MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE
JAMMU
& KASHMIR: Wonder what is happening to the former
IAS officer Shah Faesal and his wasted idealism in resigning from IAS after
some 10 years in service. He had reportedly launched a political party named
J&K People Movement.
As an IAS topper he had a golden opportunity to
resolve the issue of J&K and its possible merger with the mainstream India.
He has clearly failed to realize that article 370 has failed to bring
development to the state. He has to realize that as long as it does not open to
the Indians to be like any other state, there is no hope for J&K. He is
clearly a separatist and is looking for Pakistani involvement in the resolution
of the impasse.
If J&K opens up to Indian trade and industry,
the development of J&K will be dramatic with fruits of this development
being enjoyed by average Kashmiris, with stone pelting crowd getting regular
employment. Until that happens, any political experiment on unrealistic
idealism is bound to fail with economic progress being only a mirage.
NEW
DELHI: Election 2019 is over. Results have come. As usual
some have won and some have lost. However it also happens that some do
exceedingly well beyond expectation and somebody else perforce have to be in
the dumps.
In Election 2019, there were many coalitions to
fight mainly BJP and its leader Narendra Modi. In most states opposition lost
rather badly, except in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and to some extent
in West Bengal where the ruling party Trinamool Congress managed to retain more
than half number of seats. It is true that BJP did very well for itself in West
Bengal giving a scare to the incumbent party.
However, what is important, and how the media
somehow did not give much importance to it is the way Rahul Gandhi conducted himself
post Election 2019 result. His no holds barred attack, mostly unfounded, on
Narendra Modi has certainly boomeranged in the husting. But in his defeat he
has been graceful and has accepted the loss of numbers and is not worried that
Congress party cannot become even opposition leader (LoP) for the 2nd
time in successive terms. In 2014, it won 44 seats and in 2019 it could manage
52 seats when the minimum number of seats to occupy the seat of LoP is 55. It is indeed sad, that there is no
opposition to the ruling combine. It is not good for a democracy.
However taking stock of the post election scenario,
addressing the party seniors, he left nobody in doubt that he will not spare
anybody, who has personal interest above that of the party or of the country.
This particular aspect of significance was strangely not picked up by either
the media or even the BJP spokes person. He was brutally frank, as a true
serious leader of his party when he said in the meeting that “P. Chidambaram
had threatened to quit the party if his son was not given a ticket in the last
election”. This was rather too much for a senior leader to expect especially
when son Karti Chidambaram is a controversial wheeler dealer facing criminal
cases and is barred from travelling abroad without SC clearance. Rahul also
mentioned how ‘Kamal Nath, the present CM of MP insisted on his son being given
the ticket’. Similarly ‘Rajasthan CM Gehlot had camped in Delhi to pressure the
leadership to give Loksabha ticket to his son’ which he lost anyway. This kind
of frankness will certainly endear Rahul to genuine party workers. This is
something BJP leadership needs to learn.
NEW
DELHI: ‘Good Resolution’ said Robert Lynd, a famous
English writer of yesteryears, ‘is April of Virtue with no September
following’. No wonder, after a huge expectation from Aam Aadmi Party, led by
debutant politician Arvind Kejriwal, AAP’s influence tapered off in the only
place, where it has a functioning government. Although information available in
the public space has given many credits to the government led by Arvind
Kejriwal, the goodwill generated initially somehow failed to sustain. Of course
it cannot be denied that this failure was mainly due to the personality of
Arvind Akela Party (AAP). This sobriquet he earned through some real hard work
of one-up-manship.
Right from the day, he became chief minister for the
2nd time in Delhi, he has been continuously, once every week, if not
almost daily, having running battle with central government led by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi. In fact he targeted him for varieties of real and
imaginary difficulties Delhi government was perceived to be facing. It went up to
ridiculous extent.
The latest barb was “It is Modiji who wants to get
me killed not my personal security officer (PSO)”. This was ultimate fall for a
person who had a dream run in his political debut, which culminated with the
win of 67 seats in the 70 member Delhi Assembly.
The accusation that Kejriwal hurled at PM Modi,
after the exit poll results were made known by the electronic channels, was an
expression of his desperation. Or else, there is no way, one can even think
like this, let alone saying it. It is sad one of his best candidate Atishi lost
to Gautham Ganbhir, the cricketor politician from the BJP stable.
Atishi was instrumental in bringing about many
positive changes in the government schools of Delhi.
At least now, that his sense of superiority has been
grounded rather with a thud, with all seven AAP candidates having been lost to
BJP, he should circumspect, how to build its relevance back to the days, when
AAP had, Yogendra Yadav, Shanti Bhushan family, Admiral Ramdas among others.
With Congress losing steam continuously, there
appears to be no opposition to the growing BJP. In a democracy a strong opposition
is a must and Kejriwal alone is not the solution. If you are not part of the
solution then you are the problem.
NEW DELHI:
Delhi Chief Minister and convener of Aam Aadmi Party Arvind
Kejriwal is getting chastened. Having lost all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi
Assembly area with no other seats anywhere, including Punjab, he is staring at
the uncertain future of AAP.
With assembly election due in less than a year’s time,
Kejriwal is again in the market with his freebies. Populism has been his trump
card. He could win 67 seats of the 70 strength in Delhi assembly on the promise
of free electricity and water. Now he is coming up with free rides on DTC buses
as well as Metro offer for women.
Immediately thereafter, there has been criticism for the
gender discrimination. However, the proposal appears to have been shelved with
centre raising the flag, since both Metro and DTC are in the red. This largesse
just to win election due early next year, Feb2020, the state can ill afford.
These stunts by political parties only to win election should
be nipped in the bud.
NEW DELHI:
Come NDA III, the attack on corruption and illegal benefits
reaped by people will continue with greater vigor.
It was six years ago CBI had reported about the serious
procedural irregularities in the process of allocating blocks of Atomic Mineral
Exploration. The CBI is getting geared to begin preliminary enquiry.
Reportedly private parties in 2010, during UPA regime were
granted licenses to explore and mine atomic minerals. In view of the strategic
implications, only government companies or government agencies are allowed to
mine atomic minerals. CBI is likely to probe all senior government officers
involved in the grant of licenses without due diligences.
According to Geological Survey of India officers of Ministry
of Mines, government of India “practiced a pick-and-choose formula in granting
some 50 mining leases for atomic minerals”. Reportedly in March 2011, sixteen
applicants were shortlisted for allocation of 62 exploration blocks which
included minerals like monazite which is a replacement for uranium in nuclear
power generation and is highly priced. Reportedly, then the Controller General,
Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) had not followed proper procedure in allocating
licenses for unknown considerations. CBI is seized of the issue and apparently
determined to expose the nexus between babus and their corporate clients.
NEW DELHI:
Government of India had notified to
implement Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of
Tax Act 2016, with retrospective effect from June 2015.
Acts are made to protect the country
and its citizens from illegal activities of vested interest groups. Its
application can be advanced to an earlier date, if there is a need for it.
Gautham Khaitan, an accused in VVIP
chopper scam challenged the 2016 act, for its retrospective effect. Delhi High
Court sees reason in Gautham Khaitan’s petition and restrained Income Tax dept
from taking action against Khaitan against whom a black money case has been
lodged.
But quite frankly, how can Delhi High
Court see merit in an individual’s case, when he is a culprit and in national
interest and interest of fairness, this person Gautham Khaitan, has to be
proceeded against.
Centre appealed against this order,
stating that ‘Delhi High Court has erred’, and right enough Supreme Court has
stayed the order of Delhi High Court.
Here the question is why courts think
differently, even on issues of national relevance?
NEW
DELHI:
The
Jan Sangh, the original face of BJP has always been a party of traders. But the
new awatar BJP has evolved over a period and that’s how it
became acceptable to a vast section of Indians to become the most formidable
political force within India. It has arrived on the public space like never
before, for varieties of reasons.
Still, it couldn’t
shrug off its original tag of being a party of traders and business community.
The news that Bhupendra
Singh, who served as chairman of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
(NPPA) was shifted out, more than a year before his three year terms was to
end, is clearly indicative if where the wind is blowing.
It was only some days
earlier that Singh had made public a report highlighting how four big corporate
hospitals in and around New Delhi indulge in exorbitant profiteering and
misconduct.
Of course, as usual,
the crap that these transfers are ongoing administrative exercise was dished
out for public consumption.
Equally, as usual,
health activists have slammed the transfer. Even some health ministry officials
in private agreed with the activists. According to them “Singh had taken steps
to ensure affordability of medicines and medical devices that discomforted the
pharma industry as NPPA took important decision on price caps on crucial
essential products”.
These activists and
their supporters fear that Singh’s transfer was in total disregard for public
interest due to the pressure from the pharma industry and corporate hospital
lobby. It is true that pharma induatry has long sought to undermine and weaken
the NPPA to enable uninhibited profiteering and circumvention of law.
Under the
circumstances, the transfer of NPPA chief is an unfortunate development, since
reportedly, he has worked with total transparency for the benefit of public in
general and health scenario in particular.
Swadeshi Jagaran Manch,
an ancillary unit of BJP/RSS combine, has been supportive of health activists
in their response to the high profile transfer. But it was muted to be
politically right, observing that one need not read too much into such periodic
transfers. That’s a sad dimension of evolving India under BJP.
Gujarat:
While the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, a Gujarati
by birth tells the nation that he is the Pradhan Sevak of the country, his
country cousin Balram Thawani, an MLA in Gujarat, was found kicking and
punching, of all the people, a woman, only for asking for the restoration of
the water connection in her locality in Ahmadabad.
This man, who is a BJP MLA, should have been suspended
without delay for the message to go loud and clear. Victory of Modi in Loksabha
Election 2019 has emboldened lumpen elements in the party. There is a history
of such incidents increasing every time BJP comes to power. Unless the
leadership acts decisively, the goodwill that BJP enjoying nationally will
vanish.
In this respect Rahul Gandhi has acted faster and better
every time some MLA or MP acted badly. Take the case of Mani Shankar Aiyar or
that Congress Youth leader from Karnataka, Mohd.Haris Nalapad, for questionable
statements and bad behaviors.
Reportedly the victim, Neetu Tejwani was slapped so bad that
she fell down, following which MLA started kicking and thrashing her. He even
put his boots on the victims face. When victim’s husband intervened he too was
beaten, the victim claimed.
Hence the mere patch-up with the victim by tying rakhi should
not stop action against such barbarian Member of Legislative Assembly.
Hope the party acts decisively against such elements in the
larger interest of the party.
Gujarat:
News about
former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhat getting life term for the 1990 custodial death
of an alleged rioter Prabhudas Madhavji Vaishnavi at the hands of the then ASP
Bhatt, should not come as a surprise anybody.
The
very fate, the case was opened so late in the day in 2018, after 28 years, is
an indication that it could lead to some settlement of scores.
Being
police officer responsible in Ahmadabad Bhatt had accused the then Chief
Minister Narendra Modi in 2002 of complicity in the Gujarat pogrom, where some
700 Muslims and some 400 Hindus were killed.
It
is a court judgement, and it will surely have its evidential content to support
the judgement and surely, it is open to challenges in a higher court or is the
norm.
But
what is worrying is such death, under police custody have been happening all
over the country. And hardly anywhere police personnel who can be reasonably
branded as terrorists in uniform under such situations, are never made
accountable. There indeed is a can in Kerala, where two police officers were
awarded death sentence for the custodial death of a youth, which is probably
the first case of police accountability.
In
the case of Sanjiv Pohar, it would have died its natural death, but for some
late burst of action from interested group a person saw to it that the
concerned officer was made accountable on the basis of evidence available.
There
cannot be two opinions, custodial death is the most form of cruelty by the men
in uniform. The recent case of teenager Sachin Jaiswan dying in the hands of
Dharani police in Mumbai is a heart rending case, where his parents lost their
only son for an nalleged theft of a mere cell phone. This happened on July 2018
and his parents have refused to take the body lying still in the mortuary of
J.J.Hospital in Mumbai for clen a year now. The family is demanatul an FUR
against policeman of Dharani police station, but not happening. When even an
FUR is not happening, how can the police be made accountable? Do you hear Mr
Chief Minister evendra Fadnans the cries of young Sachin’s parents?
MAHARASHTRA:
Seeking compliance of the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, in all states and
union territories, National Green Tribunal (NGT), was hearing a petition.
Reportedly among all states, NGT has found out, that
Maharashtra state has the highest number of polluted rivers in the country.
Maharashtra is a state with the largest economy and
has also the most number of cities and towns along the polluted rivers.
According to a report of 2015 and the water samples collected from over 30
districts of the state, were found to have contamination.
Coming down heavily on the government, the NGT
tribunal headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel observed that there is
“unsatisfactory implementation of laws is clearly visible by the severe damage
to water bodies. There is no report on the penal action on polluters besides
fine and compensation imposed on them, nor there any convictions being recorded
against polluters. There is no satisfactory plan for the reuse of the treated
water or use of treated sewage or waste and for collection of solid waste so
also for its segregation. In short whole management of solid waste needs relook.”
The NGT asked the state to notify within two weeks 3
cities in each district as model cities/towns/village panchayats, which will be
made fully compliant within next six months, with remaining cities, towns and
village panchayats to be made fully compliant in respect of environmental norms
within one year.
Hope, Devendra Fadnavis government acts fast with
monsoon hitting the state anytime now.
MAHARASHTRA:
The untimely death of Dr Payal Tadwi, a PG student of civic
run BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai is most unfortunate. She committed suicide,
allegedly due to the harassment and insult by three of her lady doctor
colleagues.
Apparently those who
targeted her, belonged to upper caste as she belonged to ST/SC category.
Based on a complaint by the family of the deceased, three
doctors, Hema Ahuja, Ankitha Khandelwal and Bhakti Mehere were taken into
judicially custody.
However, it seems Mumbai crime Branch has moved the Bombay
High Court seeking custody of these doctors. And the SC/ST commission finds
many infirmities in the police probe. They strongly believe, it does not look
like a suicide. Could it be a murder? Apparently, it cannot be ruled out.
Police, it is alleged, and in fact High Court pulled them up
for the lackadaisical approach in handling the case. Reportedly, two days these
accused were in their custody and they did precious nothing. Now they are
asking the court to allow them custodial interrogation. But court has named the
police that the accused are not criminals but are only doctors working for the
Municipal corporation Hospital.
Now what led to the death of a young lady doctor, under
mysterious circumstances? It is a question that should shake the conscience of
the society. The police and court has their crucial responsibility of acting
fast and decisive. Hope it happens.
MAHARASHTRA:
Sharadchandra
Pawar or Sharad Pawar, had always dreamt of becoming the Prime Minister of
India since a very long time. For varieties of reasons, that didn’t happen.
Election 2019 was probably the last chance, he envisioned within the muddled
non BJP and anti BJP political combinations. But that was not to be, with his
NCP winning just 5 seats.
So taking
stock of the debacle, reportedly Pawar has asked his party workers to emulate
RSS. But, excuse me Mr. Sharad Pawar, this is not as simple as you think.
Neither you nor any of your leaders, and of course your party workers, simply
have no idea what is RSS is all about.
RSS is an
organization with its own ideology and NCP has no ideology, except usurping
power by hook or crook. NCP is only after money and power that money can buy
unlike RSS which has a national vision, whether we agree with it or not. The
discipline of RSS, neither NCP leaders nor its workers can simply dream of and
commitment for service their leaders and cadres imbibed could be impossible for
NCP. Hence any suggestion that purely political workers of NCP emulate RSS will
be an entirely wasted exercise. As they say in Hindi ‘Yeh Mushkil hee nahee,
Yeh Naa Mumkin hai’.
So, if
Sharad Pawar is looking to strengthen his NCP he should join hands with his
parent organization INC, which he has rejected for the present. But that could
be the only possibility that can help NCP, take it or leave it.
MAHARASTRA:
“Hame Marne sey Bacchaav” is a painful call of hundreds of
children of project affected displaced families, who have been shifted to Mahul
village.
According to sources in the public space, Mahul is a fishing village in Chembur,
Mumbai, located on the eastern seafront of Mumbai Suburban District. It is
surrounded by three refineries and sixteen chemical factories, which are
responsible for its alarming levels of air and water pollution.
Reportedly more than thousands of families living in Mahul
have been demanding safe houses with non-polluted air and water. Just before
the International Environment Day, hundreds of children from Mahul protested on
Dadar Railway Station in central Mumbai urging commuters to support them in
their fight against Maharashtra government. However this protest has already
crossed 225 days in the suburban Ghatkopar.
Recognizing their plight Bombay High Court had decided early
this year, both the state government and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation
(BMC) to pay each family Rs:15000/- as rent and Rs:45000/- as deposit so that
they have the freedom to move to better places. But our ‘welfare oriented’
State government as well as BMC just didn’t bother and their suffering
continued.
Speaking about the protest, Rekha Gadge, a resident surmised “The
pollution at Mahul has not only affected the health of our children but also
their education and overall life. That’s how they have come on the street to
let the people know of their plight. She was speaking to the press at the Dadar
Station protest site”.
BMC had reportedly washed its hands off by saying there is no
policy of paying rent. “But why did you displace us when you are aware of the
pollution levels of the city and cannot pay rent as there is no policy to pay
rent” asks Rekha Gadge.
It’s a good question, that beg for answer. In a system where
the poor have to fend for themselves, that’s the tragedy of democratic
governance.
MAHARASTHRA:
Courts, on the ultimate arbiter of issues or as dispensers of justice home
their our interpretation of things. This is strong but true. Like no two
lawyers agree with a provision of law in its meaning, so are judges. Unlike
lawyers, judges position is far different. Lawyers go by the interest of
client, where as the judges go for justice based judgments.
However many times, the interpretation of
fundamental right to protest gets lopsided by accepting and argument.
Swabhiman Shetham Sanghatans had spilled milk on the
road to protest about the low price farmers gets for milk and cou, in exubution
accepted their form of protest saying in democracy it is the fundamental right
of every citizen to ful free to register their protest over any issue. Cohils
stating, it is not possible t limit the manner in which they choose to express
protest, comes observed, if doing farmers spill milk on the road to protest for
was c observed, if doing farmers spilt milk on the road to protest for not
receiving a fair price for their produce, they have every right to do so.
While it is assigned for the court to upload the
right of doing farmers to split their milk, then farmers home equally no right
to cause public nuisances.
Milk all over the road, where there is vehicles
traffic, hu traffic et, can be greatly in convinced by the flowing milk, until
it is cleaned by water cans. Surely, it is their milk, they have the right to
dispose of f the way they like. They would have distributed freely to
government school children or they could have poured it or some rain water
drain, or such area where it could have avoided the inconvenience to the
general public. Come charity tained to sen their dimension of the issue in
their eagerness to be practically concerns.
MAHARASHTRA:
Now that the new
government of NDA is in place under the leadership of NAMO fraudsters and
financial criminals will continue to have nightmares.
The report datelined
Mumbai informs “High security cell ready at Arthur Road jail for Nirav Modi”
followed by another news datelined London “UK High Court sees consistency in
India’s evidence in Nirav Modi case”.
Both the above news is
representative of the changing dynamics in governance at the highest level.
This sends a clear signal, Der hai magar andher nahee, there may be delay, but
success is imminent.
May be Nirav Modi could
have been stopped in the track before he took to heels from the Indian laws,
but action by the power that be, has ensured that ends of justice is met and
crime in public money will be made accountable. Period. The message will go
loud and clear. The latest mandate-Election 2019- has proved that aam aadmi
understands the change in ground conditions.
Similar will be the
fate of another high profile swindler evergreen Play Boy Vijay Mallya.
Of course, in a
democracy, there are many checks and balances expected from different levels in
the enforcement of financial discipline.
Infirmities due to
human dimension, is the cause more often than not, which failed to check these
crimes in time.
However, it is better
late than never.
Hope both Nirav Modi
and Vijay Mallya are bought back and made to suffer the traits of being over-smart
with the system, where honesty is supposedly the best policy. In the long run,
it always pays to be honest and responsible.
KARNATAKA:
Girish
Karnad who was kind of colossus in the literacy scene is no more. He was 81
when he passed away in Bangalore on 10th June after a prolonged
illness. He donned many hats, beginning with being a writer of plays, he acted
in many films. Some of them where very well known like Samshaara, which
represented the disintegration of individual. He played the lead role of
praneshacharya. He also directed films, more important being Utsar, in 1984. In
public life he took part in rights movements. He even dabbled as an
administrator. He was the manager of Oxford University Press, Director of Film
and Television Institute of India in Pune, so also director of Welnn Censi,
London.
A
Rodher scholar, he did his M.A from Oxford University. After Nehru, he was the
first Indian to become the President of Debating Union of Oxford. Was a
visiting Professor and Full bright scholar in Residence or the University of
Chicago. He was a genuine of another kind.
Generic
and controversy go together most of the time. He had called Ravindranath Tagore
as a second rate plays right. He was vocally critical of V S Naipaul for his boole
India. A wonnded civilization. He had also declared that he will leave India,
if Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister of India. After his passing away an
unkind ban was making round in the social media. “Of all the people who said
they would leave India if Narendra Modi becomes the PM of India, Karnad was
true to word. He left for good.”
While
it is true that he has been an acclaimed as multi faceted genuine, he had his
little known fating as well. A senior bank manager of a nationalized bank in
Jayanagar Bangalore recollects his face to face encounter with Girish Karnad.
According to their retired Chief Manager of this all purpose genuine turned out
to be a small minded, arrogant, intolerant human being. Sometime in 1990 a
tall, be spectacled will built mass had walked into the manager’s cabin and was
asking “to pay BPA tax into bank.
What
should I do, was the question of this visitor. What was the problem to go the
cash counter and pay. Clearly, he thought, he is a well known personality and
therefore manager would oblige him by getting that job done. That’s what he
did, when he recognized that this person is the Praneshacharya of the Samskara
film, which was the Golden lotus, India’s higher award for feature films which
attends war attenicep to the jon of Girish Karnad, the Senior bank Manager of
had resigned GK to sit down.
But
he remained standing, until the attender came back with receipt and Girish
Karnad walked out without ever thanking, the Senior bank Manager, who helped
him do his job out of turn. (PENDING)
TAMIL NADU:
India always had this 3 language formula. Local language
being always there, other two are English and Hindi. So when the new government
of NDA III released its draft New Education Policy (NEP) it led to some
completely unavailable controversy. Among three states which had discordant
noises coming, Tamil Nadu was the most vocal.
Fresh on sweeping the Loksabha poll in Tamil Nadu, DMK leader
went to the market to cry hoarse. Prima
facie there was no need for this hyper response.
Tamil Nadu politics always opposed Hindi and it always
practiced two languages formula. But what Tamil Nadu politicians do not
understand is an average Tamil youth may still want it, since the knowledge of
Hindi makes the internal mobility so much easier, even in employment.
Besides, unlike grown up politicians, for young children they
can learn the languages faster without much difficulty.
So quite frankly, for Stalin, the DMK president, it was
politics of an opportunistic kind to make avoidable noise.
But then, he was not the lone fellow who protested vehemently,
there was this Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswami, who also protested without
any support, since in Karnataka Hindi was never an issue. Then there is this
joker from Maharashtra, who has, to a great extent, lost his relevance.
Raj Thacharay of Maharashtra Nava Nirman Party also protested
in the press for whatever it was worth. Mumbai is the centre of Bollywood films
all in Hindi. Hence any protest of a political nature against Hindi will have
absolutely no impact.
WORLD:
Egypt is an Islamic country. It has its dos and don’ts based on the Sharia. But
they have certain openness which is the essential part of an evolving society.
Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb, is the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar
Mosque in Cairo. According to him polygamy as practiced in the Muslim world at
present is injustice to women and children.
Obviously this open statement by the cleric aired by
the state TV sparked a heated debate on social media with some asking for a ban
on the practice of polygamy.
Reportedly Egypt’s National Council for Women has
welcomed the comments of Grand Imam Al Tayeb.
Hope the wider world, including India, take note of
this development in Egypt and take steps to initiate debate by involving
women’s group. At the end of the day, development is always empowerment driven.
This loud thinking by the Grand Imam surely shall lead to empowerment of
average woman in the Muslim world.
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