MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE

MAHRARASHTRA: There was this news item some weeks ago in the English daily of Mumbai “Old captain, oldest debutant”. They were about guys unsung and hence probably 24x7 electronic media didn’t pick up the news since there was no sensation quotient. A 35 old Wassim Jaffar was captaining the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team. And another, believe it or not, a 42 year old was to make his debut. Was this because, there were no players in Mumbai to be part of the team? No. For Mumbai, there is no dearth of players ‘Q’ ing up. But quite frankly, selectors for Mumbai, ‘realized’ for the first time that there is a guy who really bowls well and a decent bat too. So he becomes an all rounder. Surely this 42 years old debutant must have been around for over 20 years looking for break. But remained ignored for varieties of reasons including lack of god father. Until of course, Rahul Dravid, the captain of Rajasthan Royal, the IPL team, picked him up and played him. And played him over and over again. And this 42 year old, latest Ranji Trophy debutant, did not disappoint his captain. He returned the tally of the highest wicket taker in the IPL 4, concluded some months ago. And suddenly the Mumbai selectors woke up from their deep slumber and may be even bias, to include Pravin Tambe, in this year’s Ranji Trophy team. And media carries the story of hunger for runs of a man who has always been hungry to be in the lime light. Sachin Tendulkar still wants to play Ranji Trophy and does not mind denying an aspiring youngster. This is Yeh Mera India, where those who get more they still keep getting more, and remain hungry for more & more.

Some weeks back, there was this report “Why BMC School fail to deliver!” The report informs ‘Civic schools continue to underperform despite the money spent by the BMC per student per year being more than that spent by many private-aided schools in Mumbai. According to the report, while in 2008/09, the government was spending Rs: 20165/- it has more than doubled to 2 ½ times at Rs: 59828/- during 2013/14. 

Praja Foundation (PF), an NGO, obtained these startling details through their RTI query. Covering a sample size of some 24700 students, survey by PF found that most schools had a pass percentage of some 38%, despite the fact that the inspector of education deptt. filed a very exaggerated rating on the quality of teachers of these schools. All of these teachers, in one area, got high inspection marks on attributes like, qualification, education, experience, teaching methods etc. Obviously, it was all hogwash. It exposed the entire system of education department to evaluate its own people, the teachers. To come to think, that the government had budgeted for 2013/14 – around Rs: 60000/- per student, and 62 of every 100 students have failed, is a serious reflection on the very governance of the Maharashtra government. It reflects the comprehensive failure, that these teachers, or at least most of them are there only to be around in the school to complete the number of hours every day and get paid a fat government salary. So the schools have become teacher and inspector centric rather than student centric. The report by Praja Foundation has also exposed the bankruptcy of political leadership of Bombay Municipal Corporation. According to PF, of 227 corporators, 164 of them did not ask even one question on education or on the state of government schools in Mumbai. It also informs that only 5 city fathers asked more than 5 questions on education during the entire year, while reporting that there have been 15% to 20% school dropouts which did not merit any query by elected representatives. Yes, as report suggest that unless there is continuous and comprehensive performance linked appraisal of teachers, government shall continue to spend huge money, with education department and its inspectors fiddling instead of monitoring, continue to keep the result of students passing well below 40%. But then, its been the same story for all these years in most parts of India. There was this survey of governmental educational scene some months ago and an English weekly carried this title on its cover “The empty promise of primary education in India – CANT READ CANT WRITE, CANT COUNT.” That is indeed very sad. And it is a documented truth. Yes, unless the skills of teachers are ungraded and only committed teachers are selected and appointed, situation shall continued to be sad and bad.  

A Pune based research group Arthakranti Pratisthan, which translates as Foundation for Economic Revolution, has come up with a revolutionary idea of scrapping all direct and indirect taxes in favour of a nominal transaction tax only on receipts. Not surprisingly, BJP reportedly has picked up the idea to study the proposal. Prima facie, it is indeed a positive response by BJP. Surely governments any where need money to run the state. It has to come from public space or assets of the nation, or both. India like most countries have to make do with both its natural resources and from public, as individual and corporate houses. While earning through natural resources can be easier organized, the collection from public is fairly complex, which leaves good portion uncovered or inefficiently covered for varieties of reason especially in a huge country like India. Taxation, as is the logic, is based on ‘what the traffic can bear’. Hence it has to be easy on those who have less means to pay and vice versa. Thus if there is a proposal to scrap all taxes, all those who are in the tax net shall be happy to declare all their earning, thus removing black money in a single stroke. But the proposal to charge only on receipt, then a certain lower limit may also has to be in place. Since every receipt to one amounts to a payment from the other, the report is unclear if it is covering the income or expenditure.

It is also not clear, if the nominal rate suggested is single, double, triple or multiple depending on the amount involved. It has got to be at least double, with some minimum exemption limit.

Any statutory measure that would leave more money with people with inadequate means or less income, is a welcome measure. 

Yet another time, CBI has proved itself as a helpless organisation. In the wake of Adarsh scam, and the subsequent charge sheet by the CBI on the involvement of former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan, and the refusal of the state Governor to permit his prosecution, the premier investigation agency, could have waited for different options to be considered. Instead CBI appealed to the special CBI court to drop Ashok Chavan’s name from its charge sheet.

As if to throw its appeal out of the window, the judge S.G. Dhige, reportedly one lined his order “I am rejecting this application”.

This has not only caused avoidable discomfiture to the CBI but has also put paid to the plan of Maharashtra's political establishment to rehabilitate Ashok Chavan. Both are in a quandary. Besides, it has questioned the legitimacy of Governor's refusal to sanction permission to prosecute this former CM, who had, by his own indiscretion, allotted 3 flats in the Adarsh society, to his relatives. “He owes an explanation to the public” is the demand of state opposition leaders. Is the film “Hum Sab Chor Hai” is an apt description of the situation!

UTTAR PRADESH: Who is Salman Khan after all? A mere film actor. And these jokers in Uttar Pradesh, invites him and some other females including the so-called Dhak Dhak girl, for a floor show at the cost of public money. U.P. has been in the news for all wrong reasons these days, with father and son duo – Mulayam & Akhilesh Yadav – being insensitive to the core, decides to have a festival despite the Muzaffarnagar tales of suffering by the victim of a riot, hogging the limelight.

Reportedly, payout was in crores of rupees, for these gyrating filmy folks, who too had the full knowledge of the suffering humanity at Muzaffarnagar. But then it was big money.

Fortunately Mahesh Bhatt, another thinking filmy man, had the sense of accepting the apparent slip and regretted publicly for the participation of his daughter in the festival show and reportedly asked her to donate the entire earning from the show to the fund for Muzaffarnagar victims.

And comes this Salman Khan, asking Bhatt not to apolgoise. Reportedly even the other khan, named Shah Rukh, too seem to have joined Salman in defending the participation in the show by these cine actors. But then, these filmy folks, always thought they are exclusive. Its time general public take a call to put these made up heroes in place. Will it happen?

WEST BENGAL: State owned Coal India Ltd. has done well to pay a special dividend of Rs:29/- or 290% for the year 2013/14 ostensibly as interim.

Since the government owns 90% of CIL, it could get Rs: 16486 crores. Then of course the dividend tax to the tune of Rs: 3113/- crore, helped the Union Govt. mop up close to Rs: 19600 crores.

Since the government had the target of collecting Rs: 40,000/- crores via divestment, this interim dividend had greatly helped to come close to its target to bridge the deficit of 4.8% of the GDP in the current fiscal.

The move by CIL is likely to be followed   by other blue chip PSUs who are all sitting on huge cash reserves.

In fact, these cash reserves readily available, have always been a source, which most finance ministers failed to tap in case of need. According to an estimate there is around 1.80 lakh crores available with these Public Sector Companies which truly belong to the government. Hope both company management and the government act in unison to salvage the economy in need of injection of fund free of encumbrance. Do you harken Mr Finance Minister!

NEW DELHI: Post meeting between Arvind Kejriwal of AAP and controversial cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, there was this tweet by Bangladeshi controversial writer Taslima Nasreen criticizing the meeting.

She was probably justified in criticizing the cleric who had issued a fatwa against her, sometime in 2007. These fatwas can be fatal at times, and certainly Taslima’s situation was indeed vulnerable. Thus, the tweet became a handle to beat her under section 66(a) of IT act. Thus when somebody complained to UP police on behalf of cleric, and an ever obliging ‘secular’ Samajawdi Party government of Uttar Pradesh acted fast. After all, a Muslim cleric’s sentiments were hurt. An FIR was filed by the police promptly. Fortunately for Taslima, there are more Indians who want to help her in her times of troubles than those who create trouble and possibly even hold death threats. Senor Supreme Court Lawyer KK Venugopal appearing for the Bangladeshi writer told the Supreme Court that the tweet cannot be construed as an offence under the said ITA clause, and court restrained UP police from taking any coercive step against Taslima.

But what really baffles logic is the prompt action of UP police in initiating action against the Bangladeshi fugitive, who fled her country in the face of militancy similar to the one prevailing in U.P. and other parts of India, including Hyderabad. There are a number of issues on which police should be acting, or administration should be concerned, but are glossed over by political compulsions. It is another sad aspect of Yeh Mera India.

Minister of state for statistics & progamme implementation (MOSPI), of Govt. of India is reported to have stated the other day that delay in over 300 projects to cost more than Rs:175000 crores, in excess of budget outlays.

While this is indeed a very serious issue, not merely for the increased amount that the exchequer has to pay, but also these projects that have taken lakhs of crores of national resources, are still non-performing. If it is borrowed money there is an interest component, which can only gallop in coming days, not just walking or walking briskly. It is a plain and simple arithmetic and it does not require the brains of an economist Prime Minister, who chair the cabinet committee for investment. Suddenly the 2014 election is round the corner, and everybody from Srikant Jena, the MOSPI, to FM Palaniappan Chidambaram to the PM Dr Manmohan Singh, are trying to hit the bulls eye.

According to reports, the problems for the delay in completion of projects are many, like land acquisition, law and order, rehabilitation and resettlement problem, fund constraints, delay in environment clearances, right of way or right of use, delay in supply of material and contractual issues. Of course, it has to be accepted that, unlike, dictatorial police regimes, like the middle eastern countries or even centrally controlled communist regimes, like in China, in a democratic polity, it is not possible to rush through any decision for obvious reasons. But fact remains that seriousness, in making every rupee of the public exchequer to work for the country, is not there. There is this saying that if you look at the bottle, the bottleneck is at the top, meaning, if the top is clear of any blocks, - mental or physical – the flow is normally smooth. Hence, problem is with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. We all know, Finance Minister P. Chidambarm, is from business community, and hence openly bats for trade and commerce. He is business friendly. There are any number of instances where he tried to influence course of events, including trying to arm twist RBI governor. While economic growth is an essential part of governance, it has to be people centric. Inequity is our national malaise, and we take powerless stake holders for granted. These are bound to raise problems of compensation led land acquisition, rehabilitation package etc. which can lead to law and order issues. There is also the mai-bap culture of favouritism, which in the ultimate analysis has led to many avoidable bottlenecks to smooth flow.

Thus, the problem of such delays, and the consequent cost overruns have always been endemic, it has come to the centre stage only because of the coming election and the prospects of losing power. Hope someday, politicians will work for the country rather than their party or personal agenda of friends, relatives and cronies.  

The issue involving diplomat Devyani Khobragade, was by any stretch of imagination, an entirely avoidable mishap. If American police, guided by some misguided elements in the system, acted rather stupidly, even to the extent of strip searching a lady, and then putting her in lock-up of common criminals and drug addict, Indian government led by its MEA Salman Khurshid showed a complete lack of considered application. After all, it is purported to be a visa fraud allegedly committed by a member of Indian chancery in the U.S. Of course, it could as well be an eminently fit illegality to file a case of crime or irregularity. 

The case has been there in the media space for over a month. But it was allowed to fester for no good reason. If the misguided action by the U.S. police and the New York’s legal eagles has in the first place showed a super power in poor light towards a strong regional power by its own strength, India on in its part wanted to show, that it will not buckle under the weight of super power gimmick.  In the end both turned unreasonable and their actions unsustainable in the larger context of international geo-political relations. 

But the truth of the matter is there is prima facie an element of untruth in what the lady Indian envoy did. To that extent American labour law can be made to apply. But that the U.S. decided to hit rather very hard at the envoy, did indicate a kind of method in madness. It appeared to have been planned as the truth of the case started to emerge. 

But what saddened at least some of the more sensitive Indians who moaned in public space “Soldiers’ beheading failed to evoke such reaction”. They were comparing our governments reaction to the Devyani episode to that of the beheading of 3 Indian jawans by Pakistani rangers. All that MEA did was to express shock and issue ‘strongly worded’ letters to the press. And we have seen such umpteen instances by the mandarin and political leadership. Thus the latest outburst of words and action was a pleasant departure, however misplaced. But then weren’t we always like this, ‘Kabhi Naram Naram, Kabhi Garam Garam’. To quote a Hollywood film, ‘Blow Hot Blow Cold’.

There was this report some weeks ago, attributing it to some Congress member of parliament. “Save Goans from losing Indian citizenship”, was the call by Shantaram Naik, urging the Indian government to help salvage a situation of helplessness of about one lakh, presently Portuguese nationals, who were India born. These, about one lakh, Portuguese nationals, who opted for that nationality, in 2006, as per a Portuguese law, had acted in their own selfish interest to jettison their Indian citizenship. Naturally under section 9(2) of the Citizenship Act of 1955, anybody who has willingly given up Indian citizenship in favour of an alien nation, would automatically lose the right of being a citizen of India. 

Giving up citizenship, prima facie, means rejection, and hence there is no case for consideration for return.  Hence those who have thrown away a birth right, as unwanted, have forfeited their right to return. Since it was their considered decision, to leave the tag of being Indian, it must be allowed to rest there, since India respected their wish to become Portuguese, in search of an El Dorado.

Vini Vidi Vici, is an old Latin saying, meaning, Came Saw and Conquered. Indeed AAP came, articulated and conquered. But sadly with the same speed, AAP lost most of it, if not all of it. The ground swell of goodwill that Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP managed to win, built over a period, although a little over a year, its leaders, including its top man Arvind Kejriwal, managed to just throw it away, by its very unimaginative and irresponsible behaviour.

Oscar Wilde, had famously observed long ago, ‘When someone does a thoroughly stupid thing, its` always with good intentions'. The dharna, by the Chief Minister was indeed unacceptable, which surely caused lot of public inconvenience besides being a nuisance. That he got a part of his demand met and called it people’s victory, does not take away, the crudity of it all.

Sorry! Arvind, this was simply not expected of you and your team. We all know, AAP is different, but for heaven’s sake do not reduce it to a 'tamaasha', in your great hurry to do things. Notwithstanding, what we write, or people say, wisdom surely must have already had the better of you with sober souls like Yogendra Yadav being around. Hope, there will never be a repetition of what happened in Delhi during 19th and 21st of Jan. 

Cancellation of Augusta Westland Chopper deal for the supply of 12 VVIP helicopters has raised more question than it tried to answer. Apparently, the deal, which was mired in payoffs and bribes, was cancelled to ward off any further uncomfortable queries involving persons in position. In fact it can even be inferred to mean as an attempt to cover up.

Now that the country is heading for a general election only a few days away, this decision to cancel the deal was to present a political straight face of the incumbent government. We have already received 3 of the 12 ordered choppers and have already paid the bulk of supply price. Although these were the very pricey kind, these choppers were very much needed. Hence cancellation really do not make sense. What should have happened is the investigation of pay-off to some middle men. CBI is already in the thick of its investigation into the multi crore bribe scandal involving this deal. Law ministry, obviously under pressure, refused to grant permission to CBI to quiz Goa Governor Wanchoo and West Bengal Governor Narayanan in the case. These two gentlemen were involved in the meeting that cleared the specification favouring Augusta Choppers. So the rat is very much there. But what will happen to the advance money already paid so also the Rs.362 crore alleged bribe involved in the procurement process of this deal? Will the file, like the now infamous Bofors case, be closed? is a question lost in the corridors of power. Poor Mother India.

WORLD: American Medical Journal recently published a report about the smoking habit among men and women. Startling as it may sound, in smoking, Indian women are second in the world, next only to Americans. Yes, in a survey of some 187 countries for the years – 1980-2012, its been found that there are over 12 million women, slaves to this killing habit. This is despite knowing that millions of people all over the world succumb to this dreaded habit. What is interesting in the finding is men in India seem to learn lessons in good health. Reportedly Indian men, who were smoking in 1980 at about 34% has come down to 23% that is a reduction of some 33%, although globally the total smokers have gone up from 721 million to 967 million during the survey period. However same cannot be said about Indian women. In a liberalized and globalised socio-economic scenario, Indian women found freedom more than earlier years. Unfortunately their financial freedom only led them to submit to the pleasure of puff. Sadly, the survey indicated that Indian women have defeated the Indian men folk in smoking, due to their new found emancipation. Is this a misplaced exercise of freedom? Only women and the proponents of their socio-economic freedom should be able to answer. 

Surely all agree that smoking is bad, probably worse than drinking alcohol, since smoking forces passive smokers to inhale thus affecting non-smokers health as well, at home, offices and public space. In economics, we are taught of what is a ‘demonstration effect’ as a factor influencing social behaviour and therefore the prices. It talks about, villagers imitating bigger villages, who in turn imitate town folks. Towns look to cities, then to larger cities. Mega city dwellers imitate foreign location for their inspiration or habit etc.

Thus is it the new assertiveness among women, due to increased money earning power, that is taking its toll?!

The global policeman, the United States, is at it again. “U.S. calls for fresh vote in Bangladesh” has not surprised many. After all it was the same country that sent 7th fleet to brow beat the then East-Pakistan, which was at war with West Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. U.S. has different yardsticks to different people. China can ‘cock-a-snook’, at the world at large and get way, and U.S. may have nothing really to say. It has done everything possible in Iraq to get Saddam out on imaginary WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction), but has nothing to say when confronted with the involvement of Saudi Arabia in 9/11 bombing of World Trade Centre, despite ‘incontrovertible evidence’. There are any number of instances of blatant double standards by the U.S. administration.

So there is nothing special about their observation on the recent election in Bangladesh. Indeed there was poll related violence, which was boycotted by a large section of Bangladeshis. But why did they boycott? Why did they resort to large scale violence? Why the main opposition party is in cohorts with pro Pak militant outfits, which are banned? It’s all very well for the U.S. and its western allies to mouth inanities of the clergy. Dynamics of the internal situation in Bangladesh has its own method in madness. In a world, where militant led violence has to be taken head-on, what Sheikh Hasina did need to be applauded. She is on course and we all must wish her, her government and all Bangladeshis well. India, like Russia had accepted the pole verdict and left it to the elected government to do what it thinks should be done, since the record of Sheikh Hasina is better, under the circumstances, in protecting religious minorities. The latest acceptance by China, of the elected government in Dacca, is a welcome development. Hope the rest of the world is nudged to fall in line with China on board.

The news that former Pakistan ruler General Pervez Musharraf is suffering from many ailments need not surprise anybody. According to reports coming from Islamabad, he is suffering from 9 medical conditions, namely, calcium deposits in his coronary artery, mental stress, frozen shoulder, excess cholesterol in the blood stream, enlarged prostrates, spinal pain and pain in bones. This is the first time that a former military ruler has been tried for high treason for imposing emergency in 2007, when he was the president. All media savvy men and women, the world over are privy to the actions of commission and omission by Gen Musharraf, as a military ruler after deposing the elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sherif. General was an ambitious man in hurry. He even put Chief Justice of Pakistan Ifthikar Chaudhary behind bars, after stripping him of all government privilege. The photograph of this CJ being pulled by the hair of his head by police in public, to get him into a police van, enraged the entire Pakistan's legal fraternity to get united to oust Musharraf. In life there is always a payback time. For the former Pakistani strongman, the time probably has come. But his misfortune is, his adversary, the man whom he banished from the country, Nawaz Sherif is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan.

J.SHRIYAN