EDITORIAL

Friends,
Sometime in May, after the result of 10th standard public examination, a popular local Kannada daily had carried a news about the mismatch in answer and marks in one of its issues of mid-May. This paper had a VOX-POPULI (peoples’ voice) column.
We have read in the past many stories about wrong marks to right answers and students and their parents going thru’ harrowing times. This is an all India phenomena, and innumerable students have suffered by this whimsical examiners. Most students have been able to get justice, but it did leave a trail of unpleasant memories of bitter experiences to all those who suffered at the hands of examiners/valuers.
A similar story of injustice was published in this daily. Story informed about a student who should have got 8 marks in maths got 80 marks and the other who expected 90 got only 9 marks. The writer informed about ‘the mental turmoil of the later student and how his being poor and hence unable to pay the fees for revaluation had made the youngster cry inconsolably in the full public view, made a very painful scene’. However write-up did not give details of the boy or the school.
A reader picked it up and in turn spoke immediately to an MLC friend who in turn promised to speak to a Block Education Officer (BEO). Somehow, in the absence of school details BEO allegedly did not pursue. But this reader was too disturbed to keep quite. He pursued it through the said newspaper, who refused to part with the particulars of the writer citing publishing liabilities/rules etc. Upon a director’s intervention, the editor of the paper pursued it including, the local reporter of the paper visiting the house of the writer to get to the truth. To the utter shock of the editor, his higher ups, his staff, it turned out to be a made up story without any truth. This issue threw up two issues. The first one was the obligation of the newspaper to verify the veracity of the news, especially when it is of a sensitive nature. The second was that of misrepresenting the truth or publishing untruth against a government system. When MLC asked the concerned BEO, he had the opportunity of going to the root of the issue, like the reader in question, and find out the truth himself. He lost an opportunity of fixing/prosecuting the writer of the story, so also allowed the name of the department to be besmirched further. Is there any lessons for all concerned? Aren’t we adding unwittingly to the general prevailing apathy all around us?!
Month began with Israeli commando raiding a ship carrying aid to the blockaded Gaza strip before sunrise broke on 31st morning. The attack killed some 16 people. As expected it has invited global condemnation from across the world. They dubbed "Israeli raid went very wrong very fast". However the response from the U.S. as expected was more muted, asking Israel to undertake a domestic inquiry, while the world body, the UN, condemned the Israeli action and asked for a full explanation. But then world body, bereft of teeth, cannot go too far. Israel is aware that the big brother U.S. will not ditch them in moments of crisis. However world also need to know that the relationship at the moment-between the U.S. and Israel-is rather at its lowest. There is a kind of cold war between Obama, the U.S. President and Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister. Israeli right wing political establishment is unhappy with Obama making overtures to Muslim World. They think, Obama’s parentage has something to do with it. It is true that Obama has been playing little tough with Israeli leadership especially their expansion of housing projects in the occupied land to the detriment of Palestinian interest. While it is true that Israel was created out of British controlled Palestine, what is dome some 60 years ago cannot be undone. However, Palestinians have a right to live with dignity and in peace in that portion of the land which is left for them. And only U.S. can enforce this, with this difficult Israeli leadership. Job is cut out for Obama, hope he does it. In the meanwhile world opinion should be built up to pressure Israel to fall in line. The stake is too high for the world at large to let Israel to have its way for long.
"Caught and bowled – Board resolution contradicts Pawar denials". This headline has only confirmed that honesty and transparency was never Sharad Pawar’s strong points. He is just another politician, making the hay while sun shines. He used his every position and therefore an opportunity to only advance himself, his family and his cronies. Right from the day he was Chief Minister of Maharashtra, to his days in IPL controversy, he has never given a clean account of himself. Every position of power and influence he held led to unresolved controversies. Being politician to the core, he bridged the vacuum by his deft moves to keep his adversaries as silent as possible. There are not many, either in politics or in media who spoke or wrote against him, except some passing negative references.
He was Chief Minister when Nusli wadia was to be a target of attack by Dhirubhai Ambani, what happened to anybody? He was the Chief Minister when riot broke out in Mumbai post Babri Masjid demolition. His telephone bill allegedly had the number of criminal fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. Forget about all those scams of imports of food grains. Now this double murder accused and NCP MP Padam Simh Patil’s bail, which as usual CBI is ‘struggling’ to over turn. And then he declared hardly any assets, while grapevine has it that he owns most of Satara, besides vast tracts of land elsewhere in Maharashtra. Isn’t he a model leader to emulate?!
Writing by Karnataka governor Bhardhwaj to the Election Commission asking Reddy brothers, who are ministers in Karnataka government, to be disqualified, ostensibly for holding office of profit has raised a bit of storm. Whether constitutionally he is right or not is not the point, but he is certainly politicising the office of governor. The accusation by the incumbent government at Bangalore that "Governor is acting like an opposition leader" is not out place. The complaint by a Congress MLC to the governor regarding the misuse of official position by Reddy brothers to further their business interest, should have been sent to the Chief Minister, in the first place and asked for a report. Instead, governor over reacted by issuing the notice to Reddy brothers, although constitutionally he may be right. Governors are constitutionally sent to states to oversee the governance, although quite frankly this gubernatorial office is only a parking place for tired war horses, who have enjoyed the perks all their life but can’t give up. It is indeed an ‘old age home’ as somebody observed. These politicians and influential bureaucrats want to enjoy life at the cost of tax payers money and they angle for these positions of comfort shamelessly for a favour from their political bosses. Sometime, they do try to return the favour by being difficult to the governments of those states where the political leadership at the centre expects them to play its ‘considered’ role for making these governments ‘accountable’. In this particular case, governor could have certainly called the Chief Minister for a report and then call a meeting of all concerned so that accountability in the larger public interest is established, without raising the hackles. But then its Yeh Mera India, things do not happen as you think!
News papers informed that the "Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Work place Bill" to be tabled before the cabinet has been diluted to exclude domestic servants. It is alleged that Ministry of Women and Child Development has quietly dropped this most vulnerable section from the perview of the above bill. It is indeed a matter of deep concern that this one category of workers who needed the most protection has been dropped. The reason apparently advanced by the ministry is, inside a home it may be difficult to get witnesses. In fact this is the glaring aspect of the working condition of these domestics which is widely exploited and hence needed urgent safety provisions in the law. This exclusion is a serious matter all women’s organisations must take up, which is going to seriously hurt the interest of this most vulnerable section. Some 80% of all domestic workers are underage girls. Isn’t this a classic example of how our system ‘cries with the poor but side the rich’.
The complicity of Pakistan in terror attacks within India or Indian targets outside India was always known. Somehow the world always played it down. Whether it was the Europe or the U.S., never took Indian complaints seriously. For varieties of reasons, India too failed to convince these global opinion and decision makers. There are enough grounds for declaring Pakistan a terror state. May be our public relation is not geared enough for the job. There are many Americans and Europeans who are friends of India and in fact there are many Arabs, whether from Middle East or Africa, who are friendly towards India, these ladies and gentlemen could be cultivated either through the Indian diaspora in those countries or Indian embassies there. It is an area, which is generally believed, has not been tried to fuller extent. Now look at this attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul early this year on Feb 26. It killed some 16 people including of Indians. The attack was primarily intended to target Indians only, as revealed by a Pakistani – Fateh Hazrat Abdul Razaq Ali – a serving captain in Pak Army. He was arrested in Afghanistan a month after the attack. Reportedly, CNN-IBN, the TV channel, has managed to access an interrogation report, which threw ample light on the Pak complicity. According to this report, besides some ISI officers planning the attack, some 14 Pak Army Officers were sent to help Taliban and JeM gunmen. He had even revealed some names of these officers, the report stated. If such informations are conclusively proved, it makes the work of MEA so much easier.
But these leads have to be pursued with vigour and committment involving not just mandarins but also Indian citizens engaged abroad, so also persons of Indian origin who are established in the country of their stay but still want to be associated with India in one way the other. This way temporary logistics can be organised to the greater advantage for the national interest.
When Mayawathi declared her assets to be worth Rs. 88 crores, in her nomination papers to the state legislative council, it became a big news. Media as usual hyped it. But now she has dared politicians of all hues to come clean on their assets. It is an open secret, that there are hundreds of politicians, MPs, MLAs and those who have become ministers in state and centre, majority of them have made money from sources that they cannot declare. Mayawathi is maverick no doubt, but she has her own standard of public life. Controversy, and her high handed behaviour apart, she is the only one who has not allowed her relations to use her position and name to benefit themselves and she has not encouraged any of her relations politically. Now she has declared all her assets, as an example to other politicians. These are certainly qualities media need to talk, then may be she can slowly change her other behavioural aberrations, if one is allowed to call so. Give marks where it is due.
Railway accident involving Gyaneshwari express running between Kurla (Mumbai) & Howrah (Kolkata) which claimed about 150 lives, is a sad development in the politics of the country. The war of attrition between Trinamool Congress and West Bengal’s Leftist government is coming to the boil. The ambition of Mamata to capture Writers Building is driving her politics. It is true that there is huge misery in the rural side of Bengal which she is trying to cash. Leftist rule of over 25 years under Jyothi Basu, has certainly left a trail of under development and misery beyond the media coverage. So Mamata is in a great hurry to convey to the electorates that she is the saviour. Yes, at the hustings she has been successful. But to achieve that to actually destroy public property and in the process cause huge loss of life of innocent general public is an extremely diabolic game. She must resist that temptation, however great is the attraction of power at Writers’ Building.
Going into the details of the tragedy of Gyaneshwar Express it is becoming apparent that Maoists forced gangmen of contractors working for the railways, to help them. Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities have claimed responsibility for the accident, which is a front for Maoists. It is an extremely serious issue which needs to be raised in Parliament for a serious discussion and those indirectly responsible politically, in this case, may be Trinamool Congress, have to be exposed. Alliance politics should not stoop to protect anti-nationals. One important aspect she has to realise and be careful about is the Maoist tiger on which she is trying to ride may devour her one day, like Frankenstein’s monster.
PTI graphics published in the print media on 3rd June said it all. In the bar chart graphic, giving a picture of West Bengal civil poll including election to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, CPI(M) was reduced to less than half of what they held earlier. In the outgoing position CPI(M) had 75, but now reduced to 33, similarly Congress was down at 10 from 21 previously held. Of course, not being a force in Bengal BJP maintained its slender presence at 3, as was its earlier figure. But Trinamool congress burst through the chart. It had more than doubled its presence from 42 to 95. It appeared, very graphically indeed, the beginning of the end of CPM citadel. Yes the news paper head-line was "Green Stamps out Red". Mamata need to be congratulated for a fantastic showing. Despite everybody, deeply entrenched CPI(M) and monolithic Congress Party and others, she made it real big, almost single handedly. However, being high decibel agitational politician and a leader who shall deliver is not the same thing. She has far too many negatives which she should overcome to give a good governance to the people of West Bengal who have greatly suffered under Left government, like Pritish Nandy had twitted ‘West Bengal under Left was stuck in a time warp.’
Print media news regarding a Kashmiri youth Dr Shah Faesal, topping the IAS (rank I), was a very pleasant surprise from the valley, especially when the state was continuously in the news for all wrong reasons. He was not the only youngster who made to the All India Services. There were three others too with dreams in their hearts to serve their people. Yes, the success story of such youngsters can be inspiring for other aspiring youngsters to make a difference to the Kashmiri landscape of conflict and confrontation. Hope there is a new dawn.
While there are these Kashmiri youngsters, there have been news coming from different parts of India where youth with very humble background cracking the civil services. ‘Assam youth beats poverty to crack IAS exam’ was a headline in the media. Narayan Konwar, a son of a primary teacher ranked 119th in the merit list. "Peon’s daughter makes it to IAS" was another report. Sandeep Kaur, a daughter of a peon from Morinda in Punjab is a civil engineer.
Then you have this Anand Kumar of ‘Super 30’ fame. Its indeed superlative to have got 186 out of 210 students that he prepared for IIT, have been successful, the elite course India prided, as being one of the best in the world. In fact Silicon Valley is full of IITians who have been recognised in the U.S. as brainy lot. These success among the impoverished section of Indians shows that there is abundant latent talent in India which is waiting to be exploited, if only there were better facilities. Hope the new RTE shall fill the vacuum in days to come.
There was this passing but significant remark by the Supreme Court bench of Justice B.S. Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar. While dismissing the centre’s appeal challenging the Punjab & Haryana court direction to appoint a labourer in the Ministry of Defence, apex court observed "Why do you come to us frequently against class IV employees like labourers, kalasis and chaprasis. Do you have the guts to take on IAS/IPS officers?" Very well said.
Will this remark change the thick skinned system run and managed by the very same babus and lorded over by the politicians?
BCCI indicated ‘damn the national honour, we have to keep our commercial commitment,’ by declining to participate in the Asian games. This is absolutely blatant misuse of the autonomy granted to BCCI. The national parliament should discuss the issue and prevail over BCCI and not allow its writ to run unchecked. Especially after this IPL muck BCCI should be made accountable in some form. Their decision not to send teams to Asian Games is a reflection of the arrogance of money power. In fact government must take the call on improving the games like football and hockey, which are being neglected everywhere, to promote cricket only.
Another news of former IPG M.S. Ahlawat of Haryana being charged with molestation, should not really make news in India, where police have different yardsticks to apply the law. If more skeletons fall from different parts of the country, should not surprise anybody. Its only after policeman Rathore was made to crawl before the law that police in Haryana have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case involving M.S. Ahlawat after eight years of the complaint by a lady lawyer. This latest action by the Haryana police speaks volumes about the complicity of the law enforcing authorities with the powerful. Hope Rathore experiences the full impact of the law for the message to go down to the police hierarchy, to take all complaints with the seriousness it deserves.
Media informs that Ministry of Road Transport and highways have plans to construct 18,637 kms of expressways to connect just about all places of socio-commercial importance by 2022. This is indeed a bombastic proposal. What is commendable about this fancy plan is that at least after 63 years of free India, with 11 Five Year development plans, our economic managers started thinking that constructing roads make sense. That it makes immense sense should have dawned on our planners of the 1st Five Year plan itself. There is no multiplier effect greater than the one that road connectivity can generate. To know that, one does not require to go to London School of Economics or to Harward. But what is ludicrous about this proposal is the time frame. So in 12 years, Ministry want to complete 18637 kms road, which works to 1556 kms per year. Mind you it is going to be expressways. This UPA government, is in their 2nd awataar (incarnation). If this government, hope and wish it lasts, fulfill its commitment, can complete this 18637 kms even in 24 years, that is double of the estimated time, that would be a miracle and achievement without parallel. You would wonder why this cynicism? There is this small stretch of 37 kms of 4 laning from the existing 2 lanes, passing through Mangalore city limits on NH 17 and NH 48. It was started during mid 2005 to have completed by Dec.2007. We are in 2010, and 5 years, double the time is already lapsed, and the project is probably complete by 60%. So their production achievements have been roughly 4½ kms per year. So do we have to feel sorry for the mandarins at the Transport Bhavan in New Delhi or laugh at their ignorance of the ground condition? Do you think the present crop of politicians with their babu friends can save this country from going slowly downhill?
Report from Bangalore regarding the possible enforcement of an existing provision of the law that all heavy vehicles should be off road after 15 years of use, is going to be a non-starter. It is all very well to say that if all departments co-operate, it can work. But our problem truly is non-co-operation. The truck lobby is very powerful and they can buy all those who can decide and implement rules. It was tried earlier but given up. It is true that these heavy vehicles pollute the atmosphere greatly. Emission from these trucks greatly increased suspended particles in the air causing serious health problems. But every government has buckled under pressure.It has to be a pan-Indian enforcement, which is very unlikely to happen. Only way out is to enforce the pollution clearance and constant pollution check with power to cancel the registration, if pollution norms are not adhered to. Of course the best course is to stop registration renewal beyond 15 years. But all this require political sagacity which at least Karnataka of to-day lacks.
Hassan Ali Khan, the tax dodger of over 100K crores, to the Indian exchequer is increasingly becoming a kind of hot potato to the government of India. Pranab Mukherjee tried to provide him a kind of escape rout by a way of settlement with income tax department. But, things have already heated up with a Mumbai court requesting Swiss authorities to assist IT deptt. in the investigation against Hassan Ali. Hence the settlement rout can be a bit of political hara-kiri. Politician that Pranab Mukherjee is, he tried to bail out this Hassan Ali, in the budget, just like he tried to bail out Rajeev Gandhi and Arjun Singh from the scandalous Anderson’s escape. Pranab had talked about ‘law and order problem’ as the reason of Anderson being sent out of the country. Hassan Ali, besides being allegedly an illegal peddler could also be a front man for some powerful people. Responding to the Mumbai court request for legal assistance, Swiss authorities have reportedly told that India has not given sufficient information on criminal as well as money laundering cases against this Ali. This is a clear instance of government dithering on Hassan Ali. How can our elected representatives holding ministries be partners to national loot, is an issue beyond comprehension.
"Ambulance Chasers’ of yesterday are becoming the possible toast of to-marrow, if grapevine is right. Reportedly government is contemplating introducing provisions in law for lawyers to fight industrial disaster cases on commission basis. If only this was thought 26 years ago Bhopal victims would have got a much better deal and haggling of who is responsible for the scandalous escape of Warren Anderson would have died a natural death. In the wake of the tragedy, in UCIL plant, hordes of American lawyers had descended on Bhopal offering their services to fight for the victims in American courts without any fees. Their fees would be payable as a part of compensation, which they would try to get maximum as per American laws. Somehow, the then political leadership had decided against it, calling these lawyers as ‘Ambulance Chasers’. There is this Hindi saying ‘Akkal tho aaya magar der se’. Law ministry is reportedly looking into the ‘Law of Torts' in the U.S. and U.K. to frame a law if possible to help lawyers and victims of a disaster, giving a kind of go-by to the so-called ethical angle in the profession.
There was this news about "Canadian Muslim woman to lead mixed-gender prayers in London". It is a good news for the world in general, but Muslims in particular. Liberal Muslims should grab this opportunity of being part of the mainstream. There is so much they can gain by coming into the mainstream, besides it can go a long way in improving social bonhomie. Being exclusive has not helped the community. It only increased the distance. Shouldn’t we all bridge the distance instead of creating exclusive walls?
That RTI as an instrument of empowerment was never in doubt. For a student of Rajasthan University (RU), it indeed turned out to be a boon. Having passed his BCom in 1991, Rakesh Punia of SS Subodh Jain Night College affiliated to RU had to wait for 18 long years to get his certificate. Like all government deptts, autonomous universities, too functions lethargically. The rot is too deep for resurrection. Year after year his attempt was stymied by the apathy of the university officials and certificate never came. It was only when he filed his RTI plea in 2008, things started moving and in Nov 2009, when the case reached State Information Commission Office, the certificate was dispatched. Long live RTI.
Resignation of Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde just before the planned celebration of 2 years completion of BJP power at Bangalore, has put the government of Yediyurappa into a bit of quandary. High profile Lokayukta's quitting office has had all round reaction all over the state. From union home minister Chidambaram to Karnataka governor Bharadhwaj to opposition politicians to some NGOs, all have rallied to ask Justice Hegde to withdraw his resignation. Justice Hegde took a principled stand of not withdrawing his resignation once already put. There are genuine grounds on which any self respecting person could quit the post. Since almost his taking up the position of this anti-corruption czar, Justice Hegde has been asking for a change in the government approach of reinstating officers who were caught and exposed for corruption and for owning property disproportionate to their known source of income. This particular approach of the government was really making a joke of Lokayukta’s drive against corruption. However what precipitated his quitting in a huff was one of his deputy was suspended for doing his job honestly and had in the process caught some illegally mined 5 lakhs ton of iron ore in the Belekeri port premises, which one day just vanished. Ostensibly to look in to the issue of this disappearance when the port minister called a meeting and this officer concerned was not available for the meeting since he had gone to Bangalore to file his report, an ‘irked’ minister reportedly asked this officer to be suspended.
Now if all these are true, then it is difficult for honest workers to work with dedication. No wonder Justice Hegde took it very personally and therefore felt that there is no point working for a government which cannot protect honest officers. But the moot point is, would his quitting serve any purpose or will it steel the corruption to grow stronger in coming days. With Chief Minister Yediyurappa not wanting to ask Justice Hegde to reconsider his decision and some other ministers being uncharitable to Lokayukta, it looks clear that the government wants Justice Hegde to go. Now that he has given two months notice in order to complete the jobs on hand, Justice Hegde has to be convinced that in the larger interest of the state and therefore the country his continuation is a must. As for the suspended junior colleague, court intervention may be necessary, either through some activists’ group or by the officer himself. Then it can truly be a 'Dharma Yuddha'. Justice Hegde, do you harken?
The Bhopal District Court judgment after 26 years of the disaster at Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal has expectedly led to hackle in the media. The miscarriage of justice was there for all to see, with reducing the greatest industrial disaster of all times to a penal provision, of death by negligence. Over 20,000 died and some half a million maimed in varying degrees and alleged culprits got away with 2 years imprisonment and l lakh fine. Yes it was a case of locking the stable after the horse has bolted, ‘too little too late’. The government, in long slumber, woke up to form a ‘Group of Ministers’ to go into all aspects of the case from the escape of Chairman of UCC Warren Anderson to the compensation and rehabilitation of victims. We have taken up the issue of Bhopal under Focus, for the enormity of the subject. Hope readers will find it illuminating. Do revert with your thoughts. Rest of the issues are as usual.