MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE-APRIL 2022

UTTARAKHAND: A Nainital datelined news report “MBBS students tonsured, paraded with hands tied”, made a disturbed reading. According to a story filed by Sonali Mishra of Times Group, some 27 boys were seen being paraded with hands tied and they were tonsured. Reportedly they were made to walk in circles around the Haldwani Medical College campus. They were all first year MBBS Students, tells the report, while informing that a video was made of this “ragging”. Disturbed by the visual in the social media, netizens reportedly called out the administration of the college to take action against those responsible for the humiliation of these juniors. According to the report, in the video, 27 boys can be seen with their hands tied behind their back, looking down on the ground while walking in silence. Wearing doctor’s apron and mask with their heads shaven, they avoided eye contact with passersby and vehicles on the road, truly, a humiliating experience for those ‘hapless’ students. Reaction of the college principal appeared little comical and clearly bureaucratic. Reportedly, the Principal Arun Joshi (in all probability, a medical doctor) down played the incident, stating “No complaint has been received in the case. Often students shave their heads themselves. It is not always linked to ragging. Many students join college with military haircuts. This incident is not unusual”. In true bureaucratic style the principal had reacted “No complaint has been received”. Like police, without complaint he cannot take action. If students are afraid to complain, so be it. ‘It’s none of my concern’. Just having head tonsured is not ragging according to this principal Joshi. But who has tied their hands to their back! They cannot do it themselves! Someone else had to do it. But since they didn’t complain, no action can be taken, according to this Principal Arun Joshi. Report also informs that, the college has a history of ragging. There were in the past, cases of suspension of students and fine of Rs 10000/- imposed on every student suspended. Report also refers to a case of a student having complained to the UGC (University Grants Commission) alleging torture by seniors. This was despite there being an anti-ragging cell in the college. So much for the trust in the college administration with people like Arun Joshi at the helm! May be court in Uttarkhand should take up suo moto such cases so that people like Arun Joshi are shown their place. NEW DELHI: For quite some time in the public space there have been talks about the rationalization of our tax structure, especially GST. We have heard in the past and we continue to hear in the social media about the suffering-real and perceived-of a section of Indian society, due to GST. We all know that GST has rates starting from 5% at the lowest to 28% at the highest. It is levied under a four tier structure that attracts taxes at rates of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. Present rate of 5%, at the lowest slab, is mainly applicable to essential items, services and packaged food. All these rates of 5% to 28% are equally halved as central and state. Ever since GST regime came into operation from July 1st 2017, the entire country has come under one tax structure for all sales of goods and services, thus independence of resource mobilization by states is lost. But it is important to have a single national tax regime for varieties of socio-economic reasons. It is true some states have lost its revenue with one GST for the entire country. This loss however is compensated by the centre. This compensation regime, as per the act has to expire on 30th June 2022, just 3 months away. Hence there is a clamor from states to rationalize the tax structure to possibly increase the state share of tax collection. There is also demand to raise the lowest tax from 5% to 8%. According to the data available every 1% raise will yield Rs. 50,000 crore as additional resources and 3% raise will get Rs. 1,50,000/-, more than enough to cover the compensation needed from the centre to the states. Increasing the rate is the easiest action to take, but there is a GST council and then there is a Group of Ministers (GoM), who is also going into the rationalization effort on GST. They should be able to widen the tax net instead of opting for the easy course to just raise the rate. But again, in the GST net there is the pension scheme insurance policy too. Here there is no provision to exclude senior citizens. Besides, there is no justification to charge GST on pension scheme under Life Insurance Policies. There is also the possibility to do away with 12%, to make only 3 tier GST slabs of 8%, 18% & 28%, by merging all items in 12% category into 18%. This will be very tragic. Most medicines are under 12% GST bracket, if increased to 18% this will be very harsh on all patients who include a vast section of our middle class & lower middle class population. According to information available in the media there were some 228 items attracting 28% which has been brought down to less than 35, that is some 85% were let off due to pressure from trade and industry. 28% being the rate of GST for luxury purchases and items of conspicuous consumption, there is certainly better scope to expand it and leave the pharmaceutical & medicines at 12% and possibly have some items at 5% only. Hope the powers that be, look at it rationally on the whole gamut of GST rates and come up with proposals not to hurt those, who need succour. NEW DELHI:United Nations General Assembly had set up in 2015, Sustainable Development Goals for the world for its 192 member states, supposedly a blue print to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, with the intention to achieve them by 2030. It has 17 goals. Some are most important like, zero hunger, zero poverty, good health & well being coupled with clean water and sanitation, followed by quality education, affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities, affordable health care, sustainable urban growth, responsible production and consumption, climate action, gender equality, creation of strong institution for peace and justice & strengthening global partnership for these goals. An action plan was drawn up and member countries were told to start the work towards attainment of these goals. Every year United Nations comes up with a report duly monitored by its units in different parts of the world. According to sources in the UNO, India’s position this year is 120, lower by 3 from last year’s rank of 117 among these 192 member countries. Priding to be the 4th largest economy in the world and dreaming to be a super power, it’s a shame that India scored just 66 out of 100, to rank below Bhutan at 75, below Sri Lanka at 87, Nepal at 96 and Bangladesh at 109, only Pakistan at 129 is worse than India at 120. It’s been a failure from many fronts, be it zero hunger, good health, gender equality or sustainable urban spaces, quality education etc, informs a report from Union Ministry of Environment. It is true, unlike all those South Asian countries, India is a very large country with equally large population with complex reality of multi ethnic, multi religious and multi lingual society. Added to that is the messy democracy of last 75 years where nobody is accountable for the wage that he receives. That is how Kerala is supposedly at the top with best indicators, followed by Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh in the 2nd position. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Uttarkhand is jointly in 3rd position. Sadly for Bihar it’s a long-way to catch-up combined with its other part that became Jharkhand, who have remained at the bottom among all states. This picture has to change, but when? It is a profound question making its interminable rounds. Oh poor Mother India! NEW DELHI:Before the close of financial year, the central government announces the rate of interest for employees provident fund. It’s an yearly exercise. Interest that EPF gets is always better than the PPF, that is Public Provident Fund. EPF is meant for employees of companies, industries and other employment agencies, who are required to pay similar amount into EPF as an employee benefit. Presently its 12% of wages/salaries an employee gets. Employees share is deducted by the employer from employee’s wages and an equal amount is contributed by the employer. Then it is deposited with the Regional Commissioner of Provident Fund. This fund is invested in different portfolios and earn profits on these investments. This profit is distributed among members of EPF after providing for the cost of management etc. As compared to EPF, PPF is one sided investment. Any member of the public can invest in PPF. It is a savings scheme available to general public with tax incentive offered since the investment is generally locked for 15 years. The principal contribution and income earned are both exempted from income tax. The scheme is managed by Ministry of Finance, government of India. It is meant for people who are not beneficiaries of EPF. A report in the print media informed some weeks ago “EPF rate cut to 8.1%, to limit savings. Trade Unions representative decry decision?” This is just to sensationalize by the media. 8.1% is 12% more than 7.1% which PPF has received for 2021-2022. EPF has contribution from both employees and employers so also earns more than PPF, and yet Trade Unions are crying hoarse and media is joining the chorus. In fact, if the government equate both EPF & PPF as one, in giving the same rate of interest for both, that will be more equitous. These employees who are covered under EPF are from organized sector and therefore there are better post retirement sources to fall back, unlike unorganized sector workers, who have no financial security at all. A PPF a/c holder gets only his principal money and interest. Whereas an employee covered under EPF gets not only his contribution, so also, he gets employer’s share of contribution both attracting higher interest rates. Therefore an EPF a/c holder should be happier than otherwise he is presented to the public as suffering etc. Media must stirve for equity in this scheme of EPF & PPF suggesting equal interest rate for both and not hype the perceived loss of EPF a/c holders just to spite the government! UTTAR PRADESH: Five of our states went into elect its MLAs, spread over a good part of the month of February 2022. Came March 10, 2022, to inform all Indians, who have made to the finish line. The television and print media went to town with profoundly mixed reactions. Reportedly Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the bête noire of almost the entire political class and of most members of the media, both men and women, romped home in style. Of the 5 states, the party crossed the finish line to form the next government in four states. However of all the victories, the winning number of 274 out of 403 in the UP assembly election is a huge re-confirmation of its acceptance, especially in 37 years, for the first time an incumbent government was voted back to power. This was despite “my gut feel, affected no doubt by near trampling at the Akhilesh rally, is that the opinion polls predicting a BJP victory may prove to be off the mark” writes Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar , a brother of Congress man Manishankar Aiyar, who after the result reacted “Yogi’s crusade against crime pays dividend”, while admitting that left liberals and most journalists have, in his own words, “This biased analysis blinded them to what really mattered”. Also what is significant is despite promising freebies and allowances AAP has drawn blank in UP. It has contested all 403 seats of UP assembly but has drawn 0 with a vote share of a mere 0.38%. In fact even NOTA (none of the above) received more votes than AAP, with many losing deposits. However it is interesting to note that AAP in its freebie spree had offered 300 units free electricity to every household in UP and promised to waive all pending household electricity bills, if voted to power. Farmers are not to pay for power bills and promised creation of 10 lakhs jobs. Rs. 5000/- allowance promised to all unemployed, so also Rs.1000/- to every woman in UP, besides waiver of farm loans. In its anxiety to win election in UP AAP offered Rs.1 crore to every family of every martyr and same amount to Covid warriors! Manifesto of AAP also promised no fee hike in private schools so also Rs. 10 lakhs insurance to every scribe. With these promises in its manifesto, question which clearly come to mind is, does Arvind Kejriwal has any idea of the size of population of UP! Or was he just fooling gullible voters! It has close to 200 million population, of that some 95 million are females. So we are talking about Rs. 114000/- crores as only allowance to women. From where he will get this kind of money! Some 33% of the employable persons of about 150 million is the figure of unemployment dole, it works to Rs. 3,00,000 crores that is 5000 x 50 million x 12. With all other freebies, how much will go in largesse only! Yet, what could be the reason, not many bit the bullet and party drew blank, a big ZERO! Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who had bent to touch the feet of Rahul Gandhi, who in age, could be like his son, had told during electioneering in UP that “Only Congress knows how to run the nation”. How true, that Congress couldn’t even retain its 7 seats it had in the outgoing UP assembly! It could manage to win only 2 in the 400 seats it contested. Slightly better than AAP which drew blank and reportedly Congress lost deposit in 387 seats with just 2.4% vote share. AIMIM, despite its high pitched polarization rhetoric failed to open it accounts. AIMIM had visions of PM Modi retiring to Himalayas and Yogi Adityanath to Gorakhnath Math after losing elections. Assaduddin Owassi, the president of AIMIM (All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen) got an ‘egg’ on his face with a big zero, despite having contested some 100 seats. Reportedly 99 candidates of AIMIM lost their deposits. A visibly despondent president of AIMIM, Assaduddin Owassi had yelled out “Yeh Kya hogaya”. UTTAR PRADESH:There was this report, immediately post declaration of results on the 10th March, “Akhilesh asks SP workers to prepare for 2024”. As of now, he has little choice except to look forward. After all Samajwadi Party (SP) is a UP version of JD(S) of HD Deve Gowda, purely family outfit. Time is seriously running out for family run political parties. A lesson Akhilesh will learn only after another miss at the victory line. Reportedly, he is blaming the EVM’s for the loss of the winning majority. Those who lose, they keep blaming everything else except themselves. He simply does not deserve to be voted to power. May be BJP governance has lot to be complained about. But they are anytime better than SP. BJP is a democratically functioning party, unlike any other party except may be communist parties. They have made their mistakes, so also issues, but they have vision for India and its people. SP and similar outfits, be it NCP, JD(S), RJD etc. are family outfits and works mostly for the family and its cronies. Voters realize this. Indian voters, at least a significant part, are no more like sheeps, they think and vote. Surely they were disappointed with BJP for varieties of reason. But they are still a better bet for honesty of purpose. Both PM Modi and Adithyanath are models in selflessness, which ordinary voter understands despite their many inadequacies. So, he trusts them to deliver, if not today, surely tomorrow. The following 5 years will prove. Yogi will work better and with purpose. He will not let down his people. SP has the highest number of Muslim candidates who won, 31 of them, so, SP caused polarization therefore reverse polarization benefitted BJP. This is bound to happen. In 1986, BJP had only 2 seats in the parliament. Now they have more than 300. This is the result of reverse polarization. And no political party learnt why BJP is gaining electorally slowly but steadily. It will continue to happen. Something which is difficult for SP to come to grips with due to its own party dynamics. GUJARAT: In civil life we come across situations, where differences crop up mainly for money or money's worth, besides other matters of pure misunderstanding or gross injustice. Sometime, one can approach some well-meaning forums, arbitration platforms and come to some kind of a settlement without having to approach the courts of law. In such situations there are levels of give and take and create a win-win situation to all stakeholders. Of course, there will be those, who can be uncompromising and then going to court would be the only option. However, if there is a dispute, between an individual and a government department or government agency, it's very unlikely that, it can be settled outside the court, for varieties of reasons. So going to court becomes the only option. On 6th September 1986, Pan Am Flight 73, from Bombay (Mumbai) to New York, scheduled to stop at Karachi and Frankfurt, was hijacked by terrorists at Pakistan’s Karachi airport. Before terrorists could be overpowered, due to the delaying tactics of crew members led by (now famous) Neerja Bhanot, they had shot and killed some 20 of the 380 passengers, which included 20 Pan Am crew members. Among those 20 killed, was a lady, the wife of an Indian from Ahmadabad. After long process of insurance litigation, the man received the compensation for the death of his wife, who was a bonafide passenger in the Pan Am Flight 73 on 6th September 1986, when the hijack took place. Of course, the compensation had to be according to the American terms of insurance contract. Accordingly the husband of the lady passenger killed by terrorists was compensated with, reportedly Rs. 20 crores. By Indian standards it's a whopping sum. Since it was received by the bank of the husband of the lady, he declared it in his income tax return. But the Income Tax Department felt, there is revenue for the department. Department reportedly has asked the man to pay some tax on the compensation receipts. Not convinced the man had approached the Gujarat High Court. A report datelined Ahmadabad "Gujarat HC to decide if terror attack relief is taxable", informs that the division bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Nisha Thakore asked the I.T department "Is the revenue department seriously contesting something that has been received as a compensation? Can it be taxed?” They are relevant questions, can blood money received as compensation be treated as income!? MAHARASHTRA: “300 BMC proposals worth Rs.2500 crores passed in 25 minutes”, was news datelined Mumbai, reported the print media. In a system where public servants, if elected representatives are to be called so, are there mostly to serve themselves, rather than the people who elected them, this news is not at all surprising. Probably in one of the earliest cases of such nature, the infamous Classic computer purchase case in 1990s under the then Chief Minister of Karnataka S. Bangarappa come back rushing to the mind. He had similarly purchased some 100 computers at some exorbitant price of some Rs.5.3 crores without tender and had advanced Rs. 1.5 crores to some dubious company on the verge of quitting office. The above news from Mumbai tells that “hours before the tenure of Shiv Sena led BMC ended office on 7th March it passed more than 300 proposals worth Rs. 2500 crores within 25 minutes on the last day of the standing committee meeting”. Reportedly proposals included construction and repairs of hospitals, water tunnels, sewage lines, repair and construction of small internal roads, construction of wall around Deonar dumping ground, beautification of gardens and open grounds, besides other jobs like desilting of minor and major drains, provision for solid waste management, storm water drain etc. Opposition corporators, as expected strongly objected to the lack of procedure and raised points of order before the meeting commenced. But Shiv Sena corporator and Standing Committee Chairman brushed aside all protest. Prabhakar Shinde, an opposition corporator reportedly remarked “these 370 proposals, even if taken one minute per proposal its 370 minutes, but this corporation has cleared all 370 in 25 minutes,” he told the video record of the commotion of rushing the proposals through despite protest by the opposition corporators. What is serious and therefore reprehensible is the chairman of Standing Committee Shiv Sainik Yashwant Jadhav’s residence was raided by income tax department only some days ago! Standing Committee chairman is clearly under cloud. Therefore this clearance of over 300 proposals within 25 minutes is highly improper and questionable. But then, decided to strike it rich before the last-ball was delivered, the ruling combine had planned it to leave it for the last minute to play the ‘helplessness drama’. It’s another matter that opposition has threatened to go to court to stop these contracts being awarded. But then by the time court takes cognizance and acts, may be, it’s only postmortem, too little too late. Poor mother India! KARNATAKA: Eagerly awaited judgment of Karnataka High Court has come after all. “Karnataka High Court dismisses pleas seeking hijab in classrooms” while stating “wearing headscarf not essential under Islam” court also observed “unseen hands may have fanned hijab row”. As against the stand of the Karnataka High Court, six girl students of Udupi Government PU College have reportedly declared that “we will not go to college without hijab and we will fight this in every possible way, legally”. A report in the middle page of TOI “Hijab judgment gets mixed response; coast stay calm”. This was only expected. There will always be those for and those against, those accepting it and those disappointed by it. In this particular case there was no middle ground. However what is important is, both Udupi & D.K districts have remained peaceful. Reportedly these girls questioned the government “if uniform is more important than the education of Muslims girls”. “Not to attend college without hijab” is the decision of these girls and their parents. So clearly, for these girls, hijab is more important than education, since there are ‘N’ numbers of Muslim girls who attend classes without hijab. It is the misplaced assertiveness of these students, their parents and their political supporters. Of course the happiness expressed by some BJP MLAs and Union Minister Prahlad Joshi was really uncalled for. Life could have gone on without expressing visible joy at the HC judgment. Response of non-BJP political parties was on expected lines admonishing BJP in Karnataka to behave. Then you had Omar Abdullah & Asaduddin Owassi giving lessons in secularism as usual, knowing full well how un-secular they themselves are in both their precept and practice. Udupi girls, while asserting that they will approach the Supreme Court to challenge the Karnataka HC judgment had stated “We are mentally drained. If BR Ambedkar was alive, he would be weeping” But Ambedkar’s book “Pakistan or the Partition of India”, (KALPAZ publications) among other remarks he writes, “These burka women walking in the streets is one of the most hideous sights one can witness in India. Such seclusion cannot but have its deteriorating effects upon the physical constitution of Muslim women”. P/220 However, it was pleasantly surprising this time round TOI has published mixed responses from different quarters instead of being loaded with lopsided reportage including the editorial. It had an article from a faculty of National Law University Delhi, commenting on the HC judgment, “Wrong question, Wrong call” then another piece” Karnataka HC Takes Right Decision on Hijab” by a lady Islamic Scholar and chairperson of Centre for Peace and Spirituality. The editorial was exclusive with a title ‘Court is Correct’, while agreeing “Karnataka High Court was broadly right in declaring that educational institutions enforcing uniform isn’t violative of fundamental rights”. As compared to the earlier stand of TOI this appeared journalistically many sided trying to be non-partisan. KARNATAKA:Some weeks ago, there was a news report in the print media datelined Chikmagalooru, “Ostracised couple threatens conversion”. According to the report, 25 year old Somashekhar of Sahyadripura in the Chikmagalooru district, while working in a factory in Bengalooru developed friendship with a girl, 23 year old Mahalakshmi of Tumakooru. Friendship bloomed and they got married. That was back in 2019. They happened to be from different caste; ostensibly the boy happened to be of a higher caste and girl a lower caste. Family of the boy had no issue with the caste of the girl, informs the press. Life was routine without any hick-ups for the couple, until Covid hit and it was lockdown, and during the 2nd lockdown in 2021 the factory, they were working, closed down and they returned to the boy’s village to stay with his parents. On returning to the village, other villagers came to know about the marriage of young Somashekhar with the girl of a lower caste. Elders of the village decided that none in the village should speak to the family of the boy including the young couple. If anybody found talking with this family shall be fined Rs. 5000/, ordered the committee of elders. Even village temple was declared out-of-bounds for them. Clearly these elders in the village made the life of the family of Somashekhar miserable. Speaking to media, who descended on the village on learning the episode, harassed and anguished Somashekhar had reportedly stated that “If boycott continues whole family will convert to Christianity”. In the light of anti-conversion bill of Karnataka, recently passed by the Karnataka legislature, the power that be, should look into such developments within the Hindu society and punish the caste perpetrators so severally, that they do not dare boycott anybody for any perceived wrong, before blaming Christian missionaries and others. In fact, such situations are the causa-proxima for people leaving the Hindu faith, due to such evil caste practices. Reportedly, when some activists met the Chikmagalooru DC, KN Ramesh, he assured them that he ‘will take action on those responsible for the boycott if they do not immediately withdraw the boycott of the family of Somashekhar’. Hope DC means what he stated and takes action to reprimand those responsible for such stupid practices. KARNATAKA:Coming August 15th, we as a nation would complete 75 years of political freedom. Looking back over the shoulder would certainly give a profoundly mixed feeling of euphoria and disappointment at the road we traversed. Road transport is one of the most significant propellers of socio-economic development and progress. It’s the road that connects the country, from village to semi urban to urban to interstate. It’s the road connectivity that binds a state and therefore the country. However, after 75 years of planned economic development and progress, to think that there are 3002 villages in Karnataka alone that do not have RTC buses plying in and out of these villages. So, inhabitants of these villages are seriously handicapped to catch-up with the everyday vicissitudes of everyday life. Sadly for them the political freedom 75 years ago did not bring about the socio-economic freedom which other countrymen experience and enjoy at different degrees to whatever extent possible. Reportedly there are 578 villages in Chitradurga district alone, with no KSRTC bus service serving these villages, followed by Tumakooru with 510 villages and Chikmagalooru with 408 villages. There are some 17 districts with different degrees of KSRTC non-connectivity. It’s a pathetic situation. Reportedly there is a need for some 1000 buses, over and above the existing 8000 buses, to be acquired by KSRTC, besides some 3500 additional bus staff. KSRTC finances are in doldrums without any additional budgetary support by the state government. Every year purchases of buses by KSRTC have been dwindling. This financial year 2021-22 reportedly it was just ONE bus KSRTC could procure, while the earlier year it was 147 for 2020-21. Thus it’s important that government comes to the rescue of KSRTC, so that there is a planned and time bound programme to make every village of Karnataka accessible by RTC buses. It will surely have multiplier effect of opening opportunities of livelihood besides better access to education and health. Surely Members of Parliament and MLAs from these districts can take many positive initiatives to alleviate the suffering of people from these 17 districts to bring them to the main stream of socio-economic development of the country. Hope the cry of helplessness of those villagers resonates within the corridors of Vidhan Saudha in Bengalooru and some positive progress takes place. KARNATAKA:Reportedly, sometime last year, 2021, Karnataka State Contractors Association had written to PM Modi that they had to pay, to elected representatives and government officials to secure tenders and start work on projects some 40% commission. This 40% must be the value of tender/contract. So in the rest of the 60% contractors have to procure their material and provide labour to complete the job and hopefully get paid without any additional % to these leaches. Surely it is not the problem of these leaches to know, if material supplied to the contract in question is sub-standard and the finishing poor. If the general taxpaying public suffers it’s not the worry of these leaches. Surprisingly, nothing was heard after the complaint to PMO. It is strange, why the high priest of anti-corruption is quiet on this! Indeed sometime truth can be stranger than fiction. And comes this report in the print media “Minister wants bribe, says contractor in letter to PM”. One Santosh Patil, a contractor from Belagavi, has completed, along with some other contractors, some 108 petty and medium sized contracts at Hindala Gram Panchayat ruled by BJP on the express verbal instruction of K. S. Eshwarappa, the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in Karnataka government. The value of the contract thus executed is over Rs. 4 crores, claims Patil. Reportedly the president of Gram Panchayat Nagesh Monolkar has confirmed that these jobs were executed promptly and that they have not been paid. Santosh Patil has been following up payment with the minister since almost a year after the completion of jobs (May 2021) without success. He alleges that they are being harassed by both the minister and his associates for commission to get paid. It is another matter that Minister Eshwarappa has denied of any wrong doing, which is the normal escape route for all those in power. Reportedly harassed Patil has shot a letter to PM Modi and Union Panchayat Minister, Giriraj Singh, complaining about the whole issue. He called on Minister Singh, General Secretary of BJP BL Santosh, and Karnataka incharge secretary Arun Singh appraising the matter. It’s very strange and very disturbing that how the present dispensation at the centre is tolerating such corrupt practices and happenings despite their ‘avowed’ intolerance of corruption among corrupt politicians and public servants!