
that the family doctor of mine, who
is a Muslim in his eighties, is a
regular, long-term practitioner of
yoga and who has absolutely no
qualms in openly acknowledging
its benefits.
Yoga offers a perfect and timetested panacea to all sections of
society, especially youth who are
becoming increasingly susceptible
to life-style diseases. Therefore,
isnt it in the fitness of things that
yoga be promoted in schools right
from an early age? The events
proposed to be organised on
International Yoga Day provide a
fitting occasion to acknowledge the
invaluable contributions made by
our forefathers towards yoga.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
On foreign policy
initiatives to popularise the Make

in India scheme among the
business community were taken.
Also, the bond with Indian cultural
organisations
spread
across
Europe was strengthened when
regular programmes were held to
bring all organisations under one
umbrella. To this day, consulates
spread across world are taking the
initiative to ensure the success of
International Yoga Day. While this
will carve a niche for India, it will
also help develop Indias soft
power through people-to-people
contacts. I believe we are on right
track on matters of foreign policy.
Antariksh Bhardwaj,
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
India aspires to be a superpower by
2020, but has one of the smallest
(and definitely overburdened)
foreign services in the world. The
inadequacy of its reactive foreign
policy is evident from the fact that
the last, genuine and innovative
grand strategy (and not in bilateral
relations) of India was devised by
the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru namely the Non
Alignment Movement.
Indias
population,
size,
geostrategic location and economy,
all demand a more innovative,
independent and vocal articulation
of its foreign grand strategies. It
shouldnt be one of the swing
civilizations,
as
Samuel
Huntington would say; rather, it
should show credibility in its words
and follow-up actions.
Swati Singh,
As an Indian who has lived in

Germany for around four years and
one who has taken intense interest
in the working of the consulate, I
would beg to differ with the
statement that only artificial
changes have happened in the
working of our foreign policy
initiatives (Brick and mortar of
foreign policy, June 12). It was the
common refrain of Indians there
that the foreign service officials
were working and continue to do
so for the success of government The move by the Union Health
missions and especially the Make Ministry to come out with a gazette
in India scheme. Countless notification on legible medical
Legible prescriptions
prescriptions
(Doctors
prescriptions to be in capital
letters soon, June 12) is a
progressive thought as there are
many cases where medical shops
have delivered wrong medicines/
dosages based on illegible writing. I
also feel a prescription should be
computer-generated and should
have details of the illness, etc.
Recently, while buying a medicine
prescribed by the doctor at a
pharmacy, instead of 500 mg
tablets of 10, I was given 6 tablets of
250 mg and 4 of 500 mg while also
billed for the rate of 500 mg. I feel
that there must be regular
inspections of medical shops.
N. Mahadevan,
Chennai
I was reminded of a joke where a
teacher once told his class that all
students who wrote illegibly would
become doctors in the future.
When many application forms
follow the requirement and
procedure of information being
given in capital letters, why not the
same for the vital and life-saving
subject of medicine? Saving a life is
possible only with the right
medicine, the right frame of mind
and the right handwriting!
A.J. Rangarajan,
Chennai
This can do a lot of good to patients
as well as pharmacists. But with the
present draft notification, there is
absolutely
no
penalty
for
violations. Therefore, most doctors
are likely to continue to do what
they have been doing till now -scribble. A penalty for violations
must be considered by the
authorities.
J. Eden Alexander,
Thanjavur
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
The hot Saudi-Iran cold war

Stanly Johny
A key right
from Telangana
ven as the Central government ghts to create
a business-friendly environment, the brandnew Telangana government led by K. Chandrasekhar Rao has walked the talk by announcing a unique and highly welcome Right to
Clearance policy. This is a signicant move in the new
States industrialisation programme, and could prove
to be a crucial differentiator in the near future. Akin to
the Right to Information, the Right to Clearance recognises that businesses have the right to know why project proposals are being delayed and to demand redress
for unnecessary procrastination. Bureaucratic redtape and corruption have not really come to an end in
India despite the death of licence raj; industries are still
at the mercy of whimsical policies and procedural
nightmares. The Right to Clearance will involve a provision to impose a ne of Rs.1,000 on officials for each
day of delay in granting clearance to a project, besides
allowing businesses to know the exact reason why a
proposal is stuck. It also lays down a 15-day time limit
for the clearance of mega-projects involving over
Rs.200 crore, and of one month for smaller projects. If
government departments miss the deadline, the project will get automatic deemed approval. These, and
other features such as single-window clearances, automatic renewals and self-certication, will go a long way
towards creating an ecosystem that eases doing business in the State. The opportunity costs of clearance
delays are enormous. Such cost and time overruns
impact the viability not just of industries but also of
lending institutions. Across the country, projects
worth crores of rupees are mired, awaiting clearance.
It is this fact that makes the Chandrasekhar Rao
governments move particularly laudable. Naturally, it
has been welcomed by leading industrialists, with some
of them already announcing projects. They now have a
sense of reassurance and renewed belief that the Telangana government is serious about creating an outstanding industrial hub. Extending the out-of-the-box
thinking, the Chief Minister has assured industry of a
graft-free and hassle-free system that will remove
lobbies and middlemen. Moves such as this will help rid
the bureaucracy of inertia, and inject a sense of urgency
and responsibility into the system. The Telangana governments move not only empowers industries but also
raises the bar considerably, and other States will have
to match the offer if they dont want to lose out amid
the growing inter-State competition for investment.
There is, however, one thing the government must
note. Project-appraisal is not only about speedy clearances. Proper due diligence is also a sine qua non for
clearance. Speed should not result in ill-conceived or
poorly-structured projects being rushed through, and
it is to be hoped that the policy will also ensure that.
he rapid rise of the Islamic State in

Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a development that must have taken
many by surprise. What was once a
small group of Sunni militants in northwestern Iraq engaged in a sectarian battle
with the Shia government in Baghdad till
three years ago the al-Qaeda of Iraq has
now transformed itself into one of the most
sophisticated forms of jihadi machinery in
the world, controlling territories that are as
large as Great Britain with a population of
around eight million.
What led to this phenomenal rise? There
are multiple explanations, including conspiracy theories such as the United States
being responsible for its creation and of Saudi Arabia bankrolling it. If one sets aside the
conspiracy theories and starts looking for
the historical factors that have led to this
emergence, its not difficult to see that IranSaudi rivalry is one of them.
A weakening of states
IS derives its strength from the weakening of nation states. And there are at least
three factors that have contributed to the
weakening of states in contemporary West
Asia: external interventions; the Arab revolts and Saudi-Iran antagonism. The rst
two, relatively newer phenomena, gave the
Saudi-Iran balance of power conict a new
context and battleelds, and together are
reshaping West Asian geopolitics.
The Saudi-Iran competition dates back to
the days before the Iranian Revolution. Both
the Pahlavi dynasty of Iran and the al-Saud
royal family of Saudi Arabia vied for regional
inuence as well as for an edge in the global
energy market, even as they remained the
the two pillars of the U.S.s West Asian
policy. The Islamic revolution of 1979, that
overthrew the monarchy in Iran, brought
about an ideological twist to this competition: Shia Islamist Republicanism versus
Sunni Wahhabism. In the early months of
the revolution, Radio Tehran used to air
propaganda, targeting monarchy rule in
general and the al-Saud family in particular.
Kings despoil a country when they enter it
and make the noblest of its people its meanest, began a broadcast on March 14, 1980,
quoting from the Koran. Iranian Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Khomeinis call to the oppressed in the Muslim world to turn against
their rulers did not go down well with monarchs in the region. The Saudis, who pre-
CARTOONSCAPE
Sub-optimal
accord
n the face of it, the 16-point agreement
signed on June 8 among Nepals four largest
political parties should bring closure to the
long-delayed process of promulgating a new
Constitution for Naya Nepal. Reeling from the earthquakes in April and May, Nepal sorely required its
polity and its elected Constituent Assembly (CA) to
push for an accord to resolve outstanding issues the
key ones being state restructuring and the form of
governance. On the latter issue, the accord decided to
retain the Westminster parliamentary model with an
executive Prime Minister and a constitutional head of
state in the President. The Maoists had been opposed
to the parliamentary model, but have agreed to take the
process of promulgation forward. On state restructuring, the accord has vaguely identied an eight-state
model whose boundaries would be decided by a federal
commission. Effectively, it pushed the envelope on the
much-debated issue to be decided by a committee of
experts. Per se, this was a kind of compromise by both
sides of the federalism debate. The former accepted the
presence of identity as a criterion of federal determination, while the latter stopped insisting that the CA
alone would nalise the federal nature of the state.
There is no doubt that the earthquake, which showed
up the Nepali state as wanting in its response to the
disaster in terms of relief and rehabilitation (and preparedness) efforts, accelerated the process of getting
over the constitutional deadlock. But the sudden spurt
of activism in nalising the accord begs the question
whether it merely postpones the resolution of the state
restructuring issue rather than resolving it. State restructuring was a key demand among the plains-dwellers, minorities and jana jatis in the run-up to the rst
CA elections in 2008. The demand and need for a CA
came about because the rst Jan Andolan that brought
about a constitutional monarchy in 1990 did not do
enough to break the hegemonic hold of communities
such as the Bahun and the Chhetris over the state. The
decision under the accord to leave the task of resolving
what is effectively a political issue to an unelected
commission is therefore not an optimal one. Ironically,
the rst iteration of the CA, before its dissolution in
2012, had managed to nearly resolve the state restructuring issue before some elements from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unied Marxist-Leninist) and the
Nepali Congress managed to prevent a clinching solution. It is to be hoped that the proposed commission
manages to bring about a federal structure that is close
enough to what was nearly arrived at by the rst CA.
CM
YK

Debroy panel report
As recommended by the Debroy
panel on the restructuring of the
Indian Railways (Make train
services viable: panel, June 14), an
independent, regulatory authority
for the Railways is a sine qua non
for the sustainability of a
philanthropic organisation and
the welfare of the full fare paying
passenger. Train services that run
without commercial viability are a
drain
on
the
exchequer.
Accountability based on a costbenet ratio is essential for
nancial health of the behemoth.
As a former member of the
Ticket Checking Organisation, I
can vouchsafe for the fact that only
a negligible part of travellers on a
train are legitimate, law-abiding
citizens who pay for their comforts
out of their own pockets. If the BJP
government can put an end to the
yearly ritual of a separate budget
for the Railways, it will be a
milestone in the path of progress.
The Railways as a commercial
enterprise will remain a perennial
source of direct revenue.
Annadurai Jeeva,
Srirangam
The recommendations are bold,
many of which remained so far as
whispers in the corridors of power.
It is, perhaps, for the rst time that
an official panel has suggested such
revolutionary changes in the
structure and working process of
the Railways. The Railway Board
continued
to
pursue
the
accounting method being followed
in government that was a
throwback from British days. The
Saudi Arabian-Iran rivalry is no longer about

two nations vying for supremacy, but is now
deeply intertwined with regional geopolitics and
sectarian equations. Any effort to find long-lasting
peace in West Asia should primarily address
this problem
mer Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki,

accused Saudi Arabia of fomenting sectarian conict and funding a Sunni army.
The proxy wars

This cold war went beyond Iraq into greater West Asia with the breakout of Arab
street revolts. In the fall of Egypts Hosni
Mubarak, Saudi Arabia lost an ally. When
protests touched off in Bahrain, a Shia majority country ruled by a Sunni royal family,
the Saudis saw the Iranian hand. Iraq had
already gone into the Iranian camp, and
Riyadh didnt want the same to happen in
Bahrain, a GCC member. In March 2011,
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
sent troops to Bahrain to brutally remove
protesters from Manamas Pearl Square.
They did the same in Yemen months later,
but failed to protect the regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh in the wake of public protests.
The Saudi game plan was to replace Mr.
Saleh with another president loyal to them;
Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi was chosen to do
the job. But when the Hadi government was
overthrown by the Shia militia Houthis, the
Saudis were again unsettled. Afraid of growing Iranian inuence in the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh started bombing Yemen in
March in a bid to push the Houthis out of
power. The campaign is still going on, without an end-result in sight.
actors. Iran was behind the formation of the

Hezbollah, a Shia militia-cum-political
movement in Lebanon, in the early 1980s,
and had been one of the consistent supporters of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. Syria was perhaps the only staunch
state ally of Iran in the region. The Iranians
projected themselves and these non-state
groups as an archipelago of resistance
against an axis of dominance led by the Saudis. That the U.S. was backing the Saudi
alliance actually strengthened the Iranian
narrative that it was the vanguard of antiimperialist struggle in West Asia.
What changed the rules of this balance of
power game was the American invasion of
Iraq in 2003. The war not only toppled Saddam Hussein, Irans biggest direct threat in
the region, but also set the stage for the
Two axes
political rise of Iraqs majority Shia commuThough the Sunni coalition could not nity, who had historical ties with Iran. Tehachieve its goal of overthrowing the Islamic ran immediately sensed an opportunity in Syrias slide
In Syria, a Sunni majority country ruled
by the Alawite-dominated Ba'ath party, this
Saudi-Iranian rivalry played out disastrousIS derives its strength from the weakening of nation states.
ly. When protests broke out in Syria, the
Saudis changed tack. If they batted for staAnd there are at least three factors that have contributed to
bility in Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen, their
the weakening of states in contemporary West Asia: external
slogan in Syria has been regime change, because Damascus has been an ally of Tehran.
interventions; the Arab revolts and Saudi-Iran antagonism.
Saudi Arabia and its GCC allies actively
funded and weaponised Syrian rebel groups
regime in Tehran, it succeeded in locking the post-Saddam Iraq. It has expanded its which played a major role in destabilising
Iran into a long-lasting conict with Iraq. At presence in Baghdad ever since. The forma- parts of the country. Its from this chaos that
the same time, the Saudis stitched together tion of a Shia government in Baghdad has Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi rebuilt his dilapidatan alliance of Gulf monarchies to strengthen only strengthened Iranian inuence in Iraq. ed terror machinery into the IS of today.
their regional standing. The formation of Saudi Arabia, which had seen Iraq as a buffer Most of the weapons the Saudi-Gulf nations
the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a between Iran and the rest of the region, was supplied to the Syrian rebels ended up in the
group of conservative Gulf monarchies, in alarmed by the fall of Baghdad into Iranian hands of al-Baghdadis men, who effectively
1981 was initially designed to counter Ira- hands. To be sure, it was a historical blow for erased the Iraqi-Syria border and establishnian inuence.
their interests, though that was not the least ed the Caliphate. On the other side, Tehran
It became the lynchpin of the Saudi strat- of American intentions while launching the did everything it could to back the Syrian
egy towards Tehran. In the years that fol- war. To weaken the Iraqi government, Saudi regime; if Mr. Assad falls, that would weaken
lowed, an emergence of a Saudi-led axis of Arabia refused to send an envoy to Baghdad, Iranian power in the region. It would also
Sunni Arab monarchies and dictatorships and demanded that Iraq repay a loan it gave cut off a vital link between Tehran and Hezpitched itself against Iran. Tehrans re- to Saddam Hussein, estimated to be around bollah, the Lebanese Shia group. Syrias
sponse was initially limited as its primary $30 billion, during the Iran-Iraq war.
slide into a geopolitical battleeld was rathfocus was on Saddam Hussein. But it had a
There were also reports that the Kingdom er quick, much to the joy of extremist groups
grand strategy too for regional inuence, was helping Sunni extremist groups in who love chaos.
which, unlike the Saudi model of a coalition Iraqs Shia-Sunni sectarian civil war. AcSyria is now effectively a divided country
of nation states, was focussed on non-state cording to WikiLeaks documents, the for- where at least ve blocs, including the regime, the IS and the so-called moderate rebels, hold on to territories. In Iraq,
Baghdads writ rules only in the Shia majority regions, while the Iraqi Armys ght
against the IS is largely backed by Irancontrolled militias. Bahrain is uneasily quiet
and could explode any time. Yemen is being
destroyed by the Saudi bombers, while the
Houthis, contrary to Riyadhs declared
goals, are tightening their grip over the
country. Lebanon could be the next battleground where the Iran-backed Hezbollah
is a strong actor.
The Saudi-led axis has already expressed
concerns over Hezbollahs growing clout in
the country, where Sunni extremist groups
are particularly targeting Hezbollah positions, threatening to drag the country into
another civil war.
Whats common in all these crises is that
both Saudi Arabia and Iran are involved in
them, either directly or through proxies,
adopting opposite positions. The Saudi-Iran
rivalry is no longer about two nations vying
for supremacy; its now deeply intertwined
with regional geopolitics and sectarian
equations. Any effort to nd long-lasting
peace in West Asia should primarily address
this problem. If not, this game of destabilising the region in the name of proxy battles
will go on, creating conditions for the emergence of more groups like IS.
stanly.johny@thehindu.co.in
ferred status quo, saw the revolutionary
Iran as a disruptive force. Sunni monarchs
and dictators faced two challenges in the
aftermath of the Iranian revolution. First,
the possibility of their own people inspired by the Iranian revolution turning
against them; and second, the potential rise
of Iran as a regional power. To prevent both,
they wanted to contain Iran. Tehran, on the
other hand, seeing Riyadh as the leader of a
bloc that sought to cripple its natural rise,
wanted to counter those efforts. The stage
was set for a new form of rivalry in the
region. Its rst denite manifestation was
the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88, in which most
Sunni states stood behind an aggressive
Saddam Hussein despite their differences
with him.
personnel working there also

absorbed the spirit and tenor
compatible
with
a
purely
government entity.
The Railways is now in a position
where it cannot live with its own
resources and income; a most
unviable and undesirable position.
The
appointment
of
an
independent regulator will be
path-breaking for the Railways to
be more efficient and responsive to
the genuine needs of the users/
customers as different from those
of its political bosses.
K. Rajendran,
Chennai
Though extensive, the report lacks
credibility. The smooth running of
the Railways is achieved only after
long
experience
and
an
understanding of the route
conditions. It also involves looking
after its employees, better
management
and
closer
coordination with the travelling
public. A division of the movement
of trains into passenger and mail/
express services will only result in
chaos as coordinated movement of
both services is essential.
R. Rangarajan,
Secunderabad
pool set up, June 14). At the same

time, old concerns of nuclear safety
an accident like in Chernobyl,
Three Mile Island, or Fukushima,
daily routine emissions, cooling
of water and waste disposal are
still very much alive in the minds of
ordinary people. Residents around
nuclear plants live in fear. It is
frightening to think of the
consequences of tripling energy
generation from the nuclear sector
in the next ve years. A review of
the nuclear policy with the
paramount concern of safety is the
wisest thing to do if human
survival is of some concern to our
leaders.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Food safety concerns
The controversy that surrounds

the food product of a well-known
multinational (How labelling
cooked Maggies goose, June 14)
should not be seen as an isolated
incident. It is the negative fallout of
globalisation. Since the entry of
packaged food into the dietary
habits of Indians, there have been
some voices of concern, but they
were tackled and swept under the
carpet using money power. Now,
without any further delay, all socalled packaged fast food items,
and on which the current
It is claimed that nuclear projects generation thrives, should be
held up in the absence of the tested and immediatelybanned if
insurance pool will now take off as any harmful ingredient is found
the suppliers dont have to accept beyond permissible limits.
Shivendra Bisht,
liability for any damage or
Lucknow
destruction caused by a meltdown
due to human error, mechanical
failure or natural disaster
(Rs.1,500-cr. nuclear insurance The greatest threat Indian
Nuclear insurance pool
AAPs bed of thorns
democracy faces is from the

authoritarian traits of, and the lack
of internal democracy in, political
parties which form democratic
governments after having won the
elections (Sunday Anchor page
AAPs bed of thorns, June 14).
AAP has given the people of Delhi
false
hope
that
it
was
comprehensively different from
the typical Indian party. Its
unexpected electoral victory has
only helped Arvind Kejriwal turn
into an autocrat. I am tempted to
quote a sentence from the God of
Small Things: And there it was
again...
Another
edice
constructed by the human mind,
decimated by human nature.
Sukumaran C.V.,
Palakkad
When the voters of Delhi gifted
AAP and Mr. Kejriwal with a bed of
roses, it is most sad and
unimaginable that AAP has
converted it into one of thorns, all
on its own. One fails to analyse
whether this conversion is due to
immaturity of Mr. Kejriwal who
led the party to an astonishing
victory in politics or a result of his
egoistic
mindset
that
was
intolerant of the constructive
criticism of some of the founder
members
who
provided
intellectual heft to the party.
Unless Mr. Kejriwal listens to sane
advice, I am sure that he will
continue to be pricked by the
thorns. I hope he does not compel
the voters of Delhi to go in for a
third election to give him their nal
verdict.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda, Telangana
Smart cities
Gautam Bhatias article, For a
smart city with a heart (June 13),
offers a range of ideas from cities
across the globe that our cities
must look up to, but his article is
superuous. Consider the line,
What would it take to combine
Mumbais Victoria Terminus with
a cricket stadium or a public club?
which underlines the brilliance of
his analysis as any of the crores of
people who use this station will tell
you. Further, lamenting on the lack
of cultural spaces and spontaneity
in urban areas is another example
of elitist thinking which faults the
government for not prioritising the
needs of the most privileged
sections of urban India who cant
enjoy the luxuries of London,
Istanbul and New York once they
get back to India. All of these will
happen and are already happening
but no government should
prioritise these over basic
infrastructure and reforming
public service delivery. While his
analysis of the larger sociocultural
context which prompts crimes is
welcome, it is problematic to
assume that xing this aspect can
resolve most crimes. Do we see a
crime-free society in cities with
museums, parks and lots of
recreational spaces like London or
New York? As a nal point, here is
an insightful solution to xing
Indias builder lobby-led issues
nowhere in the new scheme
should government extend private
and commercial home ownership
to private parties.
Vinay Menon,
New Delhi
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
The tortuous road to Naga peace

Subir Bhaumik
More than
an indiscretion
egardless of whether External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj was only acting on humanitarian grounds while recommending the grant of
a temporary travel document to Lalit Kumar
Modi, the former commissioner of the Indian Premier
League now living in exile in Britain, her action will be
seen as helping a man wilfully evading investigation in
India. The government and the ruling BJP are backing
Ms. Swaraj, and have accepted her explanation that she
had done nothing wrong and there was no big moral
issue involved. She claims she had merely said the Government of India had no objection if Britain chose to
allow Mr. Modi to travel to Portugal to sign consent
papers for his wifes surgery for cancer. However, there
are doubts whether there was a requirement for such
consent from her husband at all. Further, there appears
to be a conscious change in the governments policy
towards Mr. Modi, who is wanted by the Enforcement
Directorate for suspected involvement in violations of
the Foreign Exchange Management Act. The previous
UPA government revoked his passport in 2011 on the
ground that he was avoiding personal appearance before
the authorities and that he had contravened FEMA
provisions to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees
and parked money outside India. The cancellation of his
passport was a means to bring Mr. Modi, who has been
living in London since 2010, back to India. Ms. Swarajs
communication to the British government, therefore,
constituted an unwarranted change of policy and an
unacceptable concession to one who has shown no inclination to join the investigation on the specious claim
that he faces a threat to his personal safety in India.
There is another dimension to this issue: the clear
presence of a conict of interest in Ms. Swaraj dealing
with Mr. Lalit Modi. Her daughter was counsel for the
former IPL chief in a case that led to the Delhi High
Court, in August 2014, quashing the order revoking his
passport. This verdict has not been challenged by the
present government. A British MP interceded on his
behalf with the immigration authorities there, citing Ms.
Swarajs name. All this gives the impression that the
Narendra Modi government, and not merely Ms. Swaraj,
has been soft on Mr. Lalit Modi. It is not surprising,
therefore, that the party and government are solidly
behind her. However, Opposition criticism is getting
strident, and questions are being raised whether the
Prime Minister is condoning what appears to be a case of
a senior Minister using her discretionary power in favour of a friend. The government cannot remain silent
and wait for the storm to pass, but must act to remedy
the situation. It also ought to spell out how it intends to
pursue the ongoing investigations against Mr. Modi.
fter the June 4 ambush in Manipur

that left at least 20 soldiers of the
Indian Armys 6 Dogra Regiment
dead when suspected militants ambushed their convoy in Chandel district bordering Myanmar in Manipur, and the
retaliatory transborder raid into Myanmar
by Indian para-commandos (21 Para-Regiment Special Forces), on June 9, the
attention is back on the long, tortuous and
uncertain Naga peace process.
Since the leaders of the National Socialist
Council of Nagalim (Isaac-Muivah) (NSCN),
Thuingaleng Muivah and Issac Chisi Swu,
signed the ceasere with the H.D. Deve Gowda government in 1997 and started negotiations, the peace talks have gone on and on,
with round after round of inconclusive negotiations. There were suggestions recently
that a nal solution might be in sight and
that may have provoked those left out of the
process into striking back. But the secrecy
shrouding the Naga peace process only complicates it further and makes it difficult to
speculate on when there will be an end to
Indias longest running ethnic insurrection.
Dialogue and division

The sheer duration of these negotiations
does point to the complexities involved in
trying to settle the Naga insurgency, but
many critics of the Indian decision-making
process have also suggested that New Delhi
is trying to wear down the rebel leaders in a
battle of attrition since the limited tactical
advantages of keeping the Naga rebels off the
battleeld have been achieved by the ceasere. Some have also said that the ceasere
and the political dialogue have helped India
further divide the Naga rebels, pointing to
the talks with the Muivah faction and the
refusal to talk with the Khaplang faction
despite a ceasere with his group. That,
many would say, is what nally provoked
Khaplang, a warlord, to renege on the ceasere and form the rebel coalition, the United
National Liberation Front of West South
East Asia (UNLFWSEA), with motley rebel
factions like the United Liberation Front of
Assam (ULFA) (Independent), the National
Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)
(Songjibit) and the KLA (Jibon).
The publicity that surrounds the success of Indias

cross-border strike against rebels in Myanmar
cannot hide the fact that the real failure of Indian
intelligence was not in predicting the possible spot
of the ambush but in anticipating the emergence of
a rebel coalition in the jungles of Myanmar
Like Khaplangs faction, these other
groups are splinters of the original movements. Their factional rivals are already
talking to India and New Delhi treats them
as principals. These rebel chieftains who are
holed up in the remote jungles of Myanmars
Sagaing division are treated as marginals.
Khaplang was under pressure for the last few
years from New Delhi for providing shelter
to these other Northeast Indian rebel
groups. Home Ministry mandarins insist
that this was a breach of trust on the part of
Khaplang. But in the 1990s, former Home
Minister L.K. Advani had clearly said that
Khaplang is a Myanmarese national and that
India cannot negotiate with him. While that
is a valid position if one were to go by legalese, how can one expect Khaplang to just
maintain a ceasere when he knows that
jungles of Myanmar, if only to remind New

Delhi that he cannot be ignored a point he
seeks to make by getting together all those in
the Northeast who still intend to ght India.
His one-time comrades, Wangting and Thikhak, blame Paresh Barua, an activist with
ULFA, for manipulating Khaplang into reneging on the ceasere. Barua has steadfastly remained on a separatist course even
after the ULFA was decimated in Bangladesh
after a crackdown by the Sheikh Hasina government and by periodic desertions. So,
though the ULFA of today is not much of a
ghting force, its leader emerges as the glue
for a rebel coalition in Myanmars jungles
because of his track record of leading an
armed struggle through unending adversity.
The other factions which have joined up
with Khaplang in UNLFWSEA are also mot-
Naga civil society groups, which have grown in stature, have

ensured that the rebels do not go back to the jungles even if
they were upset with the unending negotiations with India.
New Delhi will never call him for talks, let
alone treat him as an equal to Muivah and
Issac? On the other hand, the Myanmarese
Naga rebel leader has seen his Indian Naga
comrades break away to form splinter
groups with whom India has promptly
signed or negotiated a ceasere. First it was
Khole Konyak and Khitovi Zhimomi; now it
is Wangting and Thikhak. The rst faction
calls itself NSCN (K-K), while the second
calls itself NSCN (Reformation). These factions may now be offered to accept a deal
India may have nalised with the MuivahIssac group in an attempt to make it look like
a settlement with all NSCN factions who
represent Indian Nagas.
ley groups capable of occasional hits here

and there. But it is the working relations of
UNLFWSEA with the powerful Meitei rebel
groups like the United National Liberation
Front (UNLF) and the Peoples Liberation
Army (PLA) (who have not joined Khaplangs coalition) that makes the anti-India
platform in Myanmars jungles such a worrying proposition for New Delhi. Khaplangs
faction admitted in the post-June 4 ambush
press release that the other two Meitei
groups, KYKL and KCP, had joined his ghters to pull off the ambush in Chandel.
Missing the big picture
So, the real failure of Indian intelligence

was not in predicting the possible spot of the
Sending out a message
ambush but in anticipating the emergence of
Khaplang on the warpath again is partly a rebel coalition in the jungles of Myanmar.
dictated by his urge to end his isolation in the The rst step in that direction was taken by
CARTOONSCAPE
The makings of
a game-changer
he nal report of the Bibek Debroy Committee
on restructuring the Indian Railways has suggested a process of gradual reforms, involving
the introduction of commercial accounting
practices and greater decentralisation of powers, allowing the entry of the private sector, and the setting up of
an independent regulator. The committee has indicated
a ve-year time frame to implement the measures. One
of the most transformative suggestions made is allowing
private sector players to run trains. It has suggested
exposing railway production units to competition, and
the creation of an environment conducive to private
investment by giving condence to private players
through transparent accounting processes. This has to
be seen in the context of the failure of the public-private
partnership route so far in both the road and railway
sectors. There have been different reports in the past
that have pointed to what ails the Indian Railways. For
instance, in 2012 a committee headed by Sam Pitroda,
then Adviser to the Prime Minister, submitted plans for
the modernisation of the Railways at a cost of Rs.5.6 lakh
crore over a 10-year period. The Debroy Committee
report stands out in having identied denitive measures to effect a transformation, and setting a timeline.
But it will be a challenging task, especially the recommendations relating to opening up to the private sector
and setting up an independent regulator. The committee has acknowledged that restructuring would be a
humongous task, and quite cautiously used the term
liberalisation for the entry of private players rather
than privatisation or deregulation. The railway employee unions are already up in arms over the references to
the private sector. This would be a difficult equation to
manage. The suggestion to set up an independent regulator will equally pose a challenge. This will essentially
mean setting up a body outside of the powerful and
centralised Railway Board, which might resist such a
move. The setting up of an independent super-regulator
has been spoken about in the nancial services space,
but not much has happened on that front. However, all
these suggestions merit immediate consideration. The
Railways has suffered huge under-investment in capacities and today its very viability is a question mark. Now
the onus is on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who
initiated the setting up of this Committee, and Railway
Minister Suresh Prabhu, known for his dynamic approach, to take the railway unions into condence and
implement the measures. Both have declared the Railways is not going to be privatised, but the unions do not
appear pleased. Winning their trust would be key to the
implementation of the measures. That would determine
if this will remain just another report or a game-changer.
CM
YK

Sushma in a soup
The Opposition-driven demand for
Union External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swarajs resignation does
not seem to be justied as yet
(Sushma in soup over Lalit Modi
visa, June 15). Although there is a
perception that she many have
committed an act of impropriety,
or a quid pro quo may have been
involved, the same has not been
established beyond doubt. She
should be given a chance to explain
the matter in greater detail,
perhaps on the oor of the House.
More importantly, if Mr. Modi is a
fugitive, why was there no effort
made to extradite him?
S.N.Srinivasan,
Bengaluru
The episode has been blown out of
proportion by the Opposition
when the issue clearly relates to
one of helping a fellow Indian on
humanitarian grounds and to see
his ailing wife. Though Mr. Modi is
wanted for FEMA violations/tax
evasion, baying for Ms. Swarajs
resignation does not make sense.
K.R. Srinivasan,
Secunderabad
Khaplang when he signed a truce with Myanmars Thein Sein government, one of the 14
rebel groups in Myanmar to strike a ceasere
deal with it. Having secured that ceasere,
Khaplang has ensured that his bases in Sagaing will be protected from the occasional
raids by the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army).
Even after the attacks on Indian forces by
Khaplangs ghters in the last two months,
the Myanmar government has not broken off
the truce with his faction. For the Myanmarese Army which has to battle half-a-dozen
powerful home-grown insurgencies at any
given point of time, tackling the Kachin or
the Kokang guerrillas is a bigger priority, not
Khaplang. After the June 9 raid by India,
Paresh Barua reiterated that his rebel coalition had not faced any problems in Myanmar so far. The second phase of forming
that coalition was in extensive negotiations
between the constituents. Now, reports
about these negotiations have been trickling
out of Myanmar off and on. They have been
reported in the Northeast Indian media but
not picked by the big media guns in faraway
Delhi. This is what Indian intelligence seems
to have largely missed out. The way the ghters of Khaplang slowly trickled out of their
Indian camps in the rundown to the breakdown of the ceasere was completely missed, despite alerts sounded to Indian
intelligence by factional rivals. Then came
the actual breakdown of the ceasere but
New Delhi was not concerned because it felt
the Myanmarese Naga rebel leader had been
isolated and conned to his lair in the jungles of Myanmar. They underestimated his
strike power on Indian soil.
The Indian response

The Indian reply after the rebel violence
has also been hasty and ill-conceived. The
Indian Army was under pressure from top
decision makers to hit back immediately, to
make a political point of a strong India
which will not tolerate terrorism. The Indian Army chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag,
was keen on striking back, but after careful
planning. Under pressure, all that he could
do was to plan two hits on rebel bases on the
border or slightly inside it. These locations
were chosen not because they had a lot of
rebel ghters but because these were rebel
bases and could be hit with smaller forces to
make a political point that India will go after
its enemies. The raids have made much less
of an actual impact than was initially suggested by an gung-ho media, joined by a
battery of retired soldiers and security officials baying for rebel blood.
The Nagaland Chief Minister, T.R. Zeliang, made a telling point in a recent interview when he said that the Centre has
never kept his government in the picture
over the breakdown of the ceasere with
Khaplang. Mr. Zeliang said it was possible to
have reasoned with Khaplang through Naga
civil society against breaking off the ceasere. After 60 years of brutal conict, the
Nagas have got used to the peace dividend
since 1997. Naga civil society groups, which
have grown in stature, have ensured that the
rebels do not go back to the jungles even if
they were upset with the long, unending negotiations with India. Mr. Zeliang thus made
a telling point using the doves of peace to
ght the dogs of war. But involving the States
in the complex peace negotiations like those
with the Naga rebel factions is yet to become
a feature of Prime Minister Narendra Modis
cooperative federalism. He is yet to get
over the hush-hush hangover of his Congress
predecessors when it comes to peacemaking
with underground rebel groups. As the leaks
after the transborder raids into Myanmar
seem to indicate, the government is keen on
greater secrecy in peacemaking than in
war-making.
(Subir Bhaumik, a former BBC
Correspondent, is the author of the books on
the Northeast, Insurgent Crossre and
Troubled Periphery.)
While Mr. Lalit Modi was facing an

Enforcement Directorate probe
into allegations of nancial
irregularities in the IPL and also
amid
other
controversies
surrounding him, the fact that Ms.
Swaraj was covertly helping him to
procure travel documents is
certainly a case of her misusing her
position as a minister of the
government of India. A public
servant is expected to be truthful to
India and its people. Every
Minister will face pressures from
colleagues and family, immediate
and extended. A real leader should
have the moral courage to
withstand such pressures. It
appears that Ms. Swaraj has failed
this test. Sensible citizens have no
doubt that is a clear-cut case of a
conict of interest.
Mathew Oommen,
Pune
Ms. Swarajhas earned a black mark

for having helped a person who is
tainted in the eyes of the law and
the law-abiding people of India. As
a Cabinet Minister, she should
have realised that she was helping
her daughters client. In doing so,
she has caused the greatest harm
and embarrassment to the Modi
It is amazing to read about a Union government and must now step
Minister almost vouching for the down.
K.R. Unnithan,
credentials of a fugitive and
Chennai
economic offender who needs to be
produced in an Indian court.
Stranger still are the assertions Ms. Swaraj has unnecessarily
that the relationship between courted controversy. Lalit Modi is
India and the U.K. will not be someone who should have
affected by issuing him the visa. remained in India and faced the
Using such an argument, should all charges against him. Having ed to
such wanted persons including London to evade legal action, he
absolutely
no
Dawood Ibrahim also be helped on deserves
humanitarian consideration.
humanitarian grounds?
R. Kanagasabai,
Kallal M.L. Raghavan,
Puducherry
Chennai
Women and marriage
raped married woman, because

according to the policymakers, the
act is absolutely ne as long as the
person who does it is her husband.
What kind of law is this?
According to me, a husband who
forces his wife to do this without
her consent is a rapist in the
technical sense but gets away scotfree in the name of culture. A
woman who experiences mental
and physical anguish as a result is
also being subjected to a form of
domestic violence.
Shubham Mathur,
Chandigarh
Womens empowerment is based

on three pillars of equality,
dignity and safety, and moving
away from prejudices and
stereotypes women have fallen
victim to for millennia. If there is to
be any change, there must be a shift
in mindset from the lowest level.
There is overwhelming evidence
that marital rape is the most
common form of sexual violence in
India. Data from the National
Family Health Survey shows that
not even one per cent of such cases
is reported.
Ankit Garg, It is regrettable that there are those
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh who are determined to paint most
Indian men as misogynists. There
It is ironic that while the Indian is no consent involved in marital
woman has protection against relations but only affectionate
domestic violence in the form of assent to join a blissful journey.
the Protection of Women from What is the law that can be enacted
Domestic Violence Act 2005 there to prevent so-called marital rape?
is no such provision against marital Do you want women to rush to the
rape. The solution does not lie in nearest police station early in the
merely criminalising marital rape morning to register a complaint?
under Section 376 of the IPC. Leave married couples alone. They
Whether that happens or not, the know how to get on in life without
rst thing that should be made the help of new laws on the
explicitly clear is that both Section subject.
M. Ramankutty,
498 and the Domestic Violence Act
Tripunithura, Kerala
2005 provide protection to women
against all forms of violence
including sexual. In the end, no law
can be effective unless there is a The inordinate delay by the
realisation in society of the need government in implementing the
One Rank-One Pension (OROP)
for equality and justice.
Prerna Sethi, scheme is inexplicable (ExNew Delhi servicemen to intensify stir, June
15).
In a patriarchal and misogynistic
One cannot understand why
society, a married woman is even the Prime Minister is not
expected to concur to all the committing himself to a time frame
demands made by her husband. for its implementation. The
According to Section 375 of the Defence Minister too is not being
Indian Penal Code which deals committal. The silence is only
with rape, there is no relief for a creating distrust among ex-
Pension parity
servicemen. The lethargic attitude

of the government must not be
allowed to ingressupon the morale
of serving personnel. One hopes
that there is no ugly development
where ex-servicemen launch a
massive movement against the
government.
R. Ganesan,
Chennai
OROP has been an emotive issue
with ex-servicemen and one that
has been dragging on more than
three decades. However, the
government can ill-afford to delay
implementing it with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi having
committed
himself
to
implementing it. At stake is not
only his image but also the grave
risk of demoralising our ghting
forces who are the bulwark of our
security. With Indias economic
health looking up, are the nancial
implications so difficult to
overcome?
H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana,
Mysuru
Procrastination is a tactful way of
not fullling promises which is
what successive governments at
the Centre have been doing for
over the last three decades. The
argument, if they could wait for
such a long time, why not some
more is absurd and frivolous. I am
a 70-year-old ex-serviceman.
Many of my friends, also exservicemen, have passed away
without realising their hopes for an
enhanced pension package. How
long should the rest of us wait? We
want a dignied outcome to the
issue in order to meet our basic
needs.
George Mathai,
Kochi
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Going all out for neutrino research

Test of
integrity
y ordering the cancellation of the All-India
Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Test held on May
3 and the conduct of a fresh test within four
weeks, the Supreme Court has acted in time
to save the purity of the evaluation process for admission to medical courses, and underlined the need to
ensure the integrity of all such exercises. A small gang
operating with advanced equipment and using technology had managed to send out answer keys to candidates taking the entrance test in different parts of the
country. The tainted candidates were wearing vests
tted with electronic devices to receive the answers.
On a comparative scale, the number of those likely to
have beneted from the malpractice may be small
358 mobile numbers received the answer key from the
main suspects and only 44 beneciaries have been
identied. However, the fact that the information may
have been transmitted to many others, and the likely
frustration it would cause to hard-working students,
persuaded the court to annul the entire test. After all, it
is unexceptionable to insist that nobody who used
unfair means be allowed to benet from it. Further, the
beneciaries were ready to pay Rs.15 lakh to Rs.20 lakh
to get the right answers delivered to them. As many as
102 in a set of 123 solved answers found on the mobile
phone of one suspect, and 42 out of 50 found on
another, were correct. Two of those arrested in connection with the scam admitted to having passed AIPMT
2014 by adopting the same modus operandi.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
tried to save the test it had held by requesting that the
results of those identied as beneciaries be segregated and the rest of the process allowed to stand.
However, the court has rightly held that such segregation would not be acceptable as there is a larger need
to preserve public condence and prevent further injury to merit. It will indeed be an onerous task to hold a
fresh test within a month and stick to the time-schedule under which the academic session has to begin on
August 1. While there has been no lapse on the part of
the CBSE in the conduct of the entrance test, it cannot
be unmindful of the fact that its systems are still vulnerable to organised deceit. It had indeed tried to
provide safeguards by distributing different sets of
question papers and varying the sequence of questions
in each set. The Board may now have to revisit its
systems and processes so that it becomes much less
susceptible to the designs of a few unscrupulous elements, and so that over six lakh students who vie for
about 3,000 seats get a fair deal.
Just a few years ago, we witnessed how a

national project, the India-based Neutrino
Observatory (INO), which is to study fundamental particles called neutrinos, was subject to a barrage of questions from
environmentalists, politicians and others
ever since it was cleared. The project, which
involves the construction of an underground laboratory, was initially to be located in the Nilgiris but later, on grounds that it
was too close to tiger habitat, was moved to a
cavern under a rocky mountain in the Bodi
West Hills region of Theni district, about
110 kilometres west of Madurai in Tamil
Nadu.
The already much-delayed and important
physics project needs to be explained.
Reclaiming Indias position

India has been among the pioneers in
neutrino research, the rst of such laboratories having been established in the 1960s.
We led neutrino research when our physicists used a gold mine at Kolar in Karnataka
to set up what was then the worlds deepest
underground laboratory. This was called the
Kolar Gold Field Lab. In 1965, it enabled
researchers to detect atmospheric neutrinos. In 1992, when the mine became uneconomical, the laboratory was shut down.
With that, we lost our advantage in understanding the most mysterious particle in the
universe. INO may reclaim this advantage
and our global leadership.
Most of the advanced countries are already working vigorously in neutrino science with dedicated labs. These include the
United States, Russia, France, Italy, China,
Japan and South Korea. India is set to not
only join this league, but also become a key
player in global efforts in neutrino science.
The Magnetized Iron Calorimeter (ICAL)
being set up at INO will be among the largest
ever in the world, weighing over 50,000
tonnes.
In 2011, we visited the now much talked
about Fermi Labs neutrino study laboratory. Located about 60 kilometres from the
main city of Chicago, the laboratory has
been pioneering some major work in understanding elementary particles including
neutrinos. In this laboratory which is
deep within the ground and accessible
through a large elevator we could witness
the sense of pride among the staff for having
such a facility for advanced particle study
which could unravel the universe. A professor said, Fermi Lab is the pride for Chicago.
India lost its lead in neutrino studies when

research tapered off in the 1990s. The
India-based Neutrino Observatory can now help
it reclaim this advantage and its global leadership
in understanding this mysterious particle
We are happy to see Fermi Lab so close to
the city it makes it easily accessible to us
and students.
INO is designed to go much beyond Fermi
Lab in some aspects of neutrino research; to
us, this should be a moment of our national
pride.
Widely occurring particle

Neutrinos, rst proposed by Swiss scientist Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, are the second
most widely occurring particle in the universe, only second to photons, the particle
which makes up light. In fact, neutrinos are
so abundant among us that every second,
there are more than 100 trillion of them
passing right through each of us we never
even notice them.
This is the reason why INO needs to be
built deep into the earth 1,300 metres into
the earth. At this depth, it would be able to
keep itself away from all the trillions of
neutrinos produced in the atmosphere and
metres through a rock before an interaction

with a single atom of the rock and the neutrino occurs. Third, they hide within them a
vast pool of knowledge and could open up
new vistas in the elds of astronomy and
astrophysics, communication and even in
medical imaging, through the detector
spin-offs.
While this should be a moment of joy,
there is also some scepticism, partly arising
due to the fact that the neutrino, though so
abundant, is a silent stranger to most
people.
Public misconceptions
Can neutrinos cause cancer? Not at all!
Neutrinos are the least harmful of all elementary particles, as they almost never react with solid bodies. The mean free path for
iron, or the average distance a neutrino will
travel in say an iron rod, before interacting
with an atom, is about 1 light year
(9,460,730,472,580 km). Needless to say,
The research may create a faster way to send data than the
current around the earth model using towers, cables or
satellites, creating opportunities for telecom and Net services.
which would otherwise choke an over-theground neutrino detector. Neutrinos have
been in the universe literally since forever,
being almost 14 billion years old as much
as the universe itself.
Neutrinos occur in three different types,
or avours ve, v and v. These are separated in terms of different masses. From experiments so far, we know that neutrinos have a
tiny mass, but the ordering of the neutrino
mass states is not known and is one of the
key questions that remain unanswered till
today. This is a major challenge INO will set
to resolve, thus completing our picture of
the neutrino.
Neutrinos are very important for our scientic progress and technological growth
for three reasons. First, they are abundant.
Second, they have very feeble mass and no
charge and hence can travel through planets, stars, rocks and human bodies without
any interaction. In fact, a beam of trillions of
neutrinos can travel thousands of kilo-
with the human body being less than 2

metres in height, any harmful effect of neutrino is near impossible.
A few people with whom we have discussed this topic, tend to confuse the neutrino for the neutron. This has also led to
the confusion that neutrinos can be weaponised, which is far from the truth. The
neutron bomb, which many discuss, is dangerous but has nothing to do with harmless
neutrinos and is made based on a technology around the neutrons, particles which
are much heavier. To put this in perspective,
the mass of a neutron is 1.67x10-27 kg while
the mass of a neutrino is of the order of
1x10-37 kg . Hence, a neutrino is about 17
billion times lighter than a neutron. The two
are incomparable.
There is further misconception that laboratory generated neutrinos, fancily termed
as factory made neutrinos, are more dangerous than naturally abundant neutrinos.
Scientically, this is not true. Neutrinos are
CARTOONSCAPE
The OROP
struggle
housands of ex-servicemen converged on the
national capital over the past weekend to protest against the delay on the part of the government in announcing a rm timeline for
the implementation of the One Rank One Pension
(OROP) scheme. Others have gone on a relay-hunger
strike across the country, saying they would do so till
their demand is met. In the run-up to the 2014 elections and after, the Bharatiya Janata Party held out
several assurances on OROP, raising expectations
among the community of veterans. OROP is meant to
bring parity among retired military personnel based
only on rank and tenure and irrespective of the date of
retirement. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted in his Mann Ki Baat broadcast, the government
had underestimated the complexity of the process. One
of the major concerns of the government as it works out
the details relates to similar demands that could potentially come from the Central police and paramilitary
forces. The logic of OROP stems from the fact that
unlike in other government services where the retirement age is 55, 58 or 60, in the military services a
soldier retires around 35. So extending the scheme to
non-military cadres will nullify its very rationale. In
order to pre-empt any legal issues in the future, the
government is working to call it military pension, making it a provision that applies only to the armed forces.
Another issue relates to allocating nances for the
immediate rollout phase and making the necessary
provision for enhancements in future. Wary of any bid
by the government to redene OROP, veterans are
demanding that it stick to the accepted denition.
The scheme, once implemented, is expected to benet two and a half million ex-servicemen and women
immediately. While the veterans anguish over the delay is understandable, they should appreciate the complexity of the process. Also, with OROP being one of the
BJPs top election promises, commitment for its implementation had been reiterated at the highest level by
Mr. Modi. The issue, pending for four decades, has seen
more progress in the last one year than over the last few
decades. So while keeping up pressure on the government, it would be wise to give it room to work out the
details. The government, on its part, should realise that
these veterans fought for this country while in service,
and it is indeed their legitimate right. In addition, they
represent a strong voter base, as the last Lok Sabha
elections proved. This is pertinent as protesting organisations have announced they would agitate in Bihar,
where Assembly elections are due this year. The government should come out with a clear road map in the
interests of the nation as well as its own. The existing
mismatch between expectations and delivery could
prove problematic in more ways than one.
CM
YK

Modigate and impact
The point of contentionis whether
Mr. Lalit Modi is entitled to get
humanitarian help from the
government or not (Fault lines
open in Modi govt.; Ex-Ministers
behind conspiracy: Lalit Modi,
and Editorial, all June 16). Is his
proximity
to
the
Union
ExternalAffairs Minister, Sushma
Swaraj, a disqualication? Of
course, he has to be tried for his
numerous economic offences, but
Ms.Swarajs action has in no way
inuenced the governments
pursuit in this regard.
S. Sridhar,
Chennai
Conceding for amoment that Ms.
Swaraj did help Lalit Modi to get
documents to visit his kin, I see no
impropriety (Editorial). Did not
50-odd MPs sign a document
asking the U.S. government not to
grant a visa to Narendra Modi, a
Chief Minister then?
P.R. Iyer,
Chennai
Mr. Modi is a wanted person. There
is no justication to show any
leniency towards him. Yet,
Ms.Swaraj, otherwise a gracious
personality and thus far a clean
politician, has evinced empathy
towards him on account of his
wifes terminal illness. As
expected, he has misused it and, if
media reports are to be believed, is
said to be out partying. It now
appears that Mr. Modi has always
fundamental particles; there is nothing such

as a natural and an articial aspect to them.
It is like saying that electricity at the same
voltage, from a coal-based plant can give one
a more severe shock than electricity produced by a hydroelectric plant.
What can understanding neutrinos give
us? A lot, actually.
Key role in science

First, neutrinos may have a role to play in
nuclear non-proliferation through the remote monitoring of nuclear reactors. The
plutonium-239 which is made via nuclear
transmutation in the reactor from uranium-238 can potentially be used in nuclear
devices by terrorist groups. Using appropriate neutrino detectors, the plutonium content can be monitored remotely and used to
detect any pilferage. Neutrino research can
be our answer to ensure that no terror group
ever acquires nuclear weapons.
Second, understanding neutrinos can
help us detect mineral and oil deposits deep
in the earth. Neutrinos tend to change their
avour depending on how far they have
travelled and how much matter they have
passed through in the way. Far more importantly, we believe that this same property
might help us detect early geological defects
deep within the earth, and thereby might be
our answer to an early warning system
against earthquakes. This is where an area of
Geoneutrinos is applicable. First found in
2005, they are produced by the radioactive
decay of uranium, thorium and potassium in
the Earths crust and just below it. Rapid
analysis of these Geoneutrinos by neutrino
monitoring stations a process called Neutrino Tomography could provide us vital
seismological data which can detect early
disturbances and vibrations produced by
earthquakes.
Data transmission
Third, as we now know, neutrinos can
pass right through the earth. They may open
up a faster way to send data than the current
around the earth model, using towers, cables or satellites. Such a communication
system using neutrinos will be free of transmission losses as neutrinos rarely react with
the atoms in their path. This can open up
new vistas for telecom and Internet services. Some scientists further believe that if
there is any extraterrestrial form of life,
neutrinos will also be the fastest and most
trusted way to communicate with them.
Fourth, neutrinos are the information
bearers of the universe which are almost
never lost in their path. Indias effort in
studying neutrinos at INO may help us unravel the deepest mystery of the universe
why there is more matter than antimatter in
the universe.
Some scientists believe that formidable
neutrino research can help us understand
dark matter. Dark matter and dark energy
make up 95 per cent of the universe, far
more predominant than ordinary matter in
the universe but we hardly understand it.
Neutrinos are the only way to detect this
great mystery which may completely alter
our understanding of the universe and physics. Searches for this dark matter can only be
carried out in INO.
We believe that the neutrino is our mode
of access to some of the most unimaginable
technologies, and therefore, with INO, India
is poised to take its rightful place at the helm
of neutrino research. For example, the particle detectors developed for the neutrino
experiment at INO can also be used to detect
the photons in positron emission tomography (PET) which is used to identify cancerous tumours.
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, a
species, Homo sapiens, went about rubbing
two small rocks until they ended up producing the spark and then the re which helped
man master the planet. Today, we stand at a
point in time when we are on the verge of
manipulating fundamental particles with
the possibility that they may allow us to
master the universe.
(Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is a former
President of India. Srijan Pal Singh is an
adviser to Dr. Kalam.)
been in close association with Ms.

Swarajs family. The least that the
Minister can now do is to persuade
Mr. Modi to surrender before the
Enforcement Directorate.
V.V. Damodaran,
Taliparamba, Kerala
Humanitarianism is not something
that the state extends to ordinary
offenders or innocent undertrials
languishing in jails. If Lalit Modi
had subjected himself to the
processes
of
the
law,
a
compassionate judge would have
readily granted permission to
enable him to visit his ailing wife.
However poignant his personal
travails may be, the fact that Ms.
Swaraj went out of the way to
favour the former raises serious
questions about probity in public
life.
It has become untenable for the
Prime Minister to allow Ms. Swaraj
to retain her ministerial post.
Those holding high political offices
are not entitled to the benet of
doubt
unless
there
is
incontrovertible
proof
and
perceptible evidence of the
absence of mala de intent.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
Had there been urgency for Mr.
Modi to sign the consent forms for
his ailing wife, Ms. Swaraj could
have mentioned a time period
within which Mr. Modi would have
been allowed to visit Portugal.
Giving a vague justication merely
on humanitarian grounds only
escalates the claim of excessive

favouritism shown by Ms. Swaraj.
Agam Singh Bedi,
Mohali, Punjab
imagined. After the development,

illegal activities, smuggling and
human trafficking included may
end, giving rise to the advent of the
rule of law in theenclaves once
While the conduct of Ms.Swaraj in ruled by anti-social elements.
S.D. Mukherji,
facilitating Mr. Modis travel to
Hyderabad
Portugal is indeed blameworthy,
the silence of Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley, the person in charge The move gives hope to the people
of the agencies investigating into living in the enclaves along the
the alleged questionable nancial border. Someone has rightly said:
dealings of Lalit Modi,is equally Bhagwan ke ghar me der hain,
intriguing. The nation would like to andher nahi [God sees the truth but
know whether the indulgence waits]. The spirit of give and take
shown
to
this
high- between India and Bangladesh
proleindividual by a senior must be encouraged and will now
colleague,and in the Ministry of spell hope for the people in the
External Affairs has compromised enclaves in terms of citizenship,
investigations. Given the manner rights, an identity, and nally,
in which this issue has been dignity.
Chandan Kumar,
addressed so far, it does not appear
Gaure, Bihar
that this governmentisserious
aboutbringing him back to Indian
forthe ongoing investigations.
S.K. Choudhury, The cancellation of the AIPMT
Bengaluru held in early May due to exam
fraud should give room for deeper
thinking into the entire selection
The Modi government deserves process (AIPMT cancelled, CBSE
praise for signing the historic Land told to hold fresh exam, June 16).
Boundary
Agreement
with The test itself is one among
Bangladesh that was pending for unequals with a large number of
40-odd years. The article, eligible candidates kept out of it for
Homeless, no longer (June 16), some reason or other. The success
did well in bringing out the joy rate is a mere 0.6 per cent. The only
among thousands of families beneciaries seem to be the
hoping to nd recognition as coaching centres that charge hefty
citizens of the country they choose fees, and the publishers of guides.
to belong. The sufferings endured While it may be argued that the test
by them in the absence of is a necessary evil, it will be
recognition as a citizen by the local prudent to think of decentralising
administration
cannot
be the entire selection process. As the
Fresh test for AIPMT
Enclave dwellers
number of institutions has

increased manifold with every
State having signicant number of
colleges, State-level selection may
be thought of.
S.S. Rajagopalan,
Chennai
The prevailing eligibility to get a
seat in a medical college seems to
be money, power (political/
bureaucratic), caste and merit.
Though the Supreme Court has
said that merit cannot be a
casualty, the fact is that the
quality of doctors in our country is
grim not to mention the plight of
the people being treated by such
doctors. It is the right of the people
of India to know what the Medical
Council of India is doing to address
this form of malignancy spreading
in the medical education system.
Ramakrishnan C.G.,
Kozhikode
What is distressing is the casual
attitude of the CBSE which has
even thought of segregating the
results of the 44 beneciaries.
Such an attitude has not only
affected its reputation but has also
impacted the trust factor of
students and parents. In such a
situation, the Supreme Courts
decision comes as immense relief
to candidates like me who
appeared for the entrance test. The
hard work of many was at stake
after the reports of mass leaks and
malpractices.
Varshdeep Singh Chahal,
Patiala, Punjab
BG-MY
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
A blend of chalk and cheese

Varghese K. George
Mixed
fortunes
ontinuing its decline for the fourth consecutive day, the rupee hit a 21-month low of
64.26 against the dollar on Tuesday. This was
ahead of the crucial meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve. The impact of the falling rupee has played
out in predictable ways on Indias trade front. The
just-released trade numbers for May reveal a contrasting picture. On the one hand the trade deficit has
narrowed to $10.4 billion in May from $11 billion in
April and $11.2 billion in May 2014. On the other hand,
exports contracted to $22.3 billion in May 2015 from
$27.99 billion in May 2014. No doubt imports, too, have
contracted to $32.75 billion in May, down by 16.5 per
cent compared to the May 2014 figure. If you factor in
the oil import bill, which has declined due to a drop in
international prices, the trade scene doesnt look rosy
at all. The reasons are obvious. Given the geopolitical
sensitivity of the commodity, it is impossible to expect
global crude oil prices to remain at the very low levels
seen not long ago. Also, the continuing weakness on the
economic front in countries that import Indian products does not offer any cause for cheer. Neither has the
falling rupee helped bring any immediate gains, if we
interpret the declining export numbers. In a sense
Indias trade now finds itself caught in an extremely
tricky spot. And foreign exchange management is proving to be a canny exercise in extremely interconnected
international play. Given the complications involved,
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has to be proactive so
that the rupee does not encounter undue turbulence in
the event of any unanticipated global disturbance.
The depreciating rupee has, however, come as a boon
to inward remitters. So much so that today India is a
global leader in terms of inward remittances. The rupee has shed just 1.25 per cent against the dollar so far
this year. If this brings some cheer to those who remit,
it has given the countrys monetary authority the leeway to marshal its proactive strategies efficiently. The
net spot dollar buying by the RBI in the first four
months of 2015 totalled $33.1 billion. For the entire
period of 2014, dollar-buying by the RBI totalled $34
billion. The RBI does not appear to be unduly bothered
by the resultant depreciation of the rupee. Two factors
should have driven the RBI to intervene in the market.
Dollar purchase gives a cushion to face any possible rise
in crude prices in the near-to-medium term. Also, the
dollar buffer insulates from any adverse fallout of a
possible pullout of foreign funds from the Indian market should the Fed hike the interest rate. The question,
however, is: how much of a fall would be too much for
the rupee? That is easier speculated than answered.
Desperation could lead to misplaced optimism in politics. Perhaps, one such instance
is seen in the enthusiasm around Rashtriya
Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasads willingness to accept Nitish Kumars leadership in
an emerging alliance of the Janata Dal (United), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata
Dal (RJD) in Bihar. The alliance has turned
out to spell renewed hope for those who are
eager to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi
suffer some kind of a setback.
Axiomatic as it may be, politics is all about
chemistry and little about arithmetic. The
social chemistry of a Lalu-Nitish-Congress
combination is such that it is certain to create a lot of gas and noise, but may not necessarily lead to any political alchemy that will
add new shine to the soulless and clichd
narratives on offer against Mr. Modis
politics.
The Nitish model

Undoubtedly, Nitish Kumar remains the
central character of Bihar politics as he possesses attributes that make him acceptable
to a majority. His politics and style combine
social justice and good governance. As Chief
Minister since 2005, he has extended the
idioms of empowerment to groups ignored
and even oppressed by an earlier variant of
Mandal politics steered by Mr. Prasad. Simultaneously, he has improved the delivery
of government services and maintaining law
and order. His politics of social justice has
not only merely succeeded Lalus, but also
transcended it. As he once put it succinctly,
Laluji asked people to carry lathis, I urge
them to use the pen. The Lalu version represented subaltern lumpenism that led to a
collapse of governance; by contrast, the Nitish model made social empowerment
market-oriented.
In Mr. Kumar, all non-Yadav backward
castes found a redeemer of their hopes that
had been belied by Lalu. The upper castes
who had stalled his projection as Chief Minister in the February 2005 Assembly election realised that none among them could
be Chief Minister ever and rooted for Mr.
Kumar in October the same year. In him,
they found a moderate and non-threatening
backward caste leader as opposed to an antagonistic Lalu. By 2010, a good chunk of
A Nitish-Lalu alliance in Bihar may end up as

the first preference only of Muslims and could
lead to communal polarisation that will benefit
the BJP. For both leaders, being adversaries
would be much better than being friends
Muslims too gravitated towards him, and he had been routed in Delhi in May 2014.
won a second term. In alliance with the BhaWith his governance credentials taken for
ratiya Janata Party (BJP), he did exceedingly granted, the variables in the next election are
well in the 2009 Lok Sabha election too.
caste alignments; here, Mr. Kumar has a
tremendous advantage. He can be the refuge
Political blunders
for upper caste voters who feel shortAs he soared high, Mr. Kumar lost sight of changed by Mr. Modis BJP; he can also be
the ground and made his first political blun- the factor of reassurance for all sections of
der snapping ties with the BJP at an in- backwards and Dalits, and a majority of Musopportune time, ahead of the 2014 lims. If the defining question of this election
parliamentary elections. He thought his op- is framed around whether one is for or
position to Mr. Modis projection as Prime against Mr. Kumar, a majority of all castes
Minister would have the States nearly 17 per and communities will be in his favour. Ek bar
cent Muslim population flocking to him. But phir se, Nitish (another term for Nitish) will
as Mr. Modi turned 2014 into a referendum be a slogan that will resonate in the State. An
on himself, neither Muslims nor backwards alliance with the Congress and the Left will
considered Mr. Kumar; and those opposed to cement that social alignment.
Mr. Modi voted for Mr. Prasads RJD.
Then, Mr. Kumar made his second mis- Risks before an alliance
But an alliance with Mr. Prasad, which
take appointing Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Mahadalit, as the Chief Minister of the State, in Nitish Kumar thinks is the safe path, is
an attempt to buttress his credentials as the fraught with grave risks. The upper castes
The Lalu version represented subaltern lumpenism that led to

a collapse of governance; by contrast, the Nitish model
made social empowerment market-oriented.
champion of the downtrodden. He hoped
that Mr. Manjhi would be the Bihar version
of Tamil Nadus O. Panneerselvam, who had
kept the chair warm for his leader to return
as the Chief Minister of the State. Mr. Manjhi charted his own course and questioned
Mr. Kumars commitment to Mahadalits.
Outwitted, Mr. Kumar wrested the Chief
Ministers chair from Mr. Manjhi, but not
before bruising his own image in the process.
As Mr. Kumar starts a fresh bid to retain
Bihar, the situation is not hopeless for him,
but only if he remembers the adage that
fortune favours the brave. If he decides to
take a bold gamble and make the forthcoming elections a referendum on himself as
Mr. Modi did in 2014 and Arvind Kejriwal in
Delhi early this year he could expect similar results. Like Mr. Kumar, Mr. Kejriwal too
will see this alliance as the re-entry of the

Lalu regime on the sly and instead remain in
the BJPs embrace; weaker sections of backwards, i.e. almost all non-Yadavs and Dalits
will fear the repeat of unfavourable terms of
engagement in power sharing as it used to be
under Mr. Prasad and also lean to the BJP, as
they did in 2014. With Mr. Kumars Kurmi
caste being insignificant numerically, the response from the Yadavs and Muslims will
define the alliance.
Muslims will be the only social section
that will wholeheartedly root for the NitishLalu alliance but that will create a problem
not only for the alliance but also for the
polity in general. Bihar today is sharply polarised on communal lines. In fact the outcome in the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha
constituency in 2014 tells the sad story of
CARTOONSCAPE
A looming
refugee crisis
new report by Amnesty International on the
global refugee crisis should prove a wake-up
call for the international community. The
Global Refugee Crisis: A Conspiracy of Neglect says the world is facing the worst situation on this
front since the Second World War, with the number of
people forcibly displaced from their homes exceeding
50 million. Its not really a surprise given the serial
collapse of states in West Asia and Africa, and reports
of persecution of vulnerable communities in several
countries. What is more appalling is the apathy of the
worlds powerful leaders towards this humanitarian
problem. The Amnesty report rightly says that the
international communitys response to the refugee crisis has been a shameful failure. Syria is a case in point.
More than half of its population has been displaced by a
civil war, and some four million people have fled the
country. The burden is almost entirely on Syrias
neighbours such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, while
richer nations across the Mediterranean have turned a
blind eye to it. The European Unions decision to limit
rescue operations in the Mediterranean has led to a
dramatic rise this year in the number of people who
have drowned during boat journeys. The U.S., a country
proud of its tradition of welcoming people from foreign
lands, has accepted fewer than 1,000 Syrian refugees in
the past four years. The schemes of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that is
meant to address the problem remain under-funded.
People flee their homes to escape desperate situations. If Syrians and Libyans are fleeing deadly wars,
those from Myanmar and Eritrea are trying to escape
long-standing persecution. Resettling such vulnerable
people is a global humanitarian obligation. But sadly, in
the current world order this responsibility is not evenly
distributed. Powerful nations, which often send bombers to poorer countries to solve their domestic problems, as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation did in
Libya in 2011, are not as forthcoming when they face
refugee crises and poverty. At present, almost 86 per
cent of all refugees are in the developing countries,
which lack the infrastructure and resources to tackle
the challenge. A more coordinated approach is needed
to address the problem. Richer countries in the West
and the Asia Pacific should find more room for refugees
from stricken lands, in order to share the burden more
equitably. And, agencies such as the UNHCR that deal
with millions of refugees should be sufficiently funded
to fulfil their missions. More important, there have to
be more meaningful efforts, driven not merely by geopolitical calculations but by moral, humanitarian conviction, to solve the worlds crises. That could be the
first step towards addressing the causes of the problem.
CM
YK

Neutrino research
The article, Going all out for
neutrino research (June 17), filled
me with pride as India is once again
attempting to be in the forefront of
an important physics project. When
several nations are avidly pursuing
the subject of neutrino research, the
Indian scientific community must
answer the barrage of questions and
allay apprehensions. It will be a gift
to the Indian scientific community
if the India-based Neutrino
Observatory becomes operational.
Girijavallabhan Nair T.,
Palakkad
If India wants to be a pioneer in the
field of science and technology, then
it has to invest in research and
development. This should not be
difficult to achieve as our scientists
have achieved monumentous feats
before. I hope that the article is an
eye-opener to environmentalists
and politicians concerned to shed
their petty theories and to stop
discouraging this project which is
clearly beneficial.
Paramjeet Rulyan,
Karnal, Haryana
It is unfortunate that a renowned
scientist and a former President is
hastily batting for INO. There are
more important issues India has to
tackle such as poverty and nutrient
deficiency. One also wonders what
comes out of all the research being
done in countless scientific
institutions across India. It is an act
of unforgivable vanity to go in for
the neutrino research project, that
too
without
assessing
the
environmental impact on the
region. Learned men like Dr. Kalam
must instead advise our leaders to
fulfil our basic needs first.
Kallal M.L. Raghavan,
Chennai
deep-running, communal sentiment in the

State. Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, who used to
win that seat on a BJP ticket even in normal
conditions, lost in 2014 when the alliance
led by the party won 31 of the 40 seats in the
State, riding on the Modi wave. In August
2014, when Mr. Prasad and Mr. Kumar
joined hands, they managed to win six of the
10 seats in Assembly by-elections, but the
two Muslim candidates they had were defeated.
An aggressive Muslim consolidation behind the Nitish-Lalu-Congress alliance will
make it vulnerable to the accusation that it is
being propped up by Muslims, which can
cause a Hindu reaction a polarisation that
will be advantageous for the BJP. Therefore,
contrary to what many secularists think,
what Mr. Kumar needs is a diffused Muslim
response rather than their consolidation.
What can one expect from the Yadavs, if
the coalition actually moves forward and reaches the stage of an agreement on seatsharing? Local strongmen aligned with Mr.
Prasad, when denied seats because of the
alliance, will migrate to the BJP; the party
anyway requires a lot of candidates as it
prepares to contest more than 200 seats for
the first time. The same applies to Mr. Kumar too. To assume that all or a majority of
the Yadavs are with Mr. Prasad is no longer
valid in Bihar. In fact, in the Lok Sabha
election, in the Pataliputra seat, Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav who was Lalus
confidant until a few weeks earlier defeated Mr. Prasads daughter, while in the neighbouring Chhapra seat, Mr. Prasads wife,
Rabri Devi bit the dust. As a community,
Yadavs may well be yearning for the return
of Lalu Raj, but if asked to choose between
the BJP and Mr. Kumar, a majority will go to
the former. Therefore, while there is not
going be any Yadav consolidation behind the
alliance, such a possibility will actually scare
away the other castes.
BJP strategy
From then on, the contest will depend on
how the BJP plays its cards. If the BJP goes
to the polls without projecting a leader, it
will be a confusing situation like in February
2005 the upper castes will fear the emergence of a strong-headed backward caste
leader within the BJP, while the backward
castes will fear a domineering upper caste
leader at the helm. But still, communal polarisation could work in the BJPs favour,
against the Nitish-Lalu alliance.
If the BJP projects a non-threatening
backward caste leader, such as Sushil Modi,
it will set the stage for a social coalition of all
caste groups, including a considerable section of the Yadavs. The slogan, Dilli mein
Modi, Bihar mein bhi Modi could generate a
mix of Mandal and Hindutva politics that
will derail the Nitish-Lalu alliance. Getting
the upper castes to accept Sushil Modi will
take some effort, but Arun Jaitley had done
that for Nitish Kumar in 2005.
Friends are good, but leaders are those
who walk alone when the situation demands.
Now at a crossroads, Mr. Kumar will have to
decide whether the baggage of a dispensable
legacy could burden his journey. Two consecutive political blunders the first, of
parting with the BJP, and the second, of
propping up Mr. Manjhi may be leading
him into committing a third.
The political security that he hopes to
achieve by propitiating the ghost of a brand of
social justice politics that has been long dead
and rotten is delusional. A coalition between
Mr. Kumar and Mr. Prasad on the common
platform of social justice and secularism
would be almost akin to N.R. Narayana Murthy and B. Ramalinga Raju floating a joint
venture to boost the software industry! Mr.
Prasad said the alliance was like swallowing
poison, and that he was willing to do it. Mr.
Kumar could decide that for himself.
varghese.g@thehindu.co.in
Four years ago, I was one of the

many who intensely opposed
locating INO near the Mudumalai
wildlife sanctuary and with good
reason. Union Minister Jairam
Ramesh
listened
to
the
conservation community and had it
moved. We need to thank the
Environment Ministry.
Now, given the imperatives of
fundamental scientific research,
that too on weak particles that do
not interact with matter (living,
nonliving), and the spin-offs such
research generates, we must extend
our support to the scientific
community when it begins work in
Theni. Once it takes root, we would
hope the scientistic community will
wholeheartedly support us greens
in conserving the exquisite
landscape and the environment.
K. Anand,
Bengaluru
Twists to Modigate
that a Prime Minister who tweets

about every issue on a daily basis
has suddenly gone off the air. The
unsavoury episode only shows that
this government is benevolent
towards a certain class of people.
Ms.
Sushma
Swaraj,
Ms.
Vasundhara Raje and government
need to come clean if they don't
want the people to lose faith and
trust in them.
Shivendra Bisht,
Lucknow
The Congress appears to be going
over the top on the issue (Congress
demands SIT probe, June 17) and
is clearly desperate to catch at any
straw in order to vilify the BJP. The
case is very flimsy. Politicians keep
making recommendations for
favours and special considerations.
So long as there is no serious abuse
of power, gross illegality, or corrupt
motivation, no one should have
objections. It is not as if Mr. Lalit
Modi is a criminal avoiding arrest. If
that were so, the U.K. would have
agreed to deport him. There are of
course serious allegations of
financial skulduggery against him,
but they will have to wait until he
comes back to India. It is the UPA
governments intimation to the
British government that it should
be hard on Mr. Modi which is the
non-transparent and shady thing in
this whole drama.
A.N. Lakshmanan,
Bengaluru
In Modigates turbulent wake, froth

and scum have come to the surface
(Govt. douses one fire, another
breaks out, June 17). Against such a
backdrop, the grant of a travel
permit to Lalit Modi would appear a
small price to pay for to keep the
ex-IPL boss from talking. But his
tweets are ominous enough to cause
greater discomfiture for many who
are as yet safe behind the curtains of
his general silence. A scapegoat
needs to be presented soon. I am
sure that in the off-the-field drama,
there will be more to come.
R. Narayanan, The role played by the British Home
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh office in this sordid saga has been, to
put it mildly, bizarre and one that
A government whose ministers take smacks of double standards. When
pride in their zero-tolerance the Swedish government requested
towards corruption, nepotism and the arrest and deportation of Julian
favouritism, has suddenly come up Assange, an Australian citizen and
with its humanitarian side, and the
Editor-in-chief
of
the
for a person who is an alleged WikiLeaks website, to Sweden to be
economic offender. It is surprising interrogated on rape charges, the
British acted with exemplary

alacrity which forced Mr. Assange
to seek asylum in a hurry. Here, we
have Lalit Modi, a citizen of a
member of the Commonwealth
with a blue corner alert against him
and wanted by the various agencies
of the government of his country to
answer
charges
on
money
laundering, tax evasion, foreign
exchange violation and various
other crimes. What does the British
government do? It treats his case
as per rules and grants him a safe
haven for several years and aids him
in his attempt to cock a snook at the
Indian law enforcement agencies. If
this is the level and character of
cooperation among the member
countries, one is impelled to
wonder about the intrinsic worth of
the Commonwealth itself.
V. Nagarajan,
Chennai
Bride search in south

It is extremely disheartening to see
that in Kerala, which ranks high in
sex-ratio and female literacy, the
plight of women is no different from
that of low-ranking States on these
parameters (Coming South in
search of a bride, June 17). It
reflects the fact that despite
education and other empowering
factors, the destiny of a woman
barely lies in her own hands.
The solution lies in the ability to
eliminate the burden tag from
women. The government has to
ensure this by promoting selfdependence and self-respect among
women. Though many programmes
have been launched, their sincere
implementation needs to be looked
into. There must be some legal
provision to ensure that a girl is not
pushed into the marriage without
her consent.
Suvarnna P.S.,
Kochi
It is a collective shame for India that

men from a State with practically no
women left, have to go to the
desperate extent of travelling deep
south in search of a bride. What is
worse is that Kerala, an advanced
and progressive State, is selling its
women in the name of marriage.
This is more or less similar to
human trafficking. The article
shows that the backwardness of
women in society will continue to
persist even if we are to witness
economic prosperity in India.
Educating women on their rights,
and ensuring their dignity and
personal freedom are the only
solutions. Only then will a woman
boldly turn down things which she
is uncomfortable with.
P.K. Indira Priya,
Chennai
The article seems to be written
based on some information about
certain isolated cases where a few
gullible women have been cheated.
It has not been supported by any
robust statistics or reliable data.
Given the literacy, education and
awareness levels of Keralites, it is
difficult to believe the story put
forth. Otherwise also, it is not sound
journalism to make a generalisation
of some rare and curious
information without subjecting it to
sound and scientific analysis.
Among the middle class in Kerala,
there is a situation now wherein less
educated and underemployed men
are finding it difficult to get brides
even in their own State on account
of the high expectations of the
educated and aspiring womenfolk.
However if there is a situation
where the hapless are being
exploited by the unscrupulous, the
Kerala government and NGOs will
have to initiate corrective steps.
C.K. Saseendran,
Bengaluru
BG-BG
12
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Remembering a rock star

Shiv Visvanathan
Positive
expansion
ith the India Meteorological Departments forecast putting the average seasonal rain for this year at 88 per cent of the
annual long period average for the last 50
years, India is looking at consecutive drought-like years
for the rst time since 1987. It is in this context that the
NDA governments proposal to extend the number of
work entitlement days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme from 100
to 150 in drought-hit districts must be seen. The decision to extend the number by 50 clearly stems from the
concern that there would be greater demand for wagerelated work in drought-affected districts. Considering
that the government has been less keen than its predecessor in the implementation of the scheme, this move
constitutes a change of heart. After all, the Prime Minister only recently said in Parliament that his government would continue the scheme as a symbol of the
failure of the Congress-led rule in tackling poverty, and
reports recently suggested that the Ministry of Rural
Development was keen to reduce the scope of the
scheme to select blocks. This newspaper had recently
pointed to the curtailment in demand and lack of regularity in work allocation under the scheme over the past
year, leading to a trend of fewer person-days being
available to households (Sunday Anchor, May 31).
Ground reports suggested this was mostly due to delayed payments and lower outlays by the government,
in a sign of lack of enthusiasm for the scheme.
MGNREGS could bring relief to farm workers and
labourers affected by the laying waste of cropland for
the rabi cycle due to both unseasonal rain and decient
monsoon. This fact was acknowledged in a recent observation by the World Bank on MGNREGS as an effective substitute for lack of crop and weather insurance in
India. The governments decision to extend the days of
entitlement at this expedient hour must therefore be
welcomed. That said, it is imperative that the government realised the importance of the scheme as a crucial
intervention to spur the rural economy and alleviate
poverty, and not just as a short-term or stopgap arrangement to alleviate distress which in any case it
does. The record of success of MGNREGS since its
launch in 2006 as a welfare initiative that empowers
distressed rural households has been well-documented.
Its weaknesses, in terms of the quality of assets created
and leakages in implementation, are also well-known.
The government has taken note of these and has promised better monitoring and setting of quality standards
for work outcomes. While this is welcome, there needs
to be a better focus on timely wage payments and
demand for work under the scheme.
Nek Chand, one of the worlds foremost and

self-taught artists, passed away last week. It
felt as if an entire era had vanished with him.
Most readers, especially the younger generation, might ask who he was. He was not
Maqbool Fida Husain, Hamidur Rahman or
M.S. Subbulakshmi. But if one looked for an
answer in the world of creativity, he was on a
par with them; a legend who emerged out of
folklore to create another volume of folklore
around his notion of art.
To understand this great man and his
work, one has to go back in time to Partition,
Le Corbusier and Chandigarh. Tired with the
violence of Partition, Jawaharlal Nehru
wanted to create a new memory and a new
sense of India and wanted Chandigarh to
embody that vision. To enact the vision, he
summoned one of the greatest international
architects, Le Corbusier, to build his new
city. Corbusiers Chandigarh is now legendary as Indias greatest planned city.
Corbusier was a Swiss-born French architect who belonged to the rst generation of
the so-called international school of architecture. It was he who prepared the master
plan for the planned city of Chandigarh and
contributed specic designs for several
buildings there.
Waste as memory
In fact, Nek Chand appears as a footnote in
the celebrated Corbusier story. He was a
child of Partition, whose family moved to
India. Later, he found work in Chandigarh by
joining the Public Works Department
(PWD). He was fascinated by the story of
how the city was conceptualised and even
talked in awe of having once sighted Corbusier by the lake. But what intrigued Nek
Chand more was the debris from the 16 villages that Corbusiers Chandigarh displaced.
He was fascinated with the shapes of the
junk. In fact he loved the art of erosion which
he soon called Gods way of sculpting nature. He felt as if nature itself was a great
sculptor and called himself a mere collector.
Out of these mounds of debris, and remnants of waste, the humble PWD worker
created a spectacle of art; at rst surreptitiously, in the forests around Chandigarh. It
was almost as if the selected debris from
these villages was a counterstatement to
Corbusiers manifesto of the city. Junk, as a
Behind Nek Chands creativity and representation

was not just folk wisdom but a deep philosophy,
which many seem to have missed noticing; it posed
an intellectual challenge to an India that has
grown out of urbanism and industrialism
record of memory, soon became an answer
to Indias great planned city. As news of Nek
Chands prowess spread, he managed to nd
space for his surreal fantasy and creativity in
the form of a plot of land of a few acres in
Chandigarh. Thus, the foundation for his
fabled rock garden was laid. To call it a tourist attraction would be to undervalue it. It
was a semiotic masterpiece that quietly restated the values of industrialism and urbanism. However, his critique was not
sociological. It was a folklorist response to
urbanism. It was as if planning was being
retold through tales from the Panchatantra.
There is an air of storytelling, myth and a
fairy tale about the rock garden. It is what
the French would call a bricolage or something constructed or created from a diverse
range of things and which makes a statement. Nek Chands garden was structured at
three levels. In the rst, there was a collec-
way of life. Waste was not something to be

thrown away and discarded but was a material with immense potential that could be
reworked and recycled as works of art. To
him, an object did not die when disposed of
in a garbage can. It could be given life again
and reincarnated to continue a new story.
Soon, this idea of born again waste fascinated people. He would travel around Chandigarh asking people to give him their
rubbish and with an amused chuckle. Nek
Chand felt that terms such as junk, garbage
and waste belonged to the language of materialism, and that generating waste as a culture was critical in understanding a society
and how it worked. During one of my interviews with him, he talked about his foreign trips and the opportunities he got there
to work on waste. Did it work? He wistfully
admitted that their junk was not like our
junk and spoke a different language.
To call Nek Chands rock garden a tourist attraction would be

to undervalue it. It was a semiotic masterpiece that quietly
restated the values of industrialism and urbanism.
tion of eroded rocks surrounded by little
gardens that depicted nature as a spectacle.
The second was a festival of junk where bits
of glass, shards of porcelain, and the debris of
a city were shaped into a giant menagerie of
animals. It was an exotic zoo where birds,
goats and pigs enacted a carnival. The garden
had a wall and on its turrets, Nek Chand
walked every day, a complete lord of all that
he surveyed. More than this, the garden was
a childs delight and an adults wonder. All
the animal species one could think of in
myth and in the local forest formed a combination to stage this creation.
New life to waste

Nek Chand realised that what people saw
as waste and as something to be abandoned,
had immense value as a form of entertainment. He came alive with the idea of wanting
the general public to slowly understand that
their waste was a philosophy, and even a
There was a leprechaun-like quality about

the man as he took visitors around his castles
created from waste. One could see that he
had breathed life into it; it was almost like a
play being enacted before us with the subjects of folklore and fantasy. One almost felt
as if his animal creations were speaking to
him. On one of my visits, he proudly showed
me a huge cartoon of the political leader,
Lalu Prasad.
Walking around his garden, I sensed that
Nek Chand was in fact cryptic and even reticent about a large, empty space in his garden. He even went into a mysterious sulk
when I asked him what he planned to do
about it. I got no answer.
Answer to urbanism
One day, I got to know that Nek Chand had
been invited to attend a World Punjabi Conference in Pakistan. He decided to visit his
village which I learnt had been obliterated
CARTOONSCAPE
Facing
up to IS
he capture of the Syrian border town of Tal
Abyad by Kurdish ghters from Islamic State
this week deals a signicant blow to the radical
Sunni Sala terrorist group. The action not
only cut off a vital supply line for IS to its self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa, but also marked a stunning
reversal of fortunes for the group which just last month
captured Ramadi in Iraq and Palmyra in Syria. The
Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the
Democratic Union Party that controls the Kurdish-populated areas on the Syrian side, was on the front lines
against IS in Tal Abyad. Over the year, the YPG has been
proved to be resilient in terms of its tactics and resolve
in the ght against IS. It played a key role in rescuing
thousands of Yazidis in Iraq from IS last year, and
defeated the radical Islamists in Kobane near the Turkish border in January. With the capture of Tal Abyad, the
YPG has emerged as a very potent anti-IS force. The YPG
challenges the group both politically and militarily,
which makes it a progressive alternative to the perverse
world view of IS. Kurdish ghters of the YPG are social
liberals whose commitment towards gender equality
and secularism stand in sharp contrast with ISs barbarism and misogyny. Ideally they should have been in the
forefront of a united anti-IS campaign. But in reality the
Syrian/Turkish Kurds are not getting the support they
need in the battle.
This is mainly because of the Turkish approach towards the Kurds. The YPG is affiliated to the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK), considered a terror group by
Turkey and the U.S. Ties between the YPG and the PKK
have deepened since the start of the Syrian civil war, and
Turkey fears any direct help to the YPG would eventually strengthen the hands of the PKK. But this approach
has several aws. First, IS is a bigger threat to Turkey
than the secular PKK, which has been in a peace process
with the government in Ankara for two years now. Second, a defeat of Kurdish militias by IS would trigger a
humanitarian catastrophe, which would not only enhance the ow of refugees into Turkey but also make its
borders strategically vulnerable. So it is in its best interest to move ahead with the peace process with the
PKK and effect a rapprochement with the Kurds. The
recent parliamentary elections in Turkey, in which the
pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party crossed the 10
per cent threshold to enter Parliament for the rst time,
set the political stage for such cordiality. Ankara has to
seize the momentum to overhaul its approach to the
Kurds. Such a move would not just help it end a threedecade-old civil war that featured the brutal persecution
of the Kurds, but also infuse fresh energy into the Kurdish resistance to IS along the Syrian-Turkish border.
CM
YK

Ongoing row
It is an open secret that the tainted,
former chief of the IPL, Lalit Modi,
is now evading the law back in India
(Govt. calls it a Cong. conspiracy,
June 18). Therefore, it is strange
that the government of the day is
doing everything possible not to
bring him back. The Union External
Affairs Minister appears to be have
helped him sail past the strictures
passed earlier, thus intentionally or
unintentionally sending out the
signal that he is no longer wanted. A
defence of this act under the pretext
of it being a humanitarian gesture
must be a classic case of misplaced
compassion.
D.V.G. Sankararao,
Nellimarla, Andhra Pradesh
The Congress is making a mountain
out of a mole hill. What Ms. Swaraj
and Ms. Vasundara Raje have done
can only be termed as acts of
indiscretion or impropriety at the
most and nothing more. It was the
Congress that propagated a
multitude of scams under its watch
and hence cannot pretend to be the
paragon of virtue. Ten years of UPA
rule have greatly set back the
country in all spheres. What did
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and Minister P. Chidambaram do to
bring Lalit Modi back to India?
They failed in this task and the party
cannot cry foul now (Why was
order on passport not contested:
Chidambaram, June 18).
V.P. Ramanath,
Hyderabad
Run-up to Yoga Day

The governments push to promote
yoga, by releasing a book, Yoga and
after heavy bombing by the Indian Army. As

he recollected fond memories of his place,
Nek Chand grew excited.
Yet, in mourning its loss, he found his
spark and moment of creativity. Nek Chand
decided to recreate his remembered village
out of the waste and junk in his rock garden.
Waste which people had dispensed with or
forgotten would now become the basis, not
of erasure and obsolescence, but of memory.
For this, his village would be forged from and
would rise from rags, cloth and plastic.
Waste would now recycle memory and not
erase it. The remembered village would be
the philosophical answer to the new urbanism of Le Corbusier. Recycling would confront design, remembrance would be
juxtaposed with planning and garbage would
become a way of retelling a story a bridge
with lost memory, a city and its long-forgotten refugees.
Undervaluing a genius
In a way, it is tragic to recollect this. Nek
Chand, for all his impish, playful genius, has
today been reduced to the level of a secondary artist. His celebrated rock garden
which was even subject to attack by vandals
is almost treated with the same delight
that one would greet a childs creation; a
collectors toy that is seen at an exhibition.
His sense of the classic did not stem from
great traditions but from the easy everydayness of folklore. It was all about folklore
and myth which came alive as animals and
other creatures in his magic forest created
from waste.
Yet, behind his creativity and representation was not just folk wisdom but a deep
philosophy, which many seem to have missed noticing; it posed an intellectual challenge to an India that had, and has, grown
out of urbanism, industrialism and design.
By emphasising the magical power and the
potency of renewal in what the rest of the
world dismissed as waste, he challenged
and still does the popular and current
culture of generating waste which treats
both people and materials as being something dispensable.
Nek Chand felt and echoed the philosophy
of the great chemist, C.V. Seshadri. Seshadri,
who came up with great work and ideas while
working out of a small laboratory near a slum
in Madras, once claimed that waste is the
only resource of a wasted people. He felt
that the idea of a slum as such highlighted
the desperation of creativity.
Slums, he felt, should not be treated as
objects worthy of a pathological examination but as representative of a new citizenship of creativity. For both Nek Chand and
Seshadri, recycling was a new form of storytelling; here, the material instead of facing
an end, was transformed, reinvented and
then told a different story. In his creation,
Nek Chand showed that craft could, and still
can, redeem the ill-effects of industrialism
by prolonging the life of a product long beyond its industrial efficiency.
There was also a deeper critique of the
current ideas of what a city is of an urbanism which ignores waste, that is illiterate
about the informal economy, and which fails
to recognise the citizenship of the marginal.
With its sense of memory and the inclusiveness of waste, Nek Chands garden suggested
a more organic city, where the city represented growth and was not a mere artefact.
The city that he visualised is a more humane answer to the cities of today which
have no place for refugees, memory, for
waste or for a defeated people wanting to
pursue a different way of life.
In that sense, he was more than just an
artist. Nek Chand was a philosopher of technology who in turn gave technology a sense
of pathos, irony and laughter. He provided
technology a mirror in which it could laugh
at itself and go beyond the hubris of innovation to reect on its tragic-comic consequences.
(Shiv Visvanathan is a professor at Jindal
School of Government and Public Policy.)
Islam, is a well-thought out decision

(Govt. pushes yogas universal
appeal, Ministry releases book,
June 18). In a world where the
fabric that binds communities
together is tearing apart, there is an
urgent need to get over such
differences. A religion-neutral
yoga could go a long way in
achieving this aim. Hindus and
Muslims must accept each others
demands and make compromises
on divisive issues. The youth of
India should be broad-minded and
take this initiative further. Yoga is a
marvellous doctrine, to ensure
peace of mind and a unity of
different minds.
Lohit J.M.,
Bengaluru
On the sidelines
It is obvious that no attention has
been paid to enhancing the
capacity building abilities of
vendors (Living on the citys
sidelines, June 18). They need
organisers. Many organisations
have initiated worker education
classes aimed at leadership
development, awareness of legal
rights, municipal corporation
procedures, a sharpening of
negotiating skills, dealing with the
police and even learning accounting
procedures. It is only through
exposure and exchange that
professional solidarity can be
strengthened.
Cooperatives can also be a
powerful mechanism in organising
street vendors. As cooperatives are
prot-oriented organisations, they
will suit the needs of vendors who
are instinctively entrepreneurial.
However, capacity building is
needed to manage and meet
statutory
and
mandatory
requirements. Cooperatives would
enable vendors to pull in the
resources and rid themselves of
exploitative forces relating to their
trade.
Chitvan Singh Dhillon,
Chandigarh
Vendors are a major cause of
nuisance, blocking pedestrian
pathways and generating enormous
amounts of garbage. The solution
lies in banning hand-driven carts. A
city which aspires to be world class
cannot have medieval ways of
selling articles. Instead, motordriven carts should be promoted.
Urban local bodies should also be
pressured into promoting welfare
measures for this vulnerable class.
Sweety Gupta,
New Delhi
The neutrino trail

The article, Going all out for
neutrino research (June 17),
hardly
dispels
the
real
apprehensions in the minds of
many. First, its authenticity is
suspect if the writers say At this
depth, it (the neutrino observatory)
would be able to keep itself away
from all the trillions of neutrinos
produced in the atmosphere and
which would otherwise choke an
over-the-ground
neutrino
detector. This is incorrect. In fact,
as they later note, a beam of
trillions of neutrinos can travel
thousands of kilometres through a
rock before an interaction with a
single atom of the rock and the
neutrino occurs! The real reason
for having such an experiment deep
under the earth is to prevent other
radiations from interfering with the
detection of neutrino beams. There

is no point in comparing the
Fermilab with INO. Fermilab has
the technology to send out neutrino
beams, whereas INO can only
detect neutrinos. How can India
make use of neutrinos in
communication technology, as the
writers claim, without the
technology to send out neutrino
beams? The article is also silent
about the need to build an Indian
neutrino factory that can send out
neutrino beams.
To me, the article is the rst one
to admit that neutrino research has
strategic importance. While it is
true that neutrino beams can do no
direct harm to human beings or the
environment, in future they can
even be used to detonate a nuclear
weapon or even a nuclear reactor in
other countries! One wonders
whether INO is just playing the role
of a ball boy in this game.
Moncy V. John,
Kozhencherry, Kerala
Haryana to Kerala
Of the three letters (June 18) in
response to the article, Coming
south in search of a bride (June 17),
it was only the writer from
Bengaluru who has rightly pointed
out that the article sounds more like
a generalisation of some rare and
curious
information
without
subjecting it to sound and scientic
analysis.
It is a fact that most people in
Kerala are enterprising and
adventurous. It is perhaps the only
State still where matriarchy is in
vogue. In short, the women there
have high aspirations. When this is
the case, it is hard to believe that
women from Kerala are getting
married to men from Haryana. The

subject does need to be researched
again.
G. Swaminathan,
Chennai
If this is the case with Kerala, the
State with the highest literacy ratio,
then what can we expect the
situation to be in the other States?
The article shows that literacy has
not been able to change the mindset
of people. Even today, the parents of
a girl believe that marriage is what
will bring lifelong security and
happiness to their daughter.
Instead, parents should help their
daughters be strong enough to face
lifes many adversities.
Alka Meher,
Raipur, Chhattisgarh
With a gender ratio of 879 females
for each 1,000 males, it is no
surprise that men from Haryana
have to travel far and wide in search
of a bride, which also shows the
general mindset in that State of
not treating women with respect. It
is disappointing and disheartening
to read that women from Kerala,
who I consider to be independent,
strong and with an innate feminist
ideology, are now so intoxicated by
the idea of marriage that they are
ready to accept men from a State
which can easily regarded to be
anti-women. Women must be
enabled to nd their identity
outside the institution of marriage.
Male dominance over every aspect
of a womans life will subside only
with womens empowerment at the
grass-root level. In this, Kerala can
set an example.
Anjna Parameswaran,
New Delhi
BG-BG
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
The restrained riot of Atali

Satish Deshpande
Why is the
PM silent?
he stubborn silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and of national leaders of the
Bharatiya Janata Party over the involvement
of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
in the unfolding Lalit Modi saga is a revelation in itself.
That the actions of Ms. Raje in support of Lalit Modi and
the murky business dealings of her son Dushyant Singh
are beyond what is politically defensible, is obvious.
What is equally clear is that inner-party rivalries are at
work and that party president Amit Shah and Prime
Minister Modi appear to be watching Ms. Rajes descent
from public grace more as spectators than as custodians
of political ethics. For persons holding high office, silence becomes ominous when it has the effect of whittling down the personal and moral authority of the
ruling party. The allegations concerning the Rajasthan
Chief Minister are indeed serious. The longer the ModiShah team takes to respond to the charges against one of
their own Chief Ministers, the stronger would be the
suspicion that they have something to hide. If Ms. Rajes
actions cannot be condoned, the Prime Minister and Mr.
Shah must say so, and the BJP must take steps to have
her removed as Chief Minister. If they have explanations
in defence of the business deals and political links of Ms.
Rajes son with Lalit Modi, they must place them in the
public domain. To not take either of these courses but
maintain a mystifying silence, will be to make a mockery
of the offices they hold. If the misconduct of Ms. Raje
was of a higher order than the impropriety committed
by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, whom the
BJP has supported emphatically over the past few days,
the Prime Minister must say so, and not wait for the
controversy to come to a head. Silence and patience
might have worked if this was a storm that would have
blown over, and not a snowballing crisis.
Ms. Rajes role has come to light only because the
former Indian Premier League commissioner decided to
flaunt his political connections in India in a bid to
portray himself as a victim of vendetta under the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance regime. It is now up to
the Modi government to demonstrate that it will not fall
for this ploy as far as the investigations against Lalit
Modi relating to alleged violations of tax and foreign
exchange laws are concerned. It cannot afford to give the
impression that it is not keen to pursue the probes to
their logical conclusion. A much-belated appeal is likely
to be filed soon in the Supreme Court against a Delhi
High Court verdict quashing the revocation of his passport. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, what is
important is that no unwarranted legal concessions are
made in favour of a person evading an investigation with
an unfounded claim that his life is under threat in India.
As the Oxford English Dictionary acknowledges, the noun communalism has a different meaning in South Asia than in the
English speaking West, where it invokes
something shared by the whole community, or owned in common. The South Asian
meaning heads in the opposite direction, referring not to sharing and solidarity within a
community but to separation and hostility
across communities defined by religion. For
Indians living in the Modi era, the word offers an unsettling insight that is also a challenge. When its two meanings are taken
together, communalism becomes a hinge
word. It yokes together the contradictory
senses of a we feeling brought about by
solidarities, and a they feeling inciting animosities. In our time, such a juxtaposition
provokes the uncomfortable question: are
our most effective forms of community built
on shared hatreds rather than shared ideals?
A combination of the novel and the familiar in

the recent episode of communal rioting in Atali,
Haryana, invites us to ask if it represents a new
refinement of the model of Hindutva that was
inaugurated in the Gujarat riots of 2002
quently in the media accounts of the riot and
its aftermath. When voiced by the aggressors
or on their behalf, it became a claim to virtuous restraint on the part of a majority fully
capable of doing far greater harm. Oddly
enough, the same theme was also echoed by
the victims, though from a different angle.
Everyone we spoke to in the Muslim neighbourhood was convinced that only the merciful intervention of an all-powerful ooparwala
[Almighty] had saved them from certain
death.
Target of ire
The calibration of cruelty makes Atali different. If we add the active efforts of its Jat
elders to persuade their Muslim neighbours
to return to the village, Atali becomes almost
unique in the recent history of communal
violence. And yet, there is so much else that
follows a well worn script. A riot was preannounced after a recent court order vacated
the stay on the construction of the mosque. A
public campaign was mounted in a dozen
surrounding villages to recruit the required
mob. A local woman played a prominent role
in exhorting the menfolk and gathered a trolley load of women rioters. The pretexts leading up to the actual attack are also very
familiar alleged harassment of women and
dispute over the location of the mosque. This
is in the face of the proven facts that the site
has been used for prayers by Muslims for the
past several decades if not more; and that the
land on which it stands has long been recognised as Wakf land in the official revenue
Weighed down by the voyeurs guilt of safe

outsiders, we walked around soot-blackened
homes littered with the heartbreaking debris
of devastated domesticity. The visible eviThe line of restraint
dence supported the attackers claim of reThis question forced itself on me last week straint, but only in the sense that the primary
when I visited Atali with two of my col- targets were the signs of upward mobility
leagues. About 50 kilometres from Delhi, rather than lives and limbs. The homes and
Atali is a village in the Ballabhgarh tehsil of
Faridabad district in Haryana. According to
the 2011 Census, it has about 1,200 houseAtali saw the active involvement of women and the affluent
holds and a population of a little less than
middle
classes; the breaching of the urban-rural divide; and the
7,000 people. It is also the latest addition to
the national list of communal hotspots since
participation of Dalits and Adivasis... It was the first riot for
the evening of May 25, when a Hindu mob
attacked Muslim residents who were praying
which none of the major players has ever apologised...
at the makeshift mosque that has been the
subject of dispute for several years. In a nearly three hour session of orchestrated vio- property of the two most prosperous Muslim records. Multiple court cases intended to
lence, men and women were beaten, children families received maximum attention. About block construction of the mosque have all
terrorised, houses burnt and broken, proper- a dozen parked vehicles including cars, mo- failed, and the latest judgment strongly rety destroyed and livestock stolen. The local torcycles and scooters, and a tractor and tem- bukes the mala fide suits. But opposition repolice stayed away during this time, return- po were completely destroyed and had mains adamant and has even gained in
ing only to escort the victims to the Ballabh- already been towed away. Valuable buffaloes strength. As a Jat leader told the media, court
garh police station and the injured to and goats were stolen. Air conditioners, re- judgments mean nothing to them they will
hospital. The entire Muslim population of frigerators, coolers, washing machines and never allow a mosque to be built in their
the village numbering about 400 people fled, gas stoves were smashed. Fancy furniture village.
and about 150 people including women and and show cases were burnt or broken. Tiled
children were camping in the Ballabhgarh walls and floors were stripped, the tiles re- Normalising prejudice
thana for a week. Although at least three duced to rubble, and the exposed brick surThis combination of the novel and the fapersons were seriously injured, suffering se- faces left to look like poor peoples homes miliar in Atali invites us to ask if it represents
vere burns, axe wounds and broken bones, no should. Compared to these primary targets, a new refinement of the model of Hindutva
one was killed; and despite being beaten and the other debris was just collateral damage: that was inaugurated in the Gujarat riots of
manhandled, none of the women were raped. Burnt ceiling fans with drooping, fire-melted 2002. The famous action-reaction seThis fact that much worse could have blades hanging from sooty roofs like macabre quence of 2002 attempted to install a norhappened but didnt proved to be a recur- three-petalled flowers; a childs school bag malised anti-Muslim prejudice as the
rent motif, like the chorus line of a song, or lying in a corner with charred books and cornerstone of contemporary Hindutva.
the sam beat on which percussion and solo notebooks showing through its open flaps; or While Muslim-baiting is as old as Hindutva
meet. It was there in our brief conversations cooking vessels in various stages of damage itself, the challenge was to normalise it, to
with the Jats of Atali, and it appeared fre- flung around on kitchen floors
legitimise it in the eyes of ordinary people to
CARTOONSCAPE
The scourge
of racism
he gun attack that killed nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, is a violent reminder that racism courses through
Americas veins even 50 years after an unarmed civil rights activist was killed by an Alabama state
trooper, an incident that led to the historic Selma to
Montgomery marches. The target this time was a storied
African-American church and the victims included a
state senator. The arrested suspect, Dylann Storm Roof,
21, apparently wanted to ignite a civil war. The incident should be seen in the backdrop of a rising trend of
crimes in the U.S. against African-Americans, involving
both persons in authority and members of the public.
Charlestons victims are simply the latest in a long list
from recent years. They include Walter Scott, who was
shot from behind by a police officer on April 4 in North
Charleston; Michael Brown, shot by the police in Ferguson in August last year; Eric Garner, who died in New
York in July 2014 after the police got him in a chokehold,
and Trayvon Martin, shot in Florida by a neighbourhood
watch volunteer in 2012. The election of Barack Obama
as the first black President of the country in 2008 had
raised hopes about the dawn of a post-racial era. But
African-Americans are still being frequently targeted.
Racism is not history. Racialisation, making presumptions about people based on their identities from the
perspective of White supremacy, is a continuing process
that feeds people like the attacker in Charleston. The
American polity, which claims to cherish freedom and
fairness, should have addressed this societal flaw long
ago. Instead, the political activism of the conservative
right in the U.S. is deepening the flaw. It may not be a
coincidence that what the shooter at Charleston told his
victims you are taking over our country sounded
much like the Tea Party slogan, Take back our country,
which emerged as a rallying cry among the conservatives
after Mr. Obama became President. To be sure, the U.S.
is not the only country that has racism. What makes it
more lethal here are the countrys gun laws. The Obama
administrations attempts to bring in stricter gun laws
have failed in Congress despite a number of mass shooting incidents in recent years. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Obama has now renewed his calls for stricter gun laws. It
may be ironical that the policeman of the world, which
invaded two nations after the September 11, 2011 attacks
and sent drones to several others presumably to keep
Americans safe from terrorists, is seen to be clueless
on how to deal with home-grown terrorism. Racism and
guns are the twin pathological failures of the American
system. It has to tackle urgently these challenges, politically and legally. Else, no force would be able to halt the
decay of moral fabric in the country.
CM
YK

Emergency comment
Senior leader and BJP patriarch
L.K. Advani has rightly expressed
his views fearing a repeat of
Emergency as the forces that can
crush democracy have only become
stronger (Repeat of Emergency
unlikely, says RSS, June 19). One
cannot miss the impact of his
comment, at a time when the BJP
government is facing one of its
toughest political tests on
Modigate. Contrary to the
propaganda
that
the
BJP
government
has
unleashed
following a year in office, there is
still nothing to look forward to for a
vast majority. Inflation, price rise
and even undermining the sanctity
of parliamentary systems are all
pointers. Though Mr. Advani hasnt
named anyone in his remark, one
can guess who his target is.
S.K. Khosla,
Chandigarh
Mr. Advanis opinion is a matter of
great concern, especially for those
who value political freedom,
constitutional rights and an
upholding of human rights. One is
forced to recollect the period 197577. Though there are many
characteristics that are common to
Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi,
he stands out by implementing his
writ through an ordinance raj to
counter his partys minority status
in the upper House. There is also
public dissatisfaction with the
governments approach to: RTI,
peoples movements, NGOs, the
IIT-M issue, the media, corruption
and price rise. Thus, it should be
the point where it would become a self-evident truth. This is what the Gujarat model
began to achieve by pulling off something
unprecedented in independent India a riot
with mass killings and mass participation,
but zero remorse. In a series of firsts, this
historic pogrom saw the active involvement
of women and the affluent middle classes; the
breaching of the urban-rural divide; and the
significant participation of Dalits and Adivasis. Above all, it was the first riot for which
none of the major players has ever apologised. Prior to this, and regardless of the
regime in power, communal riots were always explained away after the fact as exceptional moments of madness brought on by
severe provocation and the instigation of a
few anti-social elements.
Despite its significant ideological innovations, the Gujarat model proved to be a limited success. Its major achievement was in
justifying an anti-Muslim pogrom and even
claiming credit for it, thus making a radical
break with the established tradition of dissembling followed by all political parties until then. And though it did not prove to be a
liability for Narendra Modis prime ministerial bid, neither was it a clear asset like the
Ram Janmabhoomi campaign which carried
Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani to power. The carnage of 2002 also extracted a
heavy price in terms of national and international damage control. In short, the Gujarat
model was successful but not sustainable.
Sustainable Hindutva
Although it is important not to read too
much into it too soon, we do need to examine
the implications of a possible Atali model
of sustainable Hindutva. Such a model would
forego the politically expensive indulgence in
extremes like the murder, rape or forcible
eviction of Muslims. Instead, it would seek to
cultivate a far more durable system of normalised oppression where Muslims are compelled to become permanent participants in
their own subordination. The key element
here would be the imposition of conditionalities limiting the extent and quality of their
citizenship. Once the basic principle of subordinate citizenship is legitimised, all the old
clichs extolling happy coexistence, syncretic culture, the inherent tolerance of Hinduism, etc., could be brazenly repeated
garv se.
Much of this is already happening. In Atali,
the Jats recall an idyllic past where humble
Muslims lived in harmony with their Hindu
benefactors, even eating from the same thalis. They attribute the current friction to two
Muslim families that have become too rich.
They insist that even now the Muslims are
welcome to stay, as long as they adjust,
respect the wishes of the village, and let their
mosque remain unbuilt Though the obvious question about the violence is transparently evaded, it is followed by the
counter-questions: Isnt it true that no one
was killed or raped? Didnt our elders plead
with them to return? These questions and
the restrained riot that makes them possible hold the key to sustainability because
they raise the benefits-to-costs ratio. Lukewarm media interest in a no-deaths incident
rarely went beyond convenient Muslims-atpolice-station visuals. The police were enabled to avoid the arrest of named rioters.
The state will be compelled to offer compensation which can then be used as leverage to
settle the matter. Time will work against
the victims who must rebuild their lives and
livelihoods before all else. Meanwhile, their
attackers have humbled the too rich Muslims and terrorised the rest, rallied their own
constituency, and are free to stage a repeat
performance at will.
Though the Atali model seems both sustainable and successful, it is yet to face two
major challenges caste dynamics and electoral politics. Atalis Muslims are low caste
Fakirs and Telis; the village also has a large
Dalit-Hindu population; and elections are
around the corner This space will be worth
watching.
(Satish Deshpande teaches Sociology at
Delhi University. The views expressed are
personal. E-mail: sdeshpande7@gmail.com)
assumed that Mr. Advani would not

have talked about Emergency,
after a gap of about 40 years,
without provocation. It may not be
a matter of his feeling sidelined
alone. It is for voters to take the
Advani caution seriously.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala
There seems to be an unnecessary
outcry over Mr. Advanis hunch.
Indira Gandhi usurped the
Constitution to save herself from
extinction in her hour of political
holocaust, but Mr. Modi has no
such fear being in the saddle by dint
of a massive mandate. In case he
uses a strong hand to wipe off the
evil in our murky politics, a strong
arm method is welcome. But
Emergency in the whole of the
country: absolutely no chance!
Emergency does not mean a
concentration of power in one
person, for that is the quintessence
of sovereignty. It must necessarily
be located in an individual. There
may be difference of opinion in the
elected members but there is one
whose voice is supreme, and s/he
must be an elected person in a
democracy.
Multicentric
sovereignty is no sovereignty.
Emergency means a suspension of
liberty of the commoners. Our
police will not be able to quell the
wrath of the multitude. The
military will not use its force on the
people. The sting of Emergency
hurt a lot as the bureaucracy that
was asked to bend began to crawl
before the Congress but became
ruthless with the subordinates and
the laity. It was clamped on the
mischievous
observation.
It
exposes more of the helplessness
and hopelessness of Mr. Advani
than any real political danger to our
country except the external threat
There is a growing streak of looming over our borders.
B. Sankaran,
authoritarianism in many actions
Chennai
of the government, with the
ordinary citizen feeling left out of
the whole process of governance.
Even substantial sections of the Nek Chand (Remembering a rock
media have fallen silent in the face star, June 19) was much more than
of the stridency shown by forces an artist. It is a pity that our
inimical to the democratic administrations are not sensitive
discourse. Mr. Advanis views are enough to having art and creativity
sure to raise hackles in the ruling in public places.
The writer does not see the irony
camp. But, as a party in governance,
the BJP should take the views of in saying that Nehru wanted to
one of its most senior leaders with create a new memory and a new
utmost seriousness and undertake sense of India because he was tired
of the violence of Partition.
remedial measures.
J. Anantha Padmanabhan, Partition would not have happened
Tiruchi had Nehru followed Gandhis
wishes. He was in a hurry to assume
The Congress, or at least some in it, leadership, as is clear in Ram
appear to have gleefully latched on Manohar Lohias book, The Guilty
to L.K. Advanis Emergency fears Men of Indias Partition. Was it his
and apprehensions comment. elitist, personal tiredness that
Though Mr. Advani has clarified allowed a city to be designed by a
that he was referring to the 1975 foreigner when Indians could have
Emergency, it is pertinent to know done so more suitably by
whether any one in the Congress accommodating all sections of
will ever openly admit that the only society? The description of
Emergency declared in India was in Chandigarh as Indias greatest
gross violation of democracy and planned city needs correction. It
against the principles of the may be planned but it certainly isnt
smart nor so legendary in
Constitution.
C.G. Kuriakose, comparison to planned cities
Kothamangalam, Kerala elsewhere in the world. And highly
planned cities that do not allow
The volcano which was simmering breathing room for spontaneity are
with disgruntlement consequent to soulless. Chandigarh has no
the defeat in the power struggle convenient public transport and
within the BJP has erupted with the poor are still out on the fringes.
the cynical, motive-laden and There is a clear division between
nation to terrorise the people and

to stifle the Opposition.
J.N. Bhartiya,
Hyderabad
The rock star
the haves and the have-nots. It is

perhaps comfortable for middle
class
retirees
and
some
professionals, but the common
citizen of India cannot live there
unless attached to an institution or
has a steady income.
Jaya Jaitly,
New Delhi
Visiting Mumbra
I agree with Basharat Peers view
that the absence of sanitation,
health, education or banking
facilities or companies denying
home delivery of products has, for
years, been the standard attitude
towards Indias Muslim ghettos
In Indias largest Muslim ghetto,
June 19. The practice of some
housing bodies denying housing to
Muslims, and as reported from
time to time, reflects the same
mentality. Despite such cases of
negligence, sporadic signs of
aspiration can be seen, as pointed
out by Peer in the case of Mumbra.
More
often
than
not,
governments have treated Muslims
only as a vote bank doing nothing in
reality to raise their social and
economic status. This has led to
uneven development in the
country, leading to complex issues
such as an identity crisis and of a
cultural threat. It is time that all
governments
create
equal
opportunities, so that many
untapped talents can be utilised for
better and stronger India. To
achieve this, the ghettoisation of
Muslims or any other minority
community needs to be shunned.
Manzar Imam,
New Delhi
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Muscle-flexing that may backfire

M.K. Narayanan
Give the IIMs

their freedom
here is an irony here that is hard to miss. The
three oldest Indian Institutes of Management
IIM Calcutta, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM
Bangalore were established many years before India embraced the market economy model. With
recommendations that came from the Planning Commission and working in a socialist framework, they
have functioned autonomously to evolve best management practices and, with some help from America,
today gure among Indias best-known global brands.
Over the years they have beneted from the autonomy
granted to them, which has enabled them to work
independently in deciding what is best for them. In the
true sense of the term, the IIMs have essentially been
market-oriented institutions. The government that is
now at the helm has an avowedly pro-market disposition too, and has in the recent past cut budgetary
support for many welfare measures. The real objective
of seeking to impose controls on the management institutes of which there are 13 today has therefore
perplexed observers. To be fair, the NDA government is
not to be blamed entirely. The Congress-led UPA, under Minister Kapil Sibal, set the process going. A committee that he appointed was accused of pursuing the
objective of out-and-out privatisation of the IIMs. The
Ministry of Human Resource Development under
Smriti Irani is now seeking to regulate them by means
of the Indian Institutes of Management Bill, 2015, in
the text of which the word regulate recurs with regularity. The Bill is now in the public realm for comments
and will of course pass through Parliament. There is
reason to believe that the special status enjoyed by the
institutes is being sought to be diluted by bringing in
other business schools also within the ambit of the Bill.
That is not to say the Bill is without any positive
aspects. It promises to meet a long-pending demand to
convert diplomas awarded by the IIMs into degrees.
But the real question is whether government control
would help make these institutes centres of excellence.
Public-funded institutes in India gure nowhere in the
top 100 global ranking index. The Indian Institutes of
Technology have functioned autonomously in deciding
their own curriculum, yet evidently the government is
seeking to interfere in their functioning. In the case of
the IIMs Bill, it is not clear to what extent the government intends to meddle with the academic structure.
What is evident is that major decisions can be taken
only with prior government approval. Also, determining the fee structure, a contentious issue in the past,
will be subject to governmental nod. The government
ought to tread carefully here. It would be appropriate
to take the IIMs along while giving nal shape to the
Bill, which has the potential to alter their structure.
Just three weeks ago, June 4 was a Black

Day for the Indian Army, when possibly, it
suffered its highest-ever casualties in peace
time; around 20 of its soldiers from the 6
Dogra Regiment were ambushed and killed
and many more injured. The convoy was attacked in Chandel district of Manipur, in a
well-planned and executed move by elements of the recently formed United National Liberation Front of WESEA (Western
South East Asia) using improvised explosive
devices, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. Thirty-three years ago, in
1982, another Army contingent had suffered
a similar deadly attack in the Northeast,
claiming the lives of over 15 jawans.
This attack marks a temporary setback to
Indias counter insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts in the Northeast. Therefore, it
was not unexpected that it provoked the
strongest reaction from the government and
the armed forces. Instructions were given to
launch an all-out search and destroy operation against militant hideouts in jungles
along the India-Myanmar border and the
hinterland. All this was in keeping with existing Standard Operating Procedures, except,
perhaps, for the scale of the operation and
the decision to use para commandos.
Missed signals
So far, nothing has been mentioned about
the massive failure of military intelligence in
this instance. The Northeast region still remains plagued by multiple insurgencies with
the possible exception of Mizoram. Manipur
itself has as many as 33 militant outts engaged in violent activities.
Consequently, the Indian Armys failure to
anticipate an attack which would have
been well-rehearsed and take adequate
precautions reect poorly on its intelligence
capability. This is also to say that civilian
intelligence agencies have hardly covered
themselves with glory.
Two specic developments in recent
months in the region should have alerted the
agencies to the fact that something was brewing. The rst was the decision of the NSCN
(K) to unilaterally abrogate its ceasere with
the Indian government, thus signalling a return to the path of violence. The second was
Those who preach the virtue of India adopting

a new muscular response strategy vis--vis its
neighbours need to be careful not to overstate
their case. Indias current policy is one of strategic
restraint and is a well-thought-out one
citing hot pursuit much of this is in the
public domain by now. Admittedly, many of
them may not have been on this scale, nor
were they possibly acknowledged. Countries
which have their sovereignty violated this
way either protest against the action or wink
at it. In Myanmars case, the authorities
seem to have resorted to subterfuge to cover
up a disinclination to raise a hue and cry.
There are also reports of Myanmar not agreeing to any more such operations.
The theory underlying special operations is to retain a degree of plausible
deniability, to obviate any international opprobrium. Those attacked would realise in
any case where the attack emanated from. In
the present instance, the wide publicity vioBehind hot pursuit
lates this tenet which is central to any SpeThe surgical strikes, on June 9, against two cial Operation. It removes the veneer of
militant camps (mainly occupied by NSCN plausible deniability, needed to stave off
the formation of the rainbow coalition of
several Northeastern militant outts, including groups like the National Socialist Council
of Nagaland NSCN(K), the Paresh Baruah
faction of the United Liberation Front of
Assam (ULFA), the National Democratic
Front of Bodoland NDFB(S), led by Songbijit,
and several Meitei outts such as the KCP,
the KYKL and the PULF. Each of these outts has an outreach to countries not too well
disposed towards India including Pakistan
and China though actual links have been
rather tenuous. There could not have been a
stronger signal than this that a new phase in
militancy in the Northeast was about to
commence.
The western border
More serious are the implications of certain statements that

the strikes launched inside Myanmars territory were
a precursor to what could well happen on Indias western
border in case of any fresh provocation.
(K) elements) across the border in Myanmar,
by para commandos of the 21 Para Regiment
Special Forces were thus very timely as
official gures of the militants who were
killed vary from 20 to 50 people. The action
was conducted under the principle of hot
pursuit though there could be some ambiguity about employing this phrase, since the
action had taken place after a gap of almost
ve days.
Hot pursuit is not unknown to Indias
armed forces. It may not have international
sanctity or legal justication, but several
countries have resorted to it when confronted with similar situations. Indias armed
forces, the Special Frontier Force and the
border guarding forces have, at one time or
other, carried out similar special operations
any unnecessary or uncalled for international attention and criticism of violation of another countrys sovereignty.
Jarring note
No doubt, the government would have valid answers to possible criticism levelled
against it regarding the nature and scale of
the operation, including that of intruding into a neighbouring countrys territory. Therefore, this is not the moot point for concern.
What is disconcerting are the outpourings of
triumphalism with even official spokesmen ministers not excluded indulging in
verbal excesses. Whether all this signals a
change in Indias counter terrorism strategy
or not, it certainly creates the impression
that a new and aggressive phase in the battle
CARTOONSCAPE
Hong Kong
needs balance
he decision of Hong Kongs lawmakers last
week to vote down a proposal put forth by
Beijing to reform the citys electoral system
was hardly a surprise. The plan, which would
give Hong Kongs voters the right to directly elect their
Chief Executive (CE) but from a list of pre-approved
candidates, triggered large-scale protests last year
when it was announced. Opponents say it is just another means for Beijing to retain control. Beijings explanation is that it is only doing what it promised to do at
the time of Hong Kongs transition from being a British
colony to a special administrative region of China.
Under the Hong Kong Basic Law, adopted by China in
1990, the CE would be elected by universal suffrage in
2017; but a committee would supervise the nominations. Hong Kong had been a British colony for over 150
years till it was handed over in 1997. All those years it
was ruled by governors appointed by London. When
the British withdrew, Beijing offered a semblance of
democracy to Hong Kong under the One Country, Two
Systems principle. In contrast to the British-style appointment of governors, the citys CE is now elected by
a 1,200-member committee of Hong Kongs elite.
Those who support Beijings latest reform plan say it
is a step in the right direction in Hong Kongs evolving
democracy, giving the people a chance to vote while not
undermining Beijings authority. But most politicians
in the Legislative Council dont seem convinced by this
argument. They want an election process that is completely free of Beijings involvement. This position raises three questions. First, while the argument for full
democracy that includes open nomination of candidates for the post of CE could appear to be politically
correct, does it have the support of the Basic Law that
the Chinese government says it is bound by? Second, is
it logical to believe that Beijing would agree to a government that is hostile to it being elected in Hong
Kong? And, is it possible in practical terms for Hong
Kong to live in perpetual hostility with Beijing, which
has grown into an economic and geopolitical powerhouse in the past three decades? Hong Kongs dissenting politicians should show pragmatism in dealing
with this situation. On the other hand, Chinas decision
that it would go ahead with the reform plan despite the
vote is imprudent. It cannot possibly overhaul the
citys electoral system without taking its people along;
Beijing needs to avoid fractious outcomes given the
citys dominant mood. There are objective conditions
for both sides to give up their intransigent positions
and make a deal that would be in the best interests of
the nancial and commercial hub that is Hong Kong.
CM
YK

In sync, harmony
The incredible response from
people of all walks of life to the call
of International Yoga Day
celebrations is just overwhelming.
Never has India witnessed such
mass participation for an event
that has cut across all boundaries
of caste, colour, religion and
nationality.
India has obviously stolen a
march over the rest of the world
with participation in all corners of
the country; even Army personnel
at the Siachen Glacier joined in.
One only hopes that the impetus
from June 21 will give a leg-up to
this healthy way of life and
encourage the authorities to set up
more yoga centres equipped with
qualied practitioners.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
Yoga is a way of life for many, is
made in India and has spread its
wings across the globe. But, sadly,
it is still incorrectly linked with
religion. It is a science of wellbeing, integrating the body, mind
and soul. It is said that a
gymnasium is the hardware, for the
body, and yoga is the software, for
the mind. Todays youth need to
arise,
awake,
harness
and
experience the power of yoga
rather than be addicted to the
smartphone yoga mudra and
where they seem to be using only
their index nger all the time!
T.S. Karthik,
Chennai
against terrorism has begun. More serious

are the implications of certain statements
made by those in authority, that the strikes
launched inside Myanmar's territory were a
precursor to what could well happen on Indias western border in case of any fresh
provocation. An official Army declaration
that while ensuring peace and tranquility
along the border any threat to our security,
safety and national integrity will meet with
rm response is being interpreted as being
indicative of this new attitude and approach. If such statements were only intended to convey a new machismo image of
India, then those who make these statements
need to understand that this could prove to
be counterproductive.
If indeed an attempt is on by some circles
to modify the existing Counter Terrorism
doctrine and introduce in it an element of
pre-emption, then India must weigh the
pros and cons before adopting such a strategy. The doctrine of pre-emption is openly
avowed only by countries like the United
States and Israel. It is a principle that both
countries invoke to disregard constraints of
national borders to carry out pre-emptive
attacks outside their borders to deal with
notional threats to their security and sovereignty.
If India now seeks to sail close to the
wind as far as this doctrine is concerned, it
must understand the inherent dangers in following a U.S.-Israel analogy. Pakistan would
seem to be the obvious target given its spate
of provocations. Even though there has been
no mention of Pakistan by Indian interlocutors on the present occasion, Pakistan has
already reacted strongly. The imputation
that Pakistan is not Myanmar suggests that
it could resort to any incursion with its disproportionate response strategy. Disproportionate response is already a part of
Pakistans official Army doctrine.
The intrinsic danger in all this is that while
Pakistan may appear dysfunctional, it is, by
no means, a failed state. It remains essentially unpredictable, though, even at the best of
times, rational decision-making has not been
Pakistans strong point. Decision-making in
Pakistan has generally tended to be bereft of
cognitive thinking. Therefore, it cannot be
expected to adhere to the denition of rationality viz., behaviour that is appropriate to
specied goals in the context of a given situation. With the Army dominating the commanding heights of policy in Pakistan, it is
they who will determine the manner of retaliation. It may not be an olive branch, but
more probably a nuclear one.
This is not implausible, for Pakistan has
been steadily increasing its nuclear and missile capabilities, mainly targeting India.
Hence, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that Pakistan would see in this so-called
new doctrine of pre-emption, an opportunity to deploy its nuclear and missile capabilities against India. As it is, Pakistan has
constantly harped on Indias non-existent
Cold Start Doctrine, and its response has
been to build and deploy battleeld and tactical nuclear weapons to deal with any incursion by Indias armed forces. Pakistans
nuclear capability is today buttressed by its
Shaheen missile family the Shaheen-I,
the Shaheen-II and the Shaheen-III category
missiles, which are capable of hitting most
parts of India.
Those who preach the virtue of adopting a
new muscular response strategy vis--vis
our neighbours Pakistan included need
to be careful not to overstate their case. Indias current policy incorporates a degree of
strategic restraint, and it is a well-thought
out one. It has served Indias purpose well.
Realistically speaking, there is no substitute
for a well-calibrated policy.
(M.K. Narayanan is a former National
Security Adviser and former Governor of
West Bengal.)
priority wise, should be far down in

the list of issues facing India.
Ankush Sharma,
Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir
and spiritual well-being of man as a

whole.
D.B.N. Murthy,
Bengaluru
Over the last few days, the media

have been in overdrive in the runup to the day (June 21). A large
number of people are well versed in
the mild exercise. Notwithstanding
some religious prejudices, the
health benets of this ancient
Indian practice has been clearly
recognised. At a time when our
economy is in bad shape and
farmers are committing suicide,
the extravagant manner in which
the events were conducted across
the country looks strange.
Anything in excess is not desirable.
K.S. Thampi,
Chennai
Any physical exercise, if properly

done, is good for health. Yoga is
nothing but a set of physical
exercises and hence there is
nothing wrong in recommending it
to persons physically capable of
performing them. Apart from that,
making a tall claim that it is a
panacea for all physical and mental
ailments is absolutely unscientic.
Adequate research papers are yet
to appear in reputed scientic
journals conrming or otherwise
the claimed health benets of yoga.
The present hype is undoubtedly
premature. The BJP government,
which has had no creditable
performances to boast of during its
one-year-rule, is attempting to
present it as one of its
achievements.
It also helps it in pleasing to
some extent right-wing elements
whose disillusionment with the
government is growing due to an
absence of interest in matters dear
to these elements. This strategy
may be politically advantageous to
the BJP but undue and excessive
hype created over yoga for purely
political reasons will only lead to
its commercial exploitation and
consequent depletion of its
intrinsic merits.
S.P. Asokan,
Chennai
Yoga spells health, but one is

unable to understand the logic
behind the decision to make it a
spectacle. Yoga must be practised
in a quiet and pollution-free area.
Can Indian cities claim that they
are pollution free? The signicance
of yoga is lost if it is done on a mass
scale and out of compulsion. I like
Mahatma Gandhis denition of
yoga: Yoga is skill in action.
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
It is important to keep religion out

of yoga for wider acceptance.
Moreover, there should be no
coercion that everyone must
practise yoga. It is also important
to understand not only the physical
aspect of yoga but also its overall
There was no need for this effect on body and mind. It was
spectacle. The world knows about B.K.S. Iyengar who said: Yoga is a
yoga, has evolved different forms of timeless pragmatic science evolved
it and does not need India to teach over thousands of years dealing
it. Yoga is no doubt important but, with the physical, moral, mental
The proven therapeutic benets of

yoga in heart disease, asthma,
epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension
and its ability to prevent disease in
a healthy population remain
underutilised in India. The yoga
scene in India is unremarkable
incident occurred in Hathin town

of Palwa district, which borders
Faridabad. At that time, the BJP
government did not take action. In
many thanas in Haryana, most
police personnel belong to a
dominant caste and harbour a
communal mindset. It is no
exaggeration to say that action is
delayed so that substantial damage
can be carried out. The most
important point in all this is the
The writer (The restrained riot pressing need for police reform.
of Atali, June 20) seems well
Nasir Hussain,
adept at speculating and in
Eluru, Andhra Pradesh
concocting theories. Why does the
local
feud
between
two
communities in Atali appear to be a I stopped watching Bollywood
Hindutva conspiracy to him? He movies the day I realised most
implicitly maligns Hindus by were cheap imitations ofthe
trying to taint them as ruffians Hollywood originals (Sunday
attempting to bulldoze the Anchor page Soul of cinema is
minorities;
he
also
avoids being sold to box office, June 21).
mentioning the specic incidents Film-makers like Karan Johar
which may have triggered the riots. himself have rarely made a lm
Unfortunately, the attempt seems without the masala element. Even
to be to feed minds with though some have come up with a
mixing
unsustainable generalisations. I formula
art
also wonder why Gujarat 2002 has commercialcinemawith
become the standard reference movies, providing both quality and
point for some to gauge commercial value to movies, these
communalism in India, despite the are exceptions. Films like Baby,
fact that there have been more which had an original plot, carried
forward by great acting and
deadly riots.
Are these proponents reading positive reviews, did not do so well
the
boxoffice.
Movies
post-Independence history from at
2002 onwards that they appear so supposedly based on historical
oblivious to riots preceding 2002? events rarely take care of details of
It is an outcome of prejudices that time. It is sad that a Bollywood
internalised due to a sustained lm is said to be good only when
anti-Hindutva
campaign
by actors aunt six-pack bodies while
actresses must shed their clothes.
scholars and the media.
Anoop Suri, All that sells at the boxoffice is
New Delhi entertainment, entertainment and
entertainment. It is no wonder
This is not for the rst time that a then that Bollywood lms rarely
community has been attacked in fare well abroad.
Sweety Gupta,
Haryanas villages or towns.
New Delhi
Earlier, in October 2014, a similar
barring a few special training
centres and scientic study groups.
There is an urgent need to have it
better recognised by the healthcare community of India as being
complementary to conventional
medical care, thereby facilitating
its wider practice.
Dr. Varun Suresh,
Thrissur
The Atali model
Cinema and box office
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
The unrealised American Dream

R.K. Raghavan
A question
of credentials
hile the Bharatiya Janata Party government has, on the one hand, been striving
to pursue a growth- and developmentoriented agenda with a firm emphasis on
the economic and foreign policy fronts, on the other
hand the question has come up too often whether it is
meanwhile systematically seeking to use the Ministries
related to culture, information, education and human
resources to push itself away from values promoting
excellence and expertise when it comes to certain key
appointments. This is the only possible explanation for
the choice of those with uncertain credentials for some
important institutional appointments. In the latest instance, the choice of Gajendra Chauhan for the post of
chairman of the governing council of the Film and
Television Institute of India, and other members of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to be members of the
FTII Society, has raised the hackles of students of the
institute and members of the larger cinema fraternity.
Mr. Chauhan is better known for his portrayal of the
character of Yudhisthira in the popular television serial Mahabharata in the 1980s. His filmography includes
a string of films of a certain kind, and there is little in his
repertoire that qualifies him to chair a premier institution imparting quality cinematic training. It is
clear that the choice made by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is based on his leanings. He is a
BJP member, and wears his affiliation on his sleeve.
Of course, the BJP is not alone when it comes to
injecting political bias into the process of selecting
persons for such posts, but the present government
seems rather brazen compared to its predecessors in
ignoring qualifications or merit in making appointments. The Ministry recently appointed a number of
Sangh Parivar and BJP affiliates to the Central Board of
Film Certification panel, seemingly with hardly a
thought for credentials, eminence or qualifications.
The new chairperson of the CBFC, for example, is
someone who had directed run-of-the-mill films in the
past. The Human Resource Development Ministry recently appointed a historian with barely any peerreviewed work in the field, to the post of chairperson of
the Indian Council of Historical Research, Y. Sudershan Rao. To boot, he holds controversial views that
conflate mythological elements with history. The BJPs
victory in 2014 was predicated on its promise of overhauling governance to achieve economic growth and
development. It is impossible to imagine that the mandate was for the fulfilment of any kind of self-serving
agenda or sharing of the spoils. The government should
not allow itself to veer away from the pursuit of excellence and put in peril the integrity of its institutions.
Last weeks gruesome shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States, at
one of the nations most renowned AfricanAmerican congregations, is resurrecting the
citys and the U.S.s troubled past. This citys
history is steeped in slavery and the kind of
racism that fuelled the murders on June 17.
About half of all African-Americans in the
U.S. can trace their arrival to the country
from the Charleston region.
At the Wednesday evening Bible study, on
June 17, six women and three men, including
Pastor Clementa Pinckney, a state Senator,
were shot dead at the Emmanuel African
Methodist Episcopal church, located in a predominantly white area of the citys downtown peninsula. The 21-year old white
gunman, Dylann Roof, emptied his semi-automatic handgun on an essentially AfricanAmerican congregation. The Federal Bureau
of Investigation is now treating this as a hate
crime, a category of deviance that has become part and parcel of American life. There
were more than 3,000 hate crimes committed during 2013, the last year for which statistics are available. Of these, 2,000 were
directed at the African-American community. Whites were victims in about 700.
Importance of Charleston
Roof was in the gathering and after listening to the discourse for nearly 45 minutes,
entered into an argument in dissent of what
was being said by the pastor. Following what
was described as a vitriolic exchange of views,
Roof stood up and opened indiscriminate
fire. Just before shooting, he reportedly said:
I have to do it. You rape our women. Youre
taking over our country. And you have to go.
Such was the intensity of his hatred for African-Americans. There have been past incidents of violence in churches across the
nation. But, somehow, Charleston seemed
different, and the nation, including President
Barack Obama, soon rallied together to express its shock and disapproval.
Why did Roof select Charleston to unleash
his savagery? In a website, Last Rhodesian,
opened as recently as February 2015 and
attributed to Roof, he said: I chose Charleston because it is the most historic city in
my state, and at one time had the highest
ratio of blacks to whites in the country. We
have no skinheads, no real KKK [Ku Klux
Klan], no one doing anything but talking on
the internet. Well someone has to have the
bravery to take it to the real world, and I
Incidents like the Charleston shooting pose

a question mark over the U.S. administrations
capacity to ensure harmonious race relations.
Affirmative action has failed to bridge the chasm
guess that has to be me. Roof will now have
to face charges on nine counts of murder and
one of possession of a firearm while committing a crime.
The rights movement
racial fissures which just refuse to go away.

As Prof. Jack Greene, a leading expert on the
U.S. Police and my professor at Temple University, says: Inequality affects the poor and
marginalized most, of course, and African
Americans have been marginalized before
and following the days of slavery.
Reckless attacks by white supremacists are
more than a menace, however infrequent
they may be. For example, there was the gory
incident of 1995, where Timothy R. McVeigh,
formerly of the U.S. Army, detonated a truck
bomb in front of a federal office building in
Oklahoma City killing 168 people. Although
initially described a terrorist, there was subsequent speculation that McVeigh was not
acting alone, with one of his associates being
a white supremacist.
The history of the Emmanuel Episcopal

Church, one of the oldest black churches in
the country, goes back to the early 1800s. A
few years after it started attracting congregations, in 1822, it was burnt down by a few
local white landowners who resented an attempted slave rebellion engineered by Denmark Vesey, one of the churchs co-founders.
It also bore the brunt of an earthquake in
1886. Notwithstanding such tribulations, it
has played a significant role in the AfricanAmerican Civil Rights movement for more
than a century, especially in the 1960s. It
began to be recognised as the symbol of Gun lobby and rights
From the criminal justice point of view,
black freedom, and attained fame when Rev.
Martin Luther King spoke there urging con- there are at least two issues here which
gregants to vote in 1962. More recently, Pas- should be a matter of concern to the U.S. The
Perhaps the U.S. can learn from the Indian experience,

where some deft balancing of administrative processes has
helped achieve a more than marginal positive impact
on furthering social cohesion.
tor Pinckney had led rallies against the police
killing, in April 2015, of Walter Scott, an
African-American youth, in nearby North
Charleston, an incident which led to largescale riots. The pastor was very vocal in the
state Senate, pressing Charleston policemen
to mandatorily wear body-mounted video
cameras a move aimed at curbing police
misconduct. Therefore, there was enough
provocation for a white backlash and rancour, especially against the pastor.
The Charleston attack bore strong resemblance to the racist attack against a politically
active black church in Birmingham, Alabama, back in 1963. This incident, a bombing,
was attributed to the dreaded white supremacist KKK, and contributed to the strengthening of the Civil Rights Movement. This
past explains why Roof zeroed in on Charleston. The Charleston attack raises many
critical issues impinging on the polity and
social fabric of the U.S. There are age-old
first is the vexatious question of how to ensure that firearms do not fall into the wrong
hands. We do not yet know whether Roofs
firearm was licensed or not. However, it is
known that in March this year he was arrested for trespass and possession of a narcotic
pain killer. The cold reality in the U.S. is that
persons with a more dubious record than
Roof can get gun licences, taking advantage
of the Constitutional right to bear arms
one that has been so loosely and liberally
interpreted that even mentally impaired individuals and those with a criminal record
can hide their past and obtain a licence and
buy the most sophisticated weapons. A catalyst in this appalling situation is the clout
that the pro-gun lobby, in the form of the
National Rifles Association (NRA), enjoys.
Mr. Obama, who waxed eloquent in favour of
a stricter gun policy before he was elected,
had to tone down his opposition to the NRA
because the latter is politically too powerful
CARTOONSCAPE
Dance
of death
he smell of death continues to hang over the
Laxmi Nagar slum in Malvani in Mumbais
western suburbs. The first reports of deaths
from spurious liquor came in last week, and
over the next four days the toll has crossed 100, making
it Maharashtras worst such tragedy. In 2004, the death
toll in a similar tragedy went up to 87. The use of
methanol, the highly toxic alcohol, is once again the
factor in these deaths. The human scale of the tragedy
is shocking. It has killed the chief bread-winners, widowed several women, some as young as 18, and orphaned small children who have no means to survive.
Mainkaini Swami alias Akka, the alleged mastermind,
runs a bootlegging network, and is on the run. Two of
her associates were arrested, but Akka remains elusive.
She was arrested five times in the past, but has continued to run the network right under the nose of law
enforcement agencies. It is tragic that mass deaths
among the poor due to illicit liquor consumption is still
prevalent. Since 2001, illicit hooch has killed over 700
people across India in 18 recorded incidents. The biggest such tragedy, which killed 180 people in May 2008,
was in Karnataka. Then, 170 people were killed in West
Bengal in December 2011.
The latest tragedy has been an embarrassment to the
BJP-Shiv Sena government, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will in all probability now clamp down
on illicit liquor units across the State. After the 2004
tragedy the Congress-NCP government had made Section 65 of the Bombay Prohibition Act a non-bailable
provision with the maximum punishment ranging
from six months to three years. However, excise and
police officials say bootleggers like Akka manage to get
bail and return to the business. The government is now
considering the application of more stringent laws
such as the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and
Dangerous Persons Act, 1981, or even the Maharashtra
Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) which will
make bail a difficult proposition. The government has
received many representations, especially from women, to ban liquor in temple towns such as Pandharpur,
and Tuljapur, Nagpur and Yavatmal, In January the
government declared Chandrapur liquor-free, making it the third dry district after Gadchiroli, and
Wardha, where Mahatma Gandhis Sevagram ashram is
located. But, in Gadchiroli and Wardha districts, in the
last four years the Excise Department has lodged some
2,000 cases and seized illicit alcohol worth over
Rs.2,000 crore. So for now, effective police action combined with stringent laws remains the only way to stop
this dance of death.
CM
YK

Yoga Day celebrations
to be antagonised. White House does go all

out to give expression to its determination to
put an end to the gun menace whenever there
are serious incidents. Examples are the Virginia Tech case in April 2007 in which 32
people were shot dead by a South Korean
undergraduate student, and the Connecticut
Sandy Hook Elementary School case that
claimed 26 lives when a former student went
berserk in December 2012. Such resolve does
not go beyond rhetoric.
The administrations travails are compounded by a judiciary that has put its foot
down against any wholesale ban on firearms.
It endorses only reasonable restrictions on
ownership and the right to carry a weapon
from place to place.
Fragile race relations

The fragile relationship between whites
and blacks in America is another reality that
shows up in incidents like Charleston. We
must remember here that an average African-American still believes that he can get no
justice at the hands of a white-dominated
jury system and militant police forces who
have been excessively beefed up in the past
few years by liberal federal assistance to buy
heavy arms that are clearly out of place in a
civilian police system. As Prof. Greene says:
...the continuation of crime attack and war
ideologies, as well as the actual militarization
of police.... fuels the aggressiveness and war
footing of the police.
The antagonism between blacks and the
police goes back many decades. At least three
important incidents are relevant. The landmark case is that of Rodney King in 1991 in
Los Angeles, where the hapless AfricanAmerican motorist was brutally assaulted by
a posse of policemen for not stopping when
asked to do so. The episode was caught on
camera and widely circulated, inflaming passions across the country. The acquittal of the
police involved led to large-scale riots. The
mere civil liability fastened on them further
infuriated the African-American population.
Two decades later, in February 2012, an African-American youth, Trayvon Martin, was
shot dead in Sanford, Florida, on the flimsy
plea of self-defence by a neighbourhood
watch volunteer. All hell broke loose and
black sentiment overflowed to express what
was considered to be a case of white police
atrocity against an African-American youth.
Here too, the policeman was let off after
being given the benefit of the doubt. Most
recently, last August, the fatal shooting of an
African-American youth, Michael Brown, by
a Ferguson (Missouri) policeman erupted in
large-scale violence. The jurys decision not
to indict the officer only widened black and
white estrangement.
Perhaps the most questioned aspect of the
criminal justice policy and enforcement is
the continued high rate of incarceration of
African-Americans, considered disproportionate to their numbers in the countrys
population. This perceived imbalance causes
maximum offence to most African-Americans across the nation. The practice of stop
and frisk prevalent in most police departments is another irritant. Recently, the New
York Police Department has had to drastically revise its guidelines to patrolmen to ensure
a more circumspect exercise of its authority.
All these factors greatly reduce the administrations credibility in the eyes of the AfricanAmerican community.
In the ultimate analysis, incidents like
Charleston pose a question mark over the
U.S. administrations capacity to harmonise
ties between the nations two largest communities. No amount of official window dressing
or affirmative action to uplift the black masses has helped to bridge the chasm. Undoubtedly, there is a trust deficit in the U.S.
India also has a problem of police biases
against minorities. But then, some deft balancing of administrative processes has
helped us to achieve a more than marginal
positive impact on furthering social cohesion. Perhaps the U.S. has something to learn
from us.
(Dr. R.K. Raghavan is a former CBI
Director and a graduate in criminal justice
from the Temple University, Philadelphia,
U.S.)
positive values in a person. For this,

the necessity of practising yoga
from an early age has been stressed.
Karnataka
Chief
Minister
Siddaramaiahs decision to include
yoga in the school syllabus is a
laudable move. I hope that this
decision will be implemented
despite unsavory remarks made by
some of his colleagues in the
Congress against the BJPs efforts
to propagate yoga (Opposition
members stay away from Yoga Day
event, June 22).
A.Gajanana,
Bengaluru
It was a moment of pride to see the

beautiful display of yoga at Rajpath
to mark the first ever International
Day of Yoga (India stretches into
the record books, June 22). The
government of India and the
various organisations that have
played a part need to be
congratulated for setting two
Guinness World Records. Now that
the celebrations are over, the
AYUSH Ministry must ensure that
yoga does not remain an occasion
for just June 21.
K.B. Dessai,
Margao, Goa The Prime Minister practising
asanas, and leading from the front,
The day will go down in history as much to the astonishment and glee
one which showcased the unifying of everybody, is reminiscent of what
force of the worlds oldest health the former Chief Minister of
and spiritual science in our lives. Karnataka, R. Gundu Rao, did after
The credit goes to the efforts of the cutting the tape to inaugurate the
NDA government and the universal Sadashivanagar swimming pool. He
response to the event is a personal dived into it to prove that he was
victory for Prime Minister adept in swimming. The Opposition
Narendra Modi (Comity of nations has either a poor understanding of
united in yoga, June 22). If efforts the soft power of yoga or was just
are made to free yoga from any playing politics.
H.P. Murali,
religious connotation, it would
Bengaluru
effect far-reaching transformations
in our lives and world affairs as well.
M. Somasekhar Prasad, There appears to have been much
Badvel, Andhra Pradesh emphasis on pomp and splendour,
which in a way devalued the concept
Transcending religion, region and of yoga. Yoga is not a physical
race, people all over the world exercise like practising a military
participated in huge numbers. This drill, but is an exercise that
shows that yoga can form a common combines with breath control and
bond between peoples of the world focussing and concentrating on
for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Yoga some universal power. It appears to
has been shown to inculcate have been only a publicity gimmick
and at a huge cost to public list of other tested exercises

expenditure. Such money could be practised across the globe without
spent better in tiding over agrarian hype.
Victor Frank A.,
distress.
K.S. Srinivasan,
Chennai
Tripunithura, Kerala
This can then be upgraded to suit

the needs of the West and sold at a
lower cost, giving us a comparative
advantage with other competitors,
besides better market access and
profits. The Mars Orbiter Mission is
an example of the cost-efficient
Investment
in
fundamental potential that we possess.
Swati Singh,
research in any scientific field does
not deserve to be measured in terms
of proximate results (India must
look beyond neutrinos, June 22). I would like to point out that the
As to the value of investment vis-- collaborative effort behind INO
vis the immediate needs of the poor comprises more than 20 research
in this country, many of us institutes, the IITs, and many other
recognise the fact that India is a university departments. INO has
country of the poor. Yes, money is always been advertised as an open
needed to feed famished mouths or collaboration model and we are
providing roof over heads. But if proud of the fact that this is the only
addressed in an earnest way, it need example in India with such a wide
not be at the cost of funding for cross-section
of
member
research. Let us not be discouraged institutions. In fact, this is the
by the expenditure involved in reason why INO is being jointly
fundamental or applied research, funded by both the Department of
much of which can possibly result in Atomic Energy and the Department
vast commercial benefits. We need of Science and Technology. The
to keep moving ahead.
article failed to mention this.
N.K. Mathur,
D. Indumathi,
New Delhi
Chennai
Neutrinos and India
It was shocking to read the report,

Yoga is for lazy and rich, says
Anjaneya (Some editions, June 18),
which cited the views of the
Karnataka Social Welfare Minister,
H. Anjaneya. It appears that he bore
malice towards the Central
government. Yoga helps us in
moments of ill-health and distress,
which includes its ability to
enhance mental strength. How can
one forget how Pathanjali yoga was
introduced to the rest of the world
through the efforts of R.K. Karanjia,
the founder-Editor of Blitz?
I am 85 and began practising yoga
on the advice of a friend. It has
helped me keep good health and a
good memory. One needs to thank
Mr. Modi in getting the world to sit
up and take note.
G.M. Gandhi,
Ballari, Karnataka
I disagree with Dr. Subramanian.

If Mr. Modi wishes to associate He points out that reverse
himself with the world as a friend, engineering of Western technology
philosopher and guide through the benefited the East Asian Tigers, but
promotion of yoga without any I believe that reverse innovation
communal or jingoistic flavour, let will benefit us. It is a relatively new
him do so. There are those who are trend, that focusses on production
out to make a quick buck out of yoga of affordable technology for
by preying on the gullible and Mr. emerging markets, as the demand in
Modi himself has cautioned against India is growing. We should
commodifying its relevance. If yoga increase our spending in R&D so we
is an exercise to discipline the body come
up
with
affordable
and mind, let it be included with the technologies that suit local needs.
Muscle-flexing
Even though, in this instance,
Indias hot pursuit, on June 9, was a
grand success, its state of defence
preparedness leaves much to be
desired. Our frequent verbal runins with Pakistan should not be
underestimated. Instead of muscleflexing (June 22), we should keep
our logistics primed.Vacillation will
cost us dearly.
Devadas K. Nair,
Palakkad
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
10
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Cutting the Food Act to the bone

Biraj Patnaik
Going the
e-payment way
he governments proposal to incentivise electronic transactions in preference to cash dealings so as to curb black money is one of the
most complete attempts made till now to
achieve that end although it is not entirely a new idea.
Earlier attempts, such as the UPA governments Banking
Cash Transaction Tax, sought to address the issue only at
the bank level, ignoring the actual users of cash the
merchants and the public. That tax, introduced in 2005
by then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, stipulated a
charge of 0.1 per cent on cash withdrawals above Rs.
10,000. However, it was messy: the somewhat arbitrary
move that was also poorly implemented, was repealed in
2009. This governments new proposal takes a more
holistic approach to the cash economy, and as such is
more likely to work. In a draft proposal now open for
public comments, the government suggests income tax
benefits for individuals who incur a certain proportion of
their expenditure through electronic means, while proposing a nominal handling charge on cash transactions
above a specified level. The removal of the additional
charge often levied on electronic transactions should
come with this. As for merchants, the government proposes a tax rebate to those among them who handle, say,
50 per cent of their transactions electronically, and a
small reduction in value added tax on the items involved.
At the moment the system discriminates against electronic transactions. Banks and service providers levy
extra charges on them, while cash transactions are implicitly subsidised by banks, which do not factor in the
cost of teller services. Paper money comes with hidden
overheads: the cost of printing and providing additional
security features, and the price of counterfeit money.
Cash transactions and black money are directly linked,
since a cash trail is nearly impossible to track. As such,
electronic transactions and the ease of audit they afford
should make the governments job much easier in terms
of curbing illegal transactions. India is a massively cashdependent economy, with its cash-to-GDP ratio being
around 13 per cent as compared to a global average of 2.5
to 8 per cent. Little wonder, then, that some experts
estimate the size of Indias black economy to be at least
half the size of the white economy. Commendably, this
government seems to be taking a systematic view in
working towards minimising cash-based transactions. At
the heart of it, even the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana is aimed at providing direct, cashless subsidies to
those who need them. There are still more steps that
could be taken, such as encouraging major cash-users,
traders with large public dealings for example, to move
on to electronic payment modes. But this proposal is
undoubtedly a good beginning.
When Parliament passed the National Food

Security Act (NFSA) in 2013, it had already
become one of the most debated pieces of
legislation in decades. Those for and against it
had fought it out across yards of space on the
editorial pages of newspapers, not to forget
the slugfests on television channels. The parliamentary standing committee studying it,
while it was still a Bill, received over 2,00,000
public responses. A vast majority of those
comments called, in writing, for expanding
the provisions of the Bill.
The NFSA was, after all, an outcome of
remarkable public and judicial action a
battle of over a decade to secure freedom
from hunger for millions who had not gained
from Indias emergence as a major economy.
With all its inadequacies, the Act is still seen
by many as a final assault on the unconscionable hunger that has stalked the countryside
and urban slums. Over two-thirds, or more
than 820 million Indians, came under its
ambit.
Political reversal
In the debates in Parliament, those who
vociferously argued for the expansion of the
provisions, pitching in for universalisation
and an increase in the quantum of the entitlements, included stalwarts from the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) like Sushma Swaraj, Arun
Jaitley, Murli Manohar Joshi and Prakash
Javadekar. The then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, wrote to the Prime Minister, asking for the law to be further
strengthened. It was not unsurprising because the BJP-ruled States, led by Chhattisgarh, had considerably enhanced the
outreach of the Public Distribution Systems
(PDS) in their respective States and were
credited with having put in place robust systems of transparency and accountability in
public food schemes. Therefore, the BJP was
determined not to let the United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) government and the Congress
Party walk away with all the credit for this
landmark legislation.
That was then. And two years is an interminably long wait in politics. Now, the BJP-led
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government seems equally determined to throttle
the NFSA by bleeding it with a thousand cuts,
both fiscal and otherwise, even before it is
fully implemented. In the last one year, the
mandarins at the Food Ministry have not
allowed a single provision of the NFSA to
remain unmolested.
The first salvo against the Act was fired in
CARTOONSCAPE
The Taliban
challenge
ondays attack on the Afghan Parliament
building demonstrated the Talibans unshaken capability to strike at even the most
fortified of complexes in Kabul. This fits
into its strategy of staging high-profile assaults aimed at
gaining asymmetric superiority in the Afghan war. In
the past they had attacked the Presidential Palace, the
U.S. and Indian embassies and the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. The Parliament attack coincided with a vote
in the House to endorse a new Defence Minister. The
Taliban have been on the offensive since most of the
foreign troops, some 14,000 of them from 40 countries
at the peak of war, withdrew late last year. The Talibans
actions have often been exposing the vulnerabilities of
Afghanistans fledgling army. If the Taliban are allowed
to return to power, it would be catastrophic for the
Afghan people, particularly for millions of its women
who were deprived of even basic human rights under its
erstwhile regime. Given the tribal politics and lawlessness in Afghanistans rural areas, and the Talibans geopolitical relevance in the extremely complex South and
Central Asian theatre, it will prove difficult for any
anti-Taliban strategy to gain immediate traction. If the
past 14 years of war in Afghanistan offers any definite
lessons to the actors involved, it is that insurgency
cannot be defeated only by military means. One of the
grave mistakes the American-led troops committed was
their excessive emphasis on a military solution, while
reconstruction and creation of infrastructure, and
building of institutions, were pushed to the back seat.
President Ashraf Ghani, who took power in September 2014, had promised to fix the vital issues. But his
performance has not been impressive either. That Afghanistan, which has been at war for years, does not have
a Defence Minister for the last nine months, itself speaks
volumes about the state of its political affairs. What
Afghanistan needs is a multi-pronged strategy, supported by the international community, focussing on nationbuilding and security challenges as well as regional diplomacy. First, the government has to establish itself as
a credible, service-delivering and security-providing institution to gain the trust of its people. It should focus on
taking the social ground away from the Taliban, at the
same time bolstering its own security resources. The
international community has an obligation to help this
strategy, both economically and diplomatically. It is
worth noting that after the Soviets retreated from Afghanistan in 1989, it took just three years for the Mohammad Najibullah regime to fall, plunging the country
into a deadly civil war from which the Taliban rose to
power. It is the responsibility of both Kabul and its
backers abroad to make sure history doesnt repeat here.
CM
YK

Hooch tragedy
Two years after vociferously arguing for an

expansion of the provisions of the National Food
Security Act, the BJP in government is bleeding it
with a thousand cuts, both fiscal and otherwise
Similarly, the Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)

saw its budget reduced from Rs.13,000 crore
to Rs.9,000 crore for a flagship programme
universalised by Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayees government. Other social sector
schemes which have a direct bearing on nutrition have seen similar and vicious cutbacks.
The weak argument that States can compensate the deficit with the additional 10 per cent
of revenues that they will have now from the
share of taxes does not bear the scrutiny of
numbers or logic. The majority of the programmes that bear the brunt of the austerity,
like the MDMS, are Centrally sponsored
schemes.
To tackle Indias shameful track record in
maternal deaths and womens nutrition, the
NFSA introduced the maternity entitlement
scheme. Every pregnant and nursing mother
was to receive Rs.6,000 as a one-time cash Establishing citizenship
Most damningly, for the first time, the PDS
transfer. Two years down the line there are
(Control) Order explicitly places an additionstill no signs of the scheme taking off.
But credit must be given where it is due. al burden of citizenship, besides being a resident of the State, for someone to access
benefits under the NFSA. Ostensibly, this is to
check foreigners, (especially the large numThe Antyodaya Anna Yojana is being sought to be phased out,
ber of Canadians who are perhaps queuing up
with States being instructed not to add any new household
at our ration shops!) to get the benefits of the
PDS. In practical terms, what this means is
to this category if it drops out due to an improvement
that some of the most vulnerable migrant
communities of India would find themselves
in social or economic status
excluded from the PDS. And if you thought
this was an entirely theoretical proposition,
to declare a bonus for farmers over and And the one for driving the last nail into the try getting a ration card in Delhi if you are a
above the Minimum Support Price that is coffin of the NFSA, if it was required at all, Bengali migrant who also happens to sport a
provided by the Central government. This must go to the Food Ministry and the latest Muslim name. Well, try getting yourself a
despite the fact that it was paid from the round of revisions made by it to the Public ration card anyway. The last PDS (Control)
coffers of State governments. Ironically, it Distribution System (Control) Order. This Order issued in 2001 did not think it neceswas a move that hurt farmers in the BJP- order was notified by the Department of Food sary to make this distinction, nor did the
ruled States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pra- and Public Distribution on March 20. There NFSA, where the entitlements are defined for
desh and Rajasthan the most. The procure- are three elements in this order that are in persons rather than citizens. Since the jument of food grains from farmers was total contempt of Supreme Court orders and risprudence on the right to food flows from
severely restricted as a result of this decision, the provisions of the NFSA which stand out. Article 21 of the Constitution, on the right to
life and liberty, the right to food should be
one that we will rue if there is a monsoon
Phase out and freeze
available to all persons without their having
deficit, as predicted this year.
First, the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is to establish their citizenship first.
Budget cuts
being sought to be phased out, with States
The impact of these measures is already
The Union Budget for the current fiscal being instructed not to add any new house- being felt across the country with the visibly
dealt the next decisive blow with punishing hold to this category if any household drops weakening political will of the Central govcuts to some of the key programmes under out of the programme due to an improvement ernment impacting programme implementathe Act. The Integrated Child Development in social or economic status, death, etc.; the tion in the field. Chhattisgarhs PDS, arguably
Services (ICDS) had a 50 per cent cut, number of households would be reduced to one of the best in the country even the
prompting the Union Minister for Women that extent. This means that over time, the Supreme Court has repeatedly highlighted as
and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, programme would be phased out. AAY pro- an example that other States should emulate
warning the Finance Minister that the polit- vides 35 kilogrammes of food grains per is tainted by a procurement scam. Close to
ical fallout of such a situation can be grave. month (irrespective of the number of mem- 7,00,000 ration cards were cancelled. While a
large number of them were reinstated subsequently, the most marginalised sections of
the population did not manage to find their
way back into the system.
Pulses have been removed from the PDS in
non-tribal districts. Despite provisions made
in the State budget this year, the pioneering
Phulwari crche programme for children is
not being expanded; the scheme for nutritional supplements for patients suffering
from tuberculosis is languishing in files. Bureaucratic intransigence coupled with a diminishing
political
commitment
is
threatening to dismantle the States welfare
architecture. Heartbreakingly, Chhattisgarh
had two starvation deaths in quick succession
last month, for the first time in years. And as
the elections to the local bodies showed, Maneka Gandhi was right after all. There is a
political price to pay.
The irony that the world will not miss is
that the Modi government has emerged as a
global champion of farmers rights and food
security with its progressive position on the
public-stockholding issue at the World Trade
Organization to fix unjust trade rules. A classic case, if there was one, of do as we say and
not as we do.
(Biraj Patnaik is the Principal Adviser to
the Commissioners of the Supreme Court in
the Right to Food case. The views expressed
are personal.)
July last year with the illegal extension accorded to the State governments to implement the Act. Illegal, because the NFSA itself
specifies that the implementation would
commence within a year of the legislation
being enacted. Therefore, any change in the
roll-out should have been first approved by
Parliament. Subsequently, the Ministry has
extended the date of the implementation
twice. All this ostensibly because States have
not been able to identify those who should be
covered under the provisions of the Act. Yet,
the final lists from the the Socio Economic
And Caste Census (2011), which most States
will use for the identification have not yet
been made public. This survey, which was
conducted by the Central government, was
delayed by six years despite Supreme Court
orders that the exercise should be completed
by the beginning of the Eleventh Five Year
Plan.
Subsequently, in July last year, the Food
Ministry arm-twisted State governments not
more lead than adults do. High

exposure can lead to kidney and
neurological damage.
Lead-based paints and petrol
additives have been phased out in
most countries. However, lead
compounds are added to lead
crystal glasses, ceramics, pigments,
drying
agents,
varnishes,
insecticides and herbicides. More
importantly, matches, explosives
and pyrotechnics pollute the
atmosphere with lead.
K.V.S. Krishna,
Chennai
The rising death toll in the hooch

tragedy in Maharashtra (Editorial,
June 23) and the circumstances
around the incident only reveal the
nexus between the police, excise
officials and politicians who stand
to gain from the sale of spurious
liquor. To call such merrily open
activity as illicit would be a
misnomer. What is all too obvious is
that the guardians of the law are as
involved and profiting from the
contraband as the moonshiners
and drug dealers. When will the
There are many other chemicals
spigot of tainted liquor be closed?
Vani A., that have a similar history as lead.
Hyderabad Radiums radioactive effect was not
known for a while and millions of
The case underlines the need for watches with radium dials were
continued vigil against illicit produced and where the characters
brewing. Though such tragic and hands were hand-painted using
occurrences have come down radium-based paint. Arsenic was
considerably all over India in the used in certain medication for many
recent past, it is the lower strata of decades. Carbon tetrachloride, an
society which needs to be cautious. ozone depleting substance, was
The small-time sellers, peddlers, another dangerous substance and
organisers and financiers should be India was one of the last countries
traced and subject to the most to ban its use.
D.M. Mohunta,
deterrent sections of the law. The
Chennai
vulnerable sections should be made
aware of the danger to their lives,
and the use and sale of methyl
Religious and racial bias is a
alcohol monitored closely.
S.V. Venkatakrishnan, universal phenomenon and I, for
Bengaluru one, find nothing new in the
narration
of
racially-charged
incidents
(The
unrealised
Lead is a toxic metal that can be American dream, June 23). It is
harmful when ingested or inhaled manifest in every walk of life. Apart
(Old debate on lead rekindled, from disturbing instances in the
June 23). It interferes with nerve U.S., India also ranks high in
transmissions in the brain and can practising what can be called
damage blood cells. Children absorb religio-racial discrimination. How
American dream
Lead use debate
bers in the household) to 20 million of the

most vulnerable families in the country, and
which is currently accessed by the most vulnerable tribal communities, persons with disability and the aged. Launched on Mr.
Vajpayees birthday 15 years ago, when the
NDA was in power, it was a scheme that he
took personal interest in and nurtured
through his tenure. The effectiveness of this
programme led even the UPA to expand it
twice. There couldnt have been a surer way to
disrespect Mr. Vajpayees legacy programme
than to wind it down.
Second, in complete contravention of Supreme Court orders and the NFSA (Section
9), the PDS (Control) Order freezes the number of people who can access the entitlements, to the decadal Census figures rather
than expand it each year based on the population estimates of the Registrar General
and Census Commissioner of India. What
this means is that State governments cannot
add to the number of beneficiaries to accommodate the increase in population in the 10year period between the publication of the
final Census results.
can we forget how Muslims are disquieting to be brushed off as a

discriminated
against
in familiar social media triviality.
J.S. Acharya,
predominantly
majority
Hyderabad
community localities?
Masood Jafri,
Hyderabad
When a leader fails, especially in
this part of the world, society will
The tweet by the BJPs general bay for his/her blood (Doesnt
secretary questioning the absence matter who the captain is, Sport,
of Vice-President Hamid Ansari at June 23). We can see it in all walks
the mega yoga event in New Delhi of life. India lost two ODIs against
without checking first the fact that Bangladesh and people have started
he was not invited to the event by criticising Dhonis captaincy and
the BJP-led government at the his batting performance. They must
Centre is unwarranted (Congress know that a captain is as good as the
demands apology from BJP for Ram team. Dhoni has won several
Madhavs gaffe, June 23). The matches for the country. I feel
disturbing tendency of BJP leaders Dhoni is an example for all leaders.
resorting to hate speech and His calm approach to the game is
objectionable comments that target incredible. Having said that, people
the minorities and Opposition have to follow the golden dictum of
leaders does not serve any purpose retirement: Retire at the time when
other than showing them in bad society around you asks Why? and
light. It is time the Prime Minister not Why Not?
sent out a clear message to his
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
Ministers and partymen that any
controversial and unwarranted
remark will be not tolerated and It is ludicrous that fingers have been
pointed in the direction of Dhoni
dealt with sternly.
M. Jeyaram, for the ODI series loss in
Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu Bangladesh. These critics would do
well to remember that cricket is a
Regardless of the fact that Guinness team game and everybody in the
World Records were created at playing eleven needs make his
Rajpath, India did witness an presence felt if the side is to
extraordinarily discordant tweet by succeed.
Mr. Madhav. Despite the Modi
It was under Dhonis captaincy
governments declaration that that India reached the pinnacle of
there was nothing political about glory winning the ICC Cricket
the celebrations, it looks like World Cup, the ICC World
sections of the right wing Twenty20 and the number one
determinedly saw it as a Hindutva ranking in Test cricket. Besides,
project. The implication is all too Dhoni has led India magnificently
obvious,
narrow-minded
and from the front on numerous
Dhoni as captain
Ansari issue
occasions and his glorious track

record
speaks
for
itself.
Notwithstanding the loss in
Bangladesh, it would be premature
to write him off at this stage.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
Pedestrian safety
Despite the Municipal Corporation
and the government taking road
safety measures such as providing
railings at traffic junctions,
improving
pavements,
and
increasing traffic control measures,
accidents still take place. An
important reason for this is that the
pedestrians keeping to the left
cannot see vehicles coming from
behind until they overtake.
A pedestrian, on seeing a pothole,
a road bump or a child going astray,
has to move a couple of feet to the
right; consequently, any vehicle
coming from behind has to
suddenly swerve further to the right
to avoid hitting the pedestrian. If he
is unable to do so, he is bound to hit
the pedestrian. Also with roads
being congested, quite often the
vehicle driver who has to overtake a
pedestrian finds a speeding vehicle
coming from the opposite direction
and he too is in danger of being hit.
A solution would be to keep
pedestrians to the right of the road,
while vehicles continue to keep to
the left. Therefore the salutary
universal rule for road users to be
adopted henceforth can be
Vehicles Left, Pedestrians Right. It
is time that there is a national
campaign on these lines.
P. Sabanayagam,
Chennai
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
10
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Mastering the drill of democracy

Gopalkrishna Gandhi
Looking to the
Supreme Court
he Special Leave Petition filed by the Karnataka government in the Supreme Court against
the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Jayalalithaa is not just the appeal of an aggrieved party on merits. It is also a commentary on the
quality of the High Court verdict in the disproportionate assets case. Apart from the undoubted public interest in the outcome of a case that will decide the
fortunes of a prominent political leader, the appeal has
brought the focus on how exactly courts deal with politically sensitive cases. The crux of the Karnataka governments contention is this: if the trial verdict of Special
Judge John Michael DCunha was noted for its elaborate
evaluation of the evidence and the reasoning behind his
conclusions, the appellate judge, Justice C.R. Kumaraswamys order overturning it is cryptic, lacking in
reasoning and illogical. Especially requiring a second
look are the High Courts reliance on the less-than-10per-cent theory that allows a public servant to hold
unexplained assets up to 10 per cent in excess of what
she can account for. The points of divergence between
the trial court verdict and the High Courts judgment are
now well-known. The divergence is of such magnitude
that every reasonable person would favour an authoritative pronouncement from the highest court on these
aspects of the case. Karnataka has sought to focus on
what many see as flaws in the High Court order, not least
in importance being some glaring mathematical errors.
It cannot be forgotten that when a public servant is
charged with possessing assets disproportionate to her
known sources of income and which she is unable to
explain satisfactorily, the court must strictly go by the
established quantum of wealth possessed, the expenditure incurred during a given period in office and the
income known to have been received in the same period.
This basically requires flawless computation and, where
precise figures are unavailable, an objective means to
evaluate the value of the assets. Any failure in making a
precise computation will naturally result in a miscarriage of justice. By using different means, the prosecution, the defence and the two courts have so far
arrived at different figures on income, expenditure and
the consequent quantum of disproportionate assets.
This fact also contributes to the need for a full reexamination. As for the political context, the appeal has
been filed at a time when Ms. Jayalalithaa is contesting a
by-election that will send her back to the Legislative
Assembly. Karnataka has sought interim relief by way of
a stay of the High Court judgment; if granted, this may
have the effect of restoring Ms. Jayalalithaas disqualification from being a legislator. The stage is set for the
last round of this 18-year-long legal battle. Ordinary
citizens look to the Supreme Court for an authoritative
pronouncement on this crucial matter of defining the
dos and donts for persons in high public office.
The human mind connects the seemingly

unconnected but, as one invariably discovers, tellingly.
When I saw and read reports of our Prime
Minister heading the great Yoga Day assemblage on what used to be called Kings Way,
now Rajpath, in our national capital, I
thought of two unconnected persons. The
first was Tsar Nicholas I (1796-1855). And
the second was Indira Gandhi. Both were
strong personalities credited with an iron
will, exemplars of dogged determination,
single-minded purpose. But the similarities
did not end there. Both disliked dissent and
suppressed it.
But why did the yoga procedures of that
day remind me of them? Tsar Nicholas had
faced a revolt the very day he ascended the
throne. He crushed it ruthlessly but also set
up, reflexively, the largest and most insidious system of spies and informers Russia had
known. He also developed another very particular fascination. This was for things martial, for watching and enjoying drills. It was
specially at large-scale military reviews,
says his biographer Riasanovsky, that Nicholas I experienced rapture, almost ecstasy. Nicholas I is said to have been a
handsome man, attentive to physical fitness
and to how he appeared, in terms of looks
and attire, to others. Quite logically for him,
the Tsar regularly, almost compulsively, arranged for parades by uniformed men standing in chessboard order, moving and
marching in brassy orchestration. Tsar Nicholas came, in fact, to be called drill-master. The size of his empire grew with the
shape of his army, though he suffered serious
reverses, and economic stagnation. This did
not trouble him, for he could get in the drills
he saw, his ecstasy.
A power machine
Indira, as a child, loved organising armies
which grew from a home-game to serious
proportions when, still an adolescent, she
founded the Bal Charkha Sangh and the
Vanar Sena to help the Congresss campaigns in Allahabad. Decades later, in 1962,
when her noble father too noble, some
may say as Prime Minister was still coming to terms with the Chinese action, she was
at embattled Tezpur, right among Indian
jawans, offering them and the people of the
area, solidarity and practical help a semimilitary initiative of compelling significance.
The Emergency is a distant memory today

because the nations collective spine did not bend,
the media stayed unbent and the judiciary
remained independent. Yet we have to be wary of
the robotisation of our minds into a yogic
acceptance of one drill majoritarianism
She was being a drill-master too. The moment was epiphanic. But the drill-master in
her had another dimension. She believed in
bringing whatever she had control over into
a certain order, her order. Almost from the
day she became Prime Minister, she sensed
dissent among senior Congressmen which
she proceeded to crush, systematically. She
set up an intricate web of informers, political
and professional, who helped her retain and
tighten her order, her control. The government of India under her became much more
than a constitutional entity; it turned into a
power-machine, with all its ramifications,
particularly the military, the para military
set-ups, the police and her network of informants and spies functioning like welloiled, well-keyed, robots. A great rise took
place in the eminence of pure and applied
science accompanied by a somewhat hushhush mutuality between the governments
privacy of their homes or learning institutions into a commodity for mega-consumption, with actual yoga products for sale on
the sides. The Yoga Day exposition on Rajpath has taken the Babas commercial potting of it beyond commodification to what
can be called a political massification. Why
political?
Retrieving Bharat
The question takes us back to Nicholas I
and Indira Gandhi. Like those two historical
figures, Prime Minister Modi has a sense of
order. He backs that up with an attentiveness to his own fitness, punctuality, turnout. By personally leading, like an adept
instructor, the phalanx gathered on the Rajpath lawns, he has choreographed yoga into
an opera of mass power. But not just of
power as in wholesome personal strength.
Rather, power as in a collective mission, a
The real legacy of Emergency has been wholly unintended... By

robbing India awhile of the soul of Republicanism, it has made
it a truer Republic than it was before 1975.
science laboratories and its defence strategists. The spectacular military intervention
in East Pakistan leading to the birth of Bangladesh and Pokhran I leading to Indias nuclear weaponisation, had to happen under
Indira, the drill-master.
As also, 40 years ago this day, the National
Emergency. Paranoia has an ally in
megalomania.
But to return, for a moment, to yoga and to
last weeks drill-mastering of that ancient
science of self-healing.
I do not wish to go as far back as Vivekananda but we do know that Gandhi practised
the shavasana and Nehru the sirsasana. Both
spoke of the efficacy of the two methods but
neither made a shibboleth of it, much less
expound it for mass adoption. Baba Ramdevs public and televised dissemination of
yoga turned what was essentially a personal
health regime practised by millions in the
mass drill that goes beyond personal wellbeing into a national nostrum, a national
mission that bears an unmistakable family
resemblance to the drills by the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh. And what is the missions message?
Quite simply, this: We have been a weak
nation, a nation of do-gooders and pacifists,
of men who are afraid of the noise of crackers, the smell of smoke. Men of withered
wills and sunken chests. It is time we built up
our sinews, physical and mental, time we
toned up our tissues, tightened our tendons.
We must retrieve Bharat from the shambles
that our so-called liberal leaders of the last
six decades have left usThey were not leaders but mis-leaders who tell us that being
muscled-up is mean, being belligerent is bullying. In fact such peacemakers and liberals
are dangerous anarchists. Let us march, not
saunter, stand and sit in neat rows, not hap-
CARTOONSCAPE
Not a
mouthpiece
n the pecking order, Rajya Sabha TV nowhere
figures in the TRP ratings. But if sobriety, objectivity and fairness count, sans the hyperventilation that passes for news these days, perhaps
RSTV would be a shoo-in for the top slot. In many ways,
the channel reflects the House of Elders. The detailed
discussions on government policies, besides the telecast
of Rajya Sabha proceedings on prime time, are its trademark. Yet, at one stroke the short-lived Twitter furore
that ensued over its inadequate coverage of the celebration of International Yoga Day led by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, managed not only to stoke pent-up
communal feelings and ideological hatred against the
Congress-appointed Vice-President Hamid Ansari who
happens to be a Muslim, but also the channel he heads.
The attack was on both. Fortunately, and this can happen only on Twitter, corrective measures soon followed
and the Vice-President received overwhelming support.
This, as the BJP sought to play down tweets from its
national vice-president as unfortunate. The channel was
dubbed leftist as opposed to, one presumes, right-wing
channels. Both entertainment and news channels were
asked by the government to make the International
Yoga Day a success in terms of coverage, and they duly
complied. Rajya Sabha TV exercised its choice to buck
the trend and refrained from going overboard. Having
said that, it would not be entirely correct to blame the
BJP for criticising RSTV. The channel has received its
share of brickbats from the Congress-led UPA as well. At
the height of the 2G scam and the furore over crony
capitalism that plagued the UPA, RSTV kept its head and
went about conducting discussions, inviting members of
the ruling party as also those from the Opposition BJP.
As the framers of the Constitution envisaged the separation of powers among the Executive, the Legislature
and the Judiciary, the channels run by Parliament are
accountable to Parliament and its members, not to the
government of the day. Neither are they its mouthpieces. Yet, from time to time organs of the government
encroach on one anothers domain. So it is here; the
government thinks the channel must function as its
mouthpiece. RSTV was in the news when allegations of
overspending were hurled at it. A section of the media
alleged that Rs.1,700 crore was spent on it in a period of
four years, prompting some members to contemplate a
privilege motion against the media outlets concerned.
Finally, if the channel is criticised by the party in power,
it can mean only one thing: the channel is not under its
control. And it is the taxpayers money well-spent.
CM
YK

Karnatakas appeal
After the acquittal by the
Karnataka High Court in the
disproportionate asset case, Ms.
Jayalalithaa took oath as Chief
Minister of Tamil Nadu subject to
winning a by-election (Karnataka
files appeal in SC against
Jayalalithaa acquittal, June 24).
Unless the Supreme Court gives a
stay order against the acquittal, the
case cannot be taken up for
consideration. Therefore, the
conviction by the special court
stands and she cannot continue as
Chief Minister. The people of the
constituency have to elect a
candidate
other
than
the
AIADMKs or go in for a fresh
election. Ms. Jayalalithaa should
have waited for the decision of the
Karnataka government before
taking over the chief ministership.
E. Sivasankaran,
Coimbatore
When the special court convicted
and sentenced Ms. Jayalalithaa, it
was in conformity with the
Supreme Court ruling that she lost
her seat as legislator. But with the
clean chit by the High Court, her
disqualification to continue as
MLA should have been rescinded
and a provision made in the
Representation of People Act to
reinstate the position she held
earlier. Now, she will contest in the
RK Nagar Constituency its
vacancy caused by an MLA owing
allegiance to her. But this is a byelection that will entail a huge
expenditure. When a situation
such as the one like Ms.
Jayalalithaas arises, there should
be no need for anyone to contest an
hazardly, observe mauna rather than chatter

away and if we have to speak, let us speak on
the glory of Bharat Mata
Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Periyar, Jayaprakash Narayan would have recoiled from
the message. They would have seen it as
macho, aggressive. And because of the unmistakable Hindutva rhetoric concealed in
it, deeply divisive. But Indira Gandhi, I suspect, would have seen it as clever. He is
tapping Indias sentiments, tapping them into action, hand it to the man!
Emergencys script
Forty years ago, the Emergency spoke the
same script. Jayaprakash Narayan, campaigning against despotism and corruption,
was vilified as an anarchist. His movement
was dubbed as anti-national, anti-progress.
Dissent became treason, opposition became
heresy. And overnight, posters came up: Batein kum, kam ziyadah (Speak less, work
more). And an old Sanskrit word was set
flying on a new political string: Anushasan,
discipline. The call of the hour was anushasan, with Acharya Vinoba Bhave getting
roped into the act to describe the period as
Anushasan Parva, the Discipline Moment.
Inevitably, newspapers fell silent, All India
Radio became a trumpet. Spies crept out of
woodrot to belittle, walls acquired hi-fi ears
to betray truth-tellers, corners found whispering tongues. A kind of yoga was unleashed bhayayoga, the yoga of multiple
fears in which mauna (silence), sushupti
(willed stupor), and savata (immobility) featured strong. And a divinity was ideationally
superimposed on pictorial blitzes of the nations saviour, Indira Gandhi.
There were no Yoga Day type drills organised at the time but spontaneous rallies
were called to hail the proclamation, hail the
Emancipator. Even as mass leaders were
jailed, sections of the middle class welcomed
a sudden improvement in the punctuality of
train movements, attendance in government
offices, the check on profiteering that followed. Honesty at shopfloors and workplaces became visible. But all for the
present, because it was imposed by fiat,
monitored by fiat, by fear, by bhayayoga.
Audi alteram partem (Hear The Other
Side) is ever a good principle. So, be it said
that the Emergency saw a set of wholesome
developments, all for reasons of Realpolitik.
It made poverty eradication central to our
national discourse. It made good governance
seem actually realisable. It reset certain governmental priorities. Of which protection of
the natural environment was significant.
And it made national security a matter of
everyones, not just the militarys, concern.
But its real legacy has been wholly unintended. It has made India conscious, as never before, of civil liberties, of the right to
freedom of expression. The Emergency, by
robbing India awhile of the soul of Republicanism, has made it a truer Republic than it
was before 1975.
If today we can talk about the Emergency
in the past tense, it is because the nations
collective spine did not go into a forwardbending dhanurasana (bow-position) and
because the media vertebra , despite censorship, stayed particularly unbent. And because the judiciary, despite the demoralising
judgment in ADM Jabalpur v/s S S Shukla
retained its core independence, thanks to
the conscience-keeping Justice H.R.
Khanna.
A person who has recovered from a stroke
values the faculties of motor ability, mental
comprehension and speech more than one
who never lost it.
The Constitution as amended in 1978 has
made a proclamation of the 1975 type National Emergency impossible. What we have
to be wary of is something as bad the
robotisation of our minds into a yogic acceptance of one drill majoritarianism
and its masterful drill-master.
(Gopalkrishna Gandhi is Distinguished
Professor of History and Politics, Ashoka
University.)
election to secure continuance as

prime minister, chief minister or
minister in the Central or State
governments since the person in
question does not face any stigma
of conviction. It should be in all
fairness that the law must obviate
the need for Ms. Jayalalithaa to
contest the election. Necessary
amendments must be made to
avoid such a strain on the public
exchequer.
K.V. Seetharamaiah,
Hassan, Karnataka
Cuts to Food Act

Biraj Patnaiks observations on the
procurement scam in Chhattisgarh
and the removal of pulses from the
PDS are worrisome, as is the cut in
Centrally sponsored schemes
(Cutting the Food Act to the
bone, June 24). However, my
criticism is: Centrally sponsored
schemes are being wound up
precisely to give States flexibility to
spend more money in an effective
manner.
One cannot look at the fund cut
alone and complain, but wait to see
what States do with higher fiscal
transfers; this is also because
agriculture and health are state
subjects. Restricting MSP can
cause shortage, but the writer does
not specify which crops. What if
they were for bumper crops over
the last few years which are now
rotting in FCI godowns? Halfbaked knowledge does not make
good criticism.
To say that winding up AAY is
akin to insulting Mr. Atal Bihari
Vajpayee is a strange argument.
Are we to pursue with welfare
schemes no matter how broken
they are, just because a beloved
neta launched them? While

blaming Prime Minister Narendra
Modi for being authoritarian,
analysts such as Mr. Patnaik are
often quick to change their stand
when he gives more leeway to
States that are reluctant to
implement the NFSA. This leeway
is welcome because NFSA is largely
unworkable, focusses on the wrong
goods and will not eliminate
nutrition problems which have
more to with sanitation and pulses
or vegetable scarcity.
Vinay Menon,
New Delhi
Sexism in science
Starting with Marie Curie, the first
woman to win a Nobel, 1903 in
Physics, just 15 women have won
the Science Nobel, most of them in
physiology and medicine. In the
United States and Europe, around
half of those who gain doctoral
degrees in science and engineering
are women, but barely a fifth of
professors are women. Too many
women encounter patronising
attitudes or harassment in
research contexts. Asking women
to lean out and be true to
themselves instead of trying to
lean in or fit into a system
designed and controlled by men ,
could be one way of confronting
sexism (Yes, theres sexism in
science, June 24). The ultimate
redemption
would
be
in
recognising and addressing the
unconscious bias in the DNA. Also,
scrupulously
avoid
using
vocabulary and imagery that
support one gender more than the
other.
C.V. Venugopalan,
Palakkad
E-payments
While the short-lived banking cash
transaction tax of the earlier
regime put the onus on third
parties like banks to pay the tax on
behalf of those who transact in
cash through withdrawals, the
present proposal will encourage
users to go in for e-payment
(Editorial, June 24). Some of the
drawbacks of the present epayment system are that some
ventures charge for e-payment
handling. For example, the
electricity board and the railways
expect the public to pay the
transaction charges paid by users.
Abolition of bank charges or
absorption of the same by the
utilities will increase the coverage
of the e-payment platform and
reduce the cash-handling function
of the utilities which absorb a lot of
manpower. In turn, banks can also
release a section of manpower for
accounts-related work. A fallout
will be reduced cash transactions
which will also increase the shelf
life of currency notes.
P. Esakki Muthu,
Chennai
subsidies
through
electronic
payments and cards would
eliminate
the
problem
of
middlemen. Finally, elections
would become a smooth affair as it
would reduce the distribution of
cash for votes.
Varad Seshadri,
Sunnyvale, CA, U.S.
Dhoni as captain
It is unfortunate that after the

series loss to Bangladesh, there has
been a lot of unnecessary hue and
cry (Doesnt matter who the
captain is, Sport, June 23). It is
possible for any champion team to
collapse but that does not mean
that the captain is inefficient and
should be asked to step down
immediately. No team can
continue to win throughout the
year. Take the example of the West
Indies team of 1970 to 1990 and
which was the King of Cricket for
more than two decades. Where is it
now? Hence, I feel Dhoni should
not be made a scapegoat. Our
seniors are bound to be jaded after
the hectic tour Down Under and
the IPL season. It is the board and
selectors who need to be criticised
for allowing the Bangladesh tour.
E-payment
may
curb
the
N. Mahadevan,
generation of fresh black money
Chennai
but it is no concrete solution to
bringing back money stashed away The recent performances of Dhoni
in safe havens. The benefits are in have been pathetic. He has been
keeping track of how much money depending on the toss and pitch to
is spent towards essentials and achieve wins at home. Indian
discretionary items, and where a cricket has seen many skippers
family can further optimise and going through ups and downs from
increase its funds for a rainy day. the days of Mansur Ali Khan
Second, moving towards a cashless Pataudi to Sunil Gavaskar. It is now
society reduces crime. Third, for Dhonis turn to face the music.
C.K. Subramaniam,
the underprivileged who do not
Mumbai
have access to banking, delivering
BG-BG
10
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
The narrowing Persian gulf

Ashok K. Mehta
Blocking
justice
ndias long-running quest for justice for victims of
the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai has been stymied by lack of cooperation from Pakistan in
bringing the accused to book. Now it has received
another blow. This time it comes from the Chinese
decision to block Indias request in the UN Security
Council Sanctions Committee seeking a clarication
from Pakistan on the release of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.
India has rightly contended that the freeing of the Lashkar-e-Taiba commander violates UN Resolution 1267
that deals with designated entities and individuals with
links to al-Qaeda and that has listed Lakhvi since December 10, 2008. The Chinese action is in contrast to
broad support from countries such as the U.S. in asking
Pakistan to rearrest Lakhvi. The U.S. State Department
has released a report indicting Pakistan for not acting
against the LeT. The Chinese decision is unfortunate,
and belies its own stated commitment to ght terror, as
reiterated in its joint statement with India following
Prime Minister Narendra Modis state visit to China in
May. This is also in line with earlier Chinese actions
blocking or delaying Indias attempts at the UN to le
separate proposals on Pakistan-based terrorists. China,
which has itself faced terror attacks in Xinjiang province, should exert pressure on its all-weather friend to
take action against sources of terror rather than buying
Pakistans inconsistent reasoning that it is also a victim
of terrorism. The twin-track, contradictory policy of the
Pakistan establishment, especially its security wing, towards terror should not be lost on China. After all,
Islamabad is at loggerheads with forces such as the
Tehreek-e-Taliban, while maintaining a close relationship with some anti-India and anti-Afghanistan forces.
India has done the right thing in raising the Lakhvi
issue in a multilateral forum, as it has done thus far in
seeking justice for 26/11. A thorough case was built up
against the apprehended gunman Ajmal Kasab, leading
to his conviction. India sought cooperation from U.S.
and Pakistan while diligently compiling proof of the
involvement of the conspirators, including links in Pakistans security establishment. With the U.S. supporting Indias position and with the well-established global
antipathy for terrorism, the use of multilateral institutions to raise concerns is warranted although India in
the past has generally avoided seeking the aegis of the
UN to resolve bilateral issues. Pakistan will not be able
to continue its lackadaisical response towards Indian
concerns about the conspirators who are on its soil,
provided there is sufficient international pressure. It is
to be hoped that the External Affairs Ministrys response to the Chinese action, making it clear that it
would raise the issue at the highest levels of that government, would bear fruit. Terrorism is, after all, wellrecognised by the U.S. and China as a global challenge.
Just days before a nal nuclear deal deadline

on June 30, Iranian officials in Tehran
where I was attending a conference were
excited that their moral stance renouncing
nuclear weapons capability would now be
appreciated. With portraits of the Ayatollahs, Khamenei and Khomeini, towering
over him, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, declared
that Iran would not hand over its secrets to
others under any additional protocol or any
other treaty. Mr. Rouhani who completed
two years as President in mid-June, added
that while sanctions had had their effect,
they had not succeeded in making Iran surrender. He vowed to have the sanctions removed by the UN Security Council.
The Defence Minister, Brigadier General
Hossein Dehqan, insisted that the nuclear
deal would not be signed at any price but
with dignity and power. The Deputy Chief
of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri, said that
Iran would not provide access to military
sites and that nuclear fuel would be produced in Iran.
Stances to audiences
It is clear that assurances are being given
by Iranian leaders to the country that the
contents of the nal deal would not be a sell
out but have the best national interests in
mind. While hardliners have been asked to
keep quiet, a at has been issued not to
publicly discuss the pros and cons of the
nuclear deal. An air of optimism can be
gauged from the hard bargaining with visiting foreign delegations who are now queuing up for contracts in anticipation of the
sanctions being lifted.
The Iranian Ambassador to India, Gholamreza Ansari, recently said in New Delhi
that Iran had not gone for negotiations due
to sanctions. We have always been ready for
talks in 2003 and 2010 and are committed to
the Non Proliferation Treaty, was his line.
Earlier this month in New York at the
2015 Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, had said: The
United States and our P5plus One partners
Sealing the Iranian nuclear deal will mark the

triumph of diplomacy over a military solution,
with wider global implications in the form of a
more normal relationship between the U.S. and
Iran. India will also be a beneficiary
have come together with Iran around the
series of parameters that if nalised and implemented will close off all of Irans possible
pathways to the nuclear material required
for a nuclear weapon and give the international community the condence that it
needs to know that Irans nuclear programme is indeed exclusively peaceful.
Yet, despite the air of condence, one has
to look at the ground realities and see how
protracted sanctions and a freezing of assets
have damaged the Iranian economy. Oil exports have halved since 2012. Coupled with a
decline in oil prices and a high cost of production of oil when compared with Saudi
Arabia, the GDP has contracted from $568
billion to $406 billion. The GDP growth rate,
which was negative, has picked up and is now
ment plant, and the amount of uranium permitted for enrichment for research and
development. There are also differences
within P5+1, and between Russia and China
and other P5 members. The P5+1 (the United
States, United Kingdom, Germany, France,
Russia, and China, facilitated by the European Union) has been engaged in serious and
substantive negotiations with Iran with the
goal of reaching a veriable diplomatic resolution that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. For example, Russia
and China do not favour an automatic, snapback mechanism for non-compliance. However, the mother of all differences is within
the U.S.: between the Republican Partydominated U.S. Congress and U.S. President
Barack Obama. This has been inuenced by
It is reasonable to predict that other members of P5+1

may simply use the U.S. Congressional attempt to block
the nuclear deal with Iran as a pretext to enter into
independent agreements with Iran.
the position taken by the staunch U.S. ally
and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The U.S. does not want and will not
let Iran have the nuclear bomb while Israel
insists that it should not even have the capability to make one. But for the present, Israels stand does not count. What the
eventual nuclear deal will achieve if all conditions are met is that Irans capability to
make a bomb will be extended from the current 2-3 months to 12 months. The deal is in
Sticking points
arresting Irans enrichment capability so as
According to the Iranians, the three stick- to x Irans breakout time to 12 months.
ing points are still: timings of sanction relief;
access and verication of compliance and a Hurdles to cross
Assuming that the Iranians accept the
mechanism for restoring sanctions in the
event of a breach. Additional points and is- condition for their recessed nuclear capasues are the number of centrifuges to be kept bilities for civilian use, with a window open
at Fordow, an invulnerable military facility for reverting to the bomb path at some cost,
and the site of Irans second pilot enrich- and further that they agree to play by the
between 1 and 2 per cent. Ination has declined from 35 per cent to 25 per cent. According to the Tehran Times, India dropped
crude imports to zero in March 2015, for the
rst time in a decade, and under pressure
from the United States as a push for the
Interim Framework Agreement of April 2,
2015 at Lausanne. Sanctions have worked in
slowing but not halting Irans nuclear
capability.
CARTOONSCAPE
Death of
a journalist
he death of Shahjahanpur-based freelance
journalist Jagendra Singh of burn injuries earlier this month, continues to raise questions.
And, instead of inspiring condence that it
would ensure a fair and impartial probe into the death,
the Akhilesh Yadav government is focussing its energies
on limiting the political damage from the allegations of
the involvement of State Minister Ram Murti Verma in
the case. First, the government was slow to act after
footage emerged of a seriously injured Jagendra Singh
saying the Minister and his goons could have beaten
him up instead of burning him. Next, the government
offered a nancial compensation of Rs.30 lakh, and
promised jobs to his two sons. Now, efforts seem to be
under way to treat the death as a case of self-immolation.
A forensic report opened up the possibility of attempted
suicide, on the ground that the right-handed Jagendra
Singh had suffered more wounds on his left side than on
his right side. For the police to give credence to such a
possibility ignoring his dying declaration would be a
travesty of justice. Whether or not the Minister or his
associates were directly connected with the death will
have to be a matter for further investigation, but there is
no doubt that the journalist was attempting to expose
the reported links of the Minister to illegal mining activities, with the aid of posts on the social networking site
Facebook, and through litigation. Any investigation
would necessarily have to look into these aspects.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav might be tempted to
see his Samajwadi Party and the government as victims
of trial by media, but his own actions have done little to
help matters. Instead of being seen to be rmly on the
side of the victim, the government came through as
being bent on protecting the Minister. The proper
course would have been to drop him from the Cabinet
till the completion of the investigation. The offer of
compensation was clearly a political move, after days of
bad publicity and a dharna by the victims family members. If the leaked preliminary forensic report is any
indication, the promised impartial probe into Jagendra
Singhs death is unlikely to happen. Despite the ling of a
rst information report naming the Minister, the police
are yet to act against him. Jagendra Singhs death is a
reminder of the perils that confront investigative journalists, especially those who take on the rich and the
powerful. If the Uttar Pradesh government fails to act
decisively in this case, the suspicion that it has a lot to
hide will strengthen. It will also adversely affect freedom
of expression. Issues far greater than the reputation of
the Akhilesh Yadav government are at stake in this case.
CM
YK

Court on mediation
If rape is a heinous crime, the
practice or idea of getting the rape
survivor married to the rapist is no
less evil a deed. The practice has
been in vogue in certain sections of
Indian society owing to the
misogynistic mindset of the
population. The Madras High
Court order has only put India on
the path of regression (Call for
rapist-victim mediation sparks
outrage, June 25). It will not only
worsen the lives of rape survivors
but will also encourage sick people
to perform more such acts.
Shubham Mathur,
Chandigarh
What can be more repulsive for a
rape survivor than the prospect of
entering into matrimony with the
very person who had violated her
modesty? One wonders if the judge
would be in a position to monitor
the developments post such a
marriage. The legal stand that there
was success in a similar case earlier
will only end up toying with the life
of a young woman.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
The seemingly thoughtless order
has only shaken the citizens
condence in the Indian judiciary.
It is beyond ones cognitive abilities
as to what might have driven the
judge to pass such an order in the
absence of any form of request for
mediation from the accused or the
victim. Such orders from highly
placed and inuential authorities
only reinforce rather than deter the
commodication of women, which
carries with it an imminent hazard
rules of the game, there still is the hurdle of

the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of
2015 passed by the U.S. Congress. This is
heavily inuenced by the Zionist lobby and
Republicans who control Congress. There is
a chance they may block the deal. In addition
to all this, Mr. Obama is concerned with his
political legacy. He knows that a Democrat
President, Jimmy Carter lost Iran; he wants
to be the Democrat who brought it back on
board.
It is reasonable to predict that other members of P5+1 may simply use the U.S. Congressional attempt to block the nuclear deal
with Iran as a pretext to enter into independent agreements with Iran to lift sanctions.
This may even dissuade the U.S. Congress
from doing so. It has consistently baulked at
a rapprochement with Iran. In 2003, Tehran
was close to a deal with the Europeans but
the U.S. Congress spiked it. Iran could have
been capped with 1,000 centrifuges against
the present 19,000 centrifuges. In 2010, the
Brazil-Turkey plan of taking away Irans uranium for enrichment in France or Germany
was also stymied by the U.S. Congress.
Michael Krepon, the co-founder/senior
associate of the Stimson Center, Washington, has said that the deal will weaken global
norms for non-proliferation but U.S. Congress killing a deal that constrains Iran will
only lead to worse consequences for proliferation. A rejection by the U.S. Congress will
lead to an expulsion of inspectors, increase
enrichment and possible air strikes.
Impact on West Asia

If the deal breaks up and Iran returns to its
nuclear weapons programme, it will have a
cascading effect on Saudi Arabia, Egypt and
Turkey. The spread of enrichment plans
without safeguards in West Asia will spell
doom for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. With the Islamic
State crawling around, it also poses a major
risk for nuclear terrorism. Until last year,
Saudi Arabia was cocksure that Pakistan
would lend a couple of nuclear bombs to it.
The former Saudi Arabian chief of intelligence, Prince Turki Bin Faisal Al Saud, recently said in South Korea: Whatever the
Iranians have, we will have too. After events
in Yemen, Islamabad may not be in a mood
to oblige.
There are avid votaries of the military
option in Israel and the U.S. But they are
divided over the feasibility of unilateral military action against Irans nuclear facilities.
Israels former Mossad Chief Meir Dagan
says the military option is unviable and catastrophic, while the former Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, says the
military option is on the table. As a regular
visitor to Israel, I know discretion in Tel Aviv
is increasingly becoming the better part of
valour. Incredible as it may sound, at one
time, the thinking in the U.S. was that living
with a nuclear Iran was better than a military option to denuclearise it. It planned to
cap Tehrans nuclear capability after its tests
no weaponisation, no deployment.
In 2003, U.S. President George Bush had a
super majority of 771 votes in both Houses
for the invasion of Iraq. Mr. Obama does not
want to forward the nuclear deal in the
works in Geneva to the U.S. Congress. He
wants to use his presidential powers to ratify
it; 59 per cent of Americans are for the deal.
If it sails through, it would mark the triumph
of diplomacy over the use of military belligerence. It will not just be a nuclear deal but
will have wider implications for the world in
the form of a more normal relationship between the U.S. and Iran after nearly four and
a half decades of hostility. India will also be a
beneciary.
The grapevine in Tehran was that the nuclear deal may miss the June 30 deadline but
will be stitched up in an extra week or two
after settling the outstanding sticking
points. We have to wait and watch.
(Gen. Ashok K. Mehta is the convener of
an India-Pakistan and India-Afghanistan
Track II process.)
of setting up a malicious precedent

to the lower courts that are the rst
line of defence for rape survivors.
The public outcry against the order
must serve as a strong caution to
the legal system.
Yoga Vasishta V.,
Vishakhapatnam
The Emergency
The article, Mastering the drill of
democracy (June 25), was a ne
psychoanalysis of the traits and
ambitions of a political leviathan,
Tsar Nicholas I and Indira Gandhi
being the popular examples.
Ambitions should be made of
sterner stuff, wrote Shakespeare
in his Julius Caesar. In line with
this Shakespearean dictum, to full
his or her ambitions, every political
supremo embarks on a long drawn,
sternly imposed and intellectually
suppressing strategy, casting aside
the opinions of millions of people
whom his/her strategies affect
ultimately. The magnitude of the
yoga drill at Rajpath, with its thrust
on health care will only go a long
way in transforming India.
Syed Sami Ullah,
Tripoli, Libya
Making any future declaration of
Emergency
may
be
an
impossibility, but the culture of
intolerance that was prevalent
those days is making a slow
comeback. The manner in which
NGOs are being treated and the
action against a student body at
IIT-Madras
are
prominent
examples of the attempt to
suppress voices of dissent. Of the
many parallels being drawn
between Emergency and India
today, one can think of Narendra
Modis recent comment on foreign

soil of how ashamed Indians were
before he came to power, almost
akin to Indira Gandhis exploits
that led sycophants to coin the
Indira is India slogan.
There is also the attitude of
general public and the media.
While most in India have accepted
high-end rhetoric and rising
dictatorial tendencies, the way in
which the media complied with the
governments directive on Yoga
day, makes one recall what Mr.
Advani once said to the media in the
1970s: you were asked to bend, but
you crawled.
Bipin Thaivalappil,
Kannur
There is only one legacy of the
Emergency of 1975 that most of us
remember the transformation of
a Constitution raj into an
authoritative Indira raj. Comparing
Indira raj with the recently held
yoga event is irrational as the rst
case distorted principles laid out in
the Constitution while the second
one only promoted health and
promoted overall harmony.
Nitin Sharma,
Chandigarh
The parallels drawn by Mr.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi between
Yoga Day Celebrations and the
mindset that led to Emergency and
Tsar Nicholas I are strange.
Perhaps, he is reading too much
into it. After the United Nations
decided to celebrate June 21 as
International Yoga Day every year,
it was important for the country,
where yoga originated, to lead the
celebrations. The fact that the
nation came together as one to
practise yoga, not for political

symbolism, but to embrace this
ancient science which continues to
serve humanity, sent out this
message to the world.
Kunal Dua,
Hoshiarpur, Punjab
Reaction to yoga
There is no substitute for yoga in
any religion. Thus, yoga has
emerged as a robust therapeutic
system for general well-being
(Yoga is unacceptable: Muslim
body, June 25). One must always
be open to adapting the good things
espoused by other religions. It is
absolutely not fair to consider yoga
as depicting a particular religion.
M.C.S. Pavan Kumar,
Bengaluru
Yoga should not be seen though the
prism of religion. It is a form of
exercise which relaxes the mind
and body. However, the BJPs
attempts to saffronise it should not
be allowed. Likewise, if a Muslim
wishes to practise yoga from the
point of view of enhancing his/her
health, why should he or she be
stopped?
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai
Rajya Sabha TV
The role of reporting without fear
or favour assumes signicance in
an age of growing scams,
irregularities and crime. Reporting
news is an art and carries great
responsibility, where the language
needs to be polite, clear and yet
without sacricing the principles of
journalism. If Rajya Sabha TV is
criticised, it rightly signies that it
is doing its job well. One only needs
to compliment RSTV for shunning

the TRP culture and doing its job
well (Editorial, June 25).
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
Steffi and ayurveda

Kerala Tourisms decision to rope
in tennis legend Steffi Graf to
promote its ayurveda media
campaign is mindless (Kerala
serves an ace by roping in Steffi
Graf, June 25). The thoughtless
step not only wrong-foots the
indigenous medicinal system but
also derails its very credentials.
An important attribute of all
alternative medicinal practices is
their
aversion
towards
commercialisation.
The
very
notion of swasthi (wellness),
which is the kernel of Ayurveda, is
based
on
the
individuals
orientation to his own personal self
that is antithetical to principles of
modern medicine which deindividualise the patient by
prescribing generalised solutions
for personal ailments. Ayurveda
seldom
visualises
large-scale
treatment drives which are based
on specialisation as its own
approach is basically holistic.
Ayurveda and other indigenous
medicinal practices use rare and
natural herbs which by its very
nature shuns any chance of largescale production and application of
such medicines. It is also wrong to
propagate a practice which is
essentially ethnic, traditional and
holistic under the celebrity value of
a person who typically represents
the cosmopolitan and consumerist
values of the West.
Anand K.,
Kozhikode
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
10
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
We dont want no education...

Pulapre Balakrishnan
Needed, a new
urban vision
rime Minister Narendra Modi launched his
flagship Smart Cities Mission proclaiming that
governmental intervention in planning the cities would be minimal. He referred to a bottom-up approach, but did not emphasise who exactly
would benefit from the cities. The approach suggests
that India is breaking away from its Anglo-European
architectural tradition, promoted by Jawaharlal Nehru
in the 1960s with the projection of Chandigarh as a
template for urban planners. Nehrus aim was to create
mixed-income cities with easy access to community
infrastructure and to institutions such as the judiciary,
the legislature and the executive. But Mr. Modis urbanplanning approach contradicts that view and largely
resonates with American-style urbanism. The government is putting the spotlight on smart cities and allowing the business community to lead the development.
Let us take an example in the U.S. to figure out who
could benefit from the new urban plans in India. In New
York City, most of the commercial and residential
buildings from uptown to downtown Manhattan are
inhabited by the rich who can afford the huge rents.
They have installed biometric security systems to keep
the unwanted people that is, the poor at bay. The
city government has largely outsourced the public services to private companies, which are replacing the
labour force with mechanised technology. As a result,
the job market has become saturated. The unskilled
workforce is caught up in a low-wage job cycle.
Before pushing India on to a similar American path,
Prime Minister Modi must step back and re-think
whether his government should invest in smart cities,
or rather empower the existing urban centres by means
of policies that cater to poor and middle class Indians.
For instance, at present almost every Indian city faces
sanitation issues due to the absence or inadequacy of
drainage networks. The migration of people from rural
areas to the urban peripheries continues at a rapid pace,
resulting in the mushrooming of slums and unauthorised colonies. According to Census 2011, some 65 million people live in slums. The governments response to
the issue in terms of planning to build affordable housing for them is short-sighted. Smart cities would simply
institutionalise the disparity within the cities instead of
filling the lacunae. The last decade of urbanisation did
change the academic and policy consensus toward urban centres, but ignored the fringes of these centres
where those from the poor and the lower-middle class
who came in a large influx ended up. In Delhi, the
government passed on powers to residents welfare
associations, which now decide on the choice of basic
civic matters and they always give preference to their
own gated communities. Mr. Modi must take a forwardlooking stance when it comes to developing urban India. Otherwise, the glossy vision of building smart cities
could end up triggering a process of social apartheid.
Higher education in India is once again in the

news, though not for the most attractive of
reasons. Recently, the heads of more than
one of the countrys best known institutions
have either resigned or been sacked following differences with the government. There
are reports that the position of a vice chancellor of a prominent university is under
threat. However, these instances are no more
than shocks to the widespread despondency
amidst the public over the state of this
branch of Indian society.
Some time ago, the then Minister for Human Resource Development, Arjun Singh,
had announced to a national meeting of vice
chancellors that higher education in India
was like a sick child. That he was partly
responsible for its state, having directed it to
expand by 50 per cent within three years as
part of the Congress Partys response to the
Mandal Committee Report, was perhaps less
of a failing on his part than the failure to
initiate a diagnosis of the affliction. Were this
done at that time, at least some of the subsequent damage could have been averted.
Not world class

One of the deficiencies of higher education
in the country, identified by the government
itself, is that its colleges are nowhere to be
found in the global league tables. While rating need not bother us unduly, we must recognise that absence from the shortlist of
Indian universities tells us something about
the production of globally recognisable
knowledge in this country. Had we chosen to
ignore the global pool of knowledge, this
would be of no concern. But, we cannot state
this to be the case, as we drink deeply at this
very pool. The fact is that in the production of
knowledge globally, we are mere spectators,
admiring the pirouette or applauding the
tightrope walk, participating at best as cheerleaders. While I can say little with any confidence about the natural sciences, of
economics it can be said that there is very
little that is original being done here. Where
we can speak of theory and methodology as
being relatively independent, it is not only
that we rely on theory developed in the anglophone world but even the empirical methods are often outdated, despite the fact that
unlike in the past they are now quite easily
Political independence would amount to little if

Indians do not have an education that develops
cognitive means, an ethical sensibility and a
historical understanding. Recent events suggest
that the political class does not want such an
education for young Indians
accessible. Global best-practice methodologies are more accessible today because we are
by now a far richer society compared to say
the 1950s, and information and the software
for processing it are no longer out of reach. Of
course, this is very likely not the case in the
applied sciences where material resources
are still prohibitively expensive. Think large
hadron collider.
Spending on education
It would be difficult to make the case that
higher education in India has been starved of
resources in the aggregate. A shift in public
expenditure towards higher education had
commenced in the 1950s, even though the
social returns to primary education were very likely higher than the social returns to the
tertiary. By the early 20th century, the ratio
past decade or so, when the next major round

of expansion notably the near doubling of
the number of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) was initiated by the Centre
and in some States. At the beginning, the
human capital necessary to operate the system was not in such short supply as it is
today. Quality control was relatively less constrained. But more importantly, there was a
recognition that there was no point in expanding education without assuring its quality. Egregious instances of this are the heads
of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
and the atomic energy complex being personally headhunted by Nehru. Today, it is not
only that the human capital is in relatively
short supply, but the political leadership valorises access at any cost. Expansion has be-
The political class has heavily invested in the profitmaking

segment of higher education, with no concern for knowledge
creation here. On the other hand, Central institutions have
been used to advance party-political agendas.
come the raison dtre of the public presence
in higher education and the querying of the
quality of education is discouraged as elitism.
This is no more than sentimentality when it
is not disingenuous.
In todays age, the production of knowledge needs governance exactly as does any
other activity with social consequences. If
the quality of higher education in India is to
improve, the focus of the governance must be
on research and learning outcomes. Poor
outcomes which are to be identified as poor
quality of the education make a mockery of
the expansion of higher education whether
by the state or the private sector. The state
offering poor quality higher education with
Quality control
much fanfare is the moral equivalent of osEven though the expansion of higher edu- tentatiously inviting hungry people only to
cation had commenced in the 1950s, a differ- feed them leftovers. The private sector in
ence marks that phase when compared to the India is often not far behind in promising the
of public spending on higher education to
that on schooling was by far the highest in
India (UNESCO: Global Education Digest).
It is interesting that in Japan, the government spends more per capita on schooling
than it does on university education. Yet,
Indian academics have migrated even to Japan to carry on their professional life despite
the obvious linguistic hurdles. By the late
1960s, Amartya Sen was already writing
about the high opportunity cost of starting
universities in India and had suggested that
higher education in India was being expanded largely only in response to middle-class
pressure.
CARTOONSCAPE
The promise of
freight corridors
he much-delayed project to build the ambitious eastern and western dedicated freight
corridors has received a boost with the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs approving a
revised cost estimate for it. At Rs.81,459 crore, the figure
is more than double the originally estimated Rs.28,181
crore. The 1,839-km-long eastern corridor will connect
Ludhiana in Punjab with Dankuni in West Bengal. It will
have two components, a double-track section and a
single-track segment, both electrified. It will cut across
six States. The eastern corridor will cater to traffic
streams including coal, finished steel, cement and fertilizer. The western corridor will cover nearly 1,500 km,
connecting the Jawaharlal Nehru Port near Mumbai
with Dadri, and passing through States such as Haryana,
Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. A substantial portion of the revised cost will be met by way of debt from
multilateral institutions such as the Japan International
Cooperation Agency and the World Bank. The equity
requirement of the Railways will be around Rs.23,796
crore. Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India
Ltd., the special purpose vehicle set up by the Railways
to implement the project, is keen to complete it by
2017-18. Once the twin-corridor system is in place, it will
transform the very profile of the Railways. A host of
positive outcomes, such as reduction in transportation
costs and stepped-up commercial activity, benefiting a
range of core industries, could flow from it. This could in
turn have a multiplier effect on the economy.
Poor infrastructure has been a principal worry for
Indian industry. More often than not, this has affected
its ability to be efficient providers of goods and services.
End-consumers have been forced to pay for the collective inefficiency. The twin-corridor project was conceived in 2005 and was approved by the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance government in 2008. The
huge cost overruns owing to the time lapse tell their own
tale, and reflect the massive challenge facing policyplanners in pushing through a project of this size and
magnitude that has inter-State implications. From a
slow decision-making process to roadblocks to land acquisition, there are problems aplenty in the way ahead
for the project. No doubt, land acquisition is turning out
to be a touchy political issue. Prevarication on the decision-making front will hurt the viability of even soundly
conceived projects. The Narendra Modi-led government
would do well to ensure that the twin-corridor project
goes through without any further delay. The key to doing
so will lie also in taking along the States concerned.
CM
YK
Politically driven
When social forces act to snuff out a vibrant and free-spirited learning environment, we are largely in the hands of the
political class, for it is this class that wields
the levers of power that can counteract the
reaction. But when the political class abets
these very forces, we are left pretty much in
the lurch. There is something of this kind at
work in India today.
First, for decades now, members of the
political class have been very heavily invested in the profitmaking segment of higher
education. Private engineering, medicine
and management education have offered
full-time politicians a happy hunting ground.
Naturally, there has been no concern for
knowledge creation here. On the other hand,
the archipelago of Central higher education
institutions has been treated as a handmaiden to advance party-political agendas. This
has been the case under both the fronts that
have ruled India over the past decade-and-ahalf. The initiatives have ranged over making
an IIM education virtually free, to expanding
enrolment without any concern for the
consequences.
Almost a century ago, Kalidas Bhattacharya, a philosophy teacher in Calcutta, delivered an address to his students which was
published as a tract named Swaraj in Ideas.
Though the address must itself be seen in the
context of the Indian national movement, its
message remains as fresh as ever. Bhattacharya had argued that political independence by itself would amount to little if
Indians did not have the mental capacity to
imagine a world in relation to their own
needs. The prerequisite for this is the development of cognitive means, an ethical sensibility and a historical understanding. This
alone can be called an education. We watch
with shock and awe as everything handed
down from Delhi of late suggests that the
political class dont want one for our young.
Higher education in India is being throttled
by the regulator, and no one is screaming
murder.
(Pulapre Balakrishnan can be reached at
www.pulaprebalakrishnan.in)
mediator and tries to effect a

compromise between the parties
The judgment by the Madras High concerned, all within one episode.
Court judge, Justice P. Devadass, Rape is a social evil and a crime. The
ordering mediation in a rape case . is reason for the increase in such
a retrograde step in the justice crimes is nothing but the lack of
delivery system (Madras HC urged proper punishment. Unless and
to recall rape case from mediation, until the punishment is made
Mediation, a good move by court, severe, these crimes will go on
and A carriage of injustice, all forever. The Justice of the High
June 26). That the same judge has Court is not a Natamai or mediator
taken an opposite view on the same of a village sitting under a peepal
day in an another rape case (Same tree to pass his verdict. He is an
judge, different order, some honourable man of law. All these
editions, June 26) also shows that days we have heard of justice being
the learned judge is fully aware of delayed and of justice being denied.
the implications of rape. Hence, it is But this seems to be first time where
beyond ones comprehension how we hear of the justice being
he pronounced his judgment in the degenerated. If judges are there to
first case, especially after legal advocate only mild remedies like
pronouncements following the 2012 mediation, where is the necessity
Delhi rape case. The Supreme Court, for courts and judges?
Meenakshi Pattabiraman,
by taking a suo motu stand, should
intervene in the case.
Madurai
S. Nallasivan,
Tirunelveli It appears that many have not
understood the intent of the judge. I
To me, the order seems no better am sure that he must have pondered
than the patriarchal orders made by over the future of the survivor who
khap panchayats in Haryana. Such now has a child born out of the rape.
mediation is not only unethical but His order only shows his good intent
an evil crime against the rape as he wanted her life to be settled
survivor which will only cause her and must have also considered that
further mental and social trauma. In the accused will be released once the
simple terms, it reflects the awarded sentence is completed.
misogynistic attitude still prevalent Then what? The accused will try and
in the judiciary. If this is the way start a new life while the survivor
justice is dispensed in a modern will be in her twenties trying to lead
political state, then we are no better a life which may not be easy. The
than those citizens in a religious judge has only thought of a way out
state whose decrees are biased and to help settle the lives of the persons
in favour of men.
concerned. Our country and our
C.P. Trivedi, people have to grow up in their
New Delhi thinking. No doubt there is law and
justice but there is also something
The order reminded me of a popular called a humanitarian angle which is
TV show in South India, where a also one of the goals of justice. My
personality adopts the role of request to those who are up in arms
Rape and mediation
moon but leaving students with little to

show. This has been flagged as rampant in
so-called professional education. Shailendra
Mehta has written a paper titled Why is
Harvard #1? putting it down entirely to governance. While there is no reason whatsoever for India to emulate Harvard in all its
aspects, we may yet want to pay some attention to its governance model if we aspire to
ever play in the top league of global knowledge production.
While the consequences for quality of a
reckless expansion are quite easily seen, that
of another subtle but definite trend is less
easily discerned. The latter may have had an
important role in killing-off our universities.
This is a political development which has two
aspects to it, namely the adoption of a corporate-centric approach by governments and
the spread of illiberalism within society. The
connection between these two developments
is far from obvious but one thing is clear. It is
that the rise to dominance of a politics incorporating both these elements is not helpful to the pursuit of knowledge. It has led to a
sort of closing of the Indian mind once
open to myriad influences and mindful of the
virtues of truth and beauty. Going back a
little further, we can see the vestiges of such
mindfulness in our spectacular achievements in fields as diverse as philosophy and
architecture. One does not have to agree fully
with the poet Keats when he had declared
that the link between truth and beauty is all
there is to know to acknowledge that such an
awareness must infuse our higher education
enterprise! If you think truth and beauty is
for the birds, you may want to read the astrophysicist S. Chandrashekar on Motivation
in science. The severely bureaucratised environment in Indias universities has managed to expunge all creativity from the
system.
over the order is to look at it from

the judges point of view and how it
would mean giving new life to three
people.
Shammer Shah,
Chennai
IIMs and autonomy

There is no need to hijack or curb
the autonomy of an institute which
is already a gem of excellence.
Rather, the government should
concentrate on furthering its
accountability to institutions under
its watch (Let IIMs be free of
government stranglehold, June
26). I can think of the example of the
Film and Television Institute of
India,
another
institute
of
excellence, but one that has been
neglected. Autonomy is a tribute to
the IIMs for their brilliance and
standards of excellence.
Pragya Tanwar,
Bhiwani, Haryana
It is simply illogical and impractical
to snatch away the freedom and
autonomy of the IIMs which are
doing absolutely fine at the moment
and which are among the finest
management institutions of the
globe.
It would not be an exaggeration to
say that the IIMs will start to sink
the moment they are bound to the
Ministry of Human Resource
Development. It should work for
development and progression
rather than degradation and
regression.
Kapil Choudhary,
When Prime Minister Modi
announced from the ramparts of
Red Fort on August 15, 2014, that
the Planning Commission is an old
building which is in disrepair and

that he proposed rebuilding it
instead of renovating it, there was
wide acceptance of the spirit behind
the statement. That does not mean
that truncating or replacing or the
destruction of all organisations,
systems and institutions which are
there in their own rights will be
welcomed
by
stakeholders.
Sometime ago, the RBI Governor
had put it bluntly: Dont fix it, if its
not broken!
There is enough already on the
drawing board to keep the
government of India busy; any
attempt to crowd it further without
attending to pending work will only
be
counterproductive
and
disastrous. Instead, it should
concentrate on a review and revamp
of the National Pension Scheme,
financial sector reforms, and social
security schemes instead of wading
deep in the muddy waters of
political expediency with an eye on
being popular.
M.G. Warrier,
Mumbai
Several Ministers are under a cloud,
among them being the HRD
Minister
whose
academic
credentials are in doubt. Given this
situation, it is just not right for the
government to start meddling in the
running of prestigious institutions
like the IIMs and the IITs. As it is,
the quality of education in most
institutions, both private and
government, is suspect given the
mushroom-like
growth
of
institutions without instructors
who are passionate about teaching,
and when industry is crying hoarse
over the industry-academia gap.
G. Padmanabhan,
Bengaluru
Easy target
The Committee to Protect
Journalists has damning statistics
on the Indian scenario to show how
the lives of journalists have been
snuffed out like flies, especially
when covering the danger areas of
corruption and politics. It only goes
to show how the two are so
intertwined. The Press Council of
India has a moral duty to engage in
serious thought to create a
protective umbrella that covers
journalists of all hues. The
Shakespearean words, As flies to
wanton boys are we to th' gods, They
kill us for their sport should not
ring true for journalists and
Jagendra Singhs death should not
be in vain (Editorial, June 26).
Dharmalingam Chandran,
Udhagamandalam
Towards an Iran deal

At a time when West Asia is facing
severe
crises,
the
regional
leadership of Iran cannot be ignored
anymore. The signing of the Iran
P5+1 nuclear deal will essentially
assure the re-entry of Iran into the
lopsided international political
scene (The narrowing Persian
gulf, June 26).
However the West needs to
understand that it cannot bully Iran
into submission. As a signatory of
the Non Proliferation Treaty, Iran
too is entitled to its right to use
nuclear energy for civil, defence,
medicinal and other purposes. A
balance has to be struck somewhere,
so that all stakeholders can not only
overcome this stalemate but also
work together on other grave issues
at hand.
Balasubramanyan Menon,
New Delhi
BG-BG
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Bridging ties with the New Silk Road

Srinivasan Ramani
Battling
perceptions
n a battle of perceptions, to concede an inch is to
lose several feet. After having won the 2014 Lok
Sabha election on an anti-corruption platform,
relying heavily on a carefully crafted clean image
of himself, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot afford to now be seen as leading a party or government of
corrupt individuals. But, with the former chairman and
commissioner of the Indian Premier League, Lalit Modi, embarrassing his colleagues in government and
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in a series
of revelations, all that Prime Minister Modi seems to be
doing is to wait silently in the hope that the noise would
die down. Acting decisively against Ms. Raje, as propriety demanded, would have opened up several fronts.
For one, Ms. Raje is enormously popular within the
Bharatiya Janata Partys Rajasthan unit and commands the support of a majority of the partys members
in the Assembly. Dislodging her would result in the
national leadership, Mr. Modi and party president
Amit Shah in particular, having to deal with a revolt in
the State unit. Ms. Raje has in the past defied the
national leadership, thwarting attempts to project alternative leaders at the State level. It would be unrealistic to expect her to go down without a fight. Secondly,
to admit that the BJP in its avatar under Mr. Modi is no
different from the BJP of old would be to admit that he
has made no difference to it since he worked himself
onto the national stage. If the BJP today comes across a
lot like the Congress on an issue like corruption, then
Mr. Modi would have to be deemed a failure. Thus, to
even recognise that there is corruption in its ranks is
for the BJP an issue of its very raison dtre.
Of course, one reason Ms. Raje remains powerful in
Rajasthan is that a year after he assumed office Prime
Minister Modi does not quite retain his national appeal. While there is no challenge to his authority at the
Centre, regional satraps such as Ms. Raje and Madhya
Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan do not
believe they owe him anything in their political careers.
But inaction is not an option for the BJP at the national
level in laffaire Lalit Modi. If denial remains the default response, sooner or later the party would be seen
as condoning corruption. Allowing Ms. Raje to continue could have long-term effects on its credibility and its
anti-corruption stance. As for Ms. Raje, the financial
dealings of her son Dushyant Singh with Lalit Modi,
and an affidavit she filed in favour of the former IPL
commissioner, raise serious issues. Her continuance as
Chief Minister without these issues being addressed
quickly would only fuel the agitations that the Opposition parties have launched, and cramp the governments functioning. In the long run, that would be
disastrous for both Ms. Raje and the BJP.
A first-time visitor to hot and humid Shenzhen, the port city of Guangdong province in
southeast China, will be stuck by the grandeur of what is clearly a modern mega-city.
The city, which abuts Hong Kong and a gateway to southern China, is a showcase of the
countrys reforms era (1978-present).
What was once a fishing village in the late
1970s, has transformed itself after a special
economic zone was designated there in 1979.
Many parts were built up to accommodate
businesses and factories to aid in the rapid
urbanisation that was wrought out from foreign investment, dedicated urban governance and by leveraging the coasts of the Pearl
River delta and the South China Sea. Within
four decades, the city has grown into a tertiary hub, host to high-technology companies,
highly skilled manpower and an equivalent
of the Silicon Valley of the United States.
Today, the port city serves an important
function in Chinas outreach to the world by
being a major outpost in the Maritime Silk
Road project. It is also the base of some of the
busiest container terminals on the Pearl River delta.
The Belt and the Road project is an ambitious exercise that was announced by the
Chinese President Xi Jinping-led regime in
2013. It encompasses trade and investment
hubs to the north of China by reaching out to
Eurasia including a link via Myanmar to India (the New Silk Road Economic Belt). The
other component, the Maritime Silk Road
begins from the south of the land mass via
the South China Sea, then going on towards
Indo-China, south-East Asia and then traversing around the Indian Ocean by reaching
out to Africa and Europe. Officials of the
National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in China were upbeat about
the initiative, explaining to a group of mediapersons, this writer included, and think tank
representatives who visited China early in
June, that it could play an important role in
global economic recovery. They asserted
that this would happen by allowing for better
allocation of resources and investment in
the Asian region in infrastructure, transport,
maritime cooperation, resources and
energy.
Economic imperative
The seriousness of the Chinese government in implementing this project was evident in the manner in which border
provinces are being made responsible in
There is not enough understanding in India that

the Chinese Belt and the Road project is a
consequence of an economic imperative in China,
which is undergoing structural change, and has
less to do with geopolitics as is easily assumed
leading initiatives for it. For example,
Guangdong, among the most prosperous
provinces in China its nominal GDP
topped $1.1 trillion in 2014 has led the way
in leveraging its strengths as the premier
largest export/import zone in the country.
The emphasis in Guangdong was evident to
us. The Guangdong provincial government
believes that engaging in the Maritime Silk
Road project to enhance economic and people-to-people relations with nations on the
Road will enable it in further pursuing its
own structural transformation. India figures
high in the list of priorities for the Guangdong government, which is keen to increase
Indian tourist footfalls and promote collaboration with the Indian private sector with
its own advanced firms in the private and the
state-owned sectors.
Guangdong, which was a relative economic backwater, dependent on agriculture and
undergoing a structural change, from one

that was export and investment-led, labour
intensive and manufacturing driven to a
more diversified, industrially transformed,
internal consumption driven, economic one.
This push for a structural change came about
after the drop in global demand for Chinese
exports following the global financial crisis
in the late 2000s which forced China to spur
domestic demand by a massive economic
stimulus in 2008. The consequence was an
increase in investment in the construction
and housing sectors, which created a situation of overcapacity in the industrial sector that persists today and one which China
seeks to desperately address, including a
need to ease an overheated real estate market. These have, apart from other reasons,
resulted in a slowing down of the economy to
a projected growth rate of about 7 per cent
(still quite high in comparison to other coun-
China visualises synergy with the Indian Act East initiative and
the development of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar
corridor. It also reckons that Indias participation in the Silk
Road project will ease the massive trade deficit.
traditional sectors before the reforms period, has now become a largely tertiary sector
reliant economy. Government officials
pointed out that only 4.7 per cent of the
provinces GDP was reliant on the primary
sector agriculture while the secondary
and tertiary sectors contributed 42 per cent
and 49 per cent respectively. The emphasis
was on structurally changing Guangdong into a hub of services and advanced manufacturing as labour-intensive industries
were either moved to relatively less prosperous provinces within China or to countries
such as Vietnam which offered low wage
labour. That said, Guangdong province is
richer in areas that are closer to the coasts
while the inland areas were relatively less
prosperous.
The enthusiasm in Guangdong for the
Maritime Silk Road project is a reflection of
an economic imperative that is driving China to promote the Belt and the Road. Chinese officials are aware that their economy is
tries) for 2015, which the government is not

too worried about as it is more keen on
structural change.
Indian response
Here is where the Belt and the Road strategy is expected to come in handy. While the
Maritime Silk Road would be a way to build a
route for the rerouting/export of Chinese
capital and consumer goods, the Silk Road
Belt will be a conduit for land-based projects
that will provide for fixed asset investment
in building pipelines, and infrastructure
such as roads and rail-lines with partnering
countries along the routes. China has committed $40 billion in initial investments for
the Silk Road Infrastructure fund, over and
above the investments that are to be funded
by the newly constituted Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Chinese officials see a lot of synergy with
the Indian Act East policy initiative and the
development of the Bangladesh-China-In-
CARTOONSCAPE
Disquiet
over a claim
he claim made by Rohini Salian, the Special
Public Prosecutor appearing in the case relating to the 2008 Malegaon blasts being investigated by the National Investigation
Agency, that she was told by the NIA after the NDA
government came to power last year to go slow on it, is a
shocking one. While the NIA has denied this and has
also said it was incorrect to suggest that it had bypassed
Ms. Salian as prosecutor in the case, that is yet to go to
the trial court, there is something distressing about
this episode. The Malegaon blasts in Maharashtra were
pinned on Muslim extremists, until diligent work by
the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad led by Hemant
Karkare identified the hand of Hindu extremists, many
of whom were alleged to have carried out blasts such as
in the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, the Samjhauta
Express and Ajmer Sharif, all in 2007; in Modasa in
Gujarat in 2008, and in Malegaon earlier in 2006. The
investigation led by Karkare who was killed later in
2008 during the terror attacks in Mumbai led to the
filing of a comprehensive charge sheet. This document
and other police reports contained transcripts of secret
meetings among extremists and revealed the chilling
agenda of Hindu right-wing fringe groups, which allegedly sought to emulate jihadi terrorism and foment
trouble by violently targeting people from the minority
community and use that opportunity to gain political
power. The NIA took over the investigation from the
ATS, and it was tasked with looking into the broader
scheme of actions by Hindu extremist groups. Since
2011, however, the case has been held up in courts, and
only in April 2015 did the NIA initiate investigations
following a go-ahead from the Supreme Court for the
case to be heard by a new special trial court. The NIA is
yet to file a fresh charge sheet.
Ms. Salians statement indeed raises questions about
possible interference in the cases since the NDA government came to power, and the Supreme Court ought
to take note of this. After all, only after the Supreme
Court intervened and directed investigations into various cases relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots and set up
special courts, did the judicial process in those cases
settle on a proper track. It is imperative that the sense
of disquiet over any skewed justice when it comes to
cases related to extremists from the majority community as opposed to those from the minority communities is dispelled. This is especially so with respect to
Maharashtra, where the recommendations of the Justice B.N. Srikrishna Commission that investigated the
Mumbai riots of 1992-1993 remained unheeded, and
where the guilty were never brought to book.
CM
YK

Digital India
My
experience
with
and
observations of the march towards
a digital administration make me
very apprehensive of the risks of
exclusion and coercion inherent in
any application which demands econnectivity on the part of the
citizen (Digital India to bring
investment in billions, June 28).
In the name of electronic
governance, the administration of
many public services has already
taken a grossly undemocratic turn
without getting questioned or even
noticed.
The government needs to assure
us that while the administration
uses digital technology to aid those
of us who are connected and
interested in it, it does not close the
door on the less privileged or ends
up stamping a de jure exclusion on
those already de facto excluded.
While public services are already
grossly
discriminatory
and
exclusionary, the move by the
government to invite the private
sector in advancing the digital
mission is only likely to add further
to their democratic deficit. We
need a legal framework which
guarantees full, non-coercive and
privacy-protected participation to
all persons irrespective of their
digital
connectivity
before
reposing confidence in the
governments moves.
Firoz Ahmad,
New Delhi
Strategic dilemma
Some commentators among the strategic
community in India have caught on to this
rhetoric and have viewed this project as representing a major strategic initiative by China. They consider the Maritime Silk Road as
a way of establishing a String of Pearls
strategic bases encircling India and constituting a challenge of a geopolitical kind.
This view does not consider the fact that
Indias neighbours, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and
even Nepal have largely and willingly wanted
to partner with China in projects related to
port and infrastructure development in the
form of rail links among others. These strategic concerns seem overblown and derived
from the fact that there are significant political issues, the boundary question in particular, that are unresolved between India and
China.
In sum, there is an official ambivalence
and a wariness from the strategic community in India about the project. Some of this is
also the consequence of a degree of shift in
Indian foreign policy and strategic thinking
in the recent past that had turned pro-West
for certain periods and was even willing to
conceive a role for India in the contain
China strategy promoted by the United
States. To its credit, the Narendra Modi-led
government has thus far followed a horses
for courses policy. It has kept up its engagement at various levels with both the U.S. and
China, seeking to, on the one hand keep
commonality on strategic initiatives with
the former, and expanding its economic relations with the latter on the other.
In line with this, it would be prudent for
the Indian government to shed its reticence
towards participation in the Silk Road project even as it is engaged with the Chinese
government to whittle down its political differences. The boundary negotiations have
been tortuous to say the least, but there is a
recognition in China that relations between
the two countries are at a propitious phase
because of the high degree of legitimacy and
popularity enjoyed by the respective regimes
and their leadership.
Chinese foreign ministry officials that this
writer met in Beijing were guarded in their
response to concerns about the relative lack
of progress in the boundary negotiations. It
is clear that there is far more potential in
addressing aspects of the economic ties in
even more substantial terms than what has
been arrived at, following reciprocal state
visits that have set a positive tone. There are
avenues that can be explored to leverage
Indias advantages in the tertiary sector and
Chinas strengths in capital investment for
what could be a win-win deal. Therefore, a
more open assessment of the Belt and the
Road initiative in this regard would be a step
in the right direction. Chinas NDRC has
promised a summit of various countries to
take the project forward both bilaterally and
multilaterally in 2016. A signal of participation by India could herald the first step.
srinivasan.vr@thehindu.co.in
ill-treatment of his domestic help

further dents the poor image and
reputation of the Indian Foreign
Service (June 28). It is a matter of
concern to note the alleged
colonial manner of lifestyles led by
government functionaries posted
abroad in Indian missions, and
where domestic helps are taken
from India and then exploited and
abused. Incidents such as these
show India in poor light, and reflect
a clear violation of human rights. It
is time the authorities in the
Ministry of External Affairs came
out with a clear policy to prevent a
repetition of such incidents. The
one plausible solution is to
immediately do away with the
system of permitting officers to
take domestic help with them on
their postings.
G.S. Rajagopal,
Bengaluru
Terror Friday
It is extremely sad and distressing

that in the holy month of Ramzan,
terrorist groups have indulged in
un-Islamic acts (International
page, Black Friday leaves 63 dead
in 3 continents, June 27). Islam is
a peace-loving religion and
constantly talks about the need for
love, compassion and peace. What
do these terror elements really
gain and what is the point they are
trying to make? A strong antiterrorist movement is now called
for all across the world. Moderate
Muslims should also actively
participate in this and ensure that
there is no blot on their great
That Mr. Ravi Thapar, Indias High religion.
N.S.Venkataraman,
Commissioner to New Zealand, has
Chennai
been recalled on charges of alleged
Indian envoy recalled
dia-Myanmar corridor. They also reckon

that participation in the Silk Road project
and increased Chinese investment in infrastructure projects in India will ease the massive trade deficit that exists between the two
countries and which the governments have
pledged to address as part of joint agreements.
That said, the response from the Indian
government to its participation in the Belt
and the Road projects (the latter especially)
has been lukewarm, even though India has
become a founding member of the AIIB
along with China. There is not enough understanding in India that the Belt and the
Road project is a consequence of an economic imperative in China and less to do with a
geostrategic perspective as is easily assumed. Western commentators in particular
have tended to explain Chinese engagement
in its near-neighbourhood especially in its
northern neighbourhood to be akin to
Great Power behaviour and an assertion of
its status as an economic power.
The dreadful situation being

propagated by fanatical Muslim
organisations with a pan-Islamist
agenda
has
been
further
aggravated by the hypocrisy of the
Western countries with its
branding of terrorism as the my
and your kind on the basis of
attacks on their soil and those
happening elsewhere. The wilful
destabilisation of an entire region,
from West Asia to North Africa,
through the toppling of strong,
secular and efficient regimes in
Iraq, Egypt and Libya by the West
on the pretext of aiding democracy
has been the last nail in the coffin
of the so-called Global fight
against
terrorism.
Since
democracy and secularism are
almost non-existent in the Muslim
countries, the menace of Islamic
terrorism can be combated
successfully if all democratic and
secular countries cooperate with
one another irrespective of their
political and racial differences and
fight hand in hand to eliminate the
terrorists, their mentors, backers
and sympathisers wherever they
be. The UN can also play a
significant role in setting up a
confederation army of secular,
democratic nations to crush the
menace of Islamist terrorism
across the globe.
Maitreyee Moitra,
Kharagpur, West Bengal
Landmark ruling
The historic judgment by the U.S.
Supreme Court, approving same
sex marriage (June 27) makes me
wonder whether there will be
something similar in India. We live
in a new era and one of greater
acceptance. Therefore, we should

be more accepting.
Gopal Surajbhan Agrawal,
Chandigarh
As an Indian student in the United
States, I witnessed scenes of
jubilation following the judgment
through the frame of someone
from the subcontinent. Will the
same thing ever happen in my
homeland? I often see fellow
Indian students in the U.S.
rejoicing in their freedom and
resolute in their determination
never to return. How many more
young people are we going to lose
to the liberty of the West?
Nandhini Narayanan,
North Carolina, U.S.
It is said that when America
sneezes, the world will catch a cold.
American approval of same-sex
marriage is all set to give a jolt
across the world, just like its
blockbuster movies, upsetting the
traditional view of the holy, sacred
and natural heterosexually related
marriage. There are bound to be
implications as far as religion,
tradition
and
culture
are
concerned. One also needs to see
the impact of the full-scale
justification of only love related
same-sex marriages being on a par
with love and family related malefemale marriages.
Victor Frank A.,
Chennai
The mobile revolution

The article, The world at our
fingertips (Sunday Anchor page,
June 28), was enlightening in
terms of the actual picture of
mobile phone usage in India. It is

clear that the use of mobile phones
can be revolutionary and that egovernance should be taken to a
whole new level, where mobile
phone services act as a bridge
between government and citizen.
With a large section of the
population now equipped with
mobile phones, it would require
only an upgradation of government
infrastructure to roll out new
services and facilities. It would give
a whole new meaning to womens
safety, health facilities, awareness
and so on.
Rohit Garcha,
Mohali, Punjab
Floods and wildlife

News of flood havoc in Gujarats
Amreli district causing immense
damage to wildlife and the
ecosystem is disturbing (Lioness
strays into temple, attacks two,
June 28). Just early last month, the
nation celebrated the 27 per cent
increase in the population of
Asiatic lions in the Gir area, across
Junagadh and Amreli districts.
That these numbers are now
dwindling owing to natures fury
more than direct anthropogenic
factors is equally worrisome. It is
time to reconsider methods like
translocation
of
endangered
wildlife species to other favourable
habitats; Madhya Pradesh has long
offered
to
support
the
translocation of lions from Gir.
Policymakers must act soon as we
cannot afford to have species
becoming extinct as a result of
sudden disasters.
Swasti Pachauri,
New Delhi
BG-MY
www.jobsalerts.in
EDITORIAL
10
BENGALURU
THE HINDU
Emulating the U.S.s rainbow moment

Suhrith Parthasarathy
A model
for India
t is rare that a decision made by the Supreme
Court of one country gives cause for cheer across
the world. The U.S. Supreme Courts momentous
verdict allowing same-sex marriages across that
country sparked celebrations among the LGBT community and expressions of support from others. Implicit in
every such celebration or voice of support is the expectation that other societies too would follow suit, if not in
recognising same-sex marriages, at least in ending open
discrimination based on medieval prejudice. The communitys long battle for equal rights has reached its
logical conclusion there. The court ruled that the bond
of marriage cannot be limited to opposite-sex couples.
From the time it upheld in 1986 a law that made homosexuality a criminal offence, to overturning the ruling in
2003, and now allowing same-sex marriages, the U.S.
Supreme Court has made considerable progress in recognising the liberty of individuals with alternative sexual orientation and their right to equal treatment before
the law. Instead of hiding behind traditional arguments
to the effect that legal questions concerning personal
relations such as marriage be best decided by elected
bodies, the court has said that the due process and
equal protection clauses in the 14th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution are as available to the gay community
as anyone else when it comes to marrying a person of his
or her choice, including of the same gender.
It is inevitable that such a ruling occasions an evaluation of where India stands. Indian law on homosexuality continues to be retrograde. The Supreme Courts
December 2013 judgment upholding Section 377 of the
Indian Penal Code, which seeks to punish carnal intercourse against the order of nature, continues to hold
the eld. The pious observation by the two-judge Bench
that it was up to Parliament to decide whether to retain,
amend or delete the section has not been acted upon by
the political leadership. The restraint that the court has
shown in not striking down Section 377, and the reasoning that it should be left to the legislature to decide
whether or not to decriminalise homosexuality, fell
short of Indian judicial standards. There are several
cogent arguments including some that gure in the
U.S. Supreme Courts majority opinion in favour of
judicial intervention to uphold individual liberties. Now
that the judicial opportunity has been lost, the legislature cannot shirk its responsibility any longer. It may
seem unlikely that parties embroiled in electoral politics
will risk antagonising conservative sections of society.
However, progressive parties and liberal parliamentarians should come forward with amendments to delete or
at least dilute Section 377. An outdated provision cannot
be allowed to violate fundamental rights and offend
human dignity by remaining on the statute book.
In a historic verdict rendered on Friday, the

U.S. Supreme Court, through a ve-to-four
vote, declared laws that prohibit same-sex
marriages in the country as unconstitutional.
Justice Anthony Kennedys opinion, written
on behalf of the majority, is not only evocatively worded, but it also presents a dazzling
defence of human dignity and individual autonomy. There is, in the 14th Amendment to
the U.S. Constitution, Justice Kennedy wrote
in Obergefell v. Hodges, an implicit right to
marry, which requires states to compulsorily
licence a marriage between two individuals
of the same sex.
The opinion is a victory for civil liberties in
America, and the lessons from its reasoning,
if correctly applied, ought to reverberate
across the world, including here in India,
where we continue to unconstitutionally
and unconscionably deny gay men, women
and transgenders even their most basic
freedoms.
The lessons from the reasoning behind the verdict

in the U.S. on same sex marriage, if correctly
applied, ought to reverberate across the world,
including in India, where gay people are still
denied their most basic freedoms
eration of the body. Knowing that Arthurs home and to bring up children is protected by
life was in immediate peril, he and Obergefell the Due Process clause of the 14th amenddecided to wed, travelling from Ohio to Ma- ment. By virtue of their exclusion from the
ryland, where same-sex marriages were per- institution of marriage, same-sex couples
mitted. Arthurs condition was so poor that are denied the constellation of benets that
the wedding ceremony was conducted on the the States have linked to marriage, wrote
tarmac in Baltimore, where the medical Justice Kennedy. This harm results in more
transport plane that had brought Arthur was than just material burdens. Same-sex coustationed. Arthur died three months later, ples are consigned to an instability many
but, in spite of their lawful marriage, the state opposite-sex couples would deem intolerable
of Ohio refused to recognise Obergefell as in their own lives. Whats more, in denying
people a right to marry individuals of the
Arthurs surviving spouse.
The other petitions in the case also com- same sex, the States also violated, in Justice
prised, as Justice Kennedy wrote, equally Kennedys opinion, the right to equal proteccompelling stories. None of them represent- tion of the laws, which can help to identify
ed, as some of the justices in the minority and correct inequalities in the institution of
contended, any erosion of societal norms, marriage, vindicating precepts of liberty and
and all of them revealed, with stark clarity, equality under the Constitution.
why the denial of a right to marry an individRight to equality
ual of the same sex struck at the core of ones Voice of dissent
This decision in Obergefell will go down in essential freedom.
In a sharply worded, and astonishingly
the annals as a culmination of decades of
blinkered, dissenting opinion, Justice Antostruggle by gay rights activists for equal On dignity and liberty
nin Scalia wrote, The Supreme Court of the
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitu- United States has descended from the distreatment. It was only in 1986, after all, in
Bowers v. Hardwick, that the court had found tion, under which these appeals ultimately ciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall
nothing unconstitutional about laws penalising consensual sex between homosexuals. To
The thrust of Justice Kennedys reasoning lies in giving
argue that sodomy was implicit in the concept of ordered liberty, as the petitioners
recognition to the fundamental dignity of gay people, and
did, wrote Justice Byron White in Bowers,
was, at best, facetious. It took 17 years for
their autonomy to make ethical choices about their lives,
Bowers to be formally overruled (in Lawa liberty that ought to accrue equally to individuals
rence v. Texas), but, today, the court deserves
credit for moving, in less than three decades,
regardless of their sexuality.
from viewing arguments in support of autonomy of gay individuals as frivolous to recognising their rights to be treated as equal succeeded, provides, among other things, and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms
that the state shall not deprive any person of of the fortune cookie. Justice Kennedys
beings.
There were, in all, 16 petitioners in Ober- life, liberty, or property, without due process style, in Justice Scalias words, was as pregefell, which included 14 same-sex couples of law, and that the state shall not deny to tentious as its content is egotistic. Its hard
and two men, whose same-sex partners were any person the equal protection of the laws. to miss the irony. Justice Scalias dissent is
now deceased. Their cases emanated from Although Justice Kennedys reasoning is oc- vitriolic, constituting a personal attack on
the states of Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and casionally rhetorical a ourish, which al- Justice Kennedy, and is also embedded in a
Tennessee, each of which recognised mar- beit reads lyrically he specically relies unique and unjustiable philosophy of texriage solely as a union between man and both on the due process and the equal protec- tual originalism, which is backed neither by
woman. The rst petitioner, Jim Obergefell, tion clauses in recognising a right to same- the Constitution nor by good reason. As Juswanted the state of Ohio to recognise him as sex marriage. The thrust of his reasoning, tice Kennedy pointed out, in interpreting
the surviving spouse of John Arthur, whom however, lies in giving recognition to the the Equal Protection Clause, the Court has
he had legally married in Maryland. As Jus- fundamental dignity of gay people, and their recognized that new insights and societal untice Kennedy recounted, Obergefell and Ar- autonomy to make ethical choices about derstandings can reveal unjustied inequalthur had been in a committed relationship their lives, a liberty, which Justice Kennedy ity within our most fundamental institutions
for more than 20 years, when they discov- wrote, ought to accrue equally to individuals that
once
passed
unnoticed
and
ered, in 2011, that Arthur was suffering from regardless of their sexuality.
unchallenged.
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs
Relying upon precedent, Obergefell reitChief Justice Roberts however, in a more
disease), which causes a progressive degenerated that the right to marry, to establish a principled dissenting opinion than Justice
CARTOONSCAPE
Facing up to
global troubles
eserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has a certain stature in the global nancial
world. He had predicted the 2008 global nancial meltdown much in advance: in 2005,
during his tenure at the International Monetary Fund
he wrote a research paper in which he warned of nancial sector-induced turmoil. Since then, Dr. Rajans
words and actions in his line of work are watched and
read with more than a cursory interest. Not surprisingly, his purported remark made at a London Business
School programme last week on intimations of the
Great Depression elicited wide reactions. The RBI had
to intervene with a clarication to put the Governors
articulation in perspective and context. What Governor Rajan did say, in his remarks, was that the policies
followed by major central banks around the world were
in danger of slipping into the kind of beggar-thy-neighbour strategies that were followed in the 1930s, it
claried. For quite some time now, Dr. Rajan has been
voicing his concerns over the competitive monetary
policy easing by central banks across the globe. According to him, the current non-system in international monetary policy is a substantial source of risk to
sustainable growth as well as the nancial sector. Unconventional policies have the potential to trigger huge
risks when they are terminated. He reckons that such
policies will push the world economy towards musical
crises. In an inter-connected world, actions in one
place trigger consequences elsewhere. In such a situation, domestic policy-planners have to factor in this
outside inuence in their strategies.
Indeed, Indian policy-planners nd themselves in a
predicament thanks to the continued monetary easing
by some nations and the shrinkage in world trade.
Given this new normal kind of an environment, they
will have to look at ways to protect the Indian economy
from external vicissitudes. In this context, a fundstarved country like India will do well to focus on
foreign direct investment rather than get unduly worried about foreign institutional investment, which will
have its ebb and ow depending on the environment
outside. A 75 basis-point reduction in the key repo rate
made in three equal instalments this year by the RBI
has not really helped spur investments. A combination
of capacity overhang, slack demand and banks mounting non-performing assets has only compounded the
problems. With everyone waiting for the other to act
rst, the onus is denitely on the political bosses to
devise quick solutions to accelerate the economy. Perhaps, the prescription of the Depression-era economist
John Maynard Keynes is relevant now. Indeed, a bit of
a socialistic approach to spur demand is unavoidable.
CM
YK
Scalias, asks a telling question: ought it to be

the prerogative of nine unelected justices to
determine whether a democratically enacted
law violates what in their notion constitutes
a fundamental right? To this, too, Justice
Kennedy has a good response. The Nations
courts are open to injured individuals, he
wrote, who come to them to vindicate their
own direct, personal stake in our basic charter. An individual can invoke a right to constitutional protection when he or she is
harmed, even if the broader public disagrees
and even if the legislature refuses to act. The
court, he opined, is tasked simply with the
job of determining a legal question: whether
laws denying a right to same-sex marriage
violate the Constitution. The answer, in the
majoritys opinion, was a resounding yes.
Indian context
The curve of constitutionalism in India no
doubt differs signicantly from the development of American constitutional law. Also,
foreign judgments do not always lend themselves well to constitutional interpretation.
But, where they are relevant, and where
genuine parallels can be drawn, its always
valuable to heed to and to understand the
reasoning behind a foreign decision. No
doubt, not every aspect of Justice Kennedys
opinion in Obergefell would apply in the Indian context. But a reading of his decision
ought to serve as an important reminder of
the deep damage wreaked by the Indian Supreme Courts decision in December 2013, in
Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation.
Here, in a judgment authored by Justice
G.M. Singhvi, the court obdurately dismissed
the relevance of foreign authorities in upholding the validity of Section 377 of the
Indian Penal Code, which, among other
things, effectively criminalises homosexual
acts. In what turned out to be a harmful and
awed opinion, there was no discussion
whatsoever on how the Indian Constitution
insofar as it applied to Section 377 was different from its American equivalent and its application to laws discriminating against gay
people. Well-reasoned arguments questioning the inequality of a classication based on
sexuality were dismissed with equal ippancy. Instead, the court offered a strange deference to supposed parliamentary wisdom.
In Obergefell, Justice Kennedy refutes
precisely the kind of undemocratic intransigence shown by the Indian Supreme Court in
Koushal. Justice Kennedy points out why
judicial review in matters such as this, where
fundamental rights are at stake, is central to
an apposite functioning of a democracy.
Whats more, he forcefully tells us why discrimination against homosexuals is a matter
that travels to the very root of human dignity.
The sexuality of an individual is fundamental
to the persons autonomy, and it is an ethical
choice that goes beyond a realm where the
state can lawfully operate.
These precepts are applicable as much to
the guarantee of equal protection under the
Indian Constitution as they are to the 14th
amendment of its U.S. counterpart. In India,
much like in the United States, the power of
the courts to judicially review acts of legislature derives itself from principles of democracy, properly understood. In fact, the Indian
people have additionally been bestowed with
a specic fundamental right to approach the
Supreme Court directly to question laws,
which violate their basic liberties, guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution. Therefore, it ought to be a matter of shame to us
that the Indian Supreme Court, in Koushal,
chose to dismiss issues of such grave constitutional concern with facile neglect.
When the court ultimately hears a curative
petition led against its decision in Koushal,
it must reect profoundly on the concerns
that Justice Kennedys opinion in Obergefell
highlights. It must seek to understand why
Section 377 disturbs choices, which are central to the personal liberty expressly guaranteed by our Constitution. It must regard,
with greatest respect, the protection, which
our Constitution provides to gay persons, of a
right to be treated as equal individuals.
(Suhrith Parthasarathy is an advocate
practising at the Madras High Court).
Lalitgate
corruption and demonstrate how it harm than good to the party.

Justice should not be held hostage
is a party with a difference.
It is unlikely that the Prime
G. David Milton, on account of political priorities.
Vijaya Chikara,
Minister will play to the gallery
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
New Delhi
simply because the Opposition, the
media or the public wants to hear Is Mr. Modi not aware of the issues
him (PM keeps radio silence on precipitated by his tall leaders,
Lalitgate, June 29). We cannot Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara China may be investing much in
have the head of the government Raje? The element of perception the development of ports in Sri
making a statement in the House was the weapon that he used Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan,
or in a Mann ki baat radio talk effectively to cut the UPA down to but it was India which was given
taking the cue from us. The top size. It is shocking that a similar the opportunity in at least one case
leadership is least expected to element of perception is being to do so before it was thrown open
assuage public perception of a non- dismissed as being of no to China (Bridging ties with the
political issue. Perhaps Mr. Modi consequence in Lalitgate. Due to New Silk Road, June 29).
the
geostrategic
could be waiting for an opportune the strong numerical strength it Although
time to clear the air. What is clear is enjoys in the Lok Sabha, the BJP importance of these ports cant be
had
India
that the Opposition is trying to may be able to escape an underestimated,
draw political capital out of immediate threat to its survival, successfully grabbed the chance to
something that is clearly a creation but the lingering perception about invest in coastal towns like
its disregard for peoples opinion Chittagong and Hambantota, the
of the media.
R. Prabhu Raj, may affect it in the long run geostrategic angle being deduced
Bengaluru (Editorial, June 29).
in Chinas economic policy could
Ravindranathan P.V., have been avoided. Why cant India
No one could have foreseen that
Bengaluru and China envisage collectively
things would turn out this way and
aiding development? It is this lack
so soon. Suddenly, Mr. Modi seems It has been rightly said that in a of trust that is being exploited by
to be confronting a crisis that is battle of perceptions, to concede an the Western countries.
Agam Singh Bedi,
threatening
to
engulf
his inch is to lose several feet. It is all
Mohali, Punjab
government. He faces the toughest the more applicable to the Modi
test of his leadership so far. government which runs high on
and
perception While there is no denying the huge
However, the very fact that he propaganda
campaigned on an anti-corruption management, which is a clearly economic potential of the New Silk
platform in the run-up to the established fact by now. The BJPs Road Economic Belt and the
general election and emerged carefully crafted image is now in Maritime Silk Road project of
of
being
muddied. China, Indias lukewarm response
victorious makes it even more danger
imperative that he does something Maintaining pin drop silence on is justied. Accruing greater
to justify the trust reposed in him. Ms. Raje so as to avoid any political economic benets should not make
Instead of deluding itself into upheaval in Rajasthan is yet India blind to the geostrategic
thinking that it will come out of the another example of a short- risks.
Chinas actions in the South
scandal surrounding some of its sighted, politically expedient
prominent leaders smelling of move. Mr. Modi should realise that China Sea, its disregard for the
roses, the BJP must take a in the long run, such an attitude or United Nations Convention on
principled
stand
against strategy will end up doing more Laws of Sea, its stand on
India-China ties
establishing a Code of Conduct

rather than solving the border
dispute with India, and its recent
action of blocking Indias move at
the UN while requesting for
information regarding terror
element Lakhvi are all worrisome.
In such a backdrop, accepting
Chinas
moves
in
the
neighbourhood as well as in the
Indian Ocean are rather difficult.
Swati Singh,
proves the point made by M.K.

Narayanan (The Chinese fault
line in foreign policy, May 29,
2015) that dealing with China is
like dealing with the unknown. I
think that it is both appropriate
and necessary for the strategic
community in the country to delve
into the question with all alertness
keeping in view the security
concerns
and
long-term
implications of this project for the
country and region before taking
any hasty and ill-considered
The article seems to suggest that decision.
Kumar Keshav,
the strategic issues concerning the
New Delhi
project are completely misplaced
and unwarranted, which is not the
case at all. Given the large scale and NGOs and foreign funds
strategic access this project gives to It is common knowledge that it is
China in the Indian Ocean region, only the NGOs run by the retired
politicians
and
it raises serious questions bureaucrats,
regarding the strategic autonomy religious groups that are able to
of countries in the Indian Ocean; it raise a signicant amount
even has the potential of offoreign funds on account of
endangering the freedom of wider contacts and better
navigation,
should
Chinas networking (NGOs foreign funds
intentions turn hostile as can be and trust decit, June 29). Other
seen from its posturing in the NGOs which operate on a smaller
South China Sea. Besides this, scale and with the true spirit of
notwithstanding
the
recent service to the deprived sections can
bonhomie and commitment on raise foreign funds only to a limited
trade and investments between extent. Therefore, treating nearly
India
and
China,
nothing 13,000 NGOs as offenders of
substantial has precipitated on the Indian lawsregarding the use of
foreign
donations
through
strategic front.
There has also been no totalitarian control is unfair in a
assurance regarding Indias claim functioningdemocracy. The big
to a permanent seat at the UN sh will always know the escape
Security Council, a vexed border routes. The solution to the lack of
question and the recent move by trust is to make all NGO nancial
China to strike down Indias transactions transparent.
Rameeza A. Rasheed,
resolution in the UN against
Chennai
Pakistan regarding Lakhvi. All this
BG-BG

June 2015

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www.jobsalerts.

MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

Sum and substance of a real Opposition

MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015

love airports because they are full of

Civil society and activists in the Left parties must

entic, we have failed to realise that truth is

posal has been triggered by two events. First,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Speaking for all

they have to ponder over the whims

impinging on their career with the

Caste and prejudice

keep India shining. The father of

The post office

Although the government efforts to

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Dare we begin to hope?

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

n its dark night of the soul this past

Two events, the BJPs electoral loss in Delhi, and

The agitation against the Land Acquisition Bill reflects

debilitating effects on ordinary people.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

enshrined in the Constitution

understanding among our citizens that we

measures to protect the Western

If he goes ahead with his visit, Mr.

Unfortunately, I could detect only

competitiveness of public sector

June 1). Instead, it should have done

Educational institutions are often

Leveraging India Post IIT-M student body

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

Stateless and left out at sea

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

he images of thousands of emaciated migrants on boats sent back to

The images of emaciated Rohingyas stranded

Plight of economic migrants

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Being Bengali Muslim

the stir against the land Bill is

The intention behind the decision

ended up stranded at sea, buried in unmarked mass-graves, or in detention centres

reasonable enough period for this having a large quantity of husk

Brand under scrutiny

consumer product as there is no

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Under-armed and underprepared

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

ast week, the government announced the appointment of S.

Nothing to cheer about

Some would argue that India, a country with such

A decade and more later, nothing had

As a result of its woefully inadequate defence production, India

Comparison with China

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Pakistan work in tandem. Opponents of adequate investments in armaments argue that

Not much impact

Unsafe food products

Endemic discrimination Survey in Telangana

The article, Firm, first steps after

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015

In Nepal, the politics of reconstruction