Remember The Name

AAP, Mohalla Sabhas and Democracy

2014-02-18T20:31:00.001+05:30

Arvind Kejriwal’s short lived 48 day government in Delhi continues to dominate the news cycle even after it fell. It’s certainly been eventful, with allegations of flip-flops, drama, racism, poor governance and being the B team of the Congress being juxtaposed with some credible achievements. My view on all this is that Kejriwal was under a disproportionate amount of scrutiny, because of the high standards he set for himself. Impatience is never a virtue in public life, and Kejriwal has been guilty of it, while being a victim of the same. The allegations of dramatics miss the point, since political parties in this country have to be dramatic. Moreover, if people had a problem with dramatics, they should have complained when it was a major ingredient of the Jan Lokpal movement, or as recent as his swearing – in ceremony. The most serious allegation is that of racism. While the jury is still out on the legitimacy of the party’s claims on the case, the fact remains that the case was an example of the bias of the majority taken as fact, with propriety and the rights of the accused being a casualty. His government’s biggest contribution, the mohalla sabhas, has been condemned to the footnote in this heady mix of claims and counter-claims.

As somebody who believes that grassroots democracy is the only panacea to the many ills facing the country, the idea of mohalla sabhas struck a chord with me. There has been criticism to this idea, but unfortunately, it has been consigned to the ideologically inept argument of AAP being a party of overground naxalites and anarchists. The idea of citizen councils having a say in the development of their localities seems perfectly reasonable, even mandatory in any democracy. If we do claim to be the world’s largest democracy, surely it follows that we will empower grassroots democracy and usher an era of real development? The criticism of this idea seems to be borrowed from Ambedkar’s famous quote on villages being a den of superstition and communalism. The criticism seems to be that such councils will bring in another layer of red-tape to a system which is a labyrinth of babudom, favours and hierarchy. Doesn't it already take a number of years for any project in this country to be approved? Wouldn't another layer simply make this process more drawn out than it already is?

There seems to be a large section of this country which seems to consider roads built, steel and concrete as evidence of development. When we talk about development, this constituency thinks only in terms of tar, steel and concrete. Of course, this is a perfectly valid assumption. No country can progress without proper infrastructure and infrastructure is central to every citizen’s lives since it is for public use. However, there is also the question of how do we go about creating world-class infrastructure? Some people, most of them unsurprisingly cheerleaders for the Modi version of crony capitalist “development”, seem to have a fascination with the Chinese way of going about these things. Where existing structures are demolished to make way for these shiny new toys of the elite and the concern for rehabilitation is secondary. Where the local population simply has to accept that their livelihood is going to be destroyed and they have to learn to deal with it, helped by whatever morsels the benevolent leader throws at them. Big bucks for big business, shiny new toys for the elite, while the poor suffer from the deluded assumption that all this was for their own good. This is “development” you see. It doesn’t matter that the poor will remain excluded from these new toys built from their livelihood; what matters is that we have these new toys and the world will marvel at “Shining India”. This constituency has taken a beating of late after 20 years of “development”, with support cutting across party lines. Since land remains under the discretionary powers of our Honourable Representatives, such “development” meant bigger kickbacks while the sheep vote for them after swallowing their venal claims of this being progress. Since the government outsourced vigilance to the CAG and the Supreme Court, no more could they claim that spectrum allocated at half the price is the only way to bring down call rates or that inflated cost of toilet paper at a sporting event will raise India’s standing in the comity of nations. So, a pliant media, aided by big business which clearly did not appreciate their thievery of national resources being stopped, re-booted the phrase “policy paralysis” when there has been a policy paralysis since at least 1965. Since thievery has to be sold as progress in a democracy to gain votes, this “policy paralysis” became the sole reason for lack of development.

It is a disgrace that engagement with the people is seen as a roadblock to development in some quarters. If a road is to be built in my locality, I am the biggest stakeholder. Not the guy who drives his swanky SUV. Development means that road should serve as an instrument of progress for me and my neighbours. It should help us travel from place X to place Y, help us get to our places of work faster and not be ridden with potholes at the slightest amount of rain. If it is truly an instrument of public good, why will there be opposition? Surely, I should decide what comes in my locality, not some babu or politician whom I see only once in 5 years! Is it development when big business comes to my door, wants to buy land and my livelihood for a fraction of the market price? Is it democracy or the often used “governance” when I have no say in how my livelihood is affected? Clearly, there are concerns with engagement; what is to be done when the council is overtaken by anti-social elements? What is to be done when the council exhibits the bias of the majority, as seen in the case where a locality decreed that people from the North-East move out? However, these are not reasons for not having this process of engagement. So what is the reason for the fervent opposition from some and the cries of horror from the media?

The present political and economic system in this country is clearly in a state of decay and has been for some time. After liberalisation in 1991, we had a real chance to end the system of discretion, wherein one politician decides everything. However, we chose to scrap it only partially. The venal powers-that-be could clearly see that the powers they were getting rid of would be compensated by holding on to some discretionary powers that would be hugely beneficial, especially when private capital went unchecked. The media followed suit, and hence the yarn of “the most historic period of fighting poverty” was being spun. As it did when such policies were the norm in the west, inequalities increased. A culture of greed, opulence and selfishness was celebrated as “achievement”. Public resources started being sold to the highest bidder. The government started selling off its responsibilities in health, education, food, shelter, housing to private parties, all in the name of development. All this has created a culture where the 10% growth, 90% thievery model of development in Gujarat is seen as a panacea to all our ills. Since such models benefit big business the most, support from those quarters was assured. The simple act of engaging with the people, threatens this system like no other. When people are empowered, they will refuse to be hoodwinked continuously. They will ask questions, demand answers and demand results. They will no longer continue to accept girls wanting to be thin as excuse for malnutrition. They will not accept public services being decrepit and of poor quality for years together. They will not accept this system where a poor man, who can only afford to send his children to government schools, pulls them out since they don’t get a proper education in those schools. They will no longer accept doctors not turning up in government hospitals while the sick die of inadequate infrastructure. They will no longer accept being told to sell their land to make way for a factory which makes no attempt to make their lives better than before.

Therefore, the debate on AAP is a debate on democracy. It is about the kind of democracy we want, where people engage with their representatives and everybody works in tandem for a better India. Or a sham democracy wherein the only power the citizens have is to vote once in five years and trust in the benevolence of the leader. The hope that a liberal centre would be free from the bias of the majority held true at a time when people truly worked for public welfare. When the centre is victims of the same bias, what sort of liberalism can we expect? When the President of the main Opposition Party terms homosexuality as “unnatural and against Indian culture”, is it liberalism? When the government, after opposing decriminalisation in 2009, supports the same with an eye on polls, is it liberalism? The mainstream is littered with the bias of the majority, the same den of superstition and communalism Ambedkar rallied against. When the mainstream refuses to conform to the liberal ideals of this country with an eye on votes to be gained by pandering to the den of superstition and communalism, there is no logic in this argument. This debate also challenges the existing view of what a leader should be. When Kejriwal went on his dharna, or sat on the road, it disturbed some people since “he represents the people of Delhi before the world”. For a people obsessed with how we are perceived, this is unsurprising. Unfortunately, image is more important than specifics for us. As long as we present a veneer of being democratic and holding true to our values, we will be happy. This hypocrisy must end.

It isn't my case that only AAP represents good for the country. It is my belief that for the challenges we face at this time, they represent the best option. Their mistakes should be condemned; the Khirki incident seems to be one, but we must remember that since they are the biggest challenge to the status quo, they represent the biggest hope for this country at this time. Not “chappan inch ki chaati” politics; not politics of venality and sycophancy.

Why Stuart Broad isn't a cheat

2013-07-18T22:52:00.000+05:30

The first Ashes Test between England and Australia featured some fascinating cricket, but all the talk has been focussed on one incident rather than the fantastic individual pieces of cricketing skill we saw from both teams. When Stuart Broad refused to walk when he was caught by Michael Clarke at first slip, he reopened a fascinating debate on morality in sport.

I've always maintained that sport is more than just about who won and who lost; it’s about skill, determination and the will to succeed. These are very noble things, and therefore, Sportspersons have always been feted; their names sung by grateful fans, generations weaned on stories of fantastic performances on the field of play. So when an issue of morality is raised, it is deeply troubling to the human psyche which is accustomed to treating Sportspersons with a great deal of respect. There are some who will argue that this logic cannot be extended to modern day sports. Today, the business of sports is just as important as the action on the field of play, probably even more. Keeping with the theme of an age where the market extends to every part of human life, sports today is a very “corporate” being. Like it or not, “Karbon Kammal Sixes”, “Aon Training Centre”, “Etihad Stadium” and the rest of it are a here to stay. In an age where who sponsors whom is just as important as the players on the field of play, can we really expect Sportspersons to behave in a way their predecessors did? When love for the game results inbeing robbed, why should we expect sportspersons to be bound by a moral code that simply does not exist?

That does not mean it can be argued that anything goes on the field of play, as long as you win. Winning may be more important than it was in the past, but there are limits to the complexity of this debate: match fixing, doping and the like cannot be justified. The fact is that sanctimony is always directed at the opposition. When Greame Swann calls a Sri Lankan player a cheat for not walking and defends Broad for the same, he is doing what we all do. I laugh when a Man United player “dives” in order to get a penalty, but scream obscenities at the referee when the boot is on the other foot.

Therefore, the Gary Neville argument in his master class on diving is probably more apt than the moral pronouncements that have been expressed since the Broad incident. To quote Red Nev, it would be very harsh to call these players cheats for not abiding by somewhat dubious expectations with regard to morality. They work so very hard for one moment; that moment will provide judgement on years of hard work. Can we then expect them to throw it all away in order to abide by some unrealistic standards of morality? Of course Broad would eke out the smallest advantage; he’s there to win matches for his team, not the Fair Play Award. It was the job of the Umpire to judge whether he was caught or not. When the Umpire is not sure, can we really expect Broad (or any other sportsperson for that matter) to go back to his teammates and say that Fair Play is more important than winning the game?

There are some who say that Sportspersons are idols and therefore, will always be expected to have higher standards of behaviour than us mortals, lest our kids be taught that it’s OK to cheat. That argument certainly has traction when it comes to match fixing or doping. Is diving or not walking when you are out as bad as doping or match fixing? I don’t think anybody is saying that diving or not walking is a virtue, it’s just a part and parcel of the modern game. It will happen, it cannot be stopped. Fighting it is a lost cause. We would be better off evolving a mechanism to deal with it. The “Spirit of the Game” is tosh; it exists for everybody but our team. When England were at the receiving end, they were fighting for this infinitely virtuous quality. When they stand to gain an advantage, they forget about such sanctimony and try to win the game. Let us not pretend that the rest of us are any different.

In football, if a player dives, he/she is in danger of receiving a yellow card. Cricket has a similar precedent of players being banned for not walking when they are clearly dismissed (or so the web tells me). Let the authorities apply this penalty when such an incident occurs so that it is dealt with, instead of mourning endlessly for a quality which belongs to the past. By holding sports hostage to qualities of a bygone era, we are deluding ourselves. Sportspersons are products of our society. Expecting them to abide by a moral code none of us would follow if we were in a similar position is unrealistic to the extreme.

India: A nation of idiots (Part 2)

2013-03-25T13:57:00.001+05:30

Talking of institutionalized corruption, what happened to the Anna Hazare movement? As much as a disagree with the argument that one institution can magically eradicate corruption, the idea of people demonstrating against corruption was much welcome. To quote Winston Smith, if there is hope, it lies in the proles. As much as the Outer Party (middle India) fancies itself to be the crusader of everything moral and right, unless the poor fight the machine that is the status quo, nothing will change. After all, a politician is a shrewd specimen. If he/she feels that reform and change is what the people want, that he cannot play the people and trust the poor to put him back to power on the back of the usual packet of biryani and the packet of desi daaru, why should he/she prescribe to the idea of change when he has much to benefit from the status quo? And why will the poor protest, when his life is dependent on drudgery which does not include the luxury of worrying about the poor?

But why will any of us protest when the machine can simply bring up the glitz and glamour of the Hindi film industry? We are so enamoured by smut and fluff (while ignorantly claiming our culture to be the greatest in the history of mankind, since it apparently looks down on the same smut and fluff that the “culture-less” West propagates) that it distracts us from thoughts of the future. The best example of this is Sanjay Dutt. Logically, if it were a poor Muslim youth who made the same choices, he would rot in jail with all of us baying for his blood, and we will take great joy in the inevitable hanging to death. We’ll take rallies, celebrate the event as if it was the greatest in the history of mankind, and distribute sweets. In fact, the facts of the case show that the people accused of the same crime, who weren’t Sanjay Dutt, have been charged under TADA, while the Gandhian Munna Bhai is charged under the Arms Act. The irony of somebody who lauded Gandhian thought in a movie being charged under the Arms Act might be right up there with Arundathi Roy’s laughable “Maoists are Gandhians with Guns” logic. But since it is Munna Bhai, he’s a sweet guy. What did he do? Allowed his house to be barrack for a terrorist who cut Mumbai into a thousand pieces, even if said master could not fulfill his master’s dream of bleeding India into a thousand pieces. He’s suffered for 20 years! His suffering: a number of crores a year, special treatment, the adulation of the brainwashed and other luxuries which most of us can only dream of. Such horrid levels of suffering must be the most any individual has suffered in the history of the Indian Republic. Pity and mercy in this country exist only for the powerful. Talk of taking death sentence off the books; you are accused of being a wishy-washy liberal who bleeds for the criminal but not for the victim. The hypocrisy is astounding.

There exist a few holy cows in this country and the biggest of them is the Armed Forces. We are all grateful for the men and women who put their lives on the line so that we can sleep in peace. However, even the gravest crime they commit is almost excused. We have a brave woman who has been fasting for 10 years for the withdrawal of AFSPA, which clearly has no place in any decent society. Apparently, raping women, torture, random arrests are all prerequisites for fighting terrorism. The idiocy of this argument is never contested by the presumably educated. Another holy cow is religion. Despite our claims of being liberal, we are the farthest thing from a liberal society. I reject religion even though I come from a religious family. The idea of a God, as comforting as it may be, is nauseous when we demolish another religious structure in His name; kill, maim, loot and commit the worst crimes. An entity in whose name hatred is propagated, to me, is not an entity worth going gaga over. If a believer says that this God is a deeply merciful entity and then goes on killing in the name of the same merciful entity; it this believer cannot respect his/her beliefs, why should I? If we see the history of religion, we see that religion is more an army of killing, hatred and injustice; not the entity it presents itself to be. Even more nauseous is the hatred propagated by these purveyors of God. The homosexual is a deviant and the female is a second rate commodity. Equality is a concept alien to religion, and by extension, alien to a nation which is obsessed with religion. How many of us refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Caste System? Those of us who belong to the privileged castes will argue that we are different, that caste does not matter to us anymore. We will then make excuses for the caste system; that “blood matters”. How can any society which even in the slightest way excuses such barbaric thought claim to be a liberal society? We are constantly brainwashed into a state of considerable apathy. Whether Sachin Tendulkar will retire or not is a matter of national debate. That one in six families in Urban India live in slums, with mobiles but no sanitation, public health facilities, safe drinking water housing or decent education is worthy of a footnote in the bowels of the newspaper. The philosophical conundrum of modern day capitalism: where the private sector is the solution for all problems is roundly ignored. We fail to note even the most basic criticism of our economic model; that the private sector will only solve problems where the possibility of a profit occurs, not in the most basic duties of the state (health, education and housing). To us, history is a playlist of YouTube videos; myth and propaganda is dressed up as history. One look at the bestseller list in books shows our fascination with mythology: the trilogy of Lord Shiva by Amish sells more than books which force us to think and to question the world around us. There is nothing wrong with reading books on religion, in fact, one of my most treasured gifts is a book titled “Am I a Hindu”, gifted to me by my father. However, mythology is one man’s fiction. It matters just as much as those Mills and Boon romance stories.

It is very easy for me to fall victim to the lazy assertion that there is no political party which is truly liberal, that prescribes to the ideals enshrined in the constitution (laughable how the right denies the existence of the idea of India. One can only pity the deluded for suffering so much delusion so as to not see the obvious). I refuse to do so. Politicians are representative of society. Unless society changes and moulds itself in the way our founding fathers wanted, there will not be liberal political parties. In conclusion, we are a nation of idiots. To borrow the famous line from Justice Markandey Katju, 90% of Indians are idiots, and I include myself in this. For far too long, I have been victim to myth and propaganda. I choose to move towards the 10%, and unless the rest of us do the same, we will remain a nation by, of and for idiots.

India: A nation of idiots (Part 1)

2013-03-25T13:54:00.003+05:30

With a year left for the Lok Sabha elections (or less than a year, if you choose to believe the media driven hype of early elections), the media is going to go all out with opinion polls, articles presumptuously titled “State of the Nation”, as if a sample size of 1000 people represents the opinions of the millions that constitute the Indian electorate. Presumptuous or not, one must admit that speculating the results of an election is a deeply satisfying activity, especially in a country as diverse as India. There are a million contours to every election in India; admittedly, this article can only capture a few of them: the ones that appeal to a middle class, liberal youngster.

To say that Narendra Modi has emerged on the national stage would be an understatement. Young India’s fascination with Narendra Modi enthralls me. We might not uniformly agree on Modi’s qualifications to lead this great nation, but we cannot ignore the fact that he is a serious candidate. Young India’s stand on whether Modi’s record on development trumps the serious accusations he continues to face vis-à-vis 2002 is a larger sociological debate which invariably involves the facets of class and religion. All I can say is that as a resident of Ahmedabad, I cannot deny Modi’s record on development or the many desirable elements of his administration. Despite seeing Modi’s development first hand, I will not vote for him come the election. The reasons for this will be apparent as we go on.

Another habit the media gets into when covering any general election is the habit of declaring that the coming election is “one of the most important in the history of the Indian republic”. I fail to understand the logic of this argument, since every election is by definition a crucial one. The winner gets to decide policy for a considerable amount of time, and every policy has the potential of changing the fortunes of the nation one way or the other. However, it cannot be denied that India is at a crossroads. The problems facing the nation need not be stated again; they have been repeated ad nauseam in the climate of pessimism that has persisted over the last few years. My memory of the last general election was the theme of change that underlined it: young people, qualified people would finally get into politics and try to make a change. Reform would come, and India would be transparent, a slightly better place than the competitive race to the bottom it is at this time. Then the same old faces got elected, and those of us who held hope in change and reform pointed out to the presence of young MP’s (especially in the Congress), naively ignoring that most belonged to dynasties. The irony of pointing to the inheritors of a dynasty as evidence of upcoming change and reform was lost on us. The election of 2009 was about the status quo, with some smatterings of change tossed to us deluded liberals to keep quiet until the next election. And the cycle is set to continue…

For me, too much of talk on this election has centered on individuals: Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi (at least until Rahul baba virtuously declared that he wasn’t interested. That was an act of renunciation unseen in mankind’s vast experience with elected or unelected royalty) or any of the other names that have propped up. This points to the idiocy of the discourse on our polity, that we choose to focus on individuals rather than the ideas they represent. What is Narendra Modi’s idea for India going forward? Or Sushma Swaraj? Or Chidambaram? Of course, there is no point in asking for Rahul Gandhi’s idea for India since his ideas include silence, or few words spoon-fed by his MBA coterie or Mummy’s lieutenants. To be fair to Modi, he did express an idea for India; an “India first” form of secularism which unfortunately is illogical because secularism and nationalism are independent of each other. We might have a unique definition of secularism in this country (where it is synonymous with tolerance), but even tolerance and nationalism are independent of each other. History has shown us that focus on nationalism is deeply intolerant. I abhor the idea of a nationally imposed rigidity on our consciousness. The idea reminds me of the dystopia wonderfully illustrated in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty- Four. Besides, the idea of a civilization which embraced liberal thought when the rest of the world embraced savagery choosing to embrace rigidity is troubling (as it should be to anybody with the slightest historical knowledge of the Indian civilization, very different from the myth propagated by the tilak, chaddi and lathi types).

What then, of the economy? For a nation which gobbles reports which prophesize an economic superpower (at least the sections of our country which can read, and afford the luxury of reading reports which can simply be termed as prophecies), we have a tremendous amount of economic illiteracy. Notice the collective angst when petrol prices are increased. While there is an argument for a transparent mechanism (one of my aims when I started my MBA course was understanding how petrol or diesel is priced. I am about to finish the course and have a wonderfully exciting job to look forward to, but I am no closer to understanding what goes behind the price that we all have to pay for petrol), the bouts of irritation middle India shows is immoral. Why should the government subsidize my petrol when millions go to bed hungry? Surely, when I can afford the latest gizmos or religiously buying the latest Manchester United jersey, I can afford to pay more for petrol. The culture of subsidies in this country can be a good thing if the needy actually benefitted from it. Like most things in this country, something ostensibly for the poor is actually for the middle class, which calls itself aam aadmi without an ounce of shame. How do we balance the needs of development, the compulsion of sustainability and the need for transparency (which should be a basic requirement for a country calling itself the world’s largest democracy)? Which politician has answered this question apart from the usual kow-towing to big business? Not to mention the massive behemoth in the room that is institutionalized corruption.

My Letter to Committee of Three Eminent Jurists

2012-12-25T23:26:00.001+05:30

Respected Sir,

Let me first begin to thank you for the work that your committee is doing. It is hoped that through your committee, we can end the horrific culture of rapes in our country, but also address the larger misogyny which perpetuates the cycle of violence against women.

We cannot address the problem effectively unless we first accept that there is one. We've taken the easy route a number of times in the past; instead of addressing the issue from a long term perspective. We need to first accept that our culture tolerates misogyny. No amount of cultural revisionism can hide this shameful fact. I hope that your committee understands this fact, and does not pander to the whims of some, who insist that our culture is not the problem, despite overwhelming evidence that it is.

I appreciate the enormity of the task ahead of you. Not only do you have to address the issue of rapes effectively, you also have to take into account much of the public anger. It is a fact that many believe death penalty with other "harsh" laws (from one extreme of hanging in public to execution a la Saudi Arabia) to be a solution. You have to take into account the emotional reaction of the Indian people, the issues pertaining to culture and society, the legal perspective (especially with the stand of our country with regard to the death penalty) and juggle all these issues effectively to satisfy the public, which is angry.

As my duty as a citizen of this country, I ask for your committee to take into consideration the following points:-

1. Death penalty is not a solution. It can only be a deterrent, which can be effective as a part of a wider solution to combat the menace of rape. May I remind you that only three countries have a stand against capital punishment. This suggests that internationally, the consensus is that capital punishment is inhuman. However, considering the practical aspects of having to satisfy a public which demands the death penalty, I suggest that the courts decide which falls in the rarest of the rare category, and lay down reasons for why it does. Similarly, when death penalty is not awarded, reasons be laid down for why the court believes that the case does not fall into the rarest of the rare category.

2. Fast track courts and special courts be set up, where rape cases can be disposed of as quickly as possible. The present status quo, where a victim has to wait months to even have a chargesheet against the accused, is unacceptable.

3. Laws be amended to reflect the changing times we live in. The term "outraging the modesty of a woman" is insulting. Let us call a spade a spade.

4. The police must be made to be more sensitive towards the victim. Harassing the victim in any way; by making her wait ages to register an FIR or by laying down "moral" judgements (which are the exact opposite since they are filled with misogynist sentiments) is unacceptable.

5. Making all pillars of the state sensitive to curbing this menace.

6. Combating rampant misogyny in our society by educating our children. We need to change our textbooks, go into every school (government or private) and teach the children that a man and a woman are equal; and that both can do what they want. Similarly, educate adults as to why making excuses for rapists (by suggesting that they invited this tragedy upon themselves by the dress they wore or where they were) perpetuates this cycle of violence.

7. Ask the government to draft a legislation which bars any person accused of sexual assault in any form from being eligible to hold public office. What can we teach our children when rapists sit in the hallowed halls of Parliament and make decisions on our behalf?

8. Ban Khap Panchayats. Sati used to exist in ancient times. Do we allow this today? They are an archaic, unconstitutional entity which deserves the highest condemnation.

Finally, let me say that we cannot end this menace by simply amending laws or pandering to the lowest common denominator. We need change in attitudes towards our women. We claim to be a civilized society. Let us take this opportunity to become one by ensuring equality for men and women. Otherwise, 10 years from now, a similar committee will look into the same issues and we would be walking in circles till the crows come home.

My views on the Glazers, MUST and the IPO

2012-08-10T12:02:00.003+05:30

Manchester United is in the news once more. Only this time, it’s not because of achievements on the pitch, but because of incidents off it. Since the heartbreaking end to the season (well, to us reds, anyway), we’ve had signings, the usual dose of rumours, prophecies of doom, the usual summer activity. But what’s unusual is the feeling amongst some of the support that the club isn’t in good shape.

Since 2005, when the Glazers took over the club, there has been a section of the support which has refused to have anything to do with the club as long as the Glazers are in charge. The reasons for this are widely known, but this issue has come into greater focus because of the IPO launched by the club in the New York Stock Exchange. Initially, the IPO was meant to tackle the club’s $680 million debt. Now it transpires that the owners intend to use the proceeds of the IPO to pay only a part of the debt, and pocket the rest. This has provoked some furious reactions from fans, with even Sir Alex Ferguson being accused of complicity in the murky dealings of the Glazers.

When I started this blog, I did so because I wanted a space where I could put my views out. I did not think of whether anybody would be bothered about reading it. My intention was only indulging in a hobby. That remains true even today. Over the last few days, I have read many articles on the subject, which made my think of my own views. Do I approve of the Glazers? What of the IPO, or the allegations being thrown at Sir Alex Ferguson?

I am no fan of the Glazers. They should not have been allowed to buy the club, and it is United’s great misfortune that the fans allowed them to buy the club in the first place. They have taken millions out of the club to service a debt which isn’t ours. Now, what is the other side? The Manchester United Supporter’s Trust (MUST)? I do not approve of them either.

MUST claims that the only way out for United fans is to boycott the club. They argue that going to the stadium on matchdays, buying merchandise, subscribing to MUTV, all this puts money in the pockets of the Glazers. Their argument is that to fight the Glazers, fans must refuse to line their pockets. The logic of this argument is deeply flawed. If fans stopped going to the games, it is the team which will suffer. If the fans don’t support the team, it is the team which will suffer. MUST’s logic comes across as excessively militant, when a little foresight is essential. The fans are the lifeblood of any football club. If they boycott, everything will fall apart. To me, that a fan lets go of his/her club the moment he disapproves of the owners’ business model comes across as somewhat sad. That brings me to Sir Alex’s comment on “real fans”.

What rankles MUST and their supporters is the fact that Alex Ferguson, a man who used to campaign to reduce ticket prices, is part of a regime under whom prices are ridiculously high, the atmosphere in the stadium is stifling to say the least, and corporatization is in the extreme. They are entitled to feel this way; however, in my view, it is ridiculous of them to expect Sir Alex to lay out his reasons as to why he is comfortable with the Glazers’ ownership. If he says he is, then I think he’s earned the right to be taken at face value. I am sure he has his reasons as to why he feels the way he does. Is he entitled to outline those reasons for the support? Not really. However, Sir Alex must explain what he meant by “real fans”. Does it mean that he thinks that the actions of those who left the club and choose to boycott it because of the Glazers aren’t real fans? Or does he think that because you don’t approve with the mode of business, at the first sign of trouble, you cannot cut your links with the club and still claim to be fan?

I feel that the expectations of MUST with regard to Sir Alex are a little unfair. They want him to publicly speak out against the Glazers. They want an employee to speak out against his employer at a time when the employer is out to only make money for himself, even if it is at the cost of his asset. When Sir Alex was accused to benefiting directly from the IPO, he issued an angry riposte, clarifying that he does not benefit from the IPO; and that the allegation “insults me”. This has dented the credibility of the MUST crowd, because by tarnishing Sir Alex’s name, they open themselves to the accusation that there exist ulterior motives behind their posturing.

MUST have from the beginning, insisted on using strong-arm tactics that focussed solely on removing the Glazers. Where there existed a scope for a true bridge between the fans and supporters, they have proven to be nothing more than a militant organisation; to the point that they have alienated what could have been their trump card: Sir Alex Ferguson. That Duncan Drasdo, CEO of MUST, pays token respect to the boss (his twitter profile has him standing behind a picture of Sir Alex Ferguson), while wilfully dragging his name through the mud (the IPO allegation, conjecture on his role in the stud fiasco in 2005), calls into question their intentions. While the exit of the Glazers is something we all want, how is that being achieved? By militant tactics which probably will hurt the club much more than anything the Glazers do.

That does not mean that I support the Glazers. They should never have been allowed to own the club. Again, questions must be asked of MUST. When the board said no to the Glazers’ initial approach for the club (saying that the bid relied on a large amount of borrowing), it was seen as a victory for the club. However, a little more than a year later, the Glazers owned the club. Since the club before the sale was a PLC, the Glazers had to buy shares from the market, and it is feasible that MUST members sold these shares. Relying on militant tactics after the takeover, when they had enough shares to represent fans’ interest, seems strange. Now, they claim that the failure of the IPO will make the Glazers sell the club. That is by no means definitive. Early reports indicate that the IPO will not be as successful as the club hoped, which means a drop in the value of the club. On the one hand, a lesser value will mean greater possibility of the club being sold; on the other, it will mean lesser money for improving the team and reducing debt. If the Glazers do not sell the club in the event of a failed IPO, it means lesser revenue with no reduction in debt. A very worrying scenario.

The amazing part of all this is how the team continues to be successful. It is certainly a testament to Sir Alex’s genius. The disappointment of last season aside, our record over the last few years is incredible. It is unfortunate that factors in no way connected to the performance on the pitch are setting a pall of doom around the club, even if prophecies of doom seem excessive. It can only be hoped that the team emerges relatively unscathed from all of this. For that to happen, Sir Alex Ferguson must be allowed to do what he does best: win things on the football pitch.

Malnutrition: urgent action required

2011-09-02T00:03:00.003+05:30

At a time when the world thinks of India as a major economic power in the making, malnutrition still is a major problem which contributes to the poor human development situation in our country. The figures are deeply disturbing: the prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world, nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa. The UN estimates that 2.1 million children die every year before they reach the age of five. Though India has many programs to tackle malnutrition, not much headway has been made in the fight against malnutrition.

IDENTIFYING MALNUTRITION

Malnutrition is identified into two constituents: protein-energy malnutrition (this is widely prevalent in India and other developing countries) and micronutrient deficiencies. Physical findings help in early identification of malnutrition, which is useful in early rehabilitation. Gomez classified protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) into three degrees: Grade 1 which is severe malnutrition (90-100% degree of PEM), Grade 2, moderate malnutrition (75-89% degree of PEM) and Grade 3, mild malnutrition with less than 60% degree of PEM.

Malnutrition is widely prevalent in rural areas, with tribal areas having the poorest nutritional status. We take the figures in Gondia district of Maharashtra, where there are 1, 02,692 children between the ages of zero and six. Of this, 779 are in the severe malnutrition category and 3,411 in the moderate malnutrition category. From April till July this year, 118 infants did not reach the age of one. Of the children between the ages of zero and six, 22% are underweight and roughly 3% are severely underweight. The weaker children are identified by anganwadi workers or Accredited Social Health Activists under the National Rural Health Mission and brought to the Nutritional Rehabilitation Center (NRC). Shockingly, the NRC in Gondia district opened only on August 15 this year.

The situation in nearby Gadchiroli district (with a tribal population of more than 50%) is not much different. Of a total of 93,983 children aged between zero and six, only 63% are of normal weight.

Among the various states of India, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar have very high rates of under-nutrition. Even states like Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Kerala, Punjab and Goa, where the numbers are lower, the rate of malnutrition is greatly higher than that of developed countries. Further, anemia is found in over 70% of individuals in the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, and Jharkhand.

REASONS FOR HIGH RATE OF MALNUTRITION

People in the far-flung villages were reluctant to bring weak children to the NRC or even seek medical attention, she adds. Poverty was one of the main reasons and the parents mostly worked as agricultural labourers and found it difficult to stay in hospitals and look after their children. In addition to this, scattered population makes access to good health care facilities very difficult. Infants are neglected after birth and do not get proper nutritional supplements. Many villages are in inaccessible areas. Poor nutrition is also reflected at birth with 20 per cent of infants having low birth weight. Malaria and other diseases compound the health situation even more. In addition to this, many anganwadi workers (or Accredited Social Health Activists) do not turn up in many centers. Most growth retardation occurs by the age of two, and most damage is irreversible. The prevalence of underweight in rural areas 50 percent versus 38 percent in urban areas and higher among girls (48.9 percent) than among boys (45.5 percent)

PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS MALNUTRITION

The Government has introduced many programs to tackle malnutrition. The most famous among these are the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) set up in 1975 and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The ICDS national development program is one of the largest in the world. It reaches more than 34 million children aged 0–6 years and 7 million pregnant and lactating mothers. NRHM, created for the years 2005-2012, seeks to improve the availability of and access to quality health care by people, especially for those residing in rural areas, the poor, women, and children. The ICDS’ emphasis on older children has meant that infants under the age of two and pregnant women barely get covered. After the age of 2, growth retardation is irreversible. Thus, this program has failed.

Another program for tackling malnutrition is the Public Distribution System and the Mid-day meal schemes in Indian schools. The Mid-day meal scheme, set up by the Akshaya Patra Foundation, runs the world's largest NGO-run midday meal programme serving freshly cooked meals to over 1.2 million hungry school children in government and government-aided schools in India. This programme is conducted with part subsidies from the government.

Like many government programs, the challenge for all these programs and schemes is how to increase efficiency, impact and coverage. Corruption is also a huge problem.

CONCLUSION

As we have seen, malnutrition is a huge problem in our country, with millions of children dying before they reach the age of six. Malnutrition amounts to a massive human development crisis, where the state is unable to provide the most basic facilities to so many of its people. It is now estimated that India will be unable to meet its Millennium Development Goals of halving malnutrition by 2015. On the contrary, disparities are growing. Even though GDP growth is impressive, malnutrition is decreasing by only a few percentage points. Malnutrition has an effect on productivity: it is estimated that physical impediments caused by malnutrition knock off 3% of GDP. One solution for the problem is fortifying food handed out by the Public Distribution System (PDS) to lower rates of anemia and decrease nutrition. A long term solution, which needs urgent emphasis, is redirecting our energies towards pregnant women and infants under the age of two. Unless we do this on a priority basis, malnutrition will continue to be a huge problem for our country. India has missed a huge window of opportunity; we cannot afford to do so any longer. The future of our children is at stake. We must act now.

FDI in retail

2011-08-05T00:24:00.002+05:30

FDI in retail is back in the news. There are reports that the government will allow FDI in multi-brand retail from April 2012. This is a topic which has seen much controversy. Economists have been discussing the issue for years. Strangely enough, this issue also sees the BJP and the Left on the same page. An issue on which the left and the right stand together must be a special one and that certainly is the case.

Before I go into my view on the subject, some background is in order. India permits 100% FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in certain sectors, like cash and carry, wholesale trading and 51% FDI in single brand retail (high end stores like GUCCI come into this category). FDI in retail has for long been seen as the answer to India’s inflation problem. The Economic Survey 2010-11 noted that “"Permitting FDI in retail in a phased manner beginning with metros and incentivizing the existing retail shops to modernize could help address the concerns of farmers and consumers. FDI in retail may also help bring in technical know-how to set up efficient supply chains which could act as models of development." Numerous companies involved in the sector welcome a move to have FDI in retail. So why the controversy?

India has a number of kirana shops, wholesale shops which form the backbone of the present retail industry in the country. These are generally small businesses (called mom and pop stores in the US) which might not be able to compete if the big companies enter the retail sector. There is a political angle as well: the retail sector contributes 13% of GDP and employs a huge mass of people. Can any government afford to alienate this vote bank, especially in the era of coalition politics with little scope for political ideology?

Before I go into the political angle, it is important to list the reasons why so many people see FDI in retail as a good thing. The Indian food sector is an absolute mess, with around 40% of the food being produced going waste. Thus we have the unsavoury scenes of rats eating grain when millions of our people go to bed hungry. Storage and distribution facilities are non-existent. The Food Corporation of India is unable to store the grain that is produced and leaves stacks of grain in the open, only to be destroyed by rain. Global retailers, with the technical expertise, will help us fix our supply chain and storage problems. Critical food produce will not be wasted and the poor in this country will have access to food, a basic duty of the state.

In addition to this, another benefit of having a smooth transit of produce from farms to shop floors is the elimination of middlemen. Any person with a rudimentary knowledge of Indian agriculture understands how middlemen play havoc with both the farmer and the consumer. FDI in retail will ensure contract farming, which will mean that the farmers will sell their produce directly to the retail chains. They will get the market price for their produce (which can easily be ascertained in today’s internet age) and the consumers will not have to pay through the nose for basic foodgrain.

Another advantage is that global retailers setting up operations in India will have to employ a huge mass of people. This could help address our huge unemployment numbers. It is well known that the present economic model is unsustainable: the over-dependence on services is not feasible in the long term. India needs a seismic change and FDI in retail could help contribute in a small manner to that change. Sure, at some point we will have to look towards more labour intensive sectors like manufacturing, but this can surely be an option in the short term. Furthermore, credit, the bane of every business in India (apart from corruption and red tape) will not be an issue with global retailers coming in.

But what of the wholesale traders, the kirana shops which are dead against this move? Is their survival so important that we ignore all the benefits that FDI in retail will provide? Well, no. The argument that traders need protection from the big retail chains is an argument that belongs to an age gone by. It is evident that even the biggest retailer will not be able to cater to every part of India. This is where wholesale traders come in. They can certainly help the big retailers offer their services in the rural areas of the country. As we have seen, prices will come down as a result of global retailers getting involved. These traders can come to the party, as it were, and see to it that the rural areas do not get left behind. India is looking forward, not looking back. Everybody must change with the times, and so must wholesale traders, who for long have enjoyed at the expense of the farmer and the consumer. Traders must look for innovative ways to stay competitive and there are many sectors where players have changed to remain relevant. There is no reason why retailers cannot adopt the same outlook.

Finally, we come to the political argument. Like I mentioned, on this issue, the left and the right find each other on the same platform. While such a scenario would certainly be desirable if these parties are working for the good of the country, that is not the case here. Narrow political considerations are at play. It is a downright disgrace that our politicians put their interests before that of the nation. The left’s opposition is not unexpected, what with the comrades refusing to come out of their 19^th century dogma, but the BJP’s opposition is surprising. Even more ridiculous is the reasons cited for opposition. The argument that FDI in retail will not bring inflation down defies common sense. Yashwant Sinha, probably the worst Finance Minister this country has had the misfortune of suffering, makes a ridiculous parallel between FDI in India and FDI in Mexico. If one were to make arguments based on how liberal policies did not work in a particular country, we’d have to be back to the bad old days of socialism and perpetual bondage. On second thought, it is not surprising that the BJP, which came to power on the back of lies on our heritage, culture and history, chooses to extend its habit of dishonesty and immoral conduct to economic policy.

Competition is a good thing. There is no better example for this than the telecom sector. The government has an obligation to provide every citizen of this country three square meals a day. Foodgrains rotting outside warehouses, rats and dogs eating grain while millions go to bed hungry, and the middle class having to pay exorbitant prices for foodgrains is a disaster for any elected government. The government has to choice between succumbing to the pressure of an oligarchy and leading us all to ruin and fulfilling its obligation to the Indian people. One hopes that the government makes the right choice.

Binayak Sen: a pawn in a larger game

2011-03-11T21:05:00.002+05:30

What is it about Binayak Sen? Unfortunately, in India, we have many more cases of individuals being wrongly treated by the state. Why, then, do Nobel laureates not sign petitions, so-called liberals with dubious credentials not blast the state, and the media not use such shrill tones and cover the issue in any of the other cases?

The obvious answer would be the man's story. Here is a person who could have made a lot of money by doing what so many of his colleagues do. But he chose to serve the poor and make a difference to the lives of the less fortunate. However, there is more to this than that. Sure, the man's story does play a part, but there are people with equally inspiring stories who don't get the same "print-space". The truth is that Dr Sen is a perfect fit for those who take a lot of pleasure in throwing mud at India. They take up his cause because the story of a Doctor who fought for the poor is more "sexy" than the story of, say, an illiterate villager who fights the power despite bearing its full brunt time and again.

Over the last few months, I have been exposed to a mafia of haters whose only job is to throw mud at India. I do not know why they do it, but their modus operandi is simple. Highlight the negatives and make it larger than they are and deny the positives. I don't want to take names, but a knowledgeable person will know whom I am talking about. To them, India has to be criticised, our failures highlighted, more so than any other country. If their criticism was based on a desire to be constructive, to contribute to making towards a better India, I would have been grateful. But that is not the case. To them, Dr Sen's case is manna from heaven, especially when India is seeking an enhanced role in the international community. They do not have an iota of knowledge on the case; nor do they even read the judgement. To them, what matters is that India gets bad press. The same facts which they claim are sacred are irrelevant.

The left-liberal reporting of the case is a perfect case study in hypocrisy. Here is a band of hypocrites who wax eulogies on a judgement if they agree with it, and blast another which does not agree with their ideology. To be fair, this would have been acceptable and indeed, along expected lines if it were not for a propensity to play around with words like "mockery of justice", laws which fall short of "standards for criminal prosecution", and a trial which apparently is unfair. How is it that laws which are perfectly fine in one case fall short of standards on another; how is it that the same system they praise to the skies in one case is unfair in another? They refuse to read the judgement, to understand what the judge said when he mentioned that he would have taken a lenient view if it were not for the Maoists. To me, it seems that the left-libs take themselves far too seriously; they believe to the bigger than the idea of India, they believe their story is bigger than the institutions which make India a democracy, no matter however flawed.

If you disagree with a judgement (as I do in this case), argue on the basis of the case alone. Certainly, have a media campaign demanding his release along with compensation, have public debates on the issue, but implanting motives on the judiciary, which for all its faults is independent, is not on. However, left-liberals have a tendency to exaggerate, and it is this attitude the haters feed on.

I firmly believe Dr Sen is being played with. One the one hand is the police, who use an environment of anti-Maoism to serve their needs, and an unholy alliance of haters and so-called liberals who use him to stoke their ego, or to feed their Indophobia. This is very unfortunate.

Bhopal : For 26 years, victims cried. India remainded deaf.

2010-06-20T18:22:00.003+05:30

The Group of Ministers constituted to look into the Bhopal Gas Verdict is due to present its report on Monday. TV channels across the country have reported that the GoM intends to look into all aspects of the issue, and the report will be presented to the Prime Minister on Monday. There have been reports that the GoM will validate the stand of the Law Ministry, that Dow Chemicals is liable for the clean-up of the site. This is strange, given that Mr Chidambaram had earlier argued that Dow was not liable. Is this a result of the furore created post the verdict?

That it took 26 years for the verdict to be delivered is a crime in itself. Indian officials have been indicted in the case, booked for criminal negligence and the crime has been treated as if it were a road accident. All this while Warren Anderson plays golf. Hope you are enjoying the game, Mr Anderson. Loving it while the victims suffer to this day due to your negligence.

Parallels have been drawn to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and the fact that BP now has to pay billions of dollars for the death of a few people and some animals. How many people were killed in Bhopal? Thousand? Two thousand? No. 20,000. The compensation given? 470 million dollars. Which amounts to 500 USD per person. The height of arrogance was a Dow Chemicals official saying "A settlement has been paid. 500 USD in India is enough to treat a person for one year". If you ask me, the person who made that statement should be brought to India and made to visit the site, visit each of the victims' families, each family which is affected, and they will let that person now how much the settlement helped them. Saved them from hell, that did.

President Obama sees the environment as a very important issue. Fair enough, it is time someone took note. He goes on TV, saying he's "searching whose ass to kick" while the people of Bhopal get their asses kicked everyday. Due to the negligence of an American company. This is the same Obama who sees India as a natural ally, and who only weeks ago, eulogized India so much the lot of us went giddy with excitement. Some people would have wet themselves. So if he had so much concern for the environment, and thinks so highly of India, why does he not order Dow to pay liabilities? Why does his administration, to this day, lobby for Dow not being slapped with these liabilities? Why does his administration treat the victims which such utter contempt? Why does he allow Warren Anderson to tend to his garden when he should be sitting in Tihar jail, serving life or waiting for his execution? I'll tell you why. America, for all it's pretence of being a responsible world power, cares not one jot for the world. All they care for is their interest, their companies, and if the same ethics they profess come in the way, sod them all. Because there is one set of standards for Americans, and quite another for brown skinned, third world slumdogs like Indians. Indians exist only to be looted, exploited, and the country exists only to dump toxic waste. If America today needs the Indian economy, they will come to India. Dump their waste, sell their stuff, and if an accident occurs, withhold all information which could save lives, to save their own sorry asses. Why should America and Americans care if Indians die? They live in inhuman conditions anyway. Like I said, one set of rules for Joe from Brooklyn, quite another for Jai from Bhopal. All this while India is "an emerging world power", "a nation which shares our values", yawn, yawn. And this is the country so many of us dream to migrate to. Ask any competent person what they want to do, they want to leave for the US. How does it matter if I betray my country? I care only for myself. I have more "scope" in the US, will earn more money. What does India have for me? Why should I care if America treats my country and its people like dirt? What does that have to do with the money I earn?

But is this not what we deserve? Do we not deserve this when we treat our own people with such utter contempt? The tragedy of Bhopal, more than the negligence, the arrogance of the Americans , is the betrayal by Indian governments, central and state, the judiciary, the media, civil society, the people. When we supposedly spend crores on providing clean drinking water to the people of Bhopal, they continue to suffer from many diseases, since the water is contaminated. Instead of setting things right, our politicians argue that the other party is to blame, "they did not do anything when they were in power!". Well, that holds true for you as well. And we, the people, argue over which party is to blame. If I am a BJP supporter, I will blame the Congress, a Congress supporter, question the validity of the BJP questioning the Congress, a left supporter, blame everybody, but fail to look for solutions. And if i belong to this so called New India, a youth who is sick of the system, I say every politician, bureaucrat is to blame, without understanding that the people are to blame as well, because we did not ask questions, and demand accountability. Why is this latest GoM, after 26 years, making all the right noises? Because, you see, they should be seen to be doing something, they fear for their votes. They fear the people. And instead of using that, every time, in every issue, we let them take us for a ride? We vote the same bunch of incompetent nitwits who can't stitch two coherent, intelligent words together. All they need to do is to polarize on the basis of caste, religion, language, gender. 5 years in the gaddi. Guaranteed. Nothing else matters.

I am sick and tired of this betrayal of our own people. All I want now is for systems to be in place, so that no country ever dares to dump their waste here. No company ever dares to cut corners while they are in India. Welcome to India, Athidhi Devo Bavah, but play by our rules. More importantly, I want every politician to get it into their thick heads that they exist to serve us. Not the other way around. All I want is for the victims to live a peaceful life. They have suffered enough. They are screaming for help. and for 26 years, India, not the establishment, not the judiciary, not the media, continued to remain deaf. Anderson and this drama of extradition is secondary.

Union Government of India to act on Bhopal issue. Could file a curative appeal before the Supreme Court and seek Anderson extradition. June 21 could be a new opening.

I am an optimist, and at least now, I hope the system acts. I hope lessons are learnt. And then, the same nonsense which Union Carbide did, which is going on in Jharkand, in Bellary, should be tackled head on. And if it doesn't, I plan to demand till the establishment gets sick and tired of me, so that it does. I refuse to moan, whinge, complain. Is it too much to hope that another Bhopal does not take place? Is it too much to hope for the India of Gandhi's dreams?

Aman Ki Asha?? I Think Not....

2010-03-22T18:06:00.003+05:30

And here we go..as most of us expected, some sections of the media are out preaching how peace between India and Pakistan is the only way forward. All very good; however, how would you reason with a nation which has no constructive ambition? The national hobby of our esteemed neighbors is to maim, kill or injure in some form a majority of our people.

Amitabh Bacchan is out sprouting couplets for peace; and we have the usual drivel arguing for peace and maturity from both sides. I daresay their argument rings hollow. Hafiz Sayeed not only roams free, but continues his diatribe against India; the ISI continues plotting future terrorist attacks against us while they talk of not being hawkish. I reckon our esteemed neighbour from across the border will magically stop their nefarious activities the second we follow their prescription.

As for the Big B, I lost all respect for him when he decided to align himself with crooks like Amar Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav. That the two are now estranged is another matter.

Lets not kid ourselves. It takes two to tango. We cannot have an illusion of maintaining peace and harmony (for the good of the region, no less) while the other side refuses to see reason. Nor can we depend on the Yanks to keep the Pakis in line. The Yanks only care about themselves, and all talk of engagement with India is just hogwash. As long as their necks are safe, they will not care who stands to lose. That has been the American policy for long, and it seemingly will not change despite our pleas. The only thing we can do is strengthening ourselves and be dogged in our fight for justice.

Programs like Aman Ki Asha and the rest are an insult to all the martyrs and the thousands who keep us safe by risking their lives everyday. Is this how we pay them back? I am not being hawkish when I say that peace with Pakistan is not possible, just realistic. We are alone in this fight. The last thing we need is for influential figures leading us to believe the peace that all of us yearn for, despite everything, is possible. This daydream needs to stop.

Combating Maoist Thuggery By Political Posturing

2009-06-24T16:46:00.001+05:30

It seems that the Left and double standards are synonymous with each other. Following the Maoist attack on Lalgargh, the Left argued that proscription would increase their appeal amongst the sections of society they represent. It is baffling that they believe the same ideology cannot be extended to right-wing organizations. One would reckon that the danger these forces represent to the state are far too serious for political parties to play politics, but our politicians always baffle and confound us with their ever decreasing sense of ethos.

Nobody in their right mind would believe that force alone would work against the Maoists. The fact that the Maoist cadre consists of the most vulnerable section of society is an indication of how we, as a nation, have failed in our promise to make growth equitable. We must first accept that we have made grave errors in our treatment of the sections that are ensnared by Maoist ideology. We must convince them that the ideology they believe in will not achieve what they seek. Then, we must work towards providing development to the weakest, and simultaneously fight the Maoists politically and militarily.

The Maoists are thugs who use pretensions of championing pro-people causes. If they were truly for the masses, why don’t they lay down their arms and join the political mainstream? They blow up cell phone towers and other infrastructure which provide so many benefits to the people whose cause they claim to fight for.

We would do well to remember that communism, even socialism will not deliver our people from poverty; our pre-1991 economic statistics are proof of this. We must contain Naxalism by providing the basic amenities of our people. For that, our political class needs to be united. Looking for vote banks and playing politics in situations which threaten internal security is dangerous;and it is not only the Left which is guilty. It seems our politicians have still not learnt the lessons of 26/11. They must act fast lest they need another reminder.

Colleges And Their Virtuous Bans

2009-06-24T16:41:00.002+05:30

I don’t know what it is with colleges and their infinite wisdom with regard to protecting the virtue of their female students. Four colleges in Kanpur have banned T-Shirts and jeans. They are not the only ones. My Alma mater, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya University, enforced the ban, as did Anna University and a host of other colleges. Bapuji Dental College, where my sister has taken admission for BDS apparently has the ban in place as well. Gender neutrality is a concept either lost in our colleges or forgotten.

In some cases, the ban is applicable to both male and female students (my college is an example, though admittedly not a good one, seeing that there are a host of rules with regard to the female student population which are regressive) on the grounds on professionalism and preparing the student to the work environment. Yes, one has to adhere to a certain dress code in the work environment, but what is the need for preparation, given that the transition will be natural? Colleges are not only about academics and preparation for the big, bad world, but also a coming of age; an experience that shapes an individual. Professionalism is not only about the clothes; in fact if it were only about the clothes, it would not be a quality that prospective employers search for.

Even more out of touch with reality is the assertion that jeans and T-Shirts are provocative and invite some form of abuse. This stems out of a patriarchal belief that clothes are a cause for attacks on women, that victims “deserved it”. Numerous studies have proved that clothes, provocative or otherwise, are not a reason for attacks on women. The mindset that a woman is somehow inferior to a man is behind many of these attacks. Men must learn to respect boundaries. I wonder how much divinity we posses when everyday, there are reports of sexual abuse of women.

One cannot decide what an individual has to wear, irrespective of the individual’s gender. If an individual has a right to vote, then he/she must have the right to decide what he/she wears. College goers must be treated like the adults they are.

What must be fought is sexual abuse as a whole. Provocation is not a defence. It is a fact that institutions as well as a large part of our population, male and female must understand. I must have the freedom to wear what I want, be it T-Shirts, jeans, cargos or a simple shirt and trousers. Denial of this freedom is akin to denial of basic human rights.

This Ain't The End

2009-06-24T16:37:00.000+05:30

These are not good days for Manchester United fans. Ever since the champions league final, fans have had to face an onslaught of bad news. What should have been a time of celebration and jubilation has turned into concern and dare we say it, fear.

Football fans point to the champions league final and say that Manchester United was all hype and no substance; that Barcelona proved that claims of United being the best in the world were far-fetched. My answer is simple. There can be no denying that Barca were the better team in Rome, just as there can be no denying that United played magnificently to retain the premier league, win the club world cup and almost become the first team to retain the European Cup. Some United fans will offer excuses and say, it would have been different had United taken at least one of the many chances they had in the first ten minutes. However, ifs and buts do not win trophies. There is no shame in losing to a quality team.

There have been suggestions that a huge overhaul is needed, but one bad game does not diminish the achievement of the players. Great teams bounce back from disappointments, and United will show next season why we are one of the best in the world.

That noble ambition has suffered a setback by the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. I can see Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Man City fans jumping in glee every time speculation rises of another high profile departure from Old Trafford. Ronaldo and Tevez will be sorely missed; and it will be difficult for us to replace them. However, this situation provides an opportunity to the youngsters such as Nani, Tosic, Ljajic, Wellbeck, Macheda and Gibson. There are rumours that Karim Benzema and Douglas Costa are being approached by the club, but newspaper stories are often proved wrong, and hence cannot be trusted. As a lifelong fan, I recognise that the departures of Tevez and Ronaldo will affect the performance of the team. However, the advantage is that there will no longer be speculation around the future of the high profile players. This will lead to a better dressing room environment, a prerequisite for success. The manager would have prepared for such an eventuality, and I am sure he has replacements in mind, via the transfer market from within the squad. Rivals may be laughing at us now, saying nobody wants to stay or come to the club, but we will be the ones laughing come May 2010. Of that, I am sure.

The club’s debt has been a topic of much debate, but I think Man United is too big a club to do the Leeds way. Rival fans might be hoping for this to happen, but we are talking about one of the biggest sport brands in the world. The debt will be settled in time. I just hope that the money will be available for Sir Alex to make the changes he wants to see. The debt should not affect Sir Alex signing the players he believes are worthy of putting on the Manchester United jersey.

In Fergie We Trust.

This club has gone through a lot, and still rose from the ashes. Something as trivial as a couple of players, no matter how good they may be, cannot sound the death knell for the club, as some suggest.

Pea Brained Buchanan

2009-04-01T13:50:00.003+05:30

We have seen some supremely ridiculous ideas being mooted by coaches and officials in sport through the years. John Buchanan's four captain idea is a new low(or is it a high??).

It is tragic when sport gets mingled with politics. Ultimately, politics might be what all this is about. How else would you justify such a stupid concept?Do we have multiple Presidents?Multiple Prime Ministers, army chiefs,etc? Twenty20 might be a new concept;and yes, you have to come up with out of the box solutions. But this is just daft. The basics remain the same in every form of the game. Too many cooks truly spoil the broth.

If Buchanan was so convinced this was the way forward, why didn't he do this with the Australian national team. Had Buchanan done so, i am convinced Ponting would have told him to stick his head in some very unpleasant places. Why should Dada be any different?

My belief is that Buchanan came up with this idea because he had an issue with Ganguly, just like Guru Greg did. Dada was out of form then, he lacks match practice now. Besides, is IPL, with all the money that is involved, the time for experiments such as this? Indian cricket has had enough of these experiments, thank you very much. It is yet another i-told-you-so-moment for Shane Warne.

There is a limit to what technology and all out of the box ideas can do. I am sure Irfan Pathan will agree. Thanks to a so-called bio mechanics expert, he lost his swing. This pea brained idea should be consigned to the dustbins, where it belongs.

It's Now Official...A Full-Scale Title Wobble

2009-03-23T11:12:00.003+05:30

I can't deny it anymore. It looks like the quest for the 18th league trophy will have to wait for a year. Manchester United's 2-0 loss to Fulham has meant the lead is now down to a point. Had United beaten Liverpool, we would have been 10 points ahead with a game in hand. The game in hand remains, but i dunno if United are going to respond to this double whammy.

What bothers me more is the manner in which we lost to Fulham. They had 62% possession at the end of the first half. We also ended the game with nine men, which means we will now be without Vidic, Scholes and Rooney for the crucial game against Aston Villa. We will be going into the match two points BEHIND Liverpool and without three of our best players. Yes, United have blown it. The March 14 affect? In 1998, we lost to Arsenal and blew a 12 point lead and last year, we lost to Manchester City on the same day. Aston Villa got thrashed 4-0 by us last season; we won the league. Liverpool have now beaten Villa 5-0. Omens against us?

Villa is going to be a huge test. Yes, they got thrashed at the hands of Liverpool, but let's be honest, so did United. They have some great players like Barry, Carew, Agbonlahor and Young while three of our best are suspended for the game. We need to win every game now, but the display against Fulham hasn't left me convinced that we can pull it off. Here's hoping i am wrong.

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Ronaldo has been getting a lot of stick lately, from so called fans who want Sir Alex to sell him to Madrid in the summer. Last season was phenomenal for him. There have been many instances this season where he missed by inches. The same would have resulted in a goal last year. I think his team game as improved. He will still end up with a minimum of 25 goals at the end of the season. Very good for a winger. Yes, he has his faults. And yes, he will at some point of time go to Madrid. That is his decision to make. if he thinks Madrid are better than United all he needs to do is watch a footage of their game against Liverpool. As fans, we must take his word and Sir Alex's word at face value and get on with it. We must support the team(that obviously includes Ronaldo) even when the going is a bit tough. Like right now. If Ronaldo wishes to move on, we must respect his decision and remember all the good times he gave us. This drama must end. If Ronaldo leaves, good luck to him. The club was the best before him, and will be the best long after he is gone.

Apathy Must End

2009-03-21T20:19:00.002+05:30

I was 6 years old when I won first prize in elocution for reciting Pandit Nehru’s “A Tryst With Destiny” speech. I was 10 years old when I was taught the ideals on which India was built. As I grew older, I learnt about our struggle for freedom, learnt the Preamble to the Constitution by rote, and more importantly, understood what these ideals stood for. Today, 60 years after Nehru declared that India would end poverty and inequality of opportunity, the promises remain unfulfilled. The prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman, remain elusive.

The politicians of the era that won us our freedom took great pride in dedicating themselves to binding themselves to the service of India. The politicians of today throw furniture at each other and invent new means of cheating the people. Politics today is seen as a dirty business, a perfect vocation for the biggest swindler in town. Corruption is widely prevalent, to the extent that it is not looked down upon anymore; just a reality of life. The speaker of the outgoing Lok Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee, declared in a fit of anger that MP’s do not deserve a single paisa. Though he later retracted his statement, it is no doubt an assertion shared by many in the country. India today is still home to the world’s poorest, 27% of the world’s hungriest are Indians. These remain untold in the stories of Rising India that we take so much pride on.

Images of Godhra still remain in my mind. Though there have been many communal riots in the country prior to independence, Godhra is more horrific to me at a personal level as my family lived(and still does)in Ahmedabad at the time. Religious intolerance is on the rise. Who can forget the destruction of churches in Karnataka and Orissa or the impunity with which fundamentalists impose their rabid ideology on others? Gender equality remains a pipe dream, and moral policing is on the rise. Caste clashes still exist as do evils like dowry. The progressive nation Nehru dreamed of remains regressive in form and outlook.

However, it is time we stopped moaning and start acting. Years of neglect and indifference have yielded the India we see today. Yes, there is progress, but of what good is this if we fail to free or poor from the shackles of poverty and hunger? We must build a new culture, akin to the one that was prevalent when we gained independence under the stewardship of Gandhiji. We can start by realizing that every individual holds a stake in what happens around us; the culture of indifference and apathy must end.

Gender Equality...A Distant Dream

2009-03-21T20:17:00.002+05:30

Gender equality in our country is a distant dream. The recent Mangalore attacks only underline this fact. It is indeed a tragedy that a country which aspires to become a superpower cannot provide basic security for its women. Even more abominable is the attitude of the attackers; who continue to remain unrepentant and call themselves “custodians of Indian culture”. There is full merit in assuming such elements to be for the Talibanisation of many parts of India.

To say that forces such as the Sri Rame Sene or even Abhinav Bharat have the backing of the RSS is to state the obvious. These so called nationalistic organizations, backed by the damnable VHP-BJP-RSS troika are wrecking havoc on our country. From Godhra to the pogrom that followed to the attacks on women in Mangalore a few days ago, these organizations have continued their bloodthirsty quest of robbing India of its values, whilst claiming to the protectors of the very values that make our nation the greatest in the world. However, these traitors could not have been successful in their nefarious designs had they not been backed by ordinary Indians, honest hardworking people taken in by the xenophobic rhetoric all religious fundamentalists specialize in. Therefore, the normal citizens are equally responsible for such vile heinous acts.

In our zeal for preserving our tradition, we have forgotten the noble values our culture stands for. We have forgotten that when the rest of the world was indulging in a never-ending cycle of violence, our ancestors offered protection to refugees from all over the world. We forget that while the rest of the world was treating its women with contempt. Our ancestors offered our women some degree of respect. Somewhere down the line, these noble values have morphed into the intolerant binge we see today, in essence no different from Saudi wahabism. How is it that we call organizations like the Taliban terrorists whilst refrain from using the same language to the Hindu version? The other great civilizations of the world have changed their outlook, but we remain stuck in the 19th century. We forget that traditions and customs were man made, not the other way around. They are meant to evolve with time. Therein lays our greatest sin.

I now speak from personal experience. I believe that the ideology of a nation can be gauged by the ideas of the youth. The common feeling among many of my peers is that the men involved in crimes against women are uneducated, with no sense of morality. What is disturbing, however, is the still widely prevalent feeling that all these women would have done something to provoke the men and this talk of “natural reactions”. If a woman is assaulted, she must have invited the wrath of the aggressors. There are a number of fellow male students who believe that a woman's place is inside the four walls of their houses. Teasing a woman in an inappropriate nature is a sign of masculine power. Women are weak and were created only to be subservient to the males, the so called superior gender. When the ignorance of such an attitude is pointed, people such as myself are accused of being out of touch with reality. The reason behind such attitudes is the glorification of machismo and patriarchy in our society. They are there in all our forms of art, most notably, films and television. These are the forms of art which connect the most with the young. In our movies and on television, patriarchy is glorified in the name of following our noble traditions and our ancient culture. Instead of fighting these outdated beliefs, our movies and television give a sense of legitimacy to them.

It is time we realized what Indian culture means and the values it promotes. This is true for the organizations responsible for incidents like Mangalore and also for the common man. It is not enough to keep shouting about the greatness of our culture from the rooftops, we must practice these noble values. It is important to discourage the moral policing widely prevalent in India. We are a democracy, not a theocracy or its offshoot wherein a group of people will decide what must and must not be done; what is proper and what is not. The value of a nation is measured by the way it treats its women. Till then, we have no right to make grand plans of becoming a superpower. To do so would be a disgrace to the term.

Congratulacion....David Beckham

2009-03-21T20:15:00.001+05:30

David Beckham has now equaled Sir Bobby Moore’s record of most England caps for an outfield player. A fantastic achievement indeed, considering he has always been criticized of being a one-trick pony. Whatever his shortcomings, and yes there are many; he deserves every bit of praise coming his way. Sir Bobby is a legend, and Beckham going past his record will not diminish the legendary status he enjoys amongst football enthusiasts.

The criticism directed towards Beckham has always struck me as a bit unfair. When Beckham plays, England have that much more in them; he always gives his best; his work rate is one of the highest in the world and because of the blessed right foot, he always presents a real threat to the opposition. He may not be able to tackle, or burst along the wings, but he makes it up with the brilliance of the right foot. Anyway, there are very few players who are equally good on both feet, so saying he does not have a decent left foot is stretching things a bit too far.

He has been relegated to the bench in many of his recent appearances. This is only natural considering his age and the need to find a consistent player on the right side of midfield. Let’s face it, Walcott is prone to injuries, Downing, Lennon, Bentley and Wright-Philips are frustratingly inconsistent. Even Walcott is a work in progress and his ability to perform well in crunch situations remains to be tested. The game against Spain has only underlined the fact that England do not have a good player on the right apart from Beckham.

Let’s not delude ourselves. England were pathetic. They had only two real chances, one of which was provided when Beckham came on as a sub. We must applaud a very good player and appreciate what he has done for football, not moan about how he is undeserving of the honour.

Money Won't Give Success

2009-01-24T19:50:00.001+05:30

Manchester City’s million dollar bid for Kaka has shocked many, including the revered Sir Alex Ferguson. There are many (and I must confess to belong to this group) who snigger at City’s attempts to attract the best talent in the world via the bucket loads of cash they now posses. It is indeed comical for a club which fights to avoid relegation every other season harbor illusions of being the best club in the world. The Sheikhs who bought City would have been no doubt inspired by the Abrahimovic story at Chelsea, but the Londoners had a number of world class players like Frank Lampard, John Terry before the oligarch took over; therefore, it was easier to convince players like Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and the rest. In comparison, the only world class player in the City team is Robinho, and even he came to the club after the Arabs took over. Stephen Ireland and Richard Dunne are not in the same as league as these champions, while Shaun Wright-Philips is a perennial under-achiever.

So must there always be a hierarchy of a handful of clubs, and must only these clubs fight for glory? No, but the methods employed by the likes of City and dare I say it, Chelsea before them, are obscene. All the big clubs in the world (Manchester United, Barcelona, AC Milan, Real Madrid, etc) have history. It took years for each of these clubs to be in the position they enjoy today. Many of these clubs became what they are after starting with limited money; the millions we see today was a by product of the success, the money was not a cause for success. For many of the best players in the world, ambition and ability to back it up with tangible results is the main criteria, money is only secondary.

Modern Day football is big money business. In today’s globalised world, matches in Europe are followed with equal amount of passion by fans in Asia. Ticket sales alone do not contribute to the club’s coffers; TV rights, merchandise sales contribute just as much, if not more. This has resulted in a situation where a handful of world class players are chased by hundreds of clubs. The biggest beneficiary of all this is the player himself, and he cannot be blamed for wanting to earn as much as he can in the 10-15 years that he plays the game. However, after a point, money becomes secondary; the player seeks to gain recognition as a player. Thus, he invariably plays for a club which has history, ambition and the talent to supplement the ambition. The reality of modern day football is that a club which fulfills the above requirements can also offer the player the six figure salary he seeks. If a player moves to a club solely for the money (like Robinho), the arrangement is bound to be a temporary one, with happiness and satisfaction eluding both the club and the player.

It is therefore a relief that Kaka has rejected a move to the Eastlands. If the deal had materialized, football would have been the casualty, for there would then be no morals and ethics involved. We must therefore be thankful that money has not corrupted a fantastic player, and this would discourage similar stories from happening in the future. Indeed, it would have been fantastic for the Premier League to have a talent like Kaka, but this would be no compensation for the grievous harm caused to the game. Teams like Manchester City can seek success, but they must realize that success would mean a lot of hard work spread over decades. Money will play a part, but it must not remain the primary means for achieving success. Maybe one day we will see City in the Champions League on a regular basis, but it would be a shame if this were achieved by basically bribing eleven of the best players in the world.

Life Is Good!!!

2009-01-24T19:48:00.001+05:30

Aah, Life is good. Seriously. I know this would seem a little out of touch with reality in this milieu of recessions and frauds and blackmail by a failed state, but I refuse to be sucked into this whirlpool of depression.

Therefore, I shall celebrate the good things happening around me, the best of which is that come May, I would officially be an Engineer. Yay Me!!! Srinivas Chandrasekhar Mandapati, B.E. Has a nice ring to it, no? As I continue to evaluate the endless wonder of my new name, as it were, I am reminded of another fantastic event- the end of George Bush’s presidency. If all goes well, we could even get mukti from the biggest challenge to our sanity- Himesh Reshammiya and his suroor. Definitely something to be happy about (I couldn’t care less for the sods who appreciate his music and his acting!). I am sure I am in a majority when I say that I will be over the moon if he sticks to the reality shows…for eternity.

Now the one thing that positively makes me giddy with joy (besides my degree) is the masterpiece Deshdrohi. For a person who turns to endless re-runs of Friends for comic relief, this is manna from heaven. A complete swadeshi mode of entertainment and if you ask me, it is also the best antidote to all those wallowing over the multiple crisis’s. Can you blame me for being contended when I have such fascinating events and modes of entertainment to look forward to? And so, life is good. It just got better, because Manchester United have thrashed Chelsea 3-0.

Liberalism-Still India's Salvation

2009-01-03T14:15:00.001+05:30

The world economy is in shambles. This has prompted many to declare that this crisis marks the end of capitalism. What does this mean for India, where liberalism has been in practice since 1991? I am no economist, nor do I claim to be an expert on the subject. My understanding is based on common sense, on statistics and the experience of a 21 year old that has had the fortune to be raised in a middle class household. It cannot be denied that the middle class has been the biggest beneficiary of the post-1991 policies, for could a family like mine own a car, a house of our own and live in comfort if change had not been brought about? My story is similar to those of thousands of Indians, many of those studying in the best schools and colleges in the country. We are not elitist; we are just making the best use of the opportunities available to us.

However, I see the pain of the less fortunate everyday, and it makes my heart bleed. There are many who say liberalization has failed. Many who say the benefits have not reached the neediest. Just as this cannot be denied, a system which brought about 3 percent growth at an average cannot be seen as a substitute. Socialism is hypocrisy. We have practiced socialism for more than 40 years. What did we have to show for it? A nation that begged the international community for money? A nation, whose best sons and daughters left its shores disillusioned, convinced that their talents would forever go waste if they remained in the land of their birth? If India is respected, even feared by some, it is due to the massive progress we have made in the last 17 years. Otherwise, we would have forever remained a land of elephants and snake charmers in the eyes of the world. However, amidst all of the euphoria, we must not forget the story of the farmer who commits suicide because he cannot pay his loans; of the child who leaves school as his parents cannot afford the cost of his or her education. This presents an opportunity, for a system that worked for the 300 million bourgeoisie Indians can surely produce the same results for the millions in our villages.

Yet, liberal economics in itself is not a solution. No single ideology can claim to the only solution to all our economic woes. We will need to be flexible as rigidity will get us nowhere. We cannot remain prey to the insecurity that suggests that we need to protected, nor should we remain apathetic to the woes of the common Indian tilling his land everyday, hoping for a better tomorrow. The votaries of the old order say that the present crisis in the world and sectors of our economy is proof that our economic policies have failed. Common sense dictates that every ideology has its faults; what should be determined is whether the good outweighs the bad, and one must strive for improving upon the good and eradicating the bad. This is what these people fail to grasp. The crisis is not an excuse to fall back to the old incompetence; it offers us opportunity to identify the mistakes that have been made and improve on it. Competition offers a scope for improvement, not the “curbing of autonomous development” as many so called experts have so colourfully declared. If I am exposed to highly skilled people, I will only improve. This is not esoteric, expert mumbo-jumbo; it is plain common sense.

To be honest, I do not understand half of what experts talk about these days. But I am convinced that often the simple route is the best. All our problems have one simple solution, common sense. And common sense tells me that in every crisis lies an opportunity, because crises do not arise unless there is something wrong. This may be an absence or regulation or a case of too much government intervention. I am convinced that the policies we follow will take us to the development and self sufficiency we seek. Yes, there will be hiccups, but these will only mean that we need to improve on the foundation. The tallest tower in the world cannot be built without the strongest foundation. Similarly, the policies we follow today will lead to India being one of the biggest economies in the world. Would this be possible if we had allowed the old order to continue? The most obvious answer is no.

Stop Blaming...Start Cleaning!!!

2008-12-19T16:30:00.001+05:30

It's amazing..isn't it?Pakistan continues to change its tune very frequently.It was the ISI chief first, then the issue of Kasab's nationality, JuD and most recently, Masood Azhar.It is now apparent that they are not going to act...so what happens next? Some people advocate the military option, but that would be akin to suicide. That is what the terrorists want us to do, and also what the rouge elements in the Pakistani establishment responsible for 26/11 want us to do. This is on account of two reasons;the most obvious being that the threat of a confrontation with India would lead to the Pakistanis withdrawing from the Afghan border.Secondly,such machismo has never produced the desired results...Iraq and Afghanistan are a case in point.
The only realistic option before the country is to strengthen its intelligence and continue to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan...not because Pakistan will buckle,but because it would send a message to the terrorists.Some good would have come out of the tragedy that is 26/11 if long overdue change is brought to this country.And change needs to start from within the aam admi.It is no use blaming politicians;we vote them to power.Their inefficiency is bad judgement from our part.There are many good leaders in this country..we will find them if we are sincere.Blaming Pakistan is going to get us nowhere.It is time we started wielding the broomstick and cleaning our house.Our Cynical attitude to life must stop.Tragedies will continue as long as this characteristic feature is not eliminated.All of us have a stake in what happens around us.We must not complain about corruption...it continues only because we give in.If all of us make a solemn promise to ourselves that we will not give in,i believe the levels of corruption will go down drastically.This is just one example of how we must change.We must learn to respect the law.Only then will our politicians respect us.Till then,we must not crib,moan,scream about how things will never improve.It is time we went back to the belief around which Indian Independence was won....Be The Change You Want To See.....

Fundamentalism Is Terrorism

2008-10-14T16:21:00.000+05:30

The abominable attacks on Churches in Orrisa have been a topic of much debate. It is not unfair to compare the carnage to Nandigram or Gujarat. The perpetrators of the crime have had the audacity to openly declare that they were responsible. This incident is the latest in a series of events which have threatened the secular fabric of this nation, the very quality which made our country so special. Rabid elements have strutted around with impunity, be it the SIMI or the Bajrang Dal-RSS-VHP troika. The BJP, which claims to be concerned about our internal security, calls this damnable troika "nationalists". I do not know about my fellow countrymen, but this is a form of nationalism i truly detest. If the fundamentalists who blew up Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad are to be called terrorists, the fumdamentalists who attack churches or mosques or any place of worship for that matter, deserve the same treatment. I see no difference between the two. The Government, which insists that terrorism will be dealt with firmly, should see to it that this troika is treated the same way as SIMI is. Only then can it claim to be sensitive to the urgent need of protecting the secular nature of the country, and also be true to its claim that it truly stands as an alternative to the shameful and despicable acts of communal violence that the BJP and its ideological masters pursue. For the record, i am an engineering student. My family lives in Ahmedabad, and we were very, very lucky that the bombs did not hurt us the way they destroyed so many families. As much as i appreciate bringing those who planned that attack to justice, i would be deeply ashamed if the same justice was not offered to the thousands of brothers and sisters, whose loved ones were hurt by the events of the past two months.

Tssskkk...

2008-06-23T14:24:00.001+05:30

The biggest soap opera of the season continues. No, we are not talking of yet another inane, melodramatic binge from Ekta Kapoor but of the impasse over the civilian nuclear deal. The Left continues in its opposition to the nuclear deal and even Sonia Gandhi has supposedly told the Left that she cannot go against the Prime Minister's wishes vis-à-vis the nuclear deal. A day after I was taken by surprise at the rare show or courage by the Prime Minister, I was let down the very next day. Somehow, statements that followed the bold assertion seemed to be a climb down for the Government. Admittedly, this could have been influenced by the knowledge that if the government were to go ahead with the deal, it would probably result in early elections. This is hardly what the United Progressive Alliance would want, especially after inflation rose to 11.05%, the highest in 13years. Normally, this would be adieu to a deal that pulls India out of nuclear isolation, but with the Prime Minister not backing off, we are in for an interesting equation.
It is unfortunate that Indian democracy has not reached a level of maturity where political parties look beyond political gains and put national interest at a premium. In all honesty, one can't blame the Left as it would be against their ideology to support the nuclear deal. It is another matter that this very ideology is hogwash, to put it mildly. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the constituents of the UPA are more to blame, the BJP even more as they were in power when the deal was in its initial stages. Well, what can one say of the Congress? In spite of their boast of them having a special relationship with Indian democracy, they have never shown the maturity to be think beyond their lust for power. At stake is India's credibility, surely that is more important than who comes to power in the next elections. if this deal does not go through, the country will forever be in nuclear isolation, our nuclear power plants will be rendered ineffective and we will be bullied even more by China, who had the sense to sign a similar deal with the US, even if the terms were not as favourable as they are to India. Moreover, India will not be trusted to keep an agreement. But no, all the Congress and its allies care about is that they return to power. The interests of the nation are at best secondary. The BJP is even worse. They go about tarnishing the country with their rabid ideology, claim to the ones striving for development whilst in power, and forget their progressive economics whilst in opposition. The government should go ahead with the deal, irrespective of the consequences. For once, the Congress should put national interest ahead of its selfishness, and lust.
It can be argued that an election is rarely fought on a foreign policy issue whilst there are more pressing problems such as inflation; and elections at a time of high prices and inflation is suicidal. However, the economic crisis is not going to fade away soon. In any case, prices are going to be high by the time the country goes to the polls, deal or no deal. The government might as well earn some brownie points by saying we risked losing power for a deal which is good for the country. The Congress and its allies could then occupy the moral high ground. As Albus Dumbledore would have said, there are times when we have to chose between what is right and what is easy. The Congress can earn the gratitude of the nation by doing what is right and sign the deal.