Month-In-Perspective

KARNATAKA: For quite some time Karnataka has been in the news, mainly for all wrong reasons. The most important being the continuous skirmishes within the state BJP body politic. Ever since BS Yediyurappa’s reluctant stepping down as CM, the circus within the BJP ruled state government had reached ridiculous proportions, with party insiders themselves feeling sorry for the low level of antics by all and sundry in the party hierarchy. It has already seen 3 Chief Ministers in less than 3 years period with BSY threatening to start his own political outfit. Then there was this foreign travels by legislators belonging to all political parties, having great time in South American countries, at the cost of public money, at the times of drought in most parts of the state, and perforce had to cancel their trip. Then there is this Cauvery water distribution problem. While it is true that there has been some 35% less rain and therefore less available for release at the KRS reservoir, there could have been more imaginative statesmanship on either side to address the issue. Jayalalitha is certainly not a saint and is not expected to be so, the leadership in Karnataka had the responsibility to take Tamil Nadu authorities into confidence before taking unilateral decisions regarding the water release. After all water is a national resource, and needs of everybody are same. Of course PM Manmohan Singh added to the problem by refusing to see the Karnataka CM when he came to Delhi only to see the PM. This was no way to treat the CM of a state. Hope God Varuna comes to the rescue of all parties to the problem in Nov/Dec period. So that being Indian scores over being parochial.

Despite all these problems, the government in Bengalooru has reportedly finalised a blue print for a Five Star Government Guest House at the cost of some Rs. 75 crores at Kumara Park area of the city. This new development is ostensibly to accommodate the increasing number of VIPs visiting the state and other government guests. From the overall experience of the past, it can be safely  wagered that its utilization may be more for political heavy weights and less for foreign guests. It is sure to be a white elephant. Government can certainly have rate contracts with different hotels in the city for visiting guests of the state, if cutting cost is the objective, as was claimed. 

Belgaum is in the news for all right reasons. If Mohamed cannot go to Mountain, Mountain has to come to Mohamed. That’s what happened to Belgaum when the government in Bengalooru came calling to meet the people of Belgaum with this newly constructed Suvarna Saudha. It is indeed a gift to the citizens of Belgaum as Karnataka celebrates the Rajyotsava Day on Nov 1. Hope the development shall receive a much needed kick start for the entire moribund North Karnataka with the complete government apparatus made available to the people of the region ‘on a platter’ so to say.

While congratulating the Karnataka govt for this thoughtful development, for this ‘singular achievement of bringing the administration closure to people, in Belgaum  itself there are other issues needing pertinent attention. Govt has reportedly spent some Rs: 400 crores for this Suvarna Saudha, but they give an impression of being “penny wise and pound foolish”. While it will be wrong to call this expenditure of 400 crores as pound foolish, they apparently do not think that “it is wrong for boys and girls to share the same hostel premises where inmates’ privacy is compromised”.

There is this hostel run by Deptt. of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) near Kolapur circle in Belgaum, both men’s and women’s hostel is housed in the same premises which includes common dining hall. This has been reportedly so, for the last 10 years.

The girl inmates, 48 in number, who are mostly wrestlers and judokas, do feel the need for a separate area for relaxation after their training or practice. A retired senior Coach Seshanna too feel the need for a separate area for girls to relax, especially after the training. Any inhibitions on the part of girls will only stymie their performance and thus shall render their efforts as well as govt expenditure, a waste. 

It is true that, mercifully, there have been no untoward incident of any kind for any female hostelites. And like any govt. official, H. Basavraj, Dy Director of DYSS, feels ‘there is no need to change the status quo since nothing has happened for all these 10 years’. So quite frankly, like all our developmental approach, we wait for an accident or an untoward incident to happen. Only then we will realise the need to go for a separate hostel for girls. This is Yeh Mera India.

While we are about it, it is important to note the angry remarks of Shiv Sena and other Maharashtra politicians in asking president Pranab Mukherji to cancel his participation in the Suvarna Saudha inauguration. For all the 56 years since 1956, some or the other politicians from Maharashtra, always complained about Belgaum being in Karnataka. Mahajan Commission, which has gone into the issue has reiterated the correctness of Belgaum being in Karnataka. But the larger issue is, there is no serious problem on the ground except that those who are speaking Marathi in Belgaum had asked bilingual government notification of all relevant govt papers.

This is only an administrative decision, and there need not be any problem for Govt in Bengalooru to concede. However what is needed is to get both Maharashtra and Karnataka to feel as Indians first, all else later. For this to happen, I & C had suggested in the past to both Karnataka politicians and some civic groups in Belgaum, to install in a public place, a memorial for 26/11 hero, Tukaram Ombale. Of course it is a tragedy that many in India do not even remember his name, but most remember, the villain of 26/11, Ajmal Kasab.

The present Suvarna Saudha, if  some space can be found within its compound, can show case the life size statue of this Ombale, as a martyr’s memorial, this can unmistakably send an emotional message to all Maharashtrians that we are all Indians. Hope politicians in Bengalooru take the call. 

UTTAR PRADESH: There was this small 10 lined report “Sachan wife Questions Probe” under ‘SHORT TAKES’ in Times of India, Mumbai edition. It was indeed a short take, because we are used to give short shrifts to anything relevant but inconvenient. Malti Sachan, the wife of former U.P. Dy CMO Y.S. Sachan, questioned CBI’s closure report on Dr Sachan’s murder case. Although the details are not available, it appears that CBI suddenly became efficient, that it decided to close the case which is probably not even one year old. If the wife of the victim doubts the intention of the agency, there is certainly more to it than just closure. She may be right when she has alleged in her application asking for a copy of closure report that CBI was motivated to close the case only to save real culprits who are high-ups in UP political establishment. Public are privy to the goings on in Delhi about BSP prop to the fledgling UPA II, post Mamata withdrawl of support. Some way of saying 'Thank you' to BSP Supremo ‘Maya-jaal’, the former UP Chief Minister, by compromising truth and justice!?

ORISSA: There was this debate in the electronic media, anchored by a former BBC, ‘Hard Talk’ host Tim Sebastian, “ARE INDIANS MEAN”. 64% said ‘Yes’, after the debate, which was 3% more than what the crowd had voted prior to the debate. Of course there were not many, either in the panel or among the audience to tell stories of monumental meanness that is fairly rampant all over India. There is always a solution for economic poverty, but for mental poverty there is no solution. In this Mera Bharat Mahan, there are millions who suffer from mental poverty. There is this story of a mother selling her 17 months old child for Rs. 5000/-. Stories of such sales due to poverty are there in the media, appearing fairly regularly. But to sell a child, whom you have looked after for 17 months, to buy a cell phone, a pair of jeans and some matching tops is probably the most bizarre anybody must have come across. But this is exactly what happened in Orissa, early this month. Rakhi Patra of Mundamala village sold her baby son to one Babula Behara of Cuttack, and refused to take it back, when the issue became public and police intervened. What can we call this?

MAHARASHTRA: There was this film ‘Ardh Satya’, about the frustration of a police officer fighting corruption in government. The frustration goes to its zenith, when he was deployed as security incharge for the very same minister whom he was following in his corruption trail. Of course in the film police officer succumbs to his sense of self respect and kills the minister, when minister makes fun of his helplessness. Can that happen in real time politics? There was this report, although happened few months ago, but remained uncommented, or probably even ignored by many in the media. Gulabrao Deokar is a minister in Maharashtra Govt. and belongs to coalition partner NCP of Sharad Pawar. He was arrested by Jalgaon Police and having failed to get bail from High Court, manages bail from apex court for a mere 10 days. During these days happens the independence day, and as district incharge minister he is supposed to or rather privileged to unfurl the national flag on 15th Aug. In the event, those very same police officer and his personnel have to give him a guard of honour and have to salute this accused minister. What can be more tragic and humiliating for the police? But quite strangely, why did apex court decided to give him bail, that too only for 10 days, knowing fully well the possibility of disrespect to the national flag, because of an accused unfurling it?

Can you imagine an Indian, a Hindu at that, roaming about in Karachi freely for years with visa being extended from time to time, using his car with a red beacon ! Yeh tho mushkil he nahee, naa mumkin hai. Indeed it will well neigh be impossible. But in India reverse is quite possible if a report from Mumbai in the print media is to be believed.

SayyedWaseem-ur-Rehman Shah - a so-called spiritual guide-a Pakistani, visited India for the first time in Nov 2006, on a 90 days visit visa. And believe it or not he is still in the country, reportedly with extended visa valid upto Dec 2012. So, for all these years, he has been in and out of India many times. Media also reports about some private complaint lodged against him for making inflammatory speeches in Sangli and Mumbai. Complaint also talks about his alleged attempt of usurping a dargah land in Bhandup, a Mumbai suburb. Now comes the allegation that he roams freely in a vehicle with red beacon. Bombay High Court has seized of the issue and have pulled up the police “How can you let this man, who has offences registered against him roam freely in the city?" If one thinks, Vadra was not wrong after all, when he called India a ‘Banana Republic’, cannot be faulted. In India of 21st century it may not be shocking after all!

NEW DELHI: Chidambaram, despite his proximity to the power centre of UPA II, do have his ‘Nay’ Sayers. Not merely from the opposition but also from within the UPA power portal. If Subramanian Swamy, is a constant irritation to the present finance minister, there are others from high position who have perceptions vastly different from the power centres. Deposing before the JPC, ex-cabinet Secretary KM Chandrashekhar has informed that it was “Finance Ministry under Pranab framed 2G note on PC”. According to media report, former cabinet Secretary’s submission indicate that the "buck for the 2G note stops at the finance ministry, fair and square, even if jury is still out on, if there was a deliberate intent behind stating ‘DOT could have invoked cancellation clause if finance ministry had stuck to its stand of auctioning the 44MHz spectrum’." Thus, being back in the seat of FM, is not going to be comfortable for PC who was the former FM before Pranab Mukherjee, who is currently the official 1st citizen of the country. Good luck to PC.

The whole of India is privy to the disclosure of Team Kejriwal on Robert Vadra’s alleged financial wrong doings and his histrionics. While it may not be relevant to go into the actual figures of alleged financial misdemeanors of parties to these charges, it is very important how parties have reacted to these allegations. Some people had the gumption of remembering some Hindi film villains as Roberts, who are depicted as bad in the film, is only because, if ‘t’ is removed only the word ‘rober’ remains. Although one who loots is ‘robber’ with one additional ‘b’, this ‘rober’ at least phonetically merges with the ‘robber’. The other was the comment by Robert Vadra, one of the party to the alleged wrong doing. This Robert Vadra, being in close proximity to the most powerful family in the present day India, has the capacity to hit the bulls eye, may be for wrong reasons. Hence what he said shall remain in the media debate for a long time, whether anybody likes it or not. He had reportedly called his beite noire, the Team Kejriwal, as “Mango People in Banana Republic”. Sources close to this Vadra had stated, this to be a ‘light comment’, but it did become, to his utter chagrin, an explosive comment. In one sweep, this Vadra had reduced the country and its people to a mere joke. Roget’s Thesaurus describes ‘Banana Republic’ in some 750 words. All words connotes largely the same or similar inferences, meaning ‘uselessness, trash, nonentity where law and order has no space for operation’. This is, according to I & C, is a serious accusation from an apparently powerful part of the government. But for some strange reasons, except a few in the electronic media, entire print media ignored it. By this act alone media has proved this Vadra right, isn’t it!? That Vadra has closed his Face book page is a tribute to the reaction of at least some of the members of the 4th estate and of course Team Kejriwal, is no reason to feel nice. Vadra has to apologise to the nation for this highly childish and irresponsible remark. Of course it is another matter that, constitutional authorities like H R Bhardwaj , the Karnataka governor has gone on record, almost calling Robert Vadra as a “towering personality” like Indira Gandhi. This was an extremely unfortunate and uncalled for intervention from a person holding constitutional position. Besides it was very amusing to see how UPA II ministers of Congress Party and their spokespersons rushing to the defence of this upstart called Robert Vadra. And mind you, Union Law Minister of India, reportedly stated “I am prepared to die for my leader”. This is an absolutely outlandish statement for the Indian Law Minister Salman Khurshid to say. Isn’t it right for Arvind Kejriwal (AK) to question the very propriety of an Union Law Minister, (Like Bhardwaj was in the past), when AK put Salman Khurshid on the spot by saying “You are the Law Minister of India, who does not want to die for India, your land of birth and all that you got, but want to die for an individual, who is only the president of your party, who was not even an Indian till some decades ago?” Thus all these people, beginning from Karnataka Governor Bhardwaj, and to all those UPA II functionaries, are only rushing to prove that they are indeed 'Mango People in Banana Republic'.

Yes indeed, this upstart Robert Vadra is very right or at least these UPA II functionaries are trying their best to prove him right,  of India being a “Banana Republic”, or else can anybody justify the inclusion of Suresh Kalmadi, of Congress, A. Raja & Kanimozhi of DMK in House Panels?!

The world is privy to the fact that all these three were jailed, and are out only on bail. They are accused of serious financial irregularities running into thousands of crores, in the administration of Common Wealth Games and allocation of 2G spectrum. But for this PC Chacko, the JPC chairman and Congress spokesman, it is the prerogative of any Member of Parliament-jailed, bailed, convicted-no big deal, as long as their status as members of Parliament is not cancelled by the speaker or the court order. Every panel member of such committees has an enormous influence on the working of committees of even calling for files and officials in the apparent discharge of their functioning as committee members. In such case, how can any committee be above board? Isn’t this a clear indication of a Banana Republic where even a jail bird can sit on judgement?!

After the recent media blitz on the financial irregularities in the company’s of BJP President Nitin Gadkari, it was very amusing to read what he had categorically stated some three weeks earlier.

Media had gone to the market, with handful of documents to prove the many wrong doing by Gadkari, and when electronic media cornered him to respond to some of their pertinent questions, he had just walked away, visibly in discomfort. In the last BJP conclave that took place in New Delhi on 29th Sept, the party had drawn up a whole lot of plan to hit the road with Gadkari announcing the slogan ‘Congress Bhrastachar hatao, desh bachao’. But the latest media onslaught on Gadkari, and BJP going little quite, has seriously put paid into any war cry they had planned before the Gujarat Election due in Dec 2012. Also in jeopardy is the possible re-election of Nitin Gadkari as BJP president for the 2nd term. It is indeed an unenviable position to both the largest political parties of India, ruling as well as opposition. Indeed ‘hamaam mein, hum sub nungey hain’.                                   

WORLD: Suddenly, in recent days there have been few positive India centric developments in Pakistan. One was the Shadman Chowk of Lahore being renamed as Bhagat Singh Chowk. It is indeed a good gesture, but a long overdue one. It came rather so late in the day, after 65 years of Indian sub-continent being politically independent. It was in 1931, that Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh was hanged in the Lahore jail, for the assassination of DSP Saunders, earlier in 1930. He had planned to kill Lahore Police Chief Scott, but by mistake Saunders became his victim. As history records, Shaheed Bhagat Singh is one of the most inspirational icons of Indian freedom struggle. He was born in the Lyallpur district of West Punjab, presently in Pakistan and died in Lahore central prison, which too is in Pakistan. Hence commemoration of his memory should have been the natural corollary immediately after the independence in 1947. But his being a Sikh was a problem to the Pakistani mindset, which took 65 years to overcome. However, better late than never. Two cheers for the Pakistani leadership of Nooral Amin Mengal, the  Distt. Administrator of Lahore City. 

Another path breaking development has been that of a blasphemy case on the reverse gear. In an extremely rare incident, a blasphemy case has been registered by one of the Karachi police station against some 9 Muslims for ransacking of a Hindu temple in Gulshan-e-Maywar area of Karachi, besides looting and vandalism being other charges. Pakistanis were protesting the U.S. film “Innocence of Muslims”, during which time this attack on Hindu place of worship took place. According to Zohra Yousuf of Pakistan Human Rights Groups, she “had never heard of a blasphemy case against Muslims for damaging a place of worship." Thus, this was indeed a surprising development. Is Pakistan turning over a new leaf over its relationship with India? This latest development indicates some radical positive change. Hope it remains.

In a similar development in Bangladesh against the U.S film locals reportedly torched some 11 Buddhist temples, besides some Hindu place of worship, and ransacked some 30 Buddhist houses. The ire of Bangladeshis was no doubt against U.S for allowing the film’s  release and exhibition, but the Burmese ethnic cleansing, involving Rohingyas was also the reason for the attack on Buddhist temples. In a world getting increasingly polarized on religious lines, these violent remonstrations represent the failure of human societies to co-habit in peace. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar are all part of larger Indian geographical map, connected by land. While Pakistan and Bangladesh are part of the pan-Indian landscape, Myanmar is only an extension of Indology with Buddhism having occupied as the official religion of the country. Thus there is commonality among all four of us with innate Indianism. Some kind of a block, among these nations, may be possible to be created, with Indian initiative. What all need to understand and appreciate is, whenever there is a public display of anger, leading to violence, rightly or wrongly, it is the poor who suffer the most. Some time it can be tragically irrepairable. So as a responsible and responsive citizenry, what is possible to be done, has to be given a try. It is certainly in the realm of possibility and not utopian at all. Hope somebody somewhere takes the initiative at an appropriate level to make this difference. 

“Zardari asks Sindh govt to frame Law to Stop Forced Conversion”, was a report datelined Islamabad, some time ago. Against the backdrop of reports of mass migration of Hindus from Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly directed the government in Karachi to draft laws to amend Pakistan constitution as part of the effort to prevent forced conversion of minorities in the Sindh province. Forced marriages of Hindu women to Muslim men and then converting them has been an ongoing perpetration practiced across the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and government looked the other way not wanting to take on the mob fury led by fundamentalists. Despite there being a Human Rights Groups, for all the 65 years, since the creation of Pakistan, minority identity was being systematically destroyed, is a fact known to all. But some of our so-called respectable media houses, somehow refused to take cogent note of it, for their ‘secular agenda’. But the fact remains that a theocratic state like Pakistan cannot protect the interest of minorities, whether it is Hindus or Christians. When Ahmediyas and other miniscule Muslim Groups themselves are target of Sunni authoritarianism in Pakistan, what hope can Hindus and Christians have, to protect themselves? President Zardari probably means well, but who listens to him or his ilk?!

Someday it had to happen. It is inevitable. Human spirit cannot remain subjugated forever. But it happened at one of the most unlikeliest of places, right in the Taliban stronghold of Swat in Pakistan. Story of Malala Yousufzai is a story, right out of some Hollywood thriller. For a 14 year old, she is certainly the best thing that has happened to the directionless Pakistani leadership. The targeted shooting of  Malala, after being identified by people around the school, she is attending, is not only the most despicable act of violence but the height of cowardice. That a 14 year old girl couldn’t be handled by this crazy Talibanies without violence is the reflection of its desperation and failure of Pakistani leadership. Entire humanity, not just the Muslim world should celebrate this young icon, who should be globally recognized for the bravery and strength of character she displayed in standing upto the decadent Taliban culture. 

The fact that she is the first recipient of Pakistan’s National Peace Award for youth, is certainly commendable for being imaginative in her selection for the award. It does show that there exists a space within the Pakistani mindset that a fighter for a just cause is publicly recognised, more so if she is a girl child. Kudos to those who honoured this courageous spirit. Now that she is slowly recovering in a London hospital, lets all pray that she recovers fast so that someday she become a BEACON OF HOPE for all women especially Muslim women the world over. Two cheers to Malala Yousufzai.

The tragedy of Pakistan is if there are incidents like honouring the likes of Malala there are others who reflect a barbarian and extremely backward mindset. 

A member of Baluchistan Assembly reportedly presided over a tribal council to give away 13 girls, aged between 4 and 16 years, in marriage to settle a clan dispute between two disagreeable tribal groups. For these tribals, who probably swear by the higher tradition of Islam, these girls were mere goats and lambs meant only to be sacrificed, and not as human beings just as these tribal men themselves. 

Of course the apex court in Pakistan took a suo moto  notice of the incident and has directed the officials in Baluchistan to take action against those responsible. The dispute, reportedly was an issue of murder of a member of an tribe by the somebody from the other tribe. To correct one bloody wrong, these tribal councils are committing more bizarre crime of bartering young girls, so that bad men go scot free and girls and women continue their journey of unending suffering in these pockets of inhumanity. Even apex court, reportedly, only fined tribaly council some Rs. 3 million, and just didn’t take the call to set right the blatant miscarriage of justice. God save Pakistan. 

J.Shriyan