EDITORIAL

Friends
We are truly into 2010, just 10 years away from the ‘Super Power’ status. The dream of our former President APJ Abdul Kalam has the potential of remaining just a dream, with UNICEF formally reporting that India has the highest number of mal nourished children in absolute numbers. Certainly a sad and bad reflection on a country having vision of being a super power. Yes, its good to dream, but dream should not be so facile that it ends up mocking at us.
The month of January began with the police arrogance in full display. The long arm of the law, which this apparent arrogance managed to stall for all these years, appeared catching up with the former senior policeman from Haryana S P Rathore. Nineteen long years ago, this man Rathore, misusing his position as a police officer, allegedly molested the young 14 years old Ruchika Girhotra. And for all those 19 years, his uniform and therefore the clout, ensured that the entire system, police, prosecution, judiciary, executive, and the legislature represented by politicians, that he is not hauled up for this abominable crime leading to the suicide under terrible mental pressure, by the young victim.
The macabre details of this ‘Ruchika saga’ can only make the national conscience put to shame. Beginning with molestation of Ruchika in the office of Haryana Lawn Tennis Association,( HLTA), where this character Rathore was the president, non-registration of FIR by the police for many years, meanwhile barring Ruchika from entering the tennis courts of the HLTA-despite there being a committee of bigwigs, getting her rusticated from the school on the alleged grounds of non-payment of fees, harassed the Girhotra family with physical intimidation by goons, making life difficult for Ruchika’s father in his office, breaking into the Girhotra house hold and leaving a frightening trail, retaliatory false framing of charges against Ruchika’s brother and torture by the police at the behest of this Rathore, parading him almost naked on a cold night in the full view of his neighbourhood and family. Probably it had to happen. Ruchika committed suicide on 23rd Dec 1993, unable to bear the torment. On the same day without assigning any reason Ruchika’s brother was set free.
To think that this has happened in an India where rule of law was supposedly applied under democratic principles. Can any policeman worth his salt stand up to scrutiny after reading this gruesome details?
Mercifully the new year began for this nauseating repulsive character Rathore rather badly with Union Law minister going to town with his government's take. The news paper head lines stated "Rathore to be charged with abetment of suicide -Moily". Hope, the lady chairperson of UPA, who has the moral authority, rightly or wrongly, on this UPA government at New Delhi, asserts herself in the larger interest of justice and fair play, in a scenario where the nexus between police and politicians have ruined the even paced life of ordinary people.
The news that Rajya Sabha refuses to part with the business details of the members to an RTI applicant is not a comfortable one. Trying to fend off an RTI activist, Rajyasabha ethics committee advanced an argument that "no larger public interest would be served" by disclosing particulars of MPs business details. But gentlemen, that’s the whole crux. It is exactly to know that the business interest of our honourable members of Parliament, whether Loksabha or Rajyasabha, and that of the nation’s interest do not clash. There should not be, per se, a conflict of interest. Since these Parliamentarians do become members of policy making and policy executing bodies it is very pertinent to know their private business interest, since there is very large amount of public money involved. According to ADR (Association of Democratic Rights) who had filed the application under RTI "The disclosure should maintain and enhance public confidence and trust in the integrity of Parliamentarians". Here it is pertinent to note a news that is making its rounds in the banking circle that a former finance minister's son was given a contract of changing the neon signs of some of the banks. The contract value, allegedly was, cumulatively in hundreds of crores. Now shouldn't the public ask, if it is right or wrong? Or Aren’t the citizens of this country entitled to know the truth of such a financial deal?
The Bachelor of Rural Medicine and Surgery (BRMS) can be the harbinger of a new dawn to the millions of rural folks, who have suffered enormously for the want of qualified medical practitioners in the villages of rural India. The proposers, the MOH (Ministry of Health) and MCI (Medical Council of India) should be congratulated for literally reviving the old LMP (Licentiate Medical Practitioner) into the national medical scene. Successive governments both at centre and state did not succeed in luring the MBBS qualified persons to rural public health on a long term basis, despite many schemes of benefits. Thus, the rural public health scene always remained in limbo. This BRMS, being of 3½ years, instead of the normal 5½ years, shall surely go a long way in ushering a healthy and better rural India. Of course, since the medical syllabus is expected to be of rural orientation, the registration can be automatically for rural posting. The powers that be has to apply itself in making the overall life of rural folks better with some good network of motorable roads and that will surely decrease the migration of villagers to the towns and cities. Yes, this proposal of BRMS, coupled with these roads has the potential of stopping rural to urban migration. Hope it comes faster.
The, National Audit Office of China has reportedly unearthed some huge fraud amounting to some $35 bn, according to New York Times. That's over Rs.150,000 crores. It also informed that some 1000 officials from government departments, government companies are facing charges of serious financial irregularities. To note that this investigations were for the first 11months of 2009, is the reflection of the seriousness that authorities in China attaches. Something, that India would never be able to do despite being technologically a super power. Look at those long pending cases of siphoning of national scarce resources through, defence deals, agricultural imports like fertilisers and others like ‘Chaara Ghotaalaas’, NREGS, land for development scams, urban land scams, allocation of Telecom spectrum, licencing, pollution clearances, Public sector Bank NPAs, writing off of loans, corruption in infrastructure development, like highways-roads-ports-bridges-dams, and many other developmental expenditures where non-transparency was always the ‘causa proxima’. The CVC or CAG, they do only the post mortem of our flight of money through the corridors of power. They take so much time, of national man hours, that many times all evidence of financial wrongdoing is competently erassed by our babus who are otherwise indolent and lethargic and end up flogging some dead horse. We are a democratic country, aren’t there any way we can copy cat some of these Chinese ways of doing things within our democratic way of life?
Within the turmoil ridden waters of Reddys mining empire, a tainted cricketer turned politician is allegedly fishing for the pecuniary benefits of his party friends. As whole of cricketing world is privy to the knowledge that he allegedly sold India’s national honour for his selfish interest of making undeserved millions for himself, now reportedly extending his services to the benefit of one Abdul Wahab, a former Bellary Distt. Congress chief. A certain Tapal Ganesh, also a mine lease owner(TNR mines) has reportedly alleged that some senior officials of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) have been assisting the two mining companies, belonging to this Abdul Wahab to get the ban on their mining activities revoked, which were earlier slapped with order to be closed on charges of illegal mining. Mohd. Azaruddin, a former Indian cricket captain, dumped by BCCI with a life time ban for his role in match fixing, was recently rehabilitated by Indian National Congress, and was elected to the Loksabha from Muzafarpur in U.P. Old habits die hard. He is trying to rehabilitate a friend and a fellow politician, who is also into illegal activities. Now if Sangh Parivar outfits go to the town to cry hoarse, 'how politics and community interest go together in Congress', can they be faulted?
New year eve saw some police officers reportedly dancing inebriated to the midnight tune in some party allegedly organised by the gangster Chota Rajan. Is it shocking or is it surprising? Those who are alive to the time they live in, for them its fairly routine. Indians had the opportunity of seeing it live on some T.V. channels, the sexapade of ND Tiwari, an octogenarian helped by party largesse to live in the gubernatorial old age home called Raj Bhavan, and quitting in disgrace. Now we have seen this police partying with gangsters. Don't we see them in some Bollywood masala films? They are not figments of imaginations. These stories have been happening all the time, but some how remained away from the prying eyes of media. Times have changed, there are media men and women want to make fast buck and there are also inspired men and women in media who want to be trail blazers. Hence characters like ND Tiwari and these police officers have to be very careful if they want to live life on the fast lane. Of course, all are entitled to their freedom of private life. So media or the whistle blowers have to have their own do’s and don’ts, like these sleazy men and women, have to draw the line, thus far and no farther.
Is it the first time?! We have read reports of such events fairly regularly even in the past. The escape of these Pakistani terrorists from the custody of Delhi Police should not surprise anybody. That they went to the hospital for a checkup with just one cop and three terrorists is the height of casualness in dealing with terrorists, especially if they are Pakistanis. The explanation, that these were to be deported, simply cannot be bought. A Pakistani terrorist, caught with explosives and bombs, simply cannot be sent back to Pak lest he start it all over again. This explanation is a plain lump of rubbish. Mr. Home Minister, who is presiding over the internal security apparatus of the country, need to put his foot down and make the men in khaki accountable for this terrible lapse. Some heads should roll, isn’t it?
How many of us have heard of Municipal Commissioner Ajay Shankar Pandey of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation? Chances are very few, outside Ghaziabad, must have heard of him. Because, our 24x7 electronic media does not have time for people like Ajay. They have time for all idiosyncrasies of film stars and well networked politicians. But why you should know him? It’s a good question. He is unique in his approach to issues around him. Delay in completing the task given, or habitual late comers or even suspension, all can be addressed and redressed by just spinning yarn on a traditional Gandhi Charkha. Come to think of it that Charkha spinning could be a way of giving, and undergoing, punishment, makes it simply fascinating. Surely no victim of the punishment felt outraged and when gone-thru the regimen, felt a heightened spiritual experience. That has made all his colleagues interested in work. In an India where 75% of government employees do not do even 25% of work, this is a successful experiment. According to the report, Ajay has the reputation for thinking out of the box- be it sweeping the streets of Mathura in 1994 to counter the strike by sweepers, or giving receipts for the bribes that contractors offered when he took charge as Ghaziabad civic commissioner in 2007. He has built 'Pooja Chambers' along the river, to dispose pooja ritual materials including flowers and ash, by collecting all left overs from temples and houses through some special vehicles, to keep the river clean and less polluted. Yes we need to let whole of India know such people, who are the assets in our otherwise indifferent, self centered bureaucracy.
Alang in Gujarath is one of the most polluted area in the country. The ship breaking activity is a major employment source, primarily for rural folks from Bihar and U.P. Despite its pollution aspect, it contributes to the state government's kitty. The development, which Gujarath government keeps talking about, also includes this activity. However, in the name of development, the authorities in Gujarath are probably compromising on environmental safety measures. A recent case of a ship SS OCEANIC, presently referred to as Platinum II, being declared as a ‘WRECK’, by Gujarath Martime Board (GMB) has all the potential to be a stinker, seen as a crafty attempt. A probe by Ministry of Environment (MOE) has found that the ship was traveling on fake papers without clearance from U.S. Environment Protection Agency. The ship was found laden with highly carcinogenic toxins like asbestos, radioactive materials and other toxic waste. Infuriated by the cunning attempt to pass the ship as wreck, MOE has passed orders to GMB not to grant permission for beaching and breaking. Hiding behind a provision of Directorate General of Shipping, GMB is attempting to push the dangerous ship for some unknown consideration. However ministry sources have found a whole lot of subversion of facts. Under Jairam Ramesh MOE has found a missionary of sorts. Hope he stops these brazen business sharks with no environmental consideration, in their tracks.
Ban of prepaid mobile in J&K seem to have had its desired effects. According to a government spokesman, it has had significant impact on the communication network of terrorists and anti- national elements. These cellular handsets were being used without Electronic Serial Numbers and this supposedly posed a national security risk. Besides, verification of identity and address proof of the subscriber was lax, while issuing prepaid connections. The use of fake documents and identity was also prevalent, which truly led to the ban. However the latest lifting of the ban was truly amazing and has put the cart before the horse. The dark windowed cars and prepaid mobile phones are deadly combinations. We have laws to deal with both of them. But somewhere along it is watered down underpressure. Why are we like this?
Parvez Musharaf, the former Pak President and Army Chief, who has still not returned to Pakistan from his long foreign tour, probably fearing the worst, has reportedly met, Ulfa leader Anup Chetia, jailed in Bangladesh. According to the Bangladesh Minister of Local Government, Ashraful Islam, the then Pak President had a one to one meeting with this Ulfa leader for about 90 minutes, during his official visit in 2002. That ISI was behind most of the unrest within India, was all known, but that Bangladesh government of Khalida Zia supported clandestinely the anti-India activities on its soil with the participation of Musharaff government was not known.
Parvez Mushraff is a mean man and wants to hurt India like Zia ul Haq's "bleeding India with thousand cuts." Now that there is this government of Sheikh Hasina, who has already demonstrated her goodwill towards India, we should have a meaningful relationship which can only do good to the country. We should have a friendship treaty between both countries to extend co-operation in all spheres, keeping the sovereign interest intact.
The broad day light murder of a Tamil Nadu sub-inspector and the video images of inaction and callousness on the part of people around in not attending to the dying man has sent shock waves across the country. That the crowd around included two ministers and their entourage in a fleet of four wheelers, has only added to the outrage. Not withstanding varieties of explanation, beginning from district collector to Minister, fact was, because of their inaction not only attackers absconded but the victim too died before getting medical attention. Why are these public servants there, whether it’s the DC or the minister and his entourage? If not for serving the people, who got you into power, at least in emergencies like this. Of Course, the people at large too are expected to reach out to a lying human being, who normally do a good job when there is an accident. Could it be because, it was some goons who attacked the inspector that ordinary people were little dazed and scared to reach out? In the event, a DC or a minister certainly could have reached out to get the wounded inspector to the hospital, but failed. Yes, as suggested in the media, the Tamil Nadu government should institute an impartial inquiry to find the truth and fix accountability.
There is this talk about different standards applied to two senior police men, Rathore and Gill, especially the withdrawal of police medals to Rathore and no such thing happening to the medals/honours of KPS Gill. While it is true that both have been convicted, one should see both cases in different prism. While KPS Gill may have many detractors for his style of functioning, the 'crime' committed by him, if it is called crime, is no-where near the animal behaviour of Rathore. Gill’s behaviour with the lady IAS officer, for which he was convicted, can at best be termed as stupid, of course still unacceptable, whereas that of this bestial character Rathore, he deserves the harshest punishment possible for all that he has done, as referred earlier in these pages. Besides KPS Gill is a nationally decorated super cop for his job at Chandigarh. So, as a civil society, our tolerance level should be different for diametrically different aberrations that occur or exist around us. And media should play its evenhanded role in not exacerbating the vicious atmosphere.
So Sri Lanka got the same man as the president for the second term, despite the entire opposition joining to-gether against him. Mahinda Rajapaksa got almost a landslide victory against Sharath Fonseca. This victory has left many questions unanswered, the most important being the settlement of Tamil issue and the charges that Rajapaksa government had indulged in large scale war crimes against the retreating and surrendering Tamils. This can be really a dicey issue for India. The unresolved Tamil issue can fester and can echo in Tamil Nadu in southern India. Hope the new president plays fair with all including Tamils and his friend turned foe Sharath Fonseca and those army men supporting him.
Probably Bangladesh is the only Muslim majority country after Turkey to have become secular state. The Supreme Court in Dhaka has taken the initiative to restore the country’s original constitution where Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, also known as Bangabandhu’s, secular and pan-Bengal ideals, were enshrined. In all the years, post Mujib assassination in 1975, the government of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh was an Islamic country with a strong Islamic identity, and remained friendly with Pakistan and other Muslim countries inimical to India. The 2008 election, after 33 years, has brought back Mujib’s Awami League with Sheikh Hasina at the helm. This is a very good development for the overall peace in the sub-continent. With the latest Supreme Court move, relationship with outside world shall hopefully become on an even keel. Here we need to remember that Indian secularism means different things to different vested interest group as we have witnessed for all the past 62 years. The sentence ‘politically correct secularism’ has come to stay, besides the law and reporting took its own course giving a feeling of letdown. In a secular country law has to be applied pari passu, but in India we are all witness to it, it is applied according to the apparent environmental exigencies, where truth is, more often than not, the casualty. Hope, Bangladesh becomes a model of secular state under the benign leadership of great Mujib’s daughter Sheikh Hasina.
Although, per se, I & C is not interested in politics, the developments around make it imperative to react at times. "Who is he?... bloody bastard…….," will go down in modern Indian politics as the nadir to which political nicety has stooped to. Former Prime minister HD Deve Gowda’s outburst against his political beite noire is of the lowest class. After all he was the prime minister of world’s largest democracy, a ‘super power’ in the making. Whether he deserved to be a prime minister at all, is a moot-point. And Laloo had once called HD Deve Gowda as ‘nikamma’. But the fact that he was the executive head of a country as significant as India, it is incumbent upon him to maintain a minimum decorum of the office he held. Was it desperation? But desperation for what?
Delhi High Court’s repeat ruling that even Chief Justice of India is within the ambit of RTI has not gone down well with the Supreme Court justice fraternity. Politically, both the main political parties have refrained from making any direct comment, although, one said "there should be accountability and transparency in all sections of governance", the other said "Its an issue between judiciary and RTI". But the legal fraternity has largely been one stating that "this judgment will certainly enhance the status of judiciary in the country". Yes, in all fairness Supreme Court judges should fall in line in the larger context of social equity, that all are same before law. While the whole judiciary should be looked upon with respect their accountability should not be a subject of debate. In fact as senior judicial officers they should have been upfront and be a model to all. Hope Supreme Court Collegium sees the reason and does not fuss to be within the ambit of RTI.
Sleaze is an all pervading malaise in whole of India’s body politic. Hence, it is not surprising that a land scam has engulfed the Army top brass with Defence Minister AK Antony asking the Army Chief, General Deepak Kapoor to "Court Marshall Gen. Avadesh Prakash". The latest salvo from Antony was a sequel to Gen Kapoor’s discriminatory move of being harsh to one and soft on others, including the king pin Gen. Prakash. Eastern Army Commander in his investigation report had recommended that military Secretary Gen. Avadesh Prakash should be terminated. But strangely Gen Kapoor has only issued a show-cause notice for administrative action giving grist to the rumour mill that both are friends and hence different yard sticks for punishment. It is sad that Gen. Prakash is due to retire on 31/01/2010, but now has to face court martial proceedings. Yes law has to be applied pari passu.
Some years ago, when I was traveling in Matsyagandha express plying between Mangalore and Mumbai, I met a lecturer, a communist cardholder from a semi urban college, probably Kinnigoli or Shirva near Udupi. I gave him a copy of Issues & Concerns, where we had covered under Focus "COMMUNISM : DO WE NEED THEM IN INDIA?" . But then, he had retorted almost instantly that Jyothi Basu could have been the Prime Minister of India, if his party wanted. To which, I remember to have told him "Thank god, it didn’t happen, it would have been catastrophic". The lecturer fellow traveler took a walk in a huff, clearly upset by my barb. And comes along Ramdas Menon, a born and grown Kolkatta resident. Ramdas wrote the other day, paying his ‘tribute’ to the ‘legendary’ comrade India produced, under an all encompassing title "23 years of suffering". Doesn’t the title by a Bengali on Jyothi Basu's innings at Writers Building, conveys it all?! He calls him ‘candlelight’ Basu. He reminisces "those ‘powerless’ days, year after year – those sleepless mornings and nights, without power in the hot summer and Basu merely sipped his scotch on the rock in the air conditioned comforts when we had 14 hours power cut." Yes, he was the quintessential communist of George Orwel, who in his classic ‘ANIMAL FARM’ had famously observed that "Communism is, where all animals are equal but some are more equal than others". Now that Jyothi Basu has died, has he left any void, a vacuum in the West Bengal politics or in Indian communist scene? It’s a question only communists should ask and try to answer it themselves. As for India as a whole, Jyothi Basu’s absence may never be felt. However a chapter in the contemporary history of India is closed. After all he was the Chief Minister of West Bengal uninterrupted for 23 long years. He wouldn’t be around for so long without some positive contribution from the proletarian standpoint atleast. May his soul rest in peace.
The incumbent government at Delhi with independent India’s best Home Minister, its indeed a matter of deep concern that they failed to keep the date with J&K’s Lal chawk to unfurl the national flag on 26th Jan. This is the first time ever since it was started 19 years ago that the practice has been given a go by. Quite frankly what is the message the Indian government is sending to its own people in J&K and the security forces? Was it capitulation to the forces inimical to India? In which case we have clearly abdicated our claim to J&K. This is indeed very strange. If BJP cry hoarse, they are absolutely right. This is extremely embarrassing move by UPA, despite having its own government jointly with National Conference. Not only Kashmiries have participated in large number, the flag hoisting ceremony last year, but had also actively participated in the election that took place subsequently. Hence, what signal the UPA is sending is simply not known. Can somebody tell the nation the rationale of this development?
As a civil society, we must learn from all sources to improve ourselves, even if it is from our adversaries. There was this small news in the media "Pak courts turn down Malik’s pleas". Rehman Malik is the Interior Minister of Pakistan. After Supreme Court of Pakistan annulled a graft amnesty scheme last month, there were two cases reopened against the minister. Minister Malik made request to both the courts to exempt him from personal appearance. But both courts have turned down his pleas, setting at rest that all are same before the law. Can our courts and the system take a lesson?
Attack on Churches, reportedly on the eve of Republic Day, is not only bad and sad, it throws up different responses. While Chief Minister says, it is an attack by some vested interests to tarnish the image of the BJP government, the state opposition leader played politics by squarely blaming Sangh Parivar. Even the Governor, a Congress nominee appeared somewhat circumspect and was restrained in his remarks. On the face of it, the CM, appeared sincere when he asked the police to act tough on culprits. Hope, its not communal but only political mischief. However, what needs to be pointed out here is, that this piece of news appeared in the front page with bold dark letters, inviting the attention of all. But another more pleasant news, as usual was consigned to the inner pages. U.S. President Barrack Obama in his message of greetings on the 60th Republic day had hailed "India’s pluralism and religious tolerance." A Washington date lined report was titled "Obama lauds India’s Religious Tolerance" appeared on the innocuous 7th page. Yes, media need to always highlight the positive rather than the negative.
For us at I& C, it was a matter of deep satisfaction that our editorial board member Prof B.M. Hegde was honoured with the nation’s highest civilian award, PADMA BHUSHAN. That he deserved it, was never in doubt, but it came rather so late in the day. Thank God, it came after all. Yes for the good work to go-on, recognition is the oxygen. We at I&C Congratulate Prof Hegde for this honour, and wish him the very best.
The Telangana imbroglio had raised expected hackles, from the for and against groups. While for one, it was development and identity, for the other it was politics. But the subject of smaller state is an issue, for which time has come for obvious reasons. We have tried to articulate our views in Focus on the rationale of smaller states as a matter of governance demand. Hope readers would find it interesting. Rest of the issues are as usual.