EDITORIAL
Friends,
We are in the month of May, when mercury normally goes up, but this time round it has been relentless. It’s been ‘sweating’ virtually ‘like pig’. Monsoon although not yet due, did show up a little here and there. But that has only rendered the life from bad to worse. Hope, before its late, shower comes to the rescue of those Indians who are not lucky enough to enjoy air-conditioned cocoon of the haves.
Yes as usual, India continues to be a happening place from outlandish to down to earth, from incredible to perfectly believable.
Month began with print media screeming ‘Sonia Back in Driver’s seat’. So after 4 years, the Congress Party President is back in power, as the Chair person of National Advisory Council, a position she resigned in March 2006, in the wake of “office of profit” controversy. It will be a cabinet status post and shall give immense power, which include the power to summon any government file, question government decisions and advice changes. Of course technically the NAC’s role is only recommendatory, but those who are in the know of things are fully aware how the decisions were taken in the early parts of the previous UPA government. The latest arrangement of appointing only the Congress President as the Chairperson of NAC and leaving the names of its members blank is an indication that Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh formally gave the NAC Chairperson a ‘carte blanche’ to select Chairperson’s own nominees. This can, quite frankly, erode the autonomy of the PMO which may not be good in the overall interest of the country. As such Sardar Dr. Manmohan Singh is hardly assertive when it comes to coalition partners, or heavy weight Congress leaders who are ministers. And if they are the cronies within the circle of ‘sanctora sanctorum’, then PM even does not bother to check if all’s well. Look at the way, DMK ministers or Mamata madam or Pranab Mukherjee and there are many others who do not even recognise the PMO. Thus the latest NAC appointment may only reduce the role of world’s most educated economist Prime Minister to play second fiddle to the NAC Chairperson. Thus it is no surprise that the latest initiative of PMO to bring ministers and secretaries under PMES (Performance Monitoring and Evaluation system) has evoked strong resistance. Of course the incumbent Congress President is a good human being and means well, but then don’t we all know, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
A case in point is the re-election of Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to Rajya Sabha. He was earlier elected from Haryana, which is not possible now, since BJP is in majority there. Congress President, hence planned to get him re-elected from Madhya Pradesh, which was opposed by Prime Minister Singh. But the party president over-ruled him. So keep smiling. This shall only be the tip of the ice berg. Yeh Mera India.
One of the most important event of free India is the enactment of RIGHT TO EDUCATION. It is epochal by any standard. On 'All Fools Day' prime minister Manmohan Singh addressed our countrymen on the Right to Educacation Act, which by any stretch of imagination, the most significant social act of free India. It is likely to affect at least 10 million school children in the age group of 6 to 14. U.S. magazine, the TIME had this to say “A landmark bill put into effect this month aims to open the path (to dream cities) to all, making free education a fundamental right for children between 6 and 14. The law is surely needed in a country with the world’s largest population of young people. New Delhi plans to spend some $38 billion, (about Rs. 190,000 crores) into the education sector over the next 5 years, but the government has much to deliver as it tries to reconcile India’s vast social iniquities. Prime Minister Singh, of modest origins himself, knows the struggle is worth it “I am what I am, because of education” Times mentioned that he had stated. Yes, it is indeed true that avenues of opportunities for the educated is indeed very vast, and every Indian should have the opportunity of advancing himself, socially, economically and even politically and why not? Hope RTE ushers a new India of hopes and empowerment.
So, now Russia is a big time victim of terrorism! In less than a week’s time, after a major terror attack on Moscow metro, two suicide bombers struck the restive north Caucases region of Dagestan. If the first one claimed some 40 lives, with huge loss of national property, the 2nd one killed 12 people, including 9 policemen. The second strike came a day after Prime Minister Putin had vowed to “drag the terrorists out of sewer”. While every terror attack anywhere has to be condemned, flipside is, India will find it easier to narrate their problems, vis–a-vis-Pak-sponsored and supported terrorism, which hitherto was a kind of ‘aranyarodhana’, ‘cry in the wilderness’. Hope Russia joins India in the larger debate for a terror free world.
Karnataka Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran is becoming a bit of judicial embarrassment for his professional fraternity. Now for almost a year he has been hogging the media limelight for all wrong reasons. Instead of getting worked up, he is always appearing beaming in all press photographs. Not withstanding his photogenic face, his credibility is getting beaten by the day. Ever since Rajya Sabha was seized of his impeachment move in December last, by over 100 MPs, his day was up. He should have gracefully gone on leave to pave way for the law to take its own course, instead he stuck-on which now has forced Supreme Court to intervene and asked him to do so. But unthinkable happened. He refused to go on leave. So Supreme Court transferred him to Sikkim. Immediately Sikkim bar porotested that ‘Justice P.D. Dinakaran is not welcome'. Thus there is an impasse. Of course, if he is not right for one court how can he right for the other? On the top of it, funnily some Christian organisation have come out in support of him. Its only then that newspaper reading public realised that he is Christian. Was this knowledge needed? Doesn’t this put right thinking among the supporting group in a bit of a spot? Probably Justice P.D. Dinakaran is the first Chief Justice of a High Court waiting to be impeached. What is the basis of your support except religion? Is it right for the group to align with Justice only because he is Christian?
Issue surrounding Dawood Gilani urf David Coleman Headley seem to be going in circles. With all and sundry in the U.S. promising a kind of concession to meet the terrorist. Latest being that of U.S. President Obama himself, who had agreed to the idea of Indian sleuths interrogating this Pak born Muslim turned Christian American passport holder, who is the key conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai attack. When shall it happen? Depends on the U.S. Now the question that begs for answer is, why U.S. do not want to hand over this Paki-American to Indians, especially when U.S. itself has ‘no complaints against him’. Therefore isn’t it possible to extrapolate that could this handing over be detrimental to the interest of the U.S.? a probable agent operating for some U.S. agencies, besides some terrorist groups operating from Pakistan? In international espionage parlance its called double agent, a La James Bond!
He could be a person, who knows more than necessary for the U.S to feel comfortable. But a very pertinent question that needs to be answered, and to be answered with absolute clarity is, whom was he reporting for the planned Mumbai attack of 26/11? Surely, it is clear that he is only a middle man, but middle man for whom? Could U.S. masters be in the know of the imminent attack on Mumbai, since they had, according to the reports did generally cautioned India about a possible attack from the sea off Mumbai? Of course Indian security agencies, being what they are, could not activate specific security drill off Mumbai coast or any coast. It cost the country very heavily. 160 innocents were killed with hundreds of crores lost in property destruction. Another important question is why did Americans arrest him, if he was indeed working for them, reporting on ISI and other Pakistani terrorist outfits? Could it be because, among those killed in Mumbai, included 6 U.S. citizens? And under the U.S. law, the government is duty bound to trace and prosecute the killers. Now that they found one guy, but he also worked for the U.S. agencies which probably saved him. But then against the 6 American nationals, nearly 150 Indians were killed. Don’t they think, India has a stronger case to get him extradited to India? Purely based on equity, it should be so. But the fact is, it shall not happen. May be India is a soft state and therefore cannot force the issue? Or may be as in the old Hindi film ‘Yahoodi’, Sorhab Modi asks, ‘Tumhari Khoon Khoon hai, aur Haamari Khoon Paani hai’! A la Union Carbide, never ending imbroglio! Yes indeed, it may be quite possible. Americans think post 26/11 too, that Indian life is cheaper than an American life. A sad but harsh truth. Take it or leave it.
‘Slaughter of the lambs’ ran a headline in a national English newspaper. Another headline said “They blindly walked into Maoist Den”. The appropriate would have been “They walked stupidly into their death”. 75 men of CRPF were summarily annihilated by the left wing guerillas in the dense forest of Dantewada in Chattisgarh. It was unprecedented in all its history of over 4 decades, that Maoists/Naxalites should have hit at security forces with such vehemence and ferocity. For the security forces deployed against Moaists, it can be hugely demoralising. But how could this happen? Lot of experts in the guerilla warfare think, that these CRPF men flouted every rule of the game. They went with vehicles, which strictly they shouldn’t have, they have to go by foot with landmine detectors, demining squads, sniffer dogs and in splintered small groups . “With guerillas you have to fight as guerilla”. That is the dictum. They were all reportedly trained to fight guerillas, yet ignored completely the warfare guidelines. But what precipitated the attack? These experts and some politician say, “it’s the harsh words of Home Minister Chidadambaram that prompted this response”. Home Minister had called them ‘Cowards’, but he had earlier held out an olive branch and had exhorted them for talks. He had called them ‘the first enemy of the country’ and vowed that ‘extremists would be wiped out in two-three years’. What all of us should realise is that he is the home minister of the country and has the responsibility of internal safety and security. He is duty bound to issue statements which are relevant. Some say he is arrogant, which may be so, given his Harvard background. But, he cannot be faulted for the choice of words, especially against Maoists/Naxals. His invitation for talks have been spurned by these extremists. In situations like this, all so-called opinion makers should support the Home Minister, rather than mock him, for using American slang-‘buck stops at Buddha’. Such observations will neither win friends nor influences people, it will only make naxals feel elated. It is indeed true that they are ‘Cowards’ as P.Chidambaram had observed, or else they would have come forward for talk. Only in an atmosphere of non-violence can there be any meaningful breakthrough leading to economic progress and development, and certainly not by holding the country to ransom by gun. Naxals should not dream of defeating the Indian state by continuously indulging in killing and mayhem. It simply cannot defeat the Indian state. Surely all realise that economic deprivation is the basic cause of growth of naxalism. But how the violence will bring about the development. Home Minister sounds honest in his approach to the issue and therefore these so-called Naxal leaders must grab the offer of talks and get going. And our experts and opinion makers should in one voice say that “yes come forward for talks, there is only a new dawn at stake. Let us all grow to-gether. Only talk is the solution and not bullets”. If the media highlight this aspect, the breakthrough may not be difficult. But will the media and those so-called intellectuals play the ball?!
Pakistan is a Muslim country, but they have no reservation of talking about population control and contraceptive programmes. Indian governments, whether state or centre, are all funny. We are supposedly a secular country, but because it may hurt some silly religious feelings, government is ignoring the mother of all problems. It is pure and simple vote bank politics. An Islamabad date-lined report informs “Pak Minister to gift family planning kit to Shoaib-Sania”. They even have a minister for population, a lady at that, Firdous Ashiq Awan. She had reportedly said “Shoaib and Sania should serve as ambassador for family planning programmes as it is a national service and population is the biggest challenge to this nation in future. We have to curtail this population growth rate”. Isn’t it funny for our policy makers not to think of this population explosion as a serious problem, when it is indeed the greatest problem that stymied our development efforts? Shouldn’t we learn from Pakistan how they are addressing their own Muslim crowd?
Yes indeed we need to learn quite a few lessons in governance from our smaller neighbours. After the Pakistani approach to Population problem, it’s the turn of Bangladesh, another Muslim neighbour from the east. In India burqua is a sensitive issue, of course, made sensitive both by media and our political class. But in Muslim majority Bangladesh they mean business. The news headline “Dhaka Court Rules against the ‘Veil’” says it all. ‘Muslim women cannot be forced to wear the veil or even their head while at work or in public,’ the Dhaka High Court has ruled while stating that ‘it should be their personal choice.’ It asked, the education secretary ‘to ensure that women were not harassed by their superiors at educational institutions.’ Bangladesh is a largely Muslim country where women, active in political and public life, move without veil. Should such a ruling take place in India, our fatwa experts would have gone bonkers and staged violent demonstration against the court ruling, and our print media would have had front page splash of the story.
There was this report about two MLAs and a Minister in Maharashtra Assembly having a spat on the rights and privileges of MLAs. It is not new that these MLAs fight for their rights. In fact all these years they have been only fighting more for their rights, privileges and comforts. Their electorates, constituency, state, country, all these follow later with their supporters being their priority in public domain followed by the above sequence. So if you see, state and country are last in their priorities. We are, what we are, because, we never thought we have a duty towards our country, our society, our fellowmen etc. All of us, including those concerned civil society, more often, talk about violation of rights or newer rights or increased privileges. Duty as usual comes last. After all MLAs or MPs are our people, we have elected them. They are as good or as bad, as we are, isn’t it?
Honour killing is another of the primitive abhorant practice that is unfortunately prevalent in the Indian sub continent even to this day. This practice has got to be put down with heavy hand. The elders of the village taking the law into their hand and summarily finishing off young boys and girls, just because they have gone against some of the stupid traditions within the caste, is a crime beyond redemption. The Karnal (Haryana) sessions court’s verdict in ordering the death sentence for five and life imprisonment for one for abducting and murdering a young couple marrying within their gotra or sub-caste is a welcome development.
Law should be heavily loaded against those who take others life beyond the perview of law. In all cases of human rights violation law should prevail pari passu.
In the recent past we have witnessed, seen and read press reports and 24x7 electronic media reports, about things uncommon happening in our atomic energy establishments, whether in Mumbai or in Kaiga. There have been cases of unnatural deaths both inside and outside these premises, so also in Kaiga, the drinking water contamination was a hot news sometime ago. After blowing a bit hot for a little while, everything goes cold in India, both in government circles as well as in media. Of course, many a time police do come into the picture, fortunately. But then again, time takes its toll, and all get busy with their routine life. Sometime in early March, Uttara Kannada (UK) Supt. of Police Ramdas Gupta had thrown up his arms in despair stating that “the case involving the tritium mixing with drinking water cooler at Kaiga Atomic Power Station is yet to make any headway” since the two scientists, deputed by BARC, who were nominated by NPCL (Nuclear Power Corp. Ltd.), to help the police in their investigation did not come at all. The grouse of the SP, for once, was indeed real. Drinking water contamination by tritium, is indeed “too technical with complex scientific terminologies” for police to investigate. But, these scientists are government of India officers, why they have not bothered to respond to the need of the police is not known. But, SP Ramdas Gupta, could have reported the matter to his bosses leading to the Home Mminister and then the Chief Minister for onward report to the Union Home Minister. Its already above 2 months, and its about an year since tritium contamination of drinking water in Kaiga Nuclear Plant took place. Unfortunately in most cases, time is never an element of urgency. Most issues we deal in a normal dilatory fashion, with no seriousness. And this is a national malaise, and the scientists working in BARC are too aware of the work culture prevalent in these offices. Everything is chaltaa hai and let it chaltaa rahey, chaltaa rahey!
Strange are the ways of Courts, at times. The recent ruling of the apex court in over turning the verdict of Andhra High Court, which had struck down as ultra virus the law enacted by Andhra Pradesh government to grant 4% reservation in jobs and educational institution to Muslims is not merely illogical but also unjust. First of all it was a 7 member bench that considered the case. The ruling is expected to have socio-economic ramifications across the country, especially when reservation is a very sensitive issue. Therefore Andhra Pradesh court must have gone into all details. All governments in India tries to do some populist measure. It does not need to have great intelligence to know that it was politics rather than the condition of marginalised among Muslims that prompted the political establishment in Andhra Pradesh to decide the quota. As Swapan Dasgupta, the eminent columnist, contends that “In giving the go-ahead to the AP government to proceed with its proposed 4% reservations for backward Muslims, the Supreme Court has, perhaps unwittingly, triggered a social upheaval whose consequences may prove to be far reaching”. Being the highest seat of judgment, the apex court has the onerous responsibility of protecting the interest of justice, and any reservation based on religion or caste is prima facie unfair. Like the taxation is based on the principle of ‘what traffic can bear’, the reservation too has to be on similar principles based on financial backwardness alone, so that reservation cuts across the religion and caste based divide.
Some months ago, in these columns we had commented about undesirability of setting up of Islamic Banking with the active help of the state government. Now comes the news of Kerala High Court barring the state government and its agencies from associating itself from the Al Barakah Financial Services Ltd. This stand of the Kerala High Court has its genesis on the writ filed by the ever active politician economist Dr. Subramanya Swami of one M P Janata Party. Dr. Swami had contended that the proposed financial institution is ‘Shariat Compliant’ and that it is against the Indian banking system and Indian ethos. While there need not be any debate regarding the welfare orientation of the Islamic financial practices in Arab countries, its utility in India also may be alright in terms of benefits to customers and people in general, but in the context of Jehadi terror infested India, it will be extremely difficult not to think about the possible misuse of Islamic Banking Channels for purposes inimical to the interest of India. Therefore, it shall be in the interest of India as a pluralistic society that Islamic Bank is not established in India.
It is generally believed that Saudi Arabia is a more fundamentalist society. But we are told that they are opening up. Yes, they are indeed opening may be slowly, but surely they are becoming tolerant of dissent and differences in opinions and perceptions. Or else, Hissa Hilal, a mother of four, would not have been writing poetry sparking high voltage controversy which resulted in death threats from radical fundamentalists. She came under intense media attention, when she recited a poem denouncing ‘ad hoc’ fatwas, at an Arabic poetry competition organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture. And come to think of it, the judges and audience poll awarded her the 3rd prize of 3 million UAE Dirhams, equivalent of over US $800,000/-. So Arab World is not merely tolerating criticism but also going ahead and reward the critic. Kudos to the growing liberalism of Arab world. Do we have any lessons for us in India, especially our Muslim brethren!?
Acquittal of Lalu Prasad in the Disproportionate Assets case, on the face of it, is rather weird. Supreme Court these days comes up with some strange judgments, and Lalu’s discharge is one of them, where it questioned the locus standi of Bihar government to appeal against the CBI court's acquittal of the accused. For varieties of considerations CBI has not been acting above board in different cases at different times, depending upon their masters in New Delhi. Whatever the implications and applications of clauses like 378 (1) and 378 (2) of Criminal Procedure Code, prima facie, it is the people of Bihar represented by its government who are interested in the case being justly disposed. For apex court not to consider the application of Bihar govt. challenging the acquittal of Lalu, the former Chief Minister of Bihar for 15 long years is certainly a miscarriage of justice. Of course, the case should not have come this long at all in the first place. It was a mere Rs. 46 lakh, and not Rs. 46 crores, that prompted the case to be filed. When there are ministers, babus, and MPs and MLAs found with crores of uncounted money, a Chief Minister to be hauled up for a mere Rs. 46 lakh is certainly a mockery. It is true those days Lalu Prasad had less friends and more adversaries in places where it mattered. Of course, now that his case is legally buried with CBI not challenging his acquittal it only goes to prove that his political equations have changed. Keep smiling, Yeh Mera India.
While the media was going crazy-both print and 24x7 electronic-about the Shoaib-Sania wedding and Shoaib's probable wedding with another Hyderabad girl, there was this article “More Hindus than Muslims have 2 wives” in the Times of India by criminal lawyer Majid Memon. While quoting 1961 census he mentions about polygamy among communities in India. According to him Adivasis were polygamous by 15.25%, Buddhists of 9%, Hindus 5.8% and Muslims 5.7%. How valid this figures are, is not known, but what is disturbing was the mind set of the writer. He compared the figure between Hindus and Muslims, where the difference was only 0.1% instead of Adivasis where the difference was about 10% or Buddhists where it was over 2%. Of course the article itself was not needed in the first place. These kinds of articles especially the ones highlighting the divide should not be encouraged by the press. By hindsight it would be difficult to wager if the difference was negative for Muslims, whether Majid Memon would have taken the trouble of writing the piece and highlighting the issue.
Pharmaceutical MNCs giving freebies to medical professionals is a well known fact. Their marketing campaign always included corrupting medical practitioners with expensive gifts, all expenses paid holidays abroad so also cash incentives. Their modus operandi was varied, which included the local chemist keeping track of the prescriptions and valuing it at monthly intervals to know the value to determine the quantity of “performance commission”. In every transaction of give and take, it’s the medical practitioners and pharmaceutical companies including bio-medical equipment suppliers who rake in millions. Who pays for the good time of doctors? It’s the patients and not those multinational companies who pay for the good time. Suddenly pharma companies are in a mood to bare it all. Some companies have already started disclosing the details of payments made to these health care professionals on their websites. On the face of it, this practice of giving goodies to doctors is not healthy. Can this be stopped? However to bring in some kind of transparency U.S. has come out with a law called ‘Physician Payment Sunshine Act’, which stipulates that any payment in excess of US $10 has to be disclosed.
According to reports Pfizer paid about US $20 million to 4500 doctors and an additional US $15 million to 250 academic medical centres for clinical trials. Glaxo smith Kline (GSK) is another company mulling possibility of publishing the names of doctors and institutions who are beneficiaries. All these are in U.S.
But in India, the so-called ‘self regulation’ of such unethical practices are more evident in breaking rather than restraint, although there is a recent circular which proscribes payments or gifts of high value. In India it is largely felt that pharma industry is without leash. Industry, chemists and hospitals/doctors are combined to fleece the patients in its pricing. On the top, these companies throw parties, under the garb of sponsoring CMEs (Continuous Medical Education) programme. There may be some percolation of medical knowledge, otherwise its plain and simple sales promotion only. There has got to be some law to regulate pharma prices and practices. Bangladesh, a country far poorer than India has a regimen in this respect. Shouldn’t we learn from them?
“It’s true they took drugs….., even said they were bigger than Jesus….but their beautiful melodies continue to give pleasure” stated L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO, the official News Paper from Vatican, while forgiving Beatles after 40 years. The paper even called the Fabulous Four as “precious jewels”. But what about the crime against children in parishes, schools, orphanages and other church run institutions, all started and continued for long years by the clergy? Vatican knew about what was happening, whether in U.S. or in Scotland for 40 years. They did nothing to clean up the dirt. They kept it under wraps. At least Beatles were not bad at all, as compared to these sickening clergy. While what Vatican does to soothe the tempers of its faithful, any attack on children any where has to be condemned in unequivocal term and those who committed, as in the words of Andrew Sullivan, ‘child rape by clergy’, have got to be made accountable and lawfully tried.
Have you heard the incredible story of a medical professionals’ greed for money. Of course, there are hundreds and thousands, who are equally dedicated to the profession for its own sake. They are the true representatives of the nobility of the profession. But then there are Ketan Desais as well. The recent arrest of MCI president Dr. Desai, an FRCS, who’s dynamism, according to a promotional website is ‘legendary’, has exposed the seamier/dirtier side of the profession. Arrested for demanding 2 crores from a Punjab based college for certification clearance, his house was found to be indeed a treasure house or ‘HOUSE OF TREASURE’. According to press report, CBI sleuths found 1.5 ton of gold valued at the going rate of around Rs. 250 crores. Also found was over Rs. 1,800 crores in cash. Is this mind boggling or mind numbing! It is absolutely bizarre. Of course, medical profession has an unfortunate dimension of exploitation of people’s helplessness. There are doctors who are mercenaries, for whom, the helplessness of a person can be their capital. Dr. Ketan Desai has so convincingly exposed this ‘aberration’. Hope, some where along, the incident helps the medical fraternity to introspect to at least grow in their own esteem.
Can you imagine a cricket tournament becoming a national controversy snowballing into a huge headache for people like Sharad Pawar and his NCP. But that’s exactly what has happened. Indian Premier League is a concept developed by BCCI to primarily make a business out of promoting cricket. At the outset and even from the way IPL was conducted it was a huge success, as a product and as a brand, in all aspects. It was hugely entertaining. So, it is, 'paisa pheko Tamasha Dekho'. Huge money was collected from gate collections as well as advertisement revenues, besides television rights. It paid players and all those involved in the management of the game handsomely. Most importantly, it discovered India’s huge cricketing talent and many youngsters found their days in the sun. So there have been lot of positive developments. Having seen 3 successful IPL tournaments under the young and dynamic leadership of its chairman Lalit Modi, it certainly attracted lot of big time players. Among the big time players you always find some people who made money through questionable means. And this time round at least one of the deal threw up strange sweat money equity of Rs. 70 crores. It is a huge money to pay for some one’s efforts of some days, if not hours. Then there was a feminine and high fly political angle. It was a cocktail of a sort, probably ‘Skrew Driver’, in the spirits parlance. Suddenly it is all over the place, courtesy our 24x7 electronic media, ever hungry for sensation. The minister politician had to 'take a walk', the lady had to give up her sweat money, and I.T. people came calling, to ask all kinds of uncomfortable questions. 3rd IPL tournament was over, and an IPL show of another kind, murkier and dirty money doing its round, just popped up. We will have to wait and see.
IPL imbroglio which media sensationalised led to the exit of our twitter Minister of State for External Affairs, rightly or wrongly. But there are far more serious issues of which media remained largely ignorant. We have tried to highlight this aspect under Focus. Hope readers shall find it interesting. Do revert with your thoughts.
Rest of the issues are as usual.
We are in the month of May, when mercury normally goes up, but this time round it has been relentless. It’s been ‘sweating’ virtually ‘like pig’. Monsoon although not yet due, did show up a little here and there. But that has only rendered the life from bad to worse. Hope, before its late, shower comes to the rescue of those Indians who are not lucky enough to enjoy air-conditioned cocoon of the haves.
Yes as usual, India continues to be a happening place from outlandish to down to earth, from incredible to perfectly believable.
Month began with print media screeming ‘Sonia Back in Driver’s seat’. So after 4 years, the Congress Party President is back in power, as the Chair person of National Advisory Council, a position she resigned in March 2006, in the wake of “office of profit” controversy. It will be a cabinet status post and shall give immense power, which include the power to summon any government file, question government decisions and advice changes. Of course technically the NAC’s role is only recommendatory, but those who are in the know of things are fully aware how the decisions were taken in the early parts of the previous UPA government. The latest arrangement of appointing only the Congress President as the Chairperson of NAC and leaving the names of its members blank is an indication that Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh formally gave the NAC Chairperson a ‘carte blanche’ to select Chairperson’s own nominees. This can, quite frankly, erode the autonomy of the PMO which may not be good in the overall interest of the country. As such Sardar Dr. Manmohan Singh is hardly assertive when it comes to coalition partners, or heavy weight Congress leaders who are ministers. And if they are the cronies within the circle of ‘sanctora sanctorum’, then PM even does not bother to check if all’s well. Look at the way, DMK ministers or Mamata madam or Pranab Mukherjee and there are many others who do not even recognise the PMO. Thus the latest NAC appointment may only reduce the role of world’s most educated economist Prime Minister to play second fiddle to the NAC Chairperson. Thus it is no surprise that the latest initiative of PMO to bring ministers and secretaries under PMES (Performance Monitoring and Evaluation system) has evoked strong resistance. Of course the incumbent Congress President is a good human being and means well, but then don’t we all know, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
A case in point is the re-election of Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to Rajya Sabha. He was earlier elected from Haryana, which is not possible now, since BJP is in majority there. Congress President, hence planned to get him re-elected from Madhya Pradesh, which was opposed by Prime Minister Singh. But the party president over-ruled him. So keep smiling. This shall only be the tip of the ice berg. Yeh Mera India.
One of the most important event of free India is the enactment of RIGHT TO EDUCATION. It is epochal by any standard. On 'All Fools Day' prime minister Manmohan Singh addressed our countrymen on the Right to Educacation Act, which by any stretch of imagination, the most significant social act of free India. It is likely to affect at least 10 million school children in the age group of 6 to 14. U.S. magazine, the TIME had this to say “A landmark bill put into effect this month aims to open the path (to dream cities) to all, making free education a fundamental right for children between 6 and 14. The law is surely needed in a country with the world’s largest population of young people. New Delhi plans to spend some $38 billion, (about Rs. 190,000 crores) into the education sector over the next 5 years, but the government has much to deliver as it tries to reconcile India’s vast social iniquities. Prime Minister Singh, of modest origins himself, knows the struggle is worth it “I am what I am, because of education” Times mentioned that he had stated. Yes, it is indeed true that avenues of opportunities for the educated is indeed very vast, and every Indian should have the opportunity of advancing himself, socially, economically and even politically and why not? Hope RTE ushers a new India of hopes and empowerment.
So, now Russia is a big time victim of terrorism! In less than a week’s time, after a major terror attack on Moscow metro, two suicide bombers struck the restive north Caucases region of Dagestan. If the first one claimed some 40 lives, with huge loss of national property, the 2nd one killed 12 people, including 9 policemen. The second strike came a day after Prime Minister Putin had vowed to “drag the terrorists out of sewer”. While every terror attack anywhere has to be condemned, flipside is, India will find it easier to narrate their problems, vis–a-vis-Pak-sponsored and supported terrorism, which hitherto was a kind of ‘aranyarodhana’, ‘cry in the wilderness’. Hope Russia joins India in the larger debate for a terror free world.
Karnataka Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran is becoming a bit of judicial embarrassment for his professional fraternity. Now for almost a year he has been hogging the media limelight for all wrong reasons. Instead of getting worked up, he is always appearing beaming in all press photographs. Not withstanding his photogenic face, his credibility is getting beaten by the day. Ever since Rajya Sabha was seized of his impeachment move in December last, by over 100 MPs, his day was up. He should have gracefully gone on leave to pave way for the law to take its own course, instead he stuck-on which now has forced Supreme Court to intervene and asked him to do so. But unthinkable happened. He refused to go on leave. So Supreme Court transferred him to Sikkim. Immediately Sikkim bar porotested that ‘Justice P.D. Dinakaran is not welcome'. Thus there is an impasse. Of course, if he is not right for one court how can he right for the other? On the top of it, funnily some Christian organisation have come out in support of him. Its only then that newspaper reading public realised that he is Christian. Was this knowledge needed? Doesn’t this put right thinking among the supporting group in a bit of a spot? Probably Justice P.D. Dinakaran is the first Chief Justice of a High Court waiting to be impeached. What is the basis of your support except religion? Is it right for the group to align with Justice only because he is Christian?
Issue surrounding Dawood Gilani urf David Coleman Headley seem to be going in circles. With all and sundry in the U.S. promising a kind of concession to meet the terrorist. Latest being that of U.S. President Obama himself, who had agreed to the idea of Indian sleuths interrogating this Pak born Muslim turned Christian American passport holder, who is the key conspirator in the 26/11 Mumbai attack. When shall it happen? Depends on the U.S. Now the question that begs for answer is, why U.S. do not want to hand over this Paki-American to Indians, especially when U.S. itself has ‘no complaints against him’. Therefore isn’t it possible to extrapolate that could this handing over be detrimental to the interest of the U.S.? a probable agent operating for some U.S. agencies, besides some terrorist groups operating from Pakistan? In international espionage parlance its called double agent, a La James Bond!
He could be a person, who knows more than necessary for the U.S to feel comfortable. But a very pertinent question that needs to be answered, and to be answered with absolute clarity is, whom was he reporting for the planned Mumbai attack of 26/11? Surely, it is clear that he is only a middle man, but middle man for whom? Could U.S. masters be in the know of the imminent attack on Mumbai, since they had, according to the reports did generally cautioned India about a possible attack from the sea off Mumbai? Of course Indian security agencies, being what they are, could not activate specific security drill off Mumbai coast or any coast. It cost the country very heavily. 160 innocents were killed with hundreds of crores lost in property destruction. Another important question is why did Americans arrest him, if he was indeed working for them, reporting on ISI and other Pakistani terrorist outfits? Could it be because, among those killed in Mumbai, included 6 U.S. citizens? And under the U.S. law, the government is duty bound to trace and prosecute the killers. Now that they found one guy, but he also worked for the U.S. agencies which probably saved him. But then against the 6 American nationals, nearly 150 Indians were killed. Don’t they think, India has a stronger case to get him extradited to India? Purely based on equity, it should be so. But the fact is, it shall not happen. May be India is a soft state and therefore cannot force the issue? Or may be as in the old Hindi film ‘Yahoodi’, Sorhab Modi asks, ‘Tumhari Khoon Khoon hai, aur Haamari Khoon Paani hai’! A la Union Carbide, never ending imbroglio! Yes indeed, it may be quite possible. Americans think post 26/11 too, that Indian life is cheaper than an American life. A sad but harsh truth. Take it or leave it.
‘Slaughter of the lambs’ ran a headline in a national English newspaper. Another headline said “They blindly walked into Maoist Den”. The appropriate would have been “They walked stupidly into their death”. 75 men of CRPF were summarily annihilated by the left wing guerillas in the dense forest of Dantewada in Chattisgarh. It was unprecedented in all its history of over 4 decades, that Maoists/Naxalites should have hit at security forces with such vehemence and ferocity. For the security forces deployed against Moaists, it can be hugely demoralising. But how could this happen? Lot of experts in the guerilla warfare think, that these CRPF men flouted every rule of the game. They went with vehicles, which strictly they shouldn’t have, they have to go by foot with landmine detectors, demining squads, sniffer dogs and in splintered small groups . “With guerillas you have to fight as guerilla”. That is the dictum. They were all reportedly trained to fight guerillas, yet ignored completely the warfare guidelines. But what precipitated the attack? These experts and some politician say, “it’s the harsh words of Home Minister Chidadambaram that prompted this response”. Home Minister had called them ‘Cowards’, but he had earlier held out an olive branch and had exhorted them for talks. He had called them ‘the first enemy of the country’ and vowed that ‘extremists would be wiped out in two-three years’. What all of us should realise is that he is the home minister of the country and has the responsibility of internal safety and security. He is duty bound to issue statements which are relevant. Some say he is arrogant, which may be so, given his Harvard background. But, he cannot be faulted for the choice of words, especially against Maoists/Naxals. His invitation for talks have been spurned by these extremists. In situations like this, all so-called opinion makers should support the Home Minister, rather than mock him, for using American slang-‘buck stops at Buddha’. Such observations will neither win friends nor influences people, it will only make naxals feel elated. It is indeed true that they are ‘Cowards’ as P.Chidambaram had observed, or else they would have come forward for talk. Only in an atmosphere of non-violence can there be any meaningful breakthrough leading to economic progress and development, and certainly not by holding the country to ransom by gun. Naxals should not dream of defeating the Indian state by continuously indulging in killing and mayhem. It simply cannot defeat the Indian state. Surely all realise that economic deprivation is the basic cause of growth of naxalism. But how the violence will bring about the development. Home Minister sounds honest in his approach to the issue and therefore these so-called Naxal leaders must grab the offer of talks and get going. And our experts and opinion makers should in one voice say that “yes come forward for talks, there is only a new dawn at stake. Let us all grow to-gether. Only talk is the solution and not bullets”. If the media highlight this aspect, the breakthrough may not be difficult. But will the media and those so-called intellectuals play the ball?!
Pakistan is a Muslim country, but they have no reservation of talking about population control and contraceptive programmes. Indian governments, whether state or centre, are all funny. We are supposedly a secular country, but because it may hurt some silly religious feelings, government is ignoring the mother of all problems. It is pure and simple vote bank politics. An Islamabad date-lined report informs “Pak Minister to gift family planning kit to Shoaib-Sania”. They even have a minister for population, a lady at that, Firdous Ashiq Awan. She had reportedly said “Shoaib and Sania should serve as ambassador for family planning programmes as it is a national service and population is the biggest challenge to this nation in future. We have to curtail this population growth rate”. Isn’t it funny for our policy makers not to think of this population explosion as a serious problem, when it is indeed the greatest problem that stymied our development efforts? Shouldn’t we learn from Pakistan how they are addressing their own Muslim crowd?
Yes indeed we need to learn quite a few lessons in governance from our smaller neighbours. After the Pakistani approach to Population problem, it’s the turn of Bangladesh, another Muslim neighbour from the east. In India burqua is a sensitive issue, of course, made sensitive both by media and our political class. But in Muslim majority Bangladesh they mean business. The news headline “Dhaka Court Rules against the ‘Veil’” says it all. ‘Muslim women cannot be forced to wear the veil or even their head while at work or in public,’ the Dhaka High Court has ruled while stating that ‘it should be their personal choice.’ It asked, the education secretary ‘to ensure that women were not harassed by their superiors at educational institutions.’ Bangladesh is a largely Muslim country where women, active in political and public life, move without veil. Should such a ruling take place in India, our fatwa experts would have gone bonkers and staged violent demonstration against the court ruling, and our print media would have had front page splash of the story.
There was this report about two MLAs and a Minister in Maharashtra Assembly having a spat on the rights and privileges of MLAs. It is not new that these MLAs fight for their rights. In fact all these years they have been only fighting more for their rights, privileges and comforts. Their electorates, constituency, state, country, all these follow later with their supporters being their priority in public domain followed by the above sequence. So if you see, state and country are last in their priorities. We are, what we are, because, we never thought we have a duty towards our country, our society, our fellowmen etc. All of us, including those concerned civil society, more often, talk about violation of rights or newer rights or increased privileges. Duty as usual comes last. After all MLAs or MPs are our people, we have elected them. They are as good or as bad, as we are, isn’t it?
Honour killing is another of the primitive abhorant practice that is unfortunately prevalent in the Indian sub continent even to this day. This practice has got to be put down with heavy hand. The elders of the village taking the law into their hand and summarily finishing off young boys and girls, just because they have gone against some of the stupid traditions within the caste, is a crime beyond redemption. The Karnal (Haryana) sessions court’s verdict in ordering the death sentence for five and life imprisonment for one for abducting and murdering a young couple marrying within their gotra or sub-caste is a welcome development.
Law should be heavily loaded against those who take others life beyond the perview of law. In all cases of human rights violation law should prevail pari passu.
In the recent past we have witnessed, seen and read press reports and 24x7 electronic media reports, about things uncommon happening in our atomic energy establishments, whether in Mumbai or in Kaiga. There have been cases of unnatural deaths both inside and outside these premises, so also in Kaiga, the drinking water contamination was a hot news sometime ago. After blowing a bit hot for a little while, everything goes cold in India, both in government circles as well as in media. Of course, many a time police do come into the picture, fortunately. But then again, time takes its toll, and all get busy with their routine life. Sometime in early March, Uttara Kannada (UK) Supt. of Police Ramdas Gupta had thrown up his arms in despair stating that “the case involving the tritium mixing with drinking water cooler at Kaiga Atomic Power Station is yet to make any headway” since the two scientists, deputed by BARC, who were nominated by NPCL (Nuclear Power Corp. Ltd.), to help the police in their investigation did not come at all. The grouse of the SP, for once, was indeed real. Drinking water contamination by tritium, is indeed “too technical with complex scientific terminologies” for police to investigate. But, these scientists are government of India officers, why they have not bothered to respond to the need of the police is not known. But, SP Ramdas Gupta, could have reported the matter to his bosses leading to the Home Mminister and then the Chief Minister for onward report to the Union Home Minister. Its already above 2 months, and its about an year since tritium contamination of drinking water in Kaiga Nuclear Plant took place. Unfortunately in most cases, time is never an element of urgency. Most issues we deal in a normal dilatory fashion, with no seriousness. And this is a national malaise, and the scientists working in BARC are too aware of the work culture prevalent in these offices. Everything is chaltaa hai and let it chaltaa rahey, chaltaa rahey!
Strange are the ways of Courts, at times. The recent ruling of the apex court in over turning the verdict of Andhra High Court, which had struck down as ultra virus the law enacted by Andhra Pradesh government to grant 4% reservation in jobs and educational institution to Muslims is not merely illogical but also unjust. First of all it was a 7 member bench that considered the case. The ruling is expected to have socio-economic ramifications across the country, especially when reservation is a very sensitive issue. Therefore Andhra Pradesh court must have gone into all details. All governments in India tries to do some populist measure. It does not need to have great intelligence to know that it was politics rather than the condition of marginalised among Muslims that prompted the political establishment in Andhra Pradesh to decide the quota. As Swapan Dasgupta, the eminent columnist, contends that “In giving the go-ahead to the AP government to proceed with its proposed 4% reservations for backward Muslims, the Supreme Court has, perhaps unwittingly, triggered a social upheaval whose consequences may prove to be far reaching”. Being the highest seat of judgment, the apex court has the onerous responsibility of protecting the interest of justice, and any reservation based on religion or caste is prima facie unfair. Like the taxation is based on the principle of ‘what traffic can bear’, the reservation too has to be on similar principles based on financial backwardness alone, so that reservation cuts across the religion and caste based divide.
Some months ago, in these columns we had commented about undesirability of setting up of Islamic Banking with the active help of the state government. Now comes the news of Kerala High Court barring the state government and its agencies from associating itself from the Al Barakah Financial Services Ltd. This stand of the Kerala High Court has its genesis on the writ filed by the ever active politician economist Dr. Subramanya Swami of one M P Janata Party. Dr. Swami had contended that the proposed financial institution is ‘Shariat Compliant’ and that it is against the Indian banking system and Indian ethos. While there need not be any debate regarding the welfare orientation of the Islamic financial practices in Arab countries, its utility in India also may be alright in terms of benefits to customers and people in general, but in the context of Jehadi terror infested India, it will be extremely difficult not to think about the possible misuse of Islamic Banking Channels for purposes inimical to the interest of India. Therefore, it shall be in the interest of India as a pluralistic society that Islamic Bank is not established in India.
It is generally believed that Saudi Arabia is a more fundamentalist society. But we are told that they are opening up. Yes, they are indeed opening may be slowly, but surely they are becoming tolerant of dissent and differences in opinions and perceptions. Or else, Hissa Hilal, a mother of four, would not have been writing poetry sparking high voltage controversy which resulted in death threats from radical fundamentalists. She came under intense media attention, when she recited a poem denouncing ‘ad hoc’ fatwas, at an Arabic poetry competition organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture. And come to think of it, the judges and audience poll awarded her the 3rd prize of 3 million UAE Dirhams, equivalent of over US $800,000/-. So Arab World is not merely tolerating criticism but also going ahead and reward the critic. Kudos to the growing liberalism of Arab world. Do we have any lessons for us in India, especially our Muslim brethren!?
Acquittal of Lalu Prasad in the Disproportionate Assets case, on the face of it, is rather weird. Supreme Court these days comes up with some strange judgments, and Lalu’s discharge is one of them, where it questioned the locus standi of Bihar government to appeal against the CBI court's acquittal of the accused. For varieties of considerations CBI has not been acting above board in different cases at different times, depending upon their masters in New Delhi. Whatever the implications and applications of clauses like 378 (1) and 378 (2) of Criminal Procedure Code, prima facie, it is the people of Bihar represented by its government who are interested in the case being justly disposed. For apex court not to consider the application of Bihar govt. challenging the acquittal of Lalu, the former Chief Minister of Bihar for 15 long years is certainly a miscarriage of justice. Of course, the case should not have come this long at all in the first place. It was a mere Rs. 46 lakh, and not Rs. 46 crores, that prompted the case to be filed. When there are ministers, babus, and MPs and MLAs found with crores of uncounted money, a Chief Minister to be hauled up for a mere Rs. 46 lakh is certainly a mockery. It is true those days Lalu Prasad had less friends and more adversaries in places where it mattered. Of course, now that his case is legally buried with CBI not challenging his acquittal it only goes to prove that his political equations have changed. Keep smiling, Yeh Mera India.
While the media was going crazy-both print and 24x7 electronic-about the Shoaib-Sania wedding and Shoaib's probable wedding with another Hyderabad girl, there was this article “More Hindus than Muslims have 2 wives” in the Times of India by criminal lawyer Majid Memon. While quoting 1961 census he mentions about polygamy among communities in India. According to him Adivasis were polygamous by 15.25%, Buddhists of 9%, Hindus 5.8% and Muslims 5.7%. How valid this figures are, is not known, but what is disturbing was the mind set of the writer. He compared the figure between Hindus and Muslims, where the difference was only 0.1% instead of Adivasis where the difference was about 10% or Buddhists where it was over 2%. Of course the article itself was not needed in the first place. These kinds of articles especially the ones highlighting the divide should not be encouraged by the press. By hindsight it would be difficult to wager if the difference was negative for Muslims, whether Majid Memon would have taken the trouble of writing the piece and highlighting the issue.
Pharmaceutical MNCs giving freebies to medical professionals is a well known fact. Their marketing campaign always included corrupting medical practitioners with expensive gifts, all expenses paid holidays abroad so also cash incentives. Their modus operandi was varied, which included the local chemist keeping track of the prescriptions and valuing it at monthly intervals to know the value to determine the quantity of “performance commission”. In every transaction of give and take, it’s the medical practitioners and pharmaceutical companies including bio-medical equipment suppliers who rake in millions. Who pays for the good time of doctors? It’s the patients and not those multinational companies who pay for the good time. Suddenly pharma companies are in a mood to bare it all. Some companies have already started disclosing the details of payments made to these health care professionals on their websites. On the face of it, this practice of giving goodies to doctors is not healthy. Can this be stopped? However to bring in some kind of transparency U.S. has come out with a law called ‘Physician Payment Sunshine Act’, which stipulates that any payment in excess of US $10 has to be disclosed.
According to reports Pfizer paid about US $20 million to 4500 doctors and an additional US $15 million to 250 academic medical centres for clinical trials. Glaxo smith Kline (GSK) is another company mulling possibility of publishing the names of doctors and institutions who are beneficiaries. All these are in U.S.
But in India, the so-called ‘self regulation’ of such unethical practices are more evident in breaking rather than restraint, although there is a recent circular which proscribes payments or gifts of high value. In India it is largely felt that pharma industry is without leash. Industry, chemists and hospitals/doctors are combined to fleece the patients in its pricing. On the top, these companies throw parties, under the garb of sponsoring CMEs (Continuous Medical Education) programme. There may be some percolation of medical knowledge, otherwise its plain and simple sales promotion only. There has got to be some law to regulate pharma prices and practices. Bangladesh, a country far poorer than India has a regimen in this respect. Shouldn’t we learn from them?
“It’s true they took drugs….., even said they were bigger than Jesus….but their beautiful melodies continue to give pleasure” stated L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO, the official News Paper from Vatican, while forgiving Beatles after 40 years. The paper even called the Fabulous Four as “precious jewels”. But what about the crime against children in parishes, schools, orphanages and other church run institutions, all started and continued for long years by the clergy? Vatican knew about what was happening, whether in U.S. or in Scotland for 40 years. They did nothing to clean up the dirt. They kept it under wraps. At least Beatles were not bad at all, as compared to these sickening clergy. While what Vatican does to soothe the tempers of its faithful, any attack on children any where has to be condemned in unequivocal term and those who committed, as in the words of Andrew Sullivan, ‘child rape by clergy’, have got to be made accountable and lawfully tried.
Have you heard the incredible story of a medical professionals’ greed for money. Of course, there are hundreds and thousands, who are equally dedicated to the profession for its own sake. They are the true representatives of the nobility of the profession. But then there are Ketan Desais as well. The recent arrest of MCI president Dr. Desai, an FRCS, who’s dynamism, according to a promotional website is ‘legendary’, has exposed the seamier/dirtier side of the profession. Arrested for demanding 2 crores from a Punjab based college for certification clearance, his house was found to be indeed a treasure house or ‘HOUSE OF TREASURE’. According to press report, CBI sleuths found 1.5 ton of gold valued at the going rate of around Rs. 250 crores. Also found was over Rs. 1,800 crores in cash. Is this mind boggling or mind numbing! It is absolutely bizarre. Of course, medical profession has an unfortunate dimension of exploitation of people’s helplessness. There are doctors who are mercenaries, for whom, the helplessness of a person can be their capital. Dr. Ketan Desai has so convincingly exposed this ‘aberration’. Hope, some where along, the incident helps the medical fraternity to introspect to at least grow in their own esteem.
Can you imagine a cricket tournament becoming a national controversy snowballing into a huge headache for people like Sharad Pawar and his NCP. But that’s exactly what has happened. Indian Premier League is a concept developed by BCCI to primarily make a business out of promoting cricket. At the outset and even from the way IPL was conducted it was a huge success, as a product and as a brand, in all aspects. It was hugely entertaining. So, it is, 'paisa pheko Tamasha Dekho'. Huge money was collected from gate collections as well as advertisement revenues, besides television rights. It paid players and all those involved in the management of the game handsomely. Most importantly, it discovered India’s huge cricketing talent and many youngsters found their days in the sun. So there have been lot of positive developments. Having seen 3 successful IPL tournaments under the young and dynamic leadership of its chairman Lalit Modi, it certainly attracted lot of big time players. Among the big time players you always find some people who made money through questionable means. And this time round at least one of the deal threw up strange sweat money equity of Rs. 70 crores. It is a huge money to pay for some one’s efforts of some days, if not hours. Then there was a feminine and high fly political angle. It was a cocktail of a sort, probably ‘Skrew Driver’, in the spirits parlance. Suddenly it is all over the place, courtesy our 24x7 electronic media, ever hungry for sensation. The minister politician had to 'take a walk', the lady had to give up her sweat money, and I.T. people came calling, to ask all kinds of uncomfortable questions. 3rd IPL tournament was over, and an IPL show of another kind, murkier and dirty money doing its round, just popped up. We will have to wait and see.
IPL imbroglio which media sensationalised led to the exit of our twitter Minister of State for External Affairs, rightly or wrongly. But there are far more serious issues of which media remained largely ignorant. We have tried to highlight this aspect under Focus. Hope readers shall find it interesting. Do revert with your thoughts.
Rest of the issues are as usual.
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