MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE

NEW DELHI: Attributing to a Delhi court, the print media carried a head line “Women making false rape allegation need to be punished”. This observation did not come a day too early. In fact there are ‘n’ number of instances where false complaints are lodged to settle personal score.

These false cases not only cause completely avoidable humiliation and misery, it even lead to suicides by some sensitive persons who are completely innocents.

Instances of false complaints are not only in rape or something similar, but also in dowry harassment cases, where there have been absolutely false cases filed by disgruntled wife against her husband just to cause agony and harassment to innocent husband. Then there are false cases slapped by police, either due to inept handling or by design and innocents suffer unaccounted jail terms without any rhyme or reason. Who will compensate the suffering and other pecuniary loss due to varieties of reasons? Suffering can be physical and mental. There are any number of cases where innocents incarcerated as accused, have walked free after court acquittal. Who should pay for their suffering? State may pay some compensation, if any. But what about the suffering innocents have endured? Will the policeman or all those who were responsible for the injustice be made accountable?

At a meeting of CMDs of public sector banks, Financial Services Secretary from the Ministry of Finance has reportedly observed “Improvement in lending quality will reduce NPAs” Ha, ha, ha! Obviously Mr Hasmukh Adhia, the F.S.S. thinks that these CMDs of public sector banks are still students of banking.

Or else what does he mean by ‘lending quality’! Quality lending and NPAs are always in reverse proportion.  If there is quality lending there will be no NPAs. Of course with best of intention and planning some projects may go haywire, in which case, it could be a genuine NPA. But here again, the size of NPA can be lowest, due to all positive factors operating within the project. Trouble with NPAs is not the lending quality or the quality lending, it is the compromise in the qualities required, to make it a - as near as possible – a fool proof appraisal. In any finance proposal, it is the integrity of the client, as an individual or as corporate entity that should be the most important factor to be taken into consideration. The tag, 'willful defaulter', does not come from thin air. It is a factor, built over a period, because of compromises the CEO’s of client entities have made with financial prudence. Thus, the bank executives, starting from appraisal level to approval level, to disbursal level must necessarily exercise due diligence as needed at all levels of actions! Where only the interest of the Bank is the over-riding consideration and nothing else.

With Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, making lot of noise on India’s culture and its promotion around the country, how are they going to justify Girirajs, Saadhwis, and now Saakshi Maharajs. They are our honourable Members of Parliament, and hence are our cultural ambassadors! But BJP must take care not to send them outside the country for any official function.

Like Amartya Sen called us ‘Argumentative Indians’, we revel in making controversial and some time even derogatory remarks. If Giriraj is credited with the ‘Go to Pakistan, if you don’t like Modi’, Saadhwi, uttered a very unparliamentary and very uncivil sentence not befitting a Saadhwi at all. She had called, implying Aam Aadmi Party and its supporters ‘Haraamzaade’, or children of prostitute. Latest to adorn the ‘Bluster Troika’ is Saakshi Maharaj. His pearls of wisdom described Mahatma Gandhi’s killer, Nathuram Godse as a patriot.

Except in the case of Giriraj, Narendra Modi as the Loksabha leader of ruling BJP, did force both Saadhvi and Maharaj to apologize to the house for their intemperate and ill advised remarks. 

Resignation, as demanded by the opposition may not be the real answer but they should be cold shouldered by the party for creating problems for the govt. by their irresponsible and absurd use of lung power. RSS must rein these blusters talking out of turn, who need some cultural polishing. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a kind of ‘wordsmith’, unlike any other politician in the country.

His latest quips “Team India” and “Co-operative Federalism” are likely to resonant across the States of India in the context of an evolving new body to replace the decades old Planning Commission.

Taking the Prime Ministers declaration on 15th of Aug, during his independence day address to the nation that 'Planning Commission will be scrapped' to facilitate better Centre-State relations especially in respect of funds allocation, there is a definite move for the proposed new body. Niti Commission shall be the likely title for the proposed body, informs report.

Of course there have been lot of support, for the newly proposed body, so also opposition for the way Planning Commission was summarily scrapped. Many a time, you do not agree with a new proposal only because you do not like the proposor, not because, the new proposal is bad or unworkable. But if the basic intention of the new body is to make the relationship between centre and state better, surely there should be no complaints. After all the name of a set-up and its efficacy in the larger context of the country as a whole, need not be compatible. Objective of every political decision should be its relevance to the larger socio-economic issues. The new set-up hopes to address this and therefore most states have rightly endorsed it, since this also has the backing of Article 263 of the constitution. 

Hope, all stake holders, see the logic and the economic reasons of the change and go ahead with least waste of time and energy for it to become operative as soon as possible.       

As if controversies involving BJP Members of Parliament is not enough the Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has hit upon an another equally completely avoidable controversy. The question is why BJP likes to revel in controversies!?

Addressing the public meeting to mark 5151 years of the Bhagavad Geetha, she is reported to have urged the central government to declare this holiest book of Hindus, variously described as song celestial, as the ‘NATIONAL HOLY BOOK’. While as a practicing Hindu, she may be right in urging as such, but India, although consists of 80% Hindus, there is this 20% who too have their own set of holy books. Here the question is not whether this 20% would be generous enough to accept it. The question is, being a constitutional secular state, it is not only improper to urge, but also the vast majority of Hindus themselves who may not be comfortable with the idea of declaring Geetha as a National Holy Book! Since, it is this section of Hindus, who represent the IDEA OF INDIA, where tolerance of one’s speech, practices and beliefs has always been its cornerstone. Writing in 'Eternal India'  late Ms.Indira Gandhi stated “while others only spoke of secularism India truly practiced and sustained our scriptured perception of tolerance and compassion". Hence declaring Geetha as a National Holy Book, may not be appropriate for the larger picture of India. However, it may be difficult to find fault with Narendra Modi for presenting Geetha to world leaders, since he is not merely the Prime Minister of secular India but also is representing one of the most ancient civilization in the world. Hence, in fitness of things MEA should not persist with this demand of National Holy Book status for Bhagavad Gita.

MAHARASHTRA:10 years for a criminal case to be decided by a local court, is not exactly very fast and right enough not very slow either. In the Indian context, it is fair, looking into the status of cases dragging on and on. The LN Mishra murder case of 1975 is a case in point. The district judge in New Delhi has just convicted the accused only this December. So, it’s been 39 years, the case went on. By this standard, the case involving Nagpur's Kasturba Nagar goon Bharath alias Akku Yadav’s killing, the court came to a considered judgment to a significant extent, in just 10 years.

It was on 13th Aug. 2004, right inside the court room in Nagpur, a group of enraged women attacked the notorious history sheeter, from all sides. He dropped dead in matter of minutes. The anger of women was such that police, who brought the goon to the court simply ran away, leaving him at the mercy of attackers.

Akku and his gang of thugs were a terror to some 300 families of Kasturba Nagar for over a decade, barging into their homes at will, shouting threats, demanding money and sex. Dozens of Akku’s victims reported the crime to the police. But he was never charged with rape. Instead, women of slum say, the police would inform Akku about the complaint and Akku would come after them with vengeance. Reportedly police were hand-in-glove with him. He used to feed police with bribes and drinks and in turn they protected him, said the report. Stories were, that police would turn the case against complainant saying “you are a loose woman hence he raped” or that “you are having an affair with him” and would send them away. Reportedly he had 24 cases of murder, dacoity, robbery and extortion, but no case of rape, tell the police. Vociferously disagreeing slum dwellers insist at least 20 cases of rape where families left the colony to live outside.

Thus it was a life of helplessness for these women of Kasturba Nagar with nobody to rescue them from the abyss of this blind alley. Until one day, encouraged by an educated woman of the colony Usha Narayane, they decided to stand up to the goon. Having got wind of it, Akku disappeared. On 6 Aug. 2004, hundreds of residents smashed his house to rubble. He arranged with the police to ‘surrender’ to ensure his physical protection. Suddenly Kasturba Nagar atmosphere underwent a dramatic change. They didn’t want to die every day. They decided to act together and act decisively, come what may.

On 13th Aug. 2004, when he was brought to the court, women of Kasturba Nagar slum decided to hit and hit hard. They had already gathered in the court premises, 200 of them, discreetly armed with vegetable knives, chilli powder and stones. As he walked in, Akku stopped by one of the women he had earlier assaulted. He called her a prostitute and threatened to repeat the crime against her. Police, reportedly, laughed. Enraged, the woman took off her sandal and began hitting the goon, shouting “It’s either you or me, both can’t live on this earth together.”

What followed was the most devastatingly defeaning statement, loud and clear, on the monumental degeneration of criminal justice delivery system in the world’s largest democracy.

For the already incensed crowd, woman’s shouting was like a war cry and Bharath alias Akku Yadav was attacked from all sides, right inside the court premises. Two terrified policemen guarding the goon ran away. In 15 minutes flat, it was all over. The notorious goonda dropped dead on the shiny white marble floor of the Nagpur district court. Every women of the colony claimed responsibility for the killing “We have all done it together, arrest us all” they told police.

Justice Bhanu Vahane, a retired high court judge had reportedly gone on record justifying women of Kasturba Nagar, saying “In the circumstances they underwent, they were left with no choice but to finish Akku. The women repeatedly pleaded with police for their security. But the police failed to protect them”

Of course, police had to make a case and file an FIR. After 10 long years, Nagpur district court acquitted all the 18 accused in the case. Justice delayed yes, but at least there is no victimization of poor and vulnerable. Bhagwaan ke ghar mein deir hoga, magar, is baar andher tho nahee!    

Two judges from Mumbai’s City Civil and Session Courts wrote a letter to the Bombay High Court for the attention of Justice Anuja Prabhudesai on the pathetic condition of children in observation homes.

The Principal judge Sangitrao S Patil of CCSC and another judge, Justice A.S. Shinde visited 2 observation homes in Dongri. They found one of the building not only was in such a dilapidated condition that it may collapse any moment and hence very dangerous for the children living there. They have stated in their letter that children should be immediately shifted out to other safer building.

They also observed that one of the homes housed only 28 children (28 boys & 1 girl) and the other also a similar structure accommodated 340 children with 250 boys and remaining girls. In their letter they stated that the condition of these homes were brought to the attention of authorities in the past, but no action was taken, and hence they requested the Bambay HC to take suo moto cognizance of this letter.

While this is a very welcome development coming from the judiciary it is a sad commentary on the governance aspect of the Maharashtra government which just demitted office. This government, which shouted from the roof top to tell the world, that they are concerned about the welfare of aam aadmi, in fact did only to help themselves and their families for the most part. These poor children who are neither voters nor belonging to any vote bank have been left to the nature’s elements to fend for themselves with apathetic and exploitative managers and their political masters. The fact that Kailash Satyarthi, the child rights activist, whom Nobel committee recognized, but mentally poor Indian governments, both federal and state, have failed to take note of, exposes the comprehensive double standards of barking up the wrong tree. This is Yeh Mera India.      

UTTAR PRADESH: At times politicians do make sensible statements, even if controversial by nature. “Scrap evil practice of purdah” was a report attributed to UP strong man Mulayam Singh.

Addressing a national convention organized by Samajawadi Party’s women wing at the party office in Lucknow, Mulayam Singh called for the ‘eradication of evil tradition of purdah’ (veil). Saying that, ‘purdah should be scrapped as it hindered the progress of women’.

We need to really congratulate the SP leader for saying what he said, despite the fact that a good part of his electoral target do wear veil, purdah or burqah. And as he remarked veil, purdah or burqah, did hinder the socio-economic progress of women in general.

Hope all concerned take note of what Mulayam said, and take the fight for equality to improve their socio-economic position across the religious divide. 

MADHYA PRADESH:        It was 30 years ago, on 2nd Dec 1984, little past midnight, poisonous Methyl Isocyate, 40 tonnes of it, escaped into the still wintry night air and Bhopal wakes up to the nightmare of the world’s worst industrial disaster. Close to 20000 died, around half a million maimed in different degrees. This accident had happened in the pesticide factory of U.S. conglomerate Union Carbide in Bhopal.

After 30 years, story of the suffering of Bhopal residents continues. They got poor compensation, partly because, for the U.S. Indian lives were cheap and for Indian government of the day it was apathy, insensitivity and ineptitude, that simply did not understand the anormity of the problem.

Or else, Warren Anderson, who came to India on 6th December, and was arrested on arrival would not have been let off on bail, hours later! He left the next day, allowed to travel on the condition that he will come back when needed by the court. He never came back and died on 29th Sept. in Florida, U.S. If the compensation was poor, the garbage the Union Carbide left 30 years after the factory was closed, is still rotting in open. Resultant contamination of the ground water table, the soil, and air has continued to affect the area around the factory of many square kilo meters. It is an unending struggle. Successive governments for all these past 30 years have been going in circles doing precious little to address the issue of disposal of the chemical waste. And the endless suffering of the people of Bhopal continues. In the name of Swachha Bhaarath, will Modi government do something?!We have to wait and see. 

JAMMU & KASHMIR: The election in the state has thrown up different possibilities. Despite calls by separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani & others, Kashmiris have defied the Pakistani sponsored terror strikes and turned up in large numbers to cast their votes. There was high % of polling in all phases. It is good for the general health of any society, who have democratic aspirations, to participate in the electoral process to elect people’s representatives. Like all of India J & K too has a history of 67 years. It has seen the goings on in the neighbouring Pakistan for similar length of time. What is the assessment of average Kashmiri, either born before 1947 or born after? That needs to be studied and understood. According to media, increased participation of youth is primarily to prevent BJP in coming to power. Since BJP is perceived to be a party of Hindus and therefore communal. But excuse me Mr Kashmiri, what about other political parties in Kashmir politics? Congress, which claims to be secular, is as communal as one can be, so are others like PDP, National Conference and Peoples Conference. All have found that secularism as practiced by these parties, is only a ploy. Nobody is genuinely secular. Even communist parties in India are not secular in true sense. Probably there were two individuals, in Kashmiri context who were truly secular, and they were Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru. Sanity of both these gentlemen are not there any more. Hence suspecting BJP for its alleged Hindu bias is to think with closed mind. 

The religious partition of the pre-1947 India and the creation of Pakistan, surely disappointed the floating soul of Mohd. Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. He wanted to create a Muslim dominated secular Pakistan. What is the status of Pakistan to-day! Answer need not be given. All thinking people are in the know of the harsh truth. It is indeed an ‘International Migraine”. The latest killing of 132 school children by terrorists has proved it to be the most violent country. So going towards Pakistan may not be an option for Kashmiris. India certainly offers much better and guaranteed option for growth, with equity, despite its suspected fault lines.

Kashmiris have seen all governments and its leadership. Giving BJP led coalition may be an option, they should consider for at least one term. After all the proof of pudding is in its eating, isn’t it! 

WORLD: It is a documented truth that Pakistan uses fomenting trouble and terror against India, as a state policy. This policy has a long history, of several decades. It became more pronounced since the days of Zia-ul-Haq. As president of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (IRP) Zia-ul-Haq’s programme of causing thousand cuts to India has been an ongoing agenda of successive governments in IRP. When it comes to India, the attacks on Indian objects and on Indian soil, it is orchestrated with the participation of ISI, the Pak intelligence agency and the Jamat-ul-Duwa urf Lashkar-e-Taiba. Hafez Saeed, the cantankerous hate monger is the vicious face of terror from across the western border since a long time. The recent election in J & K has brought the diabolic plans of Pakistan led terror attacks into open.

There has been a series of violent assaults in the valley. The attack on Army camp in Uri, a checkpoint in Srinagar, a grenade blasts at Tral and Shopian are some of the assaults, that J-u-D has carried out with the support and participation of Pakistani establishment. The question that, to normalize relation, there has to be talk between the countries to the conflict, but if you keep orchestrating bloody attacks, leading to killings and destruction of properties, how can there be atmosphere conducive for talks!? Doesn't it consolidate the Indian public support so also international support for New Delhi’s position that it cannot talk to Pakistan against the back drop of terror?

 There was this report in the print media, datelined Berlin. It said “Germany to aliens: Speak only German”. Sure, and why not?! Christian Social Union (CSU) a sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel and a partner in her coalition government in Berlin made the proposal in a draft policy paper which says “People who want to remain here on a permanent basis should be obliged to speak German in public and within the family”, prima facie, the demand is perfectly legitimate. Of course these outsiders who want to make a home in Germany, generally would know either French or English. With French & English, the life can go on without any hick-up in any German city, but it is the national pride of CSU that has prompted this proposal. However, what is of interest in this context is the ongoing controversy on the introduction of Sanskrit as the third language in CBSE schools. Notwithstanding the debate this move of the HRD ministry has caused, it was reported that Angela Markel herself wanted to take up the issue of German being removed by the executive fiat of the ministry as the third language in Indian schools. While she has every right to promote German globally, because of her love for her own national language, is it wrong for Indians, at least a section of them to do just that, to express love for Sanskrit. India’s very own language of the yore! After all Sanskrit is one of the world’s oldest languages. In India it should not only live, but flourish. It is true that, students who are learning any foreign language they should be allowed to complete it within the system. But then, in India there are jokers who talk about Sanskrit as a dead language. These jokers need to know that Friedrich Max Muller, the German Indologist had a great fascination for Sanskrit. He had started learning Sanskrit as a youngster and specialized to write his treatise on Rig Veda, funded, believe it or not, by East India Company, in as far back as 1847. So let’s not be churlish about the dignity of Sanskrit.

This language needs to be promoted back to its earliest glory while allowing Indian students to pursue any foreign language of their choice. But that need not be at the cost of Sanskrit.         

Ferguson crisis involving the killing of teenager Michael Brown, who was reportedly unarmed and was shot 18 times by a white policeman, understandably has raised the hackles all across the U.S. and even in the wide world. But those who were hopeful of U.S. judicial fairness were aghast. The juries reportedly accepted the argument of the white policeman Darren Wilson that he felt, young Brown, although unarmed, was a threat to his life and therefore shot the youngster in self-defence. But the jury somehow decided not to question, if the youth is unarmed why shoot him 18 times and on the head? Instead they closed case and gave a verdict of ‘not guilty’. Do you feel deeply disappointed that this was not United States of America but some banana republic!

And comes the case of Eric Garner, a big made African American, caught selling loose cigarettes in the Staten Island. He too was unarmed but being big made, many policemen scuffled to overpower him. But Daniel Panteleo, the white policemen, held him by the neck, making it difficult for Eric Garner even to breathe. Garner died on the spot. Here too, the grand jury verdict did not indict Panteleo. This was despite the video showing the execessive use of force by the police, which truly caused the death.

If this is a reflection of a deep seated racial divide refusing to go away, inspite of an African American occupying the White House, here is the confirmation. A 12 year old Tamir Rice was shot dead, within 2 minutes of Petrolcar stopping by his side, ostensibly because, he was trying to pull a gun from his waistband. As it turned out, it was a toy gun. Here too, it was a white policeman, Tim Loehman, who ‘believed’ the boy had a real fire arm. “Young boys playing with replica guns are common place in America and police are expected to approach them safely if an investigation is warranted, not shoot them dead in 2 seconds” said the law suit filed in U.S. District court. Grand Jury’s verdict is awaited.