MONTH -IN- PERSPECTIVE

NEW DELHI: ‘Good days are coming’ has been the clarion-call of Modi’s campaign in Election 2014. Modi has been rather innovative, in his verbose in the election rhetorics. Result, we have all seen. After 30 years, there’s a single party government in New Delhi. Narendra Modi has certainly arrived on the national stage like none before him. Hence the expectation of ordinary Indians, especially those who voted for him, is justifiably there, of good days ahead.
And comes the bomb shell, by way of 14% hike in the railway passenger fare and 6% in the freight charge. As expected all political parties went to the town to cry hoarse. Even BJP would have done the same before Election 2014. But that is politics. This is the only way it functions in a country like India.
Media informs that the increase of 14% and 6% was planned in the last vote-on-account proposals of former Rail Minister of UPA, Mallikarjun Kharge. But due to possible election fallout it was not tabled in the parliament. Thus saved the ‘blues’ for the UPA.
All Indians need to know that Indian railway travel fare is the cheapest in the world. This means, it is highly subsidized. Media informs that Railway’s daily loss is Rs 30 crores and the passenger fare subsidy is Rs. 26000/- crores. Of course, notwithstanding the media hype that railway is a govt. operated public utility service and therefore should have alternative ways of bridging the loss than increase in the fare. Unfortunately media being less responsible, fails to make the general public understand why this raise is needed. It is true that these raises should come in small doses over period, then the hue and cry could have been much less. But then, somebody sometime has to face the music composed by someone else over a period. In nation building all have to share the pain in different degrees and that makes for responsible citizenry.
Personal Laws affecting the cross section of our multi religious humanity has always come to the fore at election time. BJP in its wisdom always thought that India must have a Common Civil Code (CCC) for its citizenry. While all have to recognize, that CCC is nobody’s case, not everybody thinks about the human rights angle involved in civil codes of different religions and sectarian divide.
The most important dimension of the civil code is the status of women in these myriad social groups. It is very apparent that it is because of the suppressed and subjugated state of women, across the spectrum, which truly demands the Common Civil Code in a democratic milieu.
While there are any number of supporters of CCC among Hindus and Christians, there are opponents too among the same section who like status quo of denial to women to continue. Similarly, among Muslims CCC is largely unwelcome. But a sporadic supporters, among Muslims too pop up here and there.
In a democratic polity, debate is the essence of public life. There has to be open debate on these Civil Codes. A Common Civil Code is definitely in the interest of the country, since it can play a unifying role. What is good for the nation will be good for its population. Therefore all sections must look at it with open mind and dispassionately. The core of the discussion and debate and the eventual agreement has to be the protection of human rights of women and children based on natural justice and transparent fairness to one and all. If all of us think only as human beings who have the same emotions and aspirations, having a Common Civil Code is only as far as that. To decide on CCC, all that is required is, to be a rational human being and being Indian at heart is all that matters. Nothing else should matter.

Prashant Bhushan has done it earlier and is doing it again, putting the CBI and the govt. in dock. This time round he is trying to fix Praful Patel, former Civil Aviation Minister in UPA govt. Patel is a Pawar protage and therefore protected. Despite many accusation against Pawar, either in Maharashtra, New Delhi, or even in his cricket involvement, he appears to be slippery for reasons unknown. Of course, like Ambanis, he too has a large pie in the media, and hence nobody writes against him. 

This Patel was accused of wrong doing in the unnecessary buying of  68 aircrafts in 2005 for Air India. There was a small mention, a storm in the tea cup followed and it quietly died. But this time round, its Prashant Bhushan, who has the wherewithal and the commitment to take it to some logical conclusion. Hence, Patel should be a worried man, and UPA is not in power, Pawar too is not in his political pink health. 

A passenger identification biometric system, was mooted by some Air India insiders, when it was not needed at all. Two Canadian companies, probably Indians owned, engineered the demand. One of them was only a quotation letter head company. Nazir Karigar, sounds a sub-continental name, the owner of Cryptometrics, the other Canadian company, is the kingpin of Rs.500 crore scam of Air India’s bid to buy this unwanted system in 2006. Reportedly, the security department of Air India had estimated the cost of this system to be about Rs.75 lakhs. But the tender committee, directly under the Minister, pegged it an incredible Rs.500 crores. 

Fortunately an upright officer in the finance department of Air India raised objection and the contract was dropped. But the money meanwhile changed hands from Canadians to Indians. A Canadian Court, reportedly, on 23 May sentenced this Nazir Karigar for bribing Patel, V. Tulsidas, the chairman of Air India & others. The sentence is for 3 years.  Strangely Indian authorities had not acted despite the judgement. 

Having complained to CBI, Bhushan is determined to make CBI act or else he has decided to knock at the door of Apex Court. Hope and wish he succeeds to fix Patel + Co.

The newest Chief Justice of India Justice R M Lodha is already making waves with his path breaking initiatives. We are all privy to the unsustainably increasing pending cases all over India. Reasons for this unhealthy development where litigants, especially the poor, have to interminably commute up and down for years on, is innumerable. It is systamic failure of a weird kind. Can we get out of it, is a question never seriously dealt with. Different Chief Justices have come up with different solutions. Surely some improvements have taken place over a period. But lot remains to be done. 

The proposal by Justice Lodha to keep the courts open for all 365 days of the year is certainly a welcome one. Of course as expected Lawyers lobby has opposed it tooth and nail. Unfortunately, the leaders that took over from the British in 1947, which includes likes of Nehru & Patel have, like many other practices, just carried on the colonial legacy of summer break of 45 days, besides other shorter breaks for winter and autumn. Justice Lodha, rightly argues that holidays one can take as per his/her choice than as fixed. A pre-planned holiday programme of all judges can enable planned functioning of the courts. Of course, there are other ways to improve the faster disposal of cases as pointed out by Supreme Court Bar Association president Pravin Parekh, who literally took on the entire judiciary. According to him there are over 3500 vacancies for judges including 5 in Supreme Court and 250 in High Courts. This is to be decided by the superior courts and not the fault of the government, he avered. Besides the functioning styles of judges too are the bane to be addressed. Parekh complained of judges coming late and having intermittent breaks and there has to be policy for the time management of judges. Besides increasing the time of court sitting is better than sitting every day, he suggested in his letter. While both sides have their respective points of view, this move by Justice Lodha should lead to some action taking place for the overall improvement in the functioning of court and therefore to the life of average litigant. 

We thought English MPs from United Kingdom are bad, since they claimed many expenses without incurring them. They tried to enrich themselves with false means. And comes the news “6 MPs & Ex MPs booked in Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scams by the CBI". In England they had both men and women, some even of Indian origin. In India 6 MPs, 3 former and 3 current, all men, have indulged in this despicable malpractice of a man with clerical mentality. Of course, there may be many clerks who are truly gentlemen. But it certainly exposes the cheap and petty mind of those who indulged in this financial misdemeanor. 

It was always thought that financial poverty has solutions but mental poverty had no solution. Obviously these Member of Parliament, by any reckoning, an honorable position, were suffering from mental poverty. They simply threw to the wind the dignity their position brought them. It is indeed an act of disgrace. 

And strangely, TMC, has condemned the new NDA government for allegedly using CBI since one of its MP was booked for claiming air travel fare for his companion who did not travel. But they did not condemn,     if the false claim is true. New government probably had no time even to talk to CBI in the two weeks in power at the Centre. But Mamata being Mamata she suffers from extreme form of paranoia. In all fairness, these dishonourable members of parliament should be stripped of all their previlages. 

Old order changeth to yielding place to the new. This is the law of nature. Whether it is the law of the nature or not, Delhi is certainly changing with the new government taking up its reins to manage the affairs of the country. The new directive of the new man at the helm is going down fast. Reportedly all government offices are suddenly looking spic & span. The age old unclean corners and stinking toilets are things of the past, report media. And a new culture has gripped the corridors of government bhavans. All those babus who were used to come at 11.00/11.30 am, are on their seat at 9.00 AM dot. So are their bosses. Hope it’s not the story of new broom, but shall stay at least during the currency of Modi government. 

Also the decision to dump those above 75 years of age. Modi made a clean departure of denying minister-ship to all those who are above 75. So was Rahul Gandhi. He too denied Rajya Sabha, nomination to all those above 75 years. S M Krishna, 83 year old, tired but not retired, still lobbied hard to get Rajya Sabha nomination. But sorry! said Gandhi. That’s an end to SMK’s long political career. In fact even Janardhan Poojari who was inching towards 80 should not have been given the seat in Mangalore. He too had a very long innings. Again tired but not retired. Hope Modi and Rahul, do keep the reins in leash for all these oldies.

WORLD: That minorities in Pakistan was never safe, is an all time truth, was never in doubt. But also the truth is, who is safe in Pakistan? Even among majority Muslims, there are denominations who are unsafe. Shias, Ahmediyas and a few other Muslim denominations too are unsafe in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is true that the person responsible for the creation of Pakistan, Mohd. Ali Jinnah himself, had a larger picture of a secular Pakistan. But the fact is after his death, the leaders that came after him, who took over the reins of Pakistan, Islamized the idea of Pakistan, and for all the 66 years that followed non-Muslim minorities of Pakistan lived a harrowing life, and it took the Supreme Court of Pakistan over six decades to think of having a special armed force to give security to minorities and their places of worship. 

Although better late than never, it is a welcome step and that such a realization has come, even so belatedly to the judiciary of the country, augurs well for Pakistan. 

            

So the hands of Pakistani government, army and its spy agency ISI are full with crisis management of a weird kind. Report coming from Islamabad and other places from India’s western neighbour indicates, that there have been wide spread and large scale tit-for-tat violence, between government forces and so-called militants. These militants are truly speaking are the terrorists striking at will at all places in the name of Jihad. These terrorists are all part of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). 

Quite frankly, it is the chicken-coming home-to-roost. For far too long, the authorities molly-coddled these terrorists, as long as they were creating violent trouble for Indians and Indian targets. But then a monster is a monster, sooner or later it will go out of control. And that is exactly what has happened. The level of laxity that Pakistan allowed to its terror outfits like TTP, it has grown to such an extent that it has become a threat to the very existence of Pakistan as a nation. No wonder, the government of Nawaz Sherif is fighting tooth and nail to stop TTP in its tracks. Of course, if the authorities in Pakistan, the government, the army and the ISI, come together with a single purpose, then taming TTP and even annihilating it, may not be a problem. But the issue is, army and ISI wants TTP to remain active to cause the ‘thousand cuts’ agenda of Zia-ul-Haq, to cause mayhem in Indian territory and hence are not honest and sincere in controlling TTP. This indeed is the crux. It is not for nothing that Madeline Albright the former U.S. Secretary of State, had publicly stated on record that Pakistan is an ‘international migraine’. Now it has an internal domestic migraine as well. It has become a victim of its own contradictions with hundreds of men, women and children dying at regular intervals in violence across the country. 

The kind of a civil war between Sunny’s and Shia’s in Iraq was only expected. U.S. made the first mistake of entering Iraq on false premise of destroying WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction), which was not there in the first place. While it is true that Saddam Hussein and his sons were cruel dictators to those who opposed them, the life for an average Iraqi was reasonably good with petrol revenue. But then, problem if any, was of Iraq and its citizens, U.S. had absolutely no role as an international policeman. 

Yes, although U.S. came in wrongly, they were right in exiting but the exit was not properly planned or managed. U.S. had destroyed the status-quo with which an average Iraqi had no issue. Having destroyed Saddam and his coterie, U.S. should have stayed back to adequately strengthen the administration of a changed government of elected representatives. The changed authority composed more of Shia representatives and less of Sunny’s. Although Shia and Sunny are the different sects of same Islam, they have a problem to co-exist. 

Indeed, Iraq is not India, where all sections of Indians co-exist. Of course, India has its share of irritants due to its vastness and plurality, but surely not serious. In India, all sects of Islam live in peace with all the freedom guaranteed by the constitution. It could be true as U.S. accuses the Shia Prime Minister Nuri-al-Maliki of alienating Iraqi Sunny’s. But then the violence, as being indulged by ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq & Syria) is no solution at all. That, which lives by sword shall perish by sword, is a time tested idiom. Co-operative Co-existence is the only solution, which countries like, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Afghanistan need to realize. ‘Peace be with you friends’. Amen   

We are all privy to the visit of SAARC heads of state to the oath taking ceremony of Narendra Modi, as Prime Minister of India. Among these neighbouring VVIPs, was Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He had, due to his domestic compulsions, took his time to accept the invite, unlike others, who responded immediately, to this unexpected and unprecedented display of bonhomie from the world’s largest democracy, so also the biggest among SAARC members. But the internal dynamics of Pakistan was not amused, they were non- plussed. They were clearly in a dilemma. In the event better sense prevailed, and Nawaz Sharif came to India and went back, probably satisfied. Sartaz Aziz, the National Security & Foreign Affairs Advisor has reportedly stated, “The outcome of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to India was much better than we expected”. That was indeed very positive to look at things like that. But here is this cricketer turned politician Imran Khan who went to the town screaming “Sharif was treated like a school boy during his trip to India.” Now that’s a very funny observation. Imran never explained what is the ‘school boy’ dimension in the entire trip. Such observation neither wins friends nor influences people. Of course, all those who were not keen that Sharif undertakes this trip to India to meet the new Prime Minister, may find Imran’s barb sensible, which otherwise did not make any sense.     

MAHARASHTRA: It is ironic, as the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau, was cleaning their slate by giving Ajith Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister and former minister in-charge of irrigation, a clean certificate of no wrong doing, comes the CAG bombshell. It was during the tenure of Ajith Pawar, the Rs.70000 crore irrigation scam hit the NCP government in Mumbai. Different persons and agencies had decried the wholesale mismanagement and misappropriation in the administration of irrigation projects for many years. The government of Prithviraj Chauhan did not do anything to check and present the loot of the system, neither they fixed responsibility of the massive procedural syphoning of the money. The report from CAG has come as a slap on the face of Maharashtra government. According to CAG, there was a cost over-run of Rs.47,427 crores in the 601 ongoing projects. Reportedly the CAG report was tabled in the Maharashtra assembly recently in mid-June. The report informs, that of 601 ongoing projects, 77 were under execution for over 30 years and 225 projects were more than 15 years old. This reflects the shocking apathy, inefficiency and incompetence of the state irrigation department. Of course, as usual, there are always explanations for delays and cost over-runs and therefore offers no-solution. In the meanwhile unchecked loot goes on uninterrupted. Report also informs about the projects costs incurred without complete acquisition of land. Similarly, estimates were prepared without survey of the dam sites, invariably leading to the change in design after the works were awarded. These are the time tested ways of making money for everybody in the system. Unfortunately the rot in the system is happening with the active knowledge of top leaders within the government and therefore CAG or no CAG, corruption goes unchecked in Maharashtra. That is a sad last word. 

The violent death of I.T. professional Mohasin Sheikh, reportedly at the hands of some Hindu outfit in Pune, is by any stretch of imagination absolutely  senseless and dastardly. If  as reported, that he has been killed, for no fault of his, but only because   he sported beard and had a skull cap indicating that he is Muslim, it is extremely diabolic. Just because, somebody from somewhere wrote or portrayed Shivaji, the Maratha warrior king and Bal   Thackray, the late Shiv Sena supremo, in terms allegedly inflammatory, one cannot make anybody pay for someone else fault. While violence of any kind is not acceptable on anybody, but to target innocents is totally unacceptable. The authorities concerned must take the stringer possible action on the perpetrators of this insane act of beating somebody, as young as, all of 24, to death. Surely, to his grieving family, the violent death of their son, must be an irrepairable loss. The new government at the centre, it must come down heavily in no uncertain terms that zero tolerance of such violence is not just spoken but practiced as well. For record, however, it is sad, that none from New Delhi has made any positive noise. In the larger context, the supreme sacrifice of this young man, should at least galvanise the authorities in Delhi, not just in Mumbai, to act decisively to ensure safety of every citizen of the country irrespective of its diversity. 

We at I&C can only pray for the departed soul of the young man and ask for forgiveness from his traumatized parents for causing a completely avoidable end of their dear son.   

Kerala: Believe it not, it happened in Thiruvanantapuram, the capital of the most literate state. And it happened to a teacher, who practiced what she taught, and the inflictor was none other than the Kerala minister of education, Abdu Rabb. There was a function to inaugurate the District. English Club at Cotton Hill Government Girl’s High School in the city. It was supposed to have been inaugurated by the Minister of Education at 9.30 and the whole battery of teachers led by the Head Mistress (HM) Smt. K K Urmila had readied the venue and were waiting for the minister to arrive. After waiting for 2 hours, at 11.30 am, HM got going with the function. 

The minister when arrived at 12.30, that is full 3 hours late, he found the gate of the school closed. Minister’s security man opened the gate and arrived at the venue. Welcoming the minister, the disciplinarian HM K K Urmila took the minister to task for making all children wait for such a long time.

Not used to this kind of treatment by teaching fraternity, a show-cause notice was issued to the HM asking her to explain the ‘humiliation of minister’. However, despite the 15 days notice period to reply, the HM was transferred to a school, some 45 Kms away from Thiruvanantapuram. This is Yeh Mera India. Its time All Kerala Teachers Union take up the issue to set right the wrong inflicted on one of them, who had the gumption to stand up-to an uncivil minister. 

 We all recognize that communication is the civilizational dimension of evolving mankind. When we start communicating our views, there comes along a degree of camaraderie, which when properly harnessed leads to bonhomie. And bonhomie is the corner stone of any peace foundation. Progress comes only when there is peace. Hence, we must, as homosapiens always should keep our channel of communication open. 

“Kerala Catholic bishops warm up to Modi” was a Thiruvanantapuram date lined report. Title itself has conveyed it all. Whether right or wrong, Narendra Modi was a butt of all accusations of being divisive ever since the 2002 sectarian violence in Gujarat. 12 years have passed, and India has moved on. Narendra Modi of 2002 has evolved over a period, slowly but positively steadily. Come 2014 election result, NAMO has transformed so incredibly, it is difficult to imagine. Graciousness in victory has been there for all to see. From the day he entered the parliament by prostrating at the entrance to the temple of Indian democracy, to that first address he made in the Loksabha, there was a clear signature of conciliatory noises. It clearly bodes well for India’s pluralism and people centric socio-economic development. 

Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has to be congratulated for the suo moto-upfront initiative in extending their full support to the NDA led by Modi. 

Speaking to the conference of 35 Bishops belonging to Latin, Malankara and Syro Malabar of Catholic denomination, KCBC president Archi-bishop Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis, promised co-operation of the church in all pro-people initiatives by Modi and hoped that the new government will lead the nation on the path of development. 

Reportedly Archibishop Cleemis, who is also the president of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCF) did not speak about the concern Catholics nursed       about Hindutva forces in the country. Fittingly, Bishop Stanley Roman of Kollam Diocese said ‘there was nothing for the minorities to fear as they are an integral part of India’ informed the report. This is a heartwarming development for all those looking at the larger Pan India picture. Mera Bharath Mahaan.   

KARNATAKA: There appears to be some haste in the taking over of troubled Bangalore head quartered Amaanath Co-operative Bank. For some time now, there is this news hovering about the public sector Canara Bank taking over this premier Co-operative Bank, owned mostly by the Bangalore based Muslim community. That, this bank is in trouble, is not a news at all. It is probably over a decade old. A minister in the outgoing UPA government at the centre appears to be the ‘Chief Engineer’ of this hurried attempt of taking over this troubled bank. The logic probably is, once it is taken over by a public sector bank, the trouble shall go away, and the trouble makers would heave a sigh of relief. But, unfortunately for Rehman Khan, a Chartered Accountant turned politician that was not to be.

Congress leader Jaffer Sherif and some other share holders of the bank have questioned this hurried attempt of takeover by Canara Bank. Accordingly Karnataka High Court has asked the troubled Co-operative Bank to call for the share holders meeting to decide the future course.

Here it is very pertinent, to understand that Rehman Khan was the Chairman of this Co-operative Bank and during his tenure at the helm of the bank there have been accusations of financial wrong doing on massive scale. None in the government, either the state government or the central government really took interest in fixing this Rehman Khan for the wrong doing. But then, it is India, where aam aadmi is only destined suffer silently, the wrongs committed by khaas aadmi. Yeh Mera India.