MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE
NEW DELHI: That AAP as a political force will make a difference was never in doubt. If some people, who were associated with AAP in the past, have deserted the party, it has nothing to do with the party per se. It was due to the ‘Supremo’ culture started by Arvind Kejriwal, who on becoming CM of Delhi should have given up the convenorship of AAP, is keeping both for himself, despite AAP’s original principle of, ‘One Person One Post’. Even Internal Lokpal Admiral Ramdas was sent home.
However, it is heartening to note that one of AAPs important initiatives into public health is getting recognized by international community. Visiting foreign dignitaries like, former UN Chief Ban-Ki-Moon and Prime Minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland, have reportedly heaped praise on its AAMC or Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics. According to Ban-Ki-Moon, “I am very much impressed with what I have seen. I have travelled to many places. What I have seen today are very systematic, well organized and well kept. Mohalla Clinics are taking good care of the vulnerable”. “These clinics are not only treating people but also working for childcare, pregnancy care, immunization and promotion of health care. This is impressive and it should be like this all over the world” was the reaction of Brundtland.
Clearly, it is something that all parts of the country should emulate. Although AAP had promised in its election speeches, to set up 1000 clinics across Delhi, it has made commendable stride in establishing close to 200 such clinics with many in the pipeline.
Arvind Kejriwal, despite his penchant for unnecessary theatrics and verbose against the central government led by Narendra Modi, has managed to address a long awaited and highly needed vacuum that was prevalent for all these past decades in the post independent India. This is something which Narendra Modi government has to take note of. There was Congress rule in Delhi, for better part of the past decades, there was BJP too for some terms that ruled Delhi, but it was given to AAP, the latest political entrant, not even one full term into its office, and they are making this huge difference in the public health scenario of Delhi. And there is lesson for not only for both BJP and Congress, but also the entire political class across the Indian states. Indeed where there is will there is a way. Two cheers to AAP.
NEW DELHI: In sympathy vote, post Indira Gandhi assassination, Rajeev Gandhi won more than 400 seats, which was about 80% of the total strength of the Loksabha. He could not save it beyond 5 years term. It was BOFORS that killed Rajeev Gandhi government. And Congress never came back to power on its own and still struggling. BJP won in 2014, piggy backed on the popularity of ABKI BAR MODI SARKAR, 284 seats, some 12 seats more than the halfway mark. It has completed little over 4 years and it is in the thick of RAFALE deal going for a spin. If it has happened to Rajeev Gandhi, it can happen to Narendra Modi as well. Unless-there is time to save the government- the NDA II comes up explaining all the questions that have cropped up in the public space. There is a huge difference in cost per unit in the deal of the earlier government and the present government. The Indian partner for the whole deal could have been rightly HAL, the Public Sector Aircraft manufacturer to the nation; instead a rank outsider was airdropped as a partner. Anil Ambani is in financial crisis, not much success has come his way. Has no experience in any manufacturing activity, certainly no exposure to aircraft making.
These are not very difficult questions to answer. Why nation has to suffer the excessive cost of the RAFALE per unit? Why HAL, a national enterprises of pride was pushed aside, causing loss to the nation? Why was Anil Ambani airdropped, if not to enrich him and his family- a purely private affair- a case of crony capitalism?
Question surely shall have answers. But would NDA II led by NaMo answer these uncomfortable questions. If they don’t history can repeat itself. BJP may face difficulties to come back to power on its own. Those who do not learn from history shall repeat the history, whether BJP likes it or not. Of course, if there is an issue of national security, some opposition stalwarts may have to be taken on board for a private briefing on the whole deal.
NEW DELHI: ‘Cutting through the white noise’ was the centre page piece in THE HINDU somedays ago. It was written by Suhasini Haider. It really makes one wonder why some people, I mean journos, and newspapers like THE HINDU are soft on Pakistan. In the said article, a part of the title “the white noise” didn’t make any sense as if there could be some ‘black noise’ as well.
While the title of the article is no issue at all, its contrived view some writers’ take on the Indo Pak relation and discreetly suggesting its India which should do more for the normalization of relation between the two neighbours. Suhasini Haider claims in the article “Despite the cancellation of Foreign Ministers talk, movement in India Pakistan tie is possible.
We are all privy to the information that the Foreign Ministers meet was called off due to the killing of some SPOs of J&K police by the Pak army inspired militants in the valley so also the publication of a postage stamp of Burhan Wani, a Kashmiri militant killed by Indian forces. This Suhasini Haider seem to gloss over the barbarity of Pakistan, by quoting a tit for tat by the Indian army. While cruelty in any form is an absolute no, none can expect an army to sit hands tied, with increasing barbarity of Pakistani army.
However any hope for the resumption of talks between Pakistan & India clearly looks distant because of the vituperative language used by this joker of Prime Minister Imran Khan, post cancellation of talks. He had reportedly remarked “Disappointed at the arrogant and negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture”. And this Suhasini Haider had the chicanery to refer to it as “the verbal fisticuffs that followed the cancellation do not take away from the careful diplomacy that preceded it, and could be displayed again”. Neither this paper THE HINDU had expressed shock at the near yaap by the newly elected upstart Prime Minister of a country which was famously called ‘International Migraine’ by a former US Secretary of State. And this Suhasini Haider calls it ‘verbal fisticuffs’, when it was the reflection of height of arrogance, or to put it in Kannada 'Ahankaarada Paramaavadhi’, which conveys it better the level of arrogance.
MAHARASHTRA: Ever since NDA II came to power under the unquestioned leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, going paperless and digital has been the manthra of development. Going digital has many proven advantages and therefore, there is no debate about its acceptability. One of the driving mottos of digitalization is the increased productivity due to increased efficiency which hopefully should lead to corruption-less, if not corruption-free, administration.
Be that as it may, comes this news from Mumbai. Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reportedly is planning to purchase stationery worth 2 crores of rupees, that too from its designated supplier. Reportedly this purchase covers the stationery needs of all departments of the civic body so also that of all ward offices of the BMC, some 24 consumption points, informs the media report.
According to the report there are some ‘can you believe’ a whopping 53 items in the list to be purchased. So, clearly some ‘concerted’ effort has gone into the preparation of a mundane item like stationery list. Is it because, there is big money involved in the buying of stationery at the BMC staff takes even such activities very seriously!
But a sitting member of the BMC standing committee has another story to tell. According Ravi Raja, a member of the committee “the whole idea of buying stationery like pens and pencils worth Rs. 2 crores, while talking about digitalization is prima facie contradictory and objectionable. Besides, why buy in such huge quantities? Where is the quantity discount? Also price appears to be on the higher side.” It looks a scam in stationery purchase is brewing within the portals of BMC, managed by Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray. Or is it that with digitalization there are dwindling opportunities to make money on the sly, so why not on every stationery! Besides full time politicians at corporation level have no other income, so float these stationery indents, give it to known supplier who understand your specifics- you scratch my back I scratch yours, we help each other, if country comes a cropper, so be it! This is Yeh Mera India.
MAHARASHTRA: If Kerala policemen were recently awarded death sentence for the custodial death of a youth in his 20’s, the police in Mumbai deserve no less for the death of a teenage boy in their custody.
One Uday Kumar was picked up by Kerala police on 27th September 2005 for a crime he did not commit and tortured him so badly, young Uday Kumar, 26 then, succumbed to his injuries. After 13 long years of trial, CBI judge awarded two police officers death sentence stating ‘they deserve no clemency, they killed an innocent person in their custody’. It was for the first time that any police officer was awarded death sentence for police custodial deaths. Suddenly police were made to realize that they will have to pay for their crime, as well.
On this July 13, Dharavi police picked up a 17 year old boy, Sachin Ravindra Jaiswar from his home past midnight in a case of mobile theft registered the earlier night. Reportedly the boy was brutally tortured and died of injuries allegedly inflicted by the police. For 48 hours five policemen in Dharavi station had allegedly tortured him before releasing him in unconscious state. It was likely he was not provided any water or food during the 48 hours torture. What chance the young boy had of surviving such bestiality in uniform! Usual paraphernalia of submitting letter to DCP seeking inquiry happened. The senior police inspector from Dharavi gave a cock and bull story of leptospirosis etc which led to the death of young Sachin. Reportedly this DCP, Rajiv Jain remained unavailable for comments when media contacted him.
These are standard management practices of police everywhere. But BSP, the political party, which has taken up the cause of this young boy Sachin, must go to court demanding judicial inquiry to fix the responsibility for the extremely sad killing of a youth, still in his teens, in police custody. The cock and bull story being floated by police to conceal their brutality should stop.
MAHARASHTRA: In an unheard of an initiative Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has engaged India’s best known industrial house Tatas to study the development needs of Gadchiroli district in the state of Maharashtra. Gadchiroli districts has been the hotbed of naxal activities for long. If prior to naxal movement development of the area has been poor, it got further delayed due to the naxal menace. But the state being a big brother, it has to perforce take the first step to see that fruits of development reach such backward districts as well inspite of the violent activities of naxal activists.
Under the Aspirational Districts Programme initiative of the central government, reportedly, some 115 districts have been identified with MoHA being the nodal ministry on behalf of the central government.
Home ministry has done well to identify Tata Trust of the Tata group, with their record of social engineering and honest commitment, to associate with the government in this development initiative. The Union government has reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tata Trust, for all technical support. Under the MoU, Tata Trust will provide Development Fellows, minimum two, in all of these 115 districts. With their Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Tatas are well placed to understand and to recommend the development needs of these districts, through their Development Fellows. These Development Fellows are expected to co-ordinate all efforts by district administration in executing the programme of both government and non-government agencies so that these districts experience faster development.
This development is of exemplary importance especially in the politically motivated atmosphere of cacophony of hoarse voices among political stake holders. No media has highlighted this unusual development. Hope the government goes about this praise worthy initiative without much noise and with purpose. So that these backward districts that have hardly seen development touching their lives will see it happening in their life time, not in a distant future. Two cheers to Union Government.
MAHARASHTRA: Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister for Social Justice, do not seem to have any idea what social justice truly means. After inviting criticism he is reported to apologized for his stupid remark on rising fuel prices.
While in Jaipur, as is the wont of all journalists to ask questions to get the politicians caught on the wrong foot, a journalist queried “if the minister is having any problem with the rising fuel prices?” The minister, supposedly a witty poet remarked “I am not suffering from rising fuel prices as I am a minister “, while adding that he might suffer, due to hike, if he was to lose his position on a Minister.
Prima facie there is nothing wrong in the reply, but as a minister, his reply should be structured and not impromptu. He must necessarily think as an aam aadmi first and then as minister. He may become minister or he may not become minister, or lose his position as minister, but he is always an aam aadmi. And his response, per se, should be in consonance with the thoughts of aam aadmi, which is, he is truly suffering the almost daily galloping fuel price.
Of course the standard response of “had no intention of hurting the sentiments of the common man” did follow when came under fire, rightly or wrongly.
But making, off the cuff, thoughtless remark is quite normal for this Ramdas Athawale, the President of Republican Party of India, and also the Union Minister.
He had, some months ago famously observed that “Dalits should join Indian Army because you can enjoy quality Rum and other alcohols very cheap in Army canteens”. That was clearly outrageous. If anything, as a leader of Dalits and marginalized section of Indians, Mr. Athawale should espouse the cause of empowerment of these sections who have suffered for long, for varieties of socio-political reasons. Clearly he had his priorities a bit wonky. He was probably more concerned about his own growth socially, politically and economically than his brethren, a case of La Jagjeevan Ram, KR Narayanan, Mallikarjun Kharge etc. All these gentlemen, did very well for themselves on the growth trajectory, but forgot to help their less fortunate brethren. That is a sad reality of Dalit leadership to day.
MUMBAI: Long years ago when Anand Mahindra was the FICCI chairman, then he had accepted a proposal to make 75 years as the cut off period for directors in the boards of private public limited companies, to quit office.
So, its not only Narendra Modi, who introduced the concept of 75 years retirement for politician, you also had industrialists before him who would think on those lines.
Of course, 75 itself is not a very comfortable cut off age, because there is no dearth in India of competent people both in public domain and private domain. But unfortunately, the taste of good life by these corporate honchos is something; they would never opt to let go.
And comes this news from Mumbai ‘shareholders Okay reappointment of 5 directors above 75 years of age’. Report was only mentioning about what happened in the 59th AGM of Hindalco, a Birla company. According to the report Managing Director J N Gupta, had cautioned shareholders against the reappointment.
But despite the caution, shareholders had voted all five for continuity. Special resolutions were passed with the requisite majority. However, reportedly some 33% of the institutional shareholders had voted against the reappointment of one particular director, similarly another director too was voted against by some 11%.
If our policy makers have decided 60 years as retirement age, there must be some valid ground. All of us become less and less efficient both physically and mentally once you cross 60. Of course it is possible to extend this period in case of exceptional personnel to keep employing them for a longer time. But, because of employment generation, this 60 years as retirement age has become the norm. However in industries, board of directors, experience is something that is useful for the company they are associated with, thus they are given extension up to 75 years. But this incident in the AGM of Hindalco, a Birla group company, is clearly baffling, indicating there must have been forces promoting these directors among the shareholders. After all there is so much perks that goes with the board membership. Clearly, a case of TIRED BUT NOT RETIRED.
KARNATAKA: The man, the crown of all living kingdom is increasingly proving himself to be more animal than human.
There are far too many stories floating around about his animal instincts, who live only to eat, have sex and sleep. And life has gone on for many so-called men of God.
A news report datelined Mysore had accused a seer of harassing a woman. Another from Chandigarh had said Self Styled Godmen held for raping female disciples and there is this one from across the blue waters, as far as, Washington “US priests accused of abusing more than 1000 children”.
These reports confirms one thing very clearly and categorically without any shadow of doubt that men are same from America to Andaman’s, forget about the skin colour, race, culture-vulture, civilisational ethos etc. After all it is the same hunger that drives all of us.
Kuvempunagar police have reportedly registered an FIR against Vidyaranya Bharathi Swami and 2 others, based on a complaint by the lady, who complained to the police of the assault by this Swami. Police are reportedly verifying the details without the Swami being arrested.
Amar Puri, a self styled Godman was reportedly arrested by the Fatehbad police in Chandigarh, after a tip off that murky things were happening in his residence. Police informed that CDs of victims being sexually assaulted were recovered from the accused.
AFP from Washington reported that more than 300 ‘predator’ priests in Pennsylvania are accused of abusing over 1000 children across seven decades.
The two year investigation by the grand jury has exposed a systematic cover-up by the Catholic Church, informs the report. This devastating report by the grand jury was the culmination of the expose by ‘The Boston Globe’ on the pedophile priests in Massachusetts in 2002.
One cleric raped a seven-year old girl in hospital after she had her tonsils out the report said. Another child drank juice, only to wake up the next morning bleeding from his rectum and unable to remember what had happened. A priest forced a nine-year-old boy to give him oral sex, then rinsed out his mouth with holy water to “purify him”. Another priest abused five sisters from the same family, including the one who was just 18 months old.
These were some of the bizarre stories that grand jury mentioned in their report. What a fall for the greatest creation of God, the Man! And what faith has to do with it!
KERALA: Since some weeks the issue of Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese involved in alleged rape of a nun, has been on the public space. And a section of the faithful is up in arms on the whole issue. It was the same Bishop whose security guards were involved in assaulting journalists in his Bishop House in Jalandhar.
Reportedly a special team of Kerala police had come to Jalandhar looking for this Bishop for interrogation, but didn’t find him and they sought the help of Punjab police to locate him. On finding, he was in Chandigarh, they asked him to return and appear before Kerala police for questioning. Some Kerala journalists had also accompanied the police from Kochi who according to a New Delhi datelined report, were assaulted by the private security guards at Bishop House in Jalandhar.
The report also informs that despite the claims to innocence, according to the initial investigation of Kerala police Bishop Mulakkal abused his position and repeatedly raped a nun from Kerala, and accordingly Kerala High Court was informed.
And now comes this report from Kochi that five nuns took to fasting under the aegis of Joint Christian Council (JCC) demanding the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal. It was on 27th June, the victim of Bishop’s lust had complained at the Kuravilangad Police Station in Kottayam that she had been sexually assaulted 14 times by this Bishop since May 2014. Despite close to 3 months of complaint, the authorities in Kerala have not acted, blames representative of JCC, stating that Catholic Church in Kerala is pressurising the government not to act. However it looks goose is being cooked for Bishop and police may soon act on the complaint of the nun who suffered for long because of the lecherous Bishop.
While we are about it, the issue of sex within the portals of Church has a long history. Prima facie, there is no point debating the morality involved in these sexapades. It is my personal conviction that all men and women who in the order of any church or religious order should not be forced to practice celibacy. They should be allowed to be married or allow sex among consenting adults. However there should be no force or abuse of authority by the higher ups to force themselves on non-consenting victims.
This particular case has come out, only because, this Bishop has allegedly done it for far too long and victim could be upset that despite protest he didn’t stop. Apparently she may not be the only one who has suffered. There may be others too, but have refrained from putting the 'holy man' in trouble. If the laity wants to set right things in the corridors of religious symbols, all need to support likes of these nuns who had the courage to call a spade a spade. Period.
WORLD: Most news paper reading public is aware that it’s the Army that control Pakistan and not the elected government. It has been a story for all the 71 years since its birth. As Gen Ayub Khan called it, Pakistan is a controlled democracy. Democracy is indeed a sham in Pakistan, or else, Bangladesh would not have been created. In fact the Army is so entrenched in the Pakistani society, most business and industrial activities are owned and controlled by army officers. Hence nothing happens without the consent of Army top brass which includes ISI. In fact ISI is supreme. Thus the peace with India is not likely unless, may be the elected government becomes more powerful to dictate its terms to Army and therefore to ISI as well.
And comes this news datelined Lahore. Speaking at the Rawalpindi Bar Association, Islamabad High court judge Justice Shaukat Siddiqui, reportedly, lashed out openly at the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) for controlling the judiciary and media. According to Justice Siddiqui, the ISI is pressuring the chief justice and other judges to get favorable verdicts in different cases including against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. World is privy to the knowledge that ISI is the powerful spy agency of Pakistan, and hence are expected to have dossiers on all those who matter in the country. Despite such possibility, Justice Shaukat Siddiqui decided to take on the powerful army promoted outfit openly in the presence of legal luminaries of Bar Association, shows the frustration of intelligentsia in Pakistan civil society. No wonder a former secretary of state Madeleine Albright called Pakistan an international migraine.
WORLD: Teen brother rapes his younger teen sister. Brother, 17 year old, was sent to jail for the crime he has committed. But the would be mother, 15 years old, of her own brother’s child was also jailed for aborting the fetus, informs a report datelined Jakarta. The court spokesman, Listy Arief Budiman of the Muara Bulian District court in the island of Sumatra reportedly informed the media that the 15 year old victim of sexual assault by her 17 year old brother was sentenced for 6 months jail for having an abortion.
Sumatra is part of Indonesia which is an Islamic country. While the imprisonment of 17 year old accused can be justified for the crime committed on his 15 year old sister, how at all the victim too can be imprisoned for just getting rid of the post rape problem? In fact, the authorities should have facilitated the removal of the criminally forced fetal growth. How could she live with the inflicted shame for all her life, from as tender an age as 15? In Idi Amin’s Uganda, a doctor’s legs were cut and joined back in reverse as a punishment for helping one of Idi Amin’s wives to abort an unwanted pregnancy. Fortunately no such thing has happened in Indonesia. Indeed strange are the ways of the World.
WORLD: The latest Pakistani political sensation Imran Khan has proved his immaturity and stupidity beyond any shadow of doubt. A Prime Minister, if he is fit to be a prime minister, must necessarily should never be in a hurry to issue statements, especially when he is dealing with traditional rivals.
For Imran Khan to say “all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture” is the height of not only his arrogance of being the PM of Pakistan for the first time, but clearly exposes his ability to sit in the PM’s chair of a troubled country like Pakistan. He was reacting to the cancellation of Foreign Minister Level meeting between India & Pakistan.
Clearly this Imran Khan was referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his humble beginning. No wonder the Times of India remarked “In one tweet, Imran closes all diplomatic doors”. Surely this will be the picture for quite some time to come. Imran Khan has put his foot in his own mouth. What is the qualification of this upstart Khan to even to comment on Narendra Modi, the Indian PM? First of all this Imran Khan should realize that Pakistan is nowhere equal to India in whatever standard of comparison. Similarly he himself is dependent on the whims and fancies of Pakistani Army. So he is on crutches, which can be pulled anytime. He has no authority, even to appoint an economist, a professor in US, to the economic think tank of Pakistan, as a member, since the economist happened to be an Ahmadiyya Muslim, a sect banned in Pakistan as non- Muslim. It looks; he is allowed only to bark against India, which surely his army and ISI, the spy agency of Pak, would support him for their own nefarious design of destabilizing India. Thus the democracy of Pakistan has proved once again very shallow.
The reason, why India cancelled the meet between foreign ministers was the latest killing of 3 SPOs of J&K police and issue of a stamp by Pakistan of a confirmed terrorist Burhan Wani. India’s charges that these latest killing of SPOs was because of ISI instruction to kill SPOs.
India had reportedly interrupted message from ISI to Kashmiri militants and Pak terror outfits to do the diabolic act of kidnapping and killing of SPOs. Thus, the hope the new broom that Imran Khan is, would push for peace is, dashed. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to wager how things would evolve, especially after Indian Army chief talking about paying back Pakistan in the same coin.
WORLD: World is privy to the ongoing tussle between Canada and Saudi Arabia.
As a representative of the free and democratic world Canada was within its right to denounce a crackdown on activists in the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia, on its part was also within its rights to snap all diplomatic and commercial relationship with Canada.
But there is something as right and wrong. Activists are found in all human habitations across the world. They are asking for change to go with the evolving world for better human rights which could be political, social and economic. As long as they are non-violent and non-disruptive, they can be entertained by all governments at least to give them a hearing, to begin with. This concession alone can go a long way in bringing about slow and steady evolution of societies. But Arabs being what they are do not entertain challenge to their straight jacket concept of law, order and liberty.
Hence, the ‘de facto’ ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Salman ordered a crackdown and arrested all those activists, when they protested. Of course, this is not the first time such a thing has happened in the Arab Kingdom.
However, it was the first time any global power has openly criticised the crackdown.
United States and the European Union member states did not join Canada, in orchestrating the disapproval of Saudi crackdown. All these countries have huge financial stakes involving Saudi Arabia. So is Canada. But Canada decided to up the ante and why not! In a world where, there is no permanent friendship or permanent enmity but only permanent interest, Canada emerged as a beacon of hope. As a multi-cultural society, clearly Canada represents hope, although it has its own racial aberrations occasionally making its presence felt. Yes, Canada needs support of all who support human rights the world over.
J. Shriyan
However, it is heartening to note that one of AAPs important initiatives into public health is getting recognized by international community. Visiting foreign dignitaries like, former UN Chief Ban-Ki-Moon and Prime Minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland, have reportedly heaped praise on its AAMC or Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics. According to Ban-Ki-Moon, “I am very much impressed with what I have seen. I have travelled to many places. What I have seen today are very systematic, well organized and well kept. Mohalla Clinics are taking good care of the vulnerable”. “These clinics are not only treating people but also working for childcare, pregnancy care, immunization and promotion of health care. This is impressive and it should be like this all over the world” was the reaction of Brundtland.
Clearly, it is something that all parts of the country should emulate. Although AAP had promised in its election speeches, to set up 1000 clinics across Delhi, it has made commendable stride in establishing close to 200 such clinics with many in the pipeline.
Arvind Kejriwal, despite his penchant for unnecessary theatrics and verbose against the central government led by Narendra Modi, has managed to address a long awaited and highly needed vacuum that was prevalent for all these past decades in the post independent India. This is something which Narendra Modi government has to take note of. There was Congress rule in Delhi, for better part of the past decades, there was BJP too for some terms that ruled Delhi, but it was given to AAP, the latest political entrant, not even one full term into its office, and they are making this huge difference in the public health scenario of Delhi. And there is lesson for not only for both BJP and Congress, but also the entire political class across the Indian states. Indeed where there is will there is a way. Two cheers to AAP.
NEW DELHI: In sympathy vote, post Indira Gandhi assassination, Rajeev Gandhi won more than 400 seats, which was about 80% of the total strength of the Loksabha. He could not save it beyond 5 years term. It was BOFORS that killed Rajeev Gandhi government. And Congress never came back to power on its own and still struggling. BJP won in 2014, piggy backed on the popularity of ABKI BAR MODI SARKAR, 284 seats, some 12 seats more than the halfway mark. It has completed little over 4 years and it is in the thick of RAFALE deal going for a spin. If it has happened to Rajeev Gandhi, it can happen to Narendra Modi as well. Unless-there is time to save the government- the NDA II comes up explaining all the questions that have cropped up in the public space. There is a huge difference in cost per unit in the deal of the earlier government and the present government. The Indian partner for the whole deal could have been rightly HAL, the Public Sector Aircraft manufacturer to the nation; instead a rank outsider was airdropped as a partner. Anil Ambani is in financial crisis, not much success has come his way. Has no experience in any manufacturing activity, certainly no exposure to aircraft making.
These are not very difficult questions to answer. Why nation has to suffer the excessive cost of the RAFALE per unit? Why HAL, a national enterprises of pride was pushed aside, causing loss to the nation? Why was Anil Ambani airdropped, if not to enrich him and his family- a purely private affair- a case of crony capitalism?
Question surely shall have answers. But would NDA II led by NaMo answer these uncomfortable questions. If they don’t history can repeat itself. BJP may face difficulties to come back to power on its own. Those who do not learn from history shall repeat the history, whether BJP likes it or not. Of course, if there is an issue of national security, some opposition stalwarts may have to be taken on board for a private briefing on the whole deal.
NEW DELHI: ‘Cutting through the white noise’ was the centre page piece in THE HINDU somedays ago. It was written by Suhasini Haider. It really makes one wonder why some people, I mean journos, and newspapers like THE HINDU are soft on Pakistan. In the said article, a part of the title “the white noise” didn’t make any sense as if there could be some ‘black noise’ as well.
While the title of the article is no issue at all, its contrived view some writers’ take on the Indo Pak relation and discreetly suggesting its India which should do more for the normalization of relation between the two neighbours. Suhasini Haider claims in the article “Despite the cancellation of Foreign Ministers talk, movement in India Pakistan tie is possible.
We are all privy to the information that the Foreign Ministers meet was called off due to the killing of some SPOs of J&K police by the Pak army inspired militants in the valley so also the publication of a postage stamp of Burhan Wani, a Kashmiri militant killed by Indian forces. This Suhasini Haider seem to gloss over the barbarity of Pakistan, by quoting a tit for tat by the Indian army. While cruelty in any form is an absolute no, none can expect an army to sit hands tied, with increasing barbarity of Pakistani army.
However any hope for the resumption of talks between Pakistan & India clearly looks distant because of the vituperative language used by this joker of Prime Minister Imran Khan, post cancellation of talks. He had reportedly remarked “Disappointed at the arrogant and negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture”. And this Suhasini Haider had the chicanery to refer to it as “the verbal fisticuffs that followed the cancellation do not take away from the careful diplomacy that preceded it, and could be displayed again”. Neither this paper THE HINDU had expressed shock at the near yaap by the newly elected upstart Prime Minister of a country which was famously called ‘International Migraine’ by a former US Secretary of State. And this Suhasini Haider calls it ‘verbal fisticuffs’, when it was the reflection of height of arrogance, or to put it in Kannada 'Ahankaarada Paramaavadhi’, which conveys it better the level of arrogance.
MAHARASHTRA: Ever since NDA II came to power under the unquestioned leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, going paperless and digital has been the manthra of development. Going digital has many proven advantages and therefore, there is no debate about its acceptability. One of the driving mottos of digitalization is the increased productivity due to increased efficiency which hopefully should lead to corruption-less, if not corruption-free, administration.
Be that as it may, comes this news from Mumbai. Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reportedly is planning to purchase stationery worth 2 crores of rupees, that too from its designated supplier. Reportedly this purchase covers the stationery needs of all departments of the civic body so also that of all ward offices of the BMC, some 24 consumption points, informs the media report.
According to the report there are some ‘can you believe’ a whopping 53 items in the list to be purchased. So, clearly some ‘concerted’ effort has gone into the preparation of a mundane item like stationery list. Is it because, there is big money involved in the buying of stationery at the BMC staff takes even such activities very seriously!
But a sitting member of the BMC standing committee has another story to tell. According Ravi Raja, a member of the committee “the whole idea of buying stationery like pens and pencils worth Rs. 2 crores, while talking about digitalization is prima facie contradictory and objectionable. Besides, why buy in such huge quantities? Where is the quantity discount? Also price appears to be on the higher side.” It looks a scam in stationery purchase is brewing within the portals of BMC, managed by Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray. Or is it that with digitalization there are dwindling opportunities to make money on the sly, so why not on every stationery! Besides full time politicians at corporation level have no other income, so float these stationery indents, give it to known supplier who understand your specifics- you scratch my back I scratch yours, we help each other, if country comes a cropper, so be it! This is Yeh Mera India.
MAHARASHTRA: If Kerala policemen were recently awarded death sentence for the custodial death of a youth in his 20’s, the police in Mumbai deserve no less for the death of a teenage boy in their custody.
One Uday Kumar was picked up by Kerala police on 27th September 2005 for a crime he did not commit and tortured him so badly, young Uday Kumar, 26 then, succumbed to his injuries. After 13 long years of trial, CBI judge awarded two police officers death sentence stating ‘they deserve no clemency, they killed an innocent person in their custody’. It was for the first time that any police officer was awarded death sentence for police custodial deaths. Suddenly police were made to realize that they will have to pay for their crime, as well.
On this July 13, Dharavi police picked up a 17 year old boy, Sachin Ravindra Jaiswar from his home past midnight in a case of mobile theft registered the earlier night. Reportedly the boy was brutally tortured and died of injuries allegedly inflicted by the police. For 48 hours five policemen in Dharavi station had allegedly tortured him before releasing him in unconscious state. It was likely he was not provided any water or food during the 48 hours torture. What chance the young boy had of surviving such bestiality in uniform! Usual paraphernalia of submitting letter to DCP seeking inquiry happened. The senior police inspector from Dharavi gave a cock and bull story of leptospirosis etc which led to the death of young Sachin. Reportedly this DCP, Rajiv Jain remained unavailable for comments when media contacted him.
These are standard management practices of police everywhere. But BSP, the political party, which has taken up the cause of this young boy Sachin, must go to court demanding judicial inquiry to fix the responsibility for the extremely sad killing of a youth, still in his teens, in police custody. The cock and bull story being floated by police to conceal their brutality should stop.
MAHARASHTRA: In an unheard of an initiative Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has engaged India’s best known industrial house Tatas to study the development needs of Gadchiroli district in the state of Maharashtra. Gadchiroli districts has been the hotbed of naxal activities for long. If prior to naxal movement development of the area has been poor, it got further delayed due to the naxal menace. But the state being a big brother, it has to perforce take the first step to see that fruits of development reach such backward districts as well inspite of the violent activities of naxal activists.
Under the Aspirational Districts Programme initiative of the central government, reportedly, some 115 districts have been identified with MoHA being the nodal ministry on behalf of the central government.
Home ministry has done well to identify Tata Trust of the Tata group, with their record of social engineering and honest commitment, to associate with the government in this development initiative. The Union government has reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tata Trust, for all technical support. Under the MoU, Tata Trust will provide Development Fellows, minimum two, in all of these 115 districts. With their Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Tatas are well placed to understand and to recommend the development needs of these districts, through their Development Fellows. These Development Fellows are expected to co-ordinate all efforts by district administration in executing the programme of both government and non-government agencies so that these districts experience faster development.
This development is of exemplary importance especially in the politically motivated atmosphere of cacophony of hoarse voices among political stake holders. No media has highlighted this unusual development. Hope the government goes about this praise worthy initiative without much noise and with purpose. So that these backward districts that have hardly seen development touching their lives will see it happening in their life time, not in a distant future. Two cheers to Union Government.
MAHARASHTRA: Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister for Social Justice, do not seem to have any idea what social justice truly means. After inviting criticism he is reported to apologized for his stupid remark on rising fuel prices.
While in Jaipur, as is the wont of all journalists to ask questions to get the politicians caught on the wrong foot, a journalist queried “if the minister is having any problem with the rising fuel prices?” The minister, supposedly a witty poet remarked “I am not suffering from rising fuel prices as I am a minister “, while adding that he might suffer, due to hike, if he was to lose his position on a Minister.
Prima facie there is nothing wrong in the reply, but as a minister, his reply should be structured and not impromptu. He must necessarily think as an aam aadmi first and then as minister. He may become minister or he may not become minister, or lose his position as minister, but he is always an aam aadmi. And his response, per se, should be in consonance with the thoughts of aam aadmi, which is, he is truly suffering the almost daily galloping fuel price.
Of course the standard response of “had no intention of hurting the sentiments of the common man” did follow when came under fire, rightly or wrongly.
But making, off the cuff, thoughtless remark is quite normal for this Ramdas Athawale, the President of Republican Party of India, and also the Union Minister.
He had, some months ago famously observed that “Dalits should join Indian Army because you can enjoy quality Rum and other alcohols very cheap in Army canteens”. That was clearly outrageous. If anything, as a leader of Dalits and marginalized section of Indians, Mr. Athawale should espouse the cause of empowerment of these sections who have suffered for long, for varieties of socio-political reasons. Clearly he had his priorities a bit wonky. He was probably more concerned about his own growth socially, politically and economically than his brethren, a case of La Jagjeevan Ram, KR Narayanan, Mallikarjun Kharge etc. All these gentlemen, did very well for themselves on the growth trajectory, but forgot to help their less fortunate brethren. That is a sad reality of Dalit leadership to day.
MUMBAI: Long years ago when Anand Mahindra was the FICCI chairman, then he had accepted a proposal to make 75 years as the cut off period for directors in the boards of private public limited companies, to quit office.
So, its not only Narendra Modi, who introduced the concept of 75 years retirement for politician, you also had industrialists before him who would think on those lines.
Of course, 75 itself is not a very comfortable cut off age, because there is no dearth in India of competent people both in public domain and private domain. But unfortunately, the taste of good life by these corporate honchos is something; they would never opt to let go.
And comes this news from Mumbai ‘shareholders Okay reappointment of 5 directors above 75 years of age’. Report was only mentioning about what happened in the 59th AGM of Hindalco, a Birla company. According to the report Managing Director J N Gupta, had cautioned shareholders against the reappointment.
But despite the caution, shareholders had voted all five for continuity. Special resolutions were passed with the requisite majority. However, reportedly some 33% of the institutional shareholders had voted against the reappointment of one particular director, similarly another director too was voted against by some 11%.
If our policy makers have decided 60 years as retirement age, there must be some valid ground. All of us become less and less efficient both physically and mentally once you cross 60. Of course it is possible to extend this period in case of exceptional personnel to keep employing them for a longer time. But, because of employment generation, this 60 years as retirement age has become the norm. However in industries, board of directors, experience is something that is useful for the company they are associated with, thus they are given extension up to 75 years. But this incident in the AGM of Hindalco, a Birla group company, is clearly baffling, indicating there must have been forces promoting these directors among the shareholders. After all there is so much perks that goes with the board membership. Clearly, a case of TIRED BUT NOT RETIRED.
KARNATAKA: The man, the crown of all living kingdom is increasingly proving himself to be more animal than human.
There are far too many stories floating around about his animal instincts, who live only to eat, have sex and sleep. And life has gone on for many so-called men of God.
A news report datelined Mysore had accused a seer of harassing a woman. Another from Chandigarh had said Self Styled Godmen held for raping female disciples and there is this one from across the blue waters, as far as, Washington “US priests accused of abusing more than 1000 children”.
These reports confirms one thing very clearly and categorically without any shadow of doubt that men are same from America to Andaman’s, forget about the skin colour, race, culture-vulture, civilisational ethos etc. After all it is the same hunger that drives all of us.
Kuvempunagar police have reportedly registered an FIR against Vidyaranya Bharathi Swami and 2 others, based on a complaint by the lady, who complained to the police of the assault by this Swami. Police are reportedly verifying the details without the Swami being arrested.
Amar Puri, a self styled Godman was reportedly arrested by the Fatehbad police in Chandigarh, after a tip off that murky things were happening in his residence. Police informed that CDs of victims being sexually assaulted were recovered from the accused.
AFP from Washington reported that more than 300 ‘predator’ priests in Pennsylvania are accused of abusing over 1000 children across seven decades.
The two year investigation by the grand jury has exposed a systematic cover-up by the Catholic Church, informs the report. This devastating report by the grand jury was the culmination of the expose by ‘The Boston Globe’ on the pedophile priests in Massachusetts in 2002.
One cleric raped a seven-year old girl in hospital after she had her tonsils out the report said. Another child drank juice, only to wake up the next morning bleeding from his rectum and unable to remember what had happened. A priest forced a nine-year-old boy to give him oral sex, then rinsed out his mouth with holy water to “purify him”. Another priest abused five sisters from the same family, including the one who was just 18 months old.
These were some of the bizarre stories that grand jury mentioned in their report. What a fall for the greatest creation of God, the Man! And what faith has to do with it!
KERALA: Since some weeks the issue of Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese involved in alleged rape of a nun, has been on the public space. And a section of the faithful is up in arms on the whole issue. It was the same Bishop whose security guards were involved in assaulting journalists in his Bishop House in Jalandhar.
Reportedly a special team of Kerala police had come to Jalandhar looking for this Bishop for interrogation, but didn’t find him and they sought the help of Punjab police to locate him. On finding, he was in Chandigarh, they asked him to return and appear before Kerala police for questioning. Some Kerala journalists had also accompanied the police from Kochi who according to a New Delhi datelined report, were assaulted by the private security guards at Bishop House in Jalandhar.
The report also informs that despite the claims to innocence, according to the initial investigation of Kerala police Bishop Mulakkal abused his position and repeatedly raped a nun from Kerala, and accordingly Kerala High Court was informed.
And now comes this report from Kochi that five nuns took to fasting under the aegis of Joint Christian Council (JCC) demanding the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal. It was on 27th June, the victim of Bishop’s lust had complained at the Kuravilangad Police Station in Kottayam that she had been sexually assaulted 14 times by this Bishop since May 2014. Despite close to 3 months of complaint, the authorities in Kerala have not acted, blames representative of JCC, stating that Catholic Church in Kerala is pressurising the government not to act. However it looks goose is being cooked for Bishop and police may soon act on the complaint of the nun who suffered for long because of the lecherous Bishop.
While we are about it, the issue of sex within the portals of Church has a long history. Prima facie, there is no point debating the morality involved in these sexapades. It is my personal conviction that all men and women who in the order of any church or religious order should not be forced to practice celibacy. They should be allowed to be married or allow sex among consenting adults. However there should be no force or abuse of authority by the higher ups to force themselves on non-consenting victims.
This particular case has come out, only because, this Bishop has allegedly done it for far too long and victim could be upset that despite protest he didn’t stop. Apparently she may not be the only one who has suffered. There may be others too, but have refrained from putting the 'holy man' in trouble. If the laity wants to set right things in the corridors of religious symbols, all need to support likes of these nuns who had the courage to call a spade a spade. Period.
WORLD: Most news paper reading public is aware that it’s the Army that control Pakistan and not the elected government. It has been a story for all the 71 years since its birth. As Gen Ayub Khan called it, Pakistan is a controlled democracy. Democracy is indeed a sham in Pakistan, or else, Bangladesh would not have been created. In fact the Army is so entrenched in the Pakistani society, most business and industrial activities are owned and controlled by army officers. Hence nothing happens without the consent of Army top brass which includes ISI. In fact ISI is supreme. Thus the peace with India is not likely unless, may be the elected government becomes more powerful to dictate its terms to Army and therefore to ISI as well.
And comes this news datelined Lahore. Speaking at the Rawalpindi Bar Association, Islamabad High court judge Justice Shaukat Siddiqui, reportedly, lashed out openly at the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) for controlling the judiciary and media. According to Justice Siddiqui, the ISI is pressuring the chief justice and other judges to get favorable verdicts in different cases including against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. World is privy to the knowledge that ISI is the powerful spy agency of Pakistan, and hence are expected to have dossiers on all those who matter in the country. Despite such possibility, Justice Shaukat Siddiqui decided to take on the powerful army promoted outfit openly in the presence of legal luminaries of Bar Association, shows the frustration of intelligentsia in Pakistan civil society. No wonder a former secretary of state Madeleine Albright called Pakistan an international migraine.
WORLD: Teen brother rapes his younger teen sister. Brother, 17 year old, was sent to jail for the crime he has committed. But the would be mother, 15 years old, of her own brother’s child was also jailed for aborting the fetus, informs a report datelined Jakarta. The court spokesman, Listy Arief Budiman of the Muara Bulian District court in the island of Sumatra reportedly informed the media that the 15 year old victim of sexual assault by her 17 year old brother was sentenced for 6 months jail for having an abortion.
Sumatra is part of Indonesia which is an Islamic country. While the imprisonment of 17 year old accused can be justified for the crime committed on his 15 year old sister, how at all the victim too can be imprisoned for just getting rid of the post rape problem? In fact, the authorities should have facilitated the removal of the criminally forced fetal growth. How could she live with the inflicted shame for all her life, from as tender an age as 15? In Idi Amin’s Uganda, a doctor’s legs were cut and joined back in reverse as a punishment for helping one of Idi Amin’s wives to abort an unwanted pregnancy. Fortunately no such thing has happened in Indonesia. Indeed strange are the ways of the World.
WORLD: The latest Pakistani political sensation Imran Khan has proved his immaturity and stupidity beyond any shadow of doubt. A Prime Minister, if he is fit to be a prime minister, must necessarily should never be in a hurry to issue statements, especially when he is dealing with traditional rivals.
For Imran Khan to say “all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture” is the height of not only his arrogance of being the PM of Pakistan for the first time, but clearly exposes his ability to sit in the PM’s chair of a troubled country like Pakistan. He was reacting to the cancellation of Foreign Minister Level meeting between India & Pakistan.
Clearly this Imran Khan was referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his humble beginning. No wonder the Times of India remarked “In one tweet, Imran closes all diplomatic doors”. Surely this will be the picture for quite some time to come. Imran Khan has put his foot in his own mouth. What is the qualification of this upstart Khan to even to comment on Narendra Modi, the Indian PM? First of all this Imran Khan should realize that Pakistan is nowhere equal to India in whatever standard of comparison. Similarly he himself is dependent on the whims and fancies of Pakistani Army. So he is on crutches, which can be pulled anytime. He has no authority, even to appoint an economist, a professor in US, to the economic think tank of Pakistan, as a member, since the economist happened to be an Ahmadiyya Muslim, a sect banned in Pakistan as non- Muslim. It looks; he is allowed only to bark against India, which surely his army and ISI, the spy agency of Pak, would support him for their own nefarious design of destabilizing India. Thus the democracy of Pakistan has proved once again very shallow.
The reason, why India cancelled the meet between foreign ministers was the latest killing of 3 SPOs of J&K police and issue of a stamp by Pakistan of a confirmed terrorist Burhan Wani. India’s charges that these latest killing of SPOs was because of ISI instruction to kill SPOs.
India had reportedly interrupted message from ISI to Kashmiri militants and Pak terror outfits to do the diabolic act of kidnapping and killing of SPOs. Thus, the hope the new broom that Imran Khan is, would push for peace is, dashed. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to wager how things would evolve, especially after Indian Army chief talking about paying back Pakistan in the same coin.
WORLD: World is privy to the ongoing tussle between Canada and Saudi Arabia.
As a representative of the free and democratic world Canada was within its right to denounce a crackdown on activists in the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia, on its part was also within its rights to snap all diplomatic and commercial relationship with Canada.
But there is something as right and wrong. Activists are found in all human habitations across the world. They are asking for change to go with the evolving world for better human rights which could be political, social and economic. As long as they are non-violent and non-disruptive, they can be entertained by all governments at least to give them a hearing, to begin with. This concession alone can go a long way in bringing about slow and steady evolution of societies. But Arabs being what they are do not entertain challenge to their straight jacket concept of law, order and liberty.
Hence, the ‘de facto’ ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Salman ordered a crackdown and arrested all those activists, when they protested. Of course, this is not the first time such a thing has happened in the Arab Kingdom.
However, it was the first time any global power has openly criticised the crackdown.
United States and the European Union member states did not join Canada, in orchestrating the disapproval of Saudi crackdown. All these countries have huge financial stakes involving Saudi Arabia. So is Canada. But Canada decided to up the ante and why not! In a world where, there is no permanent friendship or permanent enmity but only permanent interest, Canada emerged as a beacon of hope. As a multi-cultural society, clearly Canada represents hope, although it has its own racial aberrations occasionally making its presence felt. Yes, Canada needs support of all who support human rights the world over.
J. Shriyan
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