MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE

NEW DELHI: ‘Rajnath Singh, meets Muslim clerics’, was a news datelined New Delhi. Union Home Minister had reportedly called a meeting of these clerics to discuss about the growing danger of ISIS and its bad effects on India. These Muslim clerics were mostly from North, who could freely talk in Hindi and Urdu.

Report informed that even those from South would be similarly met in the near future, including MIM chief and Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi.

This is indeed a wise move. It pays to bring these clerics on board while debating ISIS and related issues. It must provide open fora for all to allay their fears and concerns. Only then we can build bridges of understanding. Of course, there are cantankerous elements everywhere, who should be effectively asked to keep quiet and allow moderates everywhere with appropriate sense of proportion to debate. This is certainly a confidence building measure. It is heartening to note in the report that Muslim leaders have said that “they were against any sort of terrorist and violent activities including cross border terrorism”. They also underlined the fact that “Muslims were safe and enjoyed freedom in India, and this kind of freedom and security is not available to the community even in Muslim majority countries”.

While these efforts of both the government and community leaders are certainly laudable in the context of a larger national narrative, efforts should be made to reach out to liberals among Muslim leadership to address concerns of violation of rights of Muslim women, who have lots of complaints but have not succeeded in addressing them. Hope the latest initiative goes beyond its current one point agenda.

Democracy is no doubt is a beautiful concept. Everybody likes it for what it gives, the right to free speech, among other civil rights. But, everybody forgets that right entails duties as well. But rarely, duties that ought to be performed, disturbs us as a nation. While we have spoken from the roof tops, even screamed, about our rights, we never even looked at duties as the other side of the coin. If we cannot or do not,  perform our duties, we have no right to insist on our rights. This is applicable to all Indians from the Rashtrapathi to the aam aadmi on the street, including Prime Minister and other elected representatives.

However, political class, unlike others, are called upon to be role models to the ordinary citizen. They are in the media focus and therefore their actions or inaction becomes a ‘done thing’ in public space.

These days, we have been witnessing virulent attacks on each other, from ruling dispensation and opposition politicians. While there are any number of examples to quote from, two most prominent personalities in the public domain are that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. If Prime Minister Modi attacked Mother and Son duo, for allegedly hurting the developmental exercises, Rahul Gandhi has not been less vitriolic, by attacking Modi’s sartorial obsession, as if nothing else is there to talk about. It is very clear that they have time and again crossed the line of control, or ‘Laxman Rekha’ as is referred to, in a politically decent spat. Both can attack each other, but they both need to elevate the standard of civil utterances to a higher level in the overall interest of the country, since, their public posturing can lead to declining standards in the overall public discourse.

Of course, as is slowly becoming clear that lot of people, politicians and others, are unhappy with BJP emerging as the dominant player in the national politics or more importantly Narendra Modi coming to power at the centre. We all need to recognize that, whether we like it or not, BJP has come to stay as a power to reckon with, Narendra Modi or no Narendra Modi. We cannot wish it away. India is a diverse country with diverse options. As long as there is the dominance of law and order within the democratic frame work, there is role for all ideas. Those who are acceptable to the people will find their place and those who have lost their place need to work better for the people so that they become acceptable in the future. Period. It is possible for all of us Indians, to live without bitterness or rancour. Amen.

Sonu Nigam, a bollywood singer, had taken it for granted that if he wants to sing, since some passengers demanded, doesn’t matter if the safety of the flight is compromised.

We are Indians, and especially those who are better off, take far too many things for granted. May be he should have been given some award for impromptu entertaining passengers for free, by the aviation minister or the JetAir management. Then he would have said ‘cheers to India’. For being simply and plainly being disciplinarian, he called the action of JetAir management “real intolerance”.

We Indians are the well known indisciplined lot, more so these celluloid charecters including these singers. Many time, because of their elevated celebrity status, these real life villains, elevate themselves as those who set standard of public behavior, however boorish it may be. Unfortunately, the media too tags along for its own USP gimmick. Other day, another filmy worthy Karan Johar too mouthed inanities of ‘intolerance, barb. Surely these filmy folks are certainly not the bench marks for tolerance debate. Indians of all hues are generally tolerant. Of course idiots can be found among all sections of humanity, including Indians. So ignore their barbs and keep smiling. As for JetAir action, its ‘well-done’, there should be no compromise on safety regulations.  

   

Lawyers taking the law into their hands is the worst thing that can happen to the world’s largest democracy. There is absolutely no justification for the violence some of the members of the legal fraternity have resorted, to vent their alleged anger on members of the media and some of the students arrested by the police from JNU campus, right inside the court premises. While primacy of the law and order should never be belittled, it is very regrettable that police appeared to be mere spectators, rather than preventing & stopping the hooliganism of lawyers.

Supreme Court, the national custodian of law and order should, suo moto, take the call and make, all those who not only broke the law of the land but also those who failed to perform their solemn duty of protecting its citizens, accountable and pay for it, both in cash and kind. Only then the primacy of the law of the land will be preserved.

There was this function in the VigyaBhavan on 10th Dec 2015. Cutting across the political spectrum there was an impressive line-up of politicians. Starting from President Pranab Mukarjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, L.K Advni, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, and of course some VIP Union Ministers, state VIPs like Mulayam Singh, Nitish Kumar, Farook Abdulla, Seetaram Yachoori, Lalu Prasad Yadav and other ministers.

For once, it showed in unmistakable terms the reach and the management skill of the man, cutting across the political rainbow of all colours and shades.

Sharatchandra Govindrao Pawar, or Sharad Pawer as is known had turned 75 on that day and it was his birthday gathering. When Supriya Sule, his very privileged daughter, mentioned that there is one common denomination in the gathering, it was rather apt. She had stated while thanksgiving “They are all my father’s friends”. Indeed they were.

Among all the speeches that some of the gathered crowd made, from the President to Sonia Gandhi, the one from P.M Narendra Modi was rather succinct. He referred to his ‘uncanny sense of the changing political weather like an astute farmer with an accomplished network skills’. He had tried and succeeded in remaining relevant. This was how he managed to remain friendly with media, as well, besides his association with Sakaal group of Pune.

His name was linked to many scams. From his friendship with criminal Dawood Ibrahim, to the massive Lavasa Township development and the directorship of his daughter Supriya Sule in Khilachand group, owners of Lavasa Township. Supriya Sule’s Singapore property ownership and the Singapore citizenship, massive corruption charges in the irrigation contracts in Maharashtra involving his nephew Ajit Pawar, among other scams. He was also the chief Minister of Maharashtra when an attempt was made to kill Nusli Wadia of Bombay Dyeing Group by Dhirubhai Ambani. Involvement of one of the directors of Reliance Industries was established but nothing beyond that has happened. Now comes the news of a company registered in U.K involving a huge 70 billion pounds which came into the company in a matter of 2 months and the company was dissolved soon thereafter. Reportedly Sharad Pawer was listed as one of its directors, for a period of just 24 days from: 13/12/2010 to 05/01/2011. And strangely no main stream media, nor 24x7 electronic media, found it worth reporting, despite these 24x7 tele media being sensation hungry. Wasn’t this 70 billion sterling pounds disappearance sensational enough! Strange are the ways of our media and they say “we are objective professionals”.  

Suddenly women are taking up cudgels for their rights. It’s a welcome sign. There must be protest against things which are unfair and unreasonable, whether constitution provides for it or not.

We have women at Tirupathi, women at Shabarimalai, and women at Shani Shingnapur temples in Maharashtra, only asked to be treated as equal to men and that’s all.

It is a very fair and reasonable demand. There have been many initiatives from the states concerned to address the issue, although both the male and female status-coists have opposed the changes.

Now comes the news of Muslim women raising their voice for similar equal treatment in their places of worship. This demand has certainly rattled the Mulla groups and their male supporters. Reportedly a group of Muslim women have moved the Supreme Court demanding entry into all mosques in the country stating that their entry to mosque was not prohibited in Quran and that Prophet Muhammad had always encouraged women to take part in mosque congregation and prayers. Their petition demanded at least those mosques which receive grants from the state should not make such discrimination based on sex. Their petition made a telling reference to the silence of all political parties and even women Chief Ministers of states in advancing the cause of Muslim women, at least in providing access to mosques.

Thus, the awakening among women, both Hindu and Muslim, is the need of the hour and all concerned must support for the larger picture of true pluralism.

UTTAR PRADESH: There is this observation, “For economic poverty there is solution, but for mental poverty there is no solution.” Indeed in our country there are any number of people who suffer from mental poverty.

There was this news datelined Lucknow “Raina, Raj Babbar apply for Pension”.

Since last October, U.P government had announced Rs. 50,000/- monthly pension to winners of Yash Bharati award given by the state. Nowhere in whole of India, there exist a scheme of giving monthly pension to award winners of any kind. All states, including Centre, give awards for excellence in different activities. State government in Lucknow appears to have awarded 141 persons this award, which according to some source was initiated to benefit some of their friends and cronies, hence also awarded to some prominent personalities, like Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Babbar, Suresh Raina, & some others to make it look credible. This suspicion about its beneficiaries appears to be real, since they have announced this Rs. 50,000/- monthly pension. We can understand, a one time payment or an yearly payment but not monthly payment, that too Rs. 50000/- per month. Normally monthly pension is given to those, who have difficulty of having a regular income. But what about, Suresh Raina, Raj Babbar, Nadira Babbar and Mohd Kaif? They have all applied for pension, report informed. Surely, all of them are crorepaties and do not need this pension. But if it is coming without any hassle ‘its welcome’, even if state do not have money to pay for farmers committing suicide. Reportedly Amitabh Bachchan has declined this pension. However this insensitive largesse can cost the state some Rs.10 crores annually, and can go on increasing if the awardees increase. But this is a clear case of misuse and mismanagement of scares resources of the state.

BIHAR: When Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that ‘persons not having toilets in their homes, will not be allowed to contest the local body elections’, all that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have done was to pick-up the phone and congratulate the Bihar CM for his path breaking initiative in support of PMs Swachcha Bharath Abhiyaan. But he didn’t do for whatever reasons.

Since it was a first of a kind initiative and was designed to hit at the core of our commitment, it naturally hurt many political aspirants who neither thought of Swachcha Bharath Abhiyaan nor about Toilets in their homes, they also did not think of the importance of having toilets at home for all these months post NaMo announcement on 15th Aug 2014.

It is a sad commentary on the commitment of our political class that for over a year, they were not inspired to act against open defecation, despite PM's initiative on toilets in all homes. While there were many including Lalu Prasad Yadav, who opposed the Nitish Kumar (NK) proposal, BJP leaders of Bihar kept quiet, until NK was forced to dump the clause, for real politic. But no sooner Nitish took a U-turn on the compulsory toilets for poll contestants, top BJP leader from Bihar went to the town to mouth inanities of crass opportunism. Sushil Kumar Modi is reported to have stated “The mandatory clause of the toilets would have stopped many genuine candidates from fighting the polls”. Now this is rather bad. It could be that even BJP had such candidates without toilets in their homes. But excuse me, how does one become genuine, if he has not understood the seriousness of this open defecation malaise, where India has the dubious distinction of being ranked at the top or at the bottom, as one sees it.  

                     

MAHARASHTRA: In these days of alleged intolerance, the reported glorification of Nathuram Godse, by a section of Hindus has become a sore point with those who do not break bread with Sangh Pariwar. Those who euologise Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, Sanathan Dharma Samsad, may not be part of Sangh Pariwar, but they are hard core Hindus. Because it is a Hindu organization, it has become a convenient stick to beat the RSS and its affiliates including BJP. However, the BJP led Goa government has not crowned itself with glory when it had planned to release a book on Godse, scheduled on 30th January, the day Mahatma became Hutatma, but had put off to a later date following protest by some social organizations. This is prima facie, not acceptable and the incident lends itself as a legitimate stick to beat Sangh Parwar.

It only confirms the fear that Sangh Pariwar has many hidden agendas. This hide & seek approach, will neither win friends nor influence people. In the larger pan- Indian context, such tendencies have to be curbed. Do you harken Mr. Prime Minister!

It is fairly well known that the current Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan is a ‘No- Nonsense’ type, like his predecessor Dr. SubbaRao. He has been typically tough on all and sundry. He has been saying that corporates are falsely crying about the interest rates. A ½% here or 1% there is not going to greatly affect the individual corporate, has been his considered stand. His recent tough talking to Commercial Banks to Control their window dressing with regard to Bad and Doubtful Debts has run-riot with the bottom line of many banks for the 3rd quarter ending 31st Dec 2015. Suddenly NPA for commercial banks went through the roof. He has warned that by 31st March 2017, all stressed advances have to be accounted for.

The overall NPA among Commercial banks- both public and private- has been in lakhs, it has only gone up with this latest RBI posturing. In public perception there is a growing feeling that influential peoples with money and political connection have used the banks for their private gain. If only the money that have been written off as bad loans in these public sector banks were available for national development, ‘our goal of super power status, could have been far nearer than what it is to-day-a mirage, an optical illusion.' However, while agreeing with the logic of the tough posture of RBI, concerned corporate leaders like Deepak Parekh have cautioned the RBI to be measured in their approach, objective as he has said ‘should be to fix the financial rot rather than incapacitate the bank’. There is a grain of truth in what Deepak Parekh is saying, since, all these years, window dressing or ever greening approach of these banks had gone-on uninterrupted. If only some regulatory approach was there from RBI, may be there would have been less ‘Willful defaulters’ than it is now in the books of these banks. Indeed, while the government of the day should support all initiative of RBI, in controlling NPA in banks, both of them together must ensure balanced but tough measures without hurting the banking structure.    

Karnataka: Chief Minister Siddaramayya may be on a firmer ground, when he has indicated his preference for Justice SR Nayak as the Lokaayuktha for the state.

However, majority of the consultative committee has clearly indicated their preference to the recently retired Supreme Court Justice Vikramjit Sen. Of the six members in the committee, 4 have preferred Justice Sen, with the Karnataka Speaker also going by the choice of Chief Minister.

For whatever reason Chief Minister has preferred Justice Nayak, is entirely his prerogative. But it has clearly shown CMs bias for a person, who already had two tenures, as Chairman of State Human Right Commission (SHRC) and is still occupied with Karnataka Law Commission (KLC) as its Chairman. As a country we tom-tom, that we are the largest democracy, where majority has the stake. As a person with AHINDA background, this was clearly a very disappointing attitude, ‘damn the principle’. Here the question arises, if majority has no role in deciding the selection, ‘why at all you have this committee?’

However, what is most saddening is the craving of those who enjoyed life, and want to continue to enjoy life at the cost of state and public exchequer.

This Justice SL Nayak, has already enjoyed the power and privilege of chairmanship of SHRC for 5 years, and currently enjoying another similar stint as chairman of KLC. And now, he is going to be Karnataka Lokaayuktha!

Here the issue is, not that he is embroiled in the site allotment irregularity in the Karnataka Judicial Employees Housing Co-operative, as opposition alleges. Or his appointment as KLC chairman was challenged, and still in Supreme Court, on grounds of impropriety, but the sheer greed of the person SL Nayak. You have enjoyed the best of life as one of the a senior most judicial officers of the country. There are any numbers who do not get any posting, while there are those who never desired any posting post retirement. Here is a case of craving for official position.

You had one position for 5 years of being SHRC chairman, another in 2014, as chairman of KLC and even before it is over, you are being tipped as Lokaayuktha. Reportedly, the case of irregular site allotment is with the Karnataka Lokaayuktha, and you are going to sit on judgement on your own case of impropriety! And the Chief Minister of Karnataka approves it! What do we call this! A clear case of travesty of Justice.

Mob mentality on the roads of Bangalore has really made a sad reading especially in the context of that hapless Tanzanian girl student who was allegedly stripped. To think that the student in question was not the cause of the accident that killed a woman, but it was the colour of her skin that got her into trouble, is a sad reflection of an abhorrent mindset. The report that police were silent spectators as the mindless mob directed its anger against the girl who had nothing to do with the accident caused by a Sudanese student driver. Problem between African students, and general public, due to their involvement in drug peddling and other crimes is not a secret. But police, being police has a specific role to play. They simply cannot be partisan. They cannot allow anybody to take the law into their hands. In this particular case, reportedly, police took 3 days to file an FIR, which is a poor reflection on Bangalore policing. But more importantly there is sadly a growing hatred towards these African nationals. One of the resident African scholar, doing his Phd, in a prestigious institute recalled his experience with a rickshaw driver.

This scholar was reported to have hired a rickshaw to travel, the other day, the fare was Rs. 38/- and gave the rickshaw fellow Rs.40/-. In all fairness, this driver should have returned Rs. 2/- without the demand from the passenger. Instead when the scholar demanded Rs. 2/- this idiot of a man, who is representing the Indian ethos to a foreign student at that, spat on the scholar and threw on his face a two rupee coin. This was an extremely poor form of mental poverty. According to this African scholar, it was the 2nd time he had such painful experience from rickshaw driver. Such behavior from rickshaw drivers should be taken very seriously, even to the extent of cancelling their license, lest they repeat such disgusting behavior.      

WORLD: Pakistan is a state committed to denials of every kind. India has seen it, rather a hard way. For over 20 years, India has been asking Pakistan to hand over an Indian, a fugitive from Indian law, a criminal in all meanings of the term. Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, wanted by Indian Police for crimes of every kind, including terrorism, ran away from India, is living under the official patronage of Pakistan military and political leadership. India has been demanding to handover this criminal for interminable number of years. But, as is their wont, Pakistanis have always been denying that this criminal Kaskar  is in Pakistan. This was despite the apparent proof being provided by Indian authorities, at different times in the past.

And now comes the ultimate proof, not by India, but from the Treasury Department of the United Kingdom. A London datelined media report informed “Dawood on U.K freeze list with Pak addresses”. Mark the word addresses, not address only.

The report informs that the name ‘Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar’ appears in the list prepared by the Treasury Department of the U.K against whom financial sanctions were targeted by the government. Although, the nationality of this Kaskar has been shown as Indian, properties listed for freezing, numbering four, are located in Pakistan.

According to the Treasury Department sources, this Kaskar is recorded to have lived at

1) House no:37, 30th street, Defence Housing Authority, Karachi, Pakistan.

2) House no:29, Margalla Road, F6/2 street no:22, Karachi, Pakistan.

3) Noorabad, Karachi, Pakistan (A Palatial bungalow in the hilly area)

4) White house, Near Saudi Mosque, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.

The report also informs about the original Indian passport which was revoked by the Indian govt. and the details of all subsequent Pakistani passports. Thus, it is as clear as broad day light, that this criminal Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is indeed in Pakistan and that Pakistan is truly labeled as “Denial State of Pakistan”. Pakistani military, ISI and Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff- are you listening!

There is a raging debate in India since quite sometime about the alleged intolerance. There have been write-ups and write-ups. Some even admitted that intolerance is a global phenomena. Indeed in some form, intolerance was always there, and is there and shall continue to be there, whether one agrees or not. Men, including women, are products of pride and prejudices, emotions of all kinds, hence however rational or irrational, an element of tolerance or absence of it is ever present. This is across the civilizational evolution, the world over. After the incidents of some alleged intolerance in the Indian context, American media had riled Indian government of the day for not doing much to protect the alleged victims of religious intolerance.

And comes this news about a Professor Laryeia Hawkins for being out of the norm. She recently stepped down from her position in the Wheaton College in Illinois, Chicago, an evangelical institute. She was kind of accused of being a ‘heretic’, when she claimed in a Facebook post that “Christians and Muslims worship the same God”. She had even donned a scarf akin to Hijab. But wearing a scarf did not, as much, disturb the authorities. But the post ‘we worship the same God’ riled evangelical fraternity in the campus no end. They even thought to expel her. But she has reportedly left on her own, after the college initiated a termination process. Elizabeth Dias of the TIME wrote “Much of the College Community rallied to her defense. Even some 800 graduate alumni signed a petition threatening to withhold future donations, and a whole lot of groundswell of support to the lady professor. Even some Muslims, according to Ms. Dias expressed unease at her assertion that they share the same God and criticized the lady professor for wearing the scarf like a Muslim. What do we call this, height of tolerance!? As long as you think, the so-called salvation is possible only through ‘MY GOD’, it could be either the JESUS CHRIST’ for Christians and ALLAH for Muslims, the problem shall always remain. In fact Professor Laryeia Hawkins was absolutely right when she said “we worship the same God”, not just Christians & Muslims but the entire humanity. Period.

World always thought that Pope Francis is in the news, always for right reasons. And rightly so. There have been so many initiatives and acts, that Pope Francis started, which accepted the ultimate vulnerability of human beings, be it a clergy or any of those connected with the church and its order. He has been compassionate and open and took issues head on to address the human dimension of it all. He even accepted sinning as OK. But was hard on corruption as a mindset, it could be money or what money could buy. Thus, he represented ultimate hope for the humanity, not just Christians alone.

But a recent incident involving a British paedophilia survivor was, if right, is most disappointing. Peter Sanders, head of U.K.s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, feels betrayed by Pope Francis. Accusing Pope Francis as “the part of the problem”, he shared his bitterness at being forced out of the Vatican panel, while saying ‘when I met him 18 months ago and was personally asked by the Pope to join the panel. I thought there was a sincerity and a willingness to make things happen and I am afraid that has been dashed now. And I am convinced that Church will never act alone to cure the ‘cancer’ in its midst”. Question doing rounds after this development was ‘are there forces far more powerful that shackles the hand of a benevolent well meaning temporal and spiritual head of Roman Catholic faith?’

With Supreme Court of India coming heavily on former Members of Parliament occupying official bungalows, comes the news “Blair banned from staying at U.K embassies on private missions”. Tony Blair is a former Prime Minister of United Kingdom. On private visit, either for personal work or for commercial interest, former prime ministers of U.K. were using embassy premises in different parts of the world, for parking themselves and their families, so also they were using the diplomatic staff for their personal work. In fact, even former U.K. ministers had availed such benefits from its chanceries abroad.

The latest move by the government of U.K has made it clear to all former ministers and Prime Ministers of the U.K that they are banned from using the premises and its staff for their private purposes, and that they should not be entertained at taxpayers’ expense. Hope, Indian authorities who have copied lot of legislation from English statutes, would do well to emulate this one too.