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EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Secrecy in the name of privacy


T
Arun Kumar

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2014

An outrageous
penalty
he death sentence imposed on ve Indian
shermen by a Sri Lankan court for drug
trafficking has added an unfortunate dimension to relations between the two countries.
The issue has roiled Tamil Nadu, where it is being seen
as one more atrocity by Sri Lanka against the States
shing community. The Government of India has said
the shermen are innocent and plans to help them
appeal the sentence. The ve were arrested mid-sea in
the Palk Bay region in November 2011 and tried for
being in possession of heroin. Three Sri Lankans have
also been sentenced to death in the same case. Irrespective of the merits of the case, the sentence seems
unduly harsh, especially considering that the men had
no previous record of being involved in the narcotics
trade. Moreover, there is no instance of Sri Lanka
handing down this punishment in any other case of
drug trafficking over the last many years. In any case,
capital punishment for a drug offence goes against all
humane norms. While the two countries have a treaty
on transfer of prisoners under which an Indian serving
time in a Sri Lankan prison can be repatriated and
complete his sentence in an Indian jail and vice versa
it does not cover those sentenced to death, unless the
sentence is commuted. But there are still strong reasons to hope that Sri Lanka will not carry out the
sentence. For one, in keeping with its Buddhist traditions, the country has not carried out a judicial execution since 1976. For nearly three decades, though Sri
Lankan courts awarded the death penalty in many
cases, in every instance the sentence was commuted to
life imprisonment. In 2004, the country decided to
implement death sentences once again, but to date no
execution has taken place. A process of appeals is also
available to the shermen, rst in the Court of Appeals,
then the Supreme Court, and nally to the President,
who has the power of pardon.
While the nal outcome may well be positive, the
entire episode is a setback in other ways. First, it will
complicate efforts to nd an early resolution to the
issue of how shermen on both sides can live and
pursue their livelihoods without hurting each others
access to scarce marine resources. Secondly, with political and public passions in Tamil Nadu running high,
attitudes against Sri Lanka are certain to harden in the
State. In the past, hardline Sinhala ideologues and
politicians across the Palk Strait have fed off Tamil
Nadus anti-Sri Lanka sentiments. With Sri Lanka now
in its presidential election season, there is reason to be
concerned about the vitiated atmosphere. In the best
interests of both countries, the issue must not be turned into fodder for political mileage.

he Supreme Court has received a


sealed cover from the government
with the 627 names of Indians holding black money abroad and it will
ask the Registry to pass it on to the Special
Investigation Team (SIT) even though the
SIT had received this list in June. There was
expectation that these names would be made
public but that is something not to be till
prosecution is launched. While some names
have already been revealed or have been
leaked, a question that arises is whether there
are more names to this list.
Public curiosity about the illegal wealth of
Indians, rich and corrupt, in foreign banks,
broadly termed as Swiss banks, has been high
ever since the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) campaign during the 2014 general
election focussed on the issue of black money
and its promise of Rs.15 lakh to every family
as a share of the spoils. Public expectation
went up further when the Union Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley recently said that the
Congress party would be embarrassed by the
disclosures.
The government has not been reconciled to
the setting up of the SIT to probe black money
held abroad and related matters so it led an
application for clarication of the orders. The
Supreme Court, sensing it to be yet another
attempt to stall the SIT, ordered that the list
of names be handed over to it. The inordinate
delay in conducting an investigation of the
names received by the government in 2011
has raised suspicions of there being political
manipulation which is why the top court has
taken a strong stand and rejected the governments plea that this would violate international obligations under the Double Taxation
Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). All this has
resulted in further confusion for the public.

Making an estimate
The attention on the issue has created an
impression that all black money is being held
abroad. According to this writers estimates,
only 10 per cent of the black income generated annually accrues on foreign shores; 90 per
cent is in the country. The annual generation
of black income is 50 per cent of GDP or Rs.65
lakh crore. A part of it is consumed and the
rest is saved. A part of these savings is sent
abroad through hawala transactions, and on
mispricing of trade and illegal activities.
Thus, a bulk of black savings is in India and
not abroad.
The estimate by the Global Financial Integrity (GFI) of the illicit outow of funds from

In the pursuit of black money, India has been


scoring a self-goal by arguing against taking tough
action, citing secrecy and privacy. In contrast,
courts in the U.S. went ahead successfully in
unearthing black income, ignoring such arguments
and despite non-cooperation and threats by
Switzerland
the country and the interest earned on it is
$462 billion for the period 1948 to 2008. The
Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) scaled it up and gave it a gure of
$500 billion (2010). However, these gures
are hypothetical because they include interest that would have been earned on illicit
funds taken abroad. Further, the GFI gure is
a gross underestimate because it does not
include the misinvoicing of services, hawala
and criminal funds generated in narcotic drug
trafficking, human trafficking, etc. This writer estimates it to be around $1.2 trillion for
the period 1948 to 2012, if the missing elements are added.

zerland has many banks and it is not just in


HSBC, Geneva, where most of the 627 Indians
in question hold accounts; how much money
is deposited in them is not known.
Under pressure from the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) to curtail its secrecy laws and cooperate with other countries in catching tax
evaders, Switzerland has now made a show of
relaxing its secrecy laws. However, its banks
have opened subsidiaries in Dubai and Singapore. Multinational (MNC) banks are known
to have a large number of subsidiaries in tax
havens to facilitate client movement of funds.

Double taxation agreements

Channels for capital

Money is also moved via layering. So, idenThese are not deposits in Swiss banks. Out tifying who the real beneciary of an account
of the funds taken abroad, a part returns in is is difficult to gure out. For example, the
the form of round tripping. There are sever- LGT Bank in Liechtenstein list contained the

The Supreme Court cases on black incomes are a part of


court proceedings. So, this information can be legitimately given
under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.
al channels for this return of capital, one of
which is the Participatory Note (PN) route.
Thus, only a part of the money taken out of
the country remains there. Out of the money
that remains abroad, a part is spent on luxury
goods while another portion is invested in
real estate and other businesses. Only a fraction of the illicit funds taken out of the country goes into bank accounts. Hence, it is not as
if huge sums of money are waiting to be
brought back to the country from Swiss
banks, as the BJP campaign promised.
There are at least 80 tax havens. Black
wealth held in liquid form is parked in the
banks of these countries/locations; it is not
just in Switzerland even if it is the biggest
centre. Thus, estimating how much of liquid
black wealth Indians have in banks in tax
havens is an almost impossible task. Swit-

names of little known people.


People are also confused about the provisions under the DTAA. The government has
argued that data on foreign bank accounts
comes under this treaty which does not allow
the revelation of names. Thus, the government has repeatedly argued before the Court
that it cannot divulge the names. It has further argued that the privacy of individuals
would be violated by the revelation of data.
These arguments are only designed to stall
the revelation of names of some favoured
entities.
DTAA is about declared (white) incomes of
entities so that tax may be levied in one or the
other country and not in both. Black income
is not revealed in either of the two countries
so there is no question of double taxation.
Further, this data would not be available to

CARTOONSCAPE

Going beyond
disclosure
ondentiality in tax matters is both an essential part of due process in preliminary proceedings and a necessary ingredient for
international cooperation in curbing evasion.
However, it cannot be used as a pretext to avoid a
proper investigation into details that other countries
have shared with it. This is the message from the
Supreme Courts intervention that compelled the government to submit a list of 627 names in a sealed cover.
The court, in deference to the principle of condentiality on which international cooperation in tax evasion
issues is premised, has not made any disclosure but has
forwarded the names to the Special Investigation Team
appointed by it for a further probe. In hindsight, it may
appear a redundant exercise, as the government had
also submitted the same list to the SIT as early as in
June. However, it appears that insufficient progress
has been made since then, and the court is possibly
justied in believing that unless it monitored the probe
it may be delayed unduly. Chief Justice H.L. Dattu has
claried that the court would not have asked for the list
but for an application by the government seeking modication of earlier orders passed in the same matter.
Given the zeal shown by the Bharatiya Janata Party
in the run-up to the election in promising that it would
bring back fabulous sums of money parked in foreign
bank accounts, there was a legitimate expectation that
the authorities would aid the SIT in a quick and efficient probe. However, governance has its own limitations, and a better understanding of the condentiality
requirement has led to a more pragmatic approach to
the issue. The present regime is right in stressing on its
international obligations and not wanting to jeopardise
future cooperation on tax matters from various countries, which was the stand of the UPA government as
well. Apart from an inter-governmental agreement
with the U.S., India also plans to adopt a multilateral
agreement with 46 other countries. It hardly needs
iteration that nothing should be done to undermine
such efforts to put in place trans-border mechanisms
to curb evasion. For, the identication and prosecution
of all those who hold unaccounted money in overseas
accounts is more important than the immediate public
disclosure of some names. Meanwhile, it should not be
forgotten that not all black money is abroad. Much of it
is within the country, especially in sectors such as real
estate, higher education and mining. A recent report of
the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy
estimates that the black economy in India may constitute 75 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product. A raft of
policy measures and diligent monitoring are needed to
bring down this illegal edice.

CM
YK

@nkit's Initiative For Student

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


possible assistance to the shermen.
While there is no denying that an
The news that the Colombo High innocent person should not be
Court has awarded the death punished, it must be remembered
sentence to ve Tamil Nadu that drug trafficking is a serious
shermen arrested by the Sri crime against humanity.
S.P. Asokan,
Lankan Navy in November 2011 on
charges of drug trafficking is a shock
Chennai
(Death for ve Indian shermen,
Oct.31). The Indian government
must take all steps it can to sort out October 31 this year was eventful as
the matter amicably, especially as India celebrated it as Rashtriya
India maintains that the shermen Ekta Divas. The contributions of
Sardar Patel in making India what it
are innocent.
S. Ramakrishnasayee, is today are unparalleled (Patels
Ranipet anniversary events on a grand scale
this time, Oct. 31). But the
Tamil shermen appear to be at the government appears to be playing
receiving end of acts by the Sri politics by pitting one national hero
Lankan Navy. It is strange that the against another. Does it have to
Indian Navy is unable to do anything follow the path of the Congress
to help our shermen. If the which was prone to eulogising the
family?
The
Modi
shermen in this case are innocent, Nehru
then it is the responsibility of India government appears to be doing the
same with heroes who are
to save their lives.
Elakkia S., inconvenient to its ideology, such as
Coimbatore Maulana Azad, Jai Prakash Narayan
and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar while trying
The knee-jerk reactions of Tamil to diminish the stature of tall
political leaders after the verdict Congress leaders. Nehru and Patel
was announced is nothing short of a never compared themselves with
disgraceful attempt to gain cheap each other and did their best for the
political points. Can one assume country.
that the convicted persons are
Rajnish Singh,
innocent just because they are
Haridwar, Uttarakhand
Tamils? Have not courts in Tamil
Nadu convicted people belonging to It is amusing to see the way the BJP
the State on charges of drug wants to appropriate a lifelong
trafficking? Instead of trying to take Congressman, for no reason other
political advantage of the plight of than that the party has no national
the ve men and making it an icon unlike the Congress. The way
unwarranted issue in relations the media and some sections of the
between two sovereign nations, the middle class are going gaga over
Tamil Nadu government and other Rashtriya Ekta Diwas raises the
political parties in the State would question whether the BJP-RSS
do well, as a goodwill gesture, to combine has realised its mistake,
extend monetary, legal and all other mentioned in Patels letter of

Colombo court verdict

Face-off

either of the two countries to be exchanged. It


is no wonder then that till date, no data has
been supplied to India by any of the countries
with which this treaty has been signed. In
brief, DTAA is about white incomes and not
black incomes, so it is disingenuous to say
that in future no data would be given to us if
names are given to courts.
There is a clause in these treaties about the
exchange of information regarding incomes.
This information can be used for purposes of
taxation. However, the Indian government
has not yet got any information on this
ground to unearth black incomes. Further,
this clause has a provision for sharing information with courts. Thus, secrecy is not
absolute.
The Supreme Court cases on black incomes
are a part of court proceedings. So, this information can be legitimately given under
DTAA. Further, if the Court passes on the
information to the SIT to investigate black
incomes, that would also be legitimate. The
governments argument that this would lead
to a drying up of information from other
countries does not hold water. Also, if new
treaties are signed in the future, they can be
examined then; they should not be allowed to
hold up information from courts now since
the present treaty does not prevent it.
What is under reference is the stolen data
of the LGT Bank from Germany and the data
of HSBC Bank in Geneva from the French
government. Since this data does not pertain
to incomes in either Germany or France, the
respective DTAA are not applicable in these
cases. Therefore, the secrecy clause cannot be
invoked. This data was offered by the German
and French governments on their own. Initially, the Indian government refused to take
this data but under court pressure, it was
accepted and investigation initiated.

Global parallel
Some entities who were investigated are
reported to have admitted to income tax authorities that they had illegal accounts in
these banks but many denied being associated with these accounts in the hope that they
would work out a solution to their predicament using political settlement. It is then not
surprising that there has not been much
headway in investigating these accounts
since 2009.
That is the history of investigations in India. Cases are delayed and usually spoiled so
that prosecution is rare. Contrast this with
the Birkenfeld-UBS case in the United States.
Inspite of non-cooperation by the UBS Bank
and the threats by the Switzerland government, courts in the U.S. pressed ahead ignoring the argument of secrecy and
condentiality of information. UBS was
forced to admit wrongdoing, pay a ne of
$780 million and provide a list of 4,500 names
of U.S. citizens who had accounts with it.
Recently, Credit Suisse was also ned $2.5
billion for such fraud. Thus, investigation and
toughness paid off. In contrast, the Indian
government has been scoring a self-goal by
arguing against taking tough action, citing
secrecy and privacy.
Today the focus is on 653 names from the
two lists. But lakhs of rich and corrupt people
have their wealth stashed abroad and the government has not even taken the preliminary
steps to act against them. Finally, one of the
banks in question has been revealed to have
acted like a hawala operator. Other MNC and
private Indian banks also indulge in these
activities. Why has the government not initiated action against them and hawala operators? Why is the government not proactive
in analysing relevant data from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and Julian Assange? No wonder
the perception is that the government is stalling on unearthing Indian black money and
Ache Din is not around the corner.
(Arun Kumar is Sukhamoy Chakravarty
Chair Professor, Centre for Economic
Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru
University and the author of Indian
Economy since Independence: Persisting
Colonial Disruption.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
September 1948 to the Sarsangh
Chalak of the RSS where he says:
The speeches of the Sangh leaders
are poisonous. It is as a result of this
venom that Mahatma Gandhi has
been assassinated .... Mr. Modi can
praise Loha Purush a thousand
times, but where is the need for him
to compare him with Mrs Gandhi?
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad

Dr. Maiorano seems to have missed


to mention one important feature of
the Indira Gandhi legacy her bold
decision to nationalise major banks,
which was an act that helped India
weather many a nancial storm
subsequently.
K.M.K. Murthy,
Kochi

Indira Gandhi was truly the empress


of India. I still remember her visit to
It is unbecoming on the part of the Thalassery in northern Kerala when
Congress to see anything wrong in she mesmerised the audience,
the Modi governments move to including some women who had
observe Sardar Patels birthday as planned to humiliate her by staging
Ekta Divas. This does not black ag demonstrations. When
undermine
or
ignore
the she made her appearance, they
threw away the black ags, much to
contributions of Indira Gandhi.
Srivatsan, the embarrassment of the Left
Mysore parties.
P.U. Krishnan,
Udhagamandalam
Dr. Diego Maioranos article (The
Empresss long-term legacies,
Oct.31) was a concise account of all In the past, teachers used to win
aspects of Indira Gandhis legacy. over their students and command
Ignored at rst, she rose to become a their respect with their eloquence,
strong and decisive leader. While efficiency, love and affection
she succeeded in changing the face without sacricing discipline.
of India in many ways, she also Today, the picture has changed
completely (Pinching costs teacher
created negative results.
The liberalisation of the economy Rs.50,000, some editions, Oct. 31)
and her promise to abolish poverty There are some teachers who resort
were positives as they awakened the to violent methods of demanding
poor to participate in Indias respect by subjecting students to
democracy. The concept of a welfare extreme forms of punishment.
state was born out of her promises. Parents too are to blame for putting
The negatives are many. Among the teaching community under
them, political corruption resulted pressure. The judgment by the
from her ban of corporate donations Madras High Court, in this case that
to parties. The principle of the happened seven years ago, will send
leader being more important than out a strong message to all teachers
the political party also became the who are crude in their behaviour
towards students.
accepted norm.
Shemeela Sasikumar,
J. Eden Alexander,
Thrissur
Thanjavur

Indira Gandhis legacy

Quite a pinch

A physicians thoughts
I fail to understand how a reader
(Letters, Oct. 27) could conclude
that Dr. B.M. Hegde was ridiculing
medical science in his article
Unlearning to relearn... (Open
Page, Oct.26). Criticism is not
ridicule. And scepticism is at the
heart of good science. Peer review
and sharing of study data are
examples of essential scientic
practices that encourage criticism,
critical inquiry and re-evaluation of
scientic studies.
The letter writer wants that the
layman does not get the wrong
message, but I am afraid it is he who
has got the wrong message. John
Ioannidis, who Atlantic magazine
calls as one of the worlds foremost
experts on the credibility of medical
research, says that 90 per cent of
the information relied upon for
clinical decisions by doctors is
either wrong or misleading. And Dr.
Ioannidis has evidence. Dr. Ben
Goldacre, author of Bad Pharma,
puts it thus: We like to imagine that
medicine is based on evidence and
the results of fair tests. In reality,
those tests are often profoundly
awed. We like to imagine that
doctors are familiar with the
research literature, when in reality
much of it is hidden from them by
drug companies .
Good science need not fear harsh
words. Science is not a religion to be
taken on blind faith. Laymen like
Gregory Mendel contributed to
some of its signicant advances.
Science thrives on criticism and
review. As one science channel put
it, Question everything!
Tim Heineman,
Bangalore
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

The road to ultra-populism


T
Kanak Mani Dixit

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014

With and without


the Sena
wo steps forward, one step back. The Shiv
Senas post-election process of rapprochement with the Bharatiya Janata Party is not
only slow, but is also getting to be painful for
both sides. After Sena pramukh Uddhav Thackeray was
persuaded to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis as the BJPs first Chief Minister in
Maharashtra, the two parties were expected to conclude a power-sharing agreement quickly. But the Sena
was unwilling to give up its claim for the deputy chief
ministership; it not only wanted at least a third of the
ministerial berths, but also key portfolios. Actually,
much more than the composition of a coalition ministry is at stake: the two former allies are trying to
redefine the terms of their political engagement at
every stage of the negotiations. Following the bitter
parting of ways over seat sharing prior to the election,
the BJP and the Sena are fighting for the same political
space. Any political concession could have consequences beyond the number of ministers and the nature of
portfolios. With the Sena winning 63 seats to the BJPs
122, the 1:2 ratio for ministerial berths suggested itself.
But the deputy chief ministership, which is of great
symbolic value, and key portfolios such as home, finance and urban development, are still sticking points.
The Sena clearly wants to use its share in power to
expand its political clout. Mr. Thackeray knows the
BJP outmanoeuvred him during the seat-sharing negotiations and the break that followed, but he is not ready
to play the role of a junior partner for all time to come.
The power-sharing, if it happens, will only be part of a
strategic retreat before the Sena seeks to establish
itself as the dominant political player in Maharashtra.
For the BJP, keen as it is to leave its own stamp on
the government, giving in to all of the Senas demands
would amount to surrendering some of the gains it
made by contesting the election on its own. Of course,
the party has the luxury of the unconditional support
offered by the Nationalist Congress Party. But beyond
using this offer of support to pressure the Sena further,
the BJP would not want too close a relationship with
the Pawars. The NCP, accused of scams during its years
in power, was one of the targets of attack for the BJP
during the campaign. That only a core team of the BJP
took oath, and that Mr. Fadnavis retained a large number of portfolios, including home, urban development,
housing and health, are indications of the national
partys readiness to keep the doors open for the Sena.
Whatever the party decides, it will be doing so with the
full knowledge that life with the Sena will be as difficult
as life without the Sena.

he making and the public screening


of Haidar as a mainstream film
was unexpected for observers of the
contemporary Indian polity, at this
time of a surge in Hindutva-spiked nationalism. Top-line cinematographers, stars, lyricists and promoters participated in a
production that questioned New Delhis record in the Kashmir Valley, with onscreen
characters even challenging the infamous
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).
The film was not alternative cinema and has
had a full run in multiplexes all over despite
denouncements from some quarters.
Yet, with all other indicators pointing to a
political constriction of cultural space, it
would be misplaced to read Haider as representing a trend towards openness. Long
before Narendra Modi turned up on the national radar screen, jingoism was already on
the rise and it seems set to escalate. By and
large, littrateurs, academics and media
commentators have gone silent on critical
issues rather than trying to maintain elbow
room.
India is the largest and most anchored
democracy around, and its shift towards a
closed society portends a perilous journey
for South Asia as a whole. It also has global
implications.

Mono-nationalisms
New countries tend to be more nationalistic than older ones, and South Asia is bubbling with the incipient patriotisms of its
newborn nation-states, all less than seven
decades old (other than Nepal, which goes
back a couple of centuries). Rather than
evolve through the historical push-and-pull
of power and politics, the countries were
defined amid the hurried manipulations of
the departing colonial. They were then required to construct their separate nationalisms, and the capital elites of India, Pakistan
and Ceylon were more than happy to fill the
shoes of Mountbatten.
There was and is the contradiction of trying to force-fit a demographically layered and
syncretistic subcontinent into the Westphalian nation-state, rather than devise workable formulae within that format. The new
nationalisms of South Asia tended towards
xenophobic and ultra, with a need to build
external enemies and foreign hands in order to manage schisms. The more diverse the
country, the more the need for centralised

In each South Asian country, the no-go areas of


discourse are proliferating rather than decreasing
as the state establishments deploy ultra-populism.
In response, the intelligentsia cowers and
opinion-makers are dehumanised as they take to
weighing what to say and what to leave unsaid
mono-nationalism.
India and Pakistan, as the two largest, are
curious nation-states for the many large nations they subsume. Because of this, both
Islamabad and New Delhi are riding the tiger,
with no politician daring to tinker with the
given superstructure. But the choice is stark,
to turn autocratic or to devolve federally, the
latter presenting a viable path for the people
to achieve their genius within the
nation-state.
Mr. Modi, arriving in New Delhi as the
outsider from Gujarat, should understand
the need to allow the play of sub-nationalism.
However, the new Prime Ministers instinct
seems to tilt towards centralised commandand-control, which can hardly inspire the
diverse, populous, extra-large India we
know.

doms. However, all over South Asia, we are


intimidated by targeted vilification even for
mildly challenging statist chauvinism (forget
dissidence). From the neighbourhood bigot
to the trolls on social media, they have largely
succeeded in threatening us into submission.
We have all been taught to resist the authoritarian state, but majoritarian populism
has the ability to seal our lips even more
tightly. When ultranationalism is attached to
populism and deployed by the state, we are
confronted with the most dangerous brew of
all: it can be called ultra-populism. It is
deployed by the vanguards of the supremacist state, vigilantes with their verbal machetes ever-ready to ostracise and
defenestrate. This is the point where society
becomes psycho-socially subjugated and militarised even with the military confined to

As the largest and most anchored democracy around, Indias


shift towards a closed society portends a perilous journey for
South Asia as a whole.

Without the gumption to redefine the nation-state to South Asian specifications, the
path of least resistance all over South Asia
includes the call to rallying around the flag
and the outline (even if somewhat outdated)
of frontiers on the map, seeking to foist a
brittle definition of one religion as national
faith, and brandishing a slogan that should
have been abandoned long ago in liberal democracy my country right or wrong.

No-go areas of discourse


We do not gain the right to critique other
governments unless we are first able to challenge our own state establishments when
they engage in excess. Surely, none of us can
be entirely free of self-censorship, but one
can at least recognise the contagion and seek
to maintain hard-won fundamental free-

the barracks.
In each South Asian country, the no-go
areas of discourse are proliferating rather
than decreasing as the state establishments
deploy ultra-populism. In response, the intelligentsia cowers, the opinion-makers
are dehumanised as they take to weighing
what to say and what to leave unsaid.
In Sri Lanka, few dare challenge the Rajapaksa family autocracy, which is backed by
radical Buddhist clergy. In Myanmar, Aung
San Suu Kyi has quite easily succumbed to
Burman ultra-populism, failing to come to
the rescue of the Rohingya of Rakhine state.
In Pakistan, the Ahmadiyya community is
prohibited even as the charge of blasphemy is
used by the state authorities to target the
weakest citizens the tragedy of Asia Bibi
awaiting the hangman in Multan should be

CARTOONSCAPE

Voting procedures
and participation
he Republicans are striving to wrest control
of the Senate in the United States mid-term
elections on Tuesday. But there is a contentious battle raging, that could potentially disenfranchise thousands of voters, a not so good augury
for an otherwise vibrant democracy. Since 2010, all of
21 States have put in place voting restrictions, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The Supreme
Court, by a narrow majority in 2013, delivered a verdict
that invalidated a clause in the 1965 Voting Rights Act
that requires States with a record of discrimination to
obtain federal clearance before changing electoral procedures. This is the same law that the court had upheld
in the past, the Congress renewed last in 2006 and
President George W. Bush assented to. To be sure, the
judges last year did not question that the risk of racial
discrimination in voting may still be real. Rather, they
would like remedial legislation to be rooted in the
countrys current circumstances as reflected in increased minority voter turnout in many States and the
two-term election of a first black President.
Against the backdrop of 2013 and ahead of the midterm polls, Republican-ruled states want to enforce
laws that they argue are intended to protect the integrity of the electoral process. These statutes require registered voters to bring some form of photo identification
to the polling stations. Some States have also reduced
the early voting period which was designed as a
measure to encourage and enhance participation
with an eye on reducing costs. Opponents have won
challenges in federal courts on the ground that these
laws disproportionately affect voters from minority
communities and that the degree of fraud may not
warrant stringent voting curbs. The Supreme Courts
two interim orders in October, to block the Wisconsin
voting law and allow that of Texas, have not clarified
the position. It may not seem unreasonable for voters
to be asked to present one of many photo identifications at the polls. But to deny voters who have already
registered for the franchise for want of any documentation militates against the spirit of a mature democracy.
This is a fundamental question for a country whose
core objectives in foreign policy remain the promotion
of democracy and the rule of law around the world.
These could well be some of the considerations before
Congress as and when it revisits this landmark legislation that goes back to the time of the civil rights movement. Republicans and Democrats should rise above
narrow partisan political interests to secure the protections for the countrys large minorities. Individual liberty, as well as equality, are at stake here. The world
will be watching as Washington votes on Tuesday.

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

everyones concern from Kathmandu to Kochi. In Bangladesh, you are liable to be labelled anti-national if you so much as
challenge the officially sanctioned number,
three million, for those killed during the 1971
Liberation War.
In Nepal, despite the longer history remains entrapped in schoolboy symbolisms,
such as the insistence that Buddha was born
in Nepal when no one is really challenging
the fact. But for all the high-volume patriotism, no one wants to raise uncomfortable
matters such as Nepali citizens formally
serving in foreign armies. A man who suggested secession of the Tarai-Madhes plains
has been charged with sedition, as if the national society is not strong enough to tackle
oral dissidence.

Shouting heads
The subcontinent has arrived very far from
where liberal democracy was supposed to
lead us. The rock-bottom of exhibitionist ultranationalist behaviour can actually be
found in the most democratic of us all, i.e.
India. For this, one has to merely follow the
shouting heads on New Delhis news channels. Egged on by the anchors, the appalling
bombast of the participants reaches peak
decibel when the talk turns to the South
Asian neighbours, Pakistan in particular.
(Significantly, an exceptional sobriety is reserved for all matters relating to the Peoples
Republic.)
The shouting heads refuse to exhibit any
empathy whatsoever for the tortured soul of
Pakistan, the countrys purpose merely to
serve as a receptacle for chest-thumping. India is presented as the wronged partner since
the time of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and there
is little sensitivity shown for the Pakistani
citizen who suffers like no other in the subcontinent drone attacks, sectarian killings,
mafia murders, blasphemy laws, car bombs,
human bombs, assassination of leaders, activists and health workers, disappearances,
massive internal military offensives, and the
reign of military intelligence.
One is left wishing that the loud among
New Delhis commentariat would pause a
moment to consider how they compare with
counterparts in Pakistan, who risk life and
limb when they challenge the political outfits, the army, military intelligence, radical
clergy and militants of every kind. And they
do it in ground-level in Urdu, inviting that
much more danger than when protected by
the distance of English.
The absence of self-reflection at the national level in India on the critical issues of
due process, human rights and fundamental
freedoms is striking and worrisome. The
promise made to Kashmir inherent in Article
370 of the Constitution is pooh-poohed.
Irom Sharmilas hunger strike demanding
the repeal of AFSPA in Manipur has been
ignored now for nearly a decade-and-half (a
fast started 14 years ago yesterday, November 2.) Whether Afzal Guru got a fair trial
before his February 2013 execution for the
attack on Parliament was a subject that never
made it to national debate.
The anti-nuclear weaponisation agenda
does not get traction anywhere in India, other than a little bit in West Bengal. Increasingly, environmentalists are being pilloried, the
peoples movements ignored, trade unions
laughed at, and human rights groups and civil
liberties unions have never been more out of
fashion. It is an abysmal state of affairs when
a country that aspires to great power status
requires its citizens who want to organise
international conferences or seminars to
first get clearance from the Ministry of Home
Affairs.
All of South Asia needs to shake off ultranationalism and ultra-populism and restore
the dignity of our governance structures. India needs to do it quick, because what happens to India affects significantly more
people, within and without.
(Kanak Mani Dixit is a Kathmandu-based
writer and Editor of Himal Southasian
magazine.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

outflow of illegal money from India


worth $343 billion or Rs.21 lakh
crore. Every year the figure seems
On December 3, 1984, the leakage
to unceasingly increase, implying
of the deadly gas, MIC, from the
that there are many innate flaws
then Union Carbide plant caused
and facilitative loopholes in the
one of the greatest industrial
existing laws of the country.
tragedies in the world (Anderson
The report of the National
dead, no tears in Bhopal, and
Institute of Public Finance and
Centre will now bring to book
other accused, hope victims, both It is disheartening to know that the Policy which estimates that the
Nov.1). We had seen unsuccessful family members of victims who black economy in India forms 75
efforts over the last three decades died in the anti-Sikh riots during per cent of its GDP is quite
to bring Anderson back to India in 1984 continue to have a miserable alarming and unsettling. The key
order to face trial. There are many existence (For 1984 riot victims, lies in meticulous scanning and
methods
and
more corporate Andersons who wounds still fester, Nov.1). Many monitoring
continue to evade justice on families are yet to receive procedures.
R. Sampath,
account of weak legal systems. compensation. It shows that in
Chennai
What happened is still a blot on India, the road to justice is a long
and torturous one.
Indias image.
Arun Malankar,
Nishant Singhania, While the concern for the privacy of
Mumbai
Chennai the account holders in question is
most noble, it would have been
The reports brought back the
more reassuring had there been
horrors the victims have gone After some embarrassing events similar
commitment
shown
though of painful deaths and last week, the government towards the right to privacy of
after-effects in the form of various awkwardly backtracked from using citizens threatened by the watch
cancers, severe and permanently its flimsy alibi of DTAA, since such and reach of Aadhaar. A state which
disabling injuries that include an agreement should apply to white believes in and institutionalises the
respiratory
tract
problems, money and not black money surveillance of the common people
neurological
impairments, (Editorial and Secrecy in the name cannot escape the charge of
chromosomal aberrations and of privacy, Nov. 1). Laying stress hypocrisy and complicity when it
cardiac problems not to forget birth on the clauses of privacy and argues in favour of protecting the
defects. That Anderson was secrecy under the pretext of privacy of a select and corrupt few.
Firoz Ahmad,
allowed to leave India was an upholding
international
New Delhi
unpardonable act by the then obligations in order to ensure
Congress government at the continued cooperation from other
Centre.
countries is meaningless. The
A. Srikantaiah, government has to focus its
Bengaluru attention on unearthing black Karan Thapar argues that Prime
Narendra
Modis
incomes stashed in India before Minister
Activists working among survivors attempting a venture overseas.
ambitions (The two faces of Mr.
Haridasan Mathilakath, Modi, Nov. 1) are modern yet he
accuse the State and Central
Kochi goes back to promoting unverified
governments of having facilitating
the escape of the powerful
mythological claims. It is the Prime
executive who never returned to The facts in a report Illicit Ministers duty to reach out to all of
face the law though summons were Financial Flows from Developing his citizens. Having him give
periodically issued and he was Countries: 2002-11 are rather examples that relate to mythology
eventually declared an absconder. alarming as they point to the might be the right thing to do given

Warren Anderson

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014

His passing away comes just before


the 30th anniversary of the worlds
worst industrial disaster. Let us
hope that there is justice for the
dependants of victims.
Ankita Jhaveri,
Mumbai

1984 riot victims

Beyond disclosure

Two faces of Modi

the demographics of our largely


religious country. If he succeeds in
inspiring people to work on
medicine, or technology by
referring to mythology, the means
do not matter. The essence of all
this is about inspiring all segments
of society in our country.
Subramanian Sundaram,
Chennai
I am rather surprised that Mr.
Thapar thinks the Prime Minister
cannot evince pride in his ancestry
and the origins of culture in his
country and still be progressive.
Our mythological stories are
nothing but the expression of that
time. Does Mr. Thapar want proof?
Let me assure him that there are
plenty. Has he not seen the
intricate sculptures and artistic
designs in and of our temples which
reveal an engineers bent of mind?
Has he ever wondered how many of
our magnificent temples were built
to that size using stone that was all
assembled in perfect symmetry?
The archaeological findings of
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa are
another
example
of
our
development.
Vijayalakshmi Raghavan,
Chennai
While appreciating Mr. Thapar for
his courage in trying to depict the
two faces of Mr. Modi, I beg to differ
with some of his observations.
Indian mythology is deeply rooted
in the minds of most Indians. Most
believe the stories to be a record of
ancient history. Mr. Thapars
rationality argument cannot break
the concrete irrational shell of
Indians. If the Prime Minister of
the country speaks in the language
of Mr. Thapar, Indians will fall into

the trap of religious uncertainty


and spiritual instability. By
bringing up the examples of genetic
science and plastic surgery, Mr.
Modi is perhaps trying to impart
some level of rational thinking in
the minds of hard-core irrational
Indians. I think he has taken the
first logical step.
George Mathai,
Kochi
Karan Thapar is rightly perplexed
by the silence of the Indian
scientist in connection with Mr.
Modis observations. It seems that
the lack of response is a common
factor shared by three varieties of
scientists: one kind, that includes
myself, that is too embarrassed to
react to these remarks made at a
gathering of eminent people of
medicine,
many
of
whom
presumably have undergone a
rigorous process of scientific
training; the other, indifferent to
any view aired by public persona
about our historical legacies and
claims about past scientific
achievements and who are
comfortable in their labs as long as
their research grants flow in
uninterrupted, and the third, of
scientists who in their zeal to
recover our great Indian heritage
go around giving speeches in
schools and colleges, on topics akin
to the mumbo jumbo we have just
been subjected to. Sadly, in all this,
we may lose sight of the vital
historical research and discoveries
informed by rigour, of the real
achievements in ancient India in
the fields of mathematics,
astronomy, metallurgy and other
areas of science and technology.
Sharath Ananthamurthy,
Bengaluru
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

How to reform and how not to


A
Mihir Shah

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

The real enemy


at the gates
he suicide bombing at the Wagah border in
Pakistan is a tragic, and sadly ironic, reminder
that it is not India that is the enemy at its
gates. Forces within Pakistan are actively
tearing down the country. More than 60 people were
killed in Sundays attack, and at least three sets of
militants have rushed to own responsibility for the
carnage a group called Jundullah that was responsible for the Peshawar church bombing in September 2013,
and two rival factions of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Jundullah, which is also a part of the TTP,
claimed it carried out the bombing in retaliation for the
Pakistan militarys ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb in
parts of North Waziristan. The country has been on
high alert for the last few days, as the month of Muharram has annually seen a spurt in suicide and other
terrorist attacks targeting Pakistani Shia. But clearly,
Pakistani intelligence agencies were also not ruling out
non-sectarian attacks at this time. Wagah, an important
base for the paramilitary Rangers who guard the IndiaPakistan border, was listed in recent Pakistani security
alerts as vulnerable. Stopped by guards at the entrance
to the large area that comprises the border check post,
the suicide bomber blew himself up in the midst of
civilians, most of them visitors streaming out after the
ag-lowering ceremony at the border gates. Three
Rangers were also killed. The Pakistani Police have
quickly arrested 21 people in connection with the incident, and investigations will no doubt continue. What
confronts Pakistan, though, is the absence of a coherent
policy or clear narrative on Islamist extremism and
militancy. The military operation in the northwest
seems aimed more at ensuring that by the time U.S.
troops pull out of Afghanistan at the end of this year,
Pakistan would have subdued the TTP enough not to be
bogged down in reghting the blowback within, and is
freer to pursue larger strategic ambitions in the region.
Many militant organisations continue to thrive, particularly those with a marked anti-India agenda.
The explosion was close enough for it to be heard and
felt on the Indian side. No Indian was hurt in the
bombing. On Monday, the two sides held a low-key
ag-lowering ceremony, and the Pakistani side even
allowed visitors. But the limited overland trade between the two sides has been halted temporarily. The
Samjhauta Express train service between Delhi and
Lahore has also not been interrupted. The attack a few
metres from the border should be a reminder to India
that a stable Pakistan is in Indias interests. The incident also underlines that in order to convey Indian
concerns about terrorism emanating from Pakistan,
there is no option but for Delhi and Islamabad to talk.

n impression has gained ground in


recent weeks that the National
Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre is inimical to the
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Part of the
reason for this is the notion that this was a
partisan programme benetting only a certain political dispensation. The short history
of the programme makes it clear that this is
patently untrue. Indeed, some of the best
work under MGNREGA has happened in
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled States.
This year, the National Award for Leadership in MGNREGA Implementation went
to the Government of Chhattisgarh. The
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh is a strong
votary of the programme, and under his dynamic leadership, some of the most innovative work in implementing MGNREGA on
watershed principles has been initiated. Nitish Kumar, as Chief Minister of Bihar, worked
hard to explore imaginative, decentralised solutions to the ood problem, using resources
available under MGNREGA. Tamil Nadu, under Ms. Jayalalithaa, has been one of the best
performing States. And the Chief Minister of
Odisha has taken important steps in recent
years to make MGNREGA a success in the
tribal regions of the State.

State inputs
It is clear that where the leadership has
understood the potential of the programme,
every effort has been made to make it more
effective, and this is true across the political
spectrum. I can personally testify to the remarkable inputs that almost all State governments gave to the committee set up under my
chairmanship to reform the programme and
create MGNREGA 2.0, which helped to introduce a large number of new productivityenhancing works and build synergies between MGNREGA and agriculture.
This is not to say that the programme has
been an unqualied success. Indeed, every
effort needs to be made to reform MGNREGA, as the programme has been both a major
success and a huge failure. The best way to
reform such a programme is to study carefully the conditions that made it a success and
also to undertake a diagnostics of its failures,
so as to learn how best to x it. The NDA
government is rightly concerned with the
many failures of the programme in not being
able to generate more than 50 days of work

CARTOONSCAPE

Protecting
children in schools
xtremely disturbing incidents of sexual assault on children inside school premises have
been reported in quick succession from Bengaluru. Two cases were reported in the month
of October alone and at least nine such cases, including
extreme cases of rape, have been reported during this
year. The victims include a girl as young as three. While
media coverage may have led to increased reporting of
such incidents, it must be pointed out that attention
came to be focussed on the issue after cases were reported from upmarket English medium schools. There
is a fear that cases in schools catering to the poor may
not even come to light. Sexual abuse of children is not
restricted to schools and often goes unreported in several venues across the country. A comprehensive survey
conducted in 2007 by the Ministry of Women and Child
Development, Government of India, found that 53.22
per cent of over 12,000 children interviewed had faced
sexual abuse. The survey suggested that schools constitute a relatively safer environment and most abuses are
perpetrated by family members, including parents. Till
March this year, 400 cases have been registered under
the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) and over 12,000 cases of rape
of children were registered in 2013 under Section 376 of
the IPC. These statistics underline the enormity of the
issue, which needs to be addressed in its entirety.
However, following the incidents in Bengaluru, the
public debate is over safety in schools. Improving safety
measures and xing vicarious responsibility on school
managements are important, but there are deeper concerns that need to be addressed. Even as the number of
schools are growing, there are hardly any systems to
verify the antecedents of staff members, and this has at
times let even habitual offenders come in close contact
with children. Schools need to scrutinise their teaching
and non-teaching staff more closely. Improving awareness over what constitutes sexual abuse as dened by
law is essential. It is also important to counsel parents
and teachers to actively encourage dialogue with children and make them aware of any dangers and report
such incidents. Even basic protocols on the time and
place of contact with a child by staff members are not
followed in most schools. Making the law enforcement
authorities more sensitive to dealing with such cases is
another major challenge, and often the psychological
impact of such cases on the victims, parents and other
children is not addressed seriously. These are issues
that need to be dealt with sternly and swiftly at the
national level. The concern is not just that these cases
have been reported in one city, but the fact that they
may be going unreported in several others.

CM
YK

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

Every effort needs to be made to reform


MGNREGA, as it has been both a major success
and a huge failure. The best way for this is to study
carefully the conditions that made it a success and
also to undertake a diagnostics of its failures

ner went against the spirit of the Act and also


encouraged a proliferation of corrupt practices, in an eagerness to show expenditure on
the programme, even where there was no
demand for it. I describe this as the U without Q (universalisation without quality) syndrome that afflicts many of our agship
programmes. In the rush to universalise, we
compromise the quality of work and at times
create perverse effects, such as the incentivisation of corruption. For example, there are
countless instances of labour-scarce areas in
the country, where the pressure to spend under MGNREGA led to contractors, in collusion with bureaucrats, deploying machines
for doing the work and fudging entries in
job-cards of workers, who sat at home and
pocketed part of the wages. To avoid such
situations, it is imperative that the demanddriven character of MGNREGA be deeply respected. For the self-identication of beneciaries is the most powerful element of the
programme. But, by the same token, when
there is demand for work, it cannot and must
not be denied.

per annum, in the poor quality of assets cre- 2,500 most backward blocks of the country is
ated, in the delays in payments to workers a step in the right direction.
and also in the inability of the really needy
areas of the country to take full advantage of Regional backwardness
the programme.
Chief Ministers have long emphasised the
need to understand Indias regional backInsights
wardness in terms of blocks rather than disAll of these problems need to be addressed. tricts. Many advanced districts in India hide
The best way to do so is to study where the pockets of backwardness and not all blocks in
programme has been able to deliver. I have in the so-called backward districts may be
mind the thousands of villages where water equally deprived. As Member, Planning Comharvesting structures have been created, agri- mission, I oversaw a remarkable exercise to
culture has improved, nearly 100 days of work rank Indias subdistricts in order of backhas been provided, distress migration has re- wardness. The importance of this exercise for
duced and women have been empowered. a programme like MGNREGA is that demand
MGNREGA is one programme where all this for work has been shown to be the highest in
has been rigorously documented by scholars these most backward subdistricts. Hence, the Wage-material ratio
from all over the world. This research also NDA government has correctly sought to foFinally, to the vexed question of the wagethrows up insights on the features that char- cus intensive participatory planning exercis- material ratio, which has been xed at 60:40
acterise locations where success has become es in the 2,500 most backward subdistricts under the programme. There is a notion that
it is this ratio that has led to the creation of
poor quality assets under the programme.
Where the State leadership has understood the potential of
That such a myth can endure in a country
with a rich tradition of earthen engineering,
the programme, every effort has been made to make it more
where water security was traditionally proeffective, and this is true across the political spectrum.
vided to millions of people through earthen
water harvesting structures, is a matter of
great sorrow. Each of these structures was
possible: one, availability of strong technical and also set up cluster facilitation teams designed in a truly location-specic manner,
support to the main implementing agency, there. These teams are multidisciplinary based on a deep understanding and study of
the gram panchayat; two, capacities to under- teams of professionals who will support gram local geology, soil types, topography and raintake decentralised planning exercises and panchayats in these 2,500 subdistricts to ef- fall patterns and based on intricate engineercreation of a robust shelf of works; three, fectively plan and implement MGNREGA. ing techniques, designed and perfected over
awareness among MGNREGA work-seekers The teams include social mobilisers who will centuries of practice, deeply grounded in rich,
of their entitlements and procedures under help generate greater awareness about the local, cultural traditions. It is real testimony
the programme; four, active and vibrant gram programme among work-seekers.
to how divided we have become as a nation
sabhas, which debate and decide the works to
This is an excellent example of learning that planners and policymakers, sitting in disbe undertaken and all procedures related to from the successes of MGNREGA and I am tant urban locations, show such deep ignothe programme; ve, open and effective social extremely optimistic that this reform will rance of our rich social, ecological and
audits that check corruption; six, accountable lead to more effective implementation of the cultural heritage, from which we have so
gram panchayats, where the leadership re- programme where the demand for it is the much to learn. They also seem completely
sponds to the legitimate demands and griev- greatest. What should not be done, however, oblivious that the 21st century is seeking to
ances of the people; and seven, a system that is to say that work-seekers in other areas of make a break with energy-heavy, fossil fuelensures timely payment of wages.
the country will not be provided work on based technologies and seeking to build with
A lot of what the NDA government is pro- demand. The very raison d'etre of MGNREGA green materials.
As a matter of fact, excellent earthen engiposing clearly reects a desire to learn from is that it is a legal guarantee for work. It is
these successes and merits strong support. undoubtedly true that the attempt to uni- neering work has been done under MGNREFor example, the proposal to focus on the versalise the programme in a top-down man- GA, where care was taken to learn from these
traditions and also to empower gram panchayats to understand the principles underlying this watershed approach. Changing the
wage-material ratio in a blanket fashion has
the inherent danger of converting this people-centred programme, into a contractormachinery driven one, which would further
weaken grass-roots democracy in India.
There is, however, a case to be made for
permitting greater exibility in this ratio in
certain parts of the country, where material
costs tend to be exorbitantly high: the Himalayan region, for instance, where transport
costs are steep, or deserts where long distances need to be traversed. In such regions,
lowering the wage-material ratio could actually enable more work to be provided under
MGNREGA. This has been a long-standing
demand of some States. Elsewhere, there is
abundant scope for individual works with a
lower wage-material ratio, because it is only
the average that needs to be 60:40. Many such
works were introduced into the programme
by my committee and are doing very well on
the ground. Thus, there is enough exibility
that has already been created. Doing more
than what is warranted by these legitimate
concerns, would be to compromise the fundamental power of the MGNREGA.
(Mihir Shah is a grass-roots activist who
has lived and worked for 25 years in the tribal
villages of Central India. From 2009 to 2014,
he was Member, Planning Commission,
Government of India.)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


ponticate at leisure from their
armchairs. Look at the tortured soul
The incident at Wagah, minutes of Pakistan. Why should Indians
after the famous ag-lowering empathise with that country?
ceremony took place, shows that Article 370 was made when the
terror outts are capable of striking Congress had an absolute majority
anywhere at any point in time (55 in Parliament. The Constitution can
killed in suicide attack at Wagah in be amended to repeal it. AFSPA was
Pakistan, Nov. 3). It is unfortunate promulgated keeping national
that peace-living citizens who came security in mind; obviously, there
to watch the energetic display of will be some who object to it. Afzal
military pageantry were felled by a Guru got a fair trial. For that matter,
suicide bomber. Despite innocent does Mr. Dixit also think that Ajmal
people being targeted by ultras time Kasab didnt get a fair trial?
and again, it is ironical that the
A majority of Indians have voted
Pakistan government is not doing for a government which represents
enough to close down those terror- all that the writer loathes. But a
training camps.
democracy is what a majority of its
H.P. Murali, people want it to be, not what a few
Bengaluru think that it should be.
Deshabhimani Rao,
Bengaluru
The attack is a warning to Pakistans
Army and intelligence agencies that
deploying anti-state and extremist Mr. Dixit has illustrated his article
organisations under a religious with a great many examples of ultrafacade and as covert foreign policy populism and ultranationalism
instruments is a self-defeating across South Asia and advocates an
strategy. Pakistan is beset by ideal form of governance with
numerous problems on the special advice to India. However, he
economic, energy and health fronts. has not given a single example of a
Fostering anti-India feelings will get great nation that has historically
the nation-state nowhere.
prospered without being realist. We
Tanaka D. Anand, need to strike a balance between the
Mysuru freedom of speech and expression
and the need to curb dissenting
voices for the faster growth of our
It is a pity that writers like Kanak nation. We are tired of dissenting
Mani Dixit have yet to acknowledge voices, logjam, unending debates
the ground realities as far as the and the idealism of some
political mood of India is concerned intellectuals which and who are
(The road to ultra-populism, Nov. stalling the nations growth.
Gaurav Kathuria,
3). Yes, India may have become
Rohtak, Haryana
ultra-national which could lead to
ultra-populism, but the fact is that
a majority of Indians are aware of
this, having voted decisively for Mr. The Kiss of Love protest at Kochi
Modi and the BJP. If the patriotism brings to focus the growing menace
of the my country right or wrong of moral policing in Kerala by
type seems old-fashioned jingoism fundamentalist outts of different
to liberals, they are most welcome to hues (Lathicharge at kiss event in

Terror at Wagah

Ultra-populism

Kochis kiss event

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Kochi as rival groups clash, Nov. 3).
Growing sexual violence against
women in the State has its roots in
the repression of normal human
impulses due to the tightening grip
of regressive values on society. If
two consenting adults choose to
have a relationship, there is no
reason why the moralists should get
worked up about it. With the NDA
government in power at the Centre,
Hindutva outts are becoming
bolder. It is time they are reined in.
Manohar Alembath,
Kannur
People who do not have any element
of shame and are masquerading as
the torchbearers of freedom are the
ones who were behind the event.
They are unaware of the difference
between personal and public
displays of affection, and have
blurred that ne distinction by
trying to indulge in an act of
vulgarity in broad daylight. When
the country is beset with problems
such as population growth, turmoil
at the border, threats to internal
security, poverty, illiteracy and
myriad others, it is a pity we think it
valuable to squander precious time
on such people.
S. Sundar Rajan,
Nagercoil
Kissing that ended in chaos! The
event reveals the shocking inuence
of social networking sites on our
future generation. If only such
minds were ignited for virtuous
causes! As citizens of this beautiful
country, acknowledged globally for
its values, it is time we taught our
children the virtues of our own
culture. Was the botched event in
Kochi the result of unemployment
taking its toll?
Priya K.,
Kochi

Two faces of Modi


Karan Thapars opening statement
in his article, The two faces of Mr.
Modi (Nov.1), misses a prime
quality we still expect of our
political leaders the ability to
inspire. Political leaders occupy the
pedestal on which the nations
future is built. While rationality is
indispensable, when it comes to the
execution of administrative duties,
it is not a catalyst for innovation and
efficiency. The need of the hour is to
inspire in order to innovate and to
work out solutions that are efficient
and sustainable in solving the
problems that plague our nation.
Arun Radhakrishnan,
Bengaluru
I am a retired scientist/engineer
who worked in one of Indias
premier scientic organisations,
ISRO, for 38 years. I believe in
Ganesha, and that Shiva exists in
Kailash, often riding on his bull. Can
anybody accuse me of having two
faces? I do not see anything wrong
or immature in what Prime Minister
Narendra Modi said. I also believe
that there was a time when all the
present-day scientic advances
existed.
S. Sankara Iyer,
Thiruvananthapuram
I am sure Mr. Modi made the
comments in order to encourage us
to feel proud about our scientic
achievements, heritage and culture.
There are well-documented facts
about our achievements in
mathematics (binomial numbers
and zero), science (Varahamihiras
works), medicine (Shushrutha and
Charakas
works),
astronomy
(Aryabhatas contributions) and
grammar (Paninis treatises). These
are facts that make us proud. We are

proud about the success of


Mangalyaan
but
might
be
embarrassed if somebody said there
were supersonic jets in the days of
the Ramayana. Such comments by
popular leaders can be confusing,
especially for a young person like me
as we are taught to distinguish
between facts and beliefs in social
studies and science.
Alaka B.V.,
Bengaluru

The Nambiar les


After reading the sensational report,
Files speak of Bose deputys
espionage acts (Oct.26), I began
checking the web for further
information. The webpage of the
National Archives of the British
Government had the following
factual
report
under
the
transcription menu: Among other
alleged Soviet agents in the latest
MI5 release is the Indian nationalist
and diplomat A.C.N. Nambiar,
whose le begins at KV2/3904.
Nambiar was accused after WW2 of
having been a Nazi collaborator. In
1959, however, a defector claimed
that he had worked from the 1920s
for Soviet military intelligence, the
GRU. That controversial claim
needs further research. There is no
relevant material on Nambiar in the
Mitrokhin archive which deals only
with the KGB, not the GRU
[emphasis added].
Since the official British
government report on the release of
the le kept by them on A.C.N.
Nambiar itself cautions that the
claim that he had worked for Soviet
military intelligence needs further
research, it would have been proper
for our newspapers/media to at
least have passed on that caution in
their reporting.
K.B. Kannampilly,
Kochi
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

More autonomy, not less accountability


R.K. Raghavan and D. Sivanandhan

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Bold gamble
in Tamil Nadu
n deciding to break away from the Congress in
Tamil Nadu, former Union Minister G.K. Vasan is
following the example that his father, G.K. Moopanar, set in 1996. But even if some of the personalities are the same, the circumstances are very different
18 years on. Mr. Moopanar formed the Tamil Maanila
Congress protesting against the party high commands
decision to ally with the AIADMK against the wishes of
large sections of the partys supporters in the State.
Inner-party democracy, functional autonomy for State
units, an anti-corruption crusade, all these were issues
that motivated Mr. Moopanar, a loyalist of the NehruGandhi family who found himself out of sync with the
Congress led by P.V. Narasimha Rao. Now, however, the
problem is that no alliance that would help it win even a
few seats is in sight for the Congress in Tamil Nadu. The
erosion of popular support for the party coincided with
the rise of a chauvinistic attitude on the Sri Lankan
Tamils issue after the decimation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009. Although the LTTE enjoyed
the support of only fringe groups in Tamil Nadu after the
assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, during the nal
phase of the war in Sri Lanka and later,the Congress-led
UPA government was accused of having supported the
Sri Lankan government to the detriment of the cause of
the Tamils in the island.
At the head of his own party, Mr. Vasan will have the
manoeuvrability to forge alliances with the other major
political players in the State. Discarding the perceived
problematic baggage of the Congress while retaining its
core support base, is the challenge before Mr. Vasan and
his supporters. Although the AIADMK does not seem all
that keen to piece together an alliance after having won
37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats on its own, the DMK, which
drew a blank by going it alone, is in the process of
building a mega-alliance. The BJP, which put together a
third front with the DMDK, the MDMK and the PMK for
the Lok Sabha polls, is also looking for new allies, especially since the MDMK is likely to exit the alliance. Mr.
Moopanar resisted the temptation to ally with the BJP
during the rst two terms of the National Democratic
Alliance, even breaking the alliance with the DMK on
this very issue. Whether Mr. Vasan sticks to the same
stand based on the secular traditions of the Congress
remains to be seen. Unlike Mr. Moopanar, who took with
him almost the entire support base of the party, he will
have a tougher time winning friends and inuencing
people. Many senior members who were with the father
are not with the son now; and the political scene is more
crowded with the entry of the DMDK and the new push
by the BJP. While Mr. Vasans political options have
increased after his bold attempt to form a new party,
those are not by any means easy.

here is undeniable euphoria in Maharashtra and elsewhere in the country over the political arrival of
Devendra Fadnavis. Having a bubbly fortysomething on the countrys political
scene may not exactly be a novelty, but what is
striking is that Mr. Fadnavis comes with no
baggage that weighs down some others his age
already in the arena and who have professed
to make a difference. They either allowed
themselves to be sucked into the quagmire
that is Indian public life, or had not been
permitted to perform even though they
possessed the right pedigree for reasons
other than merit, by individuals or groups who
felt threatened.
The young and the old alike are both ecstatic about the young leader from Nagpur
and have been bowled over by the condence
he exudes and the promise he holds out in
transforming the polity in the whole of India,
especially in one of its more important States,
Maharashtra. Mr. Fadnavis must succeed if
we want to bring about a sea change in the
quality of our public administration. In our
view, having him as an example is something
that will denitely rub off on others who are
itching to serve the country selessly.

Politicisation of force
Mr. Fadnavis has the potential to alter the
destiny of Maharashtra, provided he works to
a plan. He should remain focussed on governance and not allow his energies to be dissipated in futile, controversial public
discourses that are easy meat for the Opposition and the media. These are days of high
expectations and no consumer of public service is willing to wait to be served. The new
Maharashtra Chief Minister no doubt has the
supreme advantage of age and a squeaky clean
image. This can however dissolve in no time if
he does not organise his priorities in an intelligent way or if he unwittingly gives elbow
room to the sharks around him.
One of his rst moves has been delightfully
heartwarming choosing to keep the Home
portfolio to himself. His predecessors had
bartered it away for dubious, external political
support that came with a tag. The recent history of the State is pockmarked by many unfortunate episodes, which had been the result

The task of injecting more professionalism into


the Maharashtra police force is an enormous
challenge. The problem may not be one of finding
the resources, but primarily one of changing
attitudes at the top
of politicisation of the police force. The communal riots of 1992-93, the Bombay blasts of
1993, 26/11 and other terrorist attacks in
Mumbai and the rest of the State each
stands out for failure or passivity of a police
force that was once noted for its commendable professionalism and high standards of
integrity.
In dissecting what is wrong with the Maharashtra/Mumbai police, Mr. Fadnavis would
greatly benet from a heart-to-heart chat with
a group of retired police officers known for
their integrity and track record in objective
policing. There are indeed several of them in
Mumbai available for an intelligent and pointed debate that we propose as the very rst
exercise that the Chief Minister should undertake. Many former officers are appalled by the
lows to which the police have reached due to

A free registration of crime is something that would enhance


public faith in the police.

Need for merit


We must acknowledge that it is not the
venal and unscrupulous politician alone who
has to be blamed for this sorry situation. A
substantial number of police leaders themselves have been more than willing accomplices in recent years.
Two developments have specically hurt
the Mumbai police the most. The self-aggrandisement of the Home Department at the cost

CARTOONSCAPE

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Delhi elections
It is good news that fresh elections
to the Delhi Assembly are likely to
be held after the principal parties
expressed their inability to form a
government (Delhi headed for
fresh polls, Nov.4). The only
sticking point is that the poll
process will have to be started all
over again, which will entail huge
monetary expenditure. This time,
people must vote clearly in order to
ensure a clear majority.
S. Sankaranarayanan,
Chennai

Reforming MGNREGA
The article, How to reform and
how not to (Nov.4), sheds light on
various reforms needed to
strengthen the MGNREGA across
India. As India is a diverse country
in terms of resources and the
demand for labour, reforms should
be carried out in view of problems
that exist in a specic region rather
than reforming the programme
universally. The success of the
MGNREGA in various States shows
that any programme targeting the
rural poor can be implemented
successfully only with greater
political
commitment
and
empowering grass-roots level
institutions. In India, there is the
problem of disguised employment
in agriculture, and the MGNREGA
should be reorganised in order to
attract such unproductive labour
from agriculture into more
productive work in the rural areas.
It should not remain as an
employment-supply programme
producing unskilled labour. There
must be innovation so that labour
should learn some skills while
working. The MGNREGA can also
have a greater role to play in the
new agship programmes.
Balaji Akiri,
Hyderabad

widespread corruption and political manipulation that the force has been subjected to.
While this may not be very different from
what it is in many other police forces in the
country, in the case of Mumbai, more than the
rest of Maharashtra, the fall has been grievously steep, leading to unforgivable despondence all around.

Growth and
austerity
he austerity measures unrolled by the Finance
Ministry last week send out a clear signal that
all is not well with government nances; at
least, not yet. Though business sentiment has
improved noticeably and some key indicators point to a
pick-up in growth, government expenditure is running
well ahead of revenues, which have not grown at the
expected pace. Thus, the Finance Ministry has been
forced to order a cut in all discretionary spending; the
target is to prune expenditure, other than Plan-related,
by 10 per cent. The only exceptions are interest payments,
debt repayments, defence capital, salaries, pensions and
grants to States. These occupy a large proportion of nonPlan expenditure, which means that the savings might
not be much. Yet, the fact that the government deems this
necessary shows the seriousness of the problem that it
faces in keeping the scal decit in check. Indirect tax
collections have grown at just 5.8 per cent in the rst half
of this scal compared to the budgeted target of 25.8 per
cent. On the direct taxes front, refunds have eaten away
almost half of the incremental collections, which have
otherwise been on target. Adding to the governments
woes is the sharp rise in defence pensions due to the
implementation of the one-rank, one-pension scheme.
Outgo on this is expected to shoot up by 40 per cent, or
Rs.16,000 crore, this scal. Importantly, this was not
budgeted for fully.
It is not all gloom, though. The fall in global commodity
prices, notably of crude oil, and the freeing of diesel
prices, have given elbow room to the government in
pruning subsidies. The subsidy on cooking gas and kerosene, as also on fertilizers, will fall signicantly. Oil prices
are down by about a quarter since the time the new
government assumed office and look set for a subdued
phase, barring a rise in geopolitical tensions in the Middle
East. Meanwhile, the government should push forward
on disinvestment, receipts from which are budgeted at
Rs.58,425 crore this year. After an initial burst of activity
in September, action appears to have slowed down on this
front. The markets are on song now and this is the best
time to capitalise by offloading stakes in public sector
undertakings to retail investors. Experience shows that it
is not a great idea to push back the share-sale process
closer to the end of the scal. The spectrum auction,
expected in February 2015, is another big revenue sourcein-waiting. With 83 per cent of the scal decit already
reached by the end of September, the government will be
hard-pressed to keep the decit down to the target of 4.1
per cent of GDP for this scal. While austerity will help,
all possible avenues to boost revenues have to be explored
so that capital spending does not suffer.

of professional police leaders has been colossal. The authority to post even inspectors to
various police stations has been usurped by
the mandarins in Sachivalaya (State Secretariat), thereby emasculating the Commissioner
of Police and destroying the chain of command in a rigid hierarchy that the police is.
Worse still is the sale of prized eld jobs to the
highest bidders. There are incredible tales of
venality which would make even the most
brazen politician squirm in his seat. Things
havent changed despite there being many
sane and credible voices. Mr. Fadnavis has to
restore the primacy of police leadership if it
has to deliver. This applies especially to the
Mumbai Police Commissioner who should be
appointed on merit. In the recent past, some
of the appointments to the vital job have resulted in disastrous consequences. The Com-

The implementation of the


MGNREGA in my village, Mannar
in Alappuzha district of Kerala, has
several shortcomings. First, the
identied beneciaries are not
genuine or deserving. They are
undertaking unproductive work
that is of no use either to the
villagers or even to themselves, an
example being pavement cleaning.
This is done every day and is not an
isolated case. My enquiries show
that this is what happens in most
villages in Kerala.
Vijaya Krishna Pillai G.,
Alappuzha

instance of the political executive over which


the Commissioner had no say.
Political interference does not stop with
postings. It envelops the recruitment of the
constabulary as well. There have been numerous scandals all over the country that have led
to dilution of the quality of intake. Many men
and women who nd a place in the nal list are
those who have been sponsored either by the
Chief Minister or the Home Minister, and had
even paid to be favoured. This evil is endemic
to both the Maharashtra and Mumbai Police,
bringing disrepute to the whole process of
recruitment.

Restoring credibility
The Central government has been rightly
highlighting the need to convert the country
into an investor-friendly nation by ensuring a
stable public order situation. This cannot happen if Indias nancial capital, Mumbai, remains a poorly policed city. A huge
investment in technology and processes is
called for. Mindless austerity here can cause
harm to police standards. Fortunately, there
are blueprints available to move things forward. These have remained essentially on paper. There is tremendous talent available
within the department to exploit state-of-theart technology which would sharpen police
service to aid victims of crime. What is needed
to improve the police image in the city is for
swifter professional response to calls for help
from citizens in distress and the efficient solving of crime and restoration of stolen property
to lawful owners. The Mumbai police have
done some creditable work to educate the
common man on how to protect himself from
crime. There is a case for expanding instruction to the community online as well as
through group meetings for citizens. If the
new government sends out the message that it
will not be statistical in assessing police performance, but would rather go by periodic
surveys of community opinion, we can hope to
see a free registration of crime, something
that would enhance public faith in the police.
A crime survey by a non-police agency of the
kind that exists in the United States and the
United Kingdom will greatly enhance the
credibility of the Mumbai police.

missioners appointment is fortunately not


seniority-driven unlike the DGPs. So, the
Chief Minister has some exibility in getting
to choose the right candidate, even if an officer so anointed is relatively junior to others
staking claim to the job solely on the basis of
seniority.
A carefully chosen commissioner of police
needs enough autonomy to either perform or
perish. Constricting his moves by dictating to
him on whether a procession should be permitted or banned in Mumbai city cannot be a
political decision as is the case now.
Remember how a Maharashtra Navnirman
Sena (MNS) procession was banned by the
Commissioner in August 21, 2012? Yet, the
party went ahead in organising the rally, and
no action was taken against its organisers. Housing
Police morale is a very sensitive aspect of
Obviously the decision to ban it was at the
police administration. If neglected, it can lead
to disastrous consequences, including deliberate non-cooperation by the police at the
grass-roots level during a crisis. One crucial
area is the provision of more housing for the
constabulary. While it is true that hundred per
cent satisfaction of the target of required
housing units is not possible because of the
continual growth of the force, a substantial
number of additional tenements each year
will help. It may be shocking for outsiders to
know that some policemen in the city live
cheek by jowl in slums with persons who have
a criminal record. If Mr. Fadnavis has to endear himself to the police community, he has
to somehow nd the money to expand housing
for the police.
The task of injecting more professionalism
into the Mumbai police force is an enormous
challenge. The infrastructure to build on this
exists. The problem may not be one of nding
the resources, but primarily one of changing
attitudes, both at Sachivalaya and the police
headquarters. The much bandied about expression these days, trust deciency, applies
very much to the police as well. Mr. Fadnavis
can bring about a change where we have a
police force that is trustworthy, provided he
trusts them and gives them enough operational autonomy. We are certain that he understands that more autonomy for the police does
not mean less accountability.
(Dr. R.K. Raghavan is a former CBI
Director, and D. Sivanandhan is a former
Mumbai Police Commissioner and a former
DGP of Maharashtra.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
the national treasury. I was even
scornful of it being a source of
employment. I stand corrected and
am glad to know that it is bringing
some positive change to the lives of
fellowmen who have been left
behind in the growth story.
Gaurav K.,
Rohtak

Two faces of Modi


I would like to recall what the
scientist and Kalinga Prize winner,
Fred Hoyle, said in Delhi once when
reporters asked him to suggest
some topics for science ction in
India (The two faces of Mr. Modi,
Nov.1). Why not try Hanuman? he
asked. Science ction, which, by
denition, is not veriable by
scientic methods, is essential to
promote a scientic temper to
broaden the search for new ideas. As
Stephen Hawking says in his
foreword to The Physics of Star
Trek by Lawrence M. Krauss, To
conne our attention to terrestrial
matters would be to limit the
human spirit. To assume that
examples of what is really science
ction as established fact is
contrary to the commendable
intellectual leaps of ancient India.
Promoting science ction, which is
sadly neglected in the country,
rather than ction would constitute
an appropriate counterpart to Mr.
Modis digital face.
Mohan Sundara Rajan,
Bengaluru

MGNREGA has affected farmers,


especially those who have faced a
natural calamity. It has directly
contributed to labour scarcity,
besides leading to an abnormal
increase in the daily wages of
labourers. Farmers are entirely
labour-dependent, especially in the
early and later stages of cultivation.
Finding labour is therefore a
Herculean task. Most labourers
prefer work under the MGNREGA
as it has exible working hours with
the least amount of physical work,
even at above the wage rate offered
under the Act. In order to achieve
food security and protect the
interests of farmers, authorities
must monitor the programme at
different levels and ensure that
MGNREGA work is not undertaken
during the season of peak farming
activity.
Poola Ramesh,
Hyderabad I do recollect an report in
The Hindu many decades ago that
The rst thing that struck me after highlighted excavations somewhere
reading the article was how in Tamil Nadu throwing light on
disconnected urban India is from Vaimanika Sastra (aircraft science).
rural communities across India. Over the years, our minds have been
Most of us hardly know about the diverted
from
our
past
other India (the rural Bharat) and achievements by placing too much
its concerns. I always thought that emphasis on modern science and
the MGNREGA was just another imported technology. I admire the
populist programme that robbed sincere efforts of Prime Minister

Narendra Modi in trying to inspire


the common man by giving us
specic examples from history and
mythology. How can a veteran
journalist like Karan Thapar
contest the freedom of expression
of a countrys Prime Minister when
he, the Prime Minister, was only
emphasising positive things about a
great country like India?
K. Ramakrishna,
Visakhapatnam
I agree with letter writer
Vijayalakshmi Raghavan (Nov.3)
that personalities like Mr. Thapar
practise an elitist agenda and dont
want to experience pride in their
own rich history which even
western scholars recognise. One
needs to read The Yoga Tradition:
Its History, Literature, Philosophy
and Practice, by Georg Feuerstein
which gives us a a birds-eye view
of the cultural history of India. Mr.
Modis examples relate to the
Atharva-Veda, where one can nd
the earliest recorded speculation on
anatomy, and curative and
preventive medicine. How does one
term something as mythology when
there are scriptures to authenticate
our traditions and practices?
Ashok Suri,
New Delhi
Mr. Modis examples need not be
viewed as right-wing propaganda,
because these references were
made without any bias. They were
meant to motivate and evince
enthusiasm about the past. Mr.
Modis actions bank on science as
his agship programmes such as
Digital India, Swachh Bharat,
Sramev Jayate show.
Prafulla K. Rai,
Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Why do journalists have to always
be the know-it-all people? It is
obvious that Mr. Thapar displays

sparse knowledge about what is


believed to have existed. Belittling
the Indian way (thinking, science,
and so on) seems fashionable, and
journalists get away with it because
they hardly ever have to face those
who are knowledgeable. Let me
narrate this example: the French
surgeon who performed the rstever case of plastic surgery in
modern times was asked about his
feat. His simple reply: he had the
notes of Shusruta in front of him
and did not deviate from them.
Trigunesh Mukherjee,
New Delhi
Mythological stories that boast of
our prociency in genetics and
plastic surgery are without any
basis and against the spirit of our
Constitution. Glorifying our past
without any basis is of no use. It is
only a forward-looking scientic
approach as elaborated in Article 51
A(h) of the Constitution that will
keep us on the path to progress.
Anil Kumar Karra,
Guntur

Tendulkars book
From the little nuggets of
information that have owed out
from Sachin Tendulkars yet-to-be
released autobiography, Playing It
My Way, it is evident that this is one
book that cricket acionados would
like to pick up in a hurry (Sport,
Nov. 4). The Little Masters attack
on Greg Chappell, his startling
disclosure that the coach plotted to
remove Rahul Dravid from his
captaincy before the 2007 Cricket
World Cup, and his confession that
he felt so scarred and
devastated by the Indian teams
ineptitude under his captaincy that
he wanted to completely move away
from the sport, are intriguing and
will make for compelling reading.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Modi meets the world


T
Varghese K. George

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

End of a
long wait
elhis long wait for an elected government is
likely to end soon with the dissolution of the
Assembly constituted last year. When Lt.
Governor Najeeb Jung, under pressure from
the Supreme Court, held discussions with political parties on forming a government, the end result was predictable: failure. Given the numbers in the House and
the proclivities of the parties, no group was likely to be
able to command a majority. What was inexplicable was
the reluctance to complete quickly the process of exhausting the possibilities of forming a government and
pave the way for fresh election. Without the Supreme
Courts questioning of the delay, on the basis of a petition from the Aam Aadmi Party, the political impasse
in Delhi might have continued for some more time.
Once the BJP came to power at the Centre, and it could
rule Delhi by proxy under Presidents Rule, the focus
seemed to have shifted from having an elected government in place to delaying a fresh election to the extent
possible. The political calculations of the BJP seemed to
have entered the Centres decision-making process on
this issue. Dissolution of the Assembly and the conduct
of polls were inevitable, but the inevitable was delayed
for political reasons rather than on the constitutional
question of determining if government-formation was
possible from out of the existing Assembly.
With the revision of electoral rolls already under way
in Delhi, and January 1, 2015 being the qualifying date
for the inclusion of new voters attaining the age of 18
years, the election to the Assembly is likely only early
next year. Although the elections to Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand are spread over ve phases and will
go on till December 20, Delhi cannot be clubbed with
them. The BJP did succeed in putting off the election
for some months, but the party will now need to concentrate on beating back the challenge of the AAP.
Despite its political histrionics, the AAP is a big player
in small arenas, and the BJP cannot expect an effortless
repeat of the Lok Sabha election results in the Assembly. Though the BJP is a clear favourite, with the AAP
being widely perceived as having run away from governing when given the opportunity, it would need to come
up with a viable model for cheaper and more efficient
delivery of services to the citizens of Delhi. The AAP
might not have fullled any of its promises during its 49
days in power, but the party did showcase its brand of
populism in that short period. With the Congress having ceded ground to both the BJP and the AAP, many of
the constituencies would see a straight contest. The
BJPs strategy may well be to run the election campaign
around larger issues with Prime Minister Narendra
Modi at its heart, rather than relate it to Delhi alone.

he country will no longer bend.


Modi will put national interest
rst, Ram Madhav, Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) general
secretary, told an audience in New York even
as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting the United States in September. Pakistan must know that the Modi government is
different, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said
while responding to ceasere violations at the
border. Mr. Modi made similar statements
during the recent Assembly election campaigns in Maharashtra and Haryana. The impression that is being created through all
these statements is that the Modi government is pursuing a strategic policy that is
different to those by previous regimes.
Projecting his own uniqueness is characteristic of Mr. Modi. One would recall the Lok
Sabha speech of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after
winning the trust vote in 1998, as Prime Minister. On some issues there has always been a
consensus in this country. And foreign policy
is one of those only the government has
changed, not foreign policy. Mr. Vajpayee
made signicant departures, but he was careful to dress them like a continuum of the past.
Mr. Modis emphasis is to project all his initiatives as departures.
Now that Mr. Modi has completed the rst
round of engagement with all major countries
of importance to India, it is perhaps time to
make an assessment, at least tentatively, as to
whether this government is in anyway different from previous governments.

Two-pronged framework
Mr. Modis declarations while as the Chief
Minister of Gujarat, and later as a ferocious
campaigner, gave rise to some expectations
from him on how he would deal with the
world. Apart from his campaign speeches, he
has made two full-edged speeches on foreign
policy the Nani A. Palkhivala Memorial
lecture in Chennai on October 18, 2013, when
he was prime ministerial aspirant; and the
next, as Prime Minister, at the Council on
Foreign Relations in New York in September
2014. Though there isnt a Modi doctrine
articulated with that label, there is a discernible two-pronged strategic policy framework that he has sketched: a focus on the
neighbourhood and a pursuit of Indias economic interests.
Neither is particularly original. Manmohan
Singhs strategic policy also had these two

Though Narendra Modi projects his foreign policy


as being radically different, in terms of outcomes,
continuity is evident. What used to be called
strategic autonomy in saner times is now being
projected as no bending. What is indeed
different, and worrying, is the chest-thumping
rhetoric that accompanies it
among its key components. But he could not
take it far due to domestic political constraints created substantially by the BJP,
which was then in the Opposition. The BJP
opposed engagement with Pakistan, sabotaged a land border deal with Bangladesh, a
country that is crucial to Indias strategic
interests and its Look East policy, and always kept the rhetoric high on China. The
BJP forced a nuclear liability bill that makes
nuclear commerce difficult; it opposed liberalisation of the insurance and pension
sectors.

Neighbourhood ties
Some commentators have said that Mr.
Modi has a capacity to change from campaign mode to governance mode, as soon
as voting is over, and that he has always done

off to a good start at his swearing-in ceremony when he made sure that all South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) countries were represented. But recurrent Chinese incursions, and ceasere
violations on the Pakistan border have
trapped him. India suspended talks with Pakistan, and has the precondition that Pakistan will nd impossible to meet it must not
talk to Kashmiri separatists. On China, Mr.
Modi had to immediately balance his commerce rst policy with larger doses of rhetoric the day after he hosted President Xi
Jinping on the banks of the Sabarmati. One
can only hope that the BJP can overcome its
own past opposition to the Bangladesh border
pact and pass it in the next parliamentary
session.
The remarkable beginning in the neigh-

Making India militarily and economically powerful to take up


the project of India's emergence as a global thought leader is
Mr. Modis dream.

so in Gujarat. As Chief Minister, he could


simultaneously be the Opposition leader also,
against the Congress regime at the Centre.
When Mr. Modi was governing and campaigning simultaneously, he frequently attacked the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
on foreign policy issues be it Chinese incursions, the Khobragade diplomat episode
or talks with Pakistan. What we are currently
witnessing is Mr. Modis inability to abandon
all that rhetoric. Building up jingoism has
been an essential part of this quintessential
campaigner. Even if he wants to which we
are not sure about he is unable to shake off
the rhetoric that has built him.
It is in the neighbourhood that the ghost of
the past haunts Mr. Modi even more. He was

bourhood is the priority that he gave to Nepal


and Bhutan, two countries that felt ignored
by India.

Relations with the U.S.


Dr. Singh had faced a lot of ak from strategic experts who blamed him for a foreign
policy drift in the second term, and particularly for his alleged failure to further relations with the U.S. These experts who derided
the Congresss decision to recalibrate Indias
proximity with the U.S. during UPA-II, as
being a revival of third worldi-sm and outdated nonalignment, have been goading Mr.
Modi to do something radically different.
Two key challenges to the U.S.-led world
order Islamism and the rise of China are

CARTOONSCAPE

So what is really new and radical is the


assertive Hindu nationalistic project that Mr.
Modi has globally launched in Bhutan, Nepal and New York. A nationalist government
under a decisive leader will deal with the
world with condence. We cannot play second ddle to anyone, said P. Muralidhar Rao,
BJP General Secretary.
Though Mr. Modi projects his foreign policy as being radically different, in terms of
outcomes, continuity is evident. What used to
be called strategic autonomy in saner times
is now being projected as no bending. That
India cannot protect its interests by being
part of any axis, and that it would pursue its
bilateral relations based on its own strategic
calculations is in line with the time-tested
approach.
What is indeed different and worrying
is the chest-thumping rhetoric that accompanies foreign policy, regardless of the fact that
we now have a 56-inch one. Balancing his
nationalist convictions with the demands of a
globalised world will be Mr. Modis biggest
strategic policy challenge.
varghese.g@thehindu.co.in

CM
YK

of direct concern to India too. But the question that has been confronting Mr. Modis
predecessors has been the desirable and affordable extent of Indian involvement with
the U.S. in dealing with these concerns. There
can be complete convergence in strategic interests, but a divergence in priorities. The
mismatch between the priorities of the U.S.
and India are numerous, despite a conuence
of strategic interests. Dr. Singh or Mr. Modi,
no Prime Minister can overlook that. The
U.Ss own vacillating positions towards Iran,
Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, China and East
Asia in general in recent years only underscore the traditional Indian position that India cannot piggyback on the U.S to protect its
own interest. In any case, can India afford to
end up as the front line of the battles against
Islamism and China?
Added to this objective reality is Mr. Modis
strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
upbringing that views both China and the U.S.
with suspicion. In stark contrast with Dr.
Singh who was ideologically an internationalist, Mr. Modi is a staunch nationalist, though
with commerce in blood, as he described
himself. Therefore, while Mr. Modi would be
looking for economic opportunities around
the world, he would be much more obsessed
than Dr. Singh about Indias autonomy and
pride as it played out in the World Trade
Organization. Therefore, those who read in
his severe anti-China rhetoric during the
election campaign a willingness to offer India
as a frontier against China had not given
enough attention to the RSS world view
China is a threat, but the U.S. cannot be trusted. World cannot have new blocs, everyone
is linked to everyone. It is a web. No single
power can dominate the world, Mr. Modi
had said at the Council on Foreign Relations.
It is not only his relations with the U.S., but
Mr Modis economy rst approach that will
also have to operate within the nationalist
contours of the RSS there can be 49 per
cent, but not 51 per cent foreign direct investment in defence.
A second aspect of the nationalist strategic
policy is the vision of Indias emergence as the
vishwa guru, a global thought leader. Mr. Modis speeches in the U.S., both at Madison
Square Garden and the Council on Foreign
Relations reected this imagination. When
Indians move the mouse, the world moves.
Making India militarily and economically
powerful to take up that project is Mr. Modis
dream. Within this framework, he places
himself as the 21st century Vivekananda
who introduced Hinduism to the world, on
his own terms. Indias uniqueness is associated with Hinduism. We were under slavery
for 1,000-1,200 years, Mr. Modi said at Madison Square Garden, counting all Muslim rulers of India as foreigners.

What is new

Look-ahead verdict
in Washington
arely do voters rally behind an outgoing Presidents party in United States midterm elections. It was no different on Tuesday. The
Republicans under George W. Bush in 2006
and Ronald Reagan in 1986 could not break this convention. When the Democrats deed history in the nal
years of Bill Clintons tenure, in 1998, it was only the
rst time since 1934 that a party the President represented had made major gains in Congress. The rousing
majority the Republicans have established in both
chambers of Congress after eight long years places the
Grand Old Party at a clear advantage in the run-up to
the 2016 presidential race. The interim presents the
GOP an opportunity to live down its obstructionist
image during President Obamas second term. This
would not only strengthen its own support base ahead
of the 2016 contest, but also create an environment that
investors would be eager to exploit in the current conducive economic climate. The seven gubernatorial positions the conservatives have clinched also creates the
platform for potential contenders to the White House,
with an evident business-friendly bent. So comprehensive was the Republican sweep that the overall balance
in the Senate race will no longer have to await the
December run-off in Louisiana. Still more spectacular
was the outcome in Georgia, where another potential
run-off was averted when Republican David Perdue
defeated Michelle Nunn. Not to mention the victory of
Republican Tom Cotton in Arkansas as the youngest
U.S. Senator in this, the centenary year of the practice of
electing all Senators by popular vote.
Throughout the campaign, the conservatives sought
to draw mileage from a not-so-steady decline in U.S.
unemployment and painted a gloomy picture of popular
apathy not uncommon to a midterm poll. But the real
reasons behind their spectacular showing could well be
the marginal role the radical Tea Party agenda played in
the campaign. Conversely, Democratic contenders by
and large kept a deliberate distance from Mr. Obama
during the campaign on account of his poor poll ratings.
The partys inability to project the relative health of the
economy and the popularity of the affordable health
care legislation undoubtedly proved costly. On the contrary, the Republican attacks on Obama care lost the
sting in the absence of a credible alternative on offer as
election date approached. They had until some months
back even canvassed for the repeal of the Affordable
Care Act. Relief from the Congressional logjam of recent years is key to sustaining the recovery. It is no less
critical to the political fortunes of the rival parties.
There is much Mr. Obama can accomplish in the next
two years; not in the least in the foreign policy arena.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Kashmir protests
The report on the death of two
schoolboys in Army ring in the
Kashmir Valley is heart-rending
(Valley erupts in protest over
deaths in Army ring, Nov.5). As a
relative of one of the boys said, why
didnt the Army try to shoot at the
tyres of the car they were in?
Weapons are meant to curb
militancy. One hopes the volatile
situation dissipates and all sides
resolve the issue quickly. Kashmiris
are already traumatised as a result
of the oods.
K.S. Thampi,
Chennai
Separatist elements will use the
incident as the stick to beat the
Indian Army with. It is unfortunate
that the Army, which managed to
raise its image in the State by
rendering seless service during the
oods, now nds itself in the line of
re. A fallout of insurgency is that
innocents invariably suffer for the
misdeeds of others.
Nalini Vijayaraghavan,
Thiruvananthapuram
The Army is on a sticky wicket and
there is bound to be hostility to its
presence in the Valley and the issue
of AFSPA. The incident shows the
time has come to revisit AFSPA. The
appalling conduct of the Army
cannot be condoned in any way. The
State and the Centre should step in
immediately and ensure fast-track
justice for the families concerned.
N. Visveswaran,
Chennai

Pentagon report
The proxy war being waged by
Pakistan to counter Indias superior
military is a cowardly act
(Pentagon puts Pak. in the dock,

Nov. 5). It is also an admission by


Pakistan that it is unable to ght a
conventional war with India. India
has now reason enough to welcome
the Pentagons acknowledgement of
Pakistans
sinister
designs.
Henceforth, Pakistans attempts to
tell the international community
that India is an obstacle to
restarting peace talks will be a futile
exercise. Coming just after the
Wagah blast, the report is certain to
leave Pakistan red-faced. The U.S.
should stop all economic and
military aid to Pakistan.
K.V. Seetharamaiah,
Hassan

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

1996 (Editorial, Nov. 5). Over the


years, leaders of the Congress in
Tamil Nadu have lost their
independence to function even at
the basic level; inghting has been
rampant. There is absolutely no
cadre unity. This was not so in 1996.
Mr. Vasan has done the right thing
now in trying to restore faith in the
Congress.
The statement that the erosion of
popular support for the party
coincided with the rise of a
chauvunisitic attitude on the Sri
Lankan Tamils issue is debatable.
The AIADMK, which vehemently
opposed the LTTE and then did
some soft-pedalling after the defeat
The Pentagon report is one more of the LTTE in 2009, went on to
document that puts our neighbour perform extremely well. So, the
in the dock. It also highlights the Tamil issue is not a factor.
R. Parthasarathy,
Wests dangerous policy of playing
Chennai
Good Taliban, Bad Taliban, which
has only resulted in havoc. The
arming and aiding of Pakistan, and The Tamil Nadu unit of the
lack of steps by the West to demand Congress needs the autonomy of the
accountability from it, have Kerala model to lead a political line
emboldened Pakistan to constantly in tune with the reality on the
ground and suitable to the dynamics
inict wounds on India.
Aatish Sharma, of Tamil Nadu politics without
Mohali major interference from Delhi. It is
time the Congress high command
Pressure needs to be exerted on saw the writing on the wall and
Pakistan in order to show it that rejigged its policy taking into
terrorism can no longer be account the interests of the people
tolerated. India should now urge the of the State. It is also a fact that the
global community to adopt a political scene in Tamil Nadu is
strategic stand against Pakistan as it getting to be crowded.
C.A.C. Murugappan,
is the cradle of terror. The support
Kothamangalam, Tamil Nadu
of the U.S. is essential and such
reports should form the basis of
In the UPA/Congress, Mr. Vasan
movement in this direction.
Dwaipayan Chakraborty, was given a vital berth and kept in
Kolkata good humour. How does it suddenly
dawn on him now that the party is
not in favour in Tamil Nadu? Had he
G.K. Vasan and Co. breaking away left the Congress before the general
from the Congress in Tamil Nadu election, in which he campaigned
need not and should not be extensively for the party, he would
compared with what happened in have earned some respect. How is he

G.K. Vasans move

going to ght the formidable


AIADMK and the DMK? His party
should not nd itself to be one
among the crowd of letter-pad
parties
that
have
been
mushrooming in Tamil Nadu.
G. Ramachandran,
Thiruvananthapuram

resulting in rural indebtedness,


disposal of land at throwaway prices
and migration to urban centres. The
fabric of a well-knit rural
community has lost its value and
strength. Therefore, restoring glory
to the hapless agriculturist is the
only way to make India live in the
villages. This is the burning issue
before the MGNREGA.
One is in agreement that there is a
G. Ramakrishnan,
need to reform and strengthen the
Chennai
MGNREGA (How to reform and
how not to, Nov. 5). The
importance
of
the
MGNREGA is a revolutionary step The
by
a
post-independence professionalism of the police force
government that focusses on 70 per in strengthening the rule of law is
cent of the population that lives in clear (More autonomy, not less
Nov.
5).
rural areas and is deprived of accountability,
livelihood opportunities that are Politicisation of the police force in
largely urban-centric. We cannot India has proved disastrous for the
also deny that the MGNREGA has country on numerous occasions and
reduced the migration of people into not just in Maharashtra. In a
democracy where diversity is
urban areas.
The scheme has given an predominant, politicisation of
institutions
of
opportunity to some of the most constitutional
marginalised sections of society, governance is dangerous to the rule
especially the disabled who live in of law.
Srinath Rao P.,
rural areas. Due to this, they are
New Delhi
guaranteed 150 days of work when
compared to 100 days for those who
are not disabled. There are separate A former IAS officer who gave a talk
job cards issued and work identied, recently on riots after the incidents
which would not have been possible in Muzaffarnagar, said that during
under any other programme. The the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai he was
government must nd ways and constrained by his political bosses
means quickly to strengthen the from ensuring that the riots were
contained; he was reminded of the
programme.
Shakeeb Ahmed Khan, more important factor of reaping
Churachandpur, Manipur political dividends later. It was this
mechanism of super-control that
That agriculture has long ceased to made him resign his job early in his
be
an
economically
viable career. Maharashtra Chief Minister
proposition is well-known. Even Devendra Fadnavis must take steps
when the monsoons are favourable to restore the trust decit between
and the cost of inputs within reach, a the police and the public as well as
farmer is still found ghting for between the police and political
remunerative prices for his produce. leaders.
Aijaz Hussain Malik,
Consequently, the economy in rural
Baramulla, J&K
India has been thrown out of gear,

Reforming MGNREGA

On the police

ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

The failure of the Indian imagination


I
Gautam Bhatia

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Shooting from
behind AFSPA
wo teenaged Kashmiri boys are dead, and two
others are in hospital with critical injuries.
Soldiers at a checkpoint red at them, with
differing versions of how it unfolded. So it is
not a whodunit. Rather, the question is why they do it.
Why do soldiers patrolling civilian areas in Kashmir
shoot to kill, so easily? The answer, in ve letters, is
AFSPA. The immunity that the Army gets under the
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act gives it the impunity to use what should be the last option rst. AFPSA
allows soldiers to re upon or otherwise use force, even
to the causing of death against those violating the law;
it also says no prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government. Had this protective
umbrella not been provided, it is possible to imagine
that the soldiers would have adopted less dire methods
to stop the car; perhaps they would have shot at the
tyres to immobilise the vehicle. Defence Minister Arun
Jaitley and the Army have promised a swift enquiry. But
as Kashmiris know only too well, justice is uncertain for
the victims. In the Pathribal case, for instance, the ve
Rashtriya Ries officers named by the CBI challenged
the charge sheet in the courts, and ultimately the Supreme Court upheld their case, directing the Army to
either permit prosecution or court-martial them. The
Army simply chose the latter option. In January, after
13 years of legal battles, the military court closed the
case against them, concluding that the evidence recorded could not establish a prima facie case against any
of the accused. The Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended AFSPA be repealed and some of its provisions
incorporated in other laws. Many in the civilian establishment see it as an obstacle to efforts to normalise the
disturbed areas where it is now in force and at least
want it amended. The Army dismisses all such suggestions. But Mondays incident makes it clear that AFSPA
cannot continue, certainly not in its present form.
The incident has created fresh unrest in the Valley,
already traumatised by the recent oods, in the run-up
to State Assembly elections. At the call of various factions of the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference,
the Valley shut down on Wednesday. The Hurriyat had
already called for a boycott of the elections, and the
killings of two underage civilians by the Army can only
strengthen their hand. But more worryingly, incidents
of this kind increase the sense of alienation in Kashmir
and provide new opportunities for militant groups from
across the border. Pakistans recent attempts to project
Indias poor rights record in Kashmir and to internationalise the territorial dispute have had little traction,
but every mistake by New Delhi can only aid its efforts.

f the recent image of Prime Minister


Narendra Modi swinging on the jhula
with Chinese President Xi Jinping was
meant to suggest a technological consensus of two great eastern republics, it was a
mistaken metaphor. Chinas advances in
technology and infrastructure have moved it
much beyond Indian reach, leaving Mr. Modi
alone on the swing. With no one to push,
India ounders.
In fact in the standard parlance of engineering development, the Chinese have even
outwitted the West. Earlier, if the countrys
geopolitical isolation had made comparisons
difficult, the opening up has asserted its preeminent presence in the new world. In allowing the worlds star architects to build and
plan the Olympic Games and the commercial
structures of Shanghai, the Chinese model is
now a diligent and deliberate upscaling of
western ideas. In China, roads and railways
whisk traffic across thousands of miles on
awless concrete, and its rail system straddles some of the worlds highest passes. Even
the Hoover dam is childs play when compared to the Three Gorges dam. German and
French engineers are agog at the sight of such
structural bravado; connectivity across the
eastern seaboard of China is being studied by
western transport planners. At one time, the
industrial town was a symbol of 19th century
England, the highway of 20th century America; now, the shiny factory assembly line is a
picture of the new China. Having outwitted
most western engineering inventions, the
Chinese have even given everything a hyperbolic edge: the biggest dam, the highest rail
line, the tallest single span bridge, the longest
highway, the largest port, the greenest city.
They have become better Americans than
even the Americans.

Right course of action?


But the Chinese technological thrust has
always been part of a history of persistence
that came from political and economic hardship. A nation whose ethics of work and physical labour were intrinsically linked to
political ideology, Chinese success came at a
huge cost to personal freedom and a Draconian martial arts-like discipline that has had
widespread social and cultural implications.
It need hardly be confused with the exercise
of a new eastern imagination. Moreover, it
would be downright ludicrous to suggest that

The failure of Narendra Modis infrastructure


plan reects the larger failure of the Indian
imagination, a mindless enumeration of ideas that
have little or no bearing on Indian reality. When
much of what is built is a half-baked imitation of
disparate items tried and tested elsewhere, it
becomes hard to fault Mr. Modi

Mumbai at 9 km per hour, Delhi at 7. Instead


of promoting the car industry, with ready
licences to set up new plants, the government
needs to endorse both public transport and
shared private transport. At the same time it
should encourage the research and development of Indian solar/electric hybrids for buses and city trams. Brazils attempt at a cheap
wooden vehicle for rural transport hasnt met
with much success, but in the search for alternatives, there is a sincere attempt to develop an indigenous model.

India attempt anything on that scale.


There are of course serious doubts whether
the Chinese model of physical development
of city and countryside is in fact the correct
course of action for India. Serious differences
of perception and interpretation remain. Chinas continental size more than three times
our own and consequently a population
density a third of India, makes the applicability of standard urban models a real possibility there. Moreover, Indian cities have
large concentrated pockets of marginalised
population a growing number that live off
the streets in a hand-to-mouth existence. The
real qualities of Indian urbanisation are
therefore closer in character to West Africa,
where similar migrations from the impoverished countryside make African cities a ma-

Imbalance in housing

campaign begins as a national sanitation


drive. Pride in the belief of big things like
suspension bridges and high speed rail can
come only after a classroom reprimand on
cleanliness and littering. Why give people the
best highway if they are only going to defecate
alongside it?

Endorsing public transport


In providing the right answers to the wrong
questions, disappointment multiplies. The
failure of the Delhi metro system for instance
is not linked to its ability to respond to the
citys growing need, but its expediency as the
right means to a wrong end. The citys capacity to contain its residents in active living and
working neighbourhoods is continually
thwarted by encouraging them on longer and

There are doubts whether the Chinese model of physical


development is in fact the correct course of action for India.
Serious differences of perception and interpretation remain.
keshift melting pot of the dispossessed. Cities
like Lagos, Monrovia and Abuja and their
ramshackle unmade state are similar to Indian towns like Lucknow, Pune, and Hyderabad
places that seem not to be governed by any
overall civic order, but appear as either planning failures, or as temporary encampments.
Without any dened sense of public purpose,
people jostle, park, sell, eat, sleep, defecate
everything goes on everywhere.
In such a setting, the failure of Mr. Modis
infrastructure plan reects the larger failure
of the Indian imagination a desperate and
mindless enumeration of ideas that have little
or no bearing on Indian reality. When much
of what is built is a half-baked imitation of
disparate items tried and tested elsewhere, it
becomes hard to fault Mr. Modi. So, his own

longer commutes, as the metro does. So much


so, that the system itself is reaching breaking
point. Though its 12-year operation, the metro has made regular changes to keep pace
with demand. Increase in the number of
coaches, length of the platforms, frequency of
trains, the ght to stay ahead of the numbers
is a lifelong struggle. Why then in such a
failing scenario, does the government propose more metro systems in other cities: Bengaluru, Chennai, then Jaipur and Bhopal? In
the long term, wouldnt the Modi plan make
more sense if it clearly restated the futility of
distance travel and countered the excessive
mobility that is destroying most cities?
Increasing car population similarly has
rendered travel so inefficient, traffic speeds
in India are some of the slowest in the world,

CARTOONSCAPE

Losing
its lustre
old has traditionally been a currency for adverse times, acting as a refuge for investors
and savers. It is seen as a safe store of value
that paper currencies can never be. The secular uptrend in the value of the precious commodity over
the last decade has only added to its lustre as a hedge
against ination. So, what does one do when gold prices
head south, with dire predictions of a further downside?
That is the predicament of fund managers, investors
and savers now with gold prices falling to their lowest
level since 2010 in what many see as the effective end of
a 12-year bull run in the commodity that saw its price
peak at $1,923 an ounce in 2011. The latest market price
of the precious metal at around $1,148 an ounce is about
40 per cent off that historic high. The rally in gold prices
really began during the global nancial crisis of 2008 as
investors sold stocks and rushed to hedge their bets
against major currencies such as the dollar and euro
which reected the trouble in their home economies.
Investors queued up to buy gold and other precious
metals-backed exchange traded funds which poured
their money into the commodity, driving its value upward. This, in turn, drove more people to the commodity as other asset classes turned weak, delivering
negative returns. In short, gold entered a virtuous cycle
which seems to be ending now.
Holdings in global gold exchange traded funds are at
ve-year lows, showing the extent of capital ight out of
the commodity. The immediate cause for the loss of
attraction was the decision of the U.S. Federal Reserve
to wind up its quantitative easing programme that
pumped in an estimated $4 trillion into the economy;
much of the money had found its way into commodity
and stock markets globally. With the American economy set on a revival path amid low-inationary expectations, the dollar has been strengthening in recent times,
leading to an outow of funds from commodities such
as gold and oil. Inationary expectations have reduced
thanks to the fall in oil prices which, in turn, has
prompted funds to move out of gold. There could be a
further period of weakness ahead for gold with the
Federal Reserve indicating an increase in interest rates
by mid-2015. Weak growth in China and the eurozones
troubles are seen as the only factors that can reverse the
trend. The fall is good news for India, which has seen a
rebound in gold imports after the Reserve Bank of India
partly loosened some of the controls it imposed last
year. The government now has the leeway for a further
loosening of controls or even a lowering of import duty,
which is a demand from the jewellery industry. However, whether this option is exercised or not will depend
on the rupees movement vis--vis the dollar.

CM
YK

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


The talk of reforms
Union Finance Minister Arun
Jaitleys hint (Nov.6) that big-ticket
reforms are on the anvil, which
could include the sale of lossmaking PSUs, amounts to a shortsighted move. Sale is not the
answer. We have seen earlier how
the private sector bought sick PSU
units only to sell them at a
handsome prot. We need to
strengthen the public sector, for
which we need Ministers and
bureaucrats who are committed to
the cause of the PSUs. The problem
is that Ministers are linked with
industry and keen to promote their
business in the names of relatives or
friends. Where is the protection for
labour? One can quote a passage
from the book, The BJP And The
Compulsions of Politics in India
Second Edition. Here, a senior BJP
leader says, After we came to
power in Maharashtra, people who
are worth billions came to me as
party-chief in the State I cannot
ask them to stand in a queue. []
Yesterday we did not have a car.
Five or ten years from now we may
have helicopters and a jet for our
leaders. What is wrong in that?
N.G.R. Prasad,
Chennai

start businesses in similar elds and


then undercut PSU business.
M.Y. Shariff,
Chennai
The proposal to sell sick PSUs lacks
clarity in thought and action. On the
one hand we have Prime Minister
Narendra Modi making tall claims
about Make in India and the need
to encourage manufacturing, while
on the other we have the Finance
Minister talking about sale.
Somewhere down the line, the lack
of efficiency in monitoring
mechanisms failed. Will a private
buyer ever be interested in reviving
a PSU unit? What about the
employees?
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
The report reminded one of the fate
of a public sector undertaking that
was the pride of the Nilgiris, now in
a shambles. Hindustan Photo Films
is now gasping for breath. It had its
beginnings in 1958 when the
government revealed that there was
an agreement with certain foreign
manufacturers to set up a factory to
manufacture photographic goods at
Ooty. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
dedicated the unit to the nation in
1971. It started turning sick with the
advent of digital photography. The
setting up of the unit also triggered
a
wave
of
unprecedented
urbanisation. How does one revive
it? The unit could be converted into
an IT hub. The vast lands could be
used to start a high altitude sports
complex. Or, it could be made a
manufacturing
unit.
The
possibilities are endless. Is anyone
listening?
Ray Cooper,
Udhagamandalam

In its election campaign, the BJP


promised inclusive development. It
appears to be functioning in reverse
gear now. There is no logic in still
blaming the Congress government
for lapses. PSU disinvestment is the
arbitrary privatisation of industry
through the back door. PSUs were
conceived largely to provide gainful
employment. Nothing prevents the
government so eager to focus on
development to revive lossmaking PSUs. A team of honest and
sincere managers can work
wonders. Many PSUs have become The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
sick because of vested interests who (Jumaat Ul-Ahran)s threat to make

Taliban's warning

Of the many other vague infrastructure


promises, Mr. Modis agenda makes references to every Indian owning his own home
by 2020. The history of government promises
on home construction is littered with statistical failure and numerous housing programmes that have died while still on paper.
In 1990, the National Buildings Organisation
stated that the countrys requirement for
shelter was two crore units. A decade later,
the backlog doubled. Today, the housing demand stands at a whopping 5.5 crore. The
dysfunctional imbalance between expectation and provision clearly suggests that a private house on a private piece of land is an
impossible anomaly. Given the numbers, is
the idea of home ownership itself practical?
How can such demands be replaced by other
more effective architectural mechanisms that
examine urban privacy and community living
and create living models?
On the subject of smart cities, the Prime
Ministers ideas arise out of mere information and communication technology, and
state no clear guides to urban organisation,
no vision on the values of civic life and settlement. The setting up of smart cities, based on
the assumption that Indian cities can operate
as technological models similar to Berlin and
Toronto, is as good as inventing an air-conditioner for Alaska. Redundancy is guaranteed.
How do computer-aided living, banking, utility distribution, etc. help a formless city
where more than half its citizens are the unregistered dispossessed, without home or
long-term employment?
Among the majority of people buoyed by
Mr. Modis recent victory into an animated
optimism, many remain a silent majority.
Even if the Prime Ministers intentions are
good, their future action seems to be emerging from misguided sources and inspirations.
Certainly, the Chinese experiment has been a
resilient retesting of the American technological model, and Mr. Modis wholehearted support for it nds many takers among the young
in India. But many others oppose its application on the grounds that slower development
along traditional lines would perpetuate a
more suitable Indian cultural identity and a
less degraded environment.
The failure of both these streams of thinking leaves India a residual mess, and in a
constant state of war over resources, distribution and implementation. The inability to fully grasp and copy the most rudimentary of
time-tested western now Chinese models for cities, highways, trains, bridge designs,
auto and transport ideas, Bus Rapid Transit
Systems (BRT), etc. has left the countrys
landscape a time warp of incompetence and
despair. Because it sties innovation, the traditional path on the other hand promises a far
slower transition to modernity; in the surge
for increasing material demands and a populace screaming for better days ahead, the
traditional idea too is unacceptable. The unease with both approaches, must lead to a
third, perhaps more innovative local approach, and one that Mr. Modi must rst
discover by asking the right questions. Otherwise the hope for something new, wholly inventive and wholly Indian will fade altogether
from memory.
(Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based architect
and sculptor.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
India its next target is a serious
enough issue to lose sleep over
(Nov.6). Dare-devil terrorists have
neither the conscience nor the soul
to think and act with a clear mind.
Coming just after the Wagah blast,
Pakistan must realise that an enemy
within is more dangerous than an
external aggressor.
The Mumbai carnage of 2008
originated on Pakistan soil, but
Islamabad denied it completely.
Terrorism is a global threat which
no country can ght by itself. All
countries have to be on the same
wavelength as far as defeating
terrorism is concerned. India needs
to be ready to take on the challenge.
K.G.K. Nair,
Cherpulasseri, Kerala

Modis foreign policy


I agree with the writer of Modi
meets the world (Nov.6) where he
says the key challenges to the U.S.led world order Islamism and the
rise of China are of direct concern
to India too. It will be a historic
blunder if India expands its ties
with the U.S. without keeping its
eyes open. There are lessons to be
learnt from the Pakistan-U.S.
partnership, in which Pakistan is
paying a heavy price. The U.S. has
used its ties with countries only to
serve its selsh interests. Who
bombed Japan to pieces, and who
created the Taliban?
Mohd Younis,
Rahmo, J&K
Narendra Modis foreign policy has
departed from the futile and
outdated idealism of the Nehruvian
era. The problem now is that people
are being misled in the urge to label
every move of Mr. Modis as an act
of jingoism and his speeches as only
full of rhetoric.
He has taken a tough stand
against Pakistans adventurism on
the border and is simultaneously

men near Srinagar once again


highlights the need to revoke the
draconian Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act, which the Army uses
as a shield to protect and save
tyrannical officers and men. By no
Why criticise only the foreign policy stretch of the imagination can this
of the BJP? Nothing prevented incident be covered up by using
Manmohan
Singh
from AFSPA.
inaugurating the Chutak hydro
There are many ways to stop a
project in Kargil. Why didnt he ever stray vehicle if it jumps a
visit Siachen? In the last decade of checkpoint. A message can be
UPA rule, hardly any new train passed on to the next point to check
services were planned for the it. If everything fails, the ultimate
Northeast, possibly out of fear of weapon is to re at the wheels. It
the Chinese reaction to such moves. appears that the Army considered
The foreign policy then tended not none of these steps. The BJP
to disturb democracy in Pakistan; government is eager to abolish
not disturb the status quo with Article 370. Instead, it needs to
China and to engage with either the abolish AFSPA.
T. Raju,
U.S. or Russia in a way that would
Secunderabad
offend either. Now, there is a show
of strength as far as our most hostile
neighbours are concerned and an
aggressive projection of India It is true that in India the military
rst, which means India will not history of modern India is not a
bow to international pressure. How separate discipline of modern
can this be termed chest-thumping? Indian history (Military history as
Sweety Gupta, adjunct of political strategy, Nov.
New Delhi 5). If taught in schools and colleges,
it will help the next generation
In Indias foreign policy, one can see learn about the achievements and
new ideas. The article appeared to sacrices of our military personnel.
criticise Mr. Modi unnecessarily. Military history is vital to
How can one attribute everything to formulating foreign policy and
being the result of the inuence of future war strategies.
Saurabh Srivastava,
the RSS? While highlighting the
New Delhi
recent Chinese incursions, the fact
is that bilateral engagement is
running smoothly. How can this be One of the best ways to sensitise
scoffed at? How can one attribute Indian youth to the exploits of the
setting a rational limit for FDI in armed forces is through lms. It is a
defence to an RSS touch? The Modi fact that they have a profound
government is doing a lot, though impact. Who can forget Border
there are some failures too. One and Lakshya? It is the
responsibility of our noted lmneeds to take a balanced view.
Harikrishnan D., makers to think about this and
Thiruvananthapuram come up with quality war movies on
themes
before
and
after
Independence.
The gunning down of two innocent
Raghavendra C.G.,
schoolboys by trigger-happy Army
Hassan

engaged with China and Japan


despite differences between these
two.
Anoop Suri,
New Delhi

Military history

Kashmir killings

ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Re-framing the MGNREGA debate


R
Yamini Aiyar

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014

The virtue of
inclusiveness
he new Maharashtra and Haryana Assemblies
have only 12 Muslim MLAs between them
and no Muslim Minister. The number of Muslim Ministers in nine major BJP-ruled States
thus remain just one. The non-BJP-ruled States do
better, the share of Muslim legislators and Ministers
being much closer to their share in the population, but
some Congress-ruled States like Uttarakhand too have
no Muslim Minister. On the back of a General Election
that swept the BJP to power but produced a Parliament
with the lowest proportion of Muslim MPs in over 50
years, this is cause for concern. Undoubtedly, this has
to do with the communalisation of political parties, but
it is also about the communalisation of voters. Under
the rst-past-the-post system, Muslims are now likely
to win only from constituencies with an unusually large
Muslim population. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections,
the likelihood of a Muslim winning dropped, falling to
just 1 per cent in constituencies where Muslims formed
less than 20 per cent of the population. Political parties
breed and then react to this communalisation, responding by nominating ever fewer Muslims from constituencies where they are not in sufficient numbers for
reasons of winnability. Following the BJPs sweep in
Uttar Pradesh in May despite nominating no Muslim,
the Samajwadi Party, which has nominated more Muslim candidates than any other national party over the
last 50 years, reduced the number of tickets given to
Muslims in the recent by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.
But Muslims being in positions of power does not
necessarily ensure development outcomes for Muslims, the argument goes. However, the dignity of political representation and high office is not only a means to
an end; it is an end in itself too. Moreover, while
political representation is certainly not the only mode
of development, the Rajinder Sachar Committee Report recommended it as one of the solutions to the
disproportionate educational and economic backwardness of Muslims. The century-old ght of backward
class empowerment movements and political parties to
gain political representation in the southern States led
to a situation where backward classes in Tamil Nadu
and Kerala today have better development indicators
than upper castes have in some northern States; political empowerment matters. Some dismiss these ndings as a legitimate concern for a democracy,
subscribing to what the late Professor Iqbal Ansari
called a sort of political Darwinism. By this same
token, he wrote, concerns about the representation of
women in politics would be dismissed as sexism. Expecting the legislatures to represent its diversity more
fairly is not tokenism; its what inclusive democracy
truly looks like, as opposed to majoritarianism.

eports that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government intends to radically restructure the
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
have re-ignited public discussion on the
scheme. Since its launch, debate on MGNREGA has been synonymous with ideological
contestations on the role of the state and its
welfare functions. Inevitably, the contours of
the debate have been shrill, leaving little
space for an evidence-based discussion on the
shape that a re-designed MGNREGA should
take.
The rst and the most important question
that ought to be considered is: has the scheme
met its primary objective of guaranteeing employment to Indias poorest? The most intuitive way of answering this is by comparing
employment levels with poverty rates across
States.
If the scheme was well-targeted, households in poorer States would presumably demand more work and these States would
provide the largest share of employment.
However, on this metric, the data presents a
damning story. Accountability Initiatives
analysis found that in 2010-11, poorer States
such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
and Madhya Pradesh, which together account
for 59 per cent of the countrys rural BPL
population, generated only 34 per cent of
employment through MGNREGA. On the
other hand, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,
which house eight per cent of the BPL population, accounted for 23 per cent of the total
employment generated that year.

On participation
Other research studies also conrm that
poorer States are unable to provide employment. MGNREGA is designed as a self-targeting programme where participation is a
function of demand for work and the extent to
which this demand is actually met. Using National Sample Survey (NSS) data from 200910, economist Martin Ravallion and his colleagues examined participation through
precisely this lens.
Across India, 45 per cent of rural households wanted to work on the MGNREGA. Of
these 56 per cent received work. Put differently, 44 per cent of those who wanted work
were not given employment or, to use the
authors denition, were rationed out of the

CARTOONSCAPE

Not moving up
from third
coming together of regional parties has rarely, if ever, been a precursor to the emergence
of an alternative to national parties. But with
the decimation of the Congress in the 2014
Lok Sabha election, leaders of regional parties are hoping to ll the vacuum through a broad alliance. In terms
of electoral arithmetic, an alliance of the Samajwadi
Party, the Janata Dal (United), the Rashtriya Janata
Dal, the Indian National Lok Dal, and the Janata Dal
(Secular) does not increase by much the winning possibilities of any party. Other than the JD (U) and the RJD,
both strong in Bihar, these parties have roots and
support bases in different States, and therefore they
can make little or no contribution to one anothers
success. But a merger or a denitive alliance will allow
them to imagine themselves as providing a nationallevel alternative to both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many of these parties have previously
aligned themselves with, or been a part of third front
coalitions supported by, the Congress or the BJP. Such
coalitions have appeared as disparate elements conjoined by political expediency and hunger for power,
without offering an alternative programme ideologically distinct from those of the BJP and the Congress.
If the new alliance in the making is to have credibility, the parties must rst show an ability to work
together in Parliament on important legislation and
issues of wider interest. A formal grouping at the national level that pulls in different directions in the
States will not have any political appeal. Such groupings, whether formed before an election or after an
election, have splintered as quickly as they came together. By denition, an alternative third front is possible only if the Congress and the BJP together get less
than half the total number of seats. That is an unlikely
scenario in the current political situation. While the
National Front that was in power between 1989 and
1990 was propped up by the BJP, the United Front that
ruled between 1996 and 1998 thrived on the support of
the Congress. Even the Janata Party, which was voted
to power in 1977, had as one of its components the Jan
Sangh, the previous avatar of the BJP. In the changed
political circumstances, neither the BJP nor the Congress can be expected to offer outside support to a
third front grouping. Even if the Janata parivar parties
manage to rope in other regional parties such as the
Telugu Desam and the AIADMK, and get the Left
parties too to support them, they can, in the near
future, only play the role of a strong opposition. That
they have been unable to shake off the tag of a third
front is in itself a comment on their political standing.

CM
YK

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014

per-capita on MGNREGA, have higher vacancies, lower staff motivation with limited
technical capacities and are therefore unable
to meet the demands of the programme. This
will only be resolved by building the institutional capabilities of frontline administration
and local governments to deliver the scheme.
Of course there are serious problems of
corruption and weak implementation both in
poor and non-poor States. There is ample
evidence that the poor often receive less than
their share of wages, that payment is delayed
and that corruption in the use of materials in
MGRNEGA work sites is on the increase. But
the reform challenge this poses is one of govscheme. Importantly, demand for work was arashtra (63 per cent) and Orissa (51 per cent) ernance and this ought to be the focus of the
strongly correlated with poverty rates, but and far lower in Rajasthan (36 per cent), and debate on re-structuring MGNREGA.
actual employment was not. While demand Bihar (37 per cent). High participation of
for work in poorer States like Bihar and Uttar middle 40 per cent households could be ar- Delayed payments, corruption
Second, that self-targeting works suggests
Pradesh was high, richer States like Andhra gued to indicate poor targeting. However, the
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were able to provide difference in consumption patterns of house- that in a country where the debate on identiholds in the lowest and middle deciles, partic- fying the poor is riddled with controversy,
more employment.
While low participation in poorer States is ularly in poorer States is as little as MGNREGAs self-targeting design may well
cause for serious concern, the analytical con- Rs.250-Rs.400 per month or Rs.8-13 per day. be the most effective way of ensuring that
sequences for the design of MGNREGA and Thus, many middle households are not that income support programmes reach those
its ability to reach the poorest can be com- much better off and are as vulnerable to who need it. Any restructuring ought to
pletely understood only by looking at who shocks as the poorest. Moreover, given the strengthen rather than weaken this self-targeting design. This is why the debate on
MGNREGA versus cash transfers, as it is curAny restructuring ought to strengthen rather than weaken
rently framed, simply misses the point. Whatthe arguments for and against cash
the self-targeting design of the rural employment guarantee ever
transfers, if cash transfers are to work, we
programme
rst need to know who Indias poor are and
how best to reach them two things over
which there is more controversy than
actually receives work under the programme. high participation of women (48 per cent in consensus.
It is in this context that the proposed
In other words, where employment is being 2009-10), it is likely that a signicant number
provided, do the benets of MGNREGA ac- of participants from the middle 40 per cent changes to tweak the wage-material ratio and
crue to those who need it? In its study, Ac- are women, who need extra income. Thus restrict the MGNREGA to backward regions
countability Initiative drew on the work of employment under MGNREGA is largely re- need to be discussed. Will the shift in the
wage-material ratio compromise self-targetRahul Pathak, a researcher, to answer this ceived by those who need it the most.
question. Using monthly per-capita houseThe work of Mr. Ravallion and his col- ing? Increasing the material component is
hold expenditure (MPCE) from the 2009-10 leagues reinforce this fact. They nd that ra- likely to result in an increase in the use of
NSS, Mr. Pathak examined participation tioning in the scheme does not discriminate machines thereby limiting the scope of emacross consumption deciles and compared against the poor. Demand for work is higher ploying unskilled labour. This may lead to
participation of the lowest 30 per cent (per- among the poor than among the non-poor. further rationing of work, especially in poorly
capita expenditure of up to Rs.657) with the And amongst those who demand work, the governed states. Moreover, given that there
middle 40 per cent (per capita expenditure poor are more likely to receive it than the are already leakages when it comes to the use
between Rs.657 and Rs.1058) and the top 30 non-poor. So the self-targeting mechanism of materials for worksites, greater use of maper cent. He found that the bulk of participant works.
terials will only enhance rather than reduce
households were nearly equally divided beTwo important conclusions emerge from corruption. The policy question therefore is
tween the lowest 30 per cent (which account- this discussion. First, the real implementa- whether the objective of building infrastruced for 40 per cent participants) and the tion failure in MGNREGA is that demand for ture and an employment guarantee can be
middle 40 per cent (accounting for another work does not translate in to actual employ- achieved through the same programme. And
42 per cent). Of course, there are inter-State ment in Indias poorer States. But this is less a if so, how best to design it?
variations. The quantum of participants from function of awed targeting design than of
An important argument being made in fathe lowest 30 per cent is highest in Mah- weak governance. Poorer States spend lower vour of changing the wage-material ratio is
that of ensuring exibility. No doubt, in a
country as large and varied as India, a onesize-ts-all centralised rule is a recipe for
failure. But if greater exibility is the objective then the restructuring ought to move
beyond just the wage-material issue to ensure
more effective devolution of powers to Panchayats so that they have real authority to
identify infrastructure works and plan for
MGNREGA expenditure, which today is determined almost entirely by the diktats of the
Indian government and the whims and fancies of the district magistrates.
Finally, MGNREGAs Achilles heel is weak
governance capacity. It is unclear how the
move to restrict the scheme to backward regions, that already have capacity constraints,
will solve this problem. Re-structuring
should rather focus on building the frontline
improving staff capacity and deepening local government involvement in delivering the
programme.
The good news is that MGNREGA has witnessed a proliferation of experiments, mostly
in better governed States, from creating improved nancial management systems to using technology-enabled banking solutions
like smart cards, social audits and building
grievance redressal systems. The focus must
now be on evaluating these experiments and
drawing lessons to improve administration in
the poorly governed States.
(Yamini Aiyar is a senior research fellow at
the Centre for Policy Research and Director
of the Accountability Initiative)

The real implementation failure in


MGNREGA is that demand for work does
not translate into actual employment in
poorer States. But this is less a function of
flawed targeting than of weak governance.
Therefore, improving governance ought to
be the focus of the debate now

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Repeal AFSPA?
It is indeed sad that two Kashmiri
youth lost their lives (Shooting from
behind AFSPA, Nov. 7). However, it
is unfair to call the Indian Army
trigger-happy. The Army has its
own Standard Operating Procedures,
and troops, by and large, abide by
them. It may be recalled that even in
this case, jawans manning the third
tier only red when the car did not
stop at the rst two tiers of
checkpoints.
If the ground situation permits,
the government can recall the Army
and entrust law and order to the
police. No AFSPA will then be
required and the Army will go back to
doing its primary task. As far as the
bandh called by the Hurriyat is
concerned, such acts are antinational; they seem to call for
shutdowns at the drop of a hat.
Brigadier N.V. Nair (retd),
Kochi

will Kashmiris and people of parts of


the northeast have to bear the brunt
of the Act?
Mudasir Ali Lone,
Pulwama, Kashmir

Indian imagination

Dreaming and aiming high are good,


but promising a dream to such a
diverse, pluralistic nation could be
disastrous (The failure of the Indian
imagination, Nov. 7). India has to
grow organically. The media claim
there has been poor governance
since Independence, but despite that
our country has surprised the world.
Isnt 5 per cent growth good enough
for a democracy of 1.3 billion?
I would like to see an India with
many happy, contented faces rather
than risk a great leap before falling to
abysmal lows. We need to provide
basic amenities rst, and bullet
trains can well wait. Many good
initiatives have been taken by
successive governments and these
should continue. But we need to
The recent killings have once again accept that no miracles will ever
brought the draconian AFSPA into really happen.
Donald DCruz,
the spotlight. The law has crippled
the whole Valley for the past two
Kollam
decades; everyone knows that justice
has been a casualty. Maybe these
killings would act as a blessing in In the Comment page article,
disguise and force the state to repeal Asking the right questions to
the Act?
awaken our past, (Nov. 7), the writer
Najamu Saqib has beautifully described the feelings
Kupwara, J&K of many Hindu liberals, including
mine, who want to be proud of
Though the police have registered an Hinduism but are not able to be. Our
FIR, we know its fate only too well, great spiritual past has given us so
even if the charges are proved. Why much to be proud of, but if we use it
are the armed forces given such to dominate others it will be a
excessive powers just to counter disservice to religion. Scholarly
militants whose numbers are no research will open more minds
more than a few hundred (to cite the toward elements of our ancient
Armys own official gures)? I just culture, as has happened in the case
wonder how the Constitution of a of yoga.
It is also important to enrich
democratic republic can allow for
such a draconian law. For how long Hinduism with good teachings from

Myth and reality

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
generally about past glory will
enhance our pride and promote
scientic thinking. Instead, it would
be more appealing to cull out
examples of ancient scientic works
The article, Mythology, science and in mathematics, astronomy and
society (Nov. 7), reminded me of the other elds by Indian scholars like
chapter titled The Epics, History, Aryabhata, Bhaskaracharya and
Tradition and Myth in The Brahmagupta. We have enough
Discovery of India by Jawaharlal achievements to talk about from our
Nehru, which gives a refreshing past to inspire our generation.
perspective on the subject. One can
Sharad B. Nalawade,
see in Nehrus approach a rare blend
Bengaluru
of scientic temper, humanism and
empathy, and an understanding of
the Indian masses, who have often This refers to Janata parivar merger
believed our mythologies to be on the cards (Nov. 7). Former
nothing but history.
Karnataka
Chief
Minister
Ramakrishna
Hegde
was
Nehru says in the book:
[S]ometimes [a] story is pure instrumental in giving shape to the
myth, an exaggerated account of Janata Dal. It is another matter that
some incident that tradition he was expelled from the party when
preserved. Facts and ction are so H.D. Deve Gowda became Prime
interwoven together as to be Minister. The egos and personality
inseparable, and this amalgam clashes of its leaders led to its split
becomes imagined history, which into half a dozen splinter units. It is
may not tell us exactly what difficult to comprehend now how
happened but tells us something that leaders who have assumed largeris equally important what people than-life images will form a cohesive
believed had taken place, what they unit. Even if the groups merge, the
thought their heroic ancestors were leader of each splinter unit will try to
capable of, and what ideals inspired assume the role of the leader of the
merged party. The prospects of such
them.
So, whether fact or ction, it a merger are not likely to amuse
became a living element in their political pundits.
C.G. Kuriakose,
lives, ever pulling them up from the
Kothamangalam
drudgery and ugliness of their
everyday existence to higher realms,
ever pointing towards the path of
endeavour and right living, even Legalising sex work, termed
though the ideal might be far off and prostitution in a derogatory
manner,
can
have
positive
difficult to reach.
K.S. Sarma, consequences for sex workers (Sex
Hyderabad workers seek change in law, Nov. 7).
It can drastically reduce the
As an author of popular science instances of Sexually Transmitted
books, I nd it quite unsettling that Diseases (STD)s and provide sex
we try to connectmythologywith workers with some legal protection.
actual scientic achievements. Its Legalisation can also go a long way in
wrong to assume that talking curbing the menace of trafficking by
other religions and philosophies
from multiple regions.
Vikas Singh,
Bengaluru

Janata merger

Issues of sex work

making registration and consent


necessary. Legal or illegal, sex work is
not going to disappear from our
society since it has continued to exist
from times immemorial. So it will be
pragmatic to make it legal rather
than keeping the lives of workers in
limbo once and for all times to come.
Aijaz Hussain Malik
Baramulla, J&K
A sex worker is an inconvenient truth
in even a civilised society. Cities in
many countries have red light areas,
India being no exception. A sex
worker is not one due to choice but
due to compulsion. In the absence of
legal protection, she has to work in
inhumane conditions and is under
greater risk of contracting STDs.
Legalisation can help in removing
both stigma and misery associated
with sex work, also giving them a
choice to opt for other sources of
livelihood, something they dont
have at present. We can also save the
worker from exploitation by the
police.
Dr. Rajnish Singh,
Hardwar
Legalisingsexworkwill be a mistake;
exploitation is inherent in this
profession and legalisation will mean
the state endorses such exploitation.
Exploitation ofsexworkers happens
becausesexworkis there. If the
government strictly enforces steps
againstsexwork, there will be no
question of any such exploitation.
This will also end the social isolation
ofsexworkers.
But, instead of pressuring the
government to strictly enforce laws
against trafficking, advocating the
rehabilitation ofsexworkers will
promote sex work and hence add to
the exploitation.
Mithil Aggarwal,
Bhatinda, Punjab
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Military needs and societal values


I
Srinath Raghavan

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2014

An incomplete
process
hen in August 1961, the Soviet Union
erected a 13-foot-high wall through Berlin to halt the flow of millions of people
from the eastern part to the western part,
the German Democratic Republic (GDR) dubbed it a
barrier against fascism. It kept Germany divided for
the next 28 years. A wall is a hell of a lot better than a
war, was the initial, circumspect response from U.S.
President John F. Kennedy, who was also not unmindful of the economic repercussions for the Eastern
Bloc from mass emigration. At its 20th anniversary in
1981, Erich Honecker, the GDRs head of state, thundered that the wall may stand for another hundred
years. When the wall finally came crumbling down on
November 9, 1989, it was seen as symbolising the end of
the Cold War. It also conjured up images of the beginnings of a borderless world. Paradoxically, the freedom
supposedly restored for the peoples of Eastern Europe
on that fateful night 25 years ago seems to be in peril
even today. The current opposition to freedom of
movement within the member-states of the European
Union is targeted at the countries that were admitted
to the bloc only a decade ago. Compounding this is the
tide of nationalism and jingoism sweeping across the
continent. The bloodletting now witnessed on Europes borders stands in stark contrast to the nonviolent political transformation in Poland, Hungary,
Czechoslovakia and of course East Germany.
The western powers know full well that Russias
annexation of Crimea early this year and its backing to
rebel groups in Ukraine are not unrelated to the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to encompass the former Eastern Bloc countries. Moreover,
NATOs muscle-flexing vis--vis territories that have
long been part of Moscows sphere of influence does
not exactly strengthen economic interdependence between the regions, especially in the arena of energy
supplies. Similarly, the regime of economic sanctions,
which has inevitably triggered Russian retaliation and
produced a crippling effect on business interests at
home, is if anything a self-fulfilling proposition. Vladimir Putins recent utterances suggest that he may not
be in any great hurry to relent. Mikhail Gorbachevs
warning over the weekend of a world on the brink of
another Cold War must be heeded by the big powers as
the ceasefire in Ukraine stands in danger of unravelling. Perhaps more than at any time since the fall of the
wall, voices advocating Germanys leadership position
on the international stage are being heard loud and
clear. Maybe there is merit in this, not just in view of
the countrys economic clout, and German Chancellor
Angela Merkels deft diplomatic skills.

t is a grim irony. Ahead of the 125th


birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru,
two Kashmiri boys are cut down by the
bullets of the Indian Army. This is not
just because Nehrus birthday is celebrated
as Childrens Day. Rather, the incident in
Kashmir underlines the extent to which one
of Nehrus principal contributions to independent India has been undermined. Nehrus role in nurturing democratic
institutions, especially Parliament, is widely
acknowledged. Less well known is his role in
fostering democratic control over the
military.
In theory, the lines of control in a democracy are clear: the military is responsible to
the political leadership, which in turn is accountable to the people. But ensuring that
the requirements of the military remain subordinate to the wider societal values and interests is not easy. These requirements may
well be legitimate, yet they can vitiate the
democratic fabric of our polity. The Armed
Forces (Special Powers) Act, under whose
cover the boys were shot, is a good example.
One of the aims of this Act was to ensure that
soldiers undertaking operations in good faith
were not subject to mala fide litigation. Yet,
AFSPA has been used in a manner that confers impunity on the Army.

Civil-military relations
Take the Pathribal case. Five officers were
named in a Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) charge sheet for killing civilians in a
fake encounter. The Army and the government used AFSPA to stonewall and prevent
prosecution for years. Eventually under
pressure from the Supreme Court, the Army
agreed to try them by court-martial. Unsurprisingly, the court-martial found no evidence against the officers.
Whats more, despite widespread criticism, successive governments have been
loath to repeal the Act. Their reluctance is
directly proportional to the resistance from
the AFSPA. Senior military officers are on
record as stating that without AFSPA, the
Army cannot undertake counter-insurgency
operations. Such is the state of democratic
control and civilian supremacy over the
military.
Nehru was alert to these dangers even before he took over as Prime Minister. The

CARTOONSCAPE

Curbs on content
in cyberspace
acebook has disclosed that it restricted as
many as 4,960 items of content on the social
networking site in India in compliance with
official requests in the first half of 2014. The
significance of the figure does not lie in the mere fact
that it is the largest number of restrictions from a
single country during this period, or in the detail that
India ranks second only to the U.S. in the number of
requests for access to user data. The real and disturbing
significance lies in Facebooks disclosure that these
requests, primarily from law enforcement officials and
the countrys Computer Emergency Response Team,
were made under local laws prohibiting criticism of a
religion or the state. The number of requests for access to users jumped from 3,598 (covering 4,711 users/
accounts) in the previous six-month period to 4,559
(covering 5,958 users/accounts) in the first six months
of 2014. Half of the requests were complied with. It is
possible to argue in legal terms that the government
may seek such access to user data or request blocking of
content in exceptional circumstances. Article 19(2) of
the Constitution permits reasonable restrictions on
freedom of speech and expression, among other
grounds, in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, public order,
decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court,
defamation or incitement to an offence.
Normally one would expect that any restriction on
free expression in cyberspace would be aimed at curbing potentially explosive remarks that are likely to
foment violence. It is indeed a bitter reality that social
media have sometimes been used to spread rumours
the ones that sparked an exodus from Bengaluru of
residents hailing from the northeastern States in 2012
being an example. However, the moot question is
whether it will be reasonable to use the principle to bar
all criticism of the state or religion. It cannot be forgotten that a book by the Indologist Wendy Doniger was
withdrawn and pulped because the publisher was
threatened with prosecution under Section 295-A of
the IPC, which makes deliberate and malicious acts
intended to outrage religious feelings a punishable
offence. Recently, a political activist was arrested for an
innocuous comment that implied that divine retribution was behind a cyclone that hit Visakhapatnam. If
the government is making thousands of requests either
for user data or blocking content, it should be transparent about the real nature of its requests. Only then will
it be possible for citizens to know if they fall squarely
within the constitutionally recognised reasonable restrictions, or if they amount to misuse of archaic laws.

CM
YK

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2014

The military is responsible to the political


leadership, which in turn is accountable to the
people. But ensuring that the militarys
requirements remain subordinate to wider
societal values is not easy. These requirements
may well be legitimate, yet they can vitiate the
democratic fabric of our polity

British Raj was the archetypal garrison state


one that accorded primacy to its security
and by extension to the military. Even in
peacetime, up to half of the governments
expenditure was consumed by the armed
forces. This extraordinary practice was possible owing to the institutional arrangements
of civil-military relations in British India.
The Commander-in-Chief of India also
served as the Military Member effectively
the Defence Minister of the Viceroys Executive Council. This enabled the military to
have a dominant voice in the affairs of the
government. In the run-up to Independence,
the fusion of civil and military roles went
even further. In 1943 the Commander-inChief, Field Marshal Wavell, was appointed

security and to keep it out of politics.


That said, claims about Nehru wanting to
abolish the armed forces given currency by
Jaswant Singh among others are utterly
unfounded. Even a cursory acquaintance
with Nehrus published documents from that
period will show up the absurdity of such
assertions. What Nehru wanted was democratic control of the military. Matters were
complicated by the fact that in the aftermath
of Independence, India was forced to solicit
the services of senior British officers. The Raj
had not allowed Indians to join as officers
until late in the day, so there were few Indians with experience of higher command and The 1962 war and after
staff roles.
The defeat against China weakened NehYet, Nehru was keen to set the tone for rus position vis--vis the Army. Thereafter,
the military began to insist that civilians keep
away from its operational turf. Unnerved
by the debacle of 1962, the civilian leadership
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act makes a mockery of
substantially conceded the demand.
democratic control over the military.
Democratic control over the military
weakened in Nehrus own lifetime in other
ways too. Despite his desire not to use the
as the Viceroy. In its last days, then, British civil-military relations from the outset. Thus, Army for internal security, Nehrus hand was
rule reverted to its origins as a military when the Commander-in-Chief issued or- forced by the Naga rebellion. In 1956, as the
despotism.
ders to keep the public away from the flag Army was preparing to move in, Nehru inhoisting ceremony on August 15, 1947, Nehru structed that the Nagas were to be treated as
Democratic control
struck it down. He wrote to General Rob fellow Indians. The Army had to win the
Rectifying this state of affairs was on top of Lockhart: In any policy that is to be pursued hearts of people, not to terrify or frighten
Nehrus priorities. When the interim govern- in the Army or otherwise, the views of the them. Nehru disallowed the use of machinement took office in September 1946, the Government of India and the policy they lay guns from the air and called for the use of
Commander-in-Chief was replaced as De- down must prevail. If any person is unable to moderate force.
fence Member by a civilian leader, Sardar lay down that policy he has no place in the
Yet, when Naga resistance intensified,
Baldev Singh. Days later, Nehru instructed Indian Army. Weeks later, when the British Nehrus government enacted AFSPA in 1958.
the Commander-in-Chief to initiate urgent service chiefs protested against moving Indi- The Act was modelled on the Armed Forces
reforms to nationalise the Indian Army. an troops against the State of Junagadh that (Special Powers) Ordinance of 1942 used
Recruitment, especially of officers, should be had acceded to Pakistan, Nehru and Patel by the Raj to quell the Quit India Movement.
widened to reflect the composition of society. made it clear that they were prepared to sack The irony lay not just in the fact that Nehru
This would enable the armed forces to appre- the chiefs. Such problems did not disappear and his colleagues had been imprisoned durciate the values and aspirations of the coun- after Indian officers took over the armed ing the movement, but that the 1942 orditry they served. Paramilitary forces should be forces. In the summer of 1951, the Indian nance was less draconian than AFSPA. The
raised to avoid using the Army for internal Army apprehending a Pakistani attack on ordinance had authorised the use of force to
kill by an officer of the rank of captain or
above. AFSPA allows even senior non-commissioned officers to do so.
Introducing the Bill in Parliament, Home
Minister G.B. Pant stated that it would allow
the Army to function more effectively in the
context of the insurgency. There were dissident voices in the House. A member from
Manipur memorably called it a lawless law.
Yet it was passed without much opposition.
After AFSPA was introduced, Nehru continued to keep a tab on Army operations in
Nagaland and even deplored on occasion,
publicly the loss of civilian lives. When the
insurgency raged unabated, Nehru adopted a
more political approach a move that culminated in the creation of the State of
Nagaland.
AFSPA, however, remained on the statute
book. Over time, it came to be used with ever
greater impunity and grievous consequences. As Nehrus engagement with this issue
suggests, intentions of individuals cannot
substitute for appropriate institutional arrangements. AFSPA makes a mockery of
democratic control over the military. The
Armys resistance to its repeal and the governments acquiescence fly in the face of all
norms of civil-military relations. This may
seem like a minor problem. But as Nehru
realised, unless military needs are balanced
against societal values, Indian democracy
could be hollowed out.
(Srinath Raghavan, a former infantry officer in the Indian Army, is Senior Fellow at
the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Caste census
By ruling that the Madras High
Court should not have interfered in
the domain of policy (SC sets aside
verdict directing caste census,
Nov.8), the Supreme Court does
not appear to have pronounced any
major view on the matter.
Therefore, the issue is still wide
open. Caste is an Indian reality and
cannot be wished away as long as
marriages, in most cases, are castebased. Further, the Central and
State governments have made
caste-based
reservations
in
education
and
government
employment a prominent feature.
Then why fight shy of a caste
census? In India, ones caste is
ones identity. It is only in the
absence of proper data that selfappointed champions emerge and
endeavour to mobilise political
support on the basis of caste
affiliations. Numerical figures will
help in the formulation of policies
to bring succour to the really
needy.
I.S. Kanthimathinathan,
Tirunelveli
The verdict is progressive. Harping
on caste has never really done us
any good. In a democratic country
like ours, the government should
work towards treating all citizens
as equals. Instead of categorising
people on the basis of caste, the
criterion must be a formula on the
basis
of
population.
The
government must work on
enabling an equal sharing of
resources.
Subhash S.,
Thiruvananthapuram

Kashmiri civilians in Chattergam


was a mistake (Army owns up,
offers Rs.10 lakh as compensation,
Nov. 8) but does it take care of the
major issue of the need to revoke
AFPSA? A mistake leads to a
chain reaction a family is thrown
into turmoil in different ways.
What happened in Kashmir is an
insult to the nation. It is acts like
these that cause the people of
Kashmir to eventually lose faith in
the Indian Army and the country as
a whole. The Modi government
needs to consider Jammu and
Kashmir as a State of special
concern in order for citizens there
to regain faith in the system.
Rasikh Barkat,
Chennai

Tinderbox again
It is unfortunate that the pain of
Partition has failed to make us
realise that communal acts only
lead to bloodshed and violence
(Trilokpuri, a tinderbox again,
Nov.8).
Humanity
has
to
understand that unless we dissolve
the rigid lines of religion and caste,
trivial issues will continue to cause
grievous hurt. This is the truth
behind
every
incident
of
communal tension.
Annapurna Garg,
Old Faridabad, Haryana

Kiss of Love

Although one cannot fall in line


with moral policing and the
suppression of the freedom of
expression (Kiss of love arrests
and the hecklers veto, Nov.8),
how one can brazenly go about an
act which is strictly a private affair
and to be done within four walls?
One cannot abuse and misuse
freedom and go about doing things
The Indian Army may have that are uncivilised. People have to
admitted that the killing of two be discreet and discerning when it

Armys admission

Kashmir wanted to move its armoured


division close to the border in Punjab. When
Nehru demurred, General Cariappa met
President Rajendra Prasad and requested
him to lean on the Prime Minister. Although
Nehru gave in, he was not oblivious to the
implications of such actions. A few months
later, when Cariappa began airing his views
on policy matters, such as economic development, Nehru advised him to avoid straying
into these areas.
The most controversial episode was the
resignation of the Army Chief, General Thimayya, in 1959. The conventional wisdom is
that the resignation was spurred by Thimayyas unhappiness with the style of functioning of the Defence Minister, Krishna Menon.
In fact, the problem was Thimayyas demand
to consider Pakistans offer of joint defence
arrangements against the backdrop of clashes between Indian and Chinese troops. The
nub of the matter was policy not personalities. Although Nehru talked Thimayya out
of the resignation, he emphasised in Parliament that civil authority is and must remain
supreme.

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
comes to expressing ideas that and girls to go home and ask their
concern freedom and liberty. No parents whether it is in our Indian
right-thinking person can be culture to kiss publicly.
P.R.V. Raja,
supportive of disruptive and
Pandalam, Kerala
detrimental permissiveness.
R. Ramanathan,
Coimbatore
The item (Nov.8), Steps to
There is no doubt that a kiss is an unearth unaccounted money
established way of expressing (From the Archives, Nov.8,
affection and no one will even 1964), is an eye-opener; it is just
murmur if this is done by family that the door-to-door search has
members, such as a mother kissing since
attained
transnational
her children. But a kiss exchanged proportions!
between two unrelated individuals
Although a lot of ideas have been
in public involves and reflects floated on how to tackle
intimacy and privacy, and it will unaccounted money, not much
raise eyebrows. The public domain seems to have changed in the last
is not the right place to challenge 50 years, and India appears to be
moral policing by law-enforcement still haunted by the very issues it
authorities. Why didnt the faced in the early decades of
participants and organisers of the Independence. To find answers to
Kiss of Love event in Kochi think the question of why, we need to
of forming a human chain, which look within. Our leaders are
would not have invited anyone's unwilling to take the bull by its
wrath? In the name of upholding horns, which has ensured that
the freedom of expression and there is a hands-off approach in
rights, what should be done within dealing with issues such as black
four walls should not be done in money. Although the NDA
public. While it is irrefutable that government has received and
social media networks have submitted a list of account-holders
become a unifying force for worthy in possession of black money, it
social causes, they also have an appears that issues related to the
double taxation treaty have yet to
undesirable side to them.
R. Sridharan, be ironed out. In this context, the
Chennai call by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi for a Swachh Bharat must
No sensible person can contest the be looked at in the wider context of
need for every action to conform to cleansing India of its moral ills. A
some notions of morality. It goes clean India, in every sense of the
without saying that some policing term, is a fundamental right.
Sahil Yadav,
is essential wherever there
New Delhi
happens to be a failure of morality.
This is more a social necessity than
an individuals concern. The two
main questions to be answered are, The writer of the report Caught in
what draws the Lakshman Rekha a sack race (Business Review,
of morals, and who does the Nov. 3) says the Indian jute
policing? As a senior citizen, I industry finds itself in a crisis
would advise the protesting boys mainly on account of the industrys

Unaccounted money

Jute industry's woes

inability to modernise and stay


competitive due to technology
gaps. This is a one-sided view and
fails to consider the stand of the
labour unions and the then
governments
labour-oriented
policies.
In 1993-94, under the UNDPs
jute development programme, a hitech, high-speed ring spinning
frame was designed and developed
as a replacement for flyer spinning
machines,
which
is
the
conventional machine still used in
jute mills. Commercial trials were
conducted in a jute mill in Kolkata
where it proved its superior
technical
capabilities
and
economic advantage. While mill
managements evinced interest in
using the new machine, labour
unions raised the banner of revolt
fearing retrenchment. Unless the
labour force in the West Bengal
jute industry changes its attitude,
modernisation will be next to
impossible.
R. Rajagopalan,
Coimbatore

Powerless in Bihar
It is disheartening to know that
many people in Indian villages still
live without electricity (A Bihar
village in the dark for ages, Nov.9).
Chhoti Mahuli-Kachahri Tola
village in Darbhanga district in
Bihar is an example of the skewed
growth path pursued by India. How
can the government implement
flagship programmes like Digital
India and Jan Dhan Yojana
without providing basic amenities
like electricity? The newly
launched Sansad Adarsh Gram
Yojana should aim to develop such
villages so that people there can
participate in the growth process.
Balaji Akiri,
Hyderabad
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

The question of the sealed envelope


I
Peter Ronald deSouza

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Addressing
competing demands
rime Minister Narendra Modis rst expansion
of his Council of Ministers has his unmistakable imprint, with some difficult allies rmly
put in their place and immigrants from other
parties rewarded. In his quest for as coalition-free a
government as possible, Mr. Modi evidently intends to
use the BJPs impressive electoral mandate to minimise
the role of tantrum-throwing partners. And so, the Shiv
Senas demand for a second Cabinet berth at the Centre
and key portfolios in the Maharashtra government in
exchange for its support were brushed aside, even as
Suresh Prabhu from that party, an administratively experienced if politically marginal leader, was inducted
into the BJP on Sunday morning and sworn in as Railway Minister hours later. Ex-Congress veteran Birendra
Singh, who joined the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls,
has been given not just Cabinet status but the key portfolios of rural development, panchayati raj, drinking
water and sanitation. Ram Kripal Yadav, who defeated
RJD boss Lalu Prasads daughter in Bihar on the BJP
symbol after being denied the RJD ticket is now a
Minister of State. Inderjit Singh Rao, who exchanged the
hand for the lotus before the elections, had become an
MoS with independent charge in the rst round itself.
The expansion also reects the fact that minimum
government does not always produce maximum governance: the government has acquired 21 fresh faces,
taking the strength of the Ministry to 66, as some overburdened senior Ministers have been relieved of additional responsibilities. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
has shed defence, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad law, Shipping and Road Transport Minister
Nitin Gadkari rural development, and Environment
Minister Prakash Javadekar information and broadcasting. Of course, in acknowledgement of Mr. Jaitleys
status as Modi condant and his skills as a communicator, he will also steer the I&B Ministry. The choice of
new entrants also points to competing demands of inducting talent, increasing geographical and caste representation, and addressing the BJPs core Hindutva
constituency. If the entry of former Goa Chief Minister
Manohar Parrikar as Defence Minister, the Harvardeducated Jayant Sinha as MoS for nance and Mr. Prabhu mark infusion of talent, the Ministrys social composition has been enhanced four more Brahmins, three
of whom are in the Cabinet, two Jats to compensate for a
non-Jat Chief Minister in Haryana, and more OBCs and
Dalits. The only woman to be included, Niranjan Jyoti, is
a saffron-clad sadhvi. And the controversial Giriraj
Singh, a Bhoomihar from Bihar, had endeared himself to
the new dispensation when he declared that all those
who did not like Mr. Modi should just go to Pakistan.

t would certainly be an exaggeration to


suggest that the advance of the Rule of
Law in India hinges on the jurisprudence around the sealed envelope.
And yet when one heard the discussion on
television the other day, between the Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohtagi, and the
TV anchor, Karan Thapar, on whether the
decision by the government of India to give
the names of those with black money accounts in Swiss banks to the Supreme Court
violated the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with France, one would be forgiven if one believed that this was indeed the
case. Should the government of India have
handed over to the Supreme Court of India
the sealed envelope with the 627 names? Was
this action a violation of the DTAA with
France or was it consistent with the terms of
the agreement? Are the arguments being advanced by legal officers pragmatic ones, i.e.,
there will be damaging international repercussions; or ones of principle, i.e., it was given
to our Supreme Court and hence was concerned with our sovereignty? Can India be
trusted as a country where the rule of law
prevails? In the sealed envelope lie many issues of our constitutional democracy. Open it
we must.

Lines of inquiry
Listening carefully to the TV discussion,
one discerned two possible lines of inquiry.
The rst is obviously legal where questions
relating to the Supreme Courts instruction
and the governments reluctant compliance
with it, in the light of Indias treaty obligations, need to be examined in terms of the
rule of law. The other, interestingly, is cultural where the many meanings of the sealed
envelope, in our public discourse, needs detailing. Let me begin with the legal
dimension.
For a public discussion, there are four substantive aspects of the legal case that need to
be agged. The rst concerns the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India. While
there are many ne issues of the law that will
be debated by scholars and practitioners of
international law, concerning treaty obligations and international bodies which have the
authority to adjudicate over them, we must

In the black money case, all our hopes are glued to


a sealed envelope submitted by the government
to the Supreme Court. But will we ever question
the political culture associated with it?
not lose sight of the single issue at stake here
of the extent of the Supreme Courts jurisdiction within our constitutional order. Even
if there is a conict between the courts direction, to hand over to it the list of names in the
governments custody, and the treaty obligations which prevent the government from
handing over names to anyone including a
court except in a specic case where there is a
prosecution under way against named persons, I would argue that the principle of sovereignty makes it binding on the government
of India to hand over, if instructed, the entire
list to the court. This single act establishes the
sovereignty of our constitutional order. Our
court will decide how the government shall
act in a situation of multiple obligations including international ones.

they levied, of about $9 billion, on the French


Bank BNP Paribas.

Rewarding the predator


This brings me to the second aspect, the
nature of the existing international economic
order which rewards predators, and justies
this structure of reward under the specious
argument of the rule of law. There are many
instances where Global Capital, particularly
American, uses its domestic laws to punish,
by law, those who stand up to its interests
since, over the last few years, it has built up a
web of interlocking laws, both domestic and
international, that have ring-fenced these interests. The consequence of this, particularly
for the global South, is that predators can seek
protection by hiding behind laws in extrater-

Since the rule of law is a feature of the basic structure of


the Constitution, and since the Supreme Court is the custodian,
it is safe to assume that the court will act consistently with
the rule of law.

Since the rule of law is a feature of the


basic structure of the Constitution, and since
the Supreme Court is the custodian, in the
last instance, of this basic structure, as per
the judgment in the Kesavananda Bharati
case, it is safe to assume that the court will act
consistently with the rule of law. Its decision
is nal as far as the rule of law is concerned.
For some state or non-state external authority to seek to prohibit the government of
India from sharing its data with the Supreme
Court is both arrogant and wrong; arrogant
because it downgrades the Indian Supreme
Court to a subordinate status on matters of
law, and wrong because it gives higher authority to an external authority.
Courts in the United States have repeatedly
affirmed their own supremacy on jurisdictional issues, most recently in the hefty ne

ritorial jurisdictions. These partisan laws


protect the predator against the just claims of
the victim. Look at the Bhopal gas tragedy
case and compare it against BP in the Gulf of
Mexico. The Indian Supreme Court standing
up to these partisan laws that protect predators is in fact a blow for the rule of law.
International tax havens and banks with secret accounts have in recent years succumbed
to pressure from the U.S. government to reveal names of U.S. nationals who are tax
avoiders. Here the defence of secrecy and
privacy do not stand up to the U.S. demand.
This courtesy, of revealing names is, however,
not available to Countries of the Global South
who do not have the means to impose their
will. A powerful army is clearly a stronger
argument to achieve desired outcomes than a
powerful argument.

CARTOONSCAPE

Still plagued
by accidents
he Indian Navy continues to be accident-prone
after a brief respite. Last week, an auxiliary
ship sank off the Visakhapatnam coast. This
tragedy claimed the life of one sailor while four
personnel were deemed missing. This is the second
incident in a fortnight after INS Kora, a missile corvette,
was scraped by a merchant ship near Vizag and suffered
minor damage. After the latest incident, the Navy is left
with just one Torpedo Recovery Vessel. Since August 14
last year, when an onboard explosion sank INS Sindhurakshak, a Kilo-class submarine that was berthed in
Mumbai, there have been 15 accidents. In fact, an accident on another submarine, INS Sindhuratna, on February 26 cost the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral D.K.
Joshi, his job: he resigned owning moral responsibility.
The resignation caused a major shuffle in the Navys top
brass and the new chief, Admiral R.K. Dhowan, ordered
a review of procedures and later stated that the causes of
all the incidents had been thoroughly analysed. But the
trend has not been arrested, and now it seems the
lessons learnt were incomplete. The problem is acrossthe-board. Submarines, front-line warships and support
ships alike have suffered accidents. This suggests systemic lapses, be it in maintenance, acquiring spares or
non-adherence to standard operating procedures. Besides, it is essential to take note of Admiral Joshis
recent comments about his inability to take routine
maintenance and procurement decisions for his force.
This hints at bureaucratic overreach and a crisis of
condence between the bureaucracy and the military.
It is paradoxical that a Navy that is operating about
180 ships and inducting large modern platforms is
plagued by issues of maintenance and spares. In the
global context, this does not bode well for a force aspiring to be a blue-water Navy and to establish itself as a net
provider of security in the region. It is widely acknowledged that the Indian Navy is a pre-eminent force in the
Indian Ocean region. And many navies in the region are
looking to the Indian Navy for support and leadership. It
comes as no surprise that of late naval diplomacy has
become a major thrust area in New Delhis diplomatic
outreach and the Navy has been extending training and
maintenance support to many nations. A dubious safety
record at home will raise serious apprehensions in the
minds of other nations about the countrys credibility
and capacity. Whatever the reasons, these incidents are
unacceptable. Mere assurances of review and reorientation will not help maintain the Navys image as a professional force if such accidents keep happening. Precious
lives, expensive platforms as well as the larger credibility of the Navy and the nation are at stake. It is time for
some honest introspection and course-correction.

CM
YK

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


electronic media appear to be
practising
Minimum
news,
Should the Prime Minister have Maximum propaganda for the NDA
waited for six months to induct into government by not covering issues
his Ministry novices who owe their such as some controversial and
positions to considerations other tainted members being appointed as
than merit? In the end, the exercise Ministers.
Richard Jonathan J.,
of expansion evoked a sense of dj
Meignanapuram, Tamil Nadu
vu Mr. Modi has followed the
UPAs formula in forming his team
by balancing caste and regional The expansion is a sign that
equations within the party, apart development is apace. The decision
from keeping an eye out for his to include leaders from all castes is
partys electoral prospects in the but a testimony to the governments
election-bound States. Anyone can principles of secularism and
be forgiven for suspecting that there equality.
S. Bindu Sravya,
is an acute shortage of talent in the
Visakhapatnam
party to ll key posts. Since
maximum governance will remain
empty rhetoric, the Prime Minister
should at least advise the new
Ministers to either perform or quit, It is unfortunate that India is
notwithstanding their utility in turning a deaf ear to the fervent
enhancing electoral prospects. appeal by Tamils in Sri Lanka to
the
Sri
Lankan
There should have been a lateral persuade
entry route into the Ministry for government to reverse the ongoing
militarisation of the Tamil-majority
talented people.
V.N. Mukundarajan, region (Wigneswaran seeks Indian
Thiruvananthapuram help to end militarisation, Nov. 10).
India has a duciary responsibility
Mr. Modi appears to have realised towards the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Sri
nally that for good governance one Lanka needs to start treating the
needs people and that a country like Tamil population on equal terms. As
India which has many complexities the invitation to Prime Minister
cannot be governed with 40-odd Narendra Modi to visit Sri Lanka is
people at the Centre. Less still open, he needs to pay a visit
government, more governance soon in order to acquaint himself
seems to be a hollow election slogan. with the sufferings of the Tamils.
K. Bala Sundaram,
Mr. Modi also realises that it is not
Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
easy to nd people who are talented
as also loyal to him. A close look at
the Ministers inducted shows that
there are contradictions; not all of
The report that a ve-year-old tribal
them are clean as well.
Amit Bhandari, boy succumbed to his injuries after
New Delhi his teacher slapped him (Nov.10)
comes as a rude shock. It is
Minimum government, Maximum surprising how a teacher who we
governance appears to be a understand is a lady, who is
marketing slogan similar to those expected to be more compassionate,
used by Mr. Modi during his election could do it. The incident again
campaigns. On the contrary, the highlights the need to rein in

Now, 66-strong

Wigneswarans appeal

Corporal punishment

The third issue is whether the sealed envelope being handed over to the court meets
the requirements of the rule of law, to protect
the right to privacy of any individual, even
one who is accused. The Attorney General
seems to think there is no inconsistency in
the list being handed over, in a sealed envelope, from the government of Indias custody,
the party to the DTAA agreement, to the Supreme Court, which is a different institutional authority. As long as the envelope remains
sealed. But what if the court opened the
envelope? Would it amount to a breach of the
DTAA? The Attorney General seemed to imply that this would be so and argued that the
court should not open the envelope even
though it has possession of it. So while the
court has the names in a sealed envelope, and
can choose to know who they are by opening
the envelope, it chose to hand over the unopened envelope to the Special Investigation
Team (SIT) constituted by it to investigate
the black money case. Did the learned judges,
by this action, align the Indian law with
DTAA, thereby meeting both requirements of
the supremacy of Indias Supreme Court and
the protections to persons under DTAA?
This brings us to the fourth issue, the moral
and legal issue of the status of the data. Since
it was stolen data, and also data made available by a whistle-blower, can a constitutional
system use this data for prosecution? Is the
use of stolen data compatible with the rule of
law? Does the fact that the data was conrmed by the government of France change
its legal status as stolen data? Is this similar to
the doctrine of double effect in moral philosophy, where an action that causes harm is
permitted, as a side effect, if the primary
purpose of the action is to promote some good
end? Germany had to deal with this moral
conundrum when stolen data from a Swiss
bank, of German tax avoiders, was offered to
the German government for a price. The German government bought the stolen data.

Guarantee of impartiality
Now let me move to the other dimension,
the political culture of the sealed envelope.
The question of whether this is an Indian
ritual or a colonial legacy is for historians to
establish. For those of us who have worked on
government committees, the sealed envelope guarantees the impartiality of the process. I have been a member of the executive
committee of many universities and in many
meetings, almost routinely, a sealed envelope is placed before the committee and we
are informed that it contains the list of candidates, selected by a committee, for a professors position in a particular department. The
sealed envelope has been in the possession of
the registrar who, at the meeting, formally
seeks the permission of the vice-chancellor to
open it. This is given by a subtle nod. The
envelope is then held up, higher than the
table around which we are seated, as if to
place it in the light and thereby show the
members of the committee that the process is
both proper and condential. In some cases
the envelope is sealed with red wax. A little
ceremony of de-sealing the envelope then
takes place, an important ritual of impartiality. None among the committees members
even looks at the envelope. When was it
sealed? Who sealed it? Could it have been
done 20 minutes before the meeting, are
questions too embarrassing to be asked. The
opened envelope is not subjected to forensic
examination. We have seen the raised sealed
envelope. This is enough. Fairness is guaranteed. It meets the CAGs requirement. I asked
an eminent sociologist to give me his learned
opinion on the semiotic signicance of the
sealed envelope for our democratic polity. He
promised to give me his views in a sealed
envelope.
(Peter Ronald deSouza is Professor at the
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.
The views expressed are personal.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
society evolves. In Kerala till a few
decades ago, women of lower castes
had to ght for their rights and brave
violence in order to wear blouses.
Should they have continued in the
same way in the name of sanctity of
As a citizen of India who pays taxes societal values? As women acquire
that also go towards the independent economic status and
maintenance of our armed forces, the space for close interaction with
my condence in the Indian Navy men expands, moral standards of
has eroded considerably following yore, heavily loaded against them,
recurrent disasters (Nothing are bound to crumble.
Manohar Alembath,
wrong with vessel, Navy chief,
Kannur
Nov.10). The sinking of the naval
torpedo recovery vessel TRV A-72
points to the poor maintenance
standards of the Navy. As former I would like to ask the writer
Vice Admiral K.N. Sushil has rightly (Dictating the culinary choices of
said, such things cannot be allowed students, Nov.10) why it is that
to happen. As a former sailor of the providing vegetarian food or
Indian Navy, I think the root cause setting up vegetarian messes in IITs,
of such happenings is the IIMs is considered to be dictating
diminishing disciplinary standards the culinary choices of students?
Do vegetarians have no access to
within the Navy.
George Mathai, right to eat the food that they
Kochi prefer? The move by the HRD
Ministry has to be seen as expanding
the culinary choices of students.
Those who insist on going ahead
Prasad Kandra,
with acts such as kissing in public
Bengaluru
certainly lack ne sensibilities. This
is a kind of exhibitionism and Reviving culinary segregation is but
indulged in by affluent youngsters another brick that strengthens
who delight in drawing attention to boundaries in society. The main
themselves at any cost. The main problem lies in lack of knowledge
culprits in all this are the social and a misinterpretation of the true
media, which thrive on such cheap spirit of our culture by a few.
acts of publicity. When most Bharatiya sanskriti is about
Indians still struggle to earn their developing unity despite the odds.
M. Shravan Kumar,
daily bread, it is unfortunate that
Warangal
some with a perverted bent of mind
indulge in such acts. The
government needs to act before It was amusing to read the
intolerant views expressed by the
something even worse is planned.
Israel K. Mani, writer. The unfortunate use of the
Wellington, Tamil Nadu words emboldened to demand,
reeks of an attitude that implies that
It is absurd to defend cultural and it is beyond the powers of an Indian
moral policing in the guise of community
to
request
to
upholding Indian culture. Cultural accommodate their expressions of
and moral standards are not cast in personally-held beliefs within India.
stone and undergo changes as Going by statistics cited by the
inhuman teachers who tend to
punish their students excessively.
Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai

Sinking of a ship

Culinary choices

Kiss of Love

writer, only a minority of about 20


per cent of Indian communities are
vegetarian. This makes it all the
more imperative that the wishes of
such a student body that requests a
separate vegetarian mess should be
honoured. As a Professor of history,
the writer should not be alien to the
views held sacred by pious Hindus
for whom vegetarianism is not just a
culinary choice but a way of life. At a
time
when
international
universities are going all out to
accommodate students who are
vegans and vegetarian, it is
unfortunate
to
read
the
authoritarian views of an Indian
Professor. It is time we stopped
looking at vegetarianism only
through the tinted glass of religion
and instead moved on to accept that
it a personal choice that needs to be
respected.
Swetha Iyer,
Bengaluru
I am shocked by the writers
advocacy of non-vegetarianism
among vegetarian students in
academic institutions. Vegetarians
eschew eating meat not because we
want to propagate Bharatiya
sanskriti but because we care for
animals. Further, while charging
vegetarians with being ignorant of
Ayurvedic meatarian recipes for
therapeutic purposes, the writer
needs to acknowledge the benets of
vegetarianism and the spread of
veganism in the West. As for her call
to vegetarians to cultivate
tolerance, does not democracy
mean guaranteeing or tolerating the
basic rights of even the minority,
especially when it concerns
compassion for animals and their
own survival? I wish she had
focussed on the need for hygienic
conditions in the canteens of even
institutions such as the IITs.
Jayanti Rao,
Bengaluru
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Abandoning the idea of India


O
R. Sudarshan

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2014

List of good
intentions
s many of his predecessors have done, Civil
Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has
unveiled another draft aviation policy, which
he hopes to implement by next year. It is more
of a broad statement of intent, without going into the
specifics. Mr. Raju has touched upon all the major issues
and problems faced by the sector, but has not exactly
come up with solutions. It may not be fair to expect the
Minister to just wave a magic wand and resolve all the
issues that have plagued the aviation sector over the
decades. But this is perhaps the best time for the NDA
government and Mr. Raju to take some bold initiatives
and address all the pending problems. New airlines are
coming into being and people are realising the benefits
of air travel, but there are several major obstacles for
the airlines to grow and be profitable. What takes the
cake is the announcement of yet another committee or
panel to look afresh at the future of Air India, which has
remained the countrys big white elephant for too long.
Something drastic needs to be done, and done quickly,
before crores of rupees of public money go down the
drain. Given its condition, there can be no suitors for a
strategic partnership, and listing it on the stock exchange may end up as a disaster. The government has to
make up its mind about privatisation, sooner than later.
The need of the hour remains the growth and development of airports. While Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad
and Bengaluru have shown the way on PPP models, the
Airports Authority of Indias (AAI) projects in Kolkata
and Chennai have been disasters. The Aviation Ministry
has to set this right and get a private partner to redeem
these airports, besides strengthening and developing
smaller airports for the existing and new airlines to
operate. The ravaged Visakhapatnam airport and a real
airport for Vijayawada must be at the top of his priorities. The AAI may be a profitable enterprise, but it
needs to be corporatised and restructured in order to
make it efficient. As far as the airlines are concerned,
the cost of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is the major
concern, as it contributes to over 40 per cent of the cost
of operations. The recent drop in global crude prices
and consequently of ATF provides some relief. But Mr.
Raju has to work with the Finance Ministry and the
State governments to rationalise taxes, basically VAT,
to reduce the burden. The advent of GST may solve this
problem, as and when it comes into being. Since the
Minister has promised to firm up the policy by January
and get it through the Cabinet, the civil aviation sector
as a whole hopes that he will work on the specifics and
come up with a time-bound, implementable framework
that will not only help all segments of the aviation
business but also protect the interests of passengers.

n May 28, 1964, I was a 10-year-old


carried across by waves of mourners in Delhi, from the ramparts of
Red Fort towards the Yamuna, to
see flames rising from the funeral pyre of
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Twenty
years later, I was again a part of several processions for peace near my home in Jangpura
Extension, this time fearfully watching
flames leap out of shops and homes belonging
to Sikhs, which had been singled out and
become the target of arson in the aftermath of
the assassination of Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. In those 20 years, the idea of India,
embodying diversity and democracy, tolerance and self-confidence, had given way to a
closing of the Indian mind and an upsurge of
xenophobia. The foreign hand phobia was
particularly strong during Prime Minister Indira Gandhis many years in office, especially
during the internal state of Emergency.
In June this year, an Intelligence Bureau
(IB) report accused some foreign-funded
non-governmental organisations, including
Greenpeace, of serving as tools for foreign
policy interests of western governments, by
sponsoring agitations against nuclear and
coal-fired power plants across the country.
Their actions, according to the IB, had a negative impact on Indias GDP growth!

Receptivity to ideas
Immediately after Independence, we
might have expected India to suspect the motives of imperialist powers. But there was
actually no xenophobia at that time. Jawaharlal Nehrus receptivity to ideas from all quarters was phenomenal in its range and depth.
S. Gopal, Nehrus biographer, points out that
the socialist Nehru believed in the marketplace of ideas, not commodities. He invited a
number of intellectuals to be his interlocutors. Mahatma Gandhi had affirmed with
supreme confidence: I do not want my house
to be walled in on all sides and my windows to
be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to
be blown about my house as freely as possible.
But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any .
Sardar Patel, remembered as the Iron Man,
played a key role in safeguarding Indias
steel frame. He granted constitutional protection to all Indian Civil Service (ICS) officers who opted to serve independent India
(Article 314, repealed in 1972). In 1934, Nehru

The death of Jawaharlal Nehru signalled an end to


an era of open-mindedness. It remains to be seen
if India will ever recover a Nehruvian
self-confidence and recreate institutions, which in
their heydays brimmed with brilliant ideas
had declared that he would have nothing to do
with the ICS tradition, as it was neither Indian, nor civil and much less a service. But he
did not object to Sardar Patels proposal to
provide constitutional safeguards to ICS officers and its successor services.
Powerful countries will always want to advance their foreign policy agenda and they are
bound to gather all manner of intelligence to
that end. But this need not create paranoia
and bans on foreign funds. In 1950, the U.S.
State Department must have worried about
Nehrus admiration of the achievements of
the Soviet Union and his sympathy for the
1949 revolution in China. Anxiety about the
advance of communism in Asia may have
prompted the U.S. to encourage Paul Hoffman, former administrator of the Marshall
Plan and president of the Ford Foundation, to

first international office in New Delhi with


Ensminger as its representative. Ensmingers
claim that he was Nehrus closest confidant
should be taken with a pinch of salt. But it is a
fact that the Indian Prime Minister granted
this private American foundation diplomatic
privileges and authorised land to be leased to
it in the Lutyenss Bungalow Zone, where an
American architect, Joseph Allen Stein, built
his Steinabad to blend with Lodi Garden.
Nehru turned to Paul Appleby, a Ford
Foundation consultant, for ideas to restructure the machinery of government. He accepted Applebys recommendation that India
needed a premier institution to train officers
in the art and science of policymaking. Nehru
became the founding president of the Indian
Institute of Public Administration in 1954. In
his foreword to his first report on public ad-

The idea of India, embodying diversity and democracy,


tolerance and self-confidence, has given way to a closing of the
Indian mind and an upsurge of xenophobia.
visit India. When Nehru learnt that Hoffman
wished to visit India, he sent to him a warm
and welcoming letter in which he praised his
leadership of the Marshall Plan and told him
that India, recently liberated from colonial
dominance, was more deserving of reconstruction and development than countries
ravaged by World War II.

Bold experiments
Paul Hoffman visited India in 1951, later
followed by Douglas Ensminger, a rural sociologist from the U.S. State Department,
Nehru sent them to visit a rural development
project in Etawah which he greatly admired.
This project was a brainchild of Horace
Holmes, an agricultural extension specialist,
and Albert Meyer, a city planner. Hoffmans
visit led to the Ford Foundation opening its

ministration, Appleby said: it is my general


judgement that the Government of India is a
highly advanced one, and in the revelation of
the governments hospitality to criticism and
its insistent search for improvement. Nehru
encouraged the Ford Foundation to prepare a
report on Indias food crisis. He went through
the report carefully. He asked for more specific proposals to implement its recommendations. The second report resulted in the
Intensive Agricultural District Programme,
piloted initially in seven agriculturally wellendowed districts. These districts became the
proving ground for the Green Revolution
launched in 1965 under the stewardship of C.
Subramaniam. The confidence which Nehru
reposed in Indias scientists and his encouragement to them to seek out foreign interlocutors, was inspiration enough for M.S.

CARTOONSCAPE

The continuing
polio challenge
olio has bounced back with a vengeance in
Pakistan. Compared with 53 cases reported
during the period January to September last
year and 54 in 2012, there have been 174 cases
during the corresponding period this year. As on November 5, all of 235 cases have been recorded, the
highest-ever in the past 15 years; there were 558 cases in
1999. With a sharp spike in the numbers, Pakistan has
turned into a bigger polio reservoir, accounting for 80
per cent of the worlds cases. The Taliban militants role
in preventing nearly a quarter of a million children in
North Waziristan from being vaccinated against polio
over the last two years has marked a severe setback to
the country. The repercussions of a fake Hepatitis B
immunisation programme carried out by the Central
Intelligence Agency in Abbottabad in 2011 are also there
for everyone to see. If lack of trust in polio immunisation
efforts already existed in the community, the militants
exploited the fake programme to exacerbate distrust.
The exodus of virus-carriers from the region to the rest
of the country in June this year has greatly increased the
risk of transmission. But the good news is that none of
the regions remains inaccessible to health workers. Yet,
there is a monumental task ahead for the polio programme in Pakistan as no province is free of the disease;
even cities such as Karachi and Lahore have recorded a
few cases this year. The polio programme [in Pakistan]
is a disaster. It continues to flounder hopelessly, as its
virus flourishes, notes a recent report of the Independent Monitoring Board.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has just set an ambitious
goal of ridding the country of polio in six months. Aside
from collective action by all actors, there has to be an
immediate, transformative change in the polio programme for Pakistan to get anywhere near diseaseelimination. As November to May is a low-transmission
season the virus is the least active and the vaccine
most effective during this time a great opportunity
exists now to tame the virus. As the Type 1 virus spreads
quickly, is tenacious and is the most difficult to get rid of
epidemiologically, vaccination coverage should be 100
per cent; herd immunity is the least in India and Pakistan. It should also explore the option of giving at least
two polio shots to children in addition to the oral polio
drops. The double-vaccination strategy can greatly
boost immunity and reduce the number of oral drops
campaigns needed. With the Pakistan virus paralysing
children in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, the possibility of
it emerging in India is real. India, which has been poliofree for over three years, cannot lower its guard till such
time as polio is eliminated from Pakistan, Afghanistan
and Nigeria, the three polio-endemic countries.

CM
YK

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Maharashtra politics
The Shiv Senas decision to function
as the Opposition while continuing
talks with BJP indicates the
confused state of mind of its leader
and his inability to take decisions on
important issues (After NCP
support to BJP, Sena to sit in
Opposition,
Nov.11).
Mr.
Thackeray will realise now that had
he taken a positive stand on the
pre-election demand of the BJP for
equitable seat-sharing, the NDA
could have formed the government
in Maharashtra with a clear
majority. The NCPs support is
unreliable and there could be
another round of elections.
Prudence demands that Mr.
Thackeray abandons his overambitious stand on joining the
Fadnavis government in the
interest of stability and the welfare
of the State. It might fetch his party
good dividends later.
Arulur N. Balasubramanian,
Chennai

with a strong and upright character


and moral strength are becoming a
rarity. Otherwise, why cant Prime
Minister Narendra Modi choose
persons with a clean image and
reputation to join his Cabinet?
There
may
be
political
compulsions, but with his strong
electoral majority he can afford to
follow some principles.
Vijaya Krishna Pillai G.,
Alappuzha

The sealed envelope


I agree with the writer when he says
the rule of law will guide the
Supreme Court in taking a fair and
just decision (The question of the
sealed envelope, Nov.11). As far as
accountability is concerned, let the
Supreme Court do what is fit.
Rather than go by lists of people
who hold black money, the
government must focus its energy
on strengthening existing laws.
Ashutosh Dalal,
New Delhi

Tainted Ministers

economic growth, but that growth


should be growth with justice (Far
from sunny optimism, Nov.11).
Labour reforms should be aimed at
improving
labour
standards,
increasing the collective bargaining
power of workers and unifying
labour laws. There seems to be very
little concern for demands raised by
labour and trade unions. For
instance, the amendment in the
Industrial Disputes Act made by
Rajasthan makes hiring and firing
simpler.
R.S. Charan,
Jodhpur
When the mantras of labour
reform and regulatory reform
are constantly chanted, what they
actually represent are nothing but
euphemisms for the dilution, or
even elimination of hard-fought
labour and environmental safety
laws. We need to be reminded of
what reforms have actually done to
workers in the developed world.
With the election of Margaret
Thatcher and Ronald Reagan,
organised and industrial labour
suffered setbacks. Environmental
laws suffered similar erosion. It is
worth noting that corporations
which treat labour poorly treat the
environment the same way.
Another area of contention is in
suggesting labour law reform to
permit women to work in night
shifts. Women should not be
reduced to nocturnal wage slaves
subservient
to
corporate
capitalism.
G. Parameswaran,
Coimbatore

Anti-Malala day

No optimism

Inputs for policy


Nehru welcomed the participation of a
number of foreign scholars in a grand experiment of democratic socialism. He handpicked Mahalanobis and Pitambar Pant to
shape the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission and the Indian Statistical
Institute were encouraged by Nehru to invite
brilliant minds to visit and work in India
these included Ragnar Frisch, Jan Tinbergen,
Oskar Lange, Charles Bettelheim, Richard
Stone, Simon Kuznets, N. Georgescu-Roegen,
Branko Horvat, Paul Baran, Ian Little, Micha
Kalecki, Nicholas Kaldor, Gunnar Myrdal and
Joan Robinson. No other institution anywhere in the world would have welcomed,
with such supreme self-confidence, such a
vast range of ideas and debates concerning
Indias most important policy choices. Milton
Friedman visited India and criticised the Mahalanobis model. Nehru, ever an ardent disciple of Harold Laski, did not find those ideas
compelling.
The death of Nehru signalled an end to an
era of open-mindedness. The Planning Commissions collaborative project with the MIT
Center for International Studies ended in
1964. Sukhamoy Chakravarty, Kirit Parikh,
Henri Lefebvre, Richard Eckhaus, Alan
Mann, all scholars of impeachable integrity,
came under the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) cloud. This was the moment when the
Planning Commission became fearful of foreigners. It remains to be seen if India will ever
recover a Nehruvian self-confidence and recreate an institution which in its heyday
brimmed with brilliant ideas.
(R. Sudarshan, former staff of UNDP and
the Ford Foundation, is Dean, Jindal School
of Government and Public Policy, Sonipat.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

The article has tried to bring a


semblance of clarity to the
obfuscation and prevarication
route taken by the government.
Although
comparing
our
investigations and actions with
those of the U.S. in retrieving
untaxed money might not be fair,
the least one expects the
government to do is to be serious
and aligned with the rule of just law.
Hiding behind a maze of
international agreements and laws
that have not been able to stop this
laundering, has given ample time to
wrongdoers to transfer the wealth
After reading the item, Congress, to other locations.
Aatish Sharma,
BJP spar over... tainted Ministers
Mohali It was shocking that an association
(Nov.11), it appears there is a
of Pakistani schools observed an I
shortage of politicians with an
am
not
Malala
day
impeccable track record. Or is it a
reflection of the moral turpitude I agree with the writer that there is a (International, Nov.11). Has it
that we see all around us? People need for labour reforms to boost forgotten her suffering under the
Mr. Sharad Pawars unasked,
unconditional and unilateral
statement is amusing. Has he
forgotten that in election rallies the
NCP was attacked and labelled as
the Naturally Corrupt Party? If
the BJP is honest politically and
morally, it should have turned down
the NCPs support. Ensuring
stability is not an excuse to ignore
corruption.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad

Swaminathan to invite Norman Borlaug to


India in 1963 and followed up his visit with
experiments in India to adapt Mexican wheat
varieties to Indian conditions.
Nehru took a personal interest in many of
the innovative projects and ideas of consultants brought to India by the Ford Foundation. Wolf Ladejinsky impressed upon Nehru
the urgency of land reforms to arrest the
growing numbers of landless labourers. Land
to the tiller became his rallying call. But it fell
on the deaf ears of the Congress partys leadership in many States which remained imbued with the old zamindari mentality, as
Nehru called it. Unlike the land reforms programme, which failed, there were other foreign-inspired ideas which had more
successful outcomes. Nehru encouraged the
Ford Foundation to support the National
Council of Applied Economic Research
(NCAER) established in 1956 to provide independent policy advice to both government
and the private sector. P.S. Lokanathan, its
first director, left a legacy of professional integrity that has endured to this day. On the
advice of Pupul Jayakar, Nehru invited Charles and Ray Eames to visit India. The 1958
Eames Report was warmly received by Nehru.
It led to the establishment of the National
Institute of Design (NID), which is a tribute
to the genius of Indian design and what the
Eameses called vernacular expressions of
design (they wrote paens of praise for the
lota) and everyday solutions to unspectacular problems. NID remains an invitation to
make in India, for civilisational reasons, not
for the crass and commercial reasons now in
vogue.
A remark by Vinobha Bhave, to the effect
that the days of politics and religion were
gone and the days of science and spirituality
have come, greatly impressed Nehru. He was
struck by the symbolism of the Trimurti of
Elephanta Caves gazing benignly across the
Arabian Sea at the Atomic Research Centre in
Trombay, a monument to the triumph of Indias scientists. Nehru kept in touch with
Robert Oppenheimer, listened to J.B.S. Haldane, and entrusted to Verrier Elwin plans to
safeguard tribals in the northeast of India.

Talibans brutal rule in northwest


Pakistans Swat Valley? What does
it mean by accusing her of being a
Western agent on a mission to
shame her country? Malala
Yousafzai has been recognised
globally for her courage to stand up
to the barbaric dictum of the
Taliban of not to educate girls. Is
this the way one honours the young
Nobel Peace laureate? Liberals and
intellectuals among Muslims must
condemn such acts.
T.P. Kurian Kandanad,
Bengaluru

Good governance
The arguments advanced in the
article, In furtherance of good
governance (Oct.25), are flimsy
and must be refuted. T.C.A.
Srinivasavaradan, former Union
Home Secretary and an expert on
the Constitution, once said the
flexibility of the political system,
the sagacity of the political
leadership and its openness to
information from all quarters are
the key to good governance. A
bureaucrats ability to give
independent advice to the political
leadership is only one element in
this complex process. But the
Indian political system lost these
qualities long ago. For example, the
UPA government sought to address
the problem of Maoist violence on
the basis of advice by the IB, that it
constituted the greatest internal
security threat to the political
system, and ignored contrary advice
in the Planning Commissions
Expert
Group
report
on
Development
Challenges
in
Extremist-affected Areas (2008)
that reflected the collective wisdom
of 18 subject-matter specialists.
Unfortunately, the NDA does not
appear to have any intention to
revive or act on the report. In an

article in the Economic and


Political Weekly (Aug. 7, 2010), I
argued, based on my experience in
the Union Home Ministry, that
Maoist violence, among other
things, is a response to increasing
atrocities against Dalits and
Adivasis by the state and by the
rural power structure, and that the
developmental approach advocated
by the Planning Commission
should be adopted. It is interesting
that
the
Chief
Ministers
conferences between 2006 and
2010 did not include Ministers
dealing with the development of
Dalits and Adivasis but mainly
Chief Ministers and Home
Ministers.
A certain kind of scholarship in
the past created a false dichotomy
between the honest bureaucrat and
the dishonest politician, which does
not exist. It is problematic to
assume that the bureaucracy always
gives independent, impartial and
correct advice to the political
leadership. Structural interaction
between politicians, bureaucrats
and vested interests in rural society
has not only distorted the process of
development but also led to massive
corruption. The Vohra Committee
report (1993) talked of the collusion
between politicians, bureaucrats,
and criminals which led to the
criminalisation of politics and
politicisation of crime. The
experience during the Emergency,
the anti-Sikh carnage and the
Gujarat riots indicated widespread
collusion between politicians,
bureaucrats and elements in civil
society. Prime Minister Narendra
Modis advice to bureaucrats in
New Delhi to report directly to him
seems to indicate he does not trust
his own party politicians in charge
of the Ministries.
K.S. Subramanian,
New Delhi
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Nehru: The writer, the historian


C
Mushirul Hasan

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Tarnished victory
in Maharashtra
head of its floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly, it was clear that the 13-day-old Devendra Fadnavis-led government would win
its vote of confidence, even though with 122
MLAs the BJP was 22 short of a majority. The 41member-strong Nationalist Congress Party had indicated from the start that it would abstain from voting,
an act that, by reducing the effective strength of the
House, would have ensured the BJP government a safe
passage. By the time voting day came, the NCP had gone
a step further in agreeing to vote for the government,
and that would have given it a margin of 19 votes. Yet, on
Wednesday the BJP chose to allow its victory to be
tarnished even undermined by refusing to agree to
a division, or an actual head-count: instead, despite
vociferous protests by members of the Congress and the
Shiv Sena, some of whom entered the well of the Assembly, the minority BJP government won its confidence motion through a voice vote. The question then
arises: if the BJP could have anyway won through actual
counting of heads, why would it opt for a voice vote, one
that has much less legitimacy, and that too at the very
start of a five-year term?
It is hard to believe that the BJP, buoyed by the
continuing popular sentiment in its favour, lacked the
confidence to go for an actual vote. More plausible is
that the BJP did not wish to be seen as taking support
from the NCP, a party that it targeted sharply not just
through the election campaign but in the years that it
was in the opposition, for gross acts of corruption. If the
NCP, that had presided over the Irrigation Ministry for
a decade, for instance, was seen as responsible for a
financial scandal that reportedly ran into thousands of
crores of rupees, forcing NCP leader Ajit Pawar to
resign from the post of Deputy Chief Minister, there
were other scams that NCP leaders such as Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal were accused of. For the BJP
to be seen now as taking support from a party that has
been so closely associated with graft in the name of
providing a stable government, its leaders possibly
felt, would cast a shadow over its promise of providing
good governance and a clean and transparent administration. But, in the weeks ahead, the Fadnavis government could find it hard focussing on the job at hand,
with the Sena accusing it of strangling democracy and
the Congress warning that it would not allow any business in the Assembly to be conducted till the government obtains a fresh trust vote, and threatening to bring
a no-confidence motion against newly-elected Speaker
Haribhau Bagade who overruled the demand for division. The new government may have to face a vote on
the Governors Address, for which it will have to marshal its forces again. Clearly, not a propitious beginning.

ertain segments in our society are


engaged in a futile and odious comparison between the tall leaders of
our freedom struggle; some others
are out to diminish Jawaharlal Nehrus stature and repudiate his legacy. Without being
swayed by the rhetoric of the publicists or the
ill-informed mediamen, we need to bolster
Nehrus position as the second best leader
after the Mahatma. Swachh Bharat will not
do. Whosoever is in power, Nehrus memory
must be kept alive in the interest of our democratic and secular values. Students of Indian
history, on the other hand, will benefit from
his writings, which embrace the creative
thrust and splendour of the Continental and
Indian civilisation.
Nehru was a voracious reader: he read 55
books from May 21, 1922 till January 29, 1923
alone. He delved into philosophy, and turned
the pages of history to illuminate his understanding of the ideas and movements, which
stood apart as the catalyst for momentous
changes. In so doing, he looked through other
peoples writings to understand how simple,
ordinary men and women became heroes,
and how their strivings made history stirring
and epoch-making. Prison had made a man of
him, he told the Socialist leader, Acharya Narendra Deva (1889-1956), while they were in
jail for the last time in 1942.

Whosoever is in power, Jawaharlal Nehrus


memory must be kept alive in the interest of our
democratic and secular values. Students of Indian
history will benefit from his writings, which
embrace the creative thrust and splendour of the
Continental and Indian civilisation

for fellowship and guidance, arrange his the vital necessity to apply it intelligently and
thoughts, and evolve his political creed undis- reasonably to the present and the future.
His vision was hardly ever trapped in the
turbed by external influences. This exercise
exclusivist, culturological mode; far from it; it
affected the whole gamut of his emotions.
was supremely inclusive and driven by a beIn enchantment of history
lief in the existence, even the necessity of
Jawaharlal Nehrus writings transmit the cultures constantly interacting with each
enthusiasm and animation he felt for the dis- other, of cultures working on and transformcipline of history. In fact, there is something ing the other and their own through a live
uncanny about the way in which a self-taught contact. In fact, he talked of a whole people
and amateur historian like him explored the becoming full of faith for a great cause, and
unbounded universe in full variety. True, his brought to the fore their treasures of knowlvision was far from settled, but it was being edge, learning, heroism and devotion. He
etched out in conjunction and in contention looked at the entire world with a fresh eye and
with other voices.
gave a balanced view of mans life on many
He lived in the enchantment of the ancient continents. His was a global view not an
and medieval histories of India, and sought to Asian view any more than it was a European
understand it in terms of the present and one.
even of the future to come. Why should there
be so much misery in the world? This ques- Understanding ideas
tion troubled him. Why do people argue and
With this eclectic approach, he called for
quarrel among themselves as a sect or a reli- breaking down national histories and con-

Writing to regenerate
Why did he write? Who did he write for? He
had no archives to consult; so he relied on his
recollections and on bits of information that
he could conceal. He disliked being called a
writer, and yet, armed with a varied experience of affairs, writing became a congenial
occupation. Sometimes he didnt write for
weeks, now and again he wrote daily. His
letters from jail represented his moods and
thoughts at the time of each event; they were
also his escapes from gaol.
He wrote to regenerate his generation, to
render them capable of following Gandhijis
non-violent satyagraha, and to put before
them the tangled web of current affairs in
Russia, Germany, England, America, Japan,
China, France, Spain, Italy and Central Europe. It was a tangled web no doubt, difficult
to unravel and difficult even to see as a whole.
Yet, he presented the many-coloured life of
other ages and countries, analysed the ebb
and flow of the old civilisations, and took up
ideas in their full flow. The superimposed
loneliness empowered him to turn to himself

Without being swayed by the rhetoric of the publicists or


the ill-informed mediamen, we need to bolster Nehrus position
as the second best leader after the Mahatma. Swachh Bharat
will not do.

gious group? Why are they blind to the vision


of freedom? His comments on political affairs, many of which tend to corroborate or
supplement, to a fair degree, with the information that is available to us from some
other sources.
Nehru asked what he was heir to, and answered that he was heir to all that humanity
had achieved over tens of thousands of years,
to all that it had thought and felt and suffered
and taken joy in, to its cries of triumph and its
bitter agonies of defeat, to that astonishing
adventure, which had begun so long ago and
yet continued and beckoned to man. Besides
commenting on the wisdom of Indias great
inexhaustible spiritual heritage, he talked of

structing a more relevant world history as a


means to understand the global exchange of
ideas in the past and the necessity of exchange for a better future. He wanted books
not for specialists alone but also for the general, interested lay reader in a popular and
accessible mode. He wanted books on the
daily lives of ordinary men and women who
lived in the past (family budgets from hundreds of years ago, he suggests could show us
how life was organised in that age!). And he
wanted Asias history to be read as widely as
possible so that the readers should think of all
the countries and all the peoples, and not
merely of one little country.
Glimpses of World History is not a stan-

CARTOONSCAPE

Needed,
a wider debate
he Gujarat governments new law making voting compulsory in local body elections will
surely attract judicial attention, as it expressly
raises the constitutional question whether citizens, qualified to be electors, can be compelled to vote
when they do not wish to. The idea of making voting
compulsory in response to declining voter turnout in
successive elections has been debated for many years,
but so far this country has not been able to make up its
mind on such a far-reaching measure. The principal
objection has always been that voting in a particular
way, or even refraining from voting, is a matter concerning the freedom of expression. Even though the right to
cast ones vote is only a statutory right, the Supreme
Court has recognised that the act of choosing one candidate over another falls under the freedom of expression
guaranteed in Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. It is as
a complementary or auxiliary right flowing from this
fundamental right that it held that voters had a right to
know the background of candidates so that they can
exercise their right in an informed manner. Therefore,
there is little doubt that the Gujarat Local Authorities
Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2009 will impact on this fundamental right. Former Governor Kamla Beniwal had declined to give her assent and returned the 2009 Bill to
the Gujarat government for reconsideration in 2010 on
the same grounds, observing that forcing voters to vote
is against the principles of individual liberty.
The Gujarat Assembly adopted it again in March 2011.
Once again, Ms. Beniwal did not give her assent. It has
now received the assent of Governor O.P. Kohli. According to the statement of objects and reasons, due to
low turnout of voters to discharge their duty by exercising their right to vote, the true spirit of the will of the
people is not reflected in the electoral mandate. It says
that if a voter failed to vote for reasons other than those
permitted in the rules, he may be declared a defaulter
voter. However, the penalty has not been spelt out and
it may find a place only in rules to be framed in future.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party considers it a revolutionary measure, while the Congress has opposed it. The
amendment includes a provision to fix the reservation
for women in local bodies at 50 per cent, a provision that
nobody objects to. While Gujarat has the right to adopt
laws in tune with the aspirations of its own people,
legislation such as this with far-reaching consequences
is best adopted after evolving a wider consensus. As far
as general voting principles go, it is relevant to see what
Section 79(d) of the Representation of the People Act
says: that electoral right includes the right to vote or
refrain from voting at an election.

CM
YK

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


sterilisation involve women, and
these are forced on them either by
The news of the death of 11 women the men of the house or as a result of
in Chhattisgarh after undergoing inducement by officials with
faulty
surgical
sterilisation monetary benefits. The money
procedures is shocking (Nov.12). It offered is paltry. The authorities do
is puzzling that such incidents not have the right to show scant
happen while India is considered to regard for the womens life just
be a preferred medical tourism because they are poor. This incident
destination. No doubt our doctors is another instance of how India
are dedicated and duty conscious, treats its poor and women.
S. Emmanuel,
but letting deaths occur on such a
Madurai
scale is unpardonable. Was it
carelessness, lack of supervision or
resort to a medically faulty As Kate Gilmore, deputy executive
approach? Also, were the patients director of the United Nations
Population Fund, has rightly put it,
screened in advance for risks?
C. Raju, sterilisation deaths are a great
Madurai human
tragedy.
Were
83
procedures done in five hours just to
The loss of precious human lives is create a record? Could these not
due to the insensitivity of the State have been done in phases?
A. Jainulabdeen,
administration to extend quality
Chennai
medical care to the poor and the
downtrodden, and the negligence of
the State Health Department It is a fact that tubectomy is more
officials. What has happened is complicated and risky than a
worrisome as it will now certainly vasectomy. Studies by independent
discourage women from undergoing agencies show that in most
sterilisation camps, women are
sterilisation procedures.
K. Sivaraman, coerced into undergoing the
Gummidipoondi, Tamil Nadu procedure. Conditions are often
unhygienic and complications set
Mass medical contact programmes in. The State governments need to
like sterilisation camps and cataract address these issues.
Mohd Younis,
removal camps must be either
Rahmo, J&K
banned or carried out only with
proper checks and balances. It is
well-known that in many such mass
camps, unhygienic conditions The report, Anxious Cong. keeps
prevail. Further, it is only the poor PM out of Nehru meet (Nov.12),
reveals the Congresss deep
who attend these camps.
Dammalapati Shyamprasad, insecurity. The best way the
Guntur Congress could have tackled any
plan by the BJP to appropriate the
In India, 98 per cent of cases of event would have been to invite

Botched procedures

Politics over Nehru

dard textbook, but it still makes an impression of sustained intellectual power. Received
with a chorus of admiration, it has become
standard reading in India, Africa, Europe, and
the United States. Fenner Brockway (18881988), a friend of India and for many years
Secretary of the Independent Labour Party,
mentioned that his daughter learnt more
from Glimpses than any other history book
she had studied at school.
Written almost entirely in prison in the
1930s, it bears the mark of a passionate, albeit
humane, nationalism. Others have also put
pen to paper on their life and times, but the
biography glows with patriotic feelings.
There is no cover-up, and no concealment of
facts. As for the self, the influences are too
subtle, too diffused, to be easily identified or
measured. The author loved India tenderly,
and, in the words of Monod, to him that loved,
much may be forgiven.
Autobiographical confessions cannot be regarded as accurate descriptions of a consistent life, and yet Jawaharlal Nehrus
narrative is out of the ordinary precisely for
its tropes and figures of thought, without
which he would not have turned the real
events of life into a narrative and transform
them from a chronicle into a story.
The Discovery of India is a hymn to the
glories of India. He mapped the metaphysical
and philosophic approach to life, idealised
ancient India as a world apart, independent of
and superior to the rest of the civilisations,
toning down the barbarism of the caste system and throwing the warm colours of fancy
around his narrative. At the same time, with
his eyes set on Indias infinite charm, variety
and oneness he worked ceaselessly for a synthesis, drawing on the best, and breaking with
the worst. He consciously followed Gandhi
and Tagore in the direction of the universal.
Consequently,
India
appears
in
The Discovery as a space of ceaseless cultural
mixing, and in the past as a celebration of the
soiling effects of cultural miscegenation and
accretion.

The Nehruvian legacy


While the romantic in Nehru drew on the
old and new interpretations to buttress an
ecumenical and universalistic point of view,
some of the other Indian writers did so from a
rather narrow perspective. He conducts the
reader through the labyrinth of a colonial era,
narrates the most complex events, and recreates portraits of outstanding fellow countrymen. By and large, his writings make public
the spirit and substance of his many-sidedness, the deep-seated urge to freedom, and
the negative response to the concomitants
and consequences of colonial rule.
What is the Nehruvian legacy? Those living
in a vibrant parliamentary democracy and
amid creative institutions should not ask this
question unless they wish to be identified
with the Nehru-debunkers. They must remember that Nehru kept the country together, established secular ideals, propelled it
forward with the thrust of science and modernity, healed some of the wounds of Partition, and stood before the world at the head of
the non-aligned camp. Men may break,
Gandhi was to say on the eve of the Quit India
Movement, but they should not bend beyond
brute force. His political heir did just that
through his public life. He shared with tens
and thousands of prisoners the changing
moods of exaltations and depressions, of intense activity and enforced leisure. He buttressed the idea that man is not just a simple
individual but a crowd of thoughts and ideas.
What raised Nehru in public estimation
was his concern for the poor and the underprivileged. The life of the people, which flows
in a dark current beneath political events,
attracted his attention the circumstances,
sorrows and joys of millions of humble men
and women. Even if his personal misfortunes
had a melodramatic tinge, there was, always, a
constant element of moral austerity to serve
as a counterweight.
(Mushirul Hasan is Jawaharlal Nehru
Fellow and, formerly, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia
Millia Islamia, and Director General,
National Archives of India.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
leaders from that party and then
engage them in a debate of a high
R. Sudarshan speaks with a tone of
intellectual order.
A.S. Raj, Lost Nehruvian Legacy, which I
Bengaluru fear is turning out to be true
(Nov.12). Nehru was in one of the
While it is most admirable to most critical positions during a
celebrate the birth anniversary of crucial period for independent
the first Prime Minister of India in India. He didnt stick to the old
the most fitting manner as a tolerant mentality of other State Congress
and democratic leader, it is hard to leaders. With self-confidence and in
digest the fact that this is being the spirit of experiment, he created
arranged by the Congress when an idea called Make in India. But
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is this idea today is assumed to have
not in the country. Pandit Nehru been invented by Narendra Modi.
does not belong to any individual Mr. Modi has not only scrapped the
party but to the country. Both the Planning Commission but he has
Congress and the BJP need to be also tried to abandon the idea of
reminded of Nehrus quote: Time is India. This is not the right time for a
not measured by the passing of years developing country like India to
but by what one does, what one ignore the experience of the wise.
feels, and what one achieves.
The question is: will Nehru survive
A.J. Rangarajan, Modi?
Chennai
Akram,
Kurnool
Everyone around the world knows
that Nehru, besides being a The stalwarts of the freedom
celebrated Prime Minister, lived as a struggle, Nehru, Rajaji and Sardar
teacher of precepts, a preacher of Patel, often did not see eye-to-eye
morals, an interpreter of religion with one another, yet their different
and an ambassador of culture. talents helped India to get off to a
Therefore, it will not be possible for good start. Nehru stirred the
anyone to reduce such a historic imagination of the people. History
personality to a mere childrens and circumstances thrust upon
icon. By keeping Mr. Modi out of it, Nehru the responsibility of guiding
the Congress has shown itself in our nation, and he used his rapport
poor light. The current attitude of with the people to lay the
the Congress is in conflict with the foundations for a strong and
ideologies of the great man who democratic
India.
He
also
loved the nation that he led so well. established many a scientific
The Congress party should strive to institution because he understood
follow the rich traditions of the role and value of science for a
tolerance set by Mahatma Gandhi developing nation. They also
and Nehru.
nurtured a large pool of talent.
J. Eden Alexander,
H.N. Ramakrishna,
Thanjavur
Bengalaru

The idea of India

No entry for girls?


As a student of Aligarh Muslim
University, I know that there is no
need to allow undergraduate girls to
the library as they have their own
well-equipped library in the
womens college. Rather than
labelling the Vice-Chancellor as
sexist, we need to accept the fact
that the library in question has
space constraints. Mr. Shah is
talking on the basis of actual fact.
Yogita Sharma,
Bulandshahr
The issue is not of discrimination
against women but more about
administration and security issues.
The need is to address the question
of availability of books to them. It
can be done either by expanding the
central library or ensuring a greater
number of books at residential
libraries. Let the administration and
the young women of the university
decide how best it could be achieved.
Zafar Iqbal,
Kanpur
The discriminatory comment, and
from a leading university official,
shows that patriarchy is still deeply
entrenched in our social system.
Access to educational institutions
and their different centres is a
fundamental right. Barring women
from going to a library is an
infringement on their rights. The
way young women are treated in
some educational institutions is
deplorable,
with
pedagogical
processes
oriented
towards
achieving their gendered goals.
Soopan Peru,
Aligarh
ND-ND

10

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

For a public policy road map


T
C. Raj Kumar

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Targets that
endanger lives
t is at once sobering and shocking that the sterilisation procedures (laparoscopic tubectomy)
carried out on 83 women at a camp in Pendari
village of Chhattisgarhs Bilaspur district on November 8 ended up killing 11 women and leaving 69
others ill, some of them critically. In another such sterilisation camp held in Guarella in the same district on
November 10, one of the 56 women sterilised has died
and 12 remain in critical condition. Even as the precise
cause of the tragedies is being investigated, what is
abundantly clear is that the standard operating procedures were thrown to the winds. It is appalling that a
single doctor and a health worker carried out the procedures on all the women in both the camps. According to a
2008 document dealing with standard operating procedures for sterilisation services in such camps, a surgeon
can carry out no more than 30 tubectomies using three
laparoscopes on a given day. Even a team with additional
surgeons, support staff and instruments can at the most
conduct 50 procedures a day. Even if more than one
laparoscope was used, the detailed procedure of decontaminating and cleaning the laparoscope prior to disinfecting it for 20 minutes would have made it impossible
to conduct 83 procedures in less than five hours at
Pendari and 56 procedures at Guarella in such a short
time. It is an irony that though laparoscopic tubectomy
is a bloodless procedure, many women in the Pendari
camp went into haemorrhagic shock due to excessive
blood loss. Along with anaesthesia and drugs given to
women, the needle of suspicion points to sepsis arising
from the use of contaminated laparoscopes.
Sadly, rules will continue to be flouted and deaths will
be the order of the day as long as the lethal combination
of pressure to meet sterilisation targets, compensation amounts given to women and payment to doctors
on the basis of numbers, are in place. Making it worse is
the undivided attention the government has been giving
to sterilisation as a means of achieving by 2020 the
Millennium Development Goal on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. This
comes out clearly in a letter sent out on October 20, 2014
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to the
Chief Ministers of 11 high focus States. The compensation and payment made to all the parties have been
increased for these States. Already, the number of sterilisation procedures carried out in India is disproportionately high compared with other family planning
measures such as the use of intrauterine devices. If the
accredited social health activists (ASHA) are under pressure to mobilise women for sterilisation, the increased
focus on the 11 States would mean that women in these
States are even less likely to be counselled and informed
of safer contraceptive methods to choose from.

he Global Competitiveness Report


2014-15 published by the World
Economic Forum (WEF) has
ranked India 71 in its Global Competitiveness Index (GCI). This report assesses the competitiveness of 144 global
economies based on 12 points. These include
institutions, infrastructure, health and education, labour market efficiency, technological readiness, innovation and business
sophistication. India was ranked 60 in 201314. Now, it occupies the lowest position
among the BRICS countries. Russia was
ranked 64 in 2013-14, four ranks below India, but is 53 in 2014-15. China is 28. The GCI
rankings for 2014-15, followed by , in brackets, the 2013-14 rankings, which were for 148
economies are: Brazil 57 (56); Russia 53 (64);
Indian 71 (60); China 28 (29) and South
Africa 56 (53).
Indias global competitiveness is inextricably linked to its ability to formulate and
implement sound and effective public policies. Public policymaking is one of the most
ignored aspects of governance in India. In
fact, we have mastered the art of adhocism
for governance, with little or no effort to seek
empirical analysis in formulating public policy. While all empirical analyses have their
inherent limitations, they are indispensable
in weighing different options from the point
of view of policy effectiveness. Public policy
is critical in every aspect of governance, not
least for making laws, rules, regulations, executive orders and administrative directions, and for formulating policies of the
government. The purpose of public policy is
to not only provide answers to all questions,
but also to do so by helping the government
to ask the right questions in the first place.

Using empirical analysis


In recent times, public policy as a discipline has brought to bear many fields of
inquiry with a view to addressing the central
problems of governance. Public policy analysis requires a more rigorous approach in
which many fields of inquiry, including, but
not limited to sociology, political science,
law, anthropology, ethics and history besides
economics, remain relevant. This kind of
analysis and approach to public policy is
indispensable for good governance. An example of such a multidisciplinary approach

Indias global competitiveness is inextricably


linked to its ability to formulate and implement
sound public policies, the making of which is one
of the most ignored aspects of governance
to assessing public policy effectiveness is the
recent India Public Policy Report 2014.
There are some pointers in a road map for
public policy-based governance. Here are
four points, the first being evaluating policy
effectiveness through empirical analysis. It
is essential that empirical analysis forms the
basis for determining policy effectiveness.
For far too long, public policy formulation
has been based on anecdotal evidence, perceptions of what might work and what would
not, conventional wisdom of our political
and bureaucratic hierarchies, and specious
forms of populism. But, as we develop and
become a more mature democracy in which
reasonable people can disagree as to what is
the best way to govern India, there is a need
to develop a stronger and sounder empirical
basis for policy formulation. Policy formula-

regimes advocating these policies then end


up working to justify why these policies are
not good. The root of this problem can be
traced to the fact that in the first place, these
policies were not thought through properly
and were not based upon sound empirical
foundations to justify their formulation.

Issue of scrutiny
The second is rigorous legal and constitutional scrutiny before law and policy formulation. The last few decades of governance in
India have demonstrated the growing importance of courts and quasi-judicial institutions. Today, more than ever before, every
law, policy, rule and regulation formulated
by governments and regulatory bodies is being increasingly subject to rigorous legal and
constitutional scrutiny. The typical govern-

One of the unfortunate aspects of governance in India is that


whenever any new government comes to power, be it in a State
or at the Centre, it spends considerable time undoing many
things that the previous government had done.
tion should move beyond the whims and
fancies of power holders or the good intentions of a few individuals. It should rest
upon sound institutional basis in which
there is both continuity and change over
time. A potential advantage of policy formulation through empirical analysis is that it
reduces the risk of dramatic changes in policy due to changes in government after
elections.
One of the unfortunate aspects of governance in India is that whenever any new government comes to power, be it in a State or at
the Centre, it spends considerable time undoing many things that the previous government had done. The strange thing in this
approach to public policy formulation is that
many a time, the same officers who were
involved in policy formulation in previous

ment response has been that this is judicial


activism which is hindering the process of
executive decision-making and policy formulation. However, if the executive and the
legislature accords more time, thought and
reflection before passing laws or making policies, the risk of them being challenged in the
courts and the courts declaring them to be in
violation of the law or the Constitution, can
be considerably reduced. Adhocism, vested
interests, biases and prejudices, discrimination and arbitrariness in policy formulation
and implementation have made laws and
policies more vulnerable to judicial negation. It does not augur well for a mature
democracy when every decision of the government ends up being challenged in a court
of law. The effective functioning of democracies through constitutional governance pre-

CARTOONSCAPE

Rivals turn the


tables on climate
ednesdays deal between the worlds two
biggest emitters of greenhouse gases
(GHGs) raises the prospect of a robust
international agreement in Paris next
year. Although the two countries account for over onethird of global GHG emissions, the U.S. and China have
for the best part of the last 20 years been hostage to
economic arguments to act decisively on global warming. Now, the U.S. has promised to cut emissions by an
extent of 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025,
which would mark a near-doubling of the current pace
of reductions. As for China, President Xi Jinping has
pledged that the countrys emissions would peak by
around 2030; by that time, solar and wind power would
account for 20 per cent of overall energy sources. This is
based on projections of a slowdown in economic
growth, a phase-out of obsolete power plants and a rise
in the share of renewables. In the absence of further
details, environment experts and activists remain unsure of the full implications of the latest agreement. But
the political significance of the agreement is clearly
beyond doubt. The latest announcements represent a
huge advance over the entrenched positions held by the
two countries until recently. Washington did not ratify
the lone legally-binding global pact to cut emissions
the 1997 Kyoto Protocol as it opposed the view that
developed and developing countries had differentiated
responsibilities on countering global warming. Beijing
was exempted from the requirements of the Protocol in
view of its status as a developing country.
The proposals presented by the U.S. and China follow
the announcement last month of a 40 per cent reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 for the entire European
Union. Together, the package from these three main
players would create the momentum for other major
high carbon footprint countries to come up with matching commitments ahead of upcoming talks in Lima and
a final deal in Paris. Notable among these are India,
Indonesia, Australia and Brazil. In the meantime, President Barack Obama would have to sell the deal to a
Republican-dominated Congress, with its share of climate-sceptics. The leaders of the Group of 20 countries
meeting in Brisbane this weekend should act on their
commitment to reduce subsidies for the further exploration of oil, gas and coal. The September 2014 report of
the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate
also makes a strong case against the prevailing high
subsidies regime. Beijing and Washington should exert
their considerable clout to realise this objective at the
earliest. Such an effort would be consistent with their
pledge to increase reliance on renewable energy.

CM
YK

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Contributing just 6 per cent of
global GHGs, India may seem to be
The Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP on the safe side. But with the surge
governments first floor test in in its population and new policies
Maharashtra might have resulted geared towards industrial growth,
in a victory for the government, things could change. India must
but the undue haste with which now aim earnestly to limit its
newly elected Speaker Haribhau existing levels of emission.
Vinod Kalapala,
Bagde had his way with the
Nuzvid, Andhra Pradesh
proceedings has understandably
left the Congress and the Shiv Sena
fuming (Fadnavis government
carries the day, Nov.13). It is Doctors are under oath to serve
apparent that the voice vote was humanity. Yet, what has happened
used
to
cover
up
any in Chhattisgarh (Nov.12 and 13)
embarrassment that the BJP indicates, prima facie, medical
might have faced in case of a negligence. I recollect what an
division where it would have Indian doctor who had worked
become clear that the BJP had abroad said. He was not in the least
taken the support of the NCP. surprised that such things happen
With the Sena now ranged firmly as, according to him, many doctors
against the BJP, the State here practise trial and error
government will certainly find the treatment.
Aryangat Chandran,
going tough, especially as the NCP
Kochi
will now begin to demand its
pound of flesh.
C.V. Aravind, Give me good mothers and I shall
Bengaluru give you a great nation, said
Napoleon Bonaparte. On the
The trust vote constituted nothing contrary, our leaders seem to be
but political skulduggery. The totally unconcerned about the
NCPs support is but a quid pro health of our women. In our nation
quo for the dropping of the where more than 95 per cent of
corruption cases against its female
sterilisation
involves
leaders. No doubt, the Opposition tubectomy, an element of care and
will now seek the intervention of caution is a necessity.
Aijaz Hussain Malik,
the judiciary.
M.K.B. Nambiar,
Pattan, J&K
Mahe
Forty years ago, an enlightened
District Collector in Kerala came
The bilateral accord between to an agreement with the Family
China and the U.S. to limit Planning Department and WHO
emissions of greenhouse gases is a and organised an efficiently run
historic breakthrough (Nov.13) family
planning
camp
in
because the two powers account Ernakulam. The venue was the
for over a third of global Town Hall, which was converted
greenhouse
gases
(GHGs). into cubicles; some 200 doctors

How fair a vote?

Sterilisation deaths

Emissions deal

supposes a minimal degree of trust among


institutions exercising their respective constitutional duties and responsibilities.

Building linkages
The third aspect is in building linkages
among government agencies and academic
institutions. Public policy formulation has
been an exclusive domain of government
departments and agencies. Historically, anybody outside the government giving suggestions to people in government was not only
frowned upon but also strongly resisted.
Government agencies including ministries
in the Central government and departments
in the State government are woefully preoccupied with a range of day-to-day matters of
governance. Their capacity and ability to
think and reflect on sound public policymaking is minimal not because of any inherent
limitations of competence, but due to a lack
of time and attention, while dealing with the
sheer magnitude of bureaucratic procedures
of their own making. Under these circumstances, it can only help the government if it
develops strong and substantive linkages
with academic institutions, research centres
and independent experts. But for these linkages to be effective and meaningful, they
should be backed by significant changes in
the internal governance structures of government bodies. The advisory role that is
hitherto played by people outside the government should give way to a stronger and
executive role so that those providing advice
feel that their arguments and analysis will be
taken seriously and not be set aside after the
pretence of consultation leading to an empty
and sham exercise in the quest for legitimacy. Public policy should enable people to
speak truth to power.

Establishing centres
The fourth is in building public policy
schools and research centres. If there is one
specific area that is crying for reform, it is the
need to establish several world-class public
policy schools in India. Interdisciplinary
studies relating to public policy, both as an
academic programme as well as a research
programme leading to cutting edge, empirical and pioneering research in various fields
are absent in India. This void is particularly
felt in the humanities and social sciences
more than in sciences, medicine and engineering. Public policymaking in India,
whether it is about building roads, bridges,
airports, sea ports, or for that matter,
launching rockets and creating nuclear power stations requires not only well-trained
engineers and scientists, but also sociologists, anthropologists, lawyers and, most of
all, public policy practitioners who can ensure a consultative dialogue among all stakeholders,
including
government
representatives. The heart of a sound public
policy programme lies in the amalgamation
of qualitative and quantitative methods for
training professionals in public policy; a
study of economics and sociology, which is
critical to the understanding of social and
economic development; law, ethics and governance, which are relevant for examining
the institutions that are responsible for public policymaking and to what extent transparency
and
accountability
inform
policymaking.
The future of governance in India is bound
to become more complex leading to disputes
and disagreements over different visions of
growth and development. In responding to
these challenges, the urgent need is for public policy-based analyses in which every
stakeholder has a voice and where every
voice adds dimension and meaning to the
development discourse. The need for ensuring public policy effectiveness is essential to
achieve good governance. Otherwise, this
goal will remain elusive and our global competitiveness will further decline, as it has
been the case for many years.
(Prof. C. Raj Kumar, a Rhodes Scholar, is
the founding Vice-Chancellor of O.P. Jindal
Global University. E-mail: VC@jgu.edu.in)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
carried out vasectomy procedures.
Those who were employed and
were operated upon were given
leave of absence for two weeks,
travel expenses, foodgrains and a
bag or a plastic bucket, then a
rarity. The attendant was given
Rs.200. Initially the Church and
Islamic clerics tried to protest, but
on witnessing the public reaction
they fell silent. A week later, a
similar camp was conducted for
women. The Collector later went
on to become a Central Minister.
Welfare was dear to him and he
went on to do wonders. He even
planned to set up clinics for
pregnant women who would have
periodic check-ups, nutritious
food and plan for the future. The
aim was to be able to persuade any
woman who had had two deliveries
to undergo sterilisation.
Sheela Chandrachudan,
Bengaluru
The deaths reveal another genderbiased practice. Medically, a
vasectomy is more efficient in
terms of both cost and safety when
compared to a tubectomy.
Dattatrey Kedare,
Nashik
How on earth would so many
women die at sterilisation camps?
This amounts to homicide
committed by the state. The entire
medical and administrative team
appears to have been casual,
callous and cruel.
Araveeti Rama Yogaiah,
Hyderabad
The disparity in terms of care
between public and private
medical facilities in India is
shameful and ranges from state-

of-the art and pampered care for


international health tourists to
situations of the kind now seen in
Chhattisgarh. When will the
government health system shake
off its lethargy, apathy and red
tapism in order to ensure quality
health care for the common man?
Kirubah Vasanthi David,
Vellore

Nehruvian legacy
Jawaharlal Nehru is a fine example
of a liberal, visionary and
progressive thinker (Nehru: The
writer, the historian, Nov.13).
However, the story of Indian
independence is of a collaborative
legacy, one in which every leader
contributed his mite. Political
parties must cease playing politics
over our national heroes.
Ashutosh Dalal,
New Delhi

polarise communities for electoral


gains will never realise the harm
they are doing to todays youth by
distorting historical facts.
Rameeza A. Rasheed,
Chennai
The legacy of Nehru as a great
leader, an orator, an educator and,
most importantly, a freedom
fighter and visionary cannot be
erased even if a few people who
forget to take a holistic view of
India and the world for their shortterm gains, tried to do so.
Ege Lollen,
Bengaluru

The article was a succinct account


of the synthesis of creativity and
commitment to humanity in
Nehrus interpretation of history.
He had a view of history as Karl
Marx: History has no other way of
answering old questions than by
In his A Discovery of India, Nehru putting new ones.
K. Chellappan,
has dispassionately analysed
Chennai
Dravidian-Aryan history though
he was of Aryan blood. His
Glimpses of World History was
written for all daughters and sons This refers to Still plagued by
of this soil. If Lord Chesterfields accidents (Editorial, Nov.11). It is
Letters (to his son) was a guide to not just the Indian Navy alone. The
all young people in the West in U.S. Navy too underwent similar
those days, Glimpses... was and is a problems till 1963 when it
guide for all young Indians.
introduced the SUBSAFE system,
P. Alwarappan, a quality assurance programme
Coimbatore applicable to planning, design,
manufacture,
installation,
Those who have read Nehrus operation and maintenance. After
writings respect and love him not the Columbia disaster, NASA was
only for his writing skills and in favour of SUBSAFE.
honest recording of historical facts
In fact, it is necessary to
but also for the way in which he introduce such methods in all
knit the country. The leaders of engineering departments in India
our freedom movement were tall to improve safety.
Purnachandra Rao V.,
leaders. Those who strain every
Chennai
sinew and nerve in their bodies to

Improving safety

ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2014

Poetics of a nation: remembering Nehru


Shiv Visvanathan

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2014

Security forces
held to account
he life sentence recommended by the General
Court Martial to five Army personnel of the 4
Rajputana Rifles a Colonel who was the commanding officer of his unit, a Captain and three
soldiers for staging a fake encounter in Kashmir has
come not a day too soon. The five were found guilty of
killing three innocent men on April 30, 2010 and passing
them off as Pakistani militants to collect cash rewards for
the encounter. Massive protests engulfed the Valley
after the killings, leading to the four-month long stonepelting agitation in which 120 more Kashmiris, mostly
teenagers and youth, were killed in street confrontations
with police and the paramilitary. After a police investigation, 11 persons, including a Colonel and two Majors, were
charge sheeted in a criminal court at Sopore. The Army
successfully stalled the proceedings before a trial court
and opted for a Court of Inquiry, which too arrived at the
same conclusion as the police. It was on the basis of the
CoI report, which was not made public, that the Army
ordered the court martial in December 2013. The proceedings began in January and ended in September, when
the court reserved orders. After the Pathribal experience,
in which the military court closed the case against the
accused Army personnel citing absence of evidence, the
court martial in the Macchil case ordered just a few days
later, did not inspire much hope that justice would be
done. But the punishment is certainly exemplary and will
hopefully serve as a deterrent against wrongdoing. The
sentence will take effect when it is confirmed by the
Northern Corps Commander, Lt. Gen. G.S. Hooda. Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah even called it a watershed
moment for Jammu and Kashmir.
At a time when the Valley is once again seething at the
killing of two young boys at the hands of soldiers, the
conviction and the sentencing shore up the image of the
Army as an institution that can hold its men accountable
through internal processes. The Army would build more
trust with the people of Kashmir if it also reopened the
Pathribal fake encounter case in which a Brigadier, a
Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, and a Subedar of 7 Rashtriya Rifles were the accused. The justice done in the
Macchil case is certain to be held up as an example of why
there is no need to do away with the Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act or the immunity clauses in it. But
the Army cannot portray itself as a fully accountable
institution so long as it takes shelter under the nonaccountability provisions of AFSPA, and puts itself outside the scrutiny of civilian courts. After all, it was only
the pressure of a mass civilian protest and a police charge
sheet pointing to clear evidence of crime that forced the
Armys hand and led to the initiation of action in the
Macchil case.

his week, India will celebrate the


125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. I must confess that I hate
anniversaries when they turn out to
be rote affairs, when memory, which hurts
like frostbite, is presented painlessly. I hate
this era that measures Nehru with calipers
and titrates his foreign policy. It is a dull
world today when memory turns inane and
history seems empty. Life must indeed be
meaningless when almost two decades of the
Nehru era produce less meaning than five
months of a Modi regime. When memories
fade, icons die, and when an icon dies, something dies in all of us.
Nehru cannot be seen merely as an object
of history, a fragment of policy. He was a
dream, a hope, a claim to innocence, an aesthetic which gave to modernity a touch of
elegance. I think that is why Gandhi opted for
him. The practical Gandhi realised that one
needed the impractical Nehru to survive the
first decade of Independence. It is only the
impractical who survive, who understand desire, hope and dream. Words like development and planning are dull words borrowed
from a dismal social science. Nehru gave them
a touch of poetry and it is only the poetics of
the first decade that allowed us to retain hope
and dream differently.

Harnessing science
Imagine a country which suffers two genocides, the Bengal Famine and Partition. Imagine a nation littered with refugees and the
bittersweet memories of displacement. Such
a nation could have turned melancholic, bitter, even tyrannical. Yet with all the violence,
India of the Nehruvian years had a touch of
innocence. Indians felt they had done the
impossible (win freedom) and now wanted to
repeat it. It was Nehru who gave India that
lightness of being, that childlike innocence
and yet that sophistication that came with a
civilisational confidence.
Nehru inspired a generation to hope and
believe. In fact, it was the first decades of
Independence that could be called the Indian

Jawaharlal Nehru cannot be seen merely as an


object of history, a fragment of policy. He was a
dream, a hope, a claim to innocence, an aesthetic,
which gave to modernity a touch of elegance
century because Nehru made India feel that
Indians were special.
We used science as an enzyme of hope, an
elixir of development. Where else could a
nation talk of the future as belonging to science or those who make friends with science?
The concentration camps were still a stark
fact and the atomic bomb had been tested
over Japan.
No other nation saw science as a dream.
The Russians and the West saw it as a tool of
economic development. Nehru insisted science was culture, a form of playfulness, providing a sense of discovery and excitement.
This was a man who felt that science would
prolong his discovery of India and even the
world. For Nehru, science was not about pro-

philosophy to the first years of Independence.


I admit it had a touch of innocence. In fact,
it was re-echoed in Hindi cinema by Raj Kapoor, who, like Nehru, was an incurable romantic, who saw in being Indian and
nationality, a dream of a different being.
When Kapoor sang Mera juta hai Japan, ye
patlun Inglistan, Sar pe lal top Rus, phir bh
dil hai Hindustan, he was reciting one of the
new anthems of the Nation, a country, a generation which believed it had a tryst with
destiny.

Ideology and elegance


Even ideology had a touch of romance. Today one laughs at socialism and the dreams of
the Left when one watches the dreary rheto-

India could not have been India without harvesting the


achievement of the Nehruvian years.
ductivity. It was a way of looking at the world.
In fact, if one looks at Nehruvian scientists
one senses that same elegance about science,
whether it was P.C. Mahalanobis, Homi J.
Bhabha, K.S. Krishnan, Vikram Sarabhai or
Satish Dhawan. For all of them, science was
not just knowledge. It was an aesthetic for
approaching the world, an insight we have
lost in this dismal age of the information
revolution.
One is reminded of a story about the Russian scientist, Nikolai Vavilov, who spent his
student days with William Bateson at Cambridge. Vavilov was once referring to an English colleague, a nuts and bolts empiricist.
Vavilov claimed that he was a good worker
but insisted in his accented English that he
had no-Phi-Lo-so-phee. Nehru provided

ric of the CPI(M). But ideology in that era was


an aesthetic of justice, a poetics of solidarity
with people. I know the words might sound
empty today but when the Indian Peoples
Theatre Association performed, or Nehru
spoke ideology, Marxist-Socialist ideology
made sense of the world. As an old Marxist
explained, in India, Marxism was not just
about class. It gave a touch of class to the way
we thought of the world. One misses that
elegance, that aesthetic of democracy when
we talk of secularism today as it gets viscous
with political correctness.
One must remember that the first decade
was an idealistic decade. When I think of my
parents or their friends, one senses the deep
celebration of India. Every Indian felt his
sacrifice was worth it. It was a moral, aesthet-

CARTOONSCAPE

Cometary
quest
fter a tense seven hours, there were high fives,
hugs and handshakes. Separating from the Rosetta mother craft, Philae made history on
Wednesday by becoming the first probe to
carry out a soft landing on a comet. But mission managers of the European Space Agency (ESA) have since
found to their dismay that the landing did not go as
planned. The probe appears to have come to rest on its
side, with one of its landing legs in the air, at the bottom
of a cliff. It is getting only a fraction of the sunlight its
solar arrays need to recharge batteries. Unless some
way is found to manoeuvre the lander into a better
position, it will not be able to continue functioning for
long. Touching down on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was unquestionably challenging. This comet is
a two-lobed agglomeration of ice, dust and bits of rock
that some have likened to a rubber duck. Even identifying a suitable landing site on it was not easy. The
uncertainties inherent in an unguided descent without
active propulsion meant that the probe would come
down somewhere in a landing ellipse about one square
kilometre in size, which had to be free of big boulders,
crevasses and steep slopes that might imperil the
lander.
Just before Philae separated from Rosetta, it
emerged that a small thruster, which uses pressurised
gas to hold the lander down immediately on arrival on
the comets surface, would not be able to operate. Two
harpoons, which were to be fired on touchdown to
anchor the lander, also did not function. As a result,
given the comets negligible gravitational hold the
probe ended up bouncing twice before finally coming to
rest. The scientific team in charge of instruments on
Philae are now racing to collect as much data as they
can. Even before the landing took place, the plan was
that the landers primary science mission would last
only about two and a half days. The hope, however, was
that with enough sunlight to recharge its batteries,
scientific activities could carry on till March next year.
That extension of the landers science mission is now in
doubt. It was in August this year that Rosetta and
Philae, which left Earth ten years back, rendezvoused
with their cometary target. Rosetta will continue to
accompany the comet for the next year or so, keeping
watch over changes that occur as it heads towards the
Sun, swings around and starts its return journey towards Jupiter. The intense scientific scrutiny that Rosetta and Philae provide will further humankinds
understanding about the evolution of the solar system.
They might provide clues too about whether comets
brought water and organic molecules to Earth, creating
conditions for the emergence of life.

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Life term for Macchil
It is shocking that three Kashmiri
civilians were lured to work as
porters for the Army and then killed
in an encounter after being
branded as foreign militants (Nov.
14). This is no ordinary crime, but
one committed by our men in
uniform. It is heartening that the
Army has acted swiftly, a move that
might help heal some wounds in
Kashmir.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad

architect of modern India. The


Congress should not use him as an
excuse to gloss over its defeat in the
general election. The party needs to
introspect over its own sorry state of
affairs instead of being envious of
the Prime Minister, who has
emerged as the hope of the nation.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Ramayampet, Telangana

The Gandhi family in particular and


Congressmen in general appear to
be upset with the Narendra Modi
government
according
much
importance to Sardar Patels
The array of incidents in Macchil, contributions to this country. The
and the murder of Thangjam party appears to be seeking
Manorama shows that the Armed vengeance for its humiliating defeat
Forces (Special Powers) Act is being in the general election. Nobody can
wantonly misused. What makes snatch away the legacy of Nehru.
matters worse is when even elected The birth centenary celebrations of
governments
collude
with Nehru should not be converted into
wrongdoers. That the truth has an anti-Modi/anti-BJP platform.
taken years to come to light is
A. Srikantaiah,
unfortunate. The government needs
Bengaluru
to review the reach of AFSPA
The Congress cannot claim
immediately.
Vijaya Krishna Pillai G., exclusive access to the Nehruvian
Alappuzha legacy. Nehru was part of a
pantheon of great leaders who had a
The torture and murder of vision of building a modern India.
Manorama is an atrocity as barbaric The Congress party needs to be
as the torture and murder of broad-minded.
P.S. Nair,
Nirbhaya in Delhi. Yet, the
Parappanangadi, Kerala
brutalities against Manorama and
other Indian women like her who
belong to underprivileged, ethnic
and racial minorities do not get
media attention or create public Three issues need to be addressed in
outrage. The Army personnel the aftermath of the tragedy in
(Nov.14).
First,
involved in this crime need to face Chhattisgarh
similar strict sentences as those family planning procedures
shouldnt be target-centric as it then
given to Nirbhayas killers.
Rajiv Thind, turns into a coercive programme.
Brisbane, Australia Second, in a patriarchal society like
India, poor women are being forced
to undergo sterilisation, although a
The Congress partys statement, vasectomy is a less risky procedure.
that the government is out to Hence, the empowerment of women
destroy Nehrus legacy (Nov.14) is is an imperative. Third, hygienic
amusing. How is it possible to procedures should be followed.
destroy the work of great leaders What is the relevance of Swachh
like Nehru who have left an indelible Bharat Abhiyan if doctors perform
imprint on the country? In spite of procedures in an aswachh manner?
Nehru being criticised for some
Ansuman Mansingh,
issues, he is undisputedly the
Bhubaneswar

Sterilisation deaths

Destroying Nehru?

ic and scientific world where character-building, nation-building and dam-building went


together. There was little cynicism, a great
realism about poverty and yet a hope that
nation-building Nehruvian style was one of
the great epics of the century. India has lost
that epic quality of hope and innocence.
May be the Nehruvian era needed that
touch of pragmatism we call Patel. May be
Nehru could have absorbed the insights of
Rajaji. At that time we had such a surplus of
leaders, from Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Rajendra Prasad, B.C. Roy and Rajaji that we did
not realise that the first decade was a festival
of leadership, with each individual adding to
the richness of the Indian vision.
I remember when the Nehruvian era died.
For me, as a child it was a composite of two
events. India, invincible India, the India that
gave us Dhyan Chand, lost in hockey at the
Rome Olympics. For my biased mind, cricket,
tedious cricket, only emerged into the limelight after that. Then, even more poignantly,
India lost a border war with China. It was a
collapse of a world view where India which
had conquered colonialism was mired once
again in defeat. Nehru, our immaculate Nehru, sounded old and vulnerable. There was a
loneliness, a tiredness about him. When a
legend is threatened, mediocre critics like
termites creep out of the woodwork of history
to recite his mistakes. The magic was gone
and Nehru faded soon afterward. The question after Nehru who? popped up soon and
one then senses the momentous nature of the
loss. One realised that for all the mistakes,
those were the last magical years of the
nation.

Institution building
Today, given the mediocrity of his epigone
and the autism of the Congress party, we
forget that the Nehruvian era was the great
period of institution building, where we initiated community development, celebrated
planning, built our great IITs, revitalised our
science laboratories. India could not have
been India without harvesting the achievement of the Nehruvian years.
I remember my old friend and teacher U.R.
Ananthamurthy. Before he died, he left behind a great manuscript, a testament, a manifesto. URA criticised the Nehruvian years but
he made a more critical point. Nehru might
have made mistakes but Narendra Modi is the
mistake that India might regret one day in its
angry backlash against the family. Nehru was
a classic. Our current regime is a footnote. It
can only become history if it destroys the
Nehruvian years.
Today, there is an epidemic of seminars,
conferences and newspaper articles about
125 years of Nehru. Writers will give Nehru
the good conduct certificates he does not
need and praise his concern for poverty and
his interest in science. The Congress is petty
enough not to invite Mr. Modi but pompously
invites guests from overseas. It is an un-Nehruvian act in its aesthetics and one must condemn it. Yet, what will be even more
depressing is the social science litany about a
man who gave us the poetics of a nation. In
our current politics, it is not memory and its
poignancy we are evoking. Our anniversaries
become dull timetables, empty acts of repetition. When the magic is gone, only an official
catechism remains. It is simpler to open a
book of photographs and travel down memory lane. I wish there was something simpler,
more abstract, a simple poem that caught the
magic of the man without shrinking it to nostalgia, because Nehru, our Nehru deserved
much more.
(Shiv Visvanathan is a professor at Jindal
School of Government and Public Policy.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
The deaths point to the alarming
condition of the public health
system in rural India. Despite
allocating a reasonable amount of
money for public health in the
budget, things have yet to improve.
According to records, 1,434 women
died after sterilisation procedures
between 2003 and 2012. If the
administration is unable to provide
timely and quality health-care
services to the poor, then what is
being done with the taxpayers
money? After a few days we might
all comfortably forget this tragedy as
yet another rural tragedy.
Nithya Mohan,
New Delhi
The tragedy raises questions about
the safety of government-organised
medical camps in rural India. There
are many such incidents due to the
unhygienic and improper use of
medical equipment in such camps.
The government must also explore
less invasive medical options.
Novin Vasudev,
Thiruvananthapuram
It is painful to note that a bloodless
procedure might have resulted in
haemorrhagic shock (Editorial,
Nov.14). Was it also because of the
use of medicines that had crossed
their expiry date? Is this the social
and financial inclusion that our
government is seeking? Everyone
associated with this tragedy must be
brought to book.
Siddharth Krishna,
Bengaluru

An appeal to India
The Chief Minister of Sri Lankas
Northern
province,
C.V.
Wigneswarans appeal to India for a
positive role in the Sri Lankan Tamil
issue is timely (Nov. 14). Sri Lanka
appears to be outmanoeuvring India
at every stage and going back on its
promise to rehabilitate the Tamil
population. The current one-man
show in Sri Lanka as far as
governance is concerned might give
India limited space to work things
out. A broad-based and strong

democratic opposition to the


President is the need of the hour.
But will it materialise?
C.A.C. Murugappan,
Kothamangalam, Tamil Nadu

study (Nov.10), needs a critical look


so that the public is not misled. The
study, done in Puri district of Odisha
by Dr. Thomas Clasen and a team
from Emory University in the U.S.,
is not without loopholes. The
The last time India acted with its findings could have far-reaching
conscience to support the LTTE implications and place a big
resulted in its biggest diplomatic question mark on the utility of the
blunder. We lost a Prime Minister. government spending huge funds on
The Sri Lankan Tamils need to sort its Total Sanitation Campaign.
out their problems with the Sri Toilet coverage supposedly does not
have any impact on the incidence of
Lankan government.
V.V. Nair, diarrhoea among children, parasitic
Manipal infections, child stunting or child
mortality.
A positive health impact is not the
He came, he saw and he conquered! only justification for constructing
The fourth ODI clearly had Rohit toilets. Let us examine the strength
Sharma written all over it. Coming of this scientific exercise, for which
off an injury and fighting for a spot we need to understand the
in the Indian side, the Mumbai epidemiology or multifactorial
batsman has only the Sri Lankans to causation of diarrhoea. Basically,
thank for dropping him when he had there is a successful faeco-oral
made just four. Rohit never looked transmission of pathogens causing
back as he went on to conquer new diarrhoea from an infected child to a
frontiers and make an unbelievable susceptible child. The food and
score
of
264.
With
this fluids we take often get
extraordinary
innings,
Rohit contaminated by faecal matter. Lack
becomes the only player to score of toilets, indiscriminate open-air
centuries in a Test, an ODI, a T20 defecation and absence of hygiene,
and the Ranji Trophy at Eden especially poor hand washing
Gardens, celebrating its 150th year. practices, are responsible for this.
He is also the one and only player to Childhood diarrhoea can also result
have the unique distinction of from measles infection and Vitamin
making two ODI double-hundreds. A deficiency. Even if the coverage of
With 250 now scaled, Mount 300 households with toilets is high, poor
hand hygiene practices and levels of
should not be far away.
N.J. Ravi Chander, personal and food hygiene can lead
Bengaluru to high incidence of diarrhoea.
When there is a multifactorial
Greetings to Rohit Sharma for causation of diarrhoea, the study
playing one of the most spectacular should have looked at all these. Just
and rare innings against Sri Lanka in studying the coverage of toilet
an ODI at Eden Gardens. He started provision and arriving at misleading
the innings a bit slowly and later conclusions is unscientific.
Similarly, even among children
smashed all bowlers to all corners of
the ground. This innings, which with diarrhoea, the efficiency of the
brought back memories of the magic management of dehydration and
of Vivian Richards, will be electrolyte imbalance has a direct
relationship with mortality rather
remembered for a very long time.
K.G. Sudheendra, than the presence or absence of a
Bengaluru toilet at home. It is surprising that a
study with methodological flaws was
published in The Lancet.
The report, Increased toilet
Antony K.R.,
coverage has little health impact:
Kochi

Rohits record

On toilet coverage

ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Gulf stability and the oil supply scenario


Talmiz Ahmad

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Ridding IPL
of its taint
he Supreme Courts disclosure of four names
among those investigated by the Justice Mukul Mudgal committee marks another step in
the excruciating process of cleaning up Indian cricket. The fact that the court chose to merely name
four officials and non-players without disclosing the
findings against them in the committees report has
contributed to considerable uncertainty. The Board of
Control for Cricket in India is due to elect a new
president, but the annual general meeting is being
delayed, presumably to give more time to N. Srinivasan, who has stepped aside from the office during the
pendency of the investigation, to get a clean chit before
seeking re-election. The court has hinted at misdemeanour on the part of the persons named, but has
also added that at the moment it cannot say anything
on whether Mr. Srinivasan can contest or seek a fresh
term without the issues raised in the report being
addressed. Any inference drawn from the disclosure of
names may be misleading unless the exact nature of the
misdemeanour found against them is also made
known. The Court has now given them an opportunity
to rebut the panels findings. Given the prolonged uncertainty over the outcome of the probe, which was
completed and the final report submitted to the court
some time ago, it would have been more desirable if the
findings were simultaneously revealed along with all
the names given by the panel in a sealed cover. Given
that the reputation of players is no more and no less
deserving of protection than that of non-players,
none of those under investigation should be shielded
from public scrutiny in open judicial proceedings.
The immediate consequence is that Mr. Srinivasan,
the president of the Indian cricket board who has
stepped aside from the functions associated with the
office, is in a spot. Mr. Srinivasan has all along been
maintaining that he has done no wrong and that there
is no investigation directed at him, as he cannot be held
responsible for the actions of his son-in-law Gurunath
Meiyappan, associated with the Chennai Super Kings.
It remains to be seen if there is any serious finding
against him. Ever since the reality of betting and spotfixing came to light in the 2013 edition of the Indian
Premier League, the cricket establishment has been
under a cloud. It reacted with denial and came up with
no credible mechanism to probe the affairs. The fact
that misdemeanour has been established against four
individuals Mr. Srinivasan, Mr. Meiyappan, Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra and the IPLs chief
operating officer, Sundar Raman indicates that the
rot runs deep in IPL. Tainted hands need to be kept off
this highly popular tournament.

est Asia has dominated world


headlines over the last few
years due to the eruptions related to the Arab Spring, conflicts in Iraq and Syria, and, more recently,
by the challenges posed by the Islamic
State to regional state order. Now, over the
last few weeks, a new source of uncertainty
has emerged: the dramatic fall in oil prices.
Given that oil has been central to West Asian
affairs as the bedrock of domestic politics
and the source of regional competitions and
external interventions, it is not surprising
that these oil-related developments should
be scrutinised in terms of their economic
and political implications in the fraught environment that prevails in the region.
The plunge in oil prices has been so swift
and unexpected that most observers have
been caught by surprise. In mid-June, oil
prices were about $115 per barrel, having
been over $110 for the previous year and over
$100 for the last three years. They fell to
$102 in August and to $98 in September. In
October, prices plunged to below $85 per
barrel, while in early November they were at
$80, the lowest level in four years, having
fallen 30 per cent since June.

Demand-supply mismatch
With every decline, there were expectations that Saudi Arabia would play its traditional role as swing producer and cut
production; but this failed to happen. This
was surprising since almost all major oil producers have become dependent on high prices, with break-even levels usually over $90
per barrel to meet their ever-increasing fiscal obligations. The main explanation for
this situation is that world markets are flush
with supplies for which there are not enough
consumers. The global economic slowdown
is the principal culprit: with Chinas national
growth projected at around seven per cent
per year, increase in oil demand is negligible.
Europe is also not expected to contribute to
increased demand due to its sluggish growth.
The supply scenario is quite different. Not
only have the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) members not
effected cuts in their production, additional
production has also come into the market

Given that oil has been central to West Asian


affairs, it is not surprising that oil-related
developments should be examined in terms of
their economic and political implications in the
fraught environment that prevails in the region
from member-states experiencing domestic
turmoil Libya and Iraq which have had
record exports. But, the biggest market
changer is shale oil production in the United
States: with additional production of 3.9 million barrels a day (mbd), the U.S. now produces more than all OPEC members except
Saudi Arabia. The International Energy
Agency (IEA) thinks low prices will continue
next year due to low demand and high shale
oil production and believes we now have a
new chapter in the history of oil markets.
Goldman Sachs has forecast prices of $85 for
early next year, while J.P. Morgan predicts
prices at between $80-95 over the next two
years.

and Iran are known to be resilient and unlikely to compromise their established foreign policy positions only on account of
falling oil prices. In fact, the adverse circumstances are likely to encourage domestic tenacity and greater camaraderie between the
two beleaguered nations.
The other scenario sees a deliberate Saudi
attempt to retard the further development of
the shale oil industry in the U.S., which is
crucially dependent on high oil prices of
$80-90 per barrel to sustain production. Oil
analyst Edward McAllister has asserted that
Saudi Arabia has started a global price war
aimed at quickly denting U.S. oil output.
Analysts have pointed out that oil firms have
committed investments of over a trillion dolGrand strategy scenarios
lars in projects based on oil prices at $95 for
The unexpected fall in prices has triggered them to be viable.
two competing grand strategy scenarios.
However, while low prices may put mediOne scenario emerges from the impact of the um-term U.S. production in jeopardy, this is

The Gulf, with 25 per cent global production and 30 per cent
of global reserves, will remain at the heart of the worlds
energy security interests.

price falls on the economies of U.S. adversaries, Russia and Iran. The columnist Thomas
Friedman sounded triumphalist when, in
mid-October, he said he was seeing a global
oil war which had the U.S. and Saudi Arabia
arrayed against Russia and Iran. The latter
are crucially dependent on oil revenues and
will be seriously affected by low prices. It is
the fond hope of the proponents of this scenario that the economic pressures generated
by low prices would make them more accommodative in their engagements with western
interlocutors.
However, whatever the neo-cold warriors
in Washington may hope for, both Russia

hardly a deliberate Saudi ploy. The Kingdom


is well aware that shale oil has in fact stabilised world markets at a time of acute turmoil
in oil-producing countries. For this reason it
has repeatedly welcomed new production
sources, particularly since unconventional
production boosts the demand for fossil
fuels and reduces investments in
renewables.
Beyond the grand strategies put forward
to explain the present scenario, the simplest
explanation is perhaps the most plausible:
like most observers, Saudi Arabia was surprised by the dramatic fall in prices. It realised that the fall was not a short-term

CARTOONSCAPE

Bizarre verdict
reversed
ustice has finally been done. A few days ago, an
appeals court in LAquila, Italy, acquitted six
Italian scientists who were convicted of manslaughter and awarded a six-year jail term in
October 2012 for failing to communicate to the public
the risk of an earthquake striking LAquila. The scientists were part of the seven-member official risk commission. But the judges endorsed the conviction of
Bernardo De Bernardinis, the seventh member of the
commission and the then deputy head of Italys Civil
Protection Department, who communicated the message to the public; his jail sentence was reduced from six
to two years. On March 31, 2009, the seven members
assessed the risk of a killer quake striking LAquila. The
meeting was convened in the light of a small and medium-intensity earthquake swarm rocking the city and a
quake prediction by a laboratory technician based on
radon emission from the ground. During the meeting,
the scientists clearly raised the possibility of a major
quake rocking the city but never stated it with certainty. But Bernardinis message to the public was overtly
reassuring and not in line with the cautious assessment
by the scientists. A quake, 6.3 in magnitude, that struck
the city six days later, killed more than 300 people,
injured over 1,600 people and destroyed nearly 65,000
houses.
In a document on conviction reasoning, Judge Marco Billi, who had found the scientists guilty of manslaughter, had emphasised that he had not charged the
scientists for failing to predict the earthquake. He had
faulted them for their complete failure to properly
analyse the threat posed by the swarm. Worse, he
had charged them for not taking into account a paper
published in 1995 which stated that LAquila was certain to be struck by a major quake by 2015. As an
editorial in Nature in October 2009 put it, the verdict
was nothing but perverse and the sentence ludicrous. There is no scientific basis whatsoever for the
judges accusations. Not all major quakes have been
preceded by quake swarms and not all quake swarms
have been followed by a killer quake. Similarly, the 1983
forecast by the United States Geological Survey of a
quake, six in magnitude, between 1988 and 1993 in the
intensively studied Parkfield in California did not happen. The real problem was with the messaging. An
element of uncertainty should have definitely found a
place in the message, all the more because Italy is a
quake-prone country. For the same reason, the compulsion to take precautionary measures should have
been a matter of routine by all. More importantly, like
in Japan, all buildings should have met seismic safety
standards. Punishing the scientists for not doing the
impossible was nothing but bizarre.

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Modis appeal
When India voted for the BJP, the
hope was that there would be good
administration (Help us retrieve
black money: Modi, Nov.16). The
BJP has crossed the six-month
mark as far as governance is
concerned but there has been
nothing
but
empty
verbal
assurances. The party promised to
recover the entire sum of black
money. Again, nothing has
happened. Now that Mr. Modi has
raised the issue again, in Brisbane,
the fervent hope is that the
promises made will be fulfilled in
the months ahead.
Nellai Thirumalairajan,
Chennai

Janata Dal 2.0


Former Karnataka Chief Minister
Ramakrishna
Hegde
was
instrumental in giving shape to the
Janata Dal (JD). It is another
matter that he was expelled from
the party when H.D. Deve Gowda
became the Prime Minister
(Janata Dal 2.0 to take on Modi,
Nov.16). The egos and personality
clashes of its leaders led to a split in
the parent JD into a half-a-dozen
splinter units. It is difficult to
comprehend how these leaders
who assume a larger than life image
will now form a cohesive unit. A
sum may be larger than its parts but
in the case of the splinter units of
the JD, even if they merge, the
leader of each splinter unit will try
to assume the role of a leader.
C.G. Kuriakose,
Kothamangalam, Kerala

for all, Nov. 16), who turned 100


on Saturday, were inspiring. It is
beyond any shade of doubt that
Justice Iyer is the personification
of wisdom and profound knowledge
in all its graceful splendour. It has
been a privilege to read his articles
which have word-power, courage
and conviction. The life and times
of such an eminent personality will
inspire the younger generation.
R. Ramanathan,
Coimbatore
Justice Iyer may have retired in
1980, but his active and
indefatigable involvement as far as
various social issues are concerned
is a lesson to young lawyers and law
students across our country. His
letters to President Obama, Dr.
Manmohan Singh and other leaders
show that he keeps a tab on world
events despite his ripe age.
R. Sridharan,
Chennai

Economic and political challenges


The decline in prices has serious economic and political implications for producer
countries experiencing domestic turmoil,
such as Iraq, Libya and Yemen. They are
today entirely dependent on oil revenues to
maintain security and meet the welfare requirements of their restive populations. The
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) producers
may not at present feel any need to intervene
in the market since they have a current account surplus of $2.4 trillion and substantial
reserves to handle fiscal shortfalls in the
short term. However, even they will not be
able to accommodate a sustained decline in
prices as they need to fund infrastructure
development, diversify their economies and,
above all, meet their ever-increasing social
obligations promised to their communities
to keep the Arab Spring at bay. They also
need to urgently address long-standing energy issues such as burgeoning and wasteful
domestic consumption and massive subsidies, estimated at $160 billion annually.
There are longer term concerns as well.
Analysts project a global oil requirement of
104 mbd in 2040, as against the present
demand of 90 mbd. This additional demand
will be met by unconventional production,
i.e., shale oil from U.S. and other sources, oil
sands from Canada, deep water oil from Brazil, and from the environmentally sensitive
Arctic region, where cost of production will
be over $90 per barrel. At the same time,
with declines in U.S. shale oil production
from the 2020s, global dependence on conventional supplies will become crucial. Thus,
the Gulf, with 25 per cent global production
and 30 per cent of global reserves, will remain at the heart of the worlds energy security interests.
Gulf supplies could be jeopardised by various factors, such as: political turbulence in
Iraq; constraints on supplies from Iran, and
the failure of the region to make the required
investments in new exploration and development due to low prices. Analysts estimate
that investments of $900 billion are required annually to meet the worlds longterm demand. The situation could be further
aggravated by political uncertainty in the
GCC countries due to their continued confrontation with Iran, the sectarian divide,
and the threat from extremist elements, all
of which have found expression in the fratricidal conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
This has serious implications for Asia. Today, 60 per cent of Gulf production is consumed in Asia; by 2035, the Gulf will export
90 per cent of its oil to Asia, while meeting
about 90 per cent of Asias needs. Gulf stability is thus a matter of abiding interest to
Asian consumers. In this scenario of contention and conflict, the challenge before the
principal Asian consumers, led by India, China, Japan and Korea, is to work together to
shape a new regional security paradigm that
is inclusive and provides a dialogue and confidence-building platform that the contending Gulf countries desperately need. This is
obviously an unprecedented and daunting
task, but the gauntlet will have to be picked
up; otherwise there will be no Asian growth,
no Asian Silk Road, and no Asian Century.
(Talmiz Ahmad is a former diplomat.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Supreme Court during a turbulent
period, he emerged unscathed and
even more respected. By spurning
lucrative
offers,
his
postretirement period was devoted to
championing social uplift and
public causes. He has never
hesitated to take up a matter of
public importance and has
maintained his stature in espousing
a just cause. A jewel of the judiciary,
he is no doubt a role model to
upcoming members of the bar.
G. Ramachandran,
Thiruvananthapuram

Remembering Nehru
The article Poetics of a nation:
remembering Nehru (Nov. 15) was
delectable reading for a vast
number of Nehru admirers. It was a
fact that in his time, Jawaharlal
Nehru mesmerised the nation with
his
oft-repeated
words,
democracy,
socialism
and
secularism.
His personal charm was
irresistible. He gave a new direction
to several nascent republics of
those times. The Nehruvian era is
unforgettable.
G. Azeemoddin,
Anantapur

Justice Iyers grasp of facts and his


empathy and compassion for the
disadvantaged sections are sterling
qualities which are fast vanishing in
these cynical times. He has stood
for constitutional values, the rule of
law and social justice. Such an
inspirational figure is nowhere to
be seen in the public domain which I read about the Nehruvian era in
is bogged down with malfeasance Bipan Chandras India Since
and a lack of principles. One wishes Independence. The article made
that he continues to be a beacon as me nostalgic even though I was
far as citizens activism is born three decades after Nehru
passed away. Whenever I discuss
concerned.
Parthasarathy Sen, the need for ethics in politics with
New Delhi friends or family, I am always told
that one has to be pragmatic to
The greatness of humanity is not remain in power. I counter them
being human, but in being with just one argument that it
The words of warmth in the tribute humane, are words that apply to was Nehrus sense of idealism and
to the great lawyer, scholar and Justice Iyer, who represents the not pragmatism that made him not
doyen V.R. Krishna Iyer (A unique human face of the judiciary. He only the first Prime Minister but
blend of judicial virtues, Nov. 15 gave a new dimension to the also the ruler of Indian hearts.
Siddhi Bangard,
and Justice Krishna Iyer judiciary, without sacrificing its
Jaipur
expanded access to judicial process basic tenets. Presiding over the

On turning 100

seasonal blip but one that emerged from


changing market fundamentals. What it was
not willing to do was to assume full responsibility for corrective action, believing that
this should be the collective responsibility of
OPEC as a whole. It feels the best way of
bringing other members on board is to let
prices fall until the meeting of OPEC oil
ministers in Vienna on November 27, by
which time the member countries would be
more amenable to participate in collective
action. In the meantime, the Kingdom has
focussed on retaining its market share in
spite of the prevailing low prices.

Nehrus
contributions
to
strengthen an infant India are
unquestionable. It is commendable
how Nehru wielded influence in
such a fragmented society. We can
criticise his policies but he left an
indelible mark as far as Indias
growth as a democracy was
concerned and which led to it being
called the Light of Asia.
Arvind Singh Chauhan,
Salooni, Himachal Pradesh
It is unfortunate that a visionless
NDA government is trying to run
down Nehru. That Nehru was a
world leader is a fact. Therefore, the
BJP must stop trying to embrace
him as the ideologies of the
Congress and the BJP are
incompatible. The BJP promotes
communalism
whereas
the
Congress is a secular party which
believes in the well-being of all the
communities.
Rahul Kumar,
New Delhi
As one who grew up during the
1950s and 1960s absolutely adoring
Chacha
Nehru,
it
was
heartwarming to read the article.
The writer has captured the
essence of the Nehruvian years
when he says, Nehru inspired a
generation to hope and believe. On
hearing
about
Kennedys
assassination, I vividly remember
thinking how such a barbaric act
would never happen in our land.
During the 1950s and early 1960s
we all felt that we as Indians were
special. I also agree with the writer
when he says that science was used
as an enzyme of development and
believed that the future belonged to
science or those who make friends
with science. The first decade after
Independence was indeed an
idealistic decade.
Gita Subramanian,
Bengaluru

The Nehruvian era was indeed a


spectacular run that marked a
nations transition, from infant
India to modern India. Whether it
was heavy industrialisation or a
boost to agriculture through the
river valley projects, Nehru strived
hard to enable a great India. The
only jarring note by the writer was
to declare Mr. Modi to be a mistake
that India has made. It is the people
of India who voted for him!
Rajat Kumar Singh,
Lucknow
There is no doubt that Nehru was a
giant leader who led India with
panache and dexterity. He was an
able successor to Gandhi. But we
must also not forget that Nehru
became Nehru because of the time
and the situation he was born in.
The writer is unfair in trying to
attack Narendra Modi. Two leaders
of two different eras can never be
compared.
Sudhakar Singh,
New Delhi

Cometary quest
The landing of the robot probe
Philae lander on Comet 67P/
Churyumov-Gerasimenko is not
just a historic feat for the European
Space Agency but for humanity as
well (Nov. 16). The rendezvous has
come after a patient wait, and one
now looks forward to the analysis of
data that will give us more insights
into the origins of our solar system,
comet-water delivery theory,
extraterrestrials and the organic
evolution of life. Furthermore, the
mission could help equip us with
more information to deal with
other interstellar bodies. Deep
space exploration has indeed
become indispensable in the
understanding of our human
civilisation.
Ananda Chingangbam,
Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

The soldier as state actor


I
Vasundhara Sirnate

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Trade facilitation
on track
he deal between India and the U.S. on the
contentious issue of public stockholdings of
foodgrains for security should put the global
trade negotiations back on track. The bilateral compromise provides the much-needed window to
save the multilateral Trade Facilitation Agreement
(TFA), a significant step in the history of the World
Trade Organization (WTO). The TFA, cleared at a WTO
ministerial meeting in Bali last year, is intended to
simplify customs rules, speed up the release of goods
from ports, and pare transaction costs. The Narendra
Modi-led BJP government refused to sign the TFA,
insisting on a permanent solution to the food subsidy
issue before signing it. The bone of contention is over a
WTO rule that caps subsidies to farmers at 10 per cent
of the total historical value of farm production. This
stipulation as is articulated at the WTO is seen to
undermine the responsibility of developing countries
to feed the poor. Not surprisingly, India and some
others have questioned the methodology of arriving at
such a subsidy cap. A peace clause in the WTO rules
does indeed provide a limited-year protection to India
and the like from legal challenges by member-nations
should they exceed the farm subsidy cap. What if the
farm subsidy concerns remained unaddressed once the
peace clause expires and member-nations are allowed
to legally challenge violations of the subsidy cap? Complaints based on rules limiting farm subsidy could
seriously hamper the governments ability to ensure
food stocking and supply for the poor. These fears were
behind the blocking of the TFA by the Modi government. Had the impasse continued, the beneficial provisions on trade facilitation would have been delayed too.
The deal with the U.S. now provides for an indefinite
peace clause until a permanent solution is found to the
farm subsidy issue. The deal is a reflection of the Modi
governments assertion of national interest while being
flexible on modalities. Once Indias stand and its concern over the implications for food security were explained clearly to the U.S., it came up with a reasonable
response. If at one stage India risked global isolation,
New Delhi did not insist on an immediate solution to
the food subsidy issue but agreed to an indefinite peace
clause. In all, it is a pact that enables the multilateral
trade negotiations to move forward. With this deal in
place, the TFA could become a reality. Of course, the
bilateral pact will have to be ratified by the WTO but
with the U.S. showing the way, other members would
find it acceptable. It underscores once again the dominance of the U.S. in a multilateral global forum even
while it is a recognition of Indias place in the global
economic environment.

n the aftermath of the shooting of two


young Kashmiri men by the Army on
November 3, it is imperative to draw
attention to the conditions of governance that control the everyday lives of millions of citizens. In several parts of India
the Northeastern States, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh the coercive arm of
the state is also tasked with the creation of
conditions under which civilian governance
can proceed. This has not been perfectly
achieved.
Since 2008, I have been researching Indias counterinsurgency campaigns in the
Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and the
Maoist belt in Central India, particularly
Chhattisgarh. In 2011, I spent a few months
in Chhattisgarh. I recall here part of an interview with a Border Security Force (BSF)
officer stationed in Bhilai, Durg district. The
officer said, We [the BSF] have been providing security for about one year. In this one
year, there has been no development work.
[The] State government has not undertaken
one project. So now the BSF is doing civic
action. We are providing resources. We have
been distributing medicines, clothes, essentials, food, blankets, seeds for farming, utensils, sports items to children, school
supplies. We have even given local panchayats and tribal leaders TV sets and DTH
[direct to home] facilities. They need to have
some information about the outside world
We have been providing security to the contractors, saying now get the work done. But
no development has happened. We provide
security, but no one carries out the job. This
is the problem with our system. The Naxals
are fighting this system. Their final target is
the politician.

Layering of roles
During a visit to Kashmir in September
2014, I found Sadbhavna schools set up by
the Indian military around the Line of Control (LoC) in villages like Dawar in Gurez
sector, which are poor and lack much infrastructure. In an attempt to win the
hearts and minds of people, by following
U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine, the Indian
Army had launched in the late 1990s Operation Sadbhavna (Goodwill) that is aimed at

In conflict-ridden areas of India, governance has


increasingly come to be seen through the lens of
the counterinsurgency paradigm. These are
abnormal conditions of governance
providing health services, undertaking
womens empowerment, operating schools
under asbestos roofs, and, providing relief
and rehabilitation.
What these accounts reveal is a layering of
roles for the coercive state apparatus.
Schools and medicine aside, these are also
the same state actors that possess the power
to barge into local houses at will, arrest or
kill people in fake encounters, impose curfews, order crackdowns and commit sexual
offences against women with impunity. This
is all done in the name of counterinsurgency.
I argue here that in conflict-ridden areas of
India, governance has increasingly come to
be seen through the lens of the counterinsurgency paradigm. These are abnormal
conditions of governance that I call garrison
governance.

governing, while the regular bureaucrats are


missing or incapable of governing. Local political representatives appear with their political party paraphernalia around election
time and then disappear. The only constant
state actor in such areas is the uniformed
soldier from one of the various paramilitary
forces, the Army or the police.

Uniformed actors
The Indian state has had to invest heavily
in a security apparatus to facilitate incorporation and control of dissenting populations.
But how did the Indian state reach this
point? I argue here that a combination of
factors has precipitated garrison governance. India had to become a counterinsurgent state along with becoming an
independent democracy. Because the police

Over time, it was easier to allow garrison governance in the


hands of uniformed actors to continue, than to try to find
political solutions to persistent problems of insurgency.
Garrison governance is governance conducted under the protection of the coercive
arm of the state. The logic that underpins
garrison governance rests on an assumption
that without the presence of soldiers, normal state institutions will be severely crippled in their everyday functioning because of
the threat of anti-state groups operating in
the region.
Garrison governance is the enmeshment
of the bureaucratic with the coercive. This
leads to a governance outcome that privileges the everyday coercive over the bureaucratic avatar of the state. This code switching
of roles that the Army and paramilitary play,
also creates various levels of cognitive dissonance on the ground among locals. The
uniformed state actor is not only creating
the conditions for governance, but is also

CARTOONSCAPE

Resolute policies
on children
n the 25th anniversary this week of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC), is the world a
better place for children? It would be illadvised to seek shelter behind a simplistic yes or no
manner of response to the question, says a commemorative publication of UNICEF to mark this milestone.
The reduction in mortality rates in the under-five agegroup, by nearly 50 per cent, between 1990 and 2013
shows how much more can be achieved through resolute policies and concerted action. Greater recognition
of the importance of investment in early childhood
development over the lifespan and improvements in
the general standard of living have been critical to this
transformation. Yet, the proportion of children under
five years who live in low-income regions has increased
from 13 per cent in 1990 to 19 per cent in 2014. Clearly,
countries have to aggressively expand the public provision of primary health-care services to promote maternal care and free more children from malnutrition
and disease. Enrolment in early childhood education
nearly doubled between 1990 and 2012. Even so, fewer
than 50 per cent of those in the age group of 3-4 years in
many low and middle-income states are said to have
access to preschool programmes. Universal secondary
education is still a far cry in many parts of the world.
Recent studies have shown that children and other
vulnerable sections are hardest hit by macroeconomic
imbalances. UNICEF points out that progress to realise
the objectives of the CRC has stalled due to diminishing
aid flows in the wake of the financial crisis. Governments must therefore constantly strive to counter persistent disparities by expanding the resource base for
childrens welfare. Negotiations on the historic treaty,
back in the 1980s, were animated by concerns over child
abuse, adoption and the involvement of children in
armed conflict. These are no less troubling questions
today as nearly half the number of children in the
primary school age group who are out of school reside in
countries torn by civil strife. Moreover, says the United
Nations, child trafficking represents 27 per cent of
trafficking in humans and where two out of every three
victims are girls. In countries such as India, recourse to
the selective abortion of female foetuses represents the
most brutal violation of basic human dignity. Indeed,
human rights are inalienable and inviolable. However,
the respect due to persons depends equally on their
capacity to exercise and affirm their rights. The precarious situation of children is that they are not in a position to exert such a capacity and depend on the
protection from positive laws and healthy parenting.
Thus, the onus is on the state and society.

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Third language option
The HRD Ministrys decision to
introduce Sanskrit instead of
German in Kendriya Vidyalayas
may lead to controversies in a
multilingual country such as India,
and with 22 scheduled languages
(Merkel raises axing of German
from KVs, Nov.17). Moreover it
might also pose problems for
children whose parents are in
transferable jobs. Keeping these in
mind, the Ministry should employ
more language teachers in KVs
throughout the country and allow
students the option of choosing
their third language among these
options the official language of
the respective State, Sanskrit, or a
foreign language like German.
Besides this, according importance
to all Indian languages and a foreign
language will eventually help a
student in the job market.
A.V. Ramanathan,
Chennai
In many of our schools, instead of
taking into account the importance
of native tongues, a dominant and
alien language is thrust upon them
at various stages. As for foreign
languages, they can be taught at the
senior secondary level. But before
all this, it needs to be ensured that
students across the nation get equal
opportunities. The introduction of
these in select schools should not
become
another
tool
of
discrimination between children
already battling problems in an
unjust system of education.
Firoz Ahmad,
New Delhi
The decision to do away with
German must be condemned.
Learning a foreign language is an
asset as students otherwise cannot
afford to learn the language; Max
Muller Bhavan is restricted to the
metros. The HRD Ministry should

stop attempts to politicise the


move. Politicians always fail to
understand the fact that learning
any additional language will greatly
enhance the confidence of a student
in real-time situations.
R. Giridharan,
Hyderabad
The move goes against the basic
freedom to learn a language.
Students must be allowed to learn
whatever they want to instead of
imposing rules on them. At the
same time, one cannot ignore the
fact that students nowadays are
unable to read and write in their
mother tongue.
Amit A. Taradale,
Belagavi, Karnataka

reduced levels of violence against the Army,


but not between insurgent groups and have
also not contained violence by the Army
against unarmed locals.
However, Army, police and paramilitary
officers that I have interviewed over the last
seven years express much displeasure with
the Central state. One officer in particular
said that the Army was sent in to control
populations and directives that came from
the Home Ministry were almost never clear.
So, he said, the Army just does what it is
trained to do. A high-ranking official similarly suggested that in the end, all solutions
would have to be political. The Army, he said,
was only stabilising certain areas and helping in conducting elections.

Rights violations
The formula for garrison governance is
rather simple boots on the ground combined with some feel-good handouts. This
obfuscates a larger architecture of oppression. Soldiers are still protected by the
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)
in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir, which
has led to several reported incidents of human rights violations and sexual assault. The
landscape is dotted with armed soldiers and
the police; civilian movement is filtered and
controlled in shopping districts and government offices, curfews and crackdowns are
imposed at the slightest suggestion of dissent, and phone tapping is common. An Intelligence Bureau official stationed in
Kashmir told me that they were tapping 10
lakh phones in Kashmir alone by 2014. In the
last two decades, most Governors of Northeastern States have been former military
generals.
Even the police in places like Kashmir
have become more militarised. Assault rifles
have replaced traditional lathis, which are
now deemed insufficient for crowd control.
Alongside this, Special Police Officers are
being locally recruited, trained and deployed
in Kashmir. Visitors to certain States are
often visited by the special branch of the
State police, which can, at will, investigate
individuals and their intentions for being in
the State. Security forces routinely stop inter-State buses and local buses for spot
checks. Travelling in trains in the Northeast
means being willing to open up your baggage
to the officials of the Railway Protection
Force.
During election time, troop deployment
doubles across the Northeast. At a higher
level, General Officers Commanding (GOCs)
in these States have a high degree of power in
maintaining counterinsurgency strategy. As
reported by one bureaucrat deployed in Manipur in 2011, the GOC and the Chief Minister of Manipur often got into disagreements
about what needed to be done about the hill
tribes. Often the GOC won.
In spite of six decades of counterinsurgency, insurgencies in India have thrived. I have
personally counted at least 196 insurgent
groups since 1950 in India, many of which
are still active. It is clear that a strategy
meant to secure sovereignty has instead led
to a permanent state of exception in some
areas, where the character of governance
itself is at odds with democratic norms since
the power of elected representatives and bureaucrats is circumscribed by and enabled
only at the behest of soldiers. Some constitutional rights of people stand suspended under such governance because non-insurgent,
democratic political dissent has also come to
be seen as a form of anti-state activity. Under
such conditions, it is vital to reopen a debate
into Indias counterinsurgency strategies in
different areas and start thinking about political settlements to insurgencies.
(Vasundhara Sirnate is the Chief
Coordinator of Research at The Hindu
Centre for Politics and Public Policy.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
ganged up against Mr. Putin think
that they are squeaky clean?
President Barack Obama is the
leader of a country that is a world
bully. There are more important
issues for global leaders to tackle
such as climate change, Ebola and
the IS menace. Isolating Russia will
not pay. The only leader who
appears to be focussed is Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
Anoop Hosmath,
Mysuru

Mullaperiyar level

The tussle over the age-old


Mullaperiyar dam row has again
reignited (Nov.17). Tamil Nadu has
been operating the dam. Apart from
providing drinking water to a
number of districts, the dam is also
the lifeline of irrigation. The
United Andra Pradesh was a question now is about dam safety
disaster due to continuous and and not about water sharing. In a
violent protests, a lack of dynamic quake-prone area, an old dam is a
leadership and a paralysed potential threat. The Tamil Nadu
administration despite access to Chief Minister must immediately
bounteous natural resources. Now, start talks with his counterpart in
the residual Andhra Pradesh has all Kerala and allay fears.
K.A. Solaman,
the opportunity to rebuild itself and
Alappuzha
get back on the track to
development under the leadership
of
N.
Chandrababu
Naidu Why subject an old dam to an
(Singapore weighing A.P. help to endurance test? This is the right
build capital, Nov.17). His vision opportunity for Tamil Nadu to
and mission will undoubtedly be come forward and extend support
instrumental in rebuilding the State to Kerala. Tamil Nadu can draw
and one hopes that the Singapore more water from Mullaperiyar and
government will take a favourable store it in the Vaigai. This will also
decision in extending help in help raise the water table in
planning world-class systems in the Madurai and surrounding areas.
areas of water supply, power, gas, Tamil Nadu needs to pay heed to
Keralas request. A give-and-takeroads and fibre optic grids.
Prasad Kandra, policy is a must in any democracy.
O.R. Nandagopan,
Nellore
Kochi

A Singapore model

Putins walkout

The churlish behaviour of the G-20


towards
Russian
President
Vladimir Putin is appalling
(Nov.17). One is reminded of the
script of the film Mean Girls. Do
many of the world leaders who

forces were not adequate to address hostile


rebel groups in the Northeast in the 1950s
and 1960s and the local States bureaucratic
apparatuses were underdeveloped at the
time, the state relied heavily on the military
and on special regiments like the Assam Rifles and Manipur Rifles, leading to an early
institutionalisation of garrison governance.
This over time became path-dependent, i.e.,
it was easier to allow garrison governance in
the hands of uniformed actors to continue,
than to actually try to find political solutions
to persistent problems of insurgency. Political solutions only came with regard to Mizoram and, to a limited extent, in Tripura
with the Tripura National Volunteers and in
Bodoland. Several other ceasefires or Suspension of Operations agreements with insurgent groups in the northeast have only

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Turning a deaf ear to the genuine


apprehensions of Kerala is not
conducive to our federal set-up and
good neighbourly relations between
the two States. Since the Vaigai dam
is in a position to store more water,

Tamil Nadu could help ease the


apprehensions of Kerala and in a
way that does not jeopardise the
interests of Tamil Nadu. This is not
the occasion for a game of oneupmanship but of fostering kinship.
Ayyasseri Raveendranath,
Aranmula, Kerala
When the issue of safety of the dam
has been raised a number of times,
why is it becoming an issue yet
again? Just because the dam is over
a 100 years old, why is there a fear
psychosis being created? No gravity
masonry dam will ever burst and no
gravity dam has so far burst in any
part of the world. The dam is as good
as new after strengthening
measures were devised by the
Central Water Commission, the
highest technical body in India, and
which have been carried out with
the concurrence of engineers of the
Kerala government.
Graham Pennycook,
Theni, Tamil Nadu

Oil supply scenario


In India, the fall in oil prices has
gained goodwill for the government
though it has nothing to do with any
form of intervention by the
government (Gulf stability and the
oil supply scenario, Nov.17). Even
then, a stable Middle East is in
Indias favour. New Delhi should be
committed to helping the Gulf
region especially in combating
terrorism. After reading about the
factors that govern the supply of oil,
one hopes that India quickly adopts
sustainable development aimed at
limiting our dependence on nonrenewable sources of energy.
Mohd Younis,
Tujan Pulwama, J&K

security like the New Exploration


License Policy (NELP), the coal bed
methane policy, using gas hydrates
and shale gas may be solutions for
the future. Moreover, spending on
solar energy (a target of 100GW of
solar energy by 2020) has to be
stepped up. Public transportation
systems need to be encouraged.
Ponnamabalam Kalidoss
Ashok,
Madurai
Asian countries should not find
themselves in a position where they
are dependent, of all countries, on
the U.S. for their oil supply. It is also
ironic that despite the fall in oil
prices, India is still unable to pass
on the benefits to consumers. Oil
shocks will continue to be a reality
and India must think of concrete
policies to insulate itself from
energy crises.
N. Visveswaran,
Chennai

Hindu chaplain
While I agree with Pratima Dharms
view (Comment, Nov.17) that in
todays advanced scientific world
we must not believe too much in
mythologies, the fact is that Robert
Oppenheimer, regarded as the
father of the atomic bomb
referred to the Bhagavad Gita to
express his hopes and fears. He is
quoted as having thought of the
verse: Now I am become Death, the
destroyer of worlds.
Santhosh Mathew,
Puducherry

It was enlightening to know that the


Gita formed the foundation for Ms.
Dharm counselling Hindu soldiers
during the Iraq war, and in her role
as an interfaith chaplain. The fact
That energy security will be a major that Hindus are increasingly
factor to worry about by 2035 is becoming a part of the U.S. military
cause for concern. Though the is encouraging.
Dammalapati Shyamprasad,
government has a number of
Guntur
policies towards petrol-energy
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

False promise of nuclear power


N
Brahma Chellaney

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014

New clarity to ties


with Australia
rime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Australia was long overdue, coming 28 years after
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi travelled to the
continent. While the invitation to Brisbane for
the G-20 summit took Mr. Modi there, the decision to
travel to three other Australian cities, at a time when he
had other pressing domestic commitments, was well
considered. His address to the diaspora in Sydney generated much enthusiasm among the often ignored but
influential community, and his address to parliamentarians was well received. As a result, his meeting with
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has seen relations being upgraded and imparted with clarity. The
focus was much required. Even as India and Australia
work towards a free trade agreement by 2016, bilateral
trade between the two countries has lagged considerably
behind the potential. The actual trade languishes at just
$15 billion, against a $40 billion target by 2015, set during
former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillards bilateral meeting with former Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh in 2012. Smoothening investment procedures for
Australian businessmen even as Indian businessmen are
invited into Australia to buy coal mines and invest in
infrastructure for other mineral resources, must be taken up as a priority. Another worry: after many years of
negotiations, the civil nuclear deal has been signed to
allow Australia to sell uranium to India, but the last mile
has not yet been reached, and the rising price of Australian uranium might make it unviable by the time the
agreement is operationalised.
On the strategic side as well, the two countries have
little time to lose. India and Australia may have declared
a strategic partnership in 2009, but the relationship has
been undefined and vague for the most part. The much
talked about India-Japan-Australia-U.S. quadrilateral
came a cropper, partly due to Australias hesitation in
joining any front that may be perceived as anti-China.
Mr. Modis bilateral meetings came after Chinese President Xi Jinpings meetings in Canberra where China and
Australia announced an FTA and enhanced strategic
cooperation. The newly announced India-Australia strategic framework, that structures annual meetings between the leaders, defence ministers and regular
exchanges between the armed forces and non-defence
forces on counter-terrorism, piracy and cybersecurity, is
a positive step that focusses on the shared strengths of
India and Australia. It must not be seen as a defensive
position against any other country. Given the drift of the
past, it is to be hoped that the upgraded framework will
also give New Delhi a clearer line of sight to Canberra,
and not the position at the periphery of our vision, as
Mr. Modi said during his address to the Australian
Parliament.

ew developments highlight the


growing travails of the global nuclear-power industry. France
the poster child of atomic power
plans to cut its nuclear-generating capacity
by a third by 2025 and focus instead on renewable sources, like its neighbours, Germany and Spain. As nuclear power becomes
increasingly uneconomical at home because
of skyrocketing costs, the U.S. and France are
aggressively pushing exports, not just to India
and China, but also to nuclear newcomers,
such as the cash-laden oil sheikhdoms. Still,
the bulk of the reactors under construction or
planned worldwide are located in just four
countries China, Russia, South Korea and
India.
Six decades after Lewis Strauss, chairman
of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission,
claimed that nuclear energy would become
too cheap to meter, nuclear power confronts an increasingly uncertain future, largely because of unfavourable economics. The
International Energy Agencys World Energy
Outlook 2014, released last week, states: Uncertainties continue to cloud the future for
nuclear government policy, public confidence, financing in liberalized markets, competitiveness versus other sources of
generation, and the looming retirement of a
large fleet of older plants.

Heavily subsidy reliant


Nuclear power has the energy sectors
highest capital and water intensity and longest plant-construction time frame, making it
hardly attractive for private investors. Plant
construction time frame, with licensing approval, still averages almost a decade, as underscored by the new reactors commissioned
in the past decade. The key fact about nuclear
power is that it is the worlds most subsidyfattened energy industry, even as it generates
the most dangerous wastes whose safe disposal saddles future generations. Commercial reactors have been in operation for more
than half-a-century, yet the industry still cannot stand on its own feet without major state
support. Instead of the cost of nuclear power
declining with the technologys maturation
as is the case with other sources of energy
the costs have escalated multiple times.
In this light, nuclear power has inexorably
been on a downward trajectory. The nuclear
share of the worlds total electricity production reached its peak of 17 per cent in the late
1980s. Since then, it has been falling, and is
currently estimated at about 13 per cent, even
as new uranium discoveries have swelled
global reserves. With proven reserves having

The need for costly upgrades post-Fukushima and


for making the nuclear industry competitive,
including by cutting back on generous government
subsidies, underscore nuclear powers dimming
future. It is against this background that Indias
urge to import high-priced reactors must be
examined
grown by 12.5 per cent since just 2008, there
is enough uranium to meet current demand
for more than 100 years.
Yet, the worldwide aggregate installed capacity of just three renewables wind power,
solar power and biomass has surpassed
installed nuclear-generating capacity. In India and China, wind power output alone exceeds nuclear-generated electricity.

size reactor model, which is better suited for


the developing countries, considering their
grid limitations. Instead, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singhs government, after making India the worlds largest importer of conventional arms since 2006, set out to make
the country the worlds single largest importer of nuclear power reactors a double
whammy for Indian taxpayers, already heavily burdened by the fact that India is the only
Fukushimas impact
major economy in Asia that is import-deBefore the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the pendent rather than export driven.
global nuclear power industry a powerful
cartel of less than a dozen major state-owned Critiquing Indias programme
To compound matters, the Singh governor state-guided firms had been trumpeting
a global nuclear renaissance. This spiel was ment opted for major reactor imports withlargely anchored in hope. However, the triple out a competitive bidding process. It reserved
meltdown at Fukushima has not only reo- a nuclear park each for four foreign firms
pened old safety concerns but also set in mo- (Areva of France, Westinghouse and GE of

India should actually be encouraging its industry to export its


tested and reliable midsize reactor model, which is better suited
for the developing countries, considering their grid
limitations.

tion the renaissance of nuclear power in


reverse. The dual imperative for costly upgrades post-Fukushima and for making the
industry competitive, including by cutting
back on the munificent government subsidies, underscores nuclear powers dimming
future. It is against this background that Indias itch to import high-priced reactors must
be examined. To be sure, India should ramp
up electricity production from all energy
sources. There is definitely a place for safe
nuclear power in Indias energy mix. Indeed,
the countrys domestic nuclear-power industry has done a fairly good job both in delivering electricity at a price that is the envy of
western firms and, as the newest indigenous
reactors show, in beating the mean global
plant construction time frame.
India should actually be encouraging its
industry to export its tested and reliable mid-

the U.S., and Atomstroyexport of Russia) to


build multiple reactors at a single site. It then
set out to acquire land from farmers and other residents, employing coercion in some
cases.
Having undercut its leverage by dedicating
a park to each foreign vendor, it entered into
price negotiations. Because the imported reactors are to be operated by the Indian state,
the foreign vendors have been freed from
producing electricity at marketable rates. In
other words, Indian taxpayers are to subsidise the high-priced electricity generated.
Westinghouse, GE and Areva also wish to
shift the primary liability for any accident to
the Indian taxpayer so that they have no
downside risk but only profits to reap. If a
Fukushima-type catastrophe were to strike
India, it would seriously damage the Indian
economy. A recent Osaka City University

CARTOONSCAPE

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


The IPL saga
It is very unfortunate to witness
the mess that has brought
disrepute to the game of cricket
(Srinivasan did not fix matches or
scuttle probe, says panel, Nov.18).
According
to
the
Mudgal
committee report, BCCI officials
were well aware of the activities of
the key players but did act on it. It
is the primary responsibility of a
sports body to initiate corrective
action against bad practices. It is
also time sports bodies across the
country have their dealings made
transparent. There has to be
stringent
and
deterrent
punishment.
Mohd. Adnan Uddin,
Hyderabad
Whatever the findings, under the
circumstances, Mr. N. Srinivasan
and the others mentioned in the
report must not be allowed to be
associated with the game. Cricket
has already been sullied because of
shenanigans in the IPL. The BCCI
must put in place credible
measures to bring back lost glory to
the game.
V.S. Jayaraman,
Chennai
In India, cricket is not a
gentlemans game; it has assumed
the status of a game for all classes.
The IPL was formed to tap into
money, glitz and the commercial
aspect of the game but in the
process, has only ended up sullying
crickets image. The excruciating
process of cleansing the BCCI

study has put Japans Fukushima-disaster


bill at a whopping $105 billion.
To Dr. Singhs discomfiture, three factors
put a break on his reactor-import plans the
exorbitant price of French- and U.S.-origin
reactors, the accident-liability issue, and
grass-roots opposition to the planned multireactor complexes. After Fukushima, the
grass-roots attitude in India is that nuclear
power is okay as long as the plant is located in
someone elses backyard, not ones own. This
attitude took a peculiar form at Kudankulam,
in Tamil Nadu, where a protest movement
suddenly flared just when the Russian-origin,
twin-unit nuclear power plant was virtually
complete.
Indias new nuclear plants, like in most
other countries, are located in coastal regions
so that these water-guzzling facilities can
largely draw on seawater for their operations
and not bring freshwater resources under
strain. But coastal areas are often not only
heavily populated but also constitute prime
real estate. The risks that seaside reactors
face from global warming-induced natural disasters became evident more than six years
before Fukushima, when the 2004 Indian
Ocean tsunami inundated parts of the Madras
Atomic Power Station. But the reactor core
could be kept in a safe shutdown mode because the electrical systems had been installed on higher ground than the plant level.

One-sided

Getting them
back to school
survey commissioned by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, in September
shows that out of the estimated 20.41 crore
children in the age group of 6-13 in India, an
estimated 60.41 lakh (2.97 per cent) are out of school.
This proportion of out-of-school children is lower than
the figure of 4.28 per cent in 2009 and 6.94 per cent in
2006, a fact worthy of cheer. This study is indicative of
the fact that government-sponsored retention schemes
and policies have had some positive impact. Methodologically, the report conducts household surveys and broadly defines out-of-school as including all children who do
not attend school for more than 45 days in an academic
year. Had the report conducted a survey based on administrative records and defined out-of-school children
more narrowly, the results may have been significantly
different, perhaps far less optimistic. But the picture is
gloomy if we look more closely at the status of marginal
groups in this study. The survey reveals that a higher
percentage of female children (3.23 per cent) are out of
school than males (2.77 per cent); more children from
rural areas (3.13 per cent) are out of school than from
urban (2.54 per cent) areas. A staggering 4.43 per cent of
Muslim children, 4.7 per cent of Scheduled Tribes and
28.07 per cent of children with special needs are estimated to be out of school. Other surveys in the recent past
also concur with this data of identifying Scheduled
Castes, ST and Muslim children as constituting a major
chunk of the out-of-school children, and record a very
disproportionate progress in terms of bridging regional,
gender and rural/urban divides.
The report simplistically records poverty and academic disinterest as major reasons for dropping out of school.
Such analysis is where such studies fall short. As the
MHRD report Education for All of August 2014 shows,
too much emphasis is given to infrastructural reform,
providing transportation, books, uniforms, etc. Although
this is significant, the overarching insights from such a
study require policymakers to officially acknowledge the
prevalence of exclusionary practices in schools, so as to
address them directly. In such complex conditions, deploying an intersectional analysis can be a useful methodological tool of study, such as noting the
discrimination faced by a lower caste-rural-girl child in
school as against an upper caste-urban-boy child. The
school cannot be perceived as an instrumental sphere for
the potential labour force of a growing economy. Rather,
it is a space for community development, a learning
process that can potentially undermine caste and gender
prejudices by the mere fact of children sitting together
and sharing a common meal, increasing their self-worth.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014

cannot be completed without the


exit of the principal office-bearers.
Well-wishers and diehard cricket
fans must push for a total revamp
of the BCCI.
C.R. Ananthanarayanan,
Bengaluru

Dr. Singh invested so such political capital


in the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear agreement that
much of his first term was spent in negotiating and consummating the deal. He never
explained why he overruled the nuclear establishment and shut down the CIRUS research reactor the source of much of Indias
cumulative historic production of weaponsgrade plutonium since the 1960s. In fact, CIRUS had been refurbished at a cost of millions
of dollars and reopened for barely two years
when Dr. Singh succumbed to U.S. pressure
and agreed to close it down.
Nevertheless, the nuclear accord has turned out to be a dud deal for India on energy but
a roaring success for the U.S. in opening the
door to major weapon sales a development
that has quietly made America the largest
arms supplier to India. For the U.S., the deal
from the beginning was more geostrategic in
nature (designed to co-opt India as a quasially) than centred on just energy.
Even if no differences had arisen over the
accident-liability issue, the deal would still
not have delivered a single operational nuclear power plant for a more than a decade for
two reasons the inflated price of westernorigin commercial reactors and grass-roots
opposition. Areva, Westinghouse and GE
signed Memorandums of Understanding with
the state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Limited (NPCIL) in 2009, but construction has yet to begin at any site.
India has offered Areva, with which negotiations are at an advanced stage, a power
price of Rs.6.50 per kilowatt hour twice the
average electricity price from indigenous reactors. But the state-owned French firm is
still holding out for a higher price. If Kudankulam is a clue, work at the massive nuclear complexes at Jaitapur in Maharashtra
(earmarked for Areva), Mithi Virdi in Gujarat
(Westinghouse) and Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh (GE) is likely to run into grass-roots
resistance. Indeed, if India wishes to boost
nuclear-generating capacity without paying
through its nose, the better choice given its
new access to the world uranium market
would be an accelerated indigenous
programme.
Globally, nuclear power is set to face increasing challenges due to its inability to
compete with other energy sources in pricing.
Another factor is how to manage the rising
volumes of spent nuclear fuel in the absence
of permanent disposal facilities. More fundamentally, without a breakthrough in fusion
energy or greater commercial advances in the
area that the U.S. has strived to block
breeder (and thorium) reactors nuclear
power is in no position to lead the world out of
the fossil fuel age.
(Brahma Chellaney is a geostrategist and
author.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
how poorly all non-white teams
were treated; about how the
subcontinental boards were underrepresented and never given a
voice. Under able stewardship, the
BCCI would have given India a
chance to shine by presenting itself
as a beacon of fairness and
integrity. We had a chance to lead
by example and show the world
that when the tables were turned,
we had the decree to lead. We had a
chance to demonstrate that we
could take the high road, the path
less travelled and carry even those
who once exploited us by showing
them a better way forward. All this
goes now. For squandering this
opportunity, the men in question
owe us an apology before they go
quietly into the night.
Nikhil Vaish,
New York

It is well over a year since the


scams that rocked the IPL came to
light. Yet, the culprits have still to
face the law. The IPL and all its
unpleasant happenings, both on
and off the field, have steadily
destroyed the sanctity of cricket.
Ideally, the sports ministry should
have taken over the BCCI
immediately once the damning
revelations of betting and spotfixing broke out. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi who has been
resolutely campaigning to root out
corruption, should intervene. The
sky will not fall if IPL is not held for
a year or if it is not played in India.
R. Sivakumar, The Centre should desist from the
Chennai move to lower the age limit for civil
services aspirants (Nov.18). Nearly
The tragedy in this saga is the fact six lakh students write this
that the sport the principal examination every year and most
administrators were meant to of them are from poor sociochampion and steward has been economic backgrounds and who
the greatest victim of their hubris. often think about the civil services
Money can buy many things after completing post graduation.
including support from local, The civil services is no mere career
regional and even international option. The age limit now, of 30 for
cricketing boards but it cannot buy the unreserved category and 33 for
the one thing the administrators OBCs, was arrived at after much
covet the most respect. They clamour.
would have earned respect had
Let us not think of moves to
they built a true legacy for the scuttle the chances of those trying
BCCI, by furthering the cause of hard for the most coveted job.
Shajimon Purushothaman,
cricket and doing right by it.
Cherthala, Kerala
For years the BCCI opined about

Lower age limit

This is the second time in recent


months
that
the
UPSC
examination
is
courting
controversy; earlier it was
regarding the structure and
English language option. The
enormity of the syllabus is
daunting. A science graduate needs
to study history and economics
while an arts graduate needs to
know general science and
commerce. Preparation for such a
vast curriculum requires an ample
amount of time. Further, not all
candidates crack the exam at the
very first attempt. Many need to
work and support themselves
financially. Please do not clip the
wings of young aspirants like me
who want to get selected or
rejected on the basis of our merit
and not on aspects which are
beyond our control.
Dwaipayan Chakraborty,
Kolkata

(Nov.17). In these times, when the


Gulf has been left in a quandary by
the U.S. and the GCC is also
desperately looking for the new
partners to rely on, it is most
appropriate if India expands its
role and instils confidence among
countries in the region.
Vishalakshi Malan,
New Delhi

India is likely to experience


changes in its geopolitical
trajectory. With the dream of
Make in India and 100 smart
cities, India will be in dire need of
energy.
Dependence
on
conventional energy sources has to
be reduced with increased
investment in nuclear energy and
renewable sources. A shift towards
the use of solar energy is advisable
and inspiration must be drawn
from the model adopted by Japan
which has its Feed-in-Tariff
Policy.
The move may be a right step in
Kanikka Sersia,
New Delhi
trying to get young minds as good
administrators. However, it should
not be forgotten that the The decline in oil prices has huge
government is trying to implement implications for global politics and
the recommendations of the Kiran the economies of the Gulf states.
Aggarwal Committee to reduce Some experts are of the view that
the duration of training. In sum the development will not lead the
these two steps are bound to affect Saudis and other OPEC countries
candidates in learning the to cut down on production. Media
speculation is that the goal is to
fundamentals of administration.
Navin Katyal, drive prices below the production
New Delhi cost of fracked oil. Whatever the
fluctuations, India must be smart
and start reducing its dependence
I concur with the writers points of on crude oil in a big way.
H.N. Ramakrishna,
view in his article Gulf stability
Bengaluru
and the oil supply scenario

Oil supply scenario

ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Sectarianism of the secular brigade


P
Ajay Gudavarthy

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Arms and
the godman
ome godmen and religious cult leaders often
have an exaggerated sense of their own importance: they sometimes end up believing what
they tell their fanatic followers. In evading
arrest for days together by making his supporters create a ring of protection around him in his ashram, the
self-styled jagat guru Sant Rampal not only showed
utter disregard for the law of the land, but also supreme
confidence in his ability to keep law enforcers at bay.
Despite a court order calling for his arrest in a contempt case, the police struggled to get close to the
godman in his ashram in Hisar. Intent to avoid a violent
confrontation in the ashram, the police chose to play
the waiting game, without trying to force their way past
the crowd of Rampal supporters. But the water cannons, tear gas shells, and lathis of the police were met
with gunfire, Molotov cocktails and acid pouches of the
followers. Indeed, Sant Rampal seemed to be enjoying
being at the centre of all this attention. In his calculations, the longer the stand-off between his followers
and the police, the better it would be for his own
popularity. The clashes with the police were designed
to add inches to his larger-than-life image. Thus, instead of choosing the easier and more sensible option
of surrendering to the police, the Sant put at risk the
lives and limbs of his band of supporters.
Worryingly, five women and a child have died in the
ashram during the stand-off. While the cause of the
deaths is still under investigation, there is little doubt
that the use of a human shield by the godman had
unpleasant consequences. Fresh cases of waging war
against the state filed against him are not going to deter
the Sant or his group of blind followers who seem to
thrive on controversies. Sant Rampals rise to fame was
not that of the usual godman. Claiming to be an incarnation of Kabir, the mystic poet-saint of 15th century India, Rampal rose to fame not only by preaching,
but also by attacking other spiritual leaders and politicians and influential people. Indeed, his disdain for the
law and for those in power seems to be part of the
attraction for his followers. While the police did the
right thing by exercising care and restraint in pushing
back his supporters, the impression that the godman
could defy the court and the law indefinitely gained
ground. There could have been no resolution of the
stand-off without the arrest of Sant Rampal. There was
nothing to be gained by appealing to the Sant to see
reason, and a peaceful end to this confrontation could
never have been quick.

olitical imagination in India has


come to a standstill, aiding and abetting the construction of a homogenised cultural and political sphere.
The roots of this lie not only in the right-wing
political imagination of a Hindu Rashtra but
also in the secular sectarianism pursued by
secular, democratic and progressive political
formations. Secular sectarianism of feminists,
Dalits, the Left and religious minorities has,
over a period, ghettoised communities and
advanced a sectarian political imagination,
leading to a political dead end that they are
now finding difficult to negotiate.
Cumulatively, they all seem to have contributed to a shrinking political imagination
that has in turn contributed handsomely to
the rise of right-wing politics. Feminist politics in India was silenced by the demand being
made by right-wing forces for a uniform civil
code, unable to negotiate the competing demands between womens rights and that of
the religious minorities, after the Shah Bano
case. It is a puzzle as to why they did not
proceed along the lines of equating gendered
practices in all religions, whether against the
Hadith or the Manusmriti or the Bible, along
with many other very similar practices that
are sanctioned which place women as being
less than equal to men. In fact, it was B.R.
Ambedkar who argued that it is only Dalits
and women who face untouchability due to
religious sanctions.

Mobility with dignity


Similarly, Dalit politics in India moved
from its focus on Ambedkar as a philosopher
and who was the chief architect of the Constitution to a claim that he belongs to Dalits
alone. In the 1980s, the demand was that Ambedkar and Phule be introduced in university
syllabi and taught by all in order to understand caste. Now, the demand is that nobody
other than Dalits has the right to write and
talk about Ambedkar. Similarly, the idea earlier was that all dispossessed social groups are
Dalits, irrespective of their caste. Today, even
progressive and democratic individuals and
organisations are reduced to the caste they are
born into; a new kind of homo sacer as bare
caste beings. This shift, to a narrower inter-

The secular sectarianism of feminists, Dalits,


the Left and religious minorities has ghettoised
communities and is leading to a political dead end.
Cumulatively, they all seem to have contributed to
a shrinking political imagination, in turn aiding
the rise of right-wing politics
pretation of anti-caste imagery, led to social
justice shrinking to (political) representation,
where even if it is the right-wing political
organisations such as the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS) that provide for an opportunity,
it should be taken as an opportunity for mobility that was otherwise denied to Dalits for
centuries.

Minority rights
Today, the case for this has grown stronger,
with the RSS advancing a more de-brahmanised mode of Hinduisation, in the sense of
providing for leadership for individuals from
the Dalit-Bahujan communities. Here it is being argued that for Dalits, the difference be-

course regarding minority rights in India. It


not only assumed Muslims and other religious
minorities to be homogeneous but also articulated their concerns disconnected from other political discourses in a democracy, by
mentally and spatially ghettoising them into a
segregated social group. For instance, Muslim
political organisations could have talked
about the witch-hunt against Muslims from
Azamgarh and the alleged encounter killings
at Batla House and also about the same kind of
exceptionalism being practised against tribals
in Chhattisgarh and what amounts to the racial profiling of citizens from the Northeast. In
the same breath, it would be incumbent to
speak of the plight of Hindus in Baluchistan
and Bangladesh, as much as the rights of

Progressive politics has to move towards affinity and an idea


of shared spaces rather than focus on mere claims of
essentialised identity.

tween left, right and centre makes no sense.


Dalit politics, however, has ceased to question
whatever happened to forging a bahujan samaj, along with the Other Backward Classes
and Muslims, if they were to consider the
opportunities provided by right-wing political
mobilisation as justified mobility towards undoing demeaned social status. After the success of the Bahujan Samaj Party, the centrality
of political power in anti-caste politics has
undoubtedly been a source of some of these
visible shifts. If mobility with dignity is the
true meaning of the struggle against brahamanical hegemony, it can be accrued only by
questioning sectarianism in all its manifold
forms.
So has the case been with the secular dis-

Kashmiri Pandits who lost their homes, and


not merely or exclusively about the Palestinians of Gaza. It is important to conjoin the
rights of Muslims with questioning the views
of Mr. Geelani on Hindu religious minorities
and women in Kashmir. Citizenship, as a political practice, is instantiated in the right to
speak for others, and not in speaking just for
ones own self alone. This becomes all the
more important in a context where neo-liberalism has, in a very substantive sense, undermined empathy for others, and fraternity and
solidarity of all kinds. While capital and the
market depend on a process of individuation,
progressive politics has to move towards affinity and an idea of shared spaces rather than
focus on mere claims of essentialised identity,

CARTOONSCAPE

Counting caste
in the census
stand-alone caste headcount may not normally be desirable in a country grappling
with the adverse consequences of social hierarchy and caste-based divisions. However,
in conjunction with socio-economic data, a caste census may yield quantifiable data that could be used to
evaluate measures such as caste-based reservation in
employment and education. In that sense, a caste-wise
enumeration of the population, both in the urban and
rural areas, may be useful in guiding policy. A recent
decision by the Supreme Court setting aside a direction from the Madras High Court to the authorities to
hold a caste-wise census, caused disquiet in States like
Tamil Nadu, where the demand for a caste census has
been strong. The verdict was seen by some as judicial
invalidation of the idea of a caste census. However, the
court verdict was limited to the question whether the
High Court was right in encroaching upon the policy
domain of the executive. Secondly, the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) launched in 2011 to enumerate castes along with socio-economic data, is
progressing, and is likely to be completed soon. The
court had only held that it was a policy matter in the
realm of the executive. It may be recalled that the
court had in the past wanted to know the basis on
which reservation was fixed, as there is no precise data
on the extent of backwardness of any given caste. With
some States exceeding the 50 per cent limit on total
reservation fixed by the Supreme Court in the Indira
Sawhney case, the continuance of higher levels of
caste-based reservation may depend on the socio-economic data.
However, it is not clear why the Union government,
or the office of the Census Commissioner that had
appealed against the High Court direction to hold a
caste census, did not apprise the Supreme Court of the
fact that SECC 2011 is in progress. The governments
argument was limited to the point that any direction
on the manner in which the census is undertaken will
be tantamount to interference in policy matters. Perhaps, the government had gone on appeal only on the
principle that the decennial census should remain in
its present form and that the socio-economic caste
survey was just a one-off exercise. It is not yet clear
how the government proposes to use the caste data
collected by it. The outcome of SECC 2011 may well be
used to identify beneficiaries under various welfare
schemes, including those earmarked for availing facilities under food security schemes. It will be quite a
daunting task to match the socio-economic characteristics of a particular community with its numerical
strength. In whatever manner the details may be put to
use, India must continue to balance social justice with
the long-term objective of creating a caste-free society.

CM
YK

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Pawars poll talk
Nationalist Congress Party chief
Sharad Pawars abrupt statement
warning of the possibility of a snap
poll in Maharashtra is an
irresponsible one (Nov. 19).
However, it is not quite surprising
given the crude nature of, and craze
for power among, politicians in
general. Seasoned politicians like
Mr. Pawar need to understand that
a poor country like India cannot
afford to conduct elections
frequently. In Maharashtra, the
BJP appears to be caught between
the devil and the deep sea in the
form of the NCP and the Shiv Sena.
S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

even a human shield were used to


keep the police at bay is shocking. At
the same time, one cannot help but
compare this with reports of
another
personality,
Baba
Ramdev, being given Z category
protection by the Centre.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad

With a pro-Hindutva government


in power at the Centre, such
incidents are bound to escalate as
self-styled godmen are being used
even to invoke votes. While all
godmen cannot be tarred with the
same brush, those who flout the law
and commit crimes that are
punishable under the IPC should
not be spared.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
Mr. Pawar, being the shrewd
politician that he is, is not being
naive when he suggests that his Godmen like Sant Rampal along
party cadres should be battle-ready. with unscrupulous people in
He seems to be eyeing a larger share politics and industry pose a serious
of the political pie in the State after threat to society. It is no secret that
sensing that the leaders of the BJP in many such instances these
and the Shiv Sena might not find godmen are the local Swissbanks
common ground easily. As the and agents to aid unlawful and
government
may
eventually immoral activities.
J.V.V. Murthy,
crumble, his plank of support will
Coimbatore
keep him in good stead. It is
unfortunate that the citizens of
Maharashtra are being made to pay The land of Aya Rams and Gaya
dearly for their own indecisive Rams and khap panchayats has
verdict. It is also a lesson for once- moved on to another terrible age
with the mayhem being created by
natural political allies.
Sivamani Vasudevan, godmen. The Haryana government
Chennai seems to have failed its first test.
The steps taken by the Haryana
police also show why we need police
What an irony it was that on a day reform urgently.
Ettirankandath Krishnadas,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Palakkad
called for a broad global strategy to
tackle terror, a self-styled godman
unleashed terror in Chandigarh
using his private army. That guns, The detection of what should be the
Molotov cocktails, acid pouches and first case of Ebola in India should

Ashram battle

Ebola in India

notwithstanding the contribution identity


politics has made in highlighting the concerns of some of the most marginalised social
groups in India. This, in essence, is also the
difference with right-wing political mobilisations. Otherwise, there would be very little
distinction between the sectarianism of the
democratic kind, and the divisive politics of
the RSS, the BJP, the Bajrang Dal, and the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Decline of the Left


Indian democracy otherwise considered
to be a success story among postcolonial nations built its foundations on secular sectarianism of various kinds. This was previously
typified as the Congress System, where different and conflicting social groups were accommodated within the same political party.
This accommodation however, retained the
social status of the groups as they stood in an
umbrella formation. It is this politics of forming a coalition of social groups without any
sustained attempt to forge intersectional dialogue that is now visibly unworkable and
which has led to a sharp decline in the electoral prospects of the Congress. It is this very
strategy of maintaining a centrist polity that
has gradually shifted rightwards through replicating the same strategy of forging a statusquoist coalition but for a different purpose
of realising a Hindu Rashtra by right-wing
political formations. This decline of the Congress is made even more pronounced by the
simultaneous decline of the Left parties that
have found themselves in a political landscape
best typified as a no-mans-land. They have
not only failed to align themselves with the
non-class democratic organisations but have
also never failed to express mutual contempt
for other Left-based political mobilisations.
In pursuit of a correct line, they could neither respond to the political exigencies nor
overcome the dogmas that they have often
fallen victim to. Today, they are faced with a
difficult choice, of being either pragmatic or
dogmatic, both of which have only contributed to a sustained decline of the Left in Indian politics. The classism in the Left too
failed to instil a political culture of social
groups speaking for each other.
The way forward really seems to be in opening up internal dialogue within communities
as also across them. These will have to necessarily go together, and include the following:
raising difficult questions such as masculinity
within anti-caste movements that time and
again attract them towards far-right groups
like the Shiv Sena; highlighting various practices of discrimination including untouchability within and between various sections of the
Dalit community; highlighting communal
sentiments and the inward-looking philosophy of Muslims reflected in ideas of jihad or in
considering non-Muslims (barring Christians
and Jews) as Kafirs, along with the unholy
alliance between the politically powerful and
their convenient interpretations of the Koran;
disallowing a more progressive interpretation
around justice and equality being the core
pillars of Islam and self-righteous tendencies
in the Left that refuses to listen and learn that
social change cannot be programmed, scientific and sanitised, but carries with it a load of
uncertainties that need to be made sense of.
Also, it must find within them the possibilities
to break the condensation of the polity into a
majoritarian construct. Majoritarianism in
the Indian polity today is growing in the interstices of secular sectarianism that have left
unanswered various inconvenient questions
pertaining to social groups that were considered as the subaltern. It is within this space
and the growing possibility of conflicts within
the subaltern on the one hand, and their joining in alliance with the traditional social elite
on the other that right-wing political mobilisation is finding its new space and turning
democracy on its head.
(Ajay Gudavarthy, with the Centre for
Political Studies, JNU, is now visiting
professor, Centre for Modern Indian Studies,
Gottingen University, Germany.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
open the eyes of authorities to the
grave danger posed by the virus to
Indias vast population (Nov. 19).
Though the authorities must be
congratulated for detecting the case
and reassuring us, the fact remains
that awareness campaigns must be
started
on
a
war-footing.
Authorities at all ports of entry to
India must follow strict quarantine
measures.
Nusrat Ahmad Dar,
Pulwama, J&K

On Wahhabism
It has been mentioned in the Quran
La Iqrahafiddeen (2:256) Surah
Baqarah that there can be no
compulsion in religion. Irfan Habib
(Nov. 19) has rightly pointed out
that the Islamic State has left other
terrorist groups far behind in terms
of barbarism. Even the pre-Prophet
era of Jahiliya had not seen such
atrocities being committed. Despite
the differences, the Islamic world
needs to come together to counter
the threat being posed by the IS.
Syed Abbas Haider,
Meerut
The brand of Islam adopted and
forcibly being thrust on others by
self-proclaimed true Muslims is
far removed from the Islam
practised by Prophet Muhammad.
Islam means peace and the
Prophets life in Medina is a classic
example of how people of different
beliefs were united as one ummah,
or community. The Constitution of
Medina is the most important
written agreement forged for the
peaceful coexistence of all
communities inhabiting Medina
during that time. Social justice,
equality, compassion and mercy are
the hallmarks of Islam. Sadly, there
has been an unrelenting attack on

these basic human values by terror


outfits such as the IS and Boko
Haram. It is equally unfortunate
that due to the adoption of a
doctrine of hatred, the world views
the Muslim community with
suspicion.
A. Shafiqur Rahman,
Chennai
Every religion has a history of
reforms. As time passed, reform
movements were hijacked by
extremist elements within the fold
bringing a bad name to the founders
and their noble missions.
Syed Qamar Hasan,
Hyderabad

Dignity of labour
Prime Minister Narendra Modis
star-like reception in Australia has
been all over the media, and one of
the recent inspirational slogans he
echoed in Sydney was that he
admired the Australian ethos of
dignity of labour. When he
returns to India, he must effectively
implement the law against manual
scavenging in India. Indeed, there is
no dignity in such degrading
slavery. Human Rights Watch has
raised this issue in a 2014 report,
and the BBC, among other western
media outlets, has covered it. I also
find it ironical that Mr. Modi gave
this speech after unveiling
Mahatma Gandhis statue in
Brisbane. A first step to bringing
dignity to India's exploited and
demeaned
citizens
is
the
reappraisal of its past saints,
instead of erecting and worshipping
their idols.
Rajiv Thind,
Brisbane, Australia

Justice of India on the lack of


implementation of environmental
laws in connection with cases of
animals suffering after ingesting
plastic bags should be an eyeopener on the urgent need to ban
plastic (Nov. 19). The case of plastic
garbage weighing 52 kg being
removed from the stomach of a cow
should make plastic manufacturers
realise the harm being done.
D.S. Reddy,
Vijayawada
Despite a ban on the use of plastic,
the law does not seem to be
effective. It is unfortunate that
while the cow is revered, we
continue to harm the animal. There
needs to be a national debate on the
use of plastics and bags. It is a fact
that plastic does not degrade in the
environment and causes great harm
to numerous animals.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad

The report has come at a time when


grave danger awaits not cows but
precious wildlife in some of the
most pristine parts of Kerala. With
the months long pilgrimage season
to Sabarimala about to begin,
wildlife
lovers
are
gravely
concerned about the annual
problem of plastic articles being
strewn in the area. In February this
year and just after the end of the
previous pilgrim season the
necropsy of a dead elephant in the
area found polythene carry bags,
aluminium foil papers and packed
food wrappers in its digestive
system. It had died of constipation
and intestinal blockage. Plastic
waste has also been found in the
dung of other wild animals.
Preeti Menon,
The insightful remarks by the Chief
Kochi

Plastic menace

ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Missing links in universal health care


A
Nachiket Mor and Anuska Kalita

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Diplomacy
wins the day
he unconditional release by Sri Lanka of five
fishermen sentenced to death by a court in
that country on charges of drug smuggling is a
welcome development. Sri Lanka must be
commended for taking this large-hearted step. It is not
often that nations set aside their own laws and procedures, as well as domestic political considerations, to
make exceptions for nationals of another country; three
Sri Lankans convicted in the same case remain on death
row. It speaks volumes about the importance that Colombo attaches to its relations with New Delhi that all
five men are back in India. Further, they will not need to
undergo any more imprisonment in an Indian jail as
would have been required in a normal case of commutation of death sentence and repatriation under the transfer of prisoners agreement between the two countries.
Years of appeals to Islamabad from two Prime Ministers, family members and civil society could not
secure the release of Sarabjit Singh from the Kot Lakhpat jail in Pakistan. Several times Pakistan did come
close to letting him go, but in reality he was a hostage of
the bad relations between the two countries. He met a
cruel end in the jail at the hands of fellow-inmates who
brutally attacked him, inflicting injuries that killed him.
India spared no diplomatic effort to secure the release
of the five men from the Sri Lankan prison. The telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and President Mahinda Rajapaksa capped days of
back channel persuasion by a number of emissaries.
While it is not clear what, if any, incentives New Delhi
offered in return, the resolution of the matter to Indias
satisfaction is a significant point in bilateral relations.
With the episode linked fundamentally to the issue of
encroachment by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, it should prompt both sides to redouble efforts for
a solution that will end the dispute between the two
fishing communities over sharing the Palk Bay regions
scarce marine resources. Beyond Sri Lanka, it should
not be a surprise if the happy ending to the issue brings
under scrutiny New Delhis own conduct in the case of
the Italian marines, which has been in limbo as the
government debates under what law they should be
charged. Further, with the release of the fishermen
setting the bar high for diplomatic interventions, demands are bound to grow for similar action in other
cases in which Indians abroad fall foul of the law. New
Delhi has a duty to safeguard the well-being of all its
citizens, wherever they might be, but it would also do
well to lay down the circumstance and the red lines
beyond which it would be unwise to interfere in the
legal systems of other countries.

number of announcements have


been made by the Central and State
governments on their intent to offer
Universal Health Care (UHC). These
welcome developments are timely as India is
now rapidly becoming one of the few countries
that do not seem to have a concrete plan for
UHC in place. Even poorer countries such as
Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, and Vietnam
have now started to make significant progress
in this area.
A fact often overlooked in these discussions,
however, is that UHC is a complex idea and
contains several prerequisites that need to be
carefully incorporated into its conceptualisation, design and implementation. This article
attempts to outline four of these essential
elements.

Providing integrated care


The first, and perhaps the most important,
element is the need to distinguish UHC from
universally available health insurance. UHC
seeks to ensure financial protection with the
provision of appropriately priced, high quality,
and integrated health care (combining primary, secondary, and tertiary care into a single, patient-centred health-care system).
Ideally, financial protection and comprehensive health care are bundled together into an
integrated managed care proposition where
the financial-protector (or the risk-manager)
and the provider are a single entity. One of the
key benefits of this model is the significant
shift in incentives for the health provider
from the current focus on promoting hospitalisation and needless care-procedures, to incentives for promoting health and prevention
of illness. Since the provider receives only a
fixed amount per year, irrespective of the actual treatment provided, managed care places
rational treatment and cost-effectiveness at
the centre of the model. Because of their very
nature, health-care systems owned and financed by ministries of health are ideally suited for offering this type of managed care. And,
if, but only if, there is very strong confidence in
the ability of the system to regulate and monitor both patient and provider behaviours as
well as population level outcomes, it is possible as Thailand has done successfully to

Over 95 per cent of patients coming to


super-speciality medical care facilities are at
the wrong place and have incurred hardships and
costs when they could have easily been treated
at their neighbourhood primary care centre.
This among other factors badly affects health
outcomes in India

invite large non-government players to also


bid to provide such managed care services.
And, while the regulatory challenge in outsourcing managed care to the private sector is
quite considerable, it is very clear that fragmented health systems with different providers taking care of different parts of the health
system, such as the private sector providing
hospital-based care and the government focussing on primary care, with patients free to
bypass it, is the worst of all possible choices.
This fragmentation is the principal reason why
a country like the United States finds itself in a
situation where insurance premiums and costs
of health care are both rising rapidly but pop-

framework that does not allow patients to seek


hospital-based care unless they have been referred by a primary-care provider. It is believed that over 95 per cent of patients who
visit tertiary care facilities such as JIPMER in
Puducherry and AIIMS in Delhi are at the
wrong place and have incurred all the hardship
and costs that they did needlessly when they
could easily have been cared for locally if good
primary care was available. Evidence from
Andhra Pradesh also shows that under Arogyasri, people are overwhelmingly seeking
care at hospitals even for conditions which are
patently treatable at primary-care facilities.
While India undoubtedly needs additional

The middle class is better placed to hold the public system


accountable to higher quality of care, and perhaps, place health
care centrally on political agendas.

ulation level health indicators are well below hospital beds to provide adequate coverage
those of other comparable countries.
even at the 2.50 per cent level mentioned earlier, it is imperative that the focus of immediate
Primary care with gatekeeping
attention should not be hospitals or more AIThe second element is the need to shift the IMS-like centres but well-designed and capafocus of attention from hospital-based care, to ble primary-care facilities so that patients can
primary care in terms of financing, devel- go there directly. Should they inadvertently
opment of infrastructure and usage. In order end up at hospitals for seeking such care, they
for India to achieve UHC, both in terms of must be directed back. Only this combination
financial feasibility as well as its well-being of improved-availability and mandatory-gategoals, it is clear that fewer than 2.50 per cent of keeping will start to reduce the excess demand
patients in any given year should need hospi- for hospital beds even as we gradually seek to
tal-based care. This implies that 97.5 per cent address the unmet needs for hospital beds in
of all conditions would need to be dealt with at deficient regions. Otherwise, we run the serithe primary-care level. UHC would therefore ous risk of this turning into a vicious cycle of
need substantial investments at the primary ever increasing demand for hospital beds, furlevel combined with a strong gatekeeping ther fuelled by an in-patient, insurance-led

CARTOONSCAPE

Of secret hoards
in tax havens
he gathering of the Group of 20 countries in
Brisbane over the past weekend was not without its share of lofty goal-setting on the big
questions of the day that usually marks such
summits. There are indications, however, of a realistic
chance that the world leaders would be able to match
their commitments with actions sooner than later. This
optimism stems from the increasing synergy between
Washington and Beijing, demonstrated in the climate
change deal they announced days before the Brisbane
summit. A case in point is the set of principles that the
G20 leaders agreed that would enable governments to
identify anonymous owners of shell companies and
trusts and facilitate cross-border exchange of information. Billions of dollars of illicit finances, mostly from
developing countries, are said to be parked in such
entities; sums that could be utilised to lift millions out
of poverty. Although these transparency principles
have been in the making from the G20 summit last year,
a final consensus emerged once Chinas concerns were
addressed to its satisfaction. While allowing public access to information on beneficial ownership is still not
part of the agenda, a readiness to track such data is a
modest beginning. The G20 leaders gave their assent to
the proposal put forth by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to limit the use of tax
havens, as cleared by OECD Finance Ministers earlier.
By contrast, the target of a 2 per cent increase in
overall output growth for the bloc within the next four
years with a promise to further liberalise trade, is perhaps more of an expression of pious intent. The risk of
another global recession, even if not of a magnitude
similar to the earlier one, is a refrain that is not infrequently heard these days. Underlying the United
States Treasury Secretarys comment of Europes lost
decade are probably differences over strategy. But the
European countries and the U.S. seem to have found
common cause to prevail upon major carbon-emitting countries to come up with credible commitments
to lower their CO2 emissions ahead of the global summit
in Paris late next year. For his part, President Barack
Obama pledged $3 billion to the United Nations-backed
Green Climate Fund to help poor countries cope with
the challenges of global warming. Large carbon emissions represent also a feature common to the U.S. and
Australia, Mr. Obama reportedly said, reflecting the
mood in the White House. The U.S. pledge was followed
by one from Japan. Leaders who would have preferred
to persist with a business-as-usual approach to the
matter may have found themselves isolated. Trite statements of politicians do not often inspire confidence in
their will to take matching actions. The G20 leaders
may be rewriting that old script.

CM
YK

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


should be careful not to fall prey to
the evil designs of some people.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda
G. Ramachandran,
Rajapaksas act of commuting the
Thiruvananthapuram
death penalty imposed on five
Indian fishermen (Nov. 20) is a Will Prime Minister Narendra
wake-up call to the regional parties Modi now speak to Prime Minister
in Tamil Nadu that quiet Nawaz Sharif, Iranian President
diplomacy can work wonders, and Hassan Rouhani and leaders of the
that it is essential for India to Gulf states to free Indian
maintain good relations with its fishermen and other Indian
neighbours. One could have nationals languishing in jails in
foreseen problems had the Centre Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf?
B.P. Sharatchandran,
not followed an independent
foreign policy and instead chosen
Chennai
to toe Tamil Nadus line. What is
surprising is that none of the
regional parties barring one has Is Sant Rampal a godman or a
thanked Sri Lanka. Whipping up goonda? The way the crisis played
Tamil sentiments on flimsy out and the stand-off ended shows
grounds for every trivial issue will the dangers of political patronage
for shady personalities. Human
not pay.
A.V. Narayanan, gods appear to be taking many for a
Tiruchi ride. Incidents in the recent past
show that many of these ashrams
It is the robust diplomacy of the and retreats are but dens where
Central government that has made vices of all kinds are practised.
this possible. It is now evident that
Devadas V.,
the protests, burning of effigies and
Kannur
observing of hartals constitute
nothing but empty vessels making It is a pity that such self-serving
a lot of noise. The regional parties gurus are able to accumulate a
should understand this and large following of the gullible and
emulate the Modi model.
the spiritually-starved using the
C.A.K. Nirai Mathi Azhagan, gift of the gab and political clout.
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu Such gurus do more damage to
religion and spirituality than
While one has to appreciate the adding any credit to the faith to
governments proactive steps which they belong. Central
which many in Tamil Nadu are yet intelligence agencies need to keep
to acknowledge it must be noted their eyes and ears open.
that the fishermen were tried
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,
according to Sri Lankan law and
San Jose, California
some citizens of that country have
also been punished for the same When I was posted as an
crime. The government cannot agriculture officer of a nationalised
intervene each time and fishermen bank in Barwala, Hisar, I often met

Sri Lankas gesture

End of a stand-off

financial protection strategy, leading eventually to continual and rapid increases in health
insurance premiums with no resultant improvements in health outcomes.

Covering everybody

The third key element relates to coverage


any universal health programme would need
to include the entire population and not just be
targeted at the poor. This is because India has a
very steep poverty gradient and single health
shocks have the potential to draw entire
households back into poverty for all but the
very top sliver of the population. For this very
reason, globally, citizens of the most developed and several developing nations, who have
significantly higher per capita incomes than do
even the top percentiles of our population,
have also been provided with full access to
health care and financial protection. Engagement of the middle class also allows additional
resources to be pooled along with tax resources since the amounts that they are currently expending on health care could be
included as well. It is clear that development of
integrated risk pools and their investment into
an integrated UHC framework of the type discussed earlier (as would be implied by grouping the rich and poor together) would allow a
significantly higher level of expenditure-volatility compression and the delivery of rational
care. This would benefit both segments, with
only the resultant net savings to the middle
class being used to cross-subsidise the poor.
Another benefit of including the middle class is
in ensuring accountability of the health system. Being more conscious of its rights and
with more resources to participate in the political process, the middle class is better placed to
hold the public system accountable to higher
quality of care, and perhaps, place health care
centrally on political agendas a feat that the
Below Poverty Line (BPL)-targeted Indian
health system has not been able to accomplish.

Separating out social determinants


The fourth key element is the urgent need
for separation of core health care from extended health care, in a focussed discussion on
UHC. While broader social determinants of
health (or extended health care) such as provision of clean drinking water, improved sanitation and improved education of girls, have
the potential to produce a very big impact on
health outcomes, UHC is much more narrowly
focussed on what the health-care system itself
can provide directly in terms of primary, secondary, and tertiary care (or core health care).
The reasons for the desirability of this separation are many and have to do principally
with the appropriate allocation of responsibilities and resources. First, these broader determinants, for the most part, fall outside the
domain of the ministries of health. Second, in
India, the resources currently allocated for
health care by the government have to go up
three times, from 1 per cent to 3 per cent of
GDP even to provide the essential elements of
core health care at a reasonable level of quality
and availability. Provision of extended health
care would need a much larger level of resource allocation and would perforce have to
be included in the domain of other ministries.
And, finally, the benefits that accrue from extended health care go well beyond health (for
example, time savings account for over 70 per
cent of the benefits of home-delivered, clean
drinking water and are not necessarily the
most cost-effective interventions if viewed only from the narrow lens of health care.
There are a number of very important challenges that we face as a country. It is important
to ensure that we are focussed on solving those
using strong evidence-based strategies and
with a very sharp sense of focus. Offering UHC
to all our citizens is one such challenge. Here
we need to be careful that we use the limited
resources we have at our disposal in the most
effective way, even if it means that some very
important ideas need to be revisited or deferred for the time being.
(Nachiket Mor and Anuska Kalita are with
the IKP Trust. The views expressed are
entirely personal.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
villagers and farmers, most of them
unlettered, who were in awe of
Sant Rampal and other self-styled
godmen like him. I asked them why
this was so, and the answer was
simple. They were uneducated and
had the urge to instantly unburden
themselves of their daily problems.
They found hope in such godmen.
Dheeraj K. Suthar,
Kanpur
While it may have been surprising
that the police took so long to nab
the godman, it was rather unwise
for the media to have created such
a furore. We must trust the abilities
of our state forces within our
territorial borders. With political
backing they will prevail. We are
not a failed, lawless state.
Srikant Sekhar,
Bengaluru
Did Swami Vivekananda, Nanak or
Kabir ever have an army? Did they
ever live a lavish life? People need
to ask themselves why this is
happening and stop supporting
these modern godmen. If these
godmen claim to have such stellar
powers, why is India still
experiencing poverty, hunger,
corruption and inequality? There
is no substitute for hard work.
Godmen like Rampal are harming
the economy by not paying taxes
and wasting the time and money of
people with their unproductive
lectures. India needs good men, not
godmen.
Varun Ghai,
Jammu

corner and subjected to total


disgrace and ignominy such as now
ever
since
its
worst-ever
performance in a general election,
in 2014 (Debating the Congresss
future, Nov.20). If the party
thinks that by invoking the legacy
of Jawaharlal Nehru it can rebuild
its lost pride and sullied image, it is
sadly mistaken. Its leadership lacks
charisma even though it is a party
with abundant talent. Its failure to
tackle ingrained corruption and
the lack of a long-term vision are
what have derailed the party.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
hailed as a major figure of
economics, was reduced to puppetlike status especially by errant
allies during UPA-I and II. With
the BJP government doing very
well under the able and committed
leadership of Narendra Modi, the
Congress can forget about ever
reclaiming power, unless it
addresses these issues and is able
to project a leader who is capable
and who can lead from the front.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai

Claim on Jesus

The new claim by two scholars


about Jesus family life is nothing
new (Jesus was married, had kids,
claims The Lost Gospel, Nov. 12).
In the days of Jesus, he was accused
by the powerful and abused for his
redemptive association with the
marginalised, called sinners. The
canonicity (validation) of the New
Testament,
which
contains
accounts of the life and teachings
Jesus, stands on over 5,300 early
Congress at crossroads of
manuscripts found either in full or
The Congress, the Grand Old Party in fragments. All of them are in
of India, has never been pushed to a harmony with one another. In

contrast, Plato stands on seven


copies of manuscripts. The divinity
of Jesus stands on his teachings as
well as on predictions (prophesies)
made over 1,500 years, on his
name, place, year, descent, birth,
death, celibacy and especially his
propitiatory
self-sacrifice
(prayashchit swyam balidan) as
detailed by many seers, from the
Jewish prophet Isaiah to the Vedic
Purusa Sukta. The statistical
chance for any human fulfilling
these 50 predictions is less than
one in a billion.
Ebe Sunder Raj,
Chennai
The news report raises a few
questions. The original document
made its way from a monastery in
Egypt to the British Library on
November 11, 1847. Why was there
no talk about this document for 167
years? Why now? Is there an
agenda? It was written in the third
century. Obviously, the writer did
not live when Jesus walked the
earth. It is unlikely that he knew
the
Apostles
or
close
acquaintances of Jesus, who died
in the first and second centuries.
The Gospels, as we know, were
written, in the first century. What
was the source for the writer? Is it
authentic? It was written in Syriac,
most likely by someone outside
Palestine. Jesus was a common
name at that time. Is it possible this
is a case of mistaken identity?
Finally, all great personalities have
their detractors. As examples, one
can think of the Buddha, Socrates,
Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Nelson
Mandela and even Mother Teresa.
Ignatius Fernandez,
Hyderabad
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

In Nepal, maintaining the momentum


Rakesh Sood

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

Unprecedented
indictment
he good thing about the tenure of Ranjit Sinha
as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation is that it is drawing to a close in the next
few days. And when he exits the countrys
premier agency, in which many have reposed faith for
the competent investigation of sensitive cases, he would
have contributed a substantial share to the erosion of its
credibility. From letting the Law Minister vet a status
report meant solely for the Supreme Court, to maintaining unauthorised contact with suspects under investigation, Mr. Sinha repeatedly let down his agency,
the dignity of his office and the cause of justice. The
Supreme Courts order directing him to keep away from
the investigation into the 2G spectrum cases is unprecedented. The charges relate to interference in the administration of justice, attempts to derail the investigation
from within, and arbitrary removal from a probe team
of officers deemed uncomfortable. Seeking to help
those accused of corruption and delaying the filing of
the charge sheet in the Aircel-Maxis case were among
the charges levelled against him by the NGO, Centre for
Public Interest Litigation. The Bench headed by Chief
Justice H.L. Dattu has found the charges prima facie
credible but, in the interest of protecting the agencys
reputation it has refrained from pronouncing a detailed
order. However, it is now for the government to ascertain the exact magnitude of Mr. Sinhas misdemeanours
and take appropriate disciplinary action.
The conventional narrative that the CBI is a caged
parrot, that is, an institution struggling to assert its
autonomy in the face of political pressure, was turned
on its head by Mr. Sinha. Under him, there were phases
when the agency appeared to be pliant by choice, willing
to serve causes other than justice. If at all considerable
progress was made in several matters, it was due to
judicial monitoring and prodding, the diligence of conscientious investigators and prosecutors, and the vigilance of activists. It was in the fitness of things that the
Supreme Court also recalled its earlier order seeking
the disclosure of the name of the whistle-blower who
brought out details of Mr. Sinhas residential visitors. It
rightly concurred with Anand Grover, Special Public
Prosecutor for the 2G case, that once information supplied by someone is deemed credible, there was no need
to disclose the informants identity. Mr. Sinhas exit,
which will be more propitious if advanced by a few days
by his resignation, will provide an opportunity to operationalise recent reforms relating to the CBI Directors
appointment contained in the Lokpal Act. But it cannot
be forgotten that law provides but the bare bones for
justice, and it is people who give it soul and substance.

n a few days, Prime Minister Narendra


Modi will be in Nepal, his second time
in a short span. Though this visit is for
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, it is the
bilateral relationship and meetings with the
Nepali leaders that will attract greater media
attention. The reason is simple his first visit
was hugely successful which makes it a difficult act to repeat. Second, with the deadline
for completing the Constitution-drafting exercise coming closer (January 22, 2015), the
domestic political environment is becoming
increasingly polarised. At such moments, India is often first invited to play the role of
peacemaker and then blamed for interfering
in Nepals internal affairs.
Mr. Modis visit to Nepal in August, early in
his tenure, was the first by an Indian Prime
Minister after a gap of 17 years. It was a signal
that Nepal would get more high-level political
attention in Delhi than it had so far. Second,
his speech at the Constituent Assembly (CA)
was a masterful exercise in touching all the
issues that have troubled the India-Nepal relationship over years, and in striking the right
notes. He spoke about respecting Nepali sovereignty and reiterated his readiness to revise
the contentious 1950 Treaty in line with Nepali wishes, offering encouragement to the
Constitution-drafting exercise. He wisely refrained from anything more, while expressing
support for a federal, democratic Nepali republic but steering clear of the secular versus Hindu rashtra debate, speaking about
the cultural and religious ties but without
bringing in the Madhesi linkages and promising accelerated cooperation and generous
terms for Nepals power exports to India.
Even though the earlier $250 million line of
credit was yet to be exhausted, a generous
new line of credit of a billion dollars was
announced.

Focus on development
Positive momentum generated by the visit
was sustained: the two governments signed a
Power Trade Agreement (PTA) while GMR
also concluded a Project Development Agreement (PDA) regarding a 900 MW hydel project on Upper Karnali. Much work needs to be
done on both before either can be operationalised, but their conclusion, after being held
up for years, showed that both governments
are keen to move forward. Out of the 28 sur-

In his second visit to Nepal, Narendra Modi will


face a tricky and polarised political environment.
He will have to draw a fine line in terms of
remaining politically engaged with all groups and
yet keep the focus on economic issues where he
can promise and deliver quickly
vey licences granted to private entities over
the last decade, amounting to a total of 8,000
MW, GMR was the first to conclude a PDA.
Nepal has an installed hydel capacity of 700
MW with an annual shortfall of 450 MW
which is only partially made up through imports from India, leading to power cuts of
more than 14 hours a day in the dry season.
Despite a technically feasible and economically viable proven potential of more than
40,000 MW, development of the hydel sector
has remained politically blocked. It is expected that during Mr. Modis visit, the Satluj Jal
Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Limited will also sign a
PDA for the 900 MW Arun III project.
While hydel projects will take years to
come on stream, these developments have
generated optimism. Three new international airports at Nijgadh (near Kathmandu),

buzz is not due to Mr. Modis first visit, it


certainly added to it because Nepal felt that
India was politically engaged, with a new decisive leader at the helm of affairs.

Quicksand of Nepali politics


Wanting to build up on his successful visit
in August, Mr. Modi had wanted to visit Janakpur (site of the historic Janaki Mandir),
Lumbini (birthplace of Gautam Buddha) and
Muktinath (Vishnu temple), in addition to
the SAARC engagements in Kathmandu. Janakpur borders Sitamarhi (Bihar) in India
and Lumbini is barely 22 km from the Indian
border. At both sites, Mr. Modi sought to
address public gatherings which would have
attracted huge numbers, including from Indian border towns and villages. Initiatives regarding border connectivity, the tourism

Mr. Modi will need to adopt an open style of diplomacy so


that, in a break from the past, Nepali nationalism is not reduced
to anti-Indianism.

Pokhara and Bhairahawa (to service Lumbini) are being planned. A new KathmanduTerai highway is being fast-tracked along
with the Kathmandu-Hetauda tunnel project.
Nepals Planning Commission has pointed
out that in order to graduate from a Least
Developed Country to a Developing Country by 2022, Nepal would need an investment
of nearly $100 billion in infrastructure, of
which more than two-thirds will have to come
from private sector and multilateral institutions. The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
and the International Finance Corporation
(IFC) plan to issue long-term bonds amounting to a billion dollars each in local currency
in order to provide greater depth to the capital market. There is talk about the need to
create a new financial institution to undertake infrastructure financing. While all the

potential of the Ayodhya-Janakpur circuit


and the Lumbini-Bodhgaya-Sarnath circuit,
and development of irrigation in the Terai
which is the breadbasket of Nepal would have
resonated with the audience and presented
Mr. Modi as the tallest leader in the region.
This evidently made Nepali political leaders
uneasy. Nepals government has therefore
cited security concerns to turn down the idea
of public gatherings, proposing civic receptions instead where Nepali leaders would
share the platform and Mr. Modis interaction would be limited to (selected) local community leaders.
The key reason is the deep-rooted suspicion about the Indian agenda which surfaces
time and again, particularly when domestic
politics deteriorates into a polarising slugfest.
The Constitutional Political Dialogue and

CARTOONSCAPE

Modis challenge
Mr. Modi will face a tricky and polarised
political environment in Nepal this time. He
will have to draw a fine line in terms of remaining politically engaged with all groups
and yet keep the focus on the economic issues
where he can promise, and should ensure,
quick delivery. He will need to convey the
convergence of interests between the people
of the two countries while being generous to
Nepal. He will need to reassure Indias friends
without appearing to promote their interests.
He will need to go beyond what he said last
time and still expand on the positive sentiment generated in August. He will need to
adopt an open style of diplomacy so that, in a
break from the past, Nepali nationalism is not
reduced to anti-Indianism.
(Rakesh Sood, the Prime Ministers Special
Envoy
for
Disarmament
and
Non-Proliferation till May 2014, is a former
Ambassador
to
Nepal.
E-mail:
rakeshsood2001@yahoo.com)

Crime in the
name of honour
he deployment of honour is an intense form of
social control on women, a disciplining of the
body. Families, communities, gossiping neighbours snooping for acts of dishonour what
one wears, how one talks, evasions, embraces all
mapped out by that penetrating gaze. All these transgressions are met by the patriarchs voice with some
form of violence or the other. The more extreme forms of
transgression, such as inter-caste and inter-religious relationships, are met by the punishment of death. This
week, Bhavya, a college student in Delhi, Yadav by caste,
was strangled to death by her family for eloping with
Abhishek, a Punjabi. The Supreme Court has come down
heavily upon such crimes. In Krishna Master (2010), the
Bench observed that wiping out almost the whole family
on the flimsy ground of saving the honour of the family
would fall within the [principle of] rarest of rare cases
evolved by this court. The honourable judges may condemn it in an emphatic voice, yet this voice fades within
homes where the dictum, honour thy father, prevails.
A number of international laws including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, specifically address honour crimes. The
Law Commission of India responded with the draft of a
Bill that prohibits social condemnation of such marriages, and proposed to reverse the presumption of innocence, treating the accused guilty until proven innocent.
However, the heart of the problem is in the conflict
between indefensible customary practice and state law.
At an academic conference in 2005, Sooraj Singh, the
pradhan of a khap in Haryana, remarked that the caste
panchayats enjoyed divine rights to adjudicate marriages. We cannot allow love marriages we do not recognise court marriages either. The challenge arises
because honour crimes stand at the confluence of competing spheres customary practices, criminal law and
international law. For instance, the Supreme Court, in
Lata Singh (2006), affirms the freedom to marry as per
individual choice, yet individuality and choice take
very different forms in customary practices wherein
choice may be less individual and more filial and even
communal. Caste complicates the issue further. Dr. Ambedkar endorsed inter-caste marriages on the basis of the
reasoning that it would end the feeling of caste and
separateness. These crimes in the name of honour have
been strongly condemned by the broader society, yet
they are rampant across the country. Much as people
may protest on the streets, within homes the curse of
honour persists and a culture of tolerance lets horrific
practices slip in, in the name of honour. Leaders across
different fields political, religious, social and of civil
society need to work to change the mindset that perpetrates prejudice.

CM
YK

Consensus Committee (CPDCC) chaired by


Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and
mandated by the CA to resolve disputed issues is at an impasse. Sensing a hardening of
positions all around on the issue of federalism, Mr. Bhattarai has threatened to quit
more than once. Meanwhile the coalition government (Nepali Congress or NC, UML and
Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP) that enjoys a two-thirds majority in the CA has said
that it will push its proposal for a federal
Nepal with seven provinces to a vote, if there
is no consensus. Maoists resent this brinkmanship and would like to tap into Madhesi
resentment who are unhappy about the fact
that not only are they being presented with a
divided Madhes but the districts containing
the Kosi, Gandak and Karnali river basins
have been excluded from the two Madhesi
provinces proposed.
The ruling coalition parties (NC, UML and
RPP) have traditionally been dominated by
the pahadi Bahuns and Chettris who have
little sympathy for federalism, a demand associated with Maoists and Madhesis. Both
these groups have fractured: from three parties in 2007, Madhesis now have over a dozen
and the ruling coalition could well tempt
some with offers of ministerial positions.
Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is desperate, looking for a role after the
new Constitution is promulgated and ready
to play spoiler in the bargain. Mr. Prachandas
hold weakened when his colleague Dr. Bhattarai became the Prime Minister in 2011 and
the hard line faction led by Mohan Baidya
split. The Baidya group is again in the throes
of a split with Netra Bikram Chand wanting to
adopt a more aggressive position. Mr. Prachanda is eyeing this with interest as it might
open the way to get a weakened Mr. Baidya
back into the fold, thereby increasing his
strength vis--vis Mr. Bhattarai.
Mr. Prachanda is not alone in his manoeuvrings for a role after the Constitution is concluded. While the CA will continue till 2017 (it
was elected for a four-year term in 2013), the
positions of president, vice-president and
prime minister will open up. Prime Minister
Sushil Koirala has announced that he will
step down once the task of Constitution
drafting is completed. Leaders within the NC
and UML are also positioning themselves accordingly.
Under such circumstances, if the Constitution is pushed through with a two-thirds majority, it can lead to the alienation of large
sections of the population. The Madhesis
would feel let down by India and the Janjati
groups would gravitate to hard line Maoist
positions. The challenge is therefore to develop a broader consensus than rely on two
thirds. In the past, faced with such deadlines,
the political leaders would just kick the ball
further down the road and extend the deadline. But this has been done too often and the
Nepali people are getting impatient. They
want the Constitution so that they can get on
with the economic agenda.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Court to Sinha ...
The Supreme Court deserves rich
praise for asking CBI Director
Ranjit Sinha to stay away from the
ongoing 2G spectrum scam probe
considering his dubious role
(Nov.21). Sadly, the countrys
premier investigative agency stands
discredited.
It is clear that the CBI is in dire
need of autonomy as various
governments are prone to interfere
in its working. The Narendra Modi
government would do well to
appoint a new CBI chief who has
impeccable integrity and a credible
track record.
P.K. Varadarajan,
Chennai
Some time ago the Supreme Court
observed, with a sense of pain and
anguish, that the CBI was a caged
parrot. As Mr. Sinha has been
found misusing, abusing and
overusing
his
constitutional
position in a manner detrimental to
the
national
interest,
his
continuance as CBI chief will
further dent its image. Probity in
public life is an integral part of
criteria for any constitutional
position. He must step down rather
than cling on like a limpet.
Lakshman Ramamoorthy,
Mumbai
The order has come a trifle late in
the day, but better late than never.
Since Mr. Sinha has just a few days
more for superannuation, he may
swallow the insult. But the courts
order is a boost for the functioning
of the much-berated agency. The
bottom line is that Caesars wife
must be above suspicion.
Ganapathi Bhat,
Bengaluru

Mr. Sinha has shamed the powerful


agency. Ironically, when he retires
in December, he will no more be a
caged parrot and is likely to fly
free and get away with all the murky
things he did in order to save the
accused and derail the much-hyped
2G investigation.
C.V. Venugopalan,
Palakkad

... and on juvenile law


This refers to the reports, Juvenile
law too liberal: SC, and SC calls for
stiffer penalties for grave juvenile
crimes, (both Nov.21). There is a
saying in Telugu, Bala vaakku
Brahma vaakku, which means that
what a child says is equivalent to the
word of the creator. Our epics
mention instances where children
were relied upon for evidence in
tricky cases. The practice of relying
on children as tamper-proof
witnesses is still in vogue in village
panchayats. Top officials in temples
are chosen through lots picked by a
child. There was a time when
children were children, pure and
innocent.
But times have changed, and in
matters of crime children have been
found to act in a manner worse than
adults. As far as juvenile convicts
are concerned, they are often found
to display no remorse. Therefore,
the Supreme Court is right in saying
that juvenile laws are inadequate in
handling the severity of crimes
committed by children. Extending
the benefit of age to children who
indulge in heinous acts is an abuse
of the law. It is time juvenile acts are
revisited and fresh definitions
drawn in order to facilitate accurate
dispensing of justice in crimes that
involve children. The report of a
mentally unstable person in the U.S.
not being spared by the judiciary

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
top
influence
from
India
reportedly helped the group clinch
the deal with Queenslands Premier
Campbell Newman must be
examined closely. It is also a fact
that the Adani Group chairman was
The visits by Prime Minister a part of the delegation from India
Narendra Modi during his that went to the G20 conference in
ambitious nine-day Asia-Pacific Brisbane. One needs to ask why a
tour have not yielded much (Board public sector bank needs to be
will decide on loan to Adani: SBI, exposed to such risks. We need to
Nov. 21). The goals that are said to know what went on Down Under.
N. Swaminathan,
have been met were those already
Tiruchi
on the agenda. Thus it is
embarrassing, and in the backdrop
of the U.S.-China deal on climate The Australian government is
change, to find that India has joined providing support to the tune of $4
hands with the coal lover Tony billion a year to explore new oil, gas
Abbott who thinks that this and coal reserves, despite evidence
wonder fuel is the answer to all that current reserves need to be left
energy problems. How does India in the ground if the world is to avoid
expect to be counted as a serious dangerous climate change. A recent
player on the global stage? The coal report, The Fossil Fuel bailout:
mine project in the hands of the G20 subsidies for oil, gas and coal
Adani group will only ruin exploration has a wealth of data on
Australias Queensland coast, and fossil fuel exploration subsidies
its magnificent coral reefs are being provided by Australia and
bound to disappear, as pointed out other G20 countries.
It is a fact that after the U.S.,
by local conservationists.
One fails to understand why the Australia has the highest level of
Indian media are behaving like an national subsidies for fossil fuel
organised paparazzi unit and not exploration in the G20. With Prime
reporting events objectively. The Minister Tony Abbott backing coal
elections are long over and the as the fuel of the future,
campaign-style,
rhetoric-laced Australian coal production is set to
speeches and extempore comments boom. The mining sector, including
coal companies, receive more than
must now cease.
Anoop Hosmath, $2.3 billion in subsidies every year.
Mysuru If the G20 governments are to avoid
harmful
climate
change,
Recent media reports of the exploration subsidies have to be
proposed $1 billion loan to the phased out as a first step towards
Adani Group by the State Bank of achieving this goal.
M. Pathak,
India to fund the groups Australian
Sydney
coal mine project makes for
interesting reading, more so when
some international banks have
shied away from it over Evidence of the successful
environmental issues. The fact that eradication of guinea worm
should also awaken us to the ground
realities of crime and children.
Sivamani Vasudevan,
Chennai

Business in Australia

Universal health care

infestation using improved water


supply systems and of polio through
improved sanitation and universal
immunisation, are reminders of the
interconnectivity between the two
(Missing links in universal health
care, Nov.21). The role of primary
health care cannot be undermined
and must be further revamped
under the plan for Universal Health
Care. Officials must learn lessons
from the Andhra Pradesh model,
Arogyasri, which laid more stress
on secondary and tertiary care. It
was a failure as it led to no
significant reduction in out-ofpocket
expenditure
while
increasing forced hospitalisation. It
affected the poor as it led to higher
and indirect expenditures. Thus,
integrated health care along with
extended health care is the need of
the hour.
Ankit Garg,
Ghaziabad
As a student of medicine, I have
seen people with a simple fever,
headache, diarrhoea, gastritis or a
sore throat seeking medical
intervention
at
tertiary-care
hospitals. This also exposes the
flaws of our primary health-care
system. Apart from rectifying
infrastructural lacunae, attitudes
need to change. The rich often seek
super-speciality help for minor
problems as it is unbefitting of
their status to visit a PHC. This
kind of behaviour is also spreading
rapidly across Indian society.
Similarly, medical staff at PHCs
work with a different kind of
attitude as they are in a hurry to
refer rather than to treat. Primary
health care in India needs a
complete revamp.
Mohd Younis,
Tujan Pulwama, J&K
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Rebuilding a regional architecture


T
Jayant Prasad

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2014

Stepping out
of the shadows
t is rare that a single bilateral invitation conveys as
much as Prime Minister Modis invitation to U.S.
President Obama to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade does. To begin with, the invitation corrects an anomaly, that has meant that
America is the only world power never to have had a
dignitary grace the occasion that Russian and Soviet
leaders, as well as leaders of France, the U.K., Japan and
China have, over 64 years. Secondly, the invitation signals that the India-U.S. relationship is now stepping out
of the shadows on all aspects of bilateral relations: economic, political and military. In the past 23 years since
India opened up its economy, trade with the U.S. has
grown by 1000 per cent, and according to gures given by
the Defence Minister in Parliament this August, the U.S.
is now Indias biggest defence supplier. Add to this the
deep people-to-people ties, built mainly by the more
than three million Indian-Americans in the U.S., and
thousands of students who graduate from American universities, and the visit will be what one diplomat described as an open and honest acknowledgement of the
relationships reality.
Thirdly, the invitation, and its acceptance by the
White House, signies a much larger move on the world
stage, a coming out of India and the U.S. with the ties
they now share. For the past few months, Mr. Modis
travels and public speeches have indicated a primacy to
the United States that previous governments had stopped shy of giving. Some of the hesitation was owed to an
unspoken suspicion of the U.S. felt in Indias establishment. It was this feeling of mistrust that guided much of
the criticism of Mr. Manmohan Singhs tenure during
negotiations over the India-U.S. civilian nuclear deal,
and spills over into issues of WTO and agricultural subsidies, as well as intellectual property rights. The concerns are also inuenced by historical relations: the
U.S.s support to Pakistan during the Bangladesh war, its
support of the Mujahideen and then the Taliban to defeat
the Soviet Union in the Afghanistan war, and its refusal
to take a position during the Kargil war. It would seem
both levels of concerns are now in the past, and put aside
by the Modi government as it embarks on a new course of
relations with the U.S., including engagements with its
strategic allies in the region, Japan and Australia. It may
be in reaction to these developments that two other
signicant moves have been seen in Indias neighbourhood the recent reachout by China to Sri Lanka, the
Maldives and Afghanistan, and by Russia to Pakistan
with a new defence cooperation agreement. Even as
India now prepares to celebrate its shared values with
the U.S., the larger meaning of President Obamas forthcoming visit has clearly not gone unnoticed.

he much delayed South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation


(SAARC) summit in Kathmandu,
on November 26-27, exactly six
months to the date from Prime Minister
Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony, affords him an opportunity to reconnect with
Indias neighbours, this time inventively to
revive moribund regional cooperation in
South Asia. When SAARC was constituted
three decades ago, India was hampered by
limited resources for nancing partnerships
and investments in the region. This now is
no longer the case.
Good relations with neighbours is a priority for India. But for this, India has to
commit to and accelerate its efforts towards
forging closer bilateral and regional partnerships and economic integration within
the subcontinent and beyond.
India accounts for well over two-thirds of
SAARCs area, three quarters of its population, and nearly four-fths of its GDP. More
than its relative size, population and resources, it is Indias ongoing social and economic transformation that makes it the
natural fulcrum of cooperation in the region.

A sombre outlook
India will have to underwrite the creation
of regional public goods for South Asians to
integrate. It can do so by facilitating optimal
utilisation of the regions natural resources,
building regional infrastructure, creating
connectivity within the region and with the
world with energy grids, cross-border
transport networks, coastal shipping, air
links, roads, railways and waterways, besides
ood and other natural disaster mitigation
and prevention measures. It can implement
trade facilitation measures, thereby lowering transaction costs and generating greater
regional investment and employment.
South Asian cooperation faces multiple
challenges. With about a quarter of the
worlds population spread over four per cent
of the global surface, South Asia constitutes
the worlds second least developed region
after Sub-Saharan Africa. Its per capita GDP,
in terms of purchasing power parity, is three
times below the global average. It has more
poor people than the rest of the world. There
is a dramatic disproportion between its population and share in global output and trade.
While the contiguity of countries constituting SAARC is complemented by cultural
commonalities and common terrain, temperament, and civilisational space, these

India must lift its game for SAARCs rescue and


resuscitation. It must lead by example, building
trust with its neighbours, showing solidarity, and
forging with them a habit of cooperation
were fractured by the borders created in
1947, and poor political relationships thereafter. The advantages of their cultural congruence and shared history and geography
were soon dissipated. SAARC has remained
saddled with this legacy, and India is viewed
with angst by many in its neighbourhood.
Sixteen years ago, the SAARC Group of
Eminent Persons had charted an ambitious,
three-stage road map for South Asia: a South
Asia Free Trade Area, followed by a Customs
Union and a broader Economic Union by the
year 2020. Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee lent his
support for the creation of a South Asian
Economic Union at the previous summit in
Kathmandu in 2002. The 2004 Islamabad
Summit called for South Asian energy cooperation and strengthened transportation,
transit and communications links across the
region. These good resolutions have not
been realised. Intra-regional trade and investment remain well below double digit g-

Regional cooperation can also attenuate


inter-state conicts and raise the threshold
below which bilateral relations will not fall.
Increasing integration, entailing interweaving interactions and interdependence, based
on mutual benet, will reduce regional tensions, augment Indias leverage vis--vis the
great powers, and stabilise the region by
raising the costs of non-cooperative
behaviour.
Initially, SAARC had lukewarm political
support and lacked dynamic leadership.
Notwithstanding its positive vision, India remained timid in the scope of its ambition
and commitments. Progress was achieved in
ts and starts, not dissimilar to other similar
bodies, in part because regional cooperation,
inherently, is a difficult exercise.
The single market in the European Union
(EU), was created after a 30-year effort in
1992, when internal barriers to the movement of goods were dismantled and external

More than its relative size, population and resources, it is


Indias ongoing social and economic transformation that makes it
the natural fulcrum of cooperation in the region.
ures, making South Asia the least
economically integrated area in the world.
South Asian States are connected more to
the outside world than to each other.

Why regional cooperation matters


Unhindered regional linkages can help in
improving the living conditions of people,
especially the most impoverished among
them, which is no doubt the most important
goal for all South Asian governments. The
negative opportunity cost for non-integration of South Asian economies amounts to
losing an estimated two per cent of additional GDP growth annually. Integration and
connectivity, by permitting economies of
scale, have attendant social benets by promoting growth, and improving public health
and environment management. Per capita
incomes rise in all integrating regional
groupings and SAARC should not have a dissimilar experience.

CARTOONSCAPE

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Obama for Jan. 26
By accepting the invitation from
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be
the chief guest at the Republic Day
ceremony next year, U.S. President
Barack Obama has sent out an
unequivocal message about his
unbridled interest and commitment
towards
deepening
and
strengthening his countrys bilateral
ties with the worlds largest
democracy (Nov.22). The fact that
he will be the rst American
President to visit India twice during
his term and the rst to grace the
countrys most signicant national
event
shows
the
growing
prominence of India in American
foreign policy. Mr. Modi deserves
praise for his bold diplomatic
initiatives aimed at strengthening
Indias bilateral relationship with its
neighbours and the world at large.
M. Jeyaram,
Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu

Nov.22). The argument of the


Ministry of Human Resource
Development that German is a
foreign language and Sanskrit is one
of the 22 scheduled languages of
India may or may not be right. But
the hurried decision towards the
close of the academic year to replace
German without considering the
adverse academic and psychological
impact it can have on over 70,000
students and their parents is
unjustied. In a true democracy,
students should have the freedom to
choose the language(s) of their
interest, and the government should
facilitate that freedom.
R.K. Jacob,
Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu

No place for German?

Right-wing elements appear hellbent on making the study of Sanskrit


compulsory. The protagonists of the
compulsory study of Sanskrit appear
to be ostriches with their heads
buried in the sands of the past. This
is not to belittle the richness, glory
and necessity of this proud language,
but it should function as an optional
subject. The language policy in
educational institutions should
envisage the compulsory study of the
mother-tongue, Hindi, English and
some other language. Facilities
should also be provided for the study
of foreign languages at the college
level.
Samaga Dattatri,
Bengaluru

Despite the many positive initiatives


being undertaken by the Modi
government, calculated attempts are
being made through some power
centres close to the government to
impose Sanskrit in the curriculum
(German row: parents move court,

One detects a plan to to overturn the


multicultural context of India into a
homogenic
hegemony
of
Hinduvisation. It is unfortunate
that every successive government
interpolates its ideology into the

The news is welcome, especially in a


year which marks 65 years since the
Constitution was adopted. One
hopes that the U.S.-India strategic
partnership will grow by leaps and
bounds. One can think of the lines:
A good motive, sincerity, and
innite love can conquer the world.
A.J. Rangarajan,
Chennai

tariffs were harmonised. The EU is still


working on a single market for services and
energy, and labour mobility and social welfare payouts for non-nationals are becoming
contentious. Within SAARC, the South Asia
Free Trade Agreement has an accord on tariffs but the negative lists cover almost half
the goods of export interest. Its march towards a customs union might be even more
grudging.
The absence of connectivity is another
impediment. India and Bangladesh share a
land boundary over 4,000 kilometres long,
but their trade is mainly conducted by sea.
South Asia has no regional production
chains, as logistics related trade costs are
inordinately high.
The leaders of SAARC must concentrate
their efforts on its strategic priorities, instead of spreading cooperation across every
aspect of South Asian culture, society and
economy. Without losing sight of the longer

Strengthening
care of the newborn
amil Nadu has come to realise in a most tragic
manner the high mortality risk faced by preterm babies (those born before 37 completed
weeks of gestation), and its unnished task of
saving these lives. Ofthe 13 neonates who diedrecentlyin district hospitals in Dharmapuri and Salem, ve
were preterm. Both preterm and low birth weight babies have died of the usual causes, such as respiratory
distress syndrome, intrauterine growth restriction,
birth asphyxia and sepsis. Incidentally, with 27.3 deaths
per 1,000 live births, the State has achieved the WHOs
Millennium Development Goal 4 of reducing the number of deaths in children younger than ve years, well
before the December 2015 deadline. It can further reduce the number of under-ve deaths by adopting a
two-pronged approach of bringing down the number of
babies born preterm and providing crucial care to such
babies during the most critical phase. There is a compulsion to adopt both measures simultaneously as birth
complications in preterm babies are among the leading
causes of neonatal (0-27 days) deaths. Of the estimated
15 million babies born preterm annually across the
world, over 3.6 million are in India; of them, over
3,00,000 die each year. Globally, one million preterm
babies die every year. According to an October 2014
study published in The Lancet, during 2013, for the rst
time, preterm birth complications became the leading
cause of death in children under ve, across the world.
Though there are several reasons for preterm delivery, the common, preventable causes are early induction of labour, teenage pregnancy, multiple
pregnancies, diabetes and high blood pressure. In a
commendable move in July 2013, the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare authorised auxiliary nurse
midwives to administer a pre-referral dose of antenatal
corticosteroids to women and injectable antibiotics to
babies for suspected sepsis. Since immaturity of the
lungs is one of the main reasons for preterm baby
deaths, the steroid administered before delivery can
vastly improve lung maturity. Similarly, the Ministrys
focus on the well-proven and cost-effective kangaroo
mother care in health facilities and at home after discharge can greatly improve survival rates of preterm
and low birth weight babies. These measures can potentially save many preterm babies (32 to less than 37
weeks of gestation) even in the absence of expensive
incubators and ventilators. There is no reason why
Tamil Nadu cannot set these as standard health practices at all its public health centres and hospitals. The lives
of at least some of the 13 babies could probably have
been saved had the State already adopted them. These
deaths should prompt the government to act swiftly.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2014

term goal of achieving a South Asian Union,


their focus should be on selecting activities
that have the most optimal results in terms
of readily accruable mutual benets. The
two core objectives, with signicant synergy
between them, are promoting freer and
more trade and investment, and building
connectivity and infrastructure.

What India must do


India must invest in SAARC as Germany
did in the EU, through structural funding for
infrastructure, and social investment
through the Cohesion Fund in order to reduce regional disparities. The distributive
element, entailing a larger, immediate payoff for the weaker economies, would speed
integration, in turn adding to regional
growth, inward investments and rising incomes and welfare.
Besides these, India-led unilateral, bilateral and sub-regional initiatives could significantly spur regional cooperation. The
illustrative examples below could easily be
multiplied:
Mr. Modi could build on his resolve, articulated during his last visit to Nepal, to turn
the border into a bridge, not a barrier. India
could speed initiatives to build gateways for
freer movement of goods and peoples.
On hydropower, Nepal declared in 1983
that water resources in the Himalayan watershed represents one of the worlds last
great frontiers of development. India could
take the lead in developing South Asian power trade, which could alter the social and
scal dynamics of Nepal and contribute to
the regions welfare, besides helping reduce
greenhouse gases emissions damaging the
Himalayan ecosystem.
If Nepal were to build the Kosi high dam
ensuring availability of navigable waters in
the channels connecting Nepal to India, India could help unlock Nepal from its landlocked status by gaining access to the Bay of
Bengal through Indias national waterway
on the Ganga.
India and Bangladesh have agreed already
on further measures to facilitate bilateral
and third country trade between Bangladesh
and Nepal and Bhutan, respectively. India
will have to hasten infrastructure building in
Bangladesh, focussing on improved energy
and transportation connectivity with India.
Afghanistan joined SAARC in 2007 in the
hope of becoming a land bridge between
Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle
East and a trade, transportation, energy and
minerals hub in the region. This idea must be
pursued, howsoever difficult it might appear
at present.
The shared inheritance of South Asia provides an instinct for comfort and ease of
interaction, important but not sufficient factors for promoting regional cooperation.
Positive relationships among States require
trade and investment, educational, scientic
and cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contacts. Since politics cannot really be
taken out of any venture between States,
they also need an innovative use of diplomacy and statecraft.
India must lift its game for SAARCs rescue and resuscitation. It must lead by example, building trust with its neighbours,
showing solidarity, and forging with them a
habit of cooperation. India has the strength
to shape regional partnerships that lift
neighbouring economies along with its own,
not as a symbol of Indian altruism but of its
enlightened self-interest. It must help build
a regional architecture that creates a congenial space for all its members.
Such a transformation cannot come
quickly. It will be conditioned by Indias own
growth prospects, and unpredictable circumstances can derail the momentum. It is
time, however, for India to take the rst
determined steps in Kathmandu in the next
few days.
(Jayant Prasad is a former diplomat.
Currently he is Non-Resident Fellow at the
Center for the Advanced Study of India,
University of Pennsylvania and Advisor for
Foreign Policy Programmes at the Delhi
Policy Group.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
syllabi as per its whims and fancies.
In my opinion, parents should not
only have a say in the selection of the
curriculum, but also decide which
language or course their children
should opt for in a globalised society.
Let Sanskrit also be one among the
optional languages. Any aggressive
cultural-linguistic imposition will
lead to repulsion and not the
revival of a culture.
History shows the gradual
decadence of the once-dominant
Sumerian, Hellenistic and Roman
cultures. Even in the priestly
training of the Latin Catholic
Church, one is given a choice of
learning Latin, Greek or Hebrew.
Mr. Modi is supposed to have asked
Japanese teachers to come and teach
Japanese in India as part of an
exchange of culture. How does he
then reconcile this contradiction in
his international rhetoric and
domestic policy? The function of any
language
is
primarily
to
communicate; very few are
interested
in
research
and
scholarship. In the end, a culture
ourishes not through the revival of
a language, but a vivication of
relationships.
Mathew Thankachen,
Kollam

Chinese, Russian, or Japanese in


addition
to
English
stands
candidates in good stead. In
comparison, Sanskrit, even though it
is rich and is a part of our cultural
heritage, will not take us very far. It
is a fact that in China, learning Hindi
is being taken with all seriousness.
The HRD Ministry must desist from
kowtowing to the Hindutva agenda.

V. Hariharan,
Chennai
There is nothing wrong in striking
down German or any other foreign
language which only benets a
handful of people belonging to the
elite. English has already been given
an extreme edge over native tongues
in the name of being a medium of
instruction. It is time the HRD
Ministry wins the row over Sanskrit
taking precedence over German. If
there is no other go, let German or
any foreign language be included as a
third and optional language.
E.S. Chandrasekaran,
Chennai

Scavenging, sanitation

This refers to the report, NHRC


pulls up Tamil Nadu on manual
scavenging (some editions, Nov.19),
based on evidence supplied by
We have heard some right-wing The Hindu in Chennai. The
stalwarts crying themselves hoarse employment of manual scavengers is
saying that Indians do not need to inhuman and a shame on the
learn a foreign language. What can civilised world.
be more absurd than this? Learning
Despite several stringent court
any language is always an asset. In orders and legislative measures,
todays world, where the younger civic bodies continue to out them
generation is spreading its wings and with impunity. This is the age of high
looking for opportunities outside the technology, and devising hi-tech
country, learning any major foreign systems to clean manholes should
language like German, French, not be impossible. How long will the

government exploit a community


that has been oppressed and
suppressed all these years? How is
Narendra Modis Swachh Bharat to
be implemented? Surely, not by
continuing
to
exploit
the
underprivileged!
S. Samuel,
Chennai
While on the subject of manual
scavenging, I recall the report,
Armed with whistles, children to
deter open defecation, (Nov. 2),
where a social experiment in villages
near Indore involves giving whistles
to children which they will sound
whenever they spot someone
defecating in the open. I would also
like to highlight a recent television
spot aimed at deterring littering and
urination in public places. I
personally feel that these initiatives
are rather humiliating and
demeaning. Obviously they were
conceived with good intentions, but
the psychological effects are
agonizingly insulting. Heckling
someone who litters is ne; bodily
functions
are
natural
and
physiological actions; they are
private acts.
Preventing open defecation and
urination requires providing enough
toilets at least on a 1:2 ratio and
motivational methods to convince
people to change their habits. How
many of our so-called intellectuals/
educated/literate/elite class have
not eased themselves by the
roadside while on a picnic, during a
drive or while trekking? Everyone
cannot be a VVIP to have mobile
facilities with them.
C. Ravi,
Visakhapatnam
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

A case for SAARC reforms


T
Subramanian Swamy

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Carlsen reigns
supreme again
ive-time world chess champion Viswanathan
Anands bid to regain the title was foiled in
Sochi, Russia, with a game to spare. The gifted
young Norwegian, Magnus Carlsen, produced a
result similar to the one seen in Chennai last year when
he dethroned the genial Indian in his own backyard. But
unlike the clash last November, the latest war of the
pieces for the crown was closely fought, with the valiant
Anand gaining praise from the chess world. He was far
more proactive in his approach and not intimidated by
the strongest player on the planet. Anand bounced back
immediately to avenge the defeat suffered in the second
game. There were times when he made Carlsen look
vulnerable if not outright beatable. The Norwegian did
admit to being inconsistent in the 12-game match that
he won after emerging stronger in the penultimate encounter. It was equally true that Anand had his chances
in Game 6 where he failed to capitalise on one of Carlsens rare blunders, and in Game 11 where he went for an
unequal exchange when he could have held the game
with careful play. Anands positive intent was hard to
miss, and Carlsen described the match as much tougher
than last time. He said: I am happy and relieved. Im
very happy with the way I pulled myself together.
Devastated after the loss of the title last year, Anand
earned the right to challenge Carlsen by winning the
Candidates tournament in March this year. He went on
to claim the prestigious Bilbao Masters title to show that
his form was far better than it was 12 months ago.
Carlsen, on the other hand, had been performing a shade
below his own lofty standards. Therefore, going by the
form of the two players, the match was expected to
provide much closer battles and it did. The decisive
difference between two of the nest players in the cerebral sport was Carlsens ability to deal with pressure and
complications better. It was not often that Carlsen yielded much ground, but whenever he did so, Anand failed to
cash in on the opportunity. At key moments, Carlsen
proved stronger than Anand. Though the difference
between the players performance was marginal,
Anands mistakes proved decisive while Carlsens lessthan-optimal moves went unpunished. To the 23-yearolds credit, he dealt with the game-turning moments
better than Anand did at age 44. If Carlsen thought
Anand ran him close till the end, the Indian was gracious
after the match. I have to admit Magnus was superior.
His nerves held up better. All things taken into account,
he just played better, said Anand. Whether the Indian
maestro will get another chance to challenge the Norwegian, remains to be seen. But age is certainly not on
Anands side.

he organisation of eight South Asian


nations, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka, with observer nations, Myanmar, China, Iran, the European Union (EU) and the
United States, to name a few, is known as the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It was established at the first
summit in Dhaka on December 7-8, 1985. The
last summit, the 17th, was held in Addu, in the
Maldives, in November 2011. After a gap of
three years, the 18th Summit Meeting is to be
held in Nepal on November 26-27, 2014.
These eight nations of South Asia constitute
3 per cent of the worlds area, but house 21 per
cent of the global population. India, significantly, constitutes 70 per cent or more of
SAARCs area and population.
Seven of them have common borders with
India but not each other. All have a shared
culture, ethnicity and experienced long interactive historical events including British imperialism and its consequences.
South Asian nations together also make an
integrated condominium of common rivers,
a mountain system, an ocean and a conjoint
ecological system. The regions endowment
for economic production is also more or less
the same.

Limitations
Since India constitutes 70 per cent or more
of SAARCs area and population, and has political conicts with all its neighbours, India
has to redene its role, from seeking reciprocity in bilateral relations, to being prepared to
go the extra mile in meeting the aspirations of
all other SAARC nations.
SAARC, regrettably, has yet to develop into
a conict-mediating or conict-resolving institution both on multilateral and bilateral
issues. It has succeeded however in evolving
as a forum and a framework but which does
not have the capacity to devise instruments
and techniques for consultations on bilateral
and multilateral political and security
problems.
This is because the SAARC Charter mandates that decisions, at all levels in SAARC, are
only of multilateral issues, and only those
issues are for inclusion in the agenda in a
SAARC summit meeting on the basis of unanimity. Article X(2) of the Charter, thus excludes bilateral and contentious issues from
the ambit of SAARC deliberations.
A shortcoming in the current situation is
that unlike Europe, SAARC is not an associ-

CARTOONSCAPE

For peace in
the Garo Hills
he Garo Hills region of Meghalaya has faced
turmoil for years with multiple militant
groups ghting what are essentially turf wars,
their eyes primarily on the spoils from the
extortion of coal mine operators. Among the 10 groups
at work, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA),
less than ve years old, has been particularly brutal in
its actions. In the third such attack within a year targeting police personnel, GNLA militants killed two policemen in a blast in the South Garo Hills district last
week. The GNLAs patently unrealistic demand has
been for the creation of a separate state of Garoland.
The claim put forward by the GNLAs parent outt, the
Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), which was
born in 1995, and its splinter group, the ANVC (B), was
the creation of Achik Land, comprising the Garo Hills
region and parts of Assam. Eventually, they scaled it
down to the strengthening of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). An agreement signed
in New Delhi on September 24 in the presence of Home
Minister Rajnath Singh and State Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma that the GNLA opposed has now laid the
ground for the disbanding by next month of the ANVC
and ANVC (B): the former had signed a tripartite ceasere agreement with the State and the Centre in 2004.
The latest agreement, which provides for enhanced
autonomy for an expanded GHADC elections to its
current number of 29 seats are due to take place early in
2015 goes some way in meeting regional aspirations.
Among other things, it seeks to ensure enhanced autonomy and powers for the body. The Centre has agreed to
extend a special package for the socio-economic and
educational development of the area and the rehabilitation of surrendering militants. But this represents
only partial progress, and nobody expects the low-intensity run of militancy to wind down so easily. Yet,
with one signicant chunk of militants out of the way,
based on a coordinated approach with and active support from the Centre the State should move vigorously
to deal decisively with the remaining terror-mongers in
a time-bound manner. Over the last few weeks, several
cadres belonging to different outts have either surrendered or been nabbed, following stepped-up operations
by the security forces. Putting down the militancy in
Meghalaya which has a 445-km boundary with Bangladesh with a rm yet sensitive hand should serve as
a strong message to all insurgent groups in northeastern India. This message should be that negotiations
over reasonable demands will be their only option. At
the same time, any nexus between politicians and militants to gain political mileage as has often been
alleged by some leaders should be rooted out, so
militancy gets no leeway in the sensitive region.

CM
YK

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

out undermining its utility?


Fourth, given that India is 70 per cent of
SAARC, geographically and economically, and
that the other SAARC nations have borders
only with India and not with each other, unlike in the EU, does India have the special
responsibility to go the extra mile to make
SAARC work?
Fifth, given the way World Trade Organization (WTO) disciplines are to be enforced,
does SAARC need a level playing eld regional agreement, modelled on the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), with
ation of nearly equally sized countries. India,
Furthermore, with India having declined to cross-retaliatory powers and a Regional Trade
as stated earlier, is about 70 per cent of the help Sri Lanka build the Hambantota port Organization (RTO) to enforce it?
size of South Asia, and the other SAARC mem- (later built with Chinas assistance), it is unber-nations have a common border bilaterally productive for SAARCs effectiveness to uni- A road map for reforms
To address these ve issues and overcome
only with India, and not with each other. The laterally protest periodic visits by Chinese
economic and quality of life disparities among submarines to Hambantota port, which is on the current impasse in SAARC and to make it
South Asian nations are also quite wide.
the shores of the international waters of the work, two preconditions have to be obtained:
(1) India has to go the extra mile to make
Indian Ocean.
Sri Lankan policy
SAARC work because India is 70 per cent of
South Asia, and has common borders with
During the period of 10 years since May Issues before SAARC
The destiny of South Asian nations today is seven SAARC nations.
2004, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
(2) South Asian countries have to work on
was pathetically hamstrung by the sectarian, to either swim together or risk sinking sepformer secessionist and pro-LTTE parties arately in the battle against poverty and un- the common values and shared historical persuch as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam employment as well as in meeting the ceptions of the peoples of the region, con(DMK) for its survival in Parliament and challenges of the environment, national secu- sciously addressing essential political
differences.
rity, and globalisation.
majority.
Transparency in action in bilateral dealings
Today, there are ve crucial issues on
Hence, Indias policy towards Sri Lanka was
is key to achieving these two preconditions.
driven both bilaterally and in U.N. organisa- SAARC:
First, SAARC is off and on in a limbo. Thus No country of the region should either act the
tions by the hyperbole of the parties of the
big brother or be a dog in the manger.
Hence, mindful of the uphill task of promoting South Asian regional integration, I
With two of the eight SAARC nations in possession of
suggest the following reforms:
deliverable nuclear weapons, it is imperative for the peaceful
(a) No SAARC nation should internationalise any bilateral issue beyond the SAARC
existence of SAARC nations that they effectively bind together
forum.
and develop harmoniously.
(b) SAARC will do all it can to facilitate the
creation of the South Asian Free Trade Area
(SAFTA) immediately, if possible by the end
Dravidian Movement, in speech and dramat- the rst issue is this: how to grapple with of 2014. Thereafter, SAARC resolves to make
ics, and which was bolstered by the threat of SAARCs uncertain future and how to put it Sri Lankas coast the gateway to the Associthese parties to withdraw support to the Man- back on the rails again, and not permit in the ation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by
mohan Singh government. These sectarian future, international political changes affect- developing the hard infrastructure and freight
movement facilitation.
parties thus exercised a veto over the UPA ing the functioning of SAARC.
Second, SAARC has to resolve whether es(c) SAARC should strive to enhance investgovernments Sri Lanka policy.
As a consequence, China, which is not a sential economic cooperation in an increas- ment activity between its member states, and
member of SAARC, gained a strategic advan- ingly globalised world economy can be not merely trade. South Asian joint venture
tage in Sri Lanka by moving into the policy achieved despite continuing political promotion schemes should also be promoted
on a priority.
space vacated by India. Hambantota port is an conicts.
The issue is whether political differences
(d) The energy sector should be linked toexample of how China lled the vacuum when
India decided, based on the DMKs threat, to beyond vital national interests issues can be gether through a unied South Asian electric
decline Sri Lankas offer rst to India to assist set aside by each member country while a power grid system and countries could pool
more harmonious environment is created their technical and nancial resources in colbuilding the port.
laborative projects.
SAARC thereby underwent rigor mortis through healthy economic cooperation.
Third, is SAARC so fragile that it cannot
(e) In only the elds of science and techand the summit failed to take place after 2011
for three years. Time is at hand now at the survive if bilateral controversial political nology, universities in SAARC countries
questions are raised in its deliberations with- should pool their faculties and teach across
Kathmandu summit to rectify this.
borders or engage in online education using
the Internet.
(f) Broader popular support at the grassroot level must be vastly improved by encouraging freer legal movement of people for economic and cultural tourism reasons by
minimising immigration procedures.
(g) Effective steps must be undertaken to
jointly deter cross-border, illegal migration,
terror attacks and block the narcotics trade
and drug trafficking.
It should be remembered that the EU was
made possible only due to the conclusion
drawn by the people of Europe, after the experience of two terrible world wars, that a third
world war would destroy Europe totally.
Hence, despite a violent history of warfare,
European nations sank their differences and
formed the EU. Furthermore, there were a
few leaders like Adenauer, de Gaulle, Schuman and de Gasperi who had a vision of a
peaceful development of the continent and
dared to embark towards this goal.
But as the popular saying goes, it takes two
to tango. With two of the eight SAARC nations
in possession of deliverable nuclear weapons,
it is imperative for the peaceful existence of
SAARC nations that they effectively bind together and develop harmoniously.
(Dr. Subramanian Swamy is chairman of
the Bharatiya Janata Partys Strategic Affairs
Committee. The article forms the text of his
speech at the Lalith Atulathmudali Memorial
Lecture in Colombo on November 26.)

SAARC, regrettably, has yet to develop into


a conflict-mediating or resolving institution on
multilateral and bilateral issues. While it has
succeeded in evolving as a forum, it does not have
the capacity to devise instruments for
consultations on bilateral and multilateral
political and security problems

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


The winter session

(Subsidies
will
leave
next
generation in debt, Nov.24). The
government can make a beginning
by withdrawing the LPG subsidy,
the next step being a review of the
system of providing a subsidy on
foodgrains being supplied through
fair price shops. The categorisation
of BPL and APL is fraught with
aws. People take very little from
these shops. What happens is that
what is unsold nds its way into the
market and sold in the form of grain
or powder at an inated price.
Corrective measures are inevitable
for the good of the country.
Vijaya Krishna Pillai G.,
Alappuzha

Opposition parties need space to


express their opinions on matters of
importance. In this, the Speaker and
the Parliamentary Affairs Minister
need to be more open and liberalminded. But how far the Opposition
in both Houses of Parliament will
cooperate with the government in
passing a range of important Bills
remains to be seen (Storm clouds
over winter session, Nov.24). Some
of them may want to highlight
certain issues and disrupt the
normal working of the House. The
BJP, being the ruling party, will now
have to face the ire of the Opposition
a classic case of reversal of roles.
D.B.N. Murthy, Keeping the vote bank in mind,
Bengaluru Congress governments have ruined
the economy by giving subsidies to
Our founding fathers did not think the well-off and by presenting
of proposing exemplary penalties on decit budgets every year. I am glad
political parties wantonly refusing that the Modi government is
to be a part of the system at every contemplating doing away with
stage, believing that MPs/leaders of such subsidies. The well-to-do must
parties would behave in a voluntarily forgo subsidies and help
responsible manner. The reference in the exercise of nation-building.
Basavaraj Modi,
is to some Opposition parties
Kalaburagi, Karnataka
boycotting an all-party meeting
ahead of the winter session, on
imsy grounds. These parties The Ministers averment that
should realise that they enjoy many subsidies will leave the next
of their perks at the peoples cost. generation in debt ies in the face of
The Speaker should pull up errant tax-cuts and rebates to the tune of
members of the House and even bar lakhs of crores being doled out to the
them from taking part in the corporate sector. Subsidies form an
session. This will send out a strong essential component of any welfare
state, and India, as a developing
message to all political parties.
M. Swaminathan, country, is no exception. It is clear
Chennai from his remarks that the
government is trying to press the
panic button instead of trying to
I fully concur with Finance Minister plug the loopholes in the targeting
Arun Jaitleys views on a reduction and distribution of subsidies. While
of the scope of subsidies currently it is open to the government to have
being provided to the well-off a thorough check on the manner in

Jaitley on subsidies

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
which subsidies in the agriculture,
education and agriculture sectors
are being used by banks, a blanket
curb on subsidies will push the
poorer sections of society deeper
into the abyss.
J. Anantha Padmanabhan,
Tiruchi

Obamas India visit


Let not the BJP government
prematurely rejoice at U.S.
President Barack Obamas ready
acceptance of Prime Minister
Narendra Modis invitation to visit
India on Republic Day 2015
(Editorial, Nov. 24). America does
nothing without ulterior motives.
Let us not accord much importance
to this visit. I am sure that too much
of cozying up with the U.S. will only
serve meeting its interests and
objectives. It will subtly nudge us
into diluting the nuclear liability
law, resuming talks with Pakistan
and mending fences with China, all
in a one-sided way, going slow on
cooperation with Afghanistan and
pushing the sale of more defence
hardware. The objective will be to
derive maximum benets.
K.V. Chalam,
Coimbatore
Todays U.S. is not the U.S. of the
1960s-70s. Its economy has not
shown any signs of recovery. Mr.
Obama would want the Modi
government to open the gates to
MNCs in retail and other non-core
areas. But such development has
never achieved inclusive growth.
Hence, India should ensure that
cooperation with the U.S. entails
much more than just pandering to
American commercial interests.
N. Ramamurthy,
Chennai

Anand as he has lost to the world


champion. In a cricket-frenzied
Foreign guests are harassed in the nation, Anand has quietly made the
process of applying for and getting a right moves to take this absolutely
tourist visa for India (Comment silent game of squares to dizzy
page, Nov.24). I was a part of our heights. Let us hope that a phoenixgreat Indian bureaucracy (having like Anand will emerge next time.
R. Sivakumar,
served in our missions abroad) till a
Chennai
few years ago and I can vouch for the
fact that there are many in the
bureaucracy who derive sadistic Magnus Carlsen deserved to win
pleasure in exercising their this championship. But let him not
prerogative in denying or delaying forget the signicance of the man he
visas to genuine applicants, often on has beaten. Viswanathan Anand has
very imsy grounds. These officials given so much to the country and his
should be singled out and sensitised fans all over the world to cheer
on the need to welcome foreign about. I am proud that I am part of a
tourists with expeditious and generation that has had the honour
courteous granting of visas at their of watching Anand play great chess.
Javaid Sultan,
rst point of contact with India.
Ganderbal, J&K
On the other hand, I once had the
pleasant experience of being
granted a tourist visa to Sri Lanka
within minutes of applying online The report and the accompanying
for one, which made me wonder why picture said it all (INS Vikrant
India cannot just replicate that fades into history, BJP says it was
too late to save it, Nov. 23). Sending
model.
C. Felix Rozario, INS Vikrant to its graveyard is a
Hosur classic example of how we respect
our history. The government allots a
major sum of money in the annual
Despite being an experienced chess budget for defence. Yet, would
player,
Grandmaster
Anands saving this great ship have entailed
downfall in the Sochi chess so huge an expense? Vikrant is a
championship
tournament
is legend; it inspired our Navy and
disappointing (Nov.24). Since the infused condence in our people.
moves of the players depend on Therefore, the government could
their state of mind, it is crucial to have easily converted it into a
maintain a mood of equanimity. One museum. That the BJP has gone
could observe a semblance of back on its word and blamed the
Congress-NCP
cynicism in Anands moves in the previous
11th game due to the series of government in Maharashtra for
defeats. This is indeed a tough phase what has happened shows that it
behaves like any other political
in his career.
M.C.S. Pavan Kumar, party when it comes to keeping a
Bengaluru promise.
T. Anand Raj,
One need not feel dejected for
Chennai

Visa travails

INS Vikrant

Anand fumbles

ND-ND

10

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Indias godman syndrome


I
Dipankar Gupta

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2014

Sweet and sour


for Ms. Banerjee
oon after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees
astounding performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha
election, the general feeling was that she was
clearly riding a tiger. Her confidence-building
speech last Saturday promised retaliation, which indicated that she was desperate to rein in the BJP, the
quasi-Opposition in the State. This very well could be
the time for her to recount mistakes and answer questions a leader owes her electors. Why did her party
cadres attack and pressure the Left Front supporters to
such an extent that they joined the BJP? Why did she
align herself totally with the minorities to polarise the
State? Why did she not question her colleagues as they
siphoned public money through Ponzi schemes? Why
brand all critics as Maoists, and of late as rioters? The
whys are many and the answers are definitely blowing
in Bengals pre-winter wind. But then again, Ms. Banerjee has assumed the role of an unpredictable leaderincarnate and the party does not have any committee at
a higher level to monitor or regulate her. Which means
she has a free hand to shelve, scrap or amend existing
policies at will, as in the case of her amendment last
week of the Land Reform Act to relax norms on landholdings in order to develop mega-township projects.
Likewise, Ms. Banerjee may unpredictably divert all
available funds to build roads and health-care facilities
till the Assembly election of 2016, seeking to ensure
victory. The BJP may not be in a position to counter
such projects. She has another advantage. Previous
election results have established her firm support base
in rural West Bengal, if not always in urban areas.
Because of her anti-privatisation policies, which her
managers have failed to highlight, Ms. Banerjee enjoys
rural support at the cost of waning corporate backing.
Perhaps now she needs to recall the early days of the
Left Front government, when the Communist Party of
India(Marxist) through its organisational network
managed to convince half of West Bengal that the State
was being discriminated against by the Centre and the
ruling elite. On the other hand, the CPI(M) pushed its
pro-poor programmes, which changed the lives of the
rural poor the real vote base. Even though Ms. Banerjee does not have any more land to distribute, she can
address poverty. Hence, emulating the Left Front may
not be a bad strategy, particularly when her celebritysupporters have branded her a neo-communist, and
she has in any case lost the big capital. While the BJPs
house is still not in order in the State, though the party
is growing, Ms. Banerjee needs to retaliate strategically, shunning violence and connecting with the people: it would seem that she retains her main strength of
being able to connect with the masses.

n a family of godmen, a clean baba


stands out like a white sheep. That,
however, does not stop people from
stooping to charlatans in robes and
matted hair. And the reason is simple: these
godmen happily stomp on grounds where
scientists fear to tread.
What facts can help figure out the beginning of the beginning, or how something
came out of nothing? Alternatively, which
experiment can explain the end of the end, or
what it is to be dead? Its a mugs game to
press scientists to find solutions to these
questions, because they are actually riddles.
In one case, the answer lies before a fact was
born and, in the other, after a fact has gone.
Riddles, however, are the staple of godmen, mystics and saints. It is not enough to
know why wood floats, stones sink or how
planes fly. Science can tell us about these and
much more, but that does not stop us from
speculating on the wonder of life or the darkness of death. When all is said and done, no
matter the quantum leaps in knowledge,
those niggling, nettlesome issues will still
remain.

When science has to concede


It is not just the illiterate and the uncouth
who ask questions which have no real answers. Some of the best scientists too have
been assailed by similar doubts, especially
after their lab hours are over. In short, this
line of inquisitiveness is a universal failing
a quest that has no real solution. It is in this
empty space that the godman strikes, with
nothing more than a prayer and a song.
As these eternal questions have, and will,
torment us forever, there is no getting out of
the fear and the awe of the supernatural.
Consequently, whenever there is despair, or
when the future is uncertain, or when terror
stalks the soul, the godman gets a near open
invitation, all expenses paid. Scientific advance concedes empty knowledge spaces,
but as faith abhors a vacuum it readily serves
up answers to the unanswerables. At this
level there is just no contest science has to
concede.
No doubt, there were great ascetics and

Godmen do extraordinarily well in our country


than in most others, and that is where the puzzle
lies. Is our society more vulnerable? Or, does this
show up so blatantly among us because of the way
we practise democracy and secularism?
kind and generous faith leaders who, at tremendous personal cost, often gave succour
to the masses in times of great distress. From
Jesus, to Muhammad, to Vivekananda and
even Dayananda Saraswati, we have had
such heroes who shored up our spirits and
gave us strength. The truth, however, is that
when these great souls depart, they leave
behind followers who are human all too
human. As they lack the charisma of their
gurus, they reduce the substance of their
teachings to miracles and magic.
To blame Indians, or Hindus, alone for
being prone to mystics and godmen would be
unfair and unjust. What remains true is that
godmen do extraordinarily well in our coun-

body likes to be told that their rightful place


is way down, perhaps even as outcastes. At
each level then, origin tales and fables multiply contesting actual rankings with imagined and aspirational ones.
Second, notice the unique features of Hinduism. This is one major religion that does
not need a communion there is nothing
that two Hindus can do which one Hindu
cannot! As a result, instead of a priest, or a
Mullah, leading a community prayer in a
church or a mosque or a synagogue, we have
designer gurus. Many of them are ready to be
domesticated should their patrons be rich
enough. In fact, Manu warned us against
wandering ascetics, preferring instead the

What makes our godmen seem so powerful is that our


politicians use them as baits to catch votes. It never really
quite works that way because followers are thinking cures, bank
balance and success, not democracy.
try than in most others we know of, and that
is where the puzzle lies. Is our society more
vulnerable? Or, is Hinduism particularly
susceptible? Or, does this show up so blatantly among us because of the way we practise democracy and secularism?
Or, is it a combination of the above?

India and its divisions


True, it is difficult to find another place
where people are as divided as we are in
India. Just imagine living with thousands of
castes where each order has a different prescription of what is a good life and how to
lead it! Worse, those at the top lord it over
the rest in the name of an imagined myth.
This, in turn, creates rivalries because no-

house-trained ones. Leave aside the lesser


texts, gurus of this sort abound in both the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
It is hardly surprising then that Hindu
godmen should behave like magicians and
their followers like clients. Within the walls
of any dera, hermitage, or gurus lair, devotees are hugely outnumbered by pay-as-yougo clients. None of these Hindu godmen has
ever led a religious war, for those who visit
them are not believers, but miracle-seekers.
They have not come to die for a cause, but to
get something out of it.
Undeniably, Hindu scriptures soften the
mind and make it more prone to magic. The
Vedas, for example, go on and on about how
the gods must be pleased with libations and

CARTOONSCAPE

A far too
liberal Act?
he law pertaining to juvenile crimes has come
under the scanner yet again. Last week, a Supreme Court Bench comprising Mr. Justice
Dipak Misra and Mr. Justice U.U. Lalit described the punishment for juveniles committing serious crimes as being far too liberal and urged the
Attorney General to suggest that the government have a
relook at the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act). These comments arose in
the context of adjudicating a crime that was committed
24 years ago by an accused who is now about 40 years
old, and who has been appraised by the Supreme Court
as having been a juvenile aged 16 years while committing
the crime. Section 7A(ii) of the JJ Act states that if the
court finds a person to be a juvenile on the date of
commission of the offence, the case shall be immediately
sent to the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). The judges
were of the opinion that if the accused, now a 40year-old man, were presented before the JJB, he would
be punished with an admonition or direction for
group counselling, which would be too liberal and
hence an exercise in futility and a travesty of justice.
There are three brief comments in response. First, the
constitutionality of the JJ Act insofar as it allows all
children to receive the benefits of the juvenile justice
system irrespective of the gravity of the offence has been
upheld by the Supreme Court in Salil Bali (2013) and
Subramanian Swamy (2014). Hence, the issue of amending the JJ Act at this point is a purely policy or legislative
issue, not warranting judicial intervention. Second, the
interpretation of Section 7A of the JJ Act was settled in
Jitendra Singh. Accordingly, cases such as this are to be
sent to the JJB as the appropriate authority. Moreover,
because judicial delays are common in our system, often
the accused is much older by the time he/she is presented before the JJB, leading to a peculiar situation which
no doubt needs to be resolved. But this too is a fault in
our institutional design rather than a gap in the JJ Act
per se. Third, there are several misconceptions about
the rate of juvenile crimes in India. For instance, Mr.
Justice Misra observed: In a population of 1,000, one
per cent may be juveniles who commit rape and murder.
But even this one per cent can be a menace. These
statistics seem grossly overestimated. The National
Crime Records Bureau report states that juvenile crimes
comprise only 1.2 per cent of the total number of crimes
in India, and that 65 per cent of them are propertyrelated crimes such as theft, while just about 5 to 8 per
cent constitute serious offences such as rape and murder. Although media reportage of juvenile crimes might
have increased, this may not mean that instances of
juvenile crime as a whole are in themselves increasing.

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


The situation has arisen as there is
no recognised Leader of the
Although visiting U.S. Trade Opposition. Politics should not
Representative Michael Fromans come in the way of peoples rights.
qualified cautiously optimistic It will defeat the very purpose of
remark (Nov. 25) about further the introduction of the RTI Act
improvement in trade relations 2005 and empowering people with
with India is understandable from the right to question and to know.
the viewpoint of the U.S. and its The government should not incur
interests, he would do well to the wrath of the people.
appreciate
the
sensibilities,
Dammalapati Shyamprasad,
complexities, niceties, subtleties
Guntur
and delicate nature of the issues
involved as far as India is
concerned and when it comes to the The report that India should play to
issue of crores of people who are win if it has to achieve high growth
entirely dependent on the and become a $10-trillion economy
subsidised foodgrains regime has to be examined closely (Nov.
under the Public Distribution 25). The report also says that
System.
merely pushing things faster or
To recall what happened in the turbocharging investments will not
past, it was only last July that India suffice. India should also focus on
pulled the plug on implementing a inclusive rather than GDPTrade Facilitation Agreement, focussed growth lest inequality
linking it to the sensitive and creates the same problems that are
touchy issue of rural poverty in currently witnessed in the U.S. and
India. It was the same Mr. Froman, which could impact the social
who, appreciative of the objectives fabric of India. India should do a
behind Make in India, Digital fine balancing act between GDP
India and Smart Cities, did not growth rates and the human
miss out on emphasising increasing development index indicators.
investments to huge levels as a sine
K. Vinaya Kumar,
Secunderabad
qua non.
R. Sampath,
Chennai
Indias long-term security and
economic stability largely depends
The alarming number of Right to on the prosperity of its neighbours
Information appeals pending with (A case for SAARC reforms,
the
Central
Information Nov.25). It is also important for the
Commission is disturbing (With relevant countries to work together
no CIC, RTI appeals pile up, to fight the scourge of extreme
Nov.25). The very purpose of the poverty, climate change, human
Act will be defeated if the trafficking, drugs, insurgency,
functioning of the Commission is terrorism, migration and diseases.
not brought up to speed. The BJP These are shared problems and can
government must take steps to have a domino effect. The solutions
appoint a Chief Information have to found locally. South Asia
Commissioner, the post having needs vision and leadership and,
been vacant since August, in order above all, an environment of trust.
to clear the mammoth backlog of
Sutirtha Sahariah,
cases.
New Delhi
S. Sankaranarayanan
Chennai I agree with the writers views

India-U.S. trade

$10-trillion economy

SAARC reforms

RTI appeals

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2014

lavish praise, to win wars, beget sons, and


acquire immeasurable wealth. While other
religions frighten devotees with religious
wrath, Hindu texts instead take the route of
pleasing their gods who are always open to
persuasion. Neither Shiva nor Kali is nearly
as vengeful as Athena, Aphrodite or Yahweh.

Playing the godman card


But most important of all, it is the way
democracy and secularism is practised in
India. People everywhere are prone to mystics, but what makes our godmen seem so
powerful is that our politicians use them as
baits to catch votes. It never really quite
works that way because the godmens followers are thinking cures, bank balance and
success, not democracy. From Bhindranwale
to Ramdev to Nithyananda to Asaram and
now Rampal, not a single baba ever succeeded in converting their clients into vote
banks.
Still, politicians persist in this tack and
cover their backs by sloganeering democracy
and secularism. Winning elections by playing the godman card seems perfectly acceptable to them because they see their voters as
dumb, driven, religious cattle. Sadly for the
babas, though, they just have a few good
years at the top. Very soon, the godman has
to be dispensed with: it is either because of
the genie out of the bottle syndrome, or
because a new power centre has emerged.
It eventually, therefore, distils down to
politics. Babas catering to gullible folks
would hardly be a social nuisance if politicians did not meddle in this magician-client
relationship. Indira Gandhis choice of Bhindranwale is the best illustration of how a
petty soothsayer can become a monster and
cause enormous public damage. If Bhindranwale had been left alone in his dera he
would probably be living today and so would
thousands of innocent Sikhs who were
caught in the crossfire.
Many of us do not quite appreciate why
Nehru refused to pull in his horns when he
opposed President Rajendra Prasads decision to inaugurate the Somnath temple after
its post-Independence makeover. To read
his objection as that of an atheist against a
believer would be grossly misleading; in fact,
it was a warning not to involve the state too
intimately with religion. Yet, his daughter,
Indira, rarely kicked off an election campaign without a temple visit. Nowhere does
the book of democracy say that worship is
out, it would be ridiculous to make such an
assertion. At the same time to have the official airwaves swinging to chants and hymns
undermines the sanctity of secularism.
Hindus may or may not be overly religious, but that should not excuse politicians
when they include babas in their power calculations. Most societies are religious and
yet, if they are democracies, it is important
that they keep faith in its place. The French
did this job remarkably well when in 1905
they banned the wearing of religious symbols, notably the cross, by government functionaries. This angered the Pope and he
railed against this ungodly policy from St.
Peters Square. The French President of the
day stood firm and eventually the Catholic
Church retreated. Today, there are vibrant
churches in France, but there is vibrant democracy too. As Hegel famously said, by separating church from state we are actually
doing both a favour. A time comes in every
democracys life to call a spade a spade and
not draw and redraw lines in the sand.
Secularism truly means keeping religion
out of politics. Likewise, democracy truly
means keeping politics out of religion. Distort either one and you muck up the other.
(Dipankar Gupta is Director, Centre for
Public Affairs and Critical Theory,
Shiv Nadar University.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
regarding the need to include
bilateral issues as part of the
general agenda which have time
and again shown up as major
irritants in well-orchestrated
summits. We need to go back to the
Gujral Doctrine which advocated
vocal conciliation in the matter of
settling disputes and nonreciprocity to strengthen ties with
our neighbours. It is important that
India sheds its Big Brother attitude
and rise above petty differences to
play a vital role in South Asias
collective development.
Vishnu Gunneri,
New Delhi
SAARC has huge potential as far as
the political, social and economic
transformation of the South Asian
region is concerned. Here the focus
must be on completing and
strengthening already declared
projects and regional organisations
like the SAARC Development
Fund, a Regional Standards
Organisation and a food bank.
Indias move to have a SAARC
satellite and a SAARC Corridor are
ideas that need to materialise.
Ankit Garg,
Ghaziabad

Indigos trustee

was then unified Andhra Pradesh


I got my brand new wheat-coloured
shirt dyed indigo without telling my
parents. I was punished severely for
my misadventure. Though the
bright dye looked odd and drew
ridicule from my schoolmates, it
was still a prized possession for
many years.
The article doubled my joy on
knowing that there was a legendary
dye-maker who specialised in the
art of indigo-dyeing. Even today
anything with the colour indigo
draws my attention, though it
draws sniggers from my near and
dear ones.
Sivamani Vasudevan,
Chennai

Visa travails
Why foreigners (A Kafkaesque
bureaucracy, Nov.25)? How about
highlighting the experiences of the
common man who is compelled to
deal with our bureaucracy for
mundane matters of daily
existence? It could be something as
simple and routine as paying land
tax, matters connected with a
ration card, getting a name
changed, getting past a vehicle
checking squad even when you
have all the right papers with you,
getting or transferring a gas,
electricity or phone connection, or,
on a rare occasion, lodging a
complaint with the police. These
are all acts fraught with hurdles and
that ensure humiliation unless you
have one of those local diplomats
to help you out. When will we get a
government that will revamp our
atrociously
people-unfriendly
system?
S. Jagathsimhan,
Thiruvananthapuram

People like Yellappa who are the


custodians of a great cultural
heritage must not be allowed to
fade away and should be rightly
recognised and honoured (The last
trustee of indigo, Nov.25). The
process of development has seen
many a skilled profession fading
into oblivion. While change is a
continuous
process,
the
redemption of a lost art should not
be an impossible task. A dying art
can come back to life again if there
is the will and confidence to do so.
Balasubramaniam Pavani, While fully empathising with the
Secunderabad travails of Stephan Richter in
obtaining a visa to visit India, I
I still remember the time when as a would like to point out that Indians
youngster in a small town in what fare no better when trying to travel

abroad. Being a frequent traveller, I


have experienced the entire gamut
of
rejections,
insults
and
harassment
from
various
embassies and consulates, so much
so that I have often considered not
travelling at all! This must also be
contrasted with how some
nationals can get a visa on arrival
when they land in India. Almost
every foreign embassy I apply to
requires me to produce copious
documentation including three
years income tax returns, a credit
card copy and credit limit
statement, my bank statement
showing transactions and available
balance for the past six months,
each page signed and stamped by
the branch manager, confirmed
return ticket . One embassy even
asked me to get a letter from my
husband permitting me to travel
alone. And almost every embassy
charges huge visa fees. Is there no
way to simplify these procedures?
Sudha Mahalingam,
Noida
I agree with the writer that the
Indian bureaucracy can be
obnoxious, but he should know that
many Indians suffer similar
treatment at the hands of the
American bureaucracy when they
apply for a visa or when they enter
the U.S. Indian professionals are
always viewed with suspicion.
My son is married to an
American and is a permanent
resident of the U.S. While returning
from a short holiday in Canada by
car with his wife, she was cleared
while he was detained for several
hours at the border. While he bore
it with typical Indian patience, my
daughter-in-law was left fuming.
My own experience during my only
visit to the U.S. was that Indians,
especially those on their first visit,
are looked down upon with obvious
distaste.
Sudhakar Bhat,
Sullia, Karnataka
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Envisioning a new Afghanistan


C
Ashok K. Mehta

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2014

The demographic
challenge
he rhetoric on the capacity of countries to
reap the so-called demographic dividend cannot mask the more complex reality of a notso-young world in 2014, and non-uniform
patterns of growth. About a quarter of the worlds
population 1.8 billion is in the age-group of 10-24
years, according to the latest United Nations Population Fund report. In 1950, the proportion was higher, at almost a third of the global total, at 721 million.
The 10-24 age segment has thus declined overall, while
it has more than doubled in absolute terms during the
period. This means that in theory, people in this age
bracket, their number larger than Chinas population,
can hope to live longer, be better fed and educated, do
decent jobs and earn adequate incomes. In concrete
terms, this segment would swell the share of the working-age population those between 15 and 64 years
over the next few decades. But here is the catch. Nine
out of ten people, or 89 per cent, in the 10-24 age-group
live in less developed countries, says the UNFPA report. Most people who are alive today are below 30
years of age. In 17 states, 15 of them from sub-Saharan
Africa, one half of the population is under 18 years. One
in three girls in the developing world is married before
reaching 18, raising the risk of early and perhaps unintended motherhood among children and hampering
the realisation of their full potential. One in seven HIV
infections occur during adolescence.
According to the World Bank, last year there were
100 dependants (those below 15 years and above 64
years) for every 100 people in the working age in Angola. The ratio was even higher, at 103, for Chad; for other
states in the conict zones of sub-Saharan Africa, the
gures were in the 80s and more. Whereas Indias
age-dependency ratio has ranged in the 50s per 100
working population between 2010 and 2013, China has
stayed in the mid-30s during the corresponding period.
Indias higher ratio underscores the extent to which
social protection measures would have to be strengthened for both the components to ease their mutual
interdependence and enhance the quality of life.
Alongside measures to boost growth and attract multinational corporations in the manufacturing and services sectors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must take
up massive public-funded programmes in basic education, health care and vocational training, with a thrust
on building a clean economy. Only then could the
current younger age prole of the population prove
advantageous. The demographic dividend refers to the
potential among countries to increase economic
growth by taking advantage of the changing age structure in the population. Clearly, a great deal remains to
be done to realise this potential.

lose on the heels of the fourth Heart


of Asia Ministerial conference in
the framework of the Istanbul Process, hosted for the rst time by the
Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the rst
official visit the Afghanistan President Ashraf
Ghani paid to Beijing, a regional Track II conference, Envisioning Afghanistan post-2014
(supported by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) was
held in Istanbul this month. While the West
may have expressed a diminishing interest in
Afghanistan, 60 experts, from Pakistan, India,
Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics,
barring Turkmenistan, along with advisers
from Iran, Turkey, Russia and China have
been meeting regularly over the last three
years. This is to monitor events to update and
uplink their joint declaration on Afghanistan
which has been keenly studied by officials in
many countries, including the National Security Council in Washington and the European
Commission in Brussels as well as those in
leading think tanks.
What is of relevance from the joint declaration are its three key recommendations: establishing a joint special commission of
AfPak, holding an India-Pakistan dialogue on
Afghanistan, and advocacy that Afghanistan
be accepted as a neutral country commencing
with a framework for non-interference and
non-intervention underwritten by the United
Nations.

Neutrality of Afghanistan
Afghans espouse a strong culture and tradition of neutrality which their country enjoyed
between 1929 and 1978 and which includes
the period of World War II. At the Istanbul
meeting, Central Asian policy groups asserted
that the Shanghai Six the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and
China, have been pledging for the last three
years at the SCO summit, their commitment
for a neutral Afghanistan. Point 7 of the Dushanbe Declaration of September 2014 notes:
Member states of SCO reiterate their support
for development of Afghanistan into a democratic, peaceful prosperous and neutral state.
In an interview with Afghan Tolo TV (March
18, 2012), Russias Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov said that his country supported Afghanistans neutrality.
The joint declaration will shortly have an
add-on: an Annexure on Enduring Neutrality.
Experts who have studied the Austrian and
Swiss models say that the neutrality of Afghanistan will mean de facto neutralisation of
Pakistan, and so the biggest obstacle in its

Pakistan is known to be advising China to enlarge


its profile in Afghanistan as a replacement to the
United States. So, what does stability and peace in
the region depend on?
acceptance will be the Pakistan Army with its
gospel of strategic depth. The Pakistan Army
has invested precious lives and resources in
creating strategic assets through good terrorists which has paradoxically led to many of
these terrorists securing strategic depth inside Pakistan. Afghans, including the Talibans Mullah Omar, say they have never
accepted the Durand Line; therefore, its resurrection by Kabul is a big fear in Pakistan. A
grand bargain between Afghanistan and Pakistan Kabul accepting the Durand Line in
return for Pakistan ending support to the Afghan Taliban and providing a land corridor
through Balochistan to the sea is a deal which
has strategic benet for all in ending external
interference in Afghanistan.

the neighbourhood to gradually replace or


supplement the Istanbul Process. Whether
this is an idea whose time has come will depend on China as Russia is the key sponsor of
Afghanistans neutrality.

Will China oblige?

Until last year, Chinas Afghanistan policy


was characterised by four Nos: No boots on
the ground, no interference in internal affairs;
no use of the Northern Distribution Network
(NDN) for the withdrawal of foreign forces,
and no criticism of the United States. China
has not put out combat troops, even in U.N.
peacekeeping, and has publicly shown only
commercial interest in Afghanistan. But that
could change as it is now politically active in
South Asia. A Track II was held recently in
A suitable regional organisation
Beijing with Afghanistan, Pakistan and China,
The regional Joint Declaration is Afghan- and where Afghan and Pakistani participants
driven and Afghan-owned. With the power- canvassed for the PRCs deeper political insharing agreement soon expected to realise a volvement in Afghanistan; unlike western

China has not put out combat troops, even in U.N.


peacekeeping, and has publicly shown only commercial interest
in Afghanistan. But that could change as it is now politically
active in South Asia.

council of ministers, features of this document are likely to transfer from Track II to
Track I. An important ongoing search is to
nd and x a regional organisation into which
the envisaged regional framework can t.
Those available are the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the
SCO, and the Istanbul Process, which is not an
organisation but has Track I institutions supporting it. The SCO, with its recurring pledges
to uphold Afghan neutrality, prima facie,
seems most suitable. At a future date, it could
be expected to take over regional responsibility from the West to transform Afghanistan
into a peaceful, prosperous, and possibly neutral state.
India and Pakistan are observers and are
expected to attain full membership of the SCO
in 2015. Afghanistan and Iran, also observers,
are likely to join in 2016. The SCO constitutes
the most effective regional organisation from

countries, it is not tainted with the brush of


intervention. At the recent summit, Presidents Ghani and Xi Jinping of China agreed to
establish a forum of Afghanistan, Pakistan and
China. Beijing recently appointed its Special
Envoy for AfPak and it is no surprise that it is
the quintessential Special Councillor, Yang
Yiechi.
After the signing of the Afghanistan-China
Deepening Strategic and Cooperative Partnership, President Xi said his country would
enhance its economic investment as well as
enlarge its security assistance, which in the
past has included the training of police and
providing non-lethal military equipment.
Beijing has pledged a $327 million grant over
three years, in addition to $200 million given
earlier. Chinas main fears that stem from
AfPak are extremism, separatism and terrorism arising especially from the Uyghurs linked
to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

CARTOONSCAPE

Moving towards
consolidation
he announcement of the merger of ING Vysya
Bank with Kotak Mahindra Bank could not
have come at a better time. With a pro-reform
BJP government at the Centre, expectations
are running high. Coming as it did at a time when
reform talk is getting louder, the proposal to amalgamate these two not-so-big but fairly well-run private
banks has raised expectations of a wider consolidation
in the Indian banking eld. Does this merger plan signal
the shape of things to come in the highly fragmented
banking industry? No doubt, the convergence of selfinterest was the initial trigger in this instance for the
eventual decision to merge. Nevertheless, the two
banks are also acutely aware of their limitations given
their size and restricted geographical presence. Once it
fructies, the merger will push the resultant bank to the
fourth slot in the private banks category. The merger
instantly offers the consolidated entity a larger customer and client base. Also, the larger entity will be in a
position to provide enhanced product offerings to its
constituents. This merger initiative is no less due to the
market dynamics which demand a large enough scale to
drive business efficiency in an intensely competitive
global environment. Viewed from this point of view, the
merger sets a whole new trend. The M&As (mergers and
acquisitions) that had occurred in this sphere since
2000 were mostly among unequal players, and were not
voluntary, to say the least. These two banks would do
well now to quickly resolve issues arising out of their
technological and cultural diversities to make the merger a meaningful value-creation exercise.
If consolidation is to be truly meaningful, public
sector banks (PSBs) must wake up to the reality now.
More often than not, they echo their political masters
preferences of the moment. Given that they dominate
the Indian banking eld, much of the NPA (non-performing assets) woes of the industry are the direct
consequence of the inherent inefficiency that seeps
across the entire PSB canvas. Not surprisingly, the PSBs
are under tremendous stress in terms of cost, governance and efficiency. Business and practical prudence
suggest that they should focus on service efficiency.
They have constraints aplenty in terms of cost structure, scale and governance culture. Since the government is the major shareholder, it requires more than
mere statement of intent from the political masters to
drive a larger consolidation in the Indian banking eld.
The unfolding scene on the global stage, increased regulatory requirements, stringent governance stipulations,
tighter provisioning norms and fresh competition have
all combined to force Indian banks to think of mergers.

CM
YK

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Message from turnout
The gure of 71.28 per cent polling
in Jammu & Kashmir is impressive,
but if India is spending crores of
rupees on protecting the State and
its citizens, we can certainly
demand its integration. The people
in the Valley ought to integrate
themselves with the rest of the
country rather than being stuck in a
pit of fear and violence dug by them.
If Kashmir is just another Indian
State, it should not get any extra
privileges at the cost of other States.
The imposition of Article 370 was
meant to be a temporary step, so
why is it still there? It is time that is
revoked and Kashmir became a fulledged State of India.
A.V. Nagarajan,
Chennai

People everywhere long for peace


and good governance.
R. Sridharan,
Chennai
One expects the turnout to be an
indicator of a erce battle between
the political parties in the fray. It is
being seen as a gamechanger, with
the next step being bringing into the
mainstream those who have been
alienated. It is unfortunate that the
NC and the PDP, the two major
regional parties, have always
forgotten the process of resolution
while in power, attacking the
Centre instead. There has to be a
democratic solution to the Kashmir
issue.
Babar Ali Chagatta,
Jammu

Ferguson verdict

The fact that neither the weather


nor terror kept away voters in
Kashmir is heartening. If the people
there
have
displayed
such
enthusiasm, it shows they are
denitely in favour of democracy.
This trend must continue and the
State should integrate itself with
the mainstream in all senses.
P.U. Krishnan,
Udhagamandalam

The Ferguson verdict and the


violence in its aftermath show how
fragile relations are still between
the whites and African-Americans
in the worlds greatest democracy
(Nov. 26). Despite voting a black
President to power, America has
still to get rid of its legacy of the
alienation of the black minority.
More than anything else, the verdict
shows how marginalised sections in
any society will always remain so
There is now hope that the youth and neglected by the law. Whether
and rst-time voters have shown it is Dalits in India or the blacks in
great enthusiasm by spurning America, it seems they have to ght
separatists and Maoists. They are for justice as it never seems to come
obviously disenchanted with the to them in the natural course of the
slogans of bullet over ballot and law.
Sharada Sivaram,
confrontation over conciliation.
Chennai
The turnout shows this is also a
message to extremists to integrate
themselves with the mainstream.
One must also learn from the The writer (Indias godman
verdict on Scotland and the syndrome, Nov. 26) seems to have
yearning for a united Britain. highlighted the wrongs by godmen

On godmen

Days before the Presidential summit, Afghanistan handed over in Beijing, a dozen suspected Uyghurs trained in Pakistan. Islamabad is
known to be advising Beijing to enlarge its
prole in Afghanistan, consider replacing the
U.S. and expelling India. On its part, China is
in dialogue with India over Afghanistan. Will
China show and not hide its strength or merely shadow-box in Afghanistan?
As part of a new political initiative at the
ministerial conference in Beijing, Premier Le
Keqiang suggested the formation of a peace
committee comprising regional countries to
include Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan (and
presumably led by China) to talk to the Afghanistan Taliban. The proposal was shot
down by Russia due to its policy of not talking
to terrorists. China follows a similar policy.
After China, Mr. Ghanis second visit outside was to Pakistan, not India. He has established a new High Peace Council led by an
uncle, Dr. Kouchai, and has, after talks with
the Sharifs Prime Minister Nawaz and Army Chief Raheel solicited their support in
engaging the Afghan Taliban to restart the
process of reconciliation and peace.
Besides neutrality, work on establishing the
Afghan-Pakistan Joint Special Commission is
likely to begin shortly. The breakthrough in an
India-Pakistan resumed dialogue could be expected from the ongoing SAARC summit. Evidently, Tracks I and II feed into each other.

Working the government


The articial arrangement a forging of
the National Unity Government (NUG) of
President Ghani and CEO/PM Abdullah Abdullah has to be constitutionally legitimised
after ratication by a Loya Jirga by the end of
2016. The NUG is yet to be tested as the
Council of Ministers, except that of National
Security Advisor (NSA), Hanif Atmar, has not
been named. While the foreign and defence
portfolios are likely to go to Mr. Abdullah,
internal and nance will be with Mr. Ghani.
Once adversaries, two ve-men teams representing Mr. Abdullahs Reform and Partnership
Team
and
Mr.
Ghanis
Transformation and Continuity Party are
working together. They are busy eshing out
institutional arrangements to support the
power-sharing arrangement in which the
President will dene policy and vision and the
CEO/PM will execute it and preside over the
Council of Ministers. This council has to be
presented to Parliament before winter recess
next month as most of them are likely to be
attending the London conference, in December, where the NUG will be endorsed by the
international community.
Two deadlines confront Kabul: legitimising
the NUG and assuming full charge of the
country by the end of 2016. U.S. President
Barack Obamas stunning political announcement withdrawing troops by the end of 2016
instead of 2024 was shock and awe for the
Afghans. According to Operation Resolute
Support, it denes the deinduction schedule
of the residual 9,800 troops; 4,900 troops by
the end of 2015, and zero troops by the end of
2016. NSA Atmar appealed to the U.S., like
Prime Minister Narendra Modi did with Mr.
Obama, urging him to extend the troop
deadline.
The Special Advisor to Mr. Abdullah told
me at the Istanbul Conference that the bilateral security arrangement or BSA signed
jointly by Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah with
the U.S. says: U.S. forces can stay in Afghanistan until the end of 2024 and beyond mainly in nominated air and land bases. Still a
deviation (and an opening) exists between
what was stated by Mr. Obama and the contents of the BSA.
Look out for these straws in the wind: the
formation of the Joint Special AfPak Commission; an India-Pakistan dialogue on Afghanistan; a regional organisation to steer
Afghanistan towards neutrality. These additional ingredients will ensure a stable and
peaceful Afghanistan.
(Gen. Ashok K. Mehta is convenor of
Track-II policy groups on Afghanistan and
India-Pakistan.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
in the name of religion and seems to
be biased in his other observations.
The word godman in itself is wrong
as there are only gurus. The media
should take care to highlight the
good work being done by many
genuine gurus, instead of trying to
scare the public into thinking that
spirituality is dangerous. Spiritual
wisdom is our nations wealth.
Every profession has its fair share of
fraudsters and traitors. In cricket,
for example, we talk about the
greatness of Tendulkar despite the
murky dealings in the IPL.
Varun Vijaykumar,
Guruvayur

of limitations as it fails to quench


queries regarding life and other
related complexities. Scientists
have conned themselves to
answering worldly and material
problems without reecting on the
inner-worldly despair of men.
I would also add that this is not
entirely an Indian phenomenon.
One can cite the example of Osho
and his inuence in America, which
shows that all societies are
vulnerable to such practices. While
the theory of collusion between
politicians and religious agents
might be true, it has hardly
inuenced Indian voters.
Sudhakar Singh,
There is a causal connection
New Delhi
between the rise of Hindutva
politics and the increasing clout of
godmen. The new breed of We seem to overdo our protests
politician often identies himself as (Organisers harden stand, to go
a devotee, thereby providing ahead with Kiss of Love, Nov.26).
godmen of all hues visibility and What is the necessity for a Kiss of
respect. For the perplexed Love programme? Why should
common man steeped in perpetual there be a public display of love and
economic misery, the godman is an affection between two individuals?
ultimate straw to cling to. I for one am not in favour of days
Nehruvian
socialism
and such as Fathers Day and Mothers
secularism have retreated with the Day; they are all creations of the
scientic temper of the nation West to dump their goods on us.
increasingly getting weakened due Should we love our kith and kin only
to the mindless infusion of on those days? We love them 365
regressive ideas in the curriculum days a year. If we need to ape
and the thoughtless utterances of western culture, let us do it in
men in power. Unless obscurantist education, alleviation of poverty,
forces are beaten back and reason teaching children what is right and
brought back to taking centre stage what is wrong, and so on.
Sarangan Ramaswamy,
of the nations consciousness,
Bengaluru
godmen will continue to prosper by
riding the wave of superstition
Manohar Alembath, There is nothing wrong with public
Kannur display of affection, within a limit.
Unfortunately, our society does not
It is the pursuit of answering the give much space to an acceptable
unanswerable that drives people to manner for affectionate behaviour
godmen. Science has its own share in public, which is why one nds

Kiss of Love

couples engaging in acts that are not


pleasing. While the sanctity of a
personal relationship is important,
the persons concerned must realise
that certain public spaces are sacred
and they do not have the right to
dele them.
Ikbal Ahmed,
New Delhi

Protecting biodiversity
About 3 per cent of Indias land area
is deemed as protected area in the
form of Project Tiger reserves or as
sanctuaries for other agship
species such as the grizzled squirrel,
the Nilgiri tahr and the lion tailed
macaque (Protecting biodiversity
with rigour, Nov.25). While the
habitat within these connes is
well-protected, poaching remains a
concern. Buffer forests contiguous
to protected areas are under
pressure. NGOs and the forest
department need to tap into
corporate social responsibility
funds to develop a healthy
conservation economy around
maintaining and restoring the
health of buffer forests. Buffer
forests also serve as vital migratory
corridors, ensuring that inbreeding
is limited. India also has vast
stretches of forests in prime
condition that do not come under
the denition of a wildlife reserve.
These include large swathes of
forests around the Western and
Eastern Ghats, the Vindhyas,
Uttarakhand,
Sikkim
and
Arunachal Pradesh. These forests
occupy a land mass much larger
than protected areas and need to be
protected at all costs. Protecting
our biodiversity is not just a nice
thing to do, but an imperative.
K. Anand,
Bengaluru
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Bad enactment, no enforcement


I
R. Sudarshan

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014

Racism and
law enforcement
grand jurys exoneration of Darren Wilson, the
white police officer who on August 9 shot dead
an unarmed teenager on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, sent shock waves across the
United States this week. The fact that 18-year-old Michael Brown died violently on the streets of the quiet St.
Louis suburb and no one will be held accountable for his
death has left Americans of all colours once again
searching their souls for answers. Some of them made
their anger known to the world. Thousands took to the
streets across major cities, braving the likelihood of yet
another heavy-handed crackdown by the police and the
National Guard. In Ferguson, the rage spilled over and
took an ugly turn as gunfire erupted across the night,
dozens of buildings and police cars were set ablaze, and
looters had a free run in parts of the city. President
Barack Obama reiterated his muted call for calm on all
sides, but had clearly not sensed the mood of collective
anguish that was engulfing the African-American community, or did not wish to confront the questions that
they were asking: why had a behind-closed-doors grand
jury that was 75 per cent white decided that there was no
probable cause to take the case to trial? Why was police
officers use of deadly force, especially against minorities, considered an acceptable practice?
The Brown-Wilson case holds up a mirror unto the
troubling state of race relations in America. First, it is
only the latest in a long list of flashpoints triggered by
law enforcement brutality towards unarmed AfricanAmericans, including the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin (17) and the videotaped 1991 beating of Rodney King,
both cases in which the accused officers were acquitted.
Second, it shows how public prosecutors or other government officials may manoeuvre juridical proceedings
in a manner that renders a plaintiff victory effectively
impossible. Since the verdict was announced, the St.
Louis County Prosecutor, Robert McCulloch, has come
under fire for his decision to use a grand jury in this
highly sensitive case, thus precluding a transparent and
exhaustive trial involving detailed cross-examination.
Third, the imprint of the racist stereotyping of AfricanAmericans amongst police officers, which was arguably
evident in the testimony of Mr. Wilson, has a wider echo
in terms of relatively higher incarceration rates. The
searing racism in the U.S. has often made it an uncomfortable place for minorities, as it was for Muslims, Sikhs
and even Hindus in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror
attacks. African-Americans of all backgrounds, however,
face a daily, ongoing threat to their lives and security,
given the toxic mix of historical prejudice and law enforcements gun culture.

ndias approach in tackling the age-old


problem of corruption has been Janusfaced. On the one hand, being responsive to public clamour for the eradication of corruption of all kinds, grand or petty,
Indias Parliament has been steadily engaged
in passing legislation, commencing with the
extension of powers granted to the wartime
Special Staff in 1942 till the enactment, in
2014, of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. On
the other hand, lawmakers, public servants
and law enforcement agencies, who can count
among their lot the vast majority of perpetrators of corruption, have been seeking loopholes in the law and avenues to avoid
punishment. Political and administrative expediency, not principles of good governance
and the rule of law, rule the roost, regardless
of which set of political parties is in power.

CBIs colonial antecedents


Even though the Indian Penal Code, which
came into operation on January 1, 1862, defined the public servant and identified offences that can be classified as corruption,
the British Raj did not demonstrate any great
anxiety about prosecuting its officials for
abusing their authority and robbing the public. The onset of World War II forced the
Government of India, the chief supporter of
Britains war effort, to draw urgent attention
to the different forms of corruption prevalent
in the War Department. The War Resources
Committee created, in April 1941, an outfit
(called Special Staff) to investigate and check
bribery and corruption in various supplying
departments.
When the war ended, emergency laws enacted during its duration lapsed. The Special
Police Establishment (SPE) became the Delhi
Special Police Establishment (DSPE) by an
ordinance, followed by the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, XXV of 1946, which
still governs the operations of the Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The scope of
the DSPE was expanded through a new Act of
1952 to cope with the new situation when new
institutions and financial concerns arose and
developmental activities expanded. The DPSE
was empowered to investigate corruption in
statutory corporations and entities administered directly or indirectly by the Union
government.
In 1962, in the aftermath of a high profile
corruption scandal (the Mundhra scandal)
which led to the resignation of the then Finance Minister, T.T. Krishnamachari, in 1958,
the Government appointed a committee under the chairmanship of K. Santhanam. In the

CARTOONSCAPE

A matter
for concern
he death of Phil Hughes, three days before
what would have been his 26th birthday, has
left the cricketing world shattered. In an induced coma after being hit on the head by a
bouncer during a first-class Sheffield Shield match in
Sydney on Tuesday, the Australian batsman succumbed to his injuries on Thursday. All Sheffield
Shield matches in play were abandoned, as was the
second day of the Test between Pakistan and New
Zealand in Sharjah, offering a sense of how acutely the
tragedy was felt across the cricketing community. The
game, stripped of its relevance for the moment, had to
pause. Hughes was that rare modern-day cricketer, a
competitor genuinely liked rather than merely respected. Despite his prodigious rise from a banana farm in
New South Wales to the stardom of Test cricket
where, just 20, he made twin centuries in a famous win
in South Africa Hughes, by all accounts, retained an
unaffected, self-effacing air. The reactions that poured
in captured the shock of a people struggling to come to
terms with the freakishness of it all. As sports physician
Peter Larkins told The Australian, Its really a matter
of millimetres and the bad luck of the actual site of the
impact.
Its too early to estimate the effect of the incident on
crickets future. For the present, in the immediate
aftermath, everything else pales into insignificance.
But it has made the game and everyone who plays and
follows it more keenly aware of the very real danger the
cricket ball represents. So well-armoured and protected by modern gear made of new material does the
batsman and the close-in fielder appear these days that
fatalities on the field of play seem inconceivable. As
former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote in
The Telegraph (U.K.), With all the equipment and
protection we have nowadays I never felt that anything
drastic could happen to me. And for the most part,
protective equipment holds up very well and continues
to improve. But as helmet-maker Masuri admitted, last
years model, which Hughes was wearing, does not
offer as much protection to the back of the head and the
neck as their latest helmets. There will no doubt be a
review of helmet design and an increased emphasis on
helmets in junior cricket, welcome steps both. The
psychological aspect will be harder to address. Sean
Abbott, who delivered the ball to Hughes, has been
offered professional support and counselling by Cricket Australia, as have all others who have requested it.
But when Australia and India begin their Test series
next month, a series Hughes was a contender to play in,
what reaction will the first bouncer evoke? Cricket may
not be the carefree game again, even with new, space
age protective gear.

CM
YK

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014

mises its corruption investigations of government officials. During the last decade, at least
four former Directors of the agency have been
given high-level government positions such as
appointments as State Governors. There is
criticism of the CBIs highhandedness and a
lack of sensitivity to a loss of reputation of
senior members of the bureaucracy against
whom it announced inquiries. There have also
been selective leaks to the media of material
gathered by the CBI in the course of
first of its two reports, submitted in 1963, the priate authority before any court takes investigation.
Santhanam Committee recommended the cognisance of an offence by a public servant is
creation of a Central Vigilance Commission a serious limitation. There have been long Lokpal and Lokayuktha
headed by a Central Vigilance Commissioner delays before sanction is accorded. The proviThe Santhanam Committee, in effect, rec(CVC) with considerable autonomy and status sion serves to protect public servants though a ommended that the CVC should also function
so as to consolidate the fragmented anti-cor- wrong has been committed because the sanc- as an ombudsman in India, taking cognisance
ruption work that was being performed by the tioning authority is normally a senior officer of cases of maladministration as well as corvarious ministries of the Union government. of the accused officer. A sanction after hav- ruption. The Government of India ruled out
In April 1963, the government set up the CBI ing been accorded can be challenged at the accepting this recommendation claiming that
to investigate not only cases of bribery and trial stage and cases have been discharged on the importance and urgency of providing macorruption, but also violations of Central fis- the basis that the sanctioning authority had chinery to look into the grievances of citizens
cal laws and serious crimes committed by or- not applied its mind while according sanction. against the administration and to ensure the
ganised gangs and thugs, besides collecting This provision goes beyond the protection of- just and fair exercise of administrative power
supporting intelligence, statistics of crime fered under the Code of Criminal Procedure, would require a separate agency. But no such
and conducting research to inform policy- 1973 (which only protects actions in discharge agency was created. It took a Gandhian-style
making. The CBI drew its power of investiga- of official duty).
movement led by Anna Hazare to put this
tion from the Delhi Special Police EstablishIt is desirable to remove prior sanction re- matter back on the policy agenda of Parliament Act, 1946. It has been reported that the quirement in cases where a public servant ment in 2011. During 2012, little was done
DSPE Act will be again amended to enable officer is caught red-handed. A time limit with the Lokpal Bill except for the proceedselection of the CBI Director by a body which should be prescribed for decisions sanction- ings of the Rajya Sabha committee. The Unitincludes the leader of the largest Opposition ing prosecution. However, the power of public ed Progressive Alliance (UPA) government,
led by the Congress Party, meanwhile lost
Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Delhi,
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, forcing it to
Political and administrative expediency, not principles of
yield ground on the Lokpal Bill, accept all
good governance and the rule of law, rule the roost, regardless
amendments adopted by the Upper House,
and pass the Bill on December 17, 2013. The
of which set of political parties is in power.
Lokpal law came into force on January 16,
2014.
party in the Lok Sabha (as there is no Leader servants in India is vast and strong. Instead of
In brief, the Lokpal is empowered to inof the Opposition now) and also to specifically easing prior sanction requirements, an vestigate complaints against the Prime Minisstate that vacancies on the selection panel amendment Bill was tabled in Parliament in ter, other ministers, current and former
should not vitiate the selection.
August 2013 which increases the protection of legislators, government employees, employees of firms funded or controlled by the Cenpublic servants from prosecution.
Offences by public servants
The Supreme Court had earlier struck down tre, societies and trusts that collect public
The CVC was accorded statutory status in the single directive that had provided im- money, receive funds from foreign sources,
2003 only after a directive in the judgment of munity to senior civil servants from suo motu and have an income level above a certain
the Supreme Court in Vineet Narain v. Union action of the CBI. The government has re- threshold. Bodies creating endowments for or
of India. In September 2010, the CVC released stored this provision through statute and en- performing religious or charitable functions
the Draft National Anti-Corruption Strategy, trusted the authority of pre-inquiry scrutiny have been excluded from the Lokpals pura good document that deserves more atten- to the secretary of the administrative depart- view. Inquiries are to be completed within 60
tion than it has received. It contains a ment. This has diluted the powers of superin- days and investigation to be completed within
thoughtful critique of shortcomings in Indias tendence of the CVC and the CBI. There is a six months. The Lokpal shall order a probe
legislative framework. The CVC Act 2003 system of dual control over the CBI one only after hearing the public servant. Inquiry
gives the CVC powers to inquire into alleged exercised by the CVC in respect of corruption against the Prime Minister has to be held
offences committed by officials under the Pre- cases only, and the other by the Central gov- in-camera and approved by two-thirds of a full
vention of Corruption Act, 1988. The CVC ernment in respect of all its other work.
bench of the Lokpal. The Lokpal will exercise
does not have direct powers to investigate and
Administrative control of the CBI by the superintendence over the CBI in relation to
must depend on the CBI for that. The require- Central government makes it vulnerable to the cases referred by it. CBI officers investiment of obtaining prior sanction of an appro- the criticism that the agency often compro- gating cases referred by the Lokpal can be
transferred without its approval. The Lokpal
can initiate prosecution through its prosecution wing before the special court. Lokpalinitiated trials are to be completed within two
years. States are expected to set up Lokayuktas by law within 365 days and have the freedom to determine the powers and the
functions of the Lokayukta.
In its twilight hour, when its days were
ended, when according to Hegel, the owl of
Minerva spreads her wings and wisdom
dawns, the UPA government managed to enact legislation to partially protect whistleblowers, but none of the other complementary laws, which India is obligated to pass after
becoming party to the U.N. Convention
Against Corruption, has been enacted. The
present government does not seem to be in a
hurry to constitute the Lokpal and enact those
complementary anti-corruption laws, including the Judicial Standards and Accountability
Bill, 2010, the Citizens Charter and Grievance
Redressal Bill 2011, the Public Procurement
Bill, 2012, the Prevention of Corruption
(Amendment) Bill of 2013, and the Prevention
of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organizations
Bill, 2011. Maybe Prime Minister Narendra
Modi is a modern-day Tacitus who claimed:
The more corrupt the state, the more laws.
Sadly, our lot seems to be both the non-enactment of essential legislation and the non-enforcement of laws we already have.
(R. Sudarshan, a Rhodes Scholar, is Dean
and Professor, Jindal School of Government
and Public Policy, Sonipat.)

In response to public clamour against corruption,


Parliament has been passing anti-graft legislation.
But lawmakers, public servants and enforcement
agencies, who have among their lot a vast majority
of the corrupt, have been seeking loopholes in
the law

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


drastic 25 per cent reduction in the
allocation for rural development
The governments decision to cut will curtail the number of days of
social sector spending (Social work available under MGNREGA. It
sector funds slashed, Nov. 27) is yet is bad economics to target
another attempt to deceive the programmes such as MGNREGA.
people. The aim of maintaining a Targeting the health sector will only
low fiscal deficit in order to boost private health-care providers,
promise good days ahead is adding to the debt burden of the
unfortunate. Slashing social sector poor.
N. Ramesh,
spending will only lead to a
Thanjavur
weakened nation. In this era of
globalisation and growing, intense
competition, it is unlikely that the Making promises at the time of
intended benefits will trickle down elections and then forgetting about
in an equitable manner. Decisions them is nothing new in politics; the
like these will only lead to a gulf BJP appears to be no different. The
between India and Bharat. In Opposition needs to rise as one and
the hurry to become industrialised, stop this corporate-pampering.
social goals must not be forgotten.
G.B. Sivanandam,
Coimbatore
Shivendra Bisht,
Lucknow

Changing priorities

The move will only hit the poor. The

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
interest case that involved this
telecom giant, but which did not
materialise.
Ettirankandath Krishnadas,
Palakkad

Black money mirage


In speech after speech on the
campaign trail in the last general
election, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi promised us that the colossal
amount of black money stashed
away in foreign banks would be
brought back to India within 100
days of the BJP being voted to power
(Bringing back black money back
will take time: Jaitley, Nov.27). He
even went to the extent of enticing
the gullible masses that after the
kala dhan was brought back, they
need not pay taxes for more than a
year. Having failed to fulfil the
promise even after six months in
power, Union Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley should have the
humility to seek an apology from the
people and the Opposition, instead
of trying to defend the indefensible.
S. Sultan Mohiddin,
Kadapa

The issue of black money was


cleverly used by Mr. Modi to
mesmerise voters. That the
confidentiality clause would be an
obstacle in the disclosure of names
could not have been unknown to
him. Therefore, his false promise of
action within 100 days has been
nothing but an election gimmick.
Mr. Jaitleys present role reminds
one of Winston Churchills
observation about a politician: A
politician needs the ability to
foretell what is going to happen
tomorrow, next week, next month,
and next year. And to have the
ability afterwards to explain why it
didnt happen.
Buddhadev Nandi,
Bishnupur, West Bengal

The Opposition, especially the


Congress, does not have the right to
No one should have even an iota of
talk about black money. Pressuring
doubt that when it comes to taking
a six-month-old government is
care of foreign investor sentiments
unfair. The fact is that a lot of black
in the name of promoting GDP,
money is generated internally in
development and employment
India and the government needs to
generation, the policies and
plan a road map to recover this.
programmes of the Congress and
Sectors like the service, real estate
the BJP are the same (Dont pursue
and film industry are hotbeds of
Vodafone tax demand, says A-G, It is a pity to see Mr. Jaitley acting as black money.
Nov. 27). The conciliatory approach a defence lawyer, to counter the
Dhirajkumar Agasar,
in high-stakes taxation matters Opposition attack on black money.
Bengaluru
involving MNCs is a new-found When he was in the Opposition, he
trend here, signalling the fast- could not have been ignorant about
changing dynamics of Indian the constraints while questioning It was fascinating to read about the
politics and marking a shift from UPA-IIs inaction in bringing back new Iron Curtain of Europe (Nov.
socialism and a mixed economy black money. His explanation now 27). I remember the time I visited
approach to one that is held hostage about difficulties only points to the Berlin Wall, a few weeks before
by crony capitalism. It cannot be one thing. The BJP derived political it was demolished, and how hard it
forgotten that it was UPA-II that mileage out of the issue and then was to visit East Germany. It is
was determined to bring about a hoodwinked voters.
unfortunate that new walls are
Presidential promulgation in the
Haridasan Mathilakath, coming up to keep away immigrants
whooping Rs.11,217 crore with
Kochi and refugees. The demolition of the

Drop Vodafone case

Even though huge expenditure on


the social sector may be
unsustainable and defeats having
sound economic fundamentals, the
government still needs to look at the
larger picture. People need good
infrastructure for development but
this should not be at the cost of
health, education, sanitation and
social security. Instead of cutting
funds, the government must revamp
the delivery mechanism through
DBT or Aadhar so that leakage is
minimised, the tax base is widened
and corruption is minimised. We
cannot ignore the millions of
marginalised sections who look
forward to better social security.
Navin Kumar,
Hurhuru, Jharkhand

New Iron Curtain

Wall is a landmark in history and a


reminder of how changing
demographics,
recession
and
increasing pressure on welfare
systems are factors in todays world.
Cherian Kunianthodath,
Karukutty, Kerala

Star turn
The sudden migration of actor and
former DMK campaigner Ms.
Kushboo to the Congress (Nov. 27)
is out of her necessity to be in the
public eye rather than out of any
commitment to the policies of the
Congress. Expediency is what has
dictated her move. What the
Congress needs at this juncture is
selfless/motivated lieutenants to
strengthen its roots in Tamil Nadu.
V.R. Athreyan,
Kumbakonam

Sweet and sour


West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee (Editorial, Nov. 26) has the
potential to restore her image as a
grassroots politician after her
credibility has been marred by the
Saradha scam and the Burdwan
blasts.
She
must
eschew
emotionalism and be realistic. West
Bengal voted for her in order to
usher in change. While her
governance has some positives,
there are negatives too, such as
rising violence and an autocratic
culture.
With a rising BJP, she has a real
problem on her hands. Prudence
and political maturity can fetch her
dividends. Bengal should not lose a
people-oriented leader.
Parthasarathy Sen,
New Delhi
ND-ND

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

Chaiti Bais story and modern India


A
Krishna Kumar

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2014

The fading
SAARC initiative
n the past six months, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has won praise for several foreign policy
initiatives. But across the world, it was Mr. Modis decision to invite the SAARC leaders to his
swearing-in ceremony that has stood out as a game
changer. While other international forays, to Japan,
the U.S. and Australia, and multilaterals such as BRICS,
essentially built on the previous governments efforts,
the SAARC invitation was completely Mr. Modis own
idea, and came when India was at a low ebb with all its
neighbours. It is then disappointing to see that just half
a year later, the SAARC moment has faded, and the
meeting between the South Asian leaders did not produce much more than a few face-saving agreements
forged at the last moment. While Nepal was the host of
the event, it had been hoped that Indias leadership
would squire the event to a more glorious outcome and
into a show of real solidarity. One factor adding to the
optimism ahead of the event was that along with Mr.
Modi, most of the leaders have been elected or reelected to office in the last two years, and carried their
countrys mandate if they agreed to bold measures to
achieve the 18th SAARC summits theme of regional
integration. India cannot possibly be blamed for the
fact that they did not do so, but it did not expend the
required extra effort for that either.
To begin with, Mr. Modi ignoring Nawaz Sharif as
the latter walked up to the podium during the inaugural
session, set an uncomfortable tone to the entire summit. India and Pakistan have many differences, and
Pakistan has much to answer for when it comes to
tackling terror, but the lack of basic pleasantries at the
inaugural session, when the two Prime Ministers came
face to face for the first time since May, effected a chill
that was not dispelled even after their very warm handshake at the closing session. Next, Chinas attempt to
enter the SAARC grouping was opposed successfully by
India, but not before differences between memberstates over the issue were exposed. India would do well
to counterpoise Chinas economic weight by engaging
its neighbours more deeply to formulate a consensus,
instead of being seen as obstructing a closer SAARCChina engagement. This is not unthinkable, as geographically and culturally India has more in common
with its SAARC neighbours than China can ever hope
to have. The truth is, India comes into its own on the
world stage when it carries the neighbourhood with it.
That is why Mr. Modis out-of-the box ideas of inviting
SAARC leaders or of a SAARC satellite are applauded
everywhere. Similarly, it will take creative thinking to
realise the dream projected by his own words when he
spoke at the summit, saying it is not enough to be close,
but SAARC countries need to be together too.

sudden death always has great pedagogical value. The death of Chaiti
Bai, a Baiga tribal woman, following
a botched tubectomy at a mass sterilisation camp in Chhattisgarh recently, can
improve our perspective on Indias history as
a modern nation. She was one of the 14 women
who gained momentary national attention after a State doctor had operated on them in
what is said to have been an unhygienic medical camp.
Mid-November, when the incident happened, also marks the birth anniversary of
Jawaharlal Nehru, and separately, the opening of New Delhis international trade fair.
Both events had special status this year. The
deaths of Chaiti Bai and other women at the
camp give us an opportunity to reflect on the
problems India faces in the pursuit of modernity and global status through rapid industrial progress.
To get an idea of this, one has to set out on a
three-hour car ride from the villages where
Chaiti Bai and the other young women lived,
to Bhilai, where one of the three gigantic steel
plants was set up by the new nation-state in
the 1950s with the help of friendly foreign
nations. It made eminent sense to set up a
modern industrial plant in this economically
backward area because a vast deposit of iron
ore lies under the earth here. The larger problem, however, is above the surface, and has
two parts: one, a dense forest, and two, a
substantial population of tribal people. Chaiti
Bai belonged to a small tribe known as the
Baiga. Performing a tubectomy on Chaiti Bai
was an illegal act because there is a ban on
carrying out a sterilisation on a Baiga. This is
one of the few civic attainments of this unique
tribe. Their numbers are declining, and the
Constitution of India protects every Scheduled Tribe from extinction.

Tribal knowledge
In Indias tribal world, the Baiga are renowned for their gift and depth of medical
knowledge, which includes their ancient tradition of healing with substances derived from
the plant world. How this knowledge is transferred to the young was the subject of research

The deaths of Chaiti Bai and other women after


a botched tubectomy in Chhattisgarh are an
opportunity to reflect on the problems India faces
in the pursuit of modernity and global status,
especially in health and education
carried out by Dr. Padma Sarangapani about a
decade ago. In her interactions with nineyear-old Baiga boys and girls she found that
they could recognise by name and distinguish
the medicinal properties of 60 trees. They
stopped their list, she writes, because of
consideration for me because I could no longer keep track. Dr. Sarangapani lamented the
indifference shown to this knowledge by
schoolteachers. As expected, they teach the
official curriculum. The system is not tuned to
show respect for a childs knowledge, and Baiga children are no exception. They are treated
like any group of poor, backward children. The
schools they attend look at routine goals like
attaining basic numeracy and literacy.

deaths we can learn how insubstantial and


irrelevant education is also inconsequential.
India has sophisticated technologies in
communication, aviation and warfare, but its
schools are crude. Why Indias record in elementary education remains so modest needs
no commission of inquiry. In a public lecture
delivered in the 1980s, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen had explained the reasons for our
educational backwardness by using the proverb, as you sow, so you reap. We never made
significant investments in childrens education, so we should not expect wonderful results. Underneath this general story of
neglect, however, lies the details of an iniquitous system. Between the provisions for
an average village school and a Kendriya ViRecord in education
dyalaya, the gap has been as vast as the social
All the young women who died in Bilaspur distance between a peasant and a civil servant.
were literate enough to sign away their fertility for small sums of money. Their signatures Tribes and the state
Childrens education has never been a maimparted legality to their sterilisation. Literate they were, but not educated enough to jor part of anyones vision of prosperity and

State players perceive tribes through an ideological screen


that makes tribal life and culture look like an obstacle to
modernisation.

know what problems they might face, starting


with the risk of contracting infection from a
dirty, bare floor. Their exposure to modern
schooling was not enough to impart to them
the confidence needed to resist the persuasive
pressure of an experienced doctor determined
to achieve his personal tubectomy targets for
the year. The women who died were poor and
ordinary. One of them is reported to have
screamed in pain. The doctor shouted at her
and went on with the procedure. From these

progress. Some may see this as an oxymoron


and ask: how can progress be achieved without education? Instead, they should ask a
more basic question: How can progress be
achieved without health? Surely, health is
more basic than education. Since Independence, both these areas of welfare have been
consistently served by rhetoric and neglect.
The only major change visible in recent decades is the states careful manoeuvres to withdraw without being noticed, enabling

CARTOONSCAPE

Discouraging
cigarette sales
he acceptance of a proposal to prohibit the
sale of cigarettes in the loose, and raise the
minimum age from 18 to 21 for the sale of
tobacco products, clearly reflects the Ministry of Health and Family Welfares steely determination to wage an all-out war against tobacco
consumption. These are commendable initiatives that
would go a long way in preventing children from taking
up cigarette-smoking and forcing existing users to quit.
Tax rates on tobacco products were increased steeply
in the last budget, and, beginning April 2015, graphic
pictorial warnings will statutorily occupy at least 85
per cent of the front and back of all tobacco packages.
Unlike in the developed countries, increasing the cost
of cigarettes by itself will, in most cases, fail to be a big
deterrent in India. They will continue to remain affordable to even young children and low-income individuals so long as cigarettes can be bought as single sticks.
The only way to make higher pricing impinge on consumption is by selling them in packets of 10 or 20; it will
make experimentation and initiation by children more
difficult. After all, the 15-24 year age group constitutes
over 27 per cent of consumers of tobacco (in all forms)
in India. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control prohibits the sale of cigarettes individually or in small packets as it increases affordability.
Though the FCTC prohibition is limited to minors,
there is no reason why its scope cannot be widened to
include others. India has done it before by going beyond the FCTC move and banning the sale of tobacco
products within a 100-metre radius of any educational
institution. Besides making cigarettes unaffordable,
the purpose of pictorial warnings will be served only
when smokers are compelled to buy them in packets. A
combination of higher prices and pictorial warnings is
bound to reduce tobacco consumption and the number
of users. Unfortunately, the Ministry has failed to go
the whole hog and confined its focus to cigarettes. So,
there is a real possibility of a sizeable number of youth
and low-income individuals turning to bidis and tobacco chewing. Bidis account for nearly 85 per cent of all
tobacco smoked in India, and 52-70 per cent of all bidis
sold are not taxed. Despite a ban on the sale of single
cigarettes being in place since 1999 in Mexico, compliance is poor. There is little chance that it will be any
different in India. Except in enclosed spaces, enforcement of the ban on smoking in public places is nearly
non-existent in India. This is the case too with the sale
of pan masala containing tobacco in most of the States
that have proscribed it. Prohibiting sale in loose quantities will come to naught without strict enforcement.

CM
YK

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


that the Association is just a forum
for a game of India-Pakistan oneThe report, Modi, Sharif break the upmanship.
ice (Nov.28), displayed along with
Santhosh Mathew V.,
a photograph showing Prime
Puducherry
Minister Narendra Modi and
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif greeting each other, is a The issue of match-fixing in cricket
relief. Citizens across SAARC wish appears to be entering a decisive
for a cordial relationship between stage with the Supreme Court
all constituents of the Association. taking a tough stand (SC suggests
I was reminded of Mahatma Srinivasan step down, Nov. 28).
Gandhis quote: In a gentle way, The issue has gone through many
you can shake the world.
twists and turns. In the backdrop of
A.J. Rangarajan, it having generated a controversy,
Chennai propriety and morality demands
that N. Srinivasan step aside. The
The blow-hot, blow-cold attitude fact is that the court wants fresh
of India and Pakistan as far as their blood in the BCCI. This will be a
bilateral relationship is concerned litmus test for the Board to
will not fetch dividends for the two demonstrate if it is serious about
countries, for South Asia or for restoring the fair name of cricket.
SAARC.
H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana,
Mysuru
Jagmohan Kanwal,
Baran, Rajasthan
Till now one was under the
Leaders of the U.S. and the impression that match-fixing could
erstwhile Soviet Union were be done in connivance with players
known to exchange pleasantries or captains. But it is shocking to
even at the height of the Cold War. note that it could now involve
But this does not seem to be the umpires. It is hoped that the BCCI
case with the leaders of India and will follow the recommendations
Pakistan. While Mr. Modi is of the Mudgal committee report
reported to have taken refuge and reform the tainted image of the
behind a booklet, Mr. Sharif game of cricket.
N. Mahadevan,
laboured hard to be seen as not
pausing to greet his Indian
Chennai
counterpart. This may have passed
with the handshake at the closing
ceremony, but the fact remains The sad demise of the promising
that a thaw in India-Pakistan Australian batsman, Phil Hughes,
relations cannot be delayed who was felled by a bouncer during
indefinitely.
a domestic match, is a shocker. A
G. David Milton, game that attracts millions across
Maruthancode the globe holds many hidden
dangers for players. The incident
The fact that much that happens in shows that cricket is in dire need of
the SAARC region rests on the reengineered protective gear for its
whims and fancies of India and players and strict adherence to
Pakistan shows that SAARC must safety measures.
be disbanded as it is waste of
Niyati Sharma,
money but not of time as our
Pilani
leaders will find other ways of
enjoying life. The report shows The fact that a young man was

The thaw at SAARC

Step down hint

R.I.P. Hughes

commercial interests to take over. Areas designated as tribal are no exception to this
general trend. The paradox they represent in
the story of development is not radically different from what rural India in general represents. Indias aspiration to become a modern
nation presented a problem as soon as Constitution drafting began after the end of colonial
rule. The problem had to do with defining the
civic rights of tribes. Simply put, the question
was to decide the extent of rights tribes would
have on the forests they inhabited and used
freely for their livelihood. The question was
not unique to India, nor was the legal solution
India adopted unique.
It was decided that tribal people could not
claim sovereign right on forests and the minerals that lay underneath. The states sovereignty would extend to these resources, and in
return, so to say, the state would promise to
protect tribes and treat them as a privileged
category in welfare policies and provisions.
Had this privileged position of the tribes been
translated into action, it would have meant a
sophisticated system of education adjusted to
tribal cultures, languages and knowledge. It
would have meant differentiating among
tribes and equipping the system to handle
curricular and training details with specificity. As time went by, it became clear that the
state was going to remain colonial in its outlook and actions. Tribal areas did receive certain privileges but they were not sufficient to
protect tribal people from the aggressive
greed of developers and contractors. Soon
enough, the states resolve and sense of purpose got lost in a jungle of programmes and
demands. A stark instance of this process has
surfaced all over tribal regions. A recent one
was the trial inoculation of thousands of girls
studying in residential tribal schools in Andhra Pradesh against cervical cancer. Global
pharmaceutical interests had succeeded in
obtaining the State governments approval.
The State assumed that it could act on behalf
of the girls.
The medical disaster in Chhattisgarh shows
how helpless tribal people are. When Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh and
Jharkhand from Bihar, it was assumed that
smaller States would focus more efficiently
and sensitively too on tribal issues. Fourteen years on, one has reasons to doubt the
thesis that smaller political and administrative units are necessarily better. On the contrary, the lack of perspective persists. And in
the context of tribal issues, it is not merely a
question of perspective. State players perceive
tribes through an ideological screen that
makes tribal life and culture look like an obstacle to modernisation.
In recent years, Chhattisgarh has also been
in the news for a State programme called Salwa Judum, launched to counter Maoism. Tens
of thousands of tribal people have been displaced into camps under this programme, perpetuating the cycle of violence and misery.
Political leaders and officers see it as a major
attempt to reorganise the balance of forces in
Chhattisgarh so as to prepare it for globalisation of the economy. But the region joined
the global economy a long time ago when the
export of iron ore began from the Bailadila
mines in Bastar to Japan.
In a lecture delivered nearly 30 years ago,
M.N. Buch, a former bureaucrat, showed the
audience pictures of the landscape around
these mines. His dire prediction that mining
on this scale would turn the dense forest into a
desert seemed reasonable. He was in despair
about the impact the untrammelled exploitation of natural resources would have on the
precarious life of tribes. The recent deaths of
Chaiti Bai and the other tribal women justify
Buchs ominous prediction and despair.
(Krishna Kumar is Professor of Education
at the University of Delhi and a former
Director of NCERT.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full


postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
snatched away by death apparently
for not wearing the latest model of
helmet is a tragedy. This points to
the need to ensure the quality and
type of the protective gear that
must be used to prevent such tragic
incidents. R.I.P., Phil Hughes.
J. Annstin John,
Theni, Tamil Nadu

The games of soccer and rugby


have produced their fair share of
on/off-field fatalities. It comes as a
surprise that cricket, modern
sports least brutal game and a
gentlemans game, often so boring
that it induces sleep, should have
caused an on-field death. The
incident should surely cause
cricket administrators to review
It is unfortunate that the game of safety measures. More young lives
cricket has turned out to be a game should not be lost.
A.R. Modak,
of gladiators. A bowler is supposed
to target the stumps which are at
Johannesburg
the batsmans knee level, not his
head level. There must be a
sustained campaign to ensure that If an African-American police
the bouncer is eliminated from a officer were to shoot and kill a
bowlers armoury.
white suspect, would the American
K. Ramarao, grand jury system follow a similar
Hyderabad approach? More importantly,
would it have freed the officer
This incident shows there should (Editorial, and Contours of
be a system that must address prejudice, Nov.28)? When the
emergencies and respond to them minorities in the U.S. have a trust
effectively. All players and umpires deficit in the system, the
must undergo training in first aid. exoneration of Daren Wilson by a
Investing more in this area will white-dominated grand jury only
ensure that players are focussed on rubs salt into their wounds.
striving to earn sporting laurels.
Though the country has come a
K. Sai Bala Gayatri, long way in addressing issues of
Kakinada racism, and has even elected a
black
President,
employing
Nari Contractor very nearly lost his African-American police officers in
life after being hit by a bouncer. an area populated by them would
Raman Lamba was claimed by a improve things. Finally, the root
cricket ball. The quality of player cause for most crimes in any
gear is important.
society starts with poverty and
Jagmander Goel, inequality.
Pune
Varad Seshadri,
Sunnyvale, California
Please scrap bouncers as it was
done for bodyline bowling. It is For a change, the U.S. State
high time the ICC revisits the rules Department has to look closer
as batsmen are more vulnerable to home while preparing its next
this kind of bowling. Even in global human rights report. When
Formula One racing, fatal confronted with these harsh
accidents are negligible thanks to truths, even liberal commentators
improved safety standards for go on the defensive and say that
drivers. Bouncers may enthuse blacks suffer from a cultural
spectators, but they must not be at predilection
towards
the cost of player safety.
backwardness and lawlessness. It
Felton Vaz, is often forgotten that Americas
Tuticorin Dystopian free market paradise

Contours of prejudice

has wrecked families and forced


many to live on marginal wage
labour. At the same time, the black
community has to move out of its
cocoons of victimhood. It has to
work hard to change societys
stereotypical attitudes. Repairing
the family system so that youth are
not trapped in crime and a focus on
pursuing education and careers
could be the first point.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram

Ritual or slaughter?
It is unfortunate that despite global
appeals, Nepal went ahead with the
mass slaughter of animals and
birds at Gadhimai, in what is
described as the worlds largest
such exercise. The pictures one has
seen are blood-curdling.
Held every five years, the event
last time saw the sacrificial
slaughter of nearly 5,00,000
animals including water buffaloes,
pigs, goats, chickens, rats and
pigeons. Though it has been
defended as a ritual connected with
peoples faith, and that it could not
have been banned lest sentiments
were hurt, one needs to look at it
objectively. It is laudable that India
tried to do its bit by monitoring the
movement of animals from Bihar
and U.P. One is reminded of the
saying: From beasts we scorn as
soulless, In forest, field and den,
The cry goes up to witness, The
soullessness of men. And
Aurobindo said, Life is life
whether in a cat, or dog or man.
There is no difference there
between a cat or a man. The idea of
difference is a human conception
for mans own advantage. One can
also think of this: Deliberate
cruelty to our defenceless and
beautiful little cousins is surely one
of the meanest and most detestable
vices of which a human being can
be guilty.
Navamita Chatterjee,
Kohima
ND-ND

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